Last year's Wright Family update was brilliant (if I do say so myself.) We used hashtags to describe our year with quick snippets of information to explain them. I was so happy with the way it turned out. But it ruined this year's Christmas letter. I was running out of time and did not have time to come up with anything nearly as witty or interesting. So I punted. And this is what was on the back of our card:
So for those of you who were disappointed with our lack of information, here is a more traditional 2015 Christmas time updates:
DISNEY: Yes, we went to Disney a lot. With the savages both on year round school schedules, we took full advantage of the breaks and went every chance we could. If you add our trips in 2014, we went to Disneyland four times in 12 months just to get the most out of those annual passes. And since the savages were off track from Martin Luther King Day to Presidents Day and mom hates the winter inversions, we went to Florida and spent a week at Walt Disney World with our dear friends, the Pegrams, and our new friends, the Hatleys. (And the joke was on us since it was actually warmer in Salt Lake City than Orlando one of the days we were there.) We followed that up with a week on the Disney Fantasy cruising around the Eastern Caribbean, stopping in San Juan, St. Thomas and Castaway Cay. (And it was definitely warmer in San Juan and St. Thomas than in Salt Lake City.) Someone asked us if we are Disney stockholders. No, we just give them all our money. Next Disney trip is scheduled for January 2017 and we are fighting the urge to pack our bags now.
Old San Juan, January 2015
BESIDES DISNEY: On our April trip to Disneyland, we added a day at the Ronald Reagan Library to the front end of our trip. If you ever want to feel nostalgic for the 80's, go there. I know he wasn't everyone's favorite president, but he was mine. I loved his optimism and enthusiasm for making the world a better place. And I loved that he wasn't afraid to work with anyone from any side of an issue to get things done. We also got to tour an old Air Force One and Marine One there and an exhibit from the Peterson Car Museum too.
AJ taking the podium at the Ronald Reagan Library, April 2015
Then we ended that trip with a morning of whale watching off the coast of San Diego. That's been on my bucket list a long time. We actually did see a couple of finback whales but the highlight of the trip was a sailing through a large pod of common dolphins that put on quite the show for us. The lowlight was me getting terribly sea sick on the way back to harbor.
Enjoying the fresh ocean air in San Diego Harbor, April 2015
NEW MEXICO: After our July/August trip to Disneyland, we drove I-40 (paralleling the old Route 66) across Arizona (with a stop to stand on a corner in Winslow, Arizonia of course) and on to Red River, New Mexico for the Ernstrom family reunion. That might seem like a strange place for my family to gather, but it's about half way between Salt Lake and Houston and my sister-in-law Burleigh's mom lives in Santa Fe. It was just gorgeous there. The perfect place for a family reunion. Just enough to do that no one gets bored, but not so much to do that you don't get to spend time together as a family playing games and hanging out. Definitely a highlight of our summer. And we got to stop at Mesa Verde on the way home to tour the Cliff Palace that we missed on our last trip there.
The Ernstrom Brood (with a few Bolds thrown in for good measure). Red River, New Mexico August 2015
OUR YARD: We lost a good portion of our backyard to bugs last winter/spring so we decided instead of trying to nurse it back, we would do what we've been talking about for a few year: tear out the grass against our fence line and build some raised beds. So that's what we did during the hottest time of the year. But we are so glad to have it done and it made vegetable gardening so much better this year. Here's the picture of the raised vegetable garden we built:
Raised Veggie Garden, June 2015
ANTHON (AKA AJ, Tony or the Bubs): AJ turned 12 in February this year. That's a big birthday in our faith. He graduated from Primary (finally!!) and was ordained a Deacon and received the Aaronic Priesthood. He also started junior high in the fall. As long as we don't talk about the way he antagonizes his brother or the way he forgets to turn in his homework, he is an amazing young man who surprises us with his goodness just when we need to be reminded. He still loves to draw and do other artsy things and even helped me decorate the Christmas trees this year. He took piano for a few months and we need to find a new teacher and get that going again in the new year.
AJ on his ordination day
SPENCER (AKA Sweets): Spencer turned 10 in February and is counting the days until he's 11 and can go to 11 year old scouts next February. He just received his Webelos and Arrow of Light awards (and dad and I are thrilled to be nearing the end of cub scouts for our family!). This fall, he had the opportunity to spend 11 weeks in a special therapeutic day program at Matt's Place in Centerville. He just returned to half days at his regular school right before Christmas break and continues to go to Matt's Place in the afternoons. We are so thankful to the amazing team there for all the loving way they support him and our family. Spencer continues to play sports every chance he gets but just rec league Soccer and Basketball in an organized fashion. And he wants to be outside playing with friends whenever he can. He's also finally losing his teeth. Too bad the tooth fairy keeps skipping our house. Oops!
Celebrating Spencer's 10th Birthday at Pizza Pie Cafe, February 2015
James (AKA Dad): James continues to work hard to support our Disney habit and my other crazy ideas. He also started a Mobile Forensic Certification program through Dixie State this past fall and that has just added to his busy schedule. He had the opportunity to go to Milwaukee this fall to represent the Utah chapter of the Federal Law Enforcement Officer Association at its national annual conference. Our five year Primary class just loves James and asks him every week how many bad guys he caught. (The answer is always one). And then they ask him what the bad guy was doing (always making bad choices).
Ride Selfies! Toy Story Midway Mania, April 2015
Paula (AKA Mom): Believe it or not, I took up running at the end of 2014 and did my first 5K on Castaway Cay on our cruise. (James walked it too!) I never in a million years thought I would be a runner, but just when I was getting to the point of actually enjoying it, I sprained my ankle in July doing yard work and then developed a terrible case of tendinitis in the same ankle at the end of September. So I've spent a lot of the last few months in physical therapy trying to get back to running again. Besides that, I started creating wreaths and other home decor for some friends this year and even decorated a few Christmas trees. I also got to go to Women's Conference with some of my oldest and dearest friends and of course the Stampin' Up! Convention with some of my other dearest friends.
BYU Women's Conference with my oldest and dearest, Tera, Sabrina, Ali and Vicki, May 2015
As you can see, we were very blessed this past year. We also had our share of trials and tears but I'd rather dwell on the good than focus on the struggles and sorrow. And those things do help us appreciate the good for sure. We have felt the prayers and love of so many of our friends and family through the hard times and are so thankful for them.
I would feel remiss if I didn't share this wonderful Christmas
message with everyone. If you haven't already watched it, please do. For unto all of us a Savior is Born. I know it's true. Merry Christmas!
