Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year...we sure hope so!

"Silver Linings"

We have a dear sweet friend who has used this phrase all year long as we've all encountered the struggles of 2020. I have appreciated her perspective so I've stolen her phrase and now we will highlight how we have been able to see the silver linings from this year.

As a family we have been blessed to stay healthy. We know many haven't been as fortunate so we especially are grateful for it this year. We pray daily for many of you who have been suffering from one thing or another and we have be a witness of many tender mercies and miracles.

We have been able to still enjoy several trips in spite of restrictions and these were very need/timely trips. They include a couple camping trips and a backyard camping trip at Grandma and Grandpa Wilkey's house, weekend trips to St. George to see Grandma Sally and visits to Grandpa Parley and Vicki, Sundance weekends, a fun trip to Florida with our friends the Page's, an RV trip to "Rount Mushmore" with our friends the Whitney's, a Hall Family Reunion in St. George, UT, a weekend trip to Goblin Valley and Capitol Reef, and other smaller activities that we have treasured like game nights, attending plays with friends at Hale Center Theater, skiing, sister's get away at Sundance, family shaving cream war, golfing, and extra family time.

Since the temple closed back in March, we have been blessed to be able to attend 2 sealings and 2 endowments. We are very grateful for these now rare opportunities to be in the Lord's house. Also, grateful Lauren got to go for her first times before they closed. We are also very grateful for our uninterrupted church services since we were able to worship from home. We know we have a Prophet who is speaks to us regularly from the Lord. We have learned so much this year about learning to "Hear Him", our Savior. Our love for the Book of Mormon has increased more this year than ever before. The teachings and applications are so relevant to our times and it has been a personal spiritual survival guide for us.

Blain  - You might have heard that Sundance was purchased this month, so we are seeing the silver linings there! This will be a good thing for the resort and we still have a job, all good things. He is serving as Bishop of our ward and somehow still finds time to make sure we are his first priority. He is a peacemaker and our home and family have been very blessed because of it. 

Heidi - (written by Blain!) Even though there were fewer activities for kids she stayed as busy as ever keeping our home happy and healthy as our amazing accountant, drivers ed teacher for Jack, listening ear for Addy and Blain and shuttle driver and evening book reader for Lauren and Lia. She's the most fit in the family working out at the gym religiously and most importantly sharing her faith and testimony with our family and friends.

Christian (24) and Monica (23 on Monday) - Maybe our biggest highlight of the year is that we now have another child...through marriage and we couldn't be more happy. Christian and Monica were married in September and are living here in Provo, UT so we get to see them a lot. Christian is still in his Mechanical Engineering program at BYU and Monica is a successful wedding videographer. 

Addy (17) - has chosen to graduate early from Timpview High School and she will be attending UVU in January. She has worked hard for this and we are so proud of her. She continues to take voice lessons and she has brightened many hearts with her singing. She enjoys organizing, yoga, and popcorn, but detests feet, pineapple, and the sound of people chewing.

Jack (15) - is growing up so fast, literally. He's grown 4 1/2" this year and another shoe size. He is also growing his hair out, much to his dad's dismay. He's doing other teenage boy things like getting his man voice and braces, but still handsome as ever. He passed his learners permit test on the first try and is very excited about driving. He loves to ski and goes regularly with friends.

Lauren (12) - loves big! She loves to help people, loves to dance and sing, loves to read (Fablehaven is her current love), loves to make others happy. For my birthday this year she wrote 365 things she loves about me for me to read each day. I don't even love 365 things about me! She graduated from 6th grade this Spring and started 7th grade at the Middle School. She is on the Hope Squad for the 4th year now. She got gypped this year for her 12 year old trip to NYC with mom and dad, but thankfully grandma Sally is taking her to Cancun next week.

Lia (8) - in March Lia chose to be baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She is a little engineer at heart and loves to create any and all things out of any and all things. As I am typing this she is making a Jolly Rancher vending machine out of cardboard. Lia fell from a swing while camping this Spring and broke her arm. It was a pretty bad break which required emergency surgery. The silver lining was making a list of over 20 blessings and miracles we had during the whole ordeal. 

Merry Christmas to all!!!

Merry Day After Christmas!

At the temple in Laie Hawaii

(*First off, sorry the pictures are so blurring. They are clear right up until I add them to the post)

2019 has been a busy, but good year for our family. Our highlight was probably our family trip to Hawaii in May. The kids got to miss the last couple days of school and it was a much needed family trip together. They wanted to all go so bad they each earned $200 towards their plane ticket so off we went. We spent 11 days on Oahu, mostly on the North Shore, where we enjoyed fun activities such as paddle boarding, surfing, snorkeling, hiking, going to the Elephant Shack (our favorite Thai Food Truck), playing at the beach, going to the PCC, going to the Elephant Shack, looking for seaglass, going to the Byodo Temple, going to the Elephant Shack, Pearl Harbor, swap meet for souvenirs, watching sea turtles, Dole Planation and back to the Elephant Shack! 

Yes, we're that family :)

Blain - continues to serve as bishop of our ward and just hit his 1 year mark. He loves working at Sundance as the Director of Sales and Marketing and we sure enjoy the awesome perks he gets. Between those two busy “jobs” and his family, which he always puts first, I’m surprised he has any time left over for anything else but he somehow finds time to play tennis with friends, he loves yard work, home projects which he doesn’t love as much but since he can fix anything he does, and personal growth. He’s the packaged deal!!

Blain getting in touch with his mystical side

Who doesn't look better in a mustache? Ummm everyone!!!

Heidi - I am serving as a counselor in our ward primary presidency and I love it. I keep busy with other things like District PTA, classroom helper, Mommy Uber for my kids, regular mom stuff and wife stuff, the list that I won’t bore you with cause you do it too! For fun I love to listen to audio books, workout at the gym, plan neighborhood parties, attend plays at Hale Center Theatre and squeeze in time with my friends when I can. 

I got my braces off so here's my selfie in the parking lot, yippee!!!

We took a trip to Boston with my sister and her husband and had a blast.

Christian (23) - just finished his first semester of his 3rd year at BYU and is officially in the Mechanical Engineering program. Only 2 1/2 more years to go!! He is working for his uncle Gerrad doing flood restoration and learning some important life tips like turn off your water when you leave on vacation. He is living in an apartment with friends and cousins and learning that moms smelly good laundry doesn’t just happen naturally. He loves to do guy stuff like rock climbing, shooting guns (he got his concealed weapons permit), and playing video games. His latest hobby includes buying and reselling shoes online. It’s a thing. 

First day of 15th Grade

Birthday dinner at Sundance

Rock climbing in Hawaii

Addy (16) - and a Junior in HS. Yep she can drive! She bought an older car and has named him Bernie. She made the very big decision this year to quick ballroom dancing but she felt like it was the answer she was seeking. Now she is nannying 3 days a week and still working cleaning house for our neighbor friends so she’s very busy still. She also decided to start voice lessons and she has had the chance already to share her talent singing at church and other gatherings. And dating is a thing now, ahhhh! Except that she’s a really good girl so we don’t worry about her too much!

She's not flipping you off. That's a 16 she's making with her hands

Her first school dance. Homecoming 2019

Zipline Tour with friends for her 16th bday

Jack (14) - is a freshman and in high school this year. He has proudly passed up all his sisters and his mom in height (not that that was saying much) and will hopefully continue so he can grow into his size 10.5 shoe. He and his dad wear the same size now. He is still taking piano but I wouldn’t say he loves it. More like he is just really obedient. He and a friend earned some good money this summer mowing lawns and doing other kinds of hard work. He enjoys skiing, tennis, basketball, soccer, video games and hanging with his buddies, which now occasionally includes girls. 

Just fishing

Part of the finished product for Jack's Eagle Scout Project

Jack's first, and now last, year at EFY. Looking forward to FSY!

Lauren (11) - is in 6th grade and loves school. She is on the Jr Hope Squad again this year which she really enjoys. She loves to make people happy. She is involved in piano, tumbling and voice lessons as well. She too has a job, thanks to our neighbor, cleaning house one day a week. It’s hard to believe she will be going into Young Women’s in 2 weeks but she is ready for all the blessings that come with that. She is our crafter and can often be found pulling out all my craft supplies to make a sweet gift for someone in the family or neighborhood. 

Just being sweet

Home from 5th Grade Summer Camp

Just before her MRI...turns out she's just a great as we thought she was

Lia (7) - is the baby of the family but she’s not a baby anymore. She is in 2nd grade and mostly loves to go to school everyday. Lia is doing tumbling with her sister twice a week and mostly loves to go to that. What she really enjoys is playing with friends, American Girl Dolls, and with the latest trend in toys...LOL Dolls, Squishmellows, Pomsies, whatever. She can not resist a good box. She has the ability to see glorious things come to life out of ordinary cardboard. Things like planes, horse stables, cars, mailboxes, marble mazes, doll furniture, houses for her, the possibilities are endless. So any box that passes through our house gets claimed by her. 

Appreciating butterflies from a distance. Not a big fan...

Skiing cause we make her. Not a big fan...

Turning 7 and making a donut cake. Very big fan!

We have been so blessed this year and we are so grateful. We know the source of all our blessings comes from the One whose birth we celebrate today. We love you all and wish you a very merry Christmas and a happy 2020!!

Love,

The Wilkeys