Year in Review - 2015

OK - acknowledging that I may be the only one that reads this, I'm taking a chance - and will find comfort that at least it will be useful when writing my family history! So here goes - a few details about our lives, should anyone care to read. We do appreciate the cards and letters that we receive - thanks so much for the updates!

We are delighted that our little family continues to grow! We have had both a marriage and another grandchild this year!  Good times! So here we go, starting with the old kids first.



William, Sara and McKenzie

McKenzie has been such an incredible addition to the family! Her personality and good nature makes her a blast to hang out with. She walks and runs around everywhere.
 
Had a good but brief time at Yosemite National Park. More details about that down below.

Happy Birthday Will!

Sara likes Birthdays!

McKenzie spends a lot of time talking to friends!

William and Sara's biggest change this year was... they bought a house! They are now living in San Tan Valley and loving their new ward out there. Sara serves in the primary while Will is in the Elder's Quorum Presidency. 

William was promoted into the IT department with Fieldwork, Inc. and works from home. McKenzie loves playing with her fun daddy every day at home! They feel so blessed to all be at home every day. 

Sara continues to work on her small business from home as well, making handmade embroidery decor for the home and handmade jewelry. She had her year's biggest craft market in Phoenix this month and it was such a fun success! It is great to watch her small business grow a little bit each year. 

McKenzie is such a joy in their lives; she is learning so much every day and has started to talk! She absolutely loves being in nursery finally, and makes friends so fast. She will turn 2 next April. Will, Sara and McKenzie are loving life and have enjoyed the year immensely with all the fun changes that came with it!



Kevin and Janis

What may be the biggest news for Kevin and Janis was the birth of Ellie Mae!  She was born in the warm month of February, and has been delighting the family ever since! 

Ellie craws everywhere, and is standing up a lot. Walking is not far in her future!



















Ellie of course loved the family trip through Yosemite Park in July. Beautiful views and weather.

Ellie loves bike riding!

Kevin has been successful as the marketing director at Menlo Group and has just started Real Estate school with plans of becoming a broker! He is still working with the 11 year-old scouts and recently went to Fossil springs with the youth. His favorite pastime is mountain biking, and goes often with his brother-in-law. There were a couple gnarly accidents at first and he has the scars to prove it, but he has become quite the biker! He and Janis just recently got a bike stroller for Ellie and they take her out almost every weekend- she loves it!

After having Ellie, Janis took a dream position at the hospital doing post-partum, working with the newborn babies. She loved it, but just left to work at an Allergist's office which has been such a blessing! No weekends or holidays and now enjoys long lunch breaks filled with snuggles from Ellie. She is working in primary again, as primary chorister- a calling hand tailored for her. 

They have LOVED welcoming Ellie into the world and introducing her to so many new experiences! She fills their life with so many laughs and smiles!

Laura and Daniel Milligan
That's right, Daniel joined the family!  They met at BYU during Laura's senior year, and after Laura graduated in June, they were married on July 3, 2015.





OK  I'm sure many are disappointed that she didn't graduate from Arizona State or Ohio State, but she did enjoy her time in Utah. I'm sure there are others that think she made the right school choice! Either way, congratulations Laura! Her degree is in Human Development. She is now attending a graduate program in Arizona, and will become an Occupational Therapist. Daniel transferred from BYU to ASU so Laura could go to grad school. We are all grateful for how much he takes care of her! He plans on graduating from ASU's business program.

Yea!  Get to leave BYU! :)

Since it was our first opportunity to do so, many family members came from far and wide to help celebrate Daniels birthday! He's a great addition to the family (at least, that's what he keeps telling us)!



Laura spent much of her birthday on the floor playing with McKenzie!



Laura and Daniel love their apartment and ward in Tempe. Laura serves as the Primary chorister, also known as the best calling ever. Daniel is loved by the young men in the ward, where he serves in his calling as the Teachers' Quorum assistant. They are both enjoying married life very much!

Mark

Mark with his companion

Mark has been in Costa Rica serving as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since August 2014. He will remain there until around August 2016. He is loving it! He is a Zone Leader in the San Jose area and loves the Costa Rican people and the other missionaries that he serves with.  He's had many faith-promoting experiences. He's had fun and less-than-fun times - has only been in the hospital once (that we know of) with some type of infection in his knee that he's pretty vague about. He's been bitten by only one dog and no monkeys (again, as far as we know). :)
We are sure thankful for the ward members that have him over for dinner and are kind to him. They are truly angels. 

Yum, bread!

(if anyone would like to receive his weekly email, just let John know)

Barbie
Barbie enjoys a very comfortable life as a mom to great kids and grandma to the best babies ever.  She gets to babysit a couple of times each week and always has her eye out for new toys or books for the girls. Not sure what will happen should a grandson ever appear. Barbie was awarded the Mesa District Award of Merit at the annual District Awards banquet. She has over 15 years of Scouting service, including being on Staff at four Wood Badge sessions. She is the ward Scout Committee Chair right now.


John

Not much changes for John - he is still working for IBM and loves it. He manages 2 technical teams that supports IBM software partners across the United States. He still is serving as the bishop of our ward and is still working hard serving in the Church.



A few of the other things we did in 2015

Our favorite summer vacation is spending time together at Lake Powell! We've been making this trip for the past 20 years!

Ellie relaxing in the water.

McKenzie styling in her life jacket on a beach in Navajo Canyon.

Loving Dangling Rope Marina!

We needed two boats - so rented this one

Barbie and John served as Scribes on the March Wood Badge course at Heard Scout Pueblo in Phoenix this year. They had a great time!

Thanksgiving 2015!  So much to be thankful for!



We are so thankful for our family and friends! We are grateful for the example and acts of service that we see from each of you. Our wish and prayer is that you will have a great 2016.

Year in Review - 2014

2014 In Review

We have been so bad about sending out Christmas cards for so many years, we are totally out of the habit! We are sharing a few details about our lives with you should anyone care to read. We do appreciate the cards and letters that we receive - thanks so much for the updates!

So you are no doubt behind on a few things. Most importantly our family continues to grow!

William and Sara
(married 9/24/2010) had an incredibly awesome daughter in April - her name is McKenzie Jane.

She is so good natured and loads of fun. She crawls everywhere and is quick to share a smile with you.





William graduated from BYU-Idaho with a degree in General Studies with an emphasis in Computer IT with certificates in Web Development, Political Science, and Business Management.

He works in the IT department of Fieldwork, a market research firm.

Sara is a great mom and still makes time to have her own business - The Kitschy Stitcher, doing custom hand embroidery.




Kevin and Janis
(married 5/4/2012) is expecting their first child in February. Excited? Very! They bought an awesome new home this year in Mesa. It's big, nice, and now extremely well decorated! Janis keeps busy on her days off making her home beautiful, always with a new project. Kaia, their not-so-small dog, loves having her own backyard! They also bought Kevin's new toy truck!

Kevin graduated from Arizona State with a degree in Business Management with an International Business Certificate.



He works for the Menlo Group, a commercial real estate company.

Janis is still working for Banner Good Samaritan as a Nurse. She has an adventure every day that she works!


She will continue to work until their baby girl is born.

Laura will graduate June of 2015 from BYU with a degree in Human Development. She loves it there and has made a lot of great friends. She works in the Sociology department on campus. She is now submitting applications for a Masters program in Occupational Therapy. She moved into a new apartment this year, and loves the new roommates (misses the old ones) and her new ward.

Laura spent much of the summer in China for a Study Abroad program. In between classes, she had a lot of time to tour with her group. 

She came back with lots of stories and pictures! Great times!


Mark worked his Senior year at Fieldwork Phoenix to earn money for his mission. Mark made some really great friends in High School, and made lots of good memories.

He went to State all 4 years with the Swim team.

Mark graduated high school in May this year - here with his buddies Brandon and Preston.

He left in August to serve a 2 year mission in Costa Rica for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

He loves it there and is learning Spanish so he can communicate with the people. He's only been there a short time but has already developed a strong love for the Costa Rican people. We had a blast when we got to Skype with him on Christmas - he looked and sounded great!

Barbie is working in the afternoons as a kindergarten aid. She comes home each day with a new story from class about what the kids said and did. Constant laughs! She is also teaching Sunday School with the 15-18 year olds at Church. 

John is still working for IBM and loves it. He manages 2 technical teams that supports IBM software partners across the United States. Last year he became the bishop of our ward and is still working hard serving in the Church. John's dad Leo passed away this year, and with that came the sale of the family home, it was bittersweet.

John with all of his siblings at Leo's funeral.










A few of the other things we did in 2014

The Gilbert Temple Cultural Celebration was held on March 1st, leading up to the dedication of the Gilbert Temple. The event included the performances of thousands of youth from the Gilbert Temple district - including Mark! Barbie and Will were also involved as youth leaders. The new Temple, along with the newest one in Phoenix, is a great blessing to the valley. Important work is done in these Temples.

Mark having fun at the celebration practice.

Barbie is cheering them on! She loves spending time with the youth!

Will was also a leader - his Stake was set up right next to ours, so Barbie and Mark got to see him a lot during practices.

Laura, Janis, Kevin and Mark right after graduation on a cruise stop in Catalina.

Cruise fun with the family.

Vacation to Lake Powell in August

Absolutely love the views here.

Mark wake boarding - trying out the new board! Kevin and Laura also got a turn on it.

A little friendly family tubing adventures...

Some cliff jumping, and the camp ground.

Family Camping Trip on the rim
 

We are so thankful for our family and friends. We are grateful for the example and acts of service that we see from each of you. Our wish and prayer is that you will have a great 2015.