Holiday Happenings Part 1

Ten days before Christmas, we had the best early Christmas Present!!!  Tyler, Kelly and Kalvin came home from Nebraska!  We hadn't seen them since they left for Law School in July~

Here are some pics of the reunion...

We were so thrilled to have them home!

We all went to the Ward Christmas Party... (How did my boys get to lucky?! I expect the luck to continue!)

Such a blessing to all be together... we were just missing Elder Ben!

It was Cami's Birthday on Sunday, so we celebrated with a great dinner and then we all bundled up (it was FREEZING!!) and went to Temple Square... it was so beautiful~  Kalvin looked at all the lights and kept saying "It's incredible!!!"  "Its just incredible!"  It was so fun to all be together...

Then we came home and celebrated Christmas!  Tyler, Kelly and Kalvin would be in Colorado and Brad and Cami in St. Louis for Christmas... so we celebrated early!

Kalvy got a camera and is the new family photographer! He also officially became a "Super Hero"... 

(I don't think he has taken his cape off yet!)

Tyler was decked out in Nebraska gear!

And Brad and Cami got plenty of "Baby" gear!

It was so wonderful spending time together at this wonderful time of the year.  I am so grateful that Families are Forever!  A perfect early Christmas!

City Council

James went to his last City Council Meeting last night... It has been 12 years of meetings on Tuesday nights! (And many other times too ;)  It has been a great experience for him and for our whole family. We have made some wonderful friends and have had many great experiences and opportunities.  James has been an honest,  sincere and hard working Councilman.  We are proud of his efforts and service to our City.   I was asked to come at the beginning of the meeting tonight as they were going to give him a gift of appreciation.  Brad, Cami, Noah and Ethan came too.  It was wonderful to have his service recognized.  They gave him a plaque and a beautifully framed picture.  It has two aerial photo's of Lehi, Utah.  One in 1996, when he started on the Planning Commission, and one in 2011-- the end of his 12th year as a Councilman.  It couldn't have been a better gift for him.  The City of Lehi grew from a population of approximately 16,000 in 1996 to more than 48, 000 today.  He has been a part of all that growth, and has a deep love for Lehi.  We are proud of you sweetheart~ 

Now on to new adventures!

(My camera had issues, so the pictures aren't great...darn!)

A couple of weeks ago, when we were in Vegas... Ally's "friend" Steve let James ride his motorcycle... this is what he wishes was his new adventure! Keep dreamin' dear!

Gone too soon...

Our beautiful, sweet niece... Leah... passed away one week ago.  

It has been so difficult accepting this tragedy. 

(My niece Ally put it best...) "At this time of suffering and heart ache, we are grateful for the plan of redemption- the plan of happiness. We know we will be with our beloved Leah again. We know that families sealed together by the power of God cannot be broken. We know that Leah is encircled about in the arms of our Father in Heaven. My Mother says she can see Grami welcoming Leah and giving her a swift pat on the butt. We will always remember Leah for her tender heart. She felt so much. For her kindness and her motherly love. For her laugh and her sense of humor. She was over at the house for Thanksgiving, just a few days before her passing. She was happy and kind and had all these productive plans and righteous desires to help her get beyond her struggles and enjoy life with her family and her two children. All she wanted was to be a good mother and a kind daughter, and she was. We all love her very much, and we will miss her sorely."

My heart breaks for my sweet sister and her amazing husband and their beautiful family.  We have always been so close and I claim her 5 daughters as my own.  Leah spent so many summers with us and especially spent so much time with Ben when he was little.  He was her shadow!  

 I need to record a little of the time we spent with her over the past 30 years... Oh LeeLee how we love you and will miss you!

   Aunt Lisa with Leah!

On our Wedding Day..with our LeeLee

Leah with Tyler as a baby

   With Tyler and Brad 

Leah with her Ben...

                                           

And more recently...

   With her beautiful children

 With her beautiful Mom

 Five forever sisters on Thanksgiving 2011

 Leah... You have been a gift in my life.  I love you forever and always!