Christmas Letter

Dear Family and Friends,


Thanks for visiting our first ever digital Christmas letter.  I intend to add to this blog through out the year so check back frequently and you won't have to wade through a year's worth of our lives all at once.


So it's the end of 2009.  It seems like time is just flying by.  As I look back at the year, for us life just plugged along.

Nathan is our adorable baby.  At the terrific two stage, he keeps us hopping.  We thought he was never going to walk but finally in August at 21 months he started to walk.  We are sad to report though that he no longer walks...he runs.  He is very busy and keeps Jamie on her toes.  He loves Blue's Clues and he loves coloring.  Mostly he colors in his notebook but occasionally he tags a few books, the wall, toys and the floor.

Nathan enjoying Joe's Birthday Cake.

Easter

Nathan always has a bump, bruise or black eye.

Happy Birthday!!!

EmmaLee is now 5.  She continue's to amaze us with her imagination.  She can spend hours in her own world with her ponies, stuffed animals or other toys.  She played soccer in the spring and was the smallest on the team but tried hard and had fun.  She started kindergarten in the fall at home with mom.  She's learning to read, count, add and she loves our stories and mapping where they took place.

Playing Soccer

At the emergency room getting the tick out of her ear.

At "School"

Adam turned 11 this year.  He was born on Mother's day and this year his birthday fell on Mother's Day so he was quite excited about that.  Adam earned his Faith in God knot and his Weblos badge and his Arrow of light in Cub Scouts this year and moved up to the Boy Scouts.  He loves camping and earning Merit Badges and Scout Ranks...he is currently "Tenderfoot."  Adam chose to be home schooled this year and really enjoys learning at his own pace.  He does get to go to school for an hour a day where he is in the band playing percussion.  He continues to play the piano also.

Happy Birthday to Adam!!!

Arrow of Light

At School

DeeAnn is now 15. She moved on up to Lansing High School this year. During the summer she participated in the Community Theatre's production of "Hello Dolly" and had fun doing that. She got to learn a new instrument because she was asked to play mellaphone (a marching French Horn) for the marching Band. She also participated in the school musical "Cinderella." DeeAnn also continues to play the piano. What a multi-talented girl. She's also a good student working toward her goal of someday being a forensic pathologist.

DeeAnn and the Elk

Marching in the Veteran's Day Parade

Sisters

Melissa is 17. She finally got her driver's license at the beginning of the school year. It's always great having someone to send on errands. Melissa was the clarinet section leader for Marching Band this year. She really worked hard, did a good job and learned a lot. She also participated in "Cinderella" where she helped the choreographer teach the dance because she already knew how to waltz. Melissa serves as the Laurel president at church and her leaders tell me she is doing a great job.

Having fun on Vacation

Happy Birthday!!!

Veteran's Day Parade

Darin is 18. He had an eventful year. He graduated from Lansing High with honors. Then he got to stay home and work at Wal-Mart during the summer when the rest of us went to Utah for vacation. He got his turn to go to Utah though when he went to SUU (Southern Utah University in Cedar City) this fall with a full tuition scholarship. He took one really easy class, second semester calculus. (He tells me he only has a 99% in the class). He also is in the band and is taking French Horn Lessons. He tried out for the Ballroom Dance team and made it so he had fun dancing too. Darin also participated in a Youth Community Shakespeare production doing scenes from various plays and he was in "Hello Dolly."

Making his own birthday cheesecake

Graduation Day

Dressed up for Halloween at SUU

Ben is serving a mission in Arizona. He served in Casa Grande for a couple of months and then in Tempe and now is in Show Low enjoying the winter in the White Mountains. We love to get our weekly e-mail and see his growth. He loves serving and teaching the people there. We were quite dismayed last March to get work that he'd broken a bone in his wrist from a bicycle accident and spent a couple of months in a cast. He loves letters and cards you can send them in care of the mission office 1871 E. Del Rio Drive, Tempe AZ He also loves ties. He has collected quite a few.

Ben with ties.

Cast

Hiking on "P" day

KayLee and Joshua live in Utah currently in Springville but they will be moving to Spanish Fork.  KayLee is attending BYU and Joshua is attending UVU.  We really loved visiting them this summer.  They have their own blog so you can get all the latest info on them at KayLee and Joshua's Blog.

At the Conference Center

In KayLee and Joshua's back yard.

Hiking in Zion

Jamie is still the chief cook, bottle washer and track keeper of everyone and their activities. In July 2008 she embarked on a weight loss journey and has so far lost 70 lbs. It has been a monumental and difficult task but a very rewarding one. Can you imagine her getting up at 5 a.m. to do an hour of exercise (she can hardly believe it herself.) With all of the extra energy and increased confidence she has taken on things that would have overwhelmed her in the past. One of those being the homeschooling of Adam and EmmaLee. She could do two new entire blogs on the things she's learned loosing weight and homeschooling but suffice it to say that both have been challenging and rewarding. Jamie serves on the Relief Society committee and as the choir accompanist at church.

Hiking in Zion

Half way there

Joe continues to work for the Army Reserves here in Leavenworth, Kansas.  In the spring he took a course in Information Operations.  He learned a lot and was even able to use his music studio to create some study aids and even a funny video for his class.  Joe serves as the Music Chairman and Choir director at church.  Joe also played the bass for the Community Theater production of "Hello Dolly"

IO Graduation

Getting ready for "Hello, Dolly!"

Joe, Jamie, DeeAnn, Adam EmmaLee and Nathan enjoyed a visit to Grandma and Grandpa in Tennessee this Summer and as I've mentioned before the whole family sans Darin had a great time in Utah over the 4th of July.

We'd love to hear all the gory details of your family.

Love,

The Costello's