Our Christmas Letter 2009

Dear Friends and Family:        December 2009-January 2010

Merry Christmas

            I had planned on sending out an actual letter, card and picture, but because of extenuating circumstances, we will be sending it virtually this year.  Thanks to all of you who sent us beautiful Christmas letters!  Next year I hope to get it out sooner, because I prefer "real letters".  Among some trials, we have had some wonderful things happen to us this year.  I will be focusing on those.

              Last February, after working on our home for over a year (designing and building), we were finally able to move in!  It is very exciting and we are very much enjoying living in our new house (if you need our new address, email us).  I have enjoyed decorating it and making it into a home.  Mark landscaped our yard (with some help from myself and the kids) including a side vegetable garden, 2 trees, 3 fruit trees, 10+ berry plants, flowers, a rock wall, an archway trellis (that he made) decorative rocks, grass sod etc.  It looks great.

             It can get pretty windy in this area, especially since it is such a new neighborhood without very much to block the wind.  We have had some belongings fly away, including our tent (which we got back) and recently our kiddy pool.  We are looking forward to getting a fence, so we don't lose anymore possessions. :)

            Baby K, (fifteen months) is a little sweetheart.  She began walking at 10 months, and hasn't stopped going since.  One of her favorite things to do is to climb up onto the dining room table and stand up, and smile very big.  It is pretty scary for us to see, but she is a very determined baby and despite all of our deterrence, she manages to climb up there regularly.  Little Man E and Little Miss R, adore their "baby".  One of our favorite things that she does is motion with her hands to be picked up.  She has also began flirting with others (especially some of my friend's husbands').  It's so cute.  She is learning to speak, and can carry on a "conversation" with us.  She has 12 teeth.  Some of our favorite things she says are: "Hi Da-da, Ma-Ma, Baby, Bye-Bye, Oh Wow, Dog, and Down".  She loves to dance and twirl.  Little Baby K, gives us such sweet kisses and snuggles.

             Little Miss R (three 1/2) is our happy little diva.  She loves attention and regularly talks to random people at the grocery store and everywhere we go.  She is very chatty and we are amazed at some of the funny things that come out of her mouth.  When the missionaries were over for Thanksgiving, and she proceeded to tell them "You boys keep distracting me!"  Oh no!  We better watch out for when she's a teenager!  Little Miss R had her first trip to the Emergency Room, last April, when while we were doing some yard work, she was accidentally hit in the head with a rake.  It was a very scary experience for all of us, but she is okay now.  She likes dancing, singing, princesses, strawberry shortcake, ponies, carebears, polly pockets, littlest pet shop, barbies, and playing dress-up.   She is excited to be a Sunbeam in Primary this year.  Little Man E, is excited to have her in there with him too.

           Little Man E (five) is very protective of his little sisters and his parents.  I am enjoying teaching him and Little Miss R, preschool this year, he will start Kindergarten next fall.  He is really making progress and loves to learn.  He is a very big helper for us, and can sort his toys and keep his room clean, almost entirely on his own.  He likes to help us cook.  He likes dinosaurs, superheroes (spiderman, batman, superman), carebears, transformers, cars,  playing dress-up, singing, dancing and playing sports.  Little Man E, also took his first year of swimming lessons and playing soccer on a team, that his Mom (I) coached.  He was the youngest one on the team (at age 4), but surprised us by scoring 3 goals in the season.  Little Man E and Little Miss R, like to play hide and seek and one of their favorite spots to hide is in between the toilet paper packages in the isle at the store!?  He has lost 5 (going on 6) of his baby teeth already!!   

            I, Elizabeth have enjoyed being a busy mother of 3 and wife this year.  I have also enjoyed my side portrait photography (www.lily-photo.com) business.  I have enjoyed singing solos and duets with Mark, in church.   When I find time,  I like scrap booking, sewing, playing the violin and piano, blogging, cooking, and creating.  My calling in church was teaching the 12 and 13 youth in Sunday School.

            Mark is thrilled to have finished our first home, a dream come true.  Mark works hard to provide for our family.  He also plans on returning to school to finish his degree, hopefully soon.  His calling in church is in the Young Men's presidency, he presides over the 14-15 young men.  He is also their scouting leader, and enjoys going on hikes with them.  We celebrated our 7th anniversary this year.  He enjoys being in the beautiful mountains in the area that we live, and spending time with family.

            We wish you all a fabulous New Year with many blessings and dreams fulfilled.

Love, The Chandler Family