Grandpa's Week

This year we've decided to celebrate each one of our extended family members. At the first of the year we asked each member to write a letter about themselve. The first person to respond was Grandpa Bright. This week we spent the week talking about and getting to know Grandpa better. These are a few scrapbook pages I made to help the boys see their Grandpa. We learned that Grandpa enjoys singing and acting. He loves his family and is currently working on his master's degree. The boys enjoyed the fact that he played football when he was younger and coached soccer. It has been fun getting to know him better. Thanks for helping us do that by sending back your letter.

Birthday Bliss

On February 1, 2009 I celebrated my 29th birthday and it was amazing. I was able to spend the day with my boys and go to church. We had our friends Tabitha and Quinn and their family over for cake and ice cream. As I look back on the life that I've lived so far, the valleys that I've traveled through and the mountains I've climbed, my heart is filled with gratitude. I am grateful for the lessons I've learned and the love that I've shared. I have been blessed with an amazing family. A husband who treats me like a queen and kids that love me without fail. A mother and father who gave us the best they had to offer. They always supported us in whatever activity or endeavor we set out to do. They cherished the fact that each one of us was different and had different strengths and talents. I am grateful for my siblings who have been such a support and strength to me. They are always teaching me and helping me to be become a better person. We have enjoyed some great family moments as we traveled through this journey called life. I also have the blessing of being part of an even bigger extended family as I was married to the man of my dreams and became a part of his family. They have taught me that with communication anything is possible and that life is worth living to achieve the best there is to achieve. They have welcomed me into their family as one of their own. And last but not least I get to experience the greatest joy I've ever felt and that is being a wife and a mother. Everyday seems to bring new life, new love and to show me that I'm not in this journey alone. And the list could go on and on. I wish that time allowed for me to include the so many others who have touched my life and made it the best possible: friends, teachers, co-workers, visiting teachers and the list goes on. Isn't life grand!!!!

Digital Camera

Thanks to my in laws for the new digital camera they gave us for Christmas. We wouldn't have the photos without it.

Christmas Surprise

A few weeks before Christmas we found out Trevor had a week off for Christmas. My Parents, Mom especially, decided that we needed to be in Utah to celebrate with the family and surprised us with tickets. It was wonderful. We couldn't have gotten a better gift for Christmas. We kept it a secret from the boys and Trevor's family until the day we flew out. When we told the boys they lit up with excitement and joy. I've never seen Ryan get out of bed and dressed so fast.

My sister and her husband blessed their baby Owen. It was great to finally meet him and get to hold him. One of my favorite moments was when my sister Angie and I were talking while holding Owen and Matthew and Matthew began to chatter baby talk and pat baby Owen. There was an instant connection. I look forward to the relationship they'll have with each other.

The Green Family party was fun. We always enjoy spending time with Grandma Green. It was nice to visit with the extended family too. Oh and I can't forget the Chili and Cheesy Chicken Chowder.

Christmas day was a delight. We woke up and had bagels, eggs and bacon at my parents house. The boys waited for Angie and Owen to show up before opening gifts. We later went to my Grandma and Grandad Dilks' house for Christmas lunch and christmas crackers. They're a long tube, wrapped in paper and tied on both ends. Two people hold onto opposite ends of the cracker and pull. You make a wish and whoever holds the larger portion of the cracker gets their wish. Inside the crakcer is a paper crown, a silly toy and a joke. Thanks for the Christmas Crackers Grandma.

I also had the special opportunity to talk to my brother who is currently serving a mission for the LDS in Canada. We shared some good laughs and moments and we spoke of what was happening and hopes for the future.

We had the opportunity to see many of our family that we haven't seen for several months and we even were able to see some of our dear friends, the Hartvigsens and the Deppes.

Thanks to both families for the gifts, time and fun. We love you.

Christmas cookies

"Would you like some cookie with your frosting." We made sugar cookies for the neighbors this year and Ryan decided that the more frosting you have the better. Don't worry, he loved his cookies so much that he couldn't part with them.

Gingerbread Houses

The Bright Family Gingerbread houses. Daddy and Caden worked on a house while Ryan and I worked on one. We had such a good time putting our creations together. Caden enjoyed eating the candy decorations the most. Dad was missing most of the materials for their house.

Thanksgiving Tradition

It has become a Thanksgiving tradition for our family to make pilgrim and indian hats. The boys loved running around in their Thanksgiving attire. This year was also fun because we read some books and talked about why we celebrate Thanksgiving. Isn't it wonderful that we have a holiday to celebrate the many blessing we have been given? May we celebrate these blessings throughout the year.

On Thanksgiving day we had the opportunity to celebrate with our dear friends Quinn and Tabitha Johnson and their family. The meal was great and the company was even better. They have become such dear friends to us.

I'm hoping to be able to scan in the table decorations they made using a picture of each persons face and making them into a pilgrim or an indian. They were the cutest things I have seen.

After dinner we went to the park and we shot off rockets. The boys loved it, including the biggest boy, Daddy. We hope to carry on this new tradition. Thank you for having us over for a wonderful day. It was one we won't forget.