In Which I Put Off Christmas Tasks and Blog Something Fabulous

Every year I think it's the best Christmas we've had as a family. This year is no exception. This year we are celebrating with two new family members, Andrew (Lauren's fiance) and sweet baby Mya Jane. She'll be just two weeks old today, and she is the most kissable looking baby I know... not prejudiced in any way, huh? Her mom and dad are doing a fabulous job and keeping her so happy and content. We all got to visit last night and just watched her sleep on Dave's chest while the BYU bowl game was on. They like to hang out together...


It rocks to be a grandparent! We can't wait to see her on Christmas Day.

The past year has been full of stuff, and since I didn't write a letter with our Christmas cards, I thought I'd record some of it here. Since last Christmas...

January - Mark and Sharon visited Grandpa & Grandma Price to help with some of their move. They sold their house in February and were glad that another family can make memories there.

February - Dave and Kaitlin bought their first home! We helped them move, and Braden got his driver's permit.

March - Adam starred as the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz at Kennedy Jr. High, and was a big hit. He won Best Actor at the year-end school awards ceremony. He also participated in the Kennedy Chorale singers and the track team. Lauren and Sharon sang solos in a reprise of the Ten Virgins musical program for the stake.

April - Braden was ordained a Priest at church. For his 16th birthday, we held a house party with a live band, The Sweater Friends. Lauren was accepted to nursing school in April, and a few days later, her friend Andrew returned from a mission to Finland. They reached an understanding within days and it's been a whirlwind courtship! Dave and Kait brought home two sweet little yorkie puppies, and a week later they announced they were expecting!

May - Braden ran distance events for the Hunter High track team, and got very buff working out. He wrote some new songs with his band, Midnite 30, and Adam joined the band as bass player. They did some recording and performed a few house shows and at a fair in Tooele. We took the kids to Park City for a long weekend and enjoyed a great condo and the Alpine Slide & zip line. Adam performed in the talent show with his bass guitar.

June - Sharon had major surgery and took the month off! Recovery went very well.

July - Adam turned 15 - he's very social! The whole family took a day trip to Deer Creek to do some jet skiing. We celebrated the 4th of July with Mark's family. The boys went to youth conference.

August - Mara had her tonsils out, and was not very happy. Lauren bought her first car! She had a birthday, and the next day she started nursing school at the University of Utah. Adam began high school at Hunter (10th grade), Braden became a Junior, and Mara started 6th grade.

September - Adam tried out for the musical White Christmas and began a rigorous rehearsal schedule. Braden ran Cross Country, and later injured his leg, but kept working out with the team. Mara turned 12 and entered the Young Women's program, which she loves. Kait started bedrest for early contractions.

October - Lauren got her engagement ring, and started officially planning for her wedding on May 22, 2010, including taking some bridal and engagement photos.

November - Adam performed as General Waverly in 5 showings of White Christmas, and he was fantastic!! We held our own Thanksgiving dinner at home - so perfect having all nine of us here.

December - Baby Mya Jane Hutchinson arrived to proud parents Dave and Kait! We're all in love.

All year, Mark served on Saturdays at the Jordan River Temple and as Elders Quorum president. He is still a Therapist for Heritage Schools and a Clinical Director for JSS. He works very hard and still keeps up the yard nicely. Sharon enjoyed staying home more than she can say. It allowed her to help at the schools and at church, attend all the performances and track meets and school programs, organize at home, work on wedding plans, can fruit, and do a little crafting. She loves book club and read a lot this year. Both of them are thrilled to be grandparents to little Mya.


Merry Christmas! Please keep in touch with us!

The Wonders of Facebook

Last night just before midnight, I clicked on facebook out of boredom. In my email box was a message from Barbara Martinez, not a familiar name - but the subject was familiar. It was an address just up the street from my childhood home. I opened the email, and I was surprised to see a photo I instantly recognized as my best friend from grades K-4, all grown up.

She wondered if I remembered her... how could I forget? We played endlessly with Barbies, troll dolls, Dawn dolls, paper dolls, we explored the wilds of the backyards and the wild area behind our houses, even coming up on a skunk once! I still remember our mothers introducing us to each other at the Kindergarten orientation at Ladera School. She moved away to a house in another part of town, but we kept in touch until we were about 12, I think.

Forty years have gone by since I first met Barbara Lotz. I've told my kids about the girl who used to pick out her Christmas presents from the Sears catalog, then weigh the gifts under the tree to see what she was getting... and now I can talk to her again. So cool.

She's gone and done it

Lauren officially became engaged last Saturday in the early morning, before conference. She and Andrew are still radiating a kind of neon glow. They drove up to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple before breakfast, and he brought out a scrapbook he'd created for her. The book contained pictures from the start of their friendship back in their sophomore year of high school up to now, and sweet words to go with them. The final pages asked the question --- with a photo of him holding out the ring at the end.


They picked out the ring together a while back, so it was so exciting to all of us to see it on her hand. I think happy thoughts every time I see it, cause it's really sweet on her finger.

Congratulations to my girl and her sweetheart! We're looking forward to May 22, 2010 at the Oquirrh Mountain Temple!

Remembering

Remembering those who were affected...

Happy July 4th!

Lots has been happening around our house as I slowly come back from the isolation of recovery and healing. It is so good to be back. Everything has gone well except for bronchitis that knocked me for a few additional days. Just getting out of the house is such a happy occasion! Still slow as an old lady though.

I love July 4th! When I was growing up our church always had a July 4th patriotic breakfast outdoors. I crave it every year. It doesn't seem right if I'm not enjoying melon and pastries and grilled ham on the patio, but I haven't made it happen yet. I think my mom and dad probably attended a similar event this morning.

Braden and Andrew have spent tons of hours this week removing the old living room ceiling popcorn and re-texturing it. They are awesome! Adam celebrated his birthday a little earlier with a bunch of friends at Transformers 2 (they loved it). And baby grandchild is going to be a girl! I love her already.

We are off to bbq and swimming at Missy's tonight, then back home to set off fireworks. It's awesome that we can still have our own fireworks show. I got the big box ;)

Alive

This is my biggest accomplishment for this week - being alive. I was actually glad when they gave me the okay to have surgery, but waking up was another story. The weirdest thing was being wheeled into a room with a tiny green bed and those big round lights overhead. Everyone in there looked like they had no sense of humor.

I am doing okay with recovery, but really didn't expect this pain to kick my trash like it has. Thanks for everyone's kind thoughts and prayers!

Lauren got in!

Just a shout out for our amazing daughter who got accepted to nursing school at the University of Utah! We are so proud of her. It's extremely tough to get a spot anywhere, and this will allow her to get her BSN as well as her RN certification. She starts in late August.

Lauren's been working as a CNA for a couple of years at a care center for the elderly, and her patients love her. I know she'll rock as a nurse!

Lots of new stuff!

OK, we all know I'm not very good at adding to the blog - but I'm going to give it one more try. Life is flying by and I'm just hanging on and enjoying the ride! I loved being home through the holiday season, and it was so much more peaceful. After Christmas, Mark and I went to visit my parents and help with some additional clean out of their house, which was sold in February. It's hard to believe they lived there my entire lifetime, and now they've found a new lifestyle.

Adam played the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz at Kennedy Jr. High - he totally rocked the part with his singing and dancing skills!


Braden just turned 16 and we held a big party at the house featuring a local indie band, The Sweater Friends (www.myspace.com/thesweaterfriends) and it was so fun! Kids were spilling out of the house in all directions, but they were good kids.

Easter Sunday we had everyone here for dinner including Dave and Kaitlin, their new puppies, and Lauren's friend Derek. Here are a few pictures:

Traditional family Easter photo


Kaitlin holding Molly and Meg, their new baby Yorkies


Our favorite news of the day - we're thrilled for the new parents-to-be! (if you can't read the eggs, we'll be grandparents in December!!!)