Merry Christmas 2015!



MERRY CHRISTMAS dear family and friends!

 

We are so thankful to our dearest Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for the many blessings and highlights through this 2015 year.  It is through His grace and mercy that we endure the trials and persecutions, along with the excitement and fun, and

consider it all JOY!





It's been a beautiful year of growth - physical, mental and spiritual; Legos; Beanie Boo Big Eyes; Perler Beads; puzzles; Hot Wheels; neighborhood growth (new babies and families); school field trips; FUN with family and friends; and opportunities to reach out and serve others.

As we wrap up our 2015 with family, we anticipate the new year and all God has to show us.  We look forward to His leading, the people He'll have us share our lives with, the people He'll have us share His life with, and the way He'll have us stay connected with you. 

"My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin.  And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins,; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world."

1 John 2:1-2

December 2015

We pulled out all of our Christmas tubs this year and when the tree got put up and fluffed the kids couldn't wait to sleep under it.  (We have since put on our ornaments)  We have enjoyed many of our family traditions this month!  A couple of new highlights this month were: The kids set up their Beanie Boos for "family photos" and we had a 6-night Star Wars marathon watching 1-6 in order, in preparation for the new release this month.

Micah's fall season of football (Jets) ended with being 6th seed in regular season. Then placing 3^rd in the playoffs.  Early in December, he participated on the Partridge All-Star team and came out in 4th position.
On December 6th, Lilly participated in the Gingerbread Gymboree.  It was a great experience and her first set of scores to be entered into the USAG.  Lilly's scores:  bars - 9.5 (2nd place); beam - 9.4 (2nd place); floor - 9.2 (2nd place) and vault - 9.0 (tied for 4th place).  She won the overall champion award for her age division - 37.1.

 

November 2015



This month the kids and I were able to tour the Honeywell plant at Deer Valley.  Our highlight - seeing Matt's office space.  The kids loved seeing where Matt goes Monday through Friday.

Our good friend, Kelli T., invited Lilly and I to an Operette - Die Fleurdemaus (the bat).  It was a great "girls night" at Grand Canyon's theatre.

 Micah began tennis lessons with his friend, Brady, (and his sister Faith).  Micah won't be playing a team sport this winter so that we'll be able to travel as a family to Lilly's gymnastics competitions.  He's chosen to learn more tennis and start warming up for baseball.
Our church had the grand opening of our new sanctuary!  We now have stadium seats and a balcony.  We are excited to see how God uses this more efficient space.

Thanksgiving week/end brought a great family gathering at Alice & Charlie's for Thanksgiving day.  In our 18 years of celebrating Thanksgiving together, and mostly in Arizona, this was our first time to spend the day with Alice & Charlie.  On Sunday we celebrated Lilly's 8th birthday with a S'more themed party!  She had S'more fun since it was her actual birthday (29th).

Just before Thanksgiving weekend, Sammy let us know it was time for her to go.  On Tuesday, I took one of my most favorite pictures of her.  She looks amazing and was full of spunk.  On Friday, she was done - she wouldn't talk, she didn't clean herself the night before, she wouldn't eat, she wouldn't leave the back corner of the room (she's never hung out there before), she would hardly open her eyes or lift her head, and she couldn't make it to her litterbox.  We said goodbye on Saturday, November 20, 2015.

April 10, 1999 - November 20, 2015

Our last family photo with Sammy

October 2015

For our "autumn" events, the kids and I attended our annual field trip to Schnepf Farms, and then we went to The Enchanted Forest with our friends, Ashley & Dagley.  We went to the Skotnick's annual pumpkin carving party, and hung out with our neighbors for Halloween.

This month Matt's Tanzania fundraising committee participated in an already formulated bike event called the Tour De Scottsdale.  Between 7 men, they were able to raise $10,000. 

We went with Lilly's gymnastics team to Feed My Starving Children.  They have several outreach opportunities and activities to build their friendships.  The big news:  Lilly got her back handspring on her own!

 

We hosted a neighborhood 'movie night' - serving hot dogs, sodas, chips, popcorn and viewing 'Big Hero 6'.  We held our first Missions & Me outreach at Neighborhood Ministries.  We filled all our needed positions with 17 families.  Both were fantastic events!





Matt started a "plank contest" for our family and a few friends.  Through the month we were to 'prepare' by increasing our time of holding a plank each day.  Our goal - to hold a plank for 5 minutes.  Guess who could hold it for 5 minutes on the first day??  Lilly.  It was crazy funny!!  We did all make it!!

We've been taking lots of pictures of Sammy this month.  We found out in September that she has an enlarged liver, is functioning on only one lung, and has possible cancerous spots.  This month she's been throwing up every night, changing her eating habits, losing weight, and aiming outside of her litterbox.  She remains very social - comes to school everyday, talks a lot, follows us around, and snuggles.  We are totally spoiling her this month - with loving and joyful hearts!

Jodie traded in her flip phone for an iPhone!



September 2015

Joe & Bev (AKA: Papa Joe & Nana) visited us in Arizona for a Labor Day camping trip.  We took them to Whitehorse Lake and had a fun time kayaking, making smores, and sleeping in tents.  Back in the city, we all went to see Wicked at the Gamage Theatre.

Matt and I accepted a leadership position with our church, SBC (Scottsdale Bible Church), with the children's ministry.  We'll be running the Missions & Me program - geared toward providing opportunities for families to serve together in our community and abroad.  Our first introduction was this month.

Now that it's fall, horse lessons and flag football have started up again.  The kids are happy to get back into these activities.

We played our first game of Monopoly this month - with each person playing their positions independently.  We played for several nights keeping the game going at the kitchen table.  For a game lover like me - this was so fun!!



Jodie had another college friend, Hilary, come into town with her family.  Jodie and the kids met them for a few hours at the Desert Ridge Marriott for some swimming and chatting.  This was the third college friend Jodie got to see this year.  Wow.

August 2015

Wow, what a month! Our family trip to South Dakota and Nebraska began in July and ended on August 5th.  We met Joe & Bev (Jodie's parents) and Sarah (Jodie's neice) in SD.  Our many adventures include: Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Custer State Park, The Badlands, and Pine Ridge Reservation.  In NE we attended the 50th Anniversary Neihardt Day, honoring John G. Neihardt, Poet Laureate Emeritus of Nebraska.  Jodie's sisters, Rhonda & Tonya, surprised everyone to attend this special occasion.



Standing on the arm of Crazy Horse Memorial

Mount Rushmore

John G. Neihardt's home/study

 

We celebrated Micah's birthday, as a family, surprising him with T.G.I. Friday's seats at the Diamondbacks game for Randy Johnson's number retirement celebration.  Baxter came up to say hi!

Our annual week in Flagstaff with Aunt Alice and Uncle Charlie was the second week of August.  It was perfect timing because Micah wanted an America Ninja Warrior birthday party.  We hosted it at Flagstaff Extreme and the boys had a blast!

We had lots of mini golf games, movies, cookouts, swimming, and great memories!! Thanks Alice & Charlie.  :)

Matt started a "push-up contest" with the kids.  Through the month they were to 'prepare'.  The kids were to combine their number of push-ups to Matt's.  The winner/s would get ice cream.  On the night of their competition Matt did 50, Micah did 30, and Lilly did 80 (she just stopped because she could).  It was crazy funny!!

Sometime in this month Micah had a growth spurt and is now taller than me (Jodie).



July 2015

We stayed close to home for 4th of July, spending it with friends, swimming, eating, and watching awesome fireworks!
The kids and I have started our "summer pool table tournament" - Micah's making some pretty good shots.
Our friends, the Eager family, from LaPaz, Mexico began their furlough and came over for hanging out, slip n' slip, World Cup, and pizza.

Riches & Eagers

We had a mini golf play date with Jodie's college friend, Amy E., and daughter, at Castles and Coasters.  Then we tried a glow-in-the-dark mini golf with other friends.
Ready, aim, fire - we went out to the backyard for a family water balloon fight!

Matt accepted a new position within Honeywell, this month, as a Principle Project Engineer.  So after 19 years in Manufacturing, he moved over into engineering.   He is helping teams estimate the cost of new projects and products, working to make the estimates more accurate and less costly.   The job change also allowed him to work from the Deer Valley plant, which is only 5 miles from the house – a much easier commute.