It is a wonderful tradition to share with each other things about our families each year. We enjoy receiving letters and cards from many of you. We have had a good year and are thankful for our family and friends. We are grateful to God for this life and the gospel of hope that He gives us to help us through the natural difficulties we experience.
Caleb (age 8, 3rd grade) loves learning. He asks lots of questions, reads about topics such as weather, foreign countries, and animals. He likes to quiz us with geography questions, and he participated in a school spelling bee. He learned to sing a song that includes the names of all the countries on earth. He practices the piano almost daily and composed a song for it. He is cheerful and makes friends easily, so naturally he has a lot of fun at school and Cub Scout activities.
Spencer (age 11, 6th grade) started learning to play the alto saxophone this year. He has fun with the middle school beginning band and practices a few songs on his own. He loves building models and Lego vehicles. He earned his Arrow of Light award as a Cub Scout and joined the Boy Scout troop in August. Spencer and Andrew participate in a youth model railroad club and enjoy working on their trains at home.
Andrew (age 13, 8th grade) plays the trombone with his middle school symphonic and jazz bands. He regularly rides a mountain bike in the foothills near our home with a group of friends. This spring, he completed the cycling merit badge by riding 22 miles on a network of trails and forest roads. He goes camping every other month with his Scout troop and has seen a lot of New Mexico. He has gone to the Bisti Bad Lands, a large desert with few plants but beautiful rock formations and petrified trees.
Ruth (age 15, 10th grade) loves to read and write. She organizes parties with her friends and participates in church youth activities. Ruth climbed Wheeler Peak (13,161 ft) with a group of her friends. She works at the Kumon Learning Center part time. She is taking AP world history to get a head start on earning credit toward a college degree. She works hard to keep straight As in school.
Ruth in a dress that Becky helped her make and
reading in her favorite spot in her room.
Neal enjoys helping the children learn and explore. He eagerly explains their math homework and sets up experiments for their science projects. He had a great time going with Andrew and Spencer on Scout trips. One was a ride on the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad combined with picking up litter along the tracks. He greatly enjoyed climbing mountain peaks with Andrew, his brother Dallin, and friends. This was somewhat of a catch-up year because he reached seven peaks, including Wheeler Peak and adjacent Mount Walter with Ruth. This has also been a great year for backpacking: Ruth's trip involved two nights camped just below tree line, some of the Scout trips went far from vehicles, and there was a family fishing trip in the Cruces Basin. It was delightful to accompany the children on bike rides and see them grow stronger. The whole family camped in southeastern Arizona during Thanksgiving break with their cousins, the Christiansons; it was a great dutch oven cook-off. These are some recreational highlights of Neal's year. Most of his time is filled with routine work, errands, chores, and repairs; it helps to have these special events to look forward to. Neal especially likes to study the word of God with the family each evening, sing hymns, and pray together.
Becky works at caring for the family and home. Her love and devotion are exemplary. She enjoys keeping the yard looking nice and did a great vegetable garden this year. She works on family history and sewing projects when she finds the time. She volunteers at the elementary school library. She serves in the Primary and Cub scouts.
We are thankful for this time of year when we can focus on our Savior and remember his life. We are profoundly grateful for our knowledge of Jesus Christ, that he was born, lived and died for us. We hope all of you can find peace this year as we focus on the Savior and remember him always.
Love,
Becky, Neal, Ruth, Andrew, Spencer, and Caleb
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