2008 Christmas Letter

Dear Family and Friends!!
Merry Christmas!! We have had a busy year as I’m sure all of us have. Some of the highlights are:

BREK KOLLIN: Born January 18, 2008. What a fun addition to our family. He is a maniac crawler and walks along the furniture and between people but hasn’t got the nerve to just stand up and start walking. He LOVES Bode and laughs at him. He also can tolerate the girls and all the things they do to him. He has teeth and is still teething. We are so blessed to have him in our lives.

BODE: turned 5 in May and so after a series of shots (I didn’t get them for him until later in life), he was ready to go to school in August as a Kindergartener. SOOO HARD!! I have a tough time sending him everyday. He just seems too little. He struggled at first with school and rules but now he’s settled into the whole routine and can you believe it, HE’S READING!! Unbelievable that these tiniest are reading and the demands of time that they have on them. He’s still a farm boy at heart and any chance he gets to stay home with mom, he will. Bode also lost his first tooth and is teething also.

SUMMER: turned 10 this year. She was able to be in band this year and is playing the flute and she practices EVERY day, several times a day, the same songs over and over. I beg her “to turn the page” and start on a new song. She has a whole mouth full of metal which includes a spreader for her palette and braces on every tooth that she has. All of her adult teeth haven’t come in yet so she’s teething also and when they do come in, brackets will be put on them and they will be wired into the braces. She’s a great babysitter and would much prefer to do that to any cleaning or working outside or anything like that. We love her fun personality.

LEXI: turned 12 this year which meant, YW, make-up, high heels and getting her ears pierced (that was interesting). She also started 7th grade and is having a great time with new friends and old friends and growing up. She is the Secretary in the small BeeHive Class. She’s playing a little VB and BB and has asked if she can play tennis?? That ought to be fun!! She’s a great big sister and helper around the house. She still likes school and does very well. She could be teething as well because she has to get her 12 year old molars.

TRICIA: had another baby in January, so glad it’s not this time last year, I wasn’t feeling very good as I was pregnant and my wisdom teeth were killing me. So after Brek in January, I had my wisdom teeth pulled, OUCH, but what a relief!! I’ve kept myself busy with chasing kids around to all their activities and games, doing a little volunteering at the school, referring a few VB games at the Jr High, scrapbooking, sewing, working with my vinyl. I’m still in RS Presidency and love it. It’s incredible to see the behind scenes of the good sisters in this area as they go out and do kind deeds for others. I’m also a blogger so to get everyday stuff on us you can go to mom2mykids.blogspot.com

ERIC: our hero and provider for all the things we have. He has been busy with farming and cowboying. It’s funny to watch him try to be a cattleman. He has a bruise right now from a steer that kicked him. He is still ward activities chairman and has a big to-do this year as we are trekking in June as a ward. He also farms our little plot of acreage around our house and keeps himself busy trying to pick up the slack that I can’t. He’s a great daddy (especially to our teenager types) and husband. We love him and are so glad that he loves his job and comes home with some $ to support us.

We hope that this letter find you all well and healthy. We look forward to this time of year with great hope and love for our Savior. How appreciative we for the great sacrifice that our Savior preformed on our behalf. We know there would be no reason for Christmas if there wasn’t an Easter.