Little flash-back to our "Surprise Christmas" in Fresno
We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas season, and we wish you a very Happy 2011! Here is the Price Family year-in-review:
January/February 2010: Sledding trips up in the mountains; took kids skiing for first time; trip to the beach . . . yes, Fresno has it all!
March 2010: Celebrated Ellie's 1st birthday! Began looking for our Fresno home to buy . . . within a week, through much prayer and preparation and a fantastic realtor (and friend) we found our home!
April 2010: Celebrated our 8-year anniversary!
May 2010: Drove to Utah for Auntie Tara's graduation from UofU MBA program; Demke/Allen family reunion of sorts; celebrated Mother's Day with grandma on Temple Square while talking to Uncle Dallin on phone from his mission in Argentina; annual trip to Yosemite National Park to see the Falls at their fullest; closed on our house; Kaia graduated from Pre-school! Ellie started walking!
June 2010: began to pack up in preparation for move; began renovation work on new house; Went swimming (mommy-swim-lessons) every day;
June 30, 2010: received devastating news that my Cousin Michael passed away . . . 32 years old, drowning accident on Scout trip to Havasupai Falls . . . long pause . . .
July 2010: drove to Utah for Michael's funeral . . . held his sweet wife Lisa and baby girl . . . held onto, cried, and reminisced on a lifetime of precious memories with my 3 cousins, uncle and aunts and family--all were lifted and touched by the beautiful words of comfort and peace spoken at his funeral. Kaia and Marcus sang with Lisa's nieces and nephews: "Famlies Can Be Together Forever" . . . powerful and true . . .
2nd half of July: packed up our rental home; moved everything into the garage of our new home (which was now completely gutted with full-house renovation work); drove to Texas for Price Family Reunion (arrvived 3 days later than we'd planned, but had a wonderful time with Grandma and Grandpa Price and all Aunts, Uncles and Cousins!)
August 2010: Drove from Texas family reunion to Colorado; celebrated Kaia's 5th birthday! Aaron flew home to California for work; I drove home with kids a week later; we stayed with dear friends in our Ward for the next 3 weeks until our house was at a point we could stay in it . . Kaia began Kindergarten!
September 2010: began moving into our home; workers still came everyday; began a mommy-co-op preschool for Marcus with two other friends; began volunteering in Kaia's classroom;
October 2010: Began to feel settled and work nearly finished on our home . . . Had a great Halloween; held a HUGE garage sale (part I); Marcus enjoying pre-school 2x a week; Kaia doing great in Kindergarten; Kaia playing "beauty shop" and cutting off all her hair, Marcus' hair and Ellie's hair during nap-time one day:( (it's only hair, and it grows back, right??!!); Aaron created a presentation for his Regional meetings--got invited to make same presentation to President and Vice Presidents of the Company in Philladelphia . . .
November 2010: Celebrated Marcus' 4th birthday! Held a 2-part Spiderman Birthday Party for him (poor guy got sick and threw up right before original party. . . I had to send all 10 little friends home and invite them back 2 days later); Garage Sale part II, and III; did our R.S. Night holiday classes and dinner--a lot of fun for all involved; I was in charge of Kaia's Kindergarten Harvest Party--(Auntie Tara flew in for Thanksgiving and got to be a part of it) so much fun--I love this stuff! Aaron and I hosted Thanksgiving for Grandma, Grandpa and Auntie . . .
December 2010: Had some friends over to our new home; accidentally announced we are expecting baby #4! (due May 30--the extra stocking gave us away!); created "Surprise Christmas" for our kids . . . they woke up to find Santa had visited early, explaining in a letter he knew we would be in Colorado for Christmas, . . .; I sang with a quartet of sisters in Sacrament Meeting "A Single Star"--beautiful Christmas lullaby; We drove to Las Vegas, stayed in "the Castle" and flew to Loveland, CO to welcome home Uncle Dallin from his mission!!
December 18: had a great homecoming at Grandma and Grandpa's for Dallin; the next day he spoke in Sacrament Meeting . . .beautiful and humbling . . .
December 20-26: We enjoyed a wonderful Christmas week of ice-skating; visiting the zoo-lights in Denver; walking down 16th street; carolling to friends and neighbors; attending traditional cookie exchange with dear friends; night of Risk with Dallin's old buddies (Aaron and my dad never get to be on the same team again!!); Sweet re-enactment of the Nativity (Kaia was Mary, Marcus was Joseph, and Ellie was an angel) . . . they took their parts so seriously and were so reverent and sweet as we read Luke 2 and sang Christmas hymns . . . enjoyed a fabulous Christmas with our family; were reminded of the significance and truth of the season as my dad spoke in church on Sunday and urged us all to take some time (a quiet 1/2 hour or more) and reflect on the birth and the life of our Savior, and what it means in our lives . . . he also reminded us of the prophets of old as spoken of in Isaiah who looked so forward to the birth of Christ . . . and how we can focus our own faith and hope as we prepare for and look forward to His second coming . . .
As we travelled home this week from Colorado, we felt invigorated and hopeful for the New Year. As we look back over this past year, we are overwhelmed with Gratitude. We hope each of you has a wonderful 2011 full of hope and joy! We love you and are grateful for your friendship!
January/February 2010: Sledding trips up in the mountains; took kids skiing for first time; trip to the beach . . . yes, Fresno has it all!
March 2010: Celebrated Ellie's 1st birthday! Began looking for our Fresno home to buy . . . within a week, through much prayer and preparation and a fantastic realtor (and friend) we found our home!
April 2010: Celebrated our 8-year anniversary!
May 2010: Drove to Utah for Auntie Tara's graduation from UofU MBA program; Demke/Allen family reunion of sorts; celebrated Mother's Day with grandma on Temple Square while talking to Uncle Dallin on phone from his mission in Argentina; annual trip to Yosemite National Park to see the Falls at their fullest; closed on our house; Kaia graduated from Pre-school! Ellie started walking!
June 2010: began to pack up in preparation for move; began renovation work on new house; Went swimming (mommy-swim-lessons) every day;
June 30, 2010: received devastating news that my Cousin Michael passed away . . . 32 years old, drowning accident on Scout trip to Havasupai Falls . . . long pause . . .
July 2010: drove to Utah for Michael's funeral . . . held his sweet wife Lisa and baby girl . . . held onto, cried, and reminisced on a lifetime of precious memories with my 3 cousins, uncle and aunts and family--all were lifted and touched by the beautiful words of comfort and peace spoken at his funeral. Kaia and Marcus sang with Lisa's nieces and nephews: "Famlies Can Be Together Forever" . . . powerful and true . . .
2nd half of July: packed up our rental home; moved everything into the garage of our new home (which was now completely gutted with full-house renovation work); drove to Texas for Price Family Reunion (arrvived 3 days later than we'd planned, but had a wonderful time with Grandma and Grandpa Price and all Aunts, Uncles and Cousins!)
August 2010: Drove from Texas family reunion to Colorado; celebrated Kaia's 5th birthday! Aaron flew home to California for work; I drove home with kids a week later; we stayed with dear friends in our Ward for the next 3 weeks until our house was at a point we could stay in it . . Kaia began Kindergarten!
September 2010: began moving into our home; workers still came everyday; began a mommy-co-op preschool for Marcus with two other friends; began volunteering in Kaia's classroom;
October 2010: Began to feel settled and work nearly finished on our home . . . Had a great Halloween; held a HUGE garage sale (part I); Marcus enjoying pre-school 2x a week; Kaia doing great in Kindergarten; Kaia playing "beauty shop" and cutting off all her hair, Marcus' hair and Ellie's hair during nap-time one day:( (it's only hair, and it grows back, right??!!); Aaron created a presentation for his Regional meetings--got invited to make same presentation to President and Vice Presidents of the Company in Philladelphia . . .
November 2010: Celebrated Marcus' 4th birthday! Held a 2-part Spiderman Birthday Party for him (poor guy got sick and threw up right before original party. . . I had to send all 10 little friends home and invite them back 2 days later); Garage Sale part II, and III; did our R.S. Night holiday classes and dinner--a lot of fun for all involved; I was in charge of Kaia's Kindergarten Harvest Party--(Auntie Tara flew in for Thanksgiving and got to be a part of it) so much fun--I love this stuff! Aaron and I hosted Thanksgiving for Grandma, Grandpa and Auntie . . .
December 2010: Had some friends over to our new home; accidentally announced we are expecting baby #4! (due May 30--the extra stocking gave us away!); created "Surprise Christmas" for our kids . . . they woke up to find Santa had visited early, explaining in a letter he knew we would be in Colorado for Christmas, . . .; I sang with a quartet of sisters in Sacrament Meeting "A Single Star"--beautiful Christmas lullaby; We drove to Las Vegas, stayed in "the Castle" and flew to Loveland, CO to welcome home Uncle Dallin from his mission!!
December 18: had a great homecoming at Grandma and Grandpa's for Dallin; the next day he spoke in Sacrament Meeting . . .beautiful and humbling . . .
December 20-26: We enjoyed a wonderful Christmas week of ice-skating; visiting the zoo-lights in Denver; walking down 16th street; carolling to friends and neighbors; attending traditional cookie exchange with dear friends; night of Risk with Dallin's old buddies (Aaron and my dad never get to be on the same team again!!); Sweet re-enactment of the Nativity (Kaia was Mary, Marcus was Joseph, and Ellie was an angel) . . . they took their parts so seriously and were so reverent and sweet as we read Luke 2 and sang Christmas hymns . . . enjoyed a fabulous Christmas with our family; were reminded of the significance and truth of the season as my dad spoke in church on Sunday and urged us all to take some time (a quiet 1/2 hour or more) and reflect on the birth and the life of our Savior, and what it means in our lives . . . he also reminded us of the prophets of old as spoken of in Isaiah who looked so forward to the birth of Christ . . . and how we can focus our own faith and hope as we prepare for and look forward to His second coming . . .
As we travelled home this week from Colorado, we felt invigorated and hopeful for the New Year. As we look back over this past year, we are overwhelmed with Gratitude. We hope each of you has a wonderful 2011 full of hope and joy! We love you and are grateful for your friendship!
7 comments:
Wow! Sounds like you've had an incredible year, great to hear about it, and congratulations on the pending new arrival! Miss you guys, and Happy New Year to you, too!
Busy, busy year! Congratulations on baby #4! I miss you all!
Oh my Katie Kay, I'm so glad you're feeling better! What a beautiful blog posting of your year! What a talented writer you are! The pictures are wonderful! I loved your sentiments re. Michael's life/funeral... We will always look forward to the day we will all be together again... Now as your mummy, I must say, you are a wonderful mother/wife/companion/daughter/sister/friend. I pray that you will be protected and lifted thru this coming year, having my 4th grandchild! I am soo excited/anxious to meet your new little one! Take care of yourself, darling. love, mom
Kendra, you have a beautiful family! Looks like you all had a wonderful Christmas! ~Lindsey
You have such a sweet family! I'm glad Dallin made it home safe, sounds like a fabulous Christmas! Can't wait to see you guys.
love, amber
Congratulations on a beautiful family! When visiting my parents in Visalia we should stop by and catch up! I don't think we have seen you and your husband since our wedding (when you were engaged).
btw this is Mark and Heidi Romer
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