Grace getting a school award and backtracking to Grace's birthday Oct. 10, 2011

                          When my kids would get awards in school, I would feel so proud of them.
                 This year, Anna invited me to come see Grace receive an academic award at her
                 school.  When they were talking about what a good student she was, I just almost
                burst with pride, and it kind of surprised me.  I got a little teary, Im gonna admit.

                                                 Grace is the one on the far left

                                                  Sweet little Gracie Poo

                                                Grace on her 6th birthday with the yummy cake her
                                              Mom made.

                                                  A family shot

                                                 Little Jarom 

Julie's time at home before heading back for Winter semester 2012 AND Abraham's blessing in Alpine, UT

   It seems while Julie is home for either the holidays or during the summer, the action
   is non stop.  We have friends coming over all the time.  During Christmas break, Julie
  Elisa and Jenn recorded a song called "Hit the Lights" originally sung by Selena Gomez.
   This is Julie recording her part.

               One of the fun places for the kids to go hang out on, is the trampoline in the
               back yard.  They jump, they lay down and look at the stars and talk, and they've
             eve slept overnight on it.  from L-R  Lark Smith, Julie and Marissa Barnard

                                         Ellie, Julie, Marissa and Jimmy.  Ellie was saying her good-byes
                                      to some new found friends Julie and Marissa.  Jimmy drove the
                                      girls back up to BYU-I for Winter semester.  They left on Monday
                                      Jan. 2 and school started on Jan. 4, 2012

                Our family left for Utah on Dec. 31, 2011 so that we could be at Abraham's
                 blessing on Jan. 1-2012   He was blessed in the Hillside Ward in Alpine.  then
             we hustled over to Mark and Angie's ward to participate in Alexandra's blessing
             in Draper, UT.

Melissa's fall 2011 pictures of her kids

                                                  I LOVE how these pictures turned out of
                                             Stella, Sterling and Everett. 

                                      These were taken in October, 2011 (I think)

Christmas friend photoshoot and artist rendition

 Just before Julie was to head back to BYU-I for Winter semester, she and

her friends Elisa Haas and Jenn Sulcer decided to have a fun little photo

shoot.  After all, they had recorded a song, and needed to have pictures of

the group that sang it.  Elisa and Jimmy were showing off their photography

skills, which proved to be very good.  The top picture is the drawing that a

guy at BYU-I made after seeing Julie at a ward talent show, he looked at

her facebook, and liked her profile pic and asked if he could draw it.  The picture

was only half of her face, but he drew the whole thing.  I really think it

turned out nice.

                                                          Elisa, Julie and Jenn

                                                     The facebook profile picture that the drawing
                                                  was made from.

                                                            Julie

                                                 Girls just having some fun.

Tyler's Birthday Dec. 2011

    My sweet birthday boy blowing out his candle, with the help of his little son, Sam

                                              3 generations.  Mel, Tyler and Jarom

    We had the priviledge of having some of Julie's friends come and stay a few days during
the Christmas break.  Behind Sam is Elisa, Jimmy's sister. Then  Jimmy (whom Julie met at BYU-I and became fast friends), then Jenn (Julie's friend from home and the edge of Anna.

 While Jimmy and Elisa Haas were visiting, they went to Universal Studio's, the Beach (Where Jimmy
lost his key) did a photo shoot, recorded a song, saw the Walk of Fame, etc.... Busy Busy

Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and The Day after Christmas, 2011

          Michelle, Clark, Abraham and Macy were in California on Christmas Eve.

            Macy got a visit from Clark's sister Mattie on Christmas Eve and helped
Abraham open his present from Aunt Mattie

                                        Clark enjoying his first Christmas with his son.

                                     Mel reading the Christmas Story in Luke Christmas Eve.

                                         Julie with her Christmas P.J.'s

                             Michelle and family winding down for the night.

                            Sweet Macy enjoying Abraham's curious George

                                            Macy, making Christmas exciting for us older folks

                                              Smiles all around.  They like being in California

                                            Julie and I

                                         More Smiles while Mel reads

                                           Christmas morning, after church.  Macy opening our gift

                                        The Varners.  Macy liked unwrapping her presents

     Clark got his boy the Thor Hammer.  So we nicknamed him Abra-Hammer

                                            Pictures with Andrea before she scooted off to work.

                                             Cutie Patooties.

                                             Julie, Andrea, Michelle with Abraham, and Clark

                               Mel's sister and her husband Ron came the day after Christmas

                  The unexpected visit from some of Julie's great friends the day after Christmas
                   ?, Emily Stevens, Lark Smith, Ron Vallejo, Julie, Rachel Hendertilo

Abraham's first visit to California....for Christmas 2011

                                                 Grandma with Abraham

                                                  Julie holding her newest nephew

                                                   Close ups

                                                   Welcome to Grandma and Grandpa's

Julie's Home for Christmas...first stop, L.A. Visitor Center Dec. 15, 2011

      After picking Julie up from LAX for her Christmas break, we stopped by the Los
Angeles Visitors Center, and the L.A. Temple to see the pretty lights and to drop off
a Christmas package for Elder Michael Campbell.  The temple lights are so pretty, and
we took pictures and then Julie got stopped by a few Persian people who were enjoying
the lights and the grounds also.  They asked her if she was a model, and she told them she
was....ha ha.  Then they wanted pictures with her, and they asked if she were Mormon.  She
said that indeed she was, and they told her how much they admired Mormon's and I think they
said they had some relatives that were, and they liked that we didn't drink.  Then they asked her
if she would sing a Christmas song.  She sang _______________________________ while they
recorded her, and then they asked her to sing another song, and then wanted me to sing with her
too.  So, I sang too, while they recorded.  They were so excited to meet someone they thought was
a model and someone who was Mormon, and someone who would sing to them.  Classic evening.

                                                                    Julie

                                                        darn.....fuzzy

                                               Welcome Home Julie!  Let the festivities begin.