2006 Brag Letter

This is a copy of our brag letter, sent out with the Ofoto cards that finally arrived December 26th (and sent out the same day). It has been reported that Salt Lake area people received them on the 27th, and California on the 28th. Amazing! Next year we are doing the professional portrait thing, ya know adding the 3rd kid and all, its about time! And maybe that will help?

The Knight Family, 2006 Hobbies & Happenings
In 2006…

The family loved…living in Salt Lake City, hiking together in the spring, summer, & fall, swimming together, going to baseball spring training in Phoenix, weekends in St. George, & going to Newport together, being with extended family and friends, & already loving and welcoming baby #3 to the family (due March 2007), yet enjoying the last year of being a perfectly controllable foursome!

Andy loved… fly-fishing (Green & Provo Rivers), snowboarding, mountain biking, playing on Wyoming Street’s co-ed softball team, basement demolition, surf trips, teaching Primary, being back in Pharmaceutical Sales with P&G, coaching Holden’s soccer team, being the best Dad, an awesome baker, & the most fun to be around.

Annette loved… snowboarding (a ton, thanks to bookkeeping gig at Norda’s), skiing & sledding (all last season!), going on ladies’ trips, teaching Primary, Junior League, yoga, reading, writing my Blog ‘Funny Madre’, walking, road biking, museum, hikes, & zoo trips, planning the basement remodel, & being the boys’ taskmaster, homework helper & taxi.

Holden (5) loved… starting Kindergarten at Beacon Heights, skiing, sledding, tennis, soccer, yoga, swimming, playing with friends and cousins, reading, dinosaurs, museum & zoo trips, going to the beach (Southern Cal & Bear Lake) & California Adventure, swimming at Grammy’s pool in Arizona, being a great helper, the best hiker, & having the greatest laugh.

Owen (3) loved…starting pre-school at Holladay, sledding, soccer, art, being the best cleaner, and being the best & goofiest buddy, light-saber or sword fighting, hiking, swimming, playing at the beach, books, playing the air guitar, singing, knowing that baby #3 was a girl, going to school with a Mohawk, & playing with cousins & friends.

Christmas Day Picture

I just wanted to show off our cute family. This was taken at the Bunch family house on Christmas day by Jocelyn Gibbons and her awesome new camera. My kids are goofy, but you know what they look like for real...

Look at these darling nativity children. Owen(sheep-herder), Tayzleigh (Mary), Jaron (Joseph), H (sheep-herder), & Morgan (king). Our boys were dressed this way for like 3 hours before the actual acting out of the nativity. Oh yes, and I can't find the correct spelling of shepard? The other kids are cousins' kids - darling! Christmas was fun. I used my new toaster/egg cooker today and it is the best! We had eggs and toast (from AK's awesome homemade bread) for lunch! Oh and also I have been listening to my ipod shuffle about the house, ordering the kids to clean while I boogie down! They are awesome! We even got all of the Thank You cards written and sent. I ordered and compelled Holden to write his, bribing all the while with "tickets" (which they trade in for good things) and a trip to the Dollar Store (their favorite shopping trip ever!). Owen "wrote" his name on some cards. He does a great "O" and an H, but he does end it with an N, very impressive for 3! We love all of the fun things we were given. The boys have been alternately playing with the playskool figurines, balloons outside, leapster, & a dino game all morning. We woke up to a loud, roaring toy robot (we thought it was like 6 am but it was a very dark & gloomy 7:30 to our surprise). Here is a cute picture from last night's night-time reading session.

I got this from Leslie, Rachel's darling friend http://flowerchain.blogspot.com/, as I am pouring over her darling blog while I wait for the kids to really be asleep this Christmas Eve!

Here goes:1. Egg nog or hot chocolate? Always hot chocolate, but I do love a cup or two of egg nog during the season. I used to love it so much my mom would home make it for me!
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Unwrapped on your place on a couch or chair with the stocking. I have done the wrapped thing before, but now I strive just to have it out of the box.
3. Colored lights or white lights? Colored lights. I used to do blue, in honor of our very star of david neighborhood growing up (Lighthouse Lane), but in Utah its too BYU, so now we have red and green. I love white on the tree though.
4. Do you hang mistletoe? No.
5. When do you put your decorations up? The day after Thanksgiving.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Aunt Terry's rainbow jello (does that count?) or wassail.
7. Favorite holiday memory as a child? I remember jacuzzi-ing on Christmas Eve at 3 Muir Beach Cir and totally seeing santa's sleigh in the sky. I am pretty sure Liz was with me. I also totally peeked that year (we had two sets of stairs and an elevator, so it was easy to do) and still being confused on how I ended up with a unicycle! I was like 7 or 8!
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? It might have been the same unicycle year, because even though I totally saw santa's sleigh in the sky, the unicycle still haunts me.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Just the PJs.
10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? White lights, weak star on top (I am looking for a great angel/star topper if anyone has a suggestion), colorful balls, radko type ornaments, and collections over the years, its very casual. Holden & O did a great job putting on the ornaments this year!
11. Snow: love it or dread it? Love it, especially on Christmas. I mean if I was in CA I would be stoked to go the beach on Christmas day, but have it, so love it.
12. Can you ice skate? Yes, and we really want to take the boys this next week!
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Any surprise is great. Maybe a warhol print my mom framed after we saw the exhibit at the old NBAM.
14. What's the most important thing about the holidays for you? Being happy with my family doing memorable things, and teaching my kids about Christ's birth. - ditto Leslie.
15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? Meltaways, thank goodness I only had/made them once!
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? PJs and Christmas Eve nativity at Drew & Terry's.
17. What tops your tree? Cheesy star.
18. Which do you prefer: giving or receiving? I love the giving, I wish I could afford to give more - not to my own kids, they have enough, but to sub for santa and stuff. I love the surprise though!
19. What is your favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night & Mary's Lullaby
20. Candy canes: yuck or yum? Yum, but I only really eat the lollipops with the tootsie in the middle.

Santa's Visit

It was requested that I blog about this great visit from Santa. We got a call last Sunday night from Pat Lorimer (my visiting teacher's husband, and Owen's favorite, but no longer, nursery teachers) about Santa and his elf son Angus coming to visit on Wednesday night. Of course, we said sure. We totally surprised the kids, except I gave them their brand new PJs from oneity a little early so they would look cute for pictures. We left the front door unlocked and Holden and I just happened to be sitting at the kitchen table, which is right by the front door, and we heard bells ringing and then Santa just popped right in the door. Holden looked the most shocked I have ever seen, and Santa knew exactly who Holden was. Holden later told us he thought it was Christmas night and he was worried because he thought he should have been in bed! We went to get Owen and Dad, but Owen was sort of freaked out. I think he was totally skepticle since he had already seen and loved Santa at the Gateway Discovery and they were wearing different outfits! Holden was eating it up and loved getting to know Santa. Santa told him where the reindeer were (resting up for Christmas Eve) and why he was driving a GMC (they thought that was great, I mean it was a big, white, Denali XL type, which was totally what Santa would drive in Utah), and how he needs to look for a red light on Christmas Eve (Santa's sleigh) and then run off to bed, since Santa won't come until they are asleep. Also, how Santa likes chocolate chip cookies and not skim milk, its got to be the fatty kind (I bought 2% for the occasion). He also showed Holden his good list and the not so good list. Holden was able to find his name on the good list. He also saw Owen's name. I finally bribed Owen with a cookie to come see Santa's book, and he did and warmed up in now time. So Owen got to see his name in the book, and Annette (mom's name), but we couldn't find Dad's name (Andy). Santa found Andy on the not so good list, so he gave Dad a sweet potato that we needed to rub on his head every day to make him sweeter. The kids got 2 match box cars each and candy canes and they are now special treasures from Santa. Santa was so full of love for us and the boys, it was great and very memorable. Holden was stoked, Owen was still a little skeptical, especially when they were discussing this visit afterwards and Owen said something to the effect like "I don't get why Dad made the not so good list, Mom, You are the one who yells!". I taught him a little about repentance and forgiveness that night. It is pretty classic, and quite the smart kid. We've had an awesome Christmas season, fun parties, lots of gingerbread houses, too many yummy neighbor and friend gifts. I am still a little bitter about our Christmas cards (since I ordered them on December 5th, they supposedly shipped on December 8th and they still have not arrived!). Otherwise, we have been spiritually basking in the Christmas spirit, and the kids really are getting it!

One Word Answer Thing

one word meme
You can only type one word. No explanations.
Yourself: pregnant
Your Partner: hot
Your Hair: dark
Your Mother: friend
Your Father: money
Your Favorite Item: jeans
Your Dream Last Night:none
Your Favorite Drink: water
Your Dream Car: bentley
Your Dream Home: oceanfront
The Room You Are In: office
Your Ex: forgotten
Your Fear: tics
Where You Want to be in Ten Years: here
Who You Hung Out With Last Night: owen & holden
What You’re Not: skinny
Muffins: blueberry
One of Your Wish List Items: treadmill
Time: 4:36
The Last Thing You Did: shopping
What You Are Wearing: sweater
Your Favorite Weather: sunny
Your Favorite Book: the fountainhead
Last Thing You Ate: whip cream
Your Life: great
Your Mood: okay
Your Best Friends: classy
What Are You Thinking About Right Now: andy
Your Car: odyssey
What Are You Doing At The Moment: typing
Your Summer: packed
Relationship Status: married
What Is On Your TV: sprout
What Is The Weather Like: cold
When Is The Last Time You Laughed: today

Hannah

This is darling Hannah, daughter of Matt & Kay. She was born Thursday and is so cute and healthy. I can't wait to meet her. I love all of that hair! I had yet another girls' overnight this weekend. Kate and some girls' from her old ward and I went up to an amazing cabin in Heber. Good times, good food, and especially good conversation. I am grateful for girlfriends, new and old ones alike! I think this may be the last trip for a long time. I am totally gearing up for homebound status with 3 kids. Here is another picture of awesome and very manly Jackson and sweet Hannah.