2011 is quickly fading into 'last year'! And boy what a year it has been!! Another year that involves a move, though hopefully the last for 6+ years. I dearly miss Princeton, NJ and many things that I came to love about living there. The friends, the familiarity, the ward, surrounded by wealthy but giving people, and deep in a culture that promotes good health, excellent education and exciting possibilities. They are all missed. I am so grateful for the years that we had there and the experiences that have helped shape our thoughts and feelings on life. That said we are also loving our new house in Springville! Jeff, after graduating from Princeton this spring, is immersed in his job at BYU and loves it. He often commutes the 10 miles to campus either on his new road bike or in his new Nissan Versa....he loves both. He continues to work on a website he created for his ancestor George Benjamin Wallace and tries to get in some golf, climbing and now yard work. I have discovered a love of garden work even though I don't know what I'm doing. It is very theraputic for me to be outside and working my own ground. I am missing that already this winter! I have set up a co-op preschool for Ashley with some kids nearby and am also watching two children about 20 hours a month. Between those things, learning how to keep up so much more square footage than I've ever had before, exercising, attempts at being SuperMom, trying out new recipes, crafting and watching “Chopped” you can trust that I sleep soundly at night. Brianna, now 8!, is enjoying having her first male teacher at school, making new friends, and singing in a choir that she joined this fall. She was baptized in the spring and was thrilled to have her family, all four grandparents and an aunt, uncle & cousin there to celebrate with her. Jared, who just turned a whopping 6 years old, likes Kindergarten and is always talking about new friends he is playing with on the playground. He is still amazing us with his capacity to learn and apply and recently tied for 1^st place in a chess tournament. He is well balanced though and also love sports, particularly soccer which he excels in, helping me in the kitchen and around the house and couldn't be happier with a Wii now in the house. Ashley is as adorable as a 4 year old can be. Even when she is grumpy I can't help but think she is the cutest thing and she can never last long in that state. She likes her preschool but really can't wait until she goes to “Jared and Brianna's school” next year. She is in ballet this fall and is doing well with that. She still loves books and is beginning to read fairly well now and I'm afraid she just may be reading quite well by the time she is potty trained. Ugh; I'd rather those tables be turned! All in all with 365 days in a year a lot has changed in our lives!

We often think of the wonderful people we've had the chance of meeting so far in life and hope you and yours are well. Merry Christmas & to all a Happy and Prosperous 2012.....and consider this your invitation to come visit!!! 

B's First Christmas Concert 

B belongs to the beginning and advanced Hobble Creek Singers Choirs.  She is just old enough to do both.  The director wants her in the younger choir because she needs strong singers but she says since B does piano and can read music ok then she'd also like her in the older choir so she can sing more advanced songs and be ready to be in that choir next year.  B is having a blast with all the singing and choir rehearsals twice a week is so fun for her.  Here is a tasting of their concert!

Yes, this is Christmas!!

Ah, how I love the Christmas season!!!  Christmas books, Christmas decorations, Christmas music, family celebrations, nativities, Christmas concerts, the excitement in the air and in the stores.  I love that our grocery store is all decked out for Christmas.  I love that our school has a Christmas tree.  I don't love that I've been to 4 stores and can't seem to find those small white lights for our Christmas tree.  We had three we got out of the box but 2 of them don't work & we can't decorate our tree until the lights are on!  I've thought of foregoing lights and pretending that ribbon is lights but I just can't do it.  What Christmas tree doesn't have lights?!  There must be lights!  Even if I have to break down and get multi-colored ones.  I've done them before.  I like them.  But I don't LOVE them on a tree like I do white lights.  I love a great red/gold traditional tree with white lights!  How festive they are!  Alright, back to loving Christmas.  There's exciting things coming up this year.  Christmas in our new house!  We've never had Christmas in our own house--just apartments or families houses.  When we had our house in Cali we moved in in January and out in August.  No Christmas!  This is the perfect time to start new traditions!  Any favorites you have?  I'm also having a blast with creating several of the gifts we're giving this year!!!  But I can't share any ideas/pics until I give them!  Our Christmas card is on the backseat this year since I'm doing all these gifts.  But, that's alright because we do electronic cards anyway so I can put them off.  Ha!  I'm excited this year to have a big Christmas Day breakfast before opening gifts!  And to have my parents, brother and my sisters' family here Christmas Eve.  And to see my daughter's first Christmas Choir Concert!  And to meet my new niece!  Three cheers for Christmas!!!  So much excitement!!