Santa Came!

Merry Christmas! We had a great Christmas. We share families, so over the weekend we went to my family to celebrate our Christmas Eve Eve. Then after our Christmas morning we went to the Jakins house. The whole week was magical-- we love the holidays! The kids, I hope, got everything they wanted, and ever since then, they have been completely content just playing together with all of their new toys. Here are some of our highlights:

Tubing Christmas Eve morning

My dad got all of the grandboys (is that even a word?!!) a Big-D shirt, so here they are!
A dinosaur came and dropped off his egg at Grandma and Granddad Jakins' house-- it was filled with little dinosaurs.

5 Days Til Christmas and I hope the Jolly Old Elf is Okay

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) - A man dressed as Santa Claus was knocked unconscious by a thrown object that hit his face while he was riding on the back of a truck decorated as a sleigh.

Kevin Smith says he never saw what hit him Saturday. Whatever it was, it broke his nose and gave him a concussion and two black eyes.

"One second I was up there waving to people, and the next minute I wasn't," Smith said.

He was taking part in Santa Run, sponsored by the firefighters union, which features off-duty firefighters who dress up as Santa and ride through residential areas handing out candy to children.

Other volunteers realized something was wrong after they hadn't heard from Smith for a few minutes. They stopped the truck and found him lying unconscious.

"It pretty much cold-cocked him," fire Lt. Scott Himelspach said.

Smith awoke in the back of the sleigh.

"They thought I'd spilled my hot chocolate, but then they realized it was blood," Smith said. "The rest of the night was kind of hazy."

Smith, a firefighter for eight years, said he hoped to return to work on Christmas Day.

Assistant Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer said an assault report was filed with police but that no witnesses have come forward.

(see http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8TKLC3G1&show_article=1)

Joseph Gene Burton (September 25, 1932 - December 13, 2007)

Joseph Gene Burton died Thursday, December 13, 2007 of complications from surgery.

He was born September 25, 1932 in Ogden, Utah to Thomas A. and Hilda Anderson Burton. He was raised in Huntsville and graduated form Weber High School.

He was married to Dolores Parker and together they raised five children. They were later divorced. In 1999, Gene married LuDean Morrison. They had a great marriage; dances with many special friends, winters in Yuma, Arizona, and many trips - from Canada to Mexico, from the Pacific to the Atlantic, Hawaii and Alaska. When Gene was two years old his father died so he started working at a very young age to help support their family. He was an insurance agent with Prudential Insurance for many years and was also employed with Big D Construction. He enjoyed snowmobiling and spent many good times hunting and fishing with his sons.

He served in the United States Navy, was an active member of the LDS Church and also a member of NARFE.

He is survived by his wife, LuDean; his children, Cathy Juroshek, Ogden; Richard (Jan) Burton, Ogden; Michael (Kari) Burton, Paradise; Deborah (Kraig) Drake, Ogden; Nancy Burton, Ogden; LuDean's daughters, Annette Andonian, Fresno, CA; Jody (Steve) Sniggs, Ogden; Sharon Seifert, West Point; eight grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren; and one half-brother, A.W. Burton, Sugar City, ID. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers and sisters.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, December 18th at 11 a.m. at Lindquist's Ogden Mortuary, 3408 Washington Blvd.

Friends and family may call Monday from 6 to 8 p.m. and Tuesday from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. at the mortuary.

Interment, Huntsville Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Alzheimer's Association, 855 East 4800 South, Ste. 100, SLC, UT 84107, Huntsman Cancer Center, 2000 Circle of Hope, SLC, UT 84112, or the charity of your choice.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO CLAYSON!

Happy Birthday to Clayson!!!! We celebrated his 3rd birthday on Sunday, the 16th, even though he doesn't officially turn three until the 20th. We decided it would give him a little extra time between now and Christmas. He's been so excited about turning three, that for the last two mornings he's gotten up and said, "I turned three in my bed last night." He was so sure that is how it happened. Sunday morning after he told me that, I showed him his birthday cake. Ady informed him that, "You can't turn three in your bed. You turn three when you blow out the candles on your cake. The cake is magic and turns you three!" So here is a picture of Clayson "turning three."

Christmas Cheer - Meister

People like our EVP of Sales scare me. He's upset that we're not working on Christmas. Is he working on Christmas? The guy is not married and does not have a family, so of course it is difficult for him to comprehend that there are actually people out there that enjoy family traditions and spending time with families. Sometimes you run into the same thing with companies that expect their employees to work on Sundays. While I'm on my soap box, please shop at Maceys grocery store. They're one of the few businesses that stay closed on Sunday. Whether it be by obeying the commandment to keep the Sabbath day holy or by simply respecting their employees and providing a day off, any place that does that gets my dollars! I plan to tell as many people as I can this year, Merry Christmas. If someone tells me Happy Hannukah, or blessed Kwanza, awesome! I'm not a fan of this whole Happy Holidays business, you can say that on New Years Day, thanks!

Christmas with the Eyrings

We went with our friends the Gomez's to the Hale Center Theater to see A Christmas Carol. Rumor had it that the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would be there. Sure enough, when we walked in for the dinner banquet, there was President Henry B. Eyring with his sweet wife having dinner. We sat at the table right next to them. We all wanted to meet him, so we waited until he was done with dinner and then stood up when he and his wife did to shake his hand. His bodyguards brisked he and his wife quickly out of the banquet hall. We were sad. When we were in the theater, although none of us said it, and come to find out afterwards, we all were scanning the theater to see if we could see where President Eyring was sitting. Wouldn't you believe it, but our dear friend Melanee turned around and said, "hey guys, there's his bodyguard". We all turned around at the same time and sure enough, there was President Eyring sitting right behind us!! We all had the wonderful honor to shake his hand. I told him thanks for his talk in the Priesthood Session of the last conference and that it was awesome to hear that an Apostle felt inadequate, it made me feel better about my calling. Mel said she felt the spirit strongly. I felt the Holy Spirit strongly too and it made for a very special Christmas and the meaning of the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ, his life, the miracles he worked and his atonement for mankind was quickened to my mind and I felt like I had a deeper appreciation and understanding of the gospel, especially knowing that I was sitting right in front of someone that leads 12 million faithful members worldwide and communes with the Lord. It was just awesome! Thank-you to President Eyring for being so kind and for being so humble. It was a remarkable experience. http://www.lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,49-1-775-21,00.html

Where Do Hot Dogs Come From?

This has been our conversation at lunch today. First, Ady was telling me about her chicken nugget she was eating. As a joke, she said, "I'm eating chicken, but I don't know where it's legs and tail are!" Then Clay was eating a corn dog (I know! Really healthy to both!) and she said, "I know he's eating a dog, but where does it come from?" Sad to think she thought she was eating a dog. Really, I wonder why we call it that anyway! So I told her it was made out of pig. She thought for moment and then said, "Oh, so they shoot the pig and kill it and then make it into a hot dog?" "Basically..." I told her, worried that this wasn't the best subject to be talking about. Then she said, "Oh, I love pig! It's my favorite!"

Clay's 3rd Birthday Pics

Unfortunately Clay's favorite thing to do is NOT get his pictures taken. For some reason, when we took him on Tuesday, he thought it was the best thing in the world. Here are some pics. It was so much fun. I decided he is quite the flirt. He was teasing the photographer and doing everything she told him NOT to do. What should I do with him?!

Clayson informed me today that he wanted a TV for his bedroom from Santa. His exact words, I believe, were, " I want a TV for my bedroom. I am going to ask Santa for that. I will put it right there (on his dresser) and then I will put movies in it. And then I can watch them in my bedroom!" Sadly, I informed him Santa already knows that we don't need any TVs in the bedrooms! (For an almost three year old, who would think that this is his request?!) Later on today he told me, "I just want some peace and quiet in your closet and Ady won't get out!" Where did that come from?!

BABY COLE IS HERE!

Kayla had her baby on Saturday-- Cole Brandon- he was 8 lb. 13 oz! WOW DUDE! He is so darling. We went to visit her in the hospital Saturday night. They look like a happy little family. Such proud parents. Kayla said he has lots of rolls! Super cute! The kids were excited to see their new baby cousin.

Some more Fun Pics

We also had a lot of fun with Grandma and Grandpa as well as Great Grandpa and Great Grandma. The kids love going up there.

PARTY ON!

This weekend, in the midst of all of the snow, we went up to Ogden to celebrate Kylee's and Clayson's birthdays. Grandma and Grandpa got Clay a Spiderman scooter and he was super duper excited. (As you can see if this picture!) They have such a great time with their cousins!

DECORATING FOR CHRISTMAS!

The day after Thanksgiving has been our traditional day of decorating for Christmas. We had so much fun. The kids thought that decorating the tree was the best and could hardly wait to put on the ornaments. Brayden was right in the middle of the action- grabbing ornaments, playing with the lights, and more. Christmas time is so much fun!

Brayden's 9 Months!

Our little Brayden is 9 months old. He has always been a little skinny tall thing, but here are his stats. He is now 30 inches!!! Holy cow! There is in the 95% . He is also 17 lb. 3 oz. which is the 6%. So Dr. Pugh put it in perspective-- he is a little 6 ft. 4 in. man that weighs 130 lb! So basically, he is tall and thin. So we are on a quest to fatten him up! Dr. Pugh even said he can have ice cream! I think it was a joke, but hey, I'm sure Brayden wouldn't mind! What a little cutie his! A little sidenote- we did decide to do the flu shot for both the boys (Ady was at school.) When Clay heard me talking to Dr. Pugh, he screamed out, "But I don't want a flu shot!" It was pretty fun. But he sure was brave, and things were all better when he got his sucker!

Oh How they Shine!

And oh, how this is my least favorite time of year! I threatened Dale NOT to put up lights, but it didn't work. It's his favorite thing to do. Don't ask me why. He gets ornery if he doesn't do it quite right, and if he puts the wrong two ends together, but he tries, tries again until it is perfect. Sure he is up there at least 30 ft. (who really knows) with a bunch of cement at the bottom of it all, but he's not scared! So he finally completed them on Saturday, turned them off, and sure enough, at the very peak, a fuse went out! So he is now determined to climb back up there, (while of course I have my mild heart attack) to fix the fuse, so his lights are perfect!

Happy Halloween! We had our yearly Halloween party at the Burton household, and it was spookier than ever! There was a witch, dragon, Thomas the choo choo, pumpkin, clown, ZORRO, Snow White, hula girl, a fairy, some crazy dudes!! We had lots of fun playing games and eating yummy soup in pumpkin bowls! This is a super celebration that all of us look forward to each year. We all love Hallween!

Pumpkin Patchin'- October 13th

We took the kids to pick out pumpkins at this cute little pumpkin patch in West Jordan. They were so excited to sit in the little wheelbarrow and go searching for their special pumpkin. It didn't take long and they found their "perfect" pumpkin. We then enjoyed ourselves by taking lots of pictures in the pile of pumpkins! On our way out, we witnessed this car run a red light and it hit the truck in front of us. Scary! So we were witnesses and the kids watched the police and "fire truck drivers." (like Clayson says he wants to be when he grows up!) We then went for a drive up to Temple Quarry, by the fancy La Caille French restaurant. We didn't get to walk out much because it was a huge downpour.... but Dale and Ady were able to collect some leaves. What a fun and event-filled day!

Seaworld

Janae pretty much hates her job at jetBlue, well not all the time, only when ornery New Yorkers are yelling at her because they hate the middle seat or something lame. Anyways, we decided it would be fun to take the kids to Seaworld. This was after our disastrous day trip to swim at the Beach in July to the Great Salt Lake. After Daddy saying don't get the salt water in your eyes kids, Dad was the first to get salt water in his eyes and mother does it STING!!, Ady was crying because her bum was stinging and Clay was sad because he had a hangnail that was stinging. Besides that, there were a million gross bugs!! We decided we would take our kids to the real beach!


"Janae and kids trying to shake off all the bugs -Great Salt Lake"

"At least we look like we're happy -Great Salt Lake"

So we went to Seaworld on jetBlue Airways with 13 of us flying standby. jetBlue isn't really selling that many seats SLC-SAN so we got right on with confirmed seating both ways. It was a blast! We stayed in Trendwest in Oceanside. On the first day we went to SeaWorld, the second day the "real" beach and the temple and the third day the San Diego Zoo (over-rated for the price you pay plus all you see is the animals behinds while they're sleeping in their cages) and then home :(.

"A bunch of polar bears in a polar bear cave -SeaWorld"

"SHAMU SHAMU-SeaWorld"

"The real beach -San Diego"
"fascinating, there's a Rhino's behind -San Diego Zoo"

Everyone Else is Doing it....

So I thought we might as well join the crowd. Why not start with some exciting things that have happened to us. We just got back from a super fabulous trip to San Diego. Each day we wake up and wish we were back there. We were fortunate enough to be able to travel there for free- because I work for Jetblue Airways. In addition, my whole family was able to come- my parents, Stef and her family, and Kayla and her husband. We were just missing Blake- who would not miss school for a fun family vacation! We went to Sea World, San Diego Zoo, and of course, the beach.