2012 -- a Year to Remember

It's been a busy year.

A growing year.

A year full of laughter, tears and everything in between. The other night, as Gracie said her prayers, I made a point to remember each word she said and how she phrased it.  After she said Amen, so I wouldn't forget, I quickly typed her prayer out on Jody's open laptop.  It went like this:

"Dear Heavenly Father,

Please, please, PLEASE bless that Sister Gephart can get feeling better.  Please bless I won't get cancer.  Please Heavenly Father help my house not to break.  I'm thankful for Daddy, Mommy and Sienna.  But Please, Please, PLEASE bless that Sienna won't sneak into my room while I'm sleeping and break my things.  I'm thankful for my cozy bed and that I turned five, and I'm so thankful for my birthdays.  Thank you so much for letting my reindeer jammies fit even though I am five now.  Please bless the Cheney Family.  Help me to remember the things I learn in school.  Bless Papa Wiscombe's thumb to feel better.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

A bit of an explanation:  Sister Gephart is a mother of five. She lives in my parent's neighborhood.  She has been fighting cancer for a year now.  The cancer has spread completely throughout her entire body.  Gracie has never met her.  But she prays for her each and every night. 

Gracie thanks Heavenly Father (in nearly every prayer) that she turned five-years-old.  At the first listen, you may smile a bit and think that's cute.   But I think there is a deeper meaning: our neighborhood suffered a tremendous loss earlier this year, when sweet little Carson Cheney was taken back up to live with our Father in Heaven so unexpectedly in a tragic accident.  He was just weeks away from his 5th Birthday.  We know he is safe and being watched over...but his family misses him so much! And every time Gracie gives thanks for her birthdays, I think how blessed and lucky I am to share yet another day with her.  And I know children see things so purely.  I would never have thought to give thanks for my birthdays...but that's where children are so simple and so in tune with a greater spirit.   

And now as the hours are few in this last day of 2012...I am excited to see what 2013 will bring.  Our greatest joy comes from family.  Here is a look back at the past 12 months!

January



February

March

April

May



June

July

August

September



October



November



December

Happy New Year!!

Holiday Party at the Governor's Mansion

Because of my job with KUTV, I was invited to attend

 Governor and Mrs. Gary Herbert's

Holiday Open House. 

News Personalities, State, County and City Officials and extraordinary volunteers who help our State were all in attendance. 

Jody and I had an enjoyable time chatting with some 2News Friends from the Weekend Crew. 

 


KUTV Weekend Morning Show Producer -- Jenniffer Michaelson, Morning Anchor -- Amy Nay, and Myself.

 

The Governor's Mansion was built in 1902.  The craftsmanship and details are really something to behold.  At Christmas time, the Mansion's Halls are Decked to Delight.  The evening of the party, there was a children's orchestra playing on the upper floor.  It was really a lovely night, in a beautiful setting with good food and great company. 

Back in 1993, the live Christmas Tree in the same location as the one behind us in the above picture, caught fire.  That fire destroyed a large portion of the Mansion.  Governor Leavitt and his family were living in the Mansion at the time.  They were safely evacuated.  Since that time, the Mansion has been renovated to it's exact 1902 Architecture.   

A Visitor from the North Pole

Our good friends the Leishmans invited us to Breakfast with Santa.  It was such a fun experience.  Neither of the girls were afraid of Old Saint Nick.  Gracie told Santa she would like "Hungry, Hungry Hippos and a Locker."  (She told me the locker is so that she can hide her toys from Sienna, so that Sienna won't break them.)  Sigh.  Sienna is asking for a Queen-Sized Bed.  Ha!! 

Not really. 

But maybe she should...since she ends up in my bedroom nearly every night.    

 

Look at that smile!  She was REALLY excited to see the Gingerbread Man. 

Gracie loves her neighborhood friends.

I thought it would be nice to get a Family Picture.  But it wasn't meant to be.  I considered sending this out as our Christmas Card.  It's a perfect depiction. 

Happy Holidays!!





Then it was time to snap some photos of our girls.  Some people (clear throat...Jody) called this the most stressful five minutes of the day.  Despite Sienna running away and knocking Christmas Decorations over, and basically causing a huge scene...we actually got some fun shots!  I can't tell you how happy my heart is looking at these pictures.  Sienna is a busy 2-year-old.  And it can be exhausting chasing her.  But we wouldn't have it any other way.  We are so glad she is healthy. 
(She hasn't had a single Kidney Related Problem/Illness since her surgery in June.)  Hooray! We are so grateful for both our girls.

 Love these sweeties!

 Gracie made this Button Snowflake Ornament. 

The Perfect Christmas Tree



*Our First Christmas Tree*  Butte, MT

Jody and I have made it a tradition to buy a REAL Christmas Tree to decorate each year. It was so easy when we lived in Montana. Tree Permits were five bucks! We would drive up into the mountains -- find the perfect tree...and chop it down. There are so many fun memories surrounding finding the Right Christmas Tree: I went with a ranger and cut down a tree for a KPAX Feature News Story. And two days before Gracie was born, we hit the bumpy mountain trails surrounding Missoula. It didn't jump start my labor. But we found yet another -- memorable tree.

Christmas 2007



     This year, we started our day off right.  We went to the Lehi Christmas parade.  The parade didn't have very many entries.  But it had two of the most important components:  Candy being thrown and Santa Claus! 

 

Then we headed over to the Christmas Tree Lot to scope out that one-of-a-kind tree.

      The girls enjoyed running around and around and around the lot.  Gracie stopped for a picture...and Sienna wasn't too far behind (as always)! 

Over the years, we have bought and personalized ornaments from the different places we've traveled and lived.  Each year, it's a stroll down memory lane decorating the tree. 

And there it is!  The Finished Product.   Our house still smells of pine.  Yummy. 

   

Maui

Jody partnered with Destinations Travel this year again providing all of the promotional SWAG for their VIP trip. The 2012 trip was to Maui.   It was a business networking trip with delightful people. I was blessed to join Jodes on this trip.

We arrived after a long day of travel. This spread was waiting for us in our hotel room.

Our friends Kip & Missy were on the trip. Missy cuts my hair and keeps it looking fabulous. We had a good time hanging out. 

We stayed at the Grand Wailea....which is most definitely Grand.

The site inspection was a very long tour because there is so much offered here. The food and presentation were spectacular. Our last night we enjoyed lobster tail and prime rib. 

 

 The Grand Wailea has a number of pools and water slides. Jody thought it would be funny to let this slide just suck him down.

We had a fun time. There was also a water elevator that took us to the top of the slides via water tunnel and tube. Really cool. 

We went paddle boarding. I was hesitant. Two days before, boarders were evacuated out of the water because a 14 foot Tiger Shark had followed a sea turtle too close to shore. The sharks like to eat the turtles...and the lifeguards probably thought it wasn't safe to tempt the shark with a bunch of wobbly tourists falling off of their boards. Despite my nerves, Jody encouraged me. We did it! It was a blast. My hair didn't even get wet. I was determined to stay on that board and not become shark bait! Jody looks like a natural on the board. I looked like the New Year's baby with a touch of arthritis. (My white swimsuit bottoms were a bit baggy, and the way I was standing was hilarious.) But we had an awesome time. I am so glad I tried it!

We took a boat out to Molokai Rock, where we got very close to some fish underwater. It was breathtaking. Jody spotted an eel. My snorkel mask didn't leak. It also was super-suctioned to my face. When I took off the mask, the whole group burst into laughter. I had a detailed print from the mask and a hickey above my nose that stuck with me all day.

Pretty Sure the guy taking the picture said, "Say Aloha."  That explains the open mouths.  Nice. 

   The Farewell Dinner Party was exquisite.

Our last night, we watched as the orange sun melted into the ocean. Jody and I walked hand in hand down the beach. We talked about life 8 years ago when we met, and where we thought life would take us in the next 8 years.
We laughed. We took in the moment.


And then this happened...

What a beautiful trip.

"Choose your Love, and Love your Choice."
Goodness Gracious, I love my choice!

Jody is a hard worker and a caring person. Maui is not a normalcy for us. Working late hours, eating leftovers and sweeping up spilled Cheerios most definitely is an average day in the Tait household. It was a gorgeous getaway. Hopefully we can work hard to make it back for another visit.