This year we are sending out a "New Year’s Letter" to say "HI" to all of our wonderful family and friends! 2007 has come and gone very quickly, and we are all happy and healthy and doing well.
The first part of the year, we worked hard to finish the basement apartment in our home next door that we built for Louise’s mother. It was fun watching it finally all come together with the painting, tile, carpet, kitchen, lights, etc. Brian and Callie moved in the end of April and really love it. We love having them as neighbors! It is also nice to have them close to Grandma Webb.
Spring fever brought the urge to cultivate and plant, so we were busy with the grapes, blackberries, blueberries, and planting some onions, corn and watermelon. We didn’t do a large garden because we needed to focus on our new venture: Goji Berries. In May, we planted 80 Goji Berry plants, decided we needed more and ended up with a field of about 250 plants total! (Look up "Goji Berries" on the web.) They have grown really well, and we were excited to get a few berries this first year. The berries taste really good! We look forward to a great crop next year. Sarah did a good job planting, weeding, picking and selling the baby Walla-Walla onions. Matthew was proud of his watermelon patch, and we had some delicious melons! We enjoyed lots of grapes and blackberries! We did our share of canning peaches and grape juice.
Of course, we were constantly involved with the kids’ activities throughout the year. Greg (18) had his Eagle Court of Honor in March. He had a great season in cross-country where he received the Coach’s Award for his hard work and leadership. He did very well in track, helping his team take the State Championship! He took 5th in the 800 meter with a time of 1:59.61. Greg graduated from Box Elder High School in June with high honors. He was called to be the Youth Leader for our Stake’s Aaronic Priesthood Training Camp for all the priests. It was quite a responsibility, and he did an outstanding job. After the camp, he immediately flew to Chicago where he worked selling satellite systems. He returned the end of August and started working for Superior Computers and Wendy’s. He has been working hard to earn enough money for his mission. His mission papers have been sent in, and he will probably be on his way to ??? by the end of March or April.
Sarah (13) is now a genuine teenager, turning 13 in December. She has enjoyed her first year in the Young Women’s program. She loved playing basketball and volleyball and enjoys making goals and working on her personal progress. She really loved girls’ camp! She was involved in ballet and was a beautiful dancer at her recital in May. She did the mile run on the 4th of July, coming in first for her age group. She is busy with her studies, piano, reading, playing with friends and babysitting.
Matthew (7) is a ball of fire seven-year old, soon to be eight. He is always busy, using his imagination to slay the dragons and monsters around the house, build rockets, weapons, etc with his Kinex and Legos, play with his dinosaurs and castles, and of course investigate all the worms and bugs he can find. He is a "Certified Jedi Knight" (from Disneyland), and he wields his light saber like a pro! He is all boy! He loves playing with his friends, his nieces and nephews, and messing around with his older brothers. He also ran the mile on the 4th of July, with a time of 8.21.
We had some fun family times throughout the year. We had a great day at Cherry Hill Park with Greg, Sarah and Matthew playing in the water slides and swimming pools, miniature golf, batting cages, climbing walls, etc. On the 4th of July and again on the 24th of July we enjoyed our own family fireworks show in the back yard! Louise enjoyed going with Dave on a business trip to Ft. Worth, Texas in October. It was a welcome break! Then we had a great trip to Disneyland and California Adventure with Sarah and Matthew. They loved it! The plans included a trip to San Diego to Sea World, but we couldn’t go because of the wildfires.
We topped the year off with a great Family Reunion with the entire family (except Steven). We all gathered together over the Christmas Holidays at Bear Lake for four days. With a household of 15 adults and 9 kids, it was quite a group! We enjoyed each others company, ate good food, cut down a Christmas Tree and made home-made decorations, played in the snow tubing and snowboarding, built Gingerbread Houses, played basketball, X-box, slingshot paint ball and lots of games, had a newlywed game, enjoyed a special nativity story, and had a great Christmas morning opening presents. It was AWESOME!!!
Until recently Dave has been serving in the bishopric, but because of ward boundary changes, he has been called to be the Bishop of a brand new ward, the Hargis Hill Ward. He and his counselors are working hard to staff an entire ward before Jan. 27th. He is still working at Lockheed as a manager, and he enjoys the country life and working the farm. He also helped out the high school track team as the long distant coach. Louise has been serving in the RS Presidency. She is still home schooling Sarah and Matthew. She enjoys her early morning walks, rejoices in her children and grandchildren, and stays busy doing all the things wives, moms and grandma’s do.
Here’s a quick rundown on the rest of the kids:
Jason and Kristine with Elisabeth (6), Rebekah (5),
Jonathan (3) and Alex (9 mo) are still in Lehi, UT. Jason is working for the LDS Church debugging the New Family Search Website, and is busy finishing his thesis for his master’s degree. Kristine is busy being full-time mom and a stock market analyst. Of course, their kids are great! They are so fun and cute, and we love having them visit. http://jkfamily814.blogspot.com/2007/12/merry-christmas.htmlJared and Laura with Erin(3) and Alex(15 mo) are still in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Jared is still "Mr. Bluetooth" with Motorola, and Laura is still working on her degree in architecture. You should have seen her gingerbread house! Their kids are also so much fun and so cute. They are expecting baby #3 at the end of June. They are going to wait until delivery to see if it is a boy or girl. http://jldanielsfamily.blogspot.com/
Brenda and Rick have been married for one year now and are still in Fremont, CA. They are expecting a little girl in mid-February! We are thrilled. Brenda is still with Oracle, but has a job where she can mostly work from home. Rick is working hard and is moving forward rapidly in his classes to obtain his journeyman license in sheet metal. http://rbkeizer.blogspot.com/
Alan and Robin with Kimberly (16 mo) are now living in Roy, UT. He graduated in April from Utah State in English and has a job doing technical writing. They sold their newly remodeled home in Brigham City, and purchased a townhouse in Roy. Kimberly is a little charmer, and she will have a new little brother join the family sometime in June. Robin is a great mom and is also coaching volleyball part-time. www.alandanielsfamily.blogspot.com
Our lives are truly full! We have so much gratitude for the wonderful family we have and all the blessings we have been blessed with. We also are grateful for all of you, our extended family and friends.
May the Lord bless you all through the coming year. Let’s all make 2008 a great year!
All our love, Dave and Louise
All our love, Dave and Louise
