2010 Christmas Letter

Dear family & friends: 

This year has been a busy one!  We are just hanging in there, doing what we do.  Here is a quick update on everyone...

Kaiden (14) has stayed busy being a teenage boy.  He loves doing origami and has mastered the most intricate and complicated pieces.  He is still working towards his Eagle in Scouts and was able to be on Timberline staff this year.  He had a great time.  He is also continuing to make it to the temple every week to do baptisms. He is in his second year of seminary and that is his highlight every day.  He has been taking piano lessons for almost a year and a half now and is amazing at it.  He has quite a talent for it and he impresses us all with the songs that he plays.

Nicolas (12) has loved being in Young Men's and having the priesthood.  He loves going to the temple and also goes every week.  He stays busy hanging out with his friends and playing outside.  He and Kaiden have both been working on their cycling merit badge and that has kept them busy riding long distances on their bikes.

Luke (10) has a new best friend in the neighborhood and he and Dalton are never far apart.  They spend their time playing football and riding bikes when it is warm and now that it has turned cold, they can be found making snow forts.  Luke is a Webelos scout and loves earning activity badges and working towards his Arrow of Light.

Afton (7) has discovered her talent for singing and is ALWAYS singing something as she goes through her day.  She also loves to dance.  She is quite the social butterfly and loves to play with her friends.  She loves to read and draw and does very well at those things.

Makensi (4) has developed an attitude this year.  She is a sassy little thing.  All we can do is laugh, she is so cute.  She loves doing arts and crafts and is constantly cutting something!  She also loves to be outside and playing with her friends.

Garrett (2) rules the roost!  He is the baby, what more can I say?  He gets away with anything he wants to!  He loves to sing and go to his class at church.  He loves to beat box and is really good...for a 2 year old.  He adores cars, trains, tractors, airplanes and anything that goes.  He knows how to navigate an iPhone better than most adults!  He also loves to read books and is so much fun to have around.

Marshyl is still at Heritage Makers and loves it.  The company is doing great and keep coming out with amazing products.  He is still the Scoutmaster at church.  That takes up most of his time, but he hopes to carve out a little bit more and get back into school next semester.

Jen is still homeschooling the whole crew as well as keeping the Primary running as the president.  She has been learning so much about essential oils, herbs and health and wellness.  She also learned how to make soap this fall and is excited to try more things with it.  Every now and then she finds time and is able to enjoy reading.

Our family has been very blessed this year.  Everyone has been healthy and happy and we love being together.  We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year!

We love you all!

Red Knoll Hike

Today we decided to take advantage of the 70+ degree weather and go for a hike.  We went up to the Spanish Fork Reservoir and hiked to the Red Knoll.  It was a nice short hike and even Garrett was able to do it.  We  had an awesome view of the entire Utah Valley from the top. 

At the bottom getting ready to hike.

Going up.

We had to stop and play in the black rocks. 

The view from the top!

Someone who had been up there before left a pirate flag to mark the spot!

 Garrett & Kaiden had to stop on the way down to throw some rocks down the road.

 

Garrett had a blast and went up by himself just fine.  It was going down that was hard for him.  Kaiden helped him out!  What a good brother.

Morris family pictures

Everyone was in town for my cousin Jordan's wedding. Even Christy and Nick are in from out of state. So we decided to get family pictures. We had the best photographer around...my awesome friend, Becky! They turned out great.

Mom and dad

us

Sarah & Alex

Nick, Christy, & Raigan

Travis

Amy

Cloward Family in WY

We went to Green River, WY last weekend for the blessing of our cute little neice, Mia Bella. All of the family was there. We hate to miss a photo opp...especially when we are dressed up. Here are the pictures.

Our cute little family... lots of personality!

the whole Cloward Clan...all 21 of us in front of Nykki and Carson's new house!

Mt. Timpanogos Temple

On July 5th we drove up to the Mt. Timpanogos Temple to walk around the grounds and learn about it. We really love visiting all of the temples!

Father & Son's camp out

Last Friday night was the Stake Father & Son's camp out. Marshyl took Kaiden, Nic and Luke. We don't think Garrett is quite old enough to appreciate a camp out yet. They camped up at Koholowo in Payson Canyon and had a blast!

a hiking we will go...

Tree tipping. Helping out Mother Nature by pushing over the dead quakies so that they can't get hit by lightening and start a forest fire.

Views from the top.

Quite a few people brought their hammocks and slept out. Kaiden slept out in his, but Marsh and the other boys slept in the tent. It rained that night, so Marshyl and the boys were nice and dry and Kaiden remembered his tarp to go over him, so he was dry too. Not many others were as lucky!

Oquirrh Mountain Temple Open House

We went to the open house for the new Oquirrh Mountain Temple on Nic's birthday. It was beautiful and we are so blessed to have these opportunities to take our family to the temple and let the kids go inside and see how beautiful and peaceful it is. Garrett thought that it was way too quiet inside, so he took it upon himself to make it not so quiet. He sang and made happy (loud) noises the whole time we were walking through! Silly boy.

Temples

In this last General Conference the following quote really spoke to me:

"You are never lost when you can see the temple. The temple will provide direction for you and your family in a world filled with chaos. It is an eternal guidepost which will help you from getting lost in the 'mist of darkness.' It is the house of the Lord.
The First Presidency has invited adult members to have a current temple recommend and visit the temple more often. Even our young children have been encouraged to visit the temple grounds and touch the temple. President Thomas S. Monson once counseled, 'As we touch the temple, the temple will touch us.'"

"Sacred Homes, Sacred Temples" by Elder Gary E. Stevenson Of the Seventy in the April 2009 General Conference

So during the summer of 2009 we have decided that our family would try to visit most, if not all, of the temples in Utah. We want to walk the grounds and take a picture there as a family.

So far this year we have been to the Draper Temple (in Jan. for the open house), the Manti Temple and the Vernal Temple. We have been finding out interesting information about the temples at www.ldschurchtemples.com. Here are some pictures from our recent trips.

Draper

Vernal

The Vernal Temple used to be the Uintah Stake Tabernacle until it was converted into a temple in 1997. The temple is right in the middle of town and in the 5 years that my parents have lived out there we had never visited it. We are glad that we finally took the opportunity.

The Vernal Temple

The old Uintah Tabernacle

The kids on the grounds.

Manti

Marshyl's parents were married in the Manti Temple in 1973(?).

Vernal

Last week we went to Vernal for a few days. We had a great time. Here are some pictures in random order. IE is giving me grief again today.

Luke helping Grandpa do the chores. He loves taking care of the animals.

Kaiden & Nic doing a puzzle.

Grandpa & baby Garrett.

Garrett loved the dog.

Nic & Luke on the swings.

Garrett loved the chickens...actually, he loved anything that would move. He loved the horses, too.

Kensi riding the horse. She thought she was big stuff! She didn't want to get off.

Garrett went up and down the steps all day. If he was inside, he wanted to be outside. If he was outside, he wanted to be inside. And he loved to chase the cats.

Grandpa swinging Garrett. Grandpa and Garrett are best buddies!

Afton & Kensi LOVED the cat. This one's name is Cutie. She was the only cat that would let them catch her. She was pretty good natured about it all. Afton wanted to stay in Vernal for good. They have cats & horses. What more does any girl need?

Grandpa cut Kaiden a willow branch and he made an awesome bow out of it. Kaiden loved having so much space to do things in. He also brought his sling and had all of the space he needed/wanted to throw rocks.

Afton had a permenant smile on her face the whole time she was on the horse. She LOVED riding.

Afton and Cutie.

Luke got ahold of the camera. Here I am with Kaiden watching the kids ride the horse.

Grandma and Garrett.