Dorothy

For my entry for this winter quarter, I'm sending our Christmas letter. 

December 2013
Dear Family and Friends,
    Three moves, two big career changes, eight kids, four grandkids, 40 years later and we’re still madly in love!!  Twenty years ago we wrote our first Christmas letter, so I decided to introduce this letter in nearly the same way I did with that first letter… mostly because we are still in love… just a little more “madly” than we were twenty years ago.  Since then our children have grown but we are all still very close.  They and our additional daughters and grandchildren are a great blessing in our lives.  The following is just a short summary of our past 12 months:

January- I was called as the Saturday morning shift coordinator for the sisters at the Oquirrh Mountain Temple.  This calling has made me stretch more than ever and has blessed me with the ability to do something I never would have dreamed I could or would do.  During the year with this and being Relief Society President of our ward, I have been busy, needless to say, but I wouldn’t trade the blessings for anything less.

February- Ariane prepared her application for her mission as she continued her schooling at Utah Valley University.

March- my 92-year-old Aunt Pearl passed away.  Our baby, Ariane, celebrated her 20th birthday.

April- My nephew, Casey, who had been staying with us for about 8 months moved back to live with his family in South Jordan.  Penny graduated from Utah Valley University with a bachelor’s degree in Community Health.  Ariane moved back home from Orem.

May- Marcus started working at Little Ceasars, which is close enough he can walk there in 20 minutes.  We got to “Skype” Kevin on Mother’s Day and enjoyed a very long visit.  Ariane began her new job at Fresh Market in the deli department.  Daniel enjoyed two days involved in the filming of one of the Bible videos the Church has been producing.

June- Kevin returned from his two-year mission in Mesa, Arizona. Our two granddaughters started ballet lessons this year.  They delighted us with their talents as they danced in their first performance of “Swan Lake.” Ariane received her mission call to the Tennessee Knoxville Mission.

July- Heather drove to Nauvoo and was involved in the Family Cast for the pageant the first two weeks of July.  Jason’s family moved from Becky’s parents to their new home in Taylorsville. Part of the family went on vacation to Bear Lake, Craters of the Moon, visited three of Alan’s brothers in Idaho, and went to five different temples. When we returned we had one day to repack, then traveled back to Idaho for the Tomlinson Family Reunion at Island Park.

August- Ariane left for her mission, spending just 13 days at the Provo MTC before flying out to Tennessee.  Her first assignment is a new area in Lafayette, Georgia. Daniel was part of the ensemble in the “Scarlet Pimpernel” at the Orem Scera Shell Outdoor Theatre.  Marcus began Fall Semester at Salt Lake Community College with classes at the South City Campus.  Kevin, Penny, & Lynnette went to Arizona for a week. Kevin began a temporary job with the Utah Stake Tax Commission. 

September- we enjoyed our Regional Conference, and Alan and I attended our stake’s “Bishop’s Retreat” in Copperton (since Alan continues to serve as Stake Executive Secretary).

October- my amazing mother celebrated her 88th birthday.  I take her for regular eye doctor checkups since her eyesight is declining, but other than that she is doing fantastic for her age.

November- we celebrated the baptism of our oldest grandson, David.  Jason’s family had fun participating in their stake’s production of  “Annie.”  In celebration of our 40th anniversary, Alan and I went on a very enjoyable road trip to California, temple hopping to 6 different temples, to the Mormon Battalion Historical Site, and a walk along the beach.   We had less than half our family home for Thanksgiving with James, Lynnette, and Kevin in Mesa for the week, Jason’s family going to his in-laws, and Ariane in Georgia. 

December- Alan is scheduled for lots of performances since he recently started singing with the Mountain West Chorale again.  Heather’s schedule is also full as she sings with the Sterling Singers and is in the cast of “Liken’s The First Christmas” at the Orem Scera Theater.  Daniel is in the “Christmas Carol” at the Orem Hale Center Theater this month and loves it.  It’s a great way for us to celebrate the end of the year and our Savior’s birth by attending all these performances. 
   
May you also enjoy this wonderful time of year!
Love, Alan & Dorothy and family

Ariane with her mission president and his wife

Daniel sang in "The Christmas Carol"

"Will you name him Zacharias jr.?"

Heather was also an angel in the musical