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 MaddieContact info: linda dot sargeo@yahoo dot com jeff dot sargeo@yahoo dot com
Sidney with her Harry Potter glasses...
The "big kids" had fun with them too! (Shawn as Batman...)
Amy later found more that she had not put sticks on yet...
Brian and Susan made this for me. We think it will look great on the brick or rock wall in Mt. Pleasant.
It's not everyone who gets a PERSONALIZED stitchery from Allyson. (Well, okay. Amulek and Sydney got one too.) But I feel pretty special! "Nana and Papa Go to Disneyland" - notice the mustache on Papa? SOOOO cute!
Allyson also made the coolest refrigerator magnets - "Shrinky Dinks" high fashion Disney princesses. And look closely. Yes, she made the cute packaging herself too! (She almost died of excitement and anticipation because I was the only one here when she finished them two days before Christmas and I wouldn't let her show them to me early! She HATES surprises! I LOVE them!)
Amy and Maddie played a cello/violin concert for Jeff, Grandma D. and me for our present. It was so beautiful it brought tears to my eyes! (And you KNOW how hard it is to do that...!) :)
Jeff got me the bracelet I fell in love with. Beads will be added on appropriate occasions...
Then when I went into the office the morning after Christmas I found this on our desk. David had sneaked it in on Christmas night and never said a word! What a nice surprise! I can't wait to work withOUT my glasses on!
My favorite present we gave this year...
What every household needs the week before Christmas...
Twelve high-school and eighth grade students...
Making a movie version of parts of the Illiad for a high school English project...
Some were not as enthusiastic as others. (Silas was a last-minute replacement drafted by his sister. What a good sport!)
I actually think everyone had fun. Including me!
Nate and Tyler hard at work.
Aubrey and Sydney loved decorating their houses for the gingerbread village.
All this with Illiad costuming and filming going on all around us...
This is the "little squish" who lives too far away.
I don't get to kiss those cheeks often enough. (Sorry, Amy. It was just too cute of Ammy not to post...)
This is the girl who turns five tomorrow and wanted an Ariel costume for her birthday. But she wanted the bottom sewn together so she could "swim" around like a real mermaid. Don't worry. She doesn't need to walk. She'll just sit there. We compromised on a velcro opening...
This is the boy who is missing almost every other tooth in his mouth. All he wants for Christmas is his "three front teeth!"
...I am amazed at how quickly I fall in love!
Aubrey, age 4, looking at numbers written on Maddie's hand: Did everyone get a "7" and a "5" or just you?
Daddy's Girl Aubrey-2007
Silly-Face Sydney-2007
Monkey Tyler-2007
Ah-DORA-ble Ally-2007
Doesn't this little girl look like a princess?
Susan wore this dress to church when she was little and now Aubrey fits in it. She is a doll!
She's even cute when looking "less than ladylike!"
This little boy can smile now.
His Aunt Maddie smiles whenever she holds him.
He does love his Aunt Maddie.
