Blessing #51 My Savior

I purposely saved my brother, Jesus Christ, for this time of the year. I am blessed beyond measure for the knowledge of my Savior. Without him, we would not have a chance to get back home to our Heavenly Father or be together as families. I am thankful for His love, sacrifice, and example. He SACRIFICED so much for me. He KNOWS all of my pain. He has been through EVERYTHING I have been through or will go through. I know I can LEAN on him when I need him. I am thankful for a loving Heavenly Father for allowing his son to go through this for us. I KNOW my Savior lives. I KNOW he will come again. I LOVE him deeply.

BLESSING #51 My Savior

Blessing #50 Christmas

I love, love, love Christmas! I love watching the kids faces as they see what Santa brought them, and while they open presents.

Maren, loved her Little Pet Shop playhouse, books, MP3 player and Lucky Charms from Santa.

Aliza was ecstatic to see that Santa left a bike for her at home. She got a Nerf gun, books and Froot Loops as well.

Jackson couldn't believe his eyes when he saw his 223 gun. He was hoping for a 22, but found a great surprise.

The room was full of excitement, it was fun to watch.

Later that day, we had our Christmas turkey dinner at the church.... Can you believe we are big enough for the church? It was nice to all sit near each other, and that kids could run around.

Kyla got a crimper for Christmas, and Clint was crimping every one's hair. So funny.

Christmas is a Blessing, to celebrate the birth of our Saviour and be together as families.

Christmas Eve in Tropic

What a fun filled Christmas Eve.  We started out with the traditional dinner of Lasagna, reading out of Luke 2 by Grandpa, singing songs, and opening ONE present.  Hmmm... in our family, that would be the PJ'S!  All of Sam's siblings, their spouses, and children were there.  I think that would be......41 in all, 42 with Uncle Gail.  CRAZY, but FUN. 

Christmas Before Christmas

Christmas is on Thursday, this is Monday night. Instead of hauling all the presents down to Tropic this year, we decided to open our presents before. Except for our "open Christmas Eve" presents.

Patrick was staying the night and was a big help with getting Jackson's huge Nerf gun put together.

Maren and Aliza playing with Maren's Pixo's toy. Aliza got an Easy Bake, but we didn't have a light bulb to go with it, so she had to wait until the next day to play with it.

Sam helping Sammy with his new I-POD Touch.

Now we have to clean up before packing for our trip.

December Happenings

While we were in Salt Lake for Thanksgiving, we came across Santa Clause at Trolley Square.  It had been a few years, sad to say, sitting on his lap, so we stopped to take some pictures.  

When Sammy was younger, it was a tradition to sit on Santa's lap, but through the years, I've become a slacker.  

I've had the pictures in my Christmas things, and each year tried to think of ways to display them.  I decided, finally, to print a cute picture of Santa and put it in the front of  a little photo album, then put, in order, the pictures of the kids sitting on Santa's lap.  Now I wish I would have had them sitting on Santa's lap every year.  Maren felt a little jipped,  she's not in many photos.   (Sammy felt a little to old to sit on his lap) 

December is also the beginning of Jackson's gymnastics competition.  He had a little practice meet at the gym to get ready for other teams in the state.  He did pretty good, but missed a couple of months practice, due to football, so we'll see how this year goes.

Maren's 1st grade class performed a little play for other classes and the parents.  She had a lot of speaking parts because she was the "teacher" in the play.  She did such a great job, and remembered her parts perfectly.  (they  were cooking a gingerbread boy and it ran away).

I also volunteered to help out at Maren's class Christmas party.  I helped the kids decorate gingerbread cookies.  It was fun to see all the creativity.

I wasn't able to get a good picture, but Sammy and Aliza had a Christmas piano recital at a nursing home in town.  They practiced and played well.  Aliza even had her two pieces memorized, which isn't required.

It was a crazy December with all the happenings (including the kids' programs), but well worth them all.  I so enjoy watching my kids learn, grow, and show off their skills.

Where Oh Where Is My Child?

It seems like every year I sit in a spot that isn't the best for taking pictures.

Aliza is behind the girl with the Santa hat.  She had a couple of speaking parts.  She did such a good job.

Jackson is in the red striped shirt in the second row.

Maren, trying to look around the boy in front of her with the cutest smile ever!!!

It was fun to watch each of the kids' Christmas Program.  

Blessing #49 Drivers license!

Watch out America, Sammy is official!!!

After months of driving with a permit and mom or dad, Sammy finally has his drivers license.  He can drive by himself.  EEK!  I think the only reason Sam and I are in agreement with this, is now we don't have to drive him to early morning seminary, or to and from work.  He had to take a drivers test today, and passed it with flying colors.  We practiced parallel parking before we went in because he used the truck.  The van has a big long crack, right in his vision, so the DMV said he couldn't drive the van.  He hasn't driven the truck much, but did a fabulous job.   For the parallel parking test, he had to deal with only one car.  He was excited about that.  If you look closely, it is snowing.  So, he tested in snow along with fog.  

Congratulations Sammy!  Now, don't roll the car like I did at 15.

Blessing #48 My Dad, Var Selle

It has been 25 years today, since my dad has left this earth.  I did write a big long post last year about him, but since this year I'm doing the 52 Blessings Project, I had to add my dad as a blessing.  Even though it has been 25 years, my dad still has an impact in my life and how I live it.  This past week I have been reading through his life story that he wrote throughout his life.  He stopped about 1 year before he passed away, ending with his entry on becoming a stake patriarch.  I am so thankful for his writings, I have gotten to know him better, and have started to read some to my kids so they can know their grandpa.  I so wish Sam had a chance to meet him.  I know they would have gotten along so well, they are so much a like (I think anyway).  I was very blessed to have him as a father, even though it was a short 16 years.  I'm thankful for the plan of salvation, and the sacrifice of our Savior,  so that we can all be together as a family again.

Blessing #47 Brothers

At our Family Reunion in 2007, my sister, Joy, put together a little program about our dad. My brother, Aaron, put on a jacket that my dad got from Japan (around 1947). He was there because he was in the Army being a paratrooper, dental technician, and playing football for two years.

My brother, Curt, put on my dad's football helmet and sweater that he earned while playing football for three years at the U of U in 1950. He majored in pre-dentistry and minored in zoology.

My brother, Gary, has toothpaste and a toothbrush, showing that my dad went to Tufts Dental School in Boston, Massachusetts in 1954 for four years. There he met, baptized, and married my mom.

I just want my brothers to know how much I love, respect, and look up to them. I love being around them and seeing some of my dad in them.

I am BLESSED to have them as BROTHERS!

Curt

Gary

Aaron

Shoveling Snow

It is 6 degree's outside!!!!

Is this normal for a teenager?  Do most 15 year old boys shovel/sweep snow in shorts, t-shirt and NO SHOES OR SOCKS?

I think he's a little crazy.  

I know it's not the best job, but he did do it.

Blessing #46 Making Memories BYU/Utah Game

And so it begins.......

Who do we cheer for? The team our nephew and cousin J.J. plays for? or the team we have cheered for, for years. Some made their choice strong.......

and some couldn't choose just one.

Either way, we sure had a fun time cheering.

Saturday, Kass's family and my family went to my mom's house to watch the BIG GAME.

Mom and Zack went to the game with Aaron and Brock. Curt had season BYU tickets, and of course Doug and Rhonda and their kids were there watching J.J.

The rest of us (Franckowiak's, Tomany's, and us) had a blast, painted faces and all, watching the game on T.V. We cheered when we saw J.J. on the field, and we cheered when BYU made some points. It was a fun game to watch. I always love it when it is a close game, as long a BYU wins. (Sorry Amy).

Cade was really upset, and sad that J.J lost, but he still has two years to play, and he will be playing a lot more next year.

Anny had all these T-shirts and brought them out after the game. The kids put them on to watch a movie while waiting to go to bed, or home, whichever came first.

Aliza, Blake, Cade, Cameron, Maren, Abby, Brynn

What a blessing it is to be able to make such fun memories for the kids. I'm thankful for the opportunity to put these moments down so memories won't fade.