(I love this photo.)

I hope someday my children will gain a testimony of service, mine is growing...although, just like with anything in life, it sometimes takes the back burner. I feel like as a mother I'm always serving my children and husband, and that is a wonderful thing, but I also have to remember that I need to extend my help to others outside of my family, because I know that will help leave a lasting imprint on my kids if they can see me serve others, and possibly allow them to be a part of the service as well. I try to remember this when I get a phone call from the compassionate service leader, because often I will say 'yes' to what they're asking me to do, but inside I am groaning a little bit. So that's a goal of mine this year...to seek out opportunities to serve, and to do it with a happy heart. Because I truly am the happiest when I give of myself, and stop thinking about all of the things I want, and just quit being so selfish. I need to remember that, "...when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."

Christmas 2011

**not a lot of photos...I don't know why I always get caught up in the moment and forget to grab my camera...it's either that or the fact that I usually have Andy giving me attitude and telling me, "try to enjoy the moment and stop taking SO many pictures..."


We spent Christmas Eve with the Nerias. Our family had to have three acts to contribute to the talent show: Cael wrote a play about elves at Santa's workshop (we all had puppets), Andy sang a WAY cheesey Christmas song in his horrible holiday outfit, and then Cael and Ava sang another song as well. At least I got pictures of the girls doing their Hawaiian dancing.





We enjoyed a wonderful Christmas this year. It was the first time in about seven years that we've stayed here in Spanish Fork, usually we spend the holidays in Star Valley...but it was nice to be home, actually. We loved having Grandpa Beardall come over too. Christmas was on a Sunday this year, so after we opened presents and had breakfast, we headed off to church for a nice Sacrament meeting. Then once we were home for a few hours, we surprised the kids with one last present to unwrap...it was a paper that told them we were heading to Zion in an RV (a rental of course). They were so excited! They ran to the front window to look outside and there it was parked right in front of our house. I had all of our bags already packed, and food ready to go, so we headed out that evening (I'll post about that trip later). It was a great Christmas...Ava wanted a Leapfrog LeapPad which is almost like an iPad for kids (I even like playing on it), Cael wanted Spygear and xbox games, Will got a scooter and a light saber, and Elle got some fun little toys. Even though there wasn't a speck of snow on our grass, we enjoyed every minute of the warmest Christmas I can remember!

Grandma Hokanson with ALL her grandkids. (Not pictured are the two new babies that have been born into the family since they've been on their mission.)

{Little Weekend Getaway to Grandma & Grandpa's House}

Before Christmas, we went down to Ephraim to spend a few a days at Grandma and Grandpa's house. The kids always look forward to going down, because they have free reign over my mom's house. They call her office "the workshop" because she has every gadget, tool, device to use to do/make whatever you could dream up. So every morning I wake up, I can hear them all in there playing some cute game: office, school, the North Pole. I think they usually waste an entire roll of that white paper used in the old electronic calculators. She has two in that office that get used continuously when we come to visit. The kids would stay inside Grandma's house all day if they had their preference, so we had to "drag" them out to go do some things that ended up being so memorable. In town, the city has an enormous mailbox for letters to Santa, so they all wrote Santa one last letter, and we went and mailed them. We also drove into Mt Pleasant one night to see the live nativity they put on every year. It really is SO well done. It's a silent tour, and you are walking through the streets of Bethlehem looking at all the old carpenter shops and markets (people dressed in character walking right by you). Then at the end of the little street you see the Inn where people are being turned away, and then you arrive at an old stable where you are allowed to walk in and look at "Baby Jesus" (which is an actual baby). Then treats and hot chocolate at the end of the tour. It's so worth going to see. I want to take them every year. The spirit can be felt so strongly there. Both nights the kids wanted to sleep on the floor in the living room by the tree.

Ava is 6!!!!

Happy Birthday to my sweet, little Ava Noel. She is such a light in our lives, and we love her so much. I love having a daughter like her, always helping me with Elle and Will, always the peacemaker when the kids are starting to fight, always cheerful in the morning and when she walks in the door after school. She means so much to us. Happy Birthday!


Ava wanted to have a family party (which I just love when they choose that...not because it means less work for me, but I love knowing they want to spend their special day with just us/family). We blind folded her at home, and didn't tell her what we had planned. Her favorite restaurant is Brick Oven, so that's where we went. Andy was waiting there with a cake and presents.

She was SOOO surprised when we pulled off the blindfold. It was the cutest thing ever!

She loved all of the presents she got. Grandma Stratford gave her a barbie, coloring pad, and took her shopping and to lunch at the mall. Elder & Sister Hokanson (Grandma & Grandpa) mailed her a jewelry box, snow globe, treats, lip glosses. Cael and Will gave her a sparkly purse and a microphone with a speaker.


Elle kept a close eye on that cake. She couldn't wait to get a piece!



After dinner, she and I raced down to American Leadership Academy, where Emma and Shelle' go to school, to watch them sing/dance in their Christmas production. They did awesome, and Ava sat through the entire 2 1/2 hr. show, and loved all of it. She looks up to her cousins so much.

Happy Birthday, Ava! We are so happy you came into our family 6 years ago!
P.S....and even though Cael loves to tease you that you were adopted, and has all sorts of stories of how we actually got you...don't believe him :). I remember having you in my tummy, and being so excited I was going to get a baby girl. You are mine, and always will be. I love you!