2007 Year in Review

This has been an eventful year for us. Here are a few of the highlights.

Gordon successfully planned and pulled off a two week trip to the Pacific Northwest for the family. We had a delightful time visiting Brian, Carly and Cole in Seattle. We went to the zoo, the aquarium, had a harbor cruise, went to the museum of flight, and hung out on Brian's cool porch. We enjoyed playing in the ocean at the Oregon Coast and had fun hanging out with some old school friends on the Washington side of the Columbia River. Gordon also was able to take a research trip to Laie, Hawaii and took Chantel with him. They had a delightful time and Gordon even managed to get some good research done. Gordon turned in his tenure review file this year and so far has had good news back from the various review committees. There are still a few committees to go and he won't receive final news until May or June.

Chantel is busy at home trying to stay sane. She is always helping out with various neighborhood activities and still finds time to run a book club for the local library. She has enjoyed seeing her family on multiple occasions. The most memorable was a family camping trip to Bear Lake. She loved Hawaii and could spend days walking on the beach.

Becca is a busy beaver. She played soccer this fall and just started basketball this last week--she gets super excited when she makes a basket. She is playing the piano and doing quite well. She has composed her own song and is working on another. She is also an accomplished recitalist. She is thriving in school and has come to love reading. She was baptized this year and that was a neat experience.

Hannah thinks school is the best thing since sliced bread. She loves the challenge of learning to read and thoroughly enjoys herself in class. She started piano lessons in the fall and is having a blast. She loves practicing with her Daddy and is getting quite good. She is a very funny little girl. She informed us the other day that Grandpa Pete is almost 100 (her logic 62, 70, 80, 90, 100).

Peter Gordon is a goer. He started preschool this year and is having loads of fun learning about letters, numbers and other things. He describes his letter (P) as the "up, down and around." He is happiest when he is outside and makes life a little miserable when weather keeps him inside. He enjoys life to the fullest--as should we all.

Emily is our survivor. She is off of her medicine and seemingly out of danger. The hemangioma is still blocking part of her left ear and so she has a hard time hearing out of it. She is always on the go and likes nothing better than hanging out with her siblings. She is almost as funny as Hannah. Lately she has taken to joining me at the breakfast table and when we both have our food she tells me to "Eat! Eat! Eat!" Once I start eating she eats too and then she "bye-bye's" me out the door.

We have been richly blessed this year.

The holidays are upon us

The holiday season is in full swing at the Daines household. We started the month out by attending the President's Christmas party at BYU. The kids had fun making drums, trees and necklaces. They also endured a long line to see Santa Claus and as you can see from the picture Emily is not a big fan--at least not up close and personal. I have Santa on some dark socks and at church this past Sunday Emily saw him and the socks and said "Santa." Emily also wants nothing to do with Cosmo but the other three were happy to pose for a picture. Peter Gordon is in heaven when he sees Cosmo. As he says "Cosmo is my buddy." The next party we went to was our ward Christmas party. They did a Night in Bethlehem and it was interesting. This past Friday we went to the Special Collections Christmas party and the girls were on the program. They both played a couple of Christmas songs. Becca loves being in front of a crowd and Hannah doesn't do too badly herself. This week has been pretty quiet and looks to stay that way. We are almost done with our Christmas shopping and the kids have enjoyed picking out gifts for each other. They have also enjoyed wrapping the presents--though Emily wants to unwrap them as quickly as they get wrapped. This is a joyous time of the year.