Merry Christmas!

The cards are out, so it is safe to post...

Dear Friends and Family, December 2011

Christmas time is here again! And we are so happy to again celebrate family, friends, and most of all, the birth of Christ. We never get tired of counting our blessings and sharing our love with you at this time of year.

The Sargeant family rundown:

Jeff -“Hello. My name is Jeff. I am a skup-a-holic. It has been eleven minutes since my last skup ride.” If Jeff were writing this, that is what he would say at his weekly SA meeting. For those of you not familiar with “skupping” (are any of you???) I will explain. In direct contradiction of the old adage “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” Jeff spent his 58th birthday in September SURFING in California. He has become a dedicated stand-up paddler (think: Hawaiian men standing up and paddling their “surfboards”) on Lake Mead. As a result, he now finally has the balance, stamina, and skill to surf. He is a happy man. Unfortunately, we live five hours from the beach, and even in Southern Nevada it eventually gets too cold to paddle the lake. So, for winter dry-land training, these crazy stand-up paddlers (SUP) have invented the SKUPboard-a very maneuverable skateboard with a rubber tipped long paddle to propel it. You cannot imagine the comments we get when walking or running along with this “crazy old man” on his skupboard...(Papa? You sho have a lotta surfboards...don’t you even work any more?-Aubrey) Oh yes, and sometimes he works, does his church stake high council duties, home teaches, watches movies, and attends Maddie’s many “events.”

Linda - Not much has changed this year, except that the dreaded empty nest looms ever closer. I am trying to prepare myself mentally for this coming phase of life, as Maddie has only two-and-a-half years of high school left. Since the construction industry is still tanked in Las Vegas, I have more free time than usual these days. I like to spend it with grandkids, reading, quilting, sewing, walking (and talking-the most important part) with friends, and keeping up with Maddie and the other young women at church. (Now that my daughter has turned sixteen we have four active girls in my class-Madison, Madison, Madison, and Mallory. I have thanked the bishop profusely for not naming his daughter...well, you know!)

Madison - Hello all. Maddie here. Well, I have reached that landmark year of wonder and mystery...that’s right, the ripe old age of sixteen! Though I don’t have my license yet (hey, I’m a very busy girl, okay?!), I have been on my first date. I’ve also kept up with ballet dancing at our local studio, Dance Etc., and I continue to play the violin in the school orchestra. This year I lettered in Cross Country and competed in the state meet. I also auditioned for the school musical, another first. Though the pressures of living with my two batty and practically deaf parents are extreme, I still find time to devour every fantasy novel ever printed and enjoy moviemaking and maskmaking with my wonderful friends. Merry Christmas to all! ♡

Everyone else -

Grandma Duncan is busy being full-time caretaker for her 9-year-old grandson, Nathaniel and working real estate again.

David, Loretta, Julie, and Ally are still in Boulder City and we love having them close. The girls are busy getting great grades, being in plays at school and dancing up a storm.

Allyson got married in June and is waiting for Shawn to get out of the USAF next June so they can finally live together. Sydney keeps us all laughing with her hilarious personality.

Brian, Susan, Tyler, and Aubrey are expecting a new family member in March.

Amy and Lamoni are enjoying their six-month-old son, Amulek. He is a happy baby with big brownish eyes and squishy, kissable cheeks!

Grandma Sargeant is living in our house in Mt. Pleasant, Utah, and we don’t get to see her nearly enough. She can still rake a mean leaf (1000's of them, to be exact-every fall!)

Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and a very happy New Year!

Love, Jeff, Linda, and Maddie

Contact info: linda dot sargeo@yahoo dot com jeff dot sargeo@yahoo dot com