Christmas 2016

                                                                                                                                                      Christmas 2016

I know it’s been a few years since I sent out real Christmas cards, but I am feeling inspired (4 days before Christmas) by the many cards and notes many of you have sent.  Here are some highlights from the past few years:

1.       We moved to the farm around Christmas 2014.  We love our new home and have beautiful views of mountains and the lake and valleys and cows.  The only thing we didn’t anticipate was that with all the windows facing south, our home gets pretty warm in the summer.  On the other hand, summers in NE Washington don’t last too long and the rest of the year, its pretty comfortable. 

2.      Robbie & Kate gave us a baby grand.  Like a real one.  His name is Finn and he will be two next April.  Can I tell you how much we adore him!  Rob & Kate graduated from BYU-I this summer and Rob has a job in Provo designing apps… or something like that.  Kate stays busy with Finn.  She’s such a great mom!

3.      Dallin returned home from his mission to the Chicago West area in April.  He is working in Provo and attending night classes at BYU until he becomes a Utah resident, then he will switch to UVU.

4.      Jordon has been attending school at BYU-I.  Next month, he will move to Provo to work and save money.  He is engaged to the beautiful Nicole Pence, but no wedding date has been set.

5.      Cadie discovered the stage this year and was in “Back to the 80’s” this summer in Bonner’s Ferry.  She is now working on her role as Peter Pan for the High School Musical.  She also had Compartment Syndrome surgery about a month ago and is hoping to LOVE running again upon recovery.

6.      Charli started working at Plato’s Closet last summer and LOVES clothes… so what better place for her, right?  She decided to forgo the Cross Country team this year and instead showed up for Soccer (which she last played in Kindergarten).  She loved it and received the “most improved” player award at the end of the season.  She is looking forward to graduation and is waiting for an acceptance letter from BYU Hawaii (fingers crossed!)

7.      Cami turned 11 this year.  She enjoys gymnastics, fiddle and playing with friends.  She also enjoys Minecraft (a bit too much), singing and making videos.  Oh, and cats.  Her dream is to live in an apartment in Paris with 100 cats.

All is well here in Newman Lake.  Charli and Cadie will graduate in June and move on too, leaving us with only Cami to do all the chores.  Cami has asked that in exchange for her work on the farm we buy a Limo and tour the US in it.  Our only answer is “NO”!

Love to you all!                                                      Troy, Collette & Family

Back to the 80's Musical theater

https://youtu.be/2qikKWK-c5w

Cadie spent her summer immersed in Bonner's Ferry Youth Theatre.  They did the musical "Back to The 80's".  This is Cadie singing "Material Girl".

It's A Hard Knock Life -- EF Talent Show 2016

So Cami and her friend Maddie performed It's a Hard Knock Life for the talent show at East Farms Elementary today.  I thought they did a great job!  Bonus points for guessing who Mrs. Hannigan was!  Click on the link above to watch.

Puerto Vallarta Adventure 2016

Puerto Vallarta Adventure 2016

We took the 4 younger kids to Puerto Vallarta for Spring Break.  Cadie made the video (click on the Puerto Vallarta link above) to share our adventures.  We had an amazing time and lots of different activities.

We flew to PV on Friday March 25th.  On Saturday, we drove up to San Sebastian, a colonial Mexican village that really hasn't changed much since the 1850's (except lots of vehicles...).  The local Mexican who drove us up there was full of knowledge and shared many stories.  He says that in these remote villages, the teenagers can't date until they are 17.  When a guy wants to ask a girl on a date, he has to ride a horse to her house and sing to her through an open window.  Then he has to go inside to meet her parents.

The van he took us in had every "check engine" and "engine warning" sign on, including the brake warning.  Did I mention it was an hour and a half drive up the mountain, then an hour and a half back down...

On Sunday, we attending the local ward for Sacrament and spent the afternoon on the beach.  On Monday, we did the Outdoor Adventure, which included a speedboat ride across the ocean, a Unimog ride into the mountains, a mule ride further up the mountain, then multiple zip lines, rappelling and water slides to get back down.

Tuesday, we visited Las Caletas, a cute little beach accessible only by the ocean.  There, Cadie and Troy Scuba dived, Charli, Jordon and Cami enjoyed a sea lion encounter, Cami participated in the kids adventure of more zip lines and then we snorkeled and had a lovely dinner.

On Wednesday, we flew back to the U.S., landing in LA.  We drove down to visit my Uncle Charlie in Newport and then went to Disneyland on Thursday.  Friday, April 1st we flew home.

Who am I? I am His.

Words for Suzanne, my dear friend who carries so much.

Who am I? I am His.

I am a daughter, a sister.

I cannot express my gratitude

For I am bound inside a body

That doesn’t work as the world would have it.

You are my mother. You held me when I was born,

So grateful to finally have a child.

A daughter. A beautiful daughter.

And when you discovered I was bound,

Bound inside a body that would never let me express my love for you,

You loved me anyway.

You held me, soothed me.

You taught me to become

As independent as I could possibly be.

Sometimes you regretted teaching me

To walk, to run, to open doors.

But that regret was fleeting.

My Savior suffered all.

He knows my suffering, for he carried it in Gethsemane.

He knows your pain, mother, for he suffers it with you.

You are His.  You are a daughter.

One day, you and I shall sit together on lovely garden bench

And I shall tell you of my gratitude.

I was hungry, you fed me.

I was thirsty, you gave me drink.

I was naked, you clothed me. Again, and again.

Jesus Christ said, “In as much as ye have done this unto the least of these,

Ye have done it unto me.”

You are the pure example of Christ like love.

Open your heart, dear sister.

Let Him in, for he has given you a gift

Far greater than you can imagine.

He will carry you when you cannot walk another step.