I thought I would post our Christmas Letter on my blog because I didn't get a chance to send it out to everyone this year. Enjoy!Merry Christmas Family & Friends
This year was much like the previous years, a few changes, but pretty much the same.
Let's start with our youngest, Brie Ashely. Brie is doing somewhat better this year. So far she hasn't been sent to the Principal's office at all this year. That is already a BIG improvement from last year. Jade and I are so relieved that we haven't gotten any notes from the teacher saying that she is in trouble for doing arm farts or for lifting up her shirt! So, you know, that's a blessing right there.
Zachary is 12 now and a Deacon. Jade and I are really happy that he hasn't dropped the sacrament tray, yet. On the first day of summer he was out back practicing casting and got his fishing line stuck in the telephone lines. There's still a floater up there. We were just grateful it wasn't the power line. We haven't had to take him to the Emergency Room all year. That's another blessing!
Josh is 13 and seems to have all the answers to EVERYTHING. Jade and I wish were were as smart as him. We are convinced that he should to into LAW. He is so great at arguing. Truly a marketable talent. Another talent Josh has worked on and gotten really good at this year is "sulking". He really rocks at sulking.
Brandon is out on his mission. It's a darn good thing, too because he was such a pain in the butt that I told him he was outta here by Feb 13th one way or another. I also let him know that if and when he came home from his mission he could stay 2 weeks here and not a day longer. No more mooching off the parents. I have plans for that bedroom.
Brittanie graduated from BYU in April and Jade and I were THRILLED! I bought a new Tahoe a week before she graduated. Now that we weren't paying for tuition I could afford something for ME! (ME,ME,ME,ME!!!)
Jade is still working non-stop. He has been working a lot in Vegas. I wonder sometimes, though. He ALWAYS comes back a little more tan after each trip. He says it's from having the top down on his car, but I'm not convinced. He is still a High Counselor and so he's in a lot of meetings. He still has a problem staying awake when he sits on the stand at church. In the pew I can at least nudge him. He always appreciates it when I do that!
Me, well I'm doing great, as always. This year I finally got to use reading glasses. I've always wanted to wear a pair of glasses that I have to keep putting on and then taking off. One of the highlights from this last year for me has been realizing that I have entered into a new "category" in life. I have now entered the category of women who are called, "Mam". I'm hearing this a lot lately. I look around to see what "old" lady is by me and then I realize that they are referring to me. And then of course I got to go and have that swell Sleep Study done not once, but TWO times. Yeah, that was definitely a highlight from 2008.
Well, as you can see, we are all doing just the same as always. Hope that you're doing the same, too.
Merry Christmas!
The Morris's
Last weekend I was up in Utah visiting my family. My sister, Margaret, is always so great. She packs up all 6 of her kids, drags her husband, packs her car and drives 1 1/2 hours from Clearfield to Orem so we can visit. Saturday night they were packing to leave for home (I tried, unsuccessfully, to coax her into staying until Sunday morning so that she could see the late night showing of "Shopaholic"-AWESOME movie!!!!). ANYWAY...I came up to Ronan, my 5 year old nephew, and asked if I could have a hug before he left. He gave me a hug and then, very seriously, said these words to me, 
