Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Happy New Year!!

For those of you who did not receive a Christmas New Year's letter in their mailbox this year, here it is!


Happy New Year 2013!!


Catching up with friends and family around the globe is one of the reasons
this is the most wonderful time of the year! So better late than never, here’s our part!


Back from his 2-year LDS mission the night before Thanksgiving! Could there be a better way,
Really, to kick off the holidays? I certainly can’t think of any! It has been wonderful,
Exciting, and simply awesome having him home, but after his amazing years in KY, he wasn’t
Nearly ready to come home, and is missing the places and faces he came to love. But he knows the
Next phase (BYUI in January) will be great too. In the meantime, he’s been back in the gym, learning
About the other side of basketball – from the bleachers – as he cheers his brothers on! His list for St.
Nick included good roommates, cute co-eds, and a car that starts during the Rexburg winter!


Kicking back this holiday season is exactly what the doctor ordered for this busy girl. She
Really loves her life at BYUI, but needed a break from balancing classes, a job, and a social life
In-between. Winter semester is her “off-track” so she will be at home, no doubt missing that
Social life, as she did last winter! She is enjoying her classes as a Math Education major and
TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) minor, and her favorite class this semester
Involved tutoring at a local middle school. We have no trouble imagining Kristi as a very
N-ergetic and fun teacher, making math enjoyable for her students! On her Santa wish list was
A job, a Disneyland trip with friends early in 2013, and new faces at our Singles’ Branch!


As always, this kid has it all together. He succeeds in school, on the sports fields, and is
Unusually sweet for a 16-year-old. He can juggle, do handstands, play the piano, eat sushi,
Strum the guitar, whittle, solve riddles and build potato guns. He’s just one of those guys
That’s fun to have around. From leading the state in solo tackles to being a friend to all,
It seems there is little he can’t do. On the top of his Santa list this year was a ukulele, because he
Needed one more quirky hobby in his bag of tricks.


Defy imagination though it does, we no longer have any ‘children’ in the house! Instead,
Another teenager was added to the mix this year. He continues to be the house comedian with
Lots of funny voices, card tricks at the ready, and a clever sense of humor. He has grown up a
Lot this past year, and is becoming a confident and independent young man who really is not
Interested in me babying him! He actually did make a Santa list this year, and then told me
Nicely that he expected me to use it only as a jumping-off point!


Mean
Obnoxious
Monstrous

&

Detestable
Abominable
Dumb

(Austin sat down to read this letter, which only talked about the kids. He filled in the rest for me to discover the next time I sat down at the computer. It made me laugh out loud so I decided to keep it in! I THINK he was joking . . .)

More seriously, “Mom & Dad” are doing just fine, ever-grateful for our wonderful children and the joy they bring to our lives. We send our love to each of you, and wish you a happy and prosperous New Year!!




5 comments:

Strollerblader said...

Happy New Year, Shaffers! You still be me getting our Christmas letter up!

Rachel Sorber said...

Thanks for the update--it's always so fun to hear about how you guys are doing. I'm glad everyone's doing so well. And I think Austin is hilarious, albeit completely wrong about you and Keith.

Karey said...

Love those pictures! How do you have grown up children again?!?! Does this mean mine are going to do that someday too? :) Love you!

Anonymous said...

Wow! I'm glad you posted the letter. Happy New year to you, too!

paige.ericksonfamily.com

Unknown said...

We got your Christmas card. Thank you! You have such a beautiful family. It's hard to believe that those well adjusted and wonderful grown ups and teenagers were cute little kids what seems like just a short time ago.