2008 was Great!

Here's a review of 2008.
FUN at Disneyland in July. Spencer’s favorite rides were Screaming California, Tower of Terror, and Space Mountain. Ali’s were Tower of Terror and Indiana Jones. Sammy loved them all especially Buzz Light Year, the Tea Cups and the Rockets. Dave and Jenny had a fun weekend away in Phoenix in August. The snow that kept falling and falling the week before Christmas and even getting a snow day (no School) the next day -that was fun!
LAUGHABLE things were Sammy coming down the stairs with a swim diaper on his head. Sammy standing at the top of the stairs proclaiming, "I wake up!" Going Christmas caroling to the neighbors and Sam saying, "Trick or Treat!" Ali telling Ellie she’s not going to be foolish this (school) year.
HAPPY was Spencer saving up his birthday money and buying a guitar -he had $85 and it cost $80. Spencer was also very happy when he finally downloaded Maple Story. Sam’s play dates (every Tuesday and Thursday) with Aiden. Sam is a peacemaker, if someone is sad he’s there trying to make you happy and asks, "Are you happy?" Ice skating made Ali happy -she wants to do it for her 10th birthday coming up soon. Jenny was happy when she finished her first race, a 5k, and won -there were only 4 runners but the other 3 were from Pine View -Oh Yaa!
SAD were we when Spencer came home from school in May and went to find Wookie in the back and found him dead under a bush. He came in screaming and crying. Later, at dinner, Spencer said a prayer that Wookie would be happier than he had ever been and running and playing with Grandma Dunn in Heaven.
PROUD to hear all the nice things people at Dave’s work had to say about him at his 10 year Kleinfelder anniversary. We are proud to see Spencer passing the Sacrament -love it! It makes me proud to see Ali being so sweet to Sam and her little cousins or other little people -she’ll make a super babysitter. I was proud to be an American when Sam and I went to the Sarah Palin (Republican Vice Presidential nominee) rally and again when Spencer, Ali, Sam and I went to the John McCain (Republican Presidential nominee) rally where I saw many other people excited about saying a prayer, singing our national anthem, and sharing other views and standards of our great free country.
SPIRITUAL -Spencer said that he’s felt the Holy Ghost helping him while at school (6th grade) to know if things are good or not. Also, Spencer asked Dave for a blessing after going to Middle School for a few months because the language was so terrible and the swear words were starting to sound like normal everyday words. Dave gave him a helpful Father’s Blessing, and afterwards Sam asked if he could have a blessing too. Ali came home from school one day and wasn’t feeling very chipper so she went up in her room and read the Bible which made her feel much better. We also love to hear Ali’s Family Home Evening lessons which are so heartfelt. I love her testimony! I'm grateful for Dave's faith. At the beginning of the year he started paying tithing on the amount that he hoped we'd earn this year. We didn't get the bonuses and raises we'd thought because of the economy -things were getting tight. When we went in for tithing settlment, Bishop asked if we'd paid a full tithe. Dave said with this check it will be which was more than we'd earned for the year, but that was the amount he'd started the year paying and that's what he was going to finish with. On Monday, Dave came home and said he was just given a raise. Miraculously it was the amount that Dave had been paying tithing for. That was a nice way to end the year, and we hope that 2009 will be fine!