New Years Eve

Hi sweetie,

On this last day of 2023 my heart is full of gratitude for the blessings our family continues to receive from the Lord. Above all we have the gospel of Jesus Christ and the guidance it gives us to navigate this life. Dad has a good job which makes us financially comfortable, we have our health, you are happy serving the Lord, and the other kids are receiving a great education. Not to mention we have a sweet dog and a fish. Life is good and we are grateful.

We had a great Christmas. The highlight was being able to talk to you. I know I’ve already mentioned it but I am so excited that we will all be together next Christmas. There’s nothing like being all together.

Dad and Michael had 2 days off work after Christmas so we went bowling one day and to Benihana and Temple Square the other day. We also went to the gym together a couple of times. We had a Krumkake making night with the Andersons and Loretta too. It was a lot of fun. Michael had a hard semester and he will start another hard semester in January so it has been nice for him to get a break from studying.

We finished taking the Christmas tree and decorations down yesterday. I miss them already but it’s nice to start the new year with that already done.

Dad and I had the opportunity to join the sister missionaries this week as they taught an 18-year old named Emily. It was wonderful to bare testimony of the Book of Mormon and the peace that the temple brings to our lives. Emily has been meeting with the missionaries for a couple of weeks and I am confident that she will choose to be baptized.

We had a nice new years eve today. We attended church and then we had a roast beef dinner and played some games. New Years Day will be pretty chill too. The kids were all invited to parties tonight but I’m proud of them for keeping the sabbath day holy and celebrating at home with us.

We can’t wait to hear all about your transfer to Valencia this week. I hope all is well.
Happy New Year!
I love you forever,
Mom

2023 highlights

2023 was a wonderful year. We felt the love and tender mercies of the Lord. Here are 23 of our favorite memories of 2023 in no particular order;

1. Mary made the Bingham Ballroom team.

2. We went to Disneyworld in March.

3. Luke was elected as a Sophomore class officer and went to student government camp at Utah State.

4. Luke received his patriarchal blessing from Grandpa Stepan.

5. Sara started Young Women's at church. Sara also finished elementary school (it was the end of Stepan's in elementary school after 16 years).

6. Michael was called as Elders Quorum President in his BYU ward.

7. Bear Lake trailer trip (we missed Mary at Ballroom camp).

8. FSY at BYU for Mary and Luke.

9. Mary and Sara went to Girls camp.

10. Michael won 1st place in mid-week mountain biking races.

11. Ben served as secretary in the mission office and as a zone leader.

12. Mary started working at Chick-fil-A (at the District).

13. Luke completed another mountain biking season (our 8th year as a family).

14. Mom completed 4 years of Duolingo language lessons everyday (Italian and Spanish) and I'm still going! (I started Christmas Day 2019).

15. Dad went to the U.S. Open in New York City.

16. We flipped the park strip from grass to rock and pulled 2 trees from our front yard.

17. We traded our 2022 Telluride for a 2024 Telluride.

18. Studied the New Testament together in Come Follow Me and at church.

19. Michael got a personal record for the mile- 5:17 (he wants to get 4:40 in 2024).

20. Michael started an internship at Acute engineering.

21. Luke got his drivers permit and grew 3 inches.

22. Luke folded towels into a swan and monkey in the True Blue talent show.

23. We went on a few hikes. Stewart Falls was one of our favorites.

Christmas 2023 highlights

 

Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas Ben! It was so wonderful to talk to you for a few minutes today for Christmas Eve and we look forward to talking to you again tomorrow.

Dad and I had a different experience setting out the Christmas presents on Christmas Eve this year. This is the first year in 20 years or so that we haven’t had a believer (Sara found out right after Christmas last year). It was strange to send all the kids downstairs so we could set out Christmas. We finished by 10:15 which we’re not used to. I guess there’s benefits to it but I’ll always be grateful for the memories of years when you kids would be so excited to see what Santa brought. Christmas is still magical- just different.

Mary and Luke had the closing True Blue assembly on Thursday. Mary performed with Ballroom which was awesome. Luke and his squad came to our door for squad jobs on wednesday night and we paid them $20 to rake our front lawn. The school had a goal to earn $55,000 for charity and they ended up raising $78,604. It was incredible. Seniors won penny wars which was fun for Mary’s class too.

We had the Orton family Christmas party at our house on the 23rd. I’ll include a picture of the group.

When we went to donate to the Road Home, we saw the Savage trains and we stopped so the guys could get a picture. We are grateful for Dad’s job. It isn’t always easy but it’s a good company and we feel blessed.

It was wonderful to hear from Melissa today. I’m so grateful that you are well taken care of by the members in Lleida. What a blessing. We feel a void without you here but we know that you are spreading the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ which the world needs so much. I’m already looking forward to all of us being together for Christmas 2024!

Love you forever,
Mom