Merry Christmas.....er uh... Happy Valentine's ~ 2010 Holiday Letter

WOW! Another year (and then some) has rolled around! It's hard to believe that it is time to try to figure out how to add to my blog again! I managed it last Christmas and haven't done a thing since, so I am basically starting over and have spent over a month trying to figure it all out again.

It looks like I'll be a once a year blogger.......... or may just give up and decide I'm too old to do this craziness! I'm still faithfully keeping up on my scrapbooking, but a blog seems to be the best way to send greetings and LOTS of pictures your way, so bear with me.

I could blame Lori, (bless her heart). She added the festive Christmas background to get me started, but I've taken so long I should have her change it to valentines and cupids!

I apologize for the length of this greeting.....but I confess.....I just can't resist when it comes to family pictures! The good news is that I will never know that you didn't look at the whole thing and I can chalk my efforts up to a "family history" effort!

As I read through my Christmas blog from last year, there really isn't much that has changed. The grandkids are getting bigger and my wrinkles are getting deeper, but I've never lacked for words when it comes to bragging about my kids, so here goes!..........

All of the children are pretty much doing the same things in the same places (with the exception of Blaine), so if you are curious or have forgotten, just read previous Christmas greetings by clicking on the appropriate year in the margin directly left of this paragraph and you will be caught up!

I think I will try a new format this year and share the events of 2010 on a month to month basis.

JANUARY......Was uneventful as far as pictures go.

Julie and Eric had their grand opening for "Slab Pizza" here in Provo. Eric needed something to keep him busy for a year, in anticipation of entering the MBA program at BYU in the fall. I must admit, I didn't have much faith in the pizza venture because pizza establishments are a "dime a dozen" in Provo. As it turns out, their pizza was a smash hit and the place is doing so well that they opted to continue with the business and put the schooling on hold! A "slab" is 1/4 of a 20 inch pizza. (I haven't been able to eat a whole slab yet!) My favorite is the Cordon Bleu and it is "to die for"!

Other January (and monthly) activities include full time work at the MTC, faithfully watching all BYU football and basketball games with friends and family, temple attendance, a weekly BYU/CES religion class taught by Richard Holzapfel, typing Patriarchal Blessings (my favorite church calling!)........AND adding a bathroom and second bedroom to my comfy little basement retreat. (Julie, Eric and the 6 children are upstairs)......(We didn't actually build a new bedroom and bath, we merely put a wall across the hall in the rental area of the basement and seized the back portion of the existing area). Eric was the "man of the year" and did all the hard/technical stuff. He's stuck with keeping two women content with all their "honey-do" projects! Poor guy!!!

FEBRUARY

A trip to Reno was the highlight of February. It was a quick trip but for a wonderful cause since Tim and Lori's youngest, Austin, was being baptized. The day I arrived I was able to watch Lori teach in her first grade classroom. She is an absolutely AMAZING teacher and I'm not a bit biased!

Next, I was introduced to Austin's hamster, "Butterscotch" and Jake's hamster, "Oreo"....

Tim is slowly mending from his brain tumor, three surgeries and never-ending severe headaches. He is a great help at home with the children and the upkeep of the house. The past three years have been challenging, to say the least. Lori continues to be a trouper as wife and mother, 1st grade teacher and working with a recently added internet/home jewelry business where she sells her creations. You might want to check it out by clicking on the following links. They make wonderful, affordable gifts!

http://www.charminglycb.blogspot.com/ or http://www.charminglychic.etsy.com/

The baptism was a wonderful experience and well worth the quick trip to Reno! I am so proud of ALL of my sweet grandchildren!

Tim's brother Charlie, and family, were in attendance along with Tim and Lori's eldest son, Chad.

On February 10th, my grandson, Tanner, (Grant & Myra's oldest) opened his mission call. It looks like he will be spending the next two years in the Honduras, Tegucigalpa mission!

Grant's family continues to stay extremely involved and busy! Tanner is over 8 months into his mission (at the time of this post) and enjoying it immensely. Jared is a senior at Pleasant Grove High and will soon graduate, having earned his Associate Degree from Utah Valley University. Ryan, Amanda and David are being home schooled by Myra and are doing wonderful things and growing like weeds. Grant continues to work from home with his internet "Preparedness" business. Be sure to click on this link to see all the wonderful things he has to offer: http://www.grant@getpreparedstuff.com/

On February 13th, Julie and Eric's middle daughter, Elizabeth (Lizzy) celebrated her second birthday.

MARCH

This month brought another flight to Arizona to attend another baptism. Mark and Gwen's son, Ethan, was the lucky one this time!

Ethan has a big sister, Madeline (Maddie) and a little brother, Caden. Gwen is a busy mother and is a wonderful professional photographer on the side. You can see some of her work by clicking on this link: http://www.gwendolyngracephotography.com/

Mark continues to enjoy his work in the IT (computer division) of Arizona Public Service Power Company. He is a wonderful husband and father and loves to spend time with his wife and kids!

APRIL

Hannah Jean Beutler,was born April 29, 2010. She is absolutely adorable, and if spoiled, I take full responsibility! She belongs to Julie and Eric so I've been able to be closer to this grandbaby than any of the others, since they are living with me at the present time.

Daddy looks like the one who just gave birth!

Lizzy was pretty excited about her new baby sister! (and so was Nana!)

MAY

Tanner entered the MTC in May and it was wonderful to be working there so I could see him during the two months he studied the Spanish language. This is a picture of the two of us taken in front of the map in the clinic where I work.

We had a high school graduation in May for Christian Alexander Mahan (Shauna and Casey's). It gave Nana a great excuse to fly to Arizona again!

Little sister, Carli, helps make this a fantastic "twosome"!

Christian is presently attending Arizona State University in Tempe. Mom likes it because he is close to home, although living on campus.

Shauna is still a busy mother and beautician and Casey is President and Manager of Stone Crest Wealth Management, Inc. The business just moved into a brand new building in Chandler, Arizona. http://www.stonecrestwealth.com/

The second memorable thing about May was that Blaine flew into Arizona from Thailand to spend several months in the good old U.S.A.!!!!! We had a wonderful reunion with some of the family in Arizona and then the two of us returned to Utah where I soaked in every minute and day he was home, which turned out to be 5 whole months! (The longest in years)

During that time he worked for Open Air Cinema in Lindon, Utah. While with them for the summer, he helped organize a humanitarian division for that company. He will continue to be employed by them while in Asia.

One of my projects this year was to put labels on a large world map showing all the places Blaine has been since his mission. To date I count 32 different countries and he has been to many of those countries on several occasions.

Each strip is a specific trip (some lasting several weeks or months.) To name a few: He made many trips to India (his "favorite" place)....Others to Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Turkey, Italy, Spain, Germany, Nepal, Bangladesh, Tibet,.....and his mission experience was in Madagascar, La Reunion, and Mauritius!

....and then he has also spent many months in Thailand and taken many trips to Burma, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea.......etc. etc. etc! He is definitely my "gypsy/vagabond"!

His first project during 2010 was in Mae Sot, Thailand working with the Burmese refugees.

I just had to put this adorable picture in..........it's a favorite!

Main street in the village.

In November he returned to Luang Prabang, Laos where he helped with a film festival. He plans to make Laos his "base" for a while.

One interesting place in this area is called "the Plain of Jars" (You may want to "Google" the historical findings on these huge granite jars.) They are located in an area where there is a dense population of bombs remaining in the ground from the Vietnam war.

A present project is to help make the villagers aware of the dangers of digging up these bombs and selling them for scrap metal. Many of them are still "live" bombs and can easily kill or seriously injure.

In January he spent two weeks in Vietnam working with a group on a documentary and then returned to Bangkok and Luang Prabang where he now resides.

Briefly, the large Open Air Cinema inflatable screens and projector equipment that Blaine has in Asia enables him to reach thousands of people at a time to educate them on AIDS prevention, hygiene, anti-terrorism, and other similar causes, and believe me, he finds new causes on a regular basis!

JUNE

Summer brings wonderful trips to the canyons with picnics and all sorts of fun.

Amanda (Grant and Myra's) loves watermelon, as do we all!

Grant, Blaine and Julie

JULY

The 4th of July in Provo is always exciting and we usually get visits from some of the out of state kids. This year it was Mark and Gwen's family.

The 4th fell on a Sunday this year and so we celebrated by giving little baby, Hannah, a name and a blessing at church.

Eric, Elizabeth, Joshua, Julie, Hannah, Jeremy, Abby and Nathan

Monday night we celebrated watching fireworks from the field just below the Provo Temple. Thousands bring their blankets and chairs, and Grant and Myra brought homemade ice cream.

The spectacular sunset would have been adequate without the fireworks!

Another spectacular July experience was a hike to Stuart Falls in Provo Canyon

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Julie's Abby and Mark's Maddie are great friends and "Cousin Twins"... Mark and Caden are hiking buddies.

The end of July brought an eighth birthday for Joshua (Julie and Eric's) I just had to put this picture in because it is Josh's true smile....and, besides, what kid asks for pickles for his birthday?!

The best part of being eight is you are old enough to be baptized! Our third one for the year!

AUGUST

Lori and Austin visited for 3 short days, but we found time to go to Seven Peaks again and there was plenty of "cuddling" time with Hannah

Josh and Jeremy (Julie's)......Ryan (Grant's) and Austin (Lori's)

It doesn't get much better than this!......Lizzy and Hannah zonked on Nana's lap.

Amanda had a swimming party for her fifth birthday.....and she was a baby just a minute ago. Is she a doll or what?

Grant with two of his boys, Ryan and David

SEPTEMBER

Nathan finally gets to go to school.

Another birthday, and this is a tenth for Abby.

OCTOBER

Trick or treating and pumpkins always go with October! Bet you can't guess who Lizzy was. Instead of Snow White she calls herself "Hi Ho".... as in..... "it's home from work we go!"

Blaine with our adorable little lady bug. Happy Halloween!

'Nope, the baby doesn't have long red hair.........that's Julie's hair hanging down over her. (No redheads yet!)


Lori turns 29 AGAIN in October …and gets a new puppy "Buddy" for her Birthday gift!!....I suspect the boys were in on the idea!

NOVEMBER

Blaine went back to Laos and Thailand and missed a quiet Thanksgiving in Provo with Grant and Julie's families.

DECEMBER

Danielle and Chad (Lori and Tim's) celebrating Christmas!

....and Danielle celebrating her 28th birthday with Austin and Jake.

Shauna's Carli turns "sweet 16" and she is definitely sweet!

A picture of a few of the grandchildren depicting the birth of Christ seems a fitting end to my wishes for a wonderful year in 2011. May the Lord bless us all as we strive to keep His commandments and emulate the great example He set for us. My greatest blessings are my testimony of the gospel, my precious family and my wonderful friends. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for the role you play in making my life so happy. Have a fantastic year!

I LOVE YOU!