Merry Christmas!

This past weeek I have been repeatedly reminded just how blessed my life is. I have a wonderful family! I am married to a great guy who loves his family and works hard. I have four amazing kids. I live in a beautiful home in a wonderful neighborhood. I have great friends. Most of all, I have a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am so thankful for all that I have been blessed with. Some days I get so caught up with the things may not be going the way I would like, that my perspective gets a little out of whack. I guess I need a good kick in the rear on occasion to put me back in my place. Maybe I should be thankful for those not so gently nudges.

Seeing that I have been a little preoccupied this year, I have decided to put our annual family newsletter on our blog rather that sending it out with our Christmas cards. I will give you the Cliff Notes version of our year.

Nelson has been very busy. He still works for Farm Bureau Insurance in Payson and has one more year left on the city council. This year he has been over the sewer and water. If you want to hear an earful from him, just ask him about the chicken issue. As if he wasn't busy enough, Nelson was called to be the Executive Secretary in our ward.

I have finally graduated from primary! It took me longer than most children, but I have finally advanced to Beehive Advisor! I love my new calling, especially since I have the same group of girls that I have been involved with since they turned 8. I told them that they were stuck with me forever. I still volunteer as an EMT for the city. This spring I took an additional course and am now certified as an EMT-I. I have also been babysitting my neice Hannah this year. And since I had a few extra minutes, I took on the job of book fair chair at the kid's school.

Mike is 10 years old and looking forward to becoming a New Scout in March. He is in the 5th grade and doing great! He loves school especially his GATE class. He has been mourning the loss of his pet cockatiels, Lucky & Bucky. They were his best friends. Yesterday we welcomed the addition of a new memeber of the family. Baby is a 1 year old pied cockatiel. Mike is very excited. Baby even ate breakfast with us this morning. Well, she did until she pooped on the table. Josh didn't like that very much.

Morgan will turn 9 on December 23rd. She is in the 3rd grade and loves school. She also enjoys her GATE class. Morgan is a very artisic girl who loves to draw, dance and sing. She loves her pet bunny Snowball and is very good at taking care of her. This year Nelson and Josh both won ribbons at the state fair for their pigeons.

Josh is 6 and in 1st grade. He is becoming quite the reader! I think he is a clone of his father. He loves trains, pigeons, Transformers, Star Wars and most of all his pet lizzard Spikey. He keeps me on my toes. I never know what is going to come out of his mouth or what he will do next.

Maggie is 3 and started preschool and dance this fall. She loves it! She is still very small, but has a very big personality. She is not affraid to stand up for herself. While driving in the car the other day, she announced that she doesn't like boys, she just likes pink! She loves Tinkerbelle, and her favorite princess is Belle.

We hope that you are all doing well and have a very merry Christmas!!
Love,
Heather, Nelson, Mike, Morgan, Josh & Maggie Abbott