Dearest Family and Friends,
We hope this lazy Christmas card finds it's way onto your monitor sometime within this wonderful season. 2009 has proven to be filled with events of joy and sadness for the Trosper household, but ultimately a fantastic year packed with memories and love. While some dismiss the Family Christmas letter as an chance to brag and boast, I believe it still provides the wonderful opportunity to let those we love and those that love us to know how we are doing and what we are up to. My only regret is that we have not effectively accomplished this by mail. We LOVE receiving cards, pictures and updates from each of you and in an electronic world, the value of a piece of mail has only increased. My apologies to you that we were unable to add that same joy to your holiday that you have provided for us. I promise to do better next year. Please keep the cards coming; our efforts will improve!
Little Leah Caity B - Of course, this was our first full year with Leah Caitlin Bliss and it has helped to make it our best year yet! We first need to express our love and gratitude to God for sending this precious angel to us. We next need to express our love and gratitude to Caitlin who has helped to give us this amazing gift. She is in our thoughts always and we are constantly reminded of her by Leah. Of course, this year has been loaded with advancements, progress, and stories of Leah. Anyone that knows us, knows Leah. She is sooooo full of personality, love and beauty. She is so smart and curious about anything new or interesting. She is tall and slender just like her Dad! (please keep the snickering to a minimum!) She has seven teeth, knows where her nose and eyes are and loves to stick out her tongue. She walks everywhere, all the while pointing and saying "Who dat?" or "What dat?". She loves to dance to her Rock n' Roll Elmo and enjoys watching the horses in the back yard while pointing and happily saying, "Hoity". She has been a dream to travel with and is typically the happiest baby around. I worry about her ego as she gets SO MUCH LOVE and attention from everyone around her. Her favorite activity.....looking at herself in the mirror! Our adoption of Leah was finalized in court on April 17th and we were sealed in the Mt. Timpanogos temple on April 25th. We are so so blessed. We love our little angel.
Sarah Kathleen - Sarah has had a fun year adjusting to being a full time Mother and she has done incredibly. Sarah loves Leah so much and is happy to have her life revolve around her. In her spare time, what little there is, she takes on projects for family and friends. Whether it be writing and illustrating books, electronic scrap booking or helping her Mom and step-Dad with their business, she always is happy to help and does an amazing job. She is the most talented and creative woman I know. This year she was released from serving the young women at church but is now an Activity Days Leader so she gets to work with the pre-teens and she enjoys it. She is so supportive of me in my calling and responsibilities. There is no doubt, and I am sure no one would dispute it, she is the better half.
Q - What a great thing it is to be a Dad. It has been quite the adjustment, but a very pleasurable one. Leah has a special way of warming my soul when she chooses on her own to hug me or to put her nose to mine and stare into my eyes. I have thoroughly enjoyed watching Sarah surprise me time and time again at how selfless she is and what a good Mother she is. They both make me so happy. I am currently a Vice President for a small marketing company in Thanksgiving Point, UT. While I may not necessarily enjoy what I do day to day, I realize I am so blessed. The owners are the most amazing bosses and are such great examples to me. My employees are good people which makes my job that much more stress free. There is not a day that goes by that I don't thank my Heavenly Father for such a blessing as my job. I am currently in the Bishopric of the Stake Young Single Adult Ward. It has been a wonderful opportunity to learn, stretch and grow. Even though it seems like yesterday that I too was a YSA, working with them keeps me young. I pray daily that they will find true happiness and will not get lost in this sometimes confusing time of their lives. This year I chose to simplify my vehicle situation and rid myself of three cars. One left...anyone want an Alfa Romeo? While I miss them, it is such a relief to have them gone. The year started out great for me as I entered American Fork's Biggest loser contest. After losing 40 pounds in two months, I fell off the wagon on vacation and quickly gained it all back. The end of the year was a little tough on me as well, as the Men of Troy have struggled. I continuously remind myself that the other school in Los Angeles would kill for an 8-4 season. We will return to glory once more in 2010. I am sure of it.
As a family, we have traveled quite a bit. We visited Grandma and Grandpa, uncles, aunts and cousins in California four times! We went to San Diego, Anaheim, Disneyland, the beach, Sea World, and the San Diego Zoo. We spent some time in Moab (our favorite place in the world). We also visited Zion NP, Bryce Canyon NP, Arches NP, Canyonlands NP, Dead Horse Point SP and Goblin Valley SP with the littlest Trosper and his new sweetheart. We later got to attend their wedding in Temecula, California. After celebrating Thanksgiving with the family in Corona, we went on a Mexican Riviera cruise to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas. Each of these trips involved my wonderful family and/or our wonderful friends and neighbors. We are ending the year off with a cabin trip to Snowbasin to celebrate the holidays with Sarah's family. Traveling with Leah is something to get used to. For being such a little thing, she somehow manages to double our luggage and materials! While it has not been easy, it has been worth it. She loves to experience new things, as do we. Happily, we are blessed to do so.
This holiday season has been stressful (never take a vacation immediately following Thanksgiving) and it has been a trial to work myself into the Christmas spirit. I worry more and more each year as I watch society as a whole slip further and further away from the true meaning of Christmas as they get more and more wrapped up in the gifts, the stress of money and what others may think. I hope we all can remember the true meaning of Christmas as it relates to each of us. This may be, the birth of our Savior, or the opportunity to gather with loved ones. It may be the time to reflect inward on the last year and what we have done for those less fortunate or it may be the time to reflect on how we will serve those less fortunate in the coming year. I hope this season means all of these things and more for each of you. A loving God has displayed His love for us everywhere we look. We simply need to open our eyes and choose to see. From us to you and from ours to yours. We hope and pray that the holidays bring you peace and joy.
Little Leah Caity B - Of course, this was our first full year with Leah Caitlin Bliss and it has helped to make it our best year yet! We first need to express our love and gratitude to God for sending this precious angel to us. We next need to express our love and gratitude to Caitlin who has helped to give us this amazing gift. She is in our thoughts always and we are constantly reminded of her by Leah. Of course, this year has been loaded with advancements, progress, and stories of Leah. Anyone that knows us, knows Leah. She is sooooo full of personality, love and beauty. She is so smart and curious about anything new or interesting. She is tall and slender just like her Dad! (please keep the snickering to a minimum!) She has seven teeth, knows where her nose and eyes are and loves to stick out her tongue. She walks everywhere, all the while pointing and saying "Who dat?" or "What dat?". She loves to dance to her Rock n' Roll Elmo and enjoys watching the horses in the back yard while pointing and happily saying, "Hoity". She has been a dream to travel with and is typically the happiest baby around. I worry about her ego as she gets SO MUCH LOVE and attention from everyone around her. Her favorite activity.....looking at herself in the mirror! Our adoption of Leah was finalized in court on April 17th and we were sealed in the Mt. Timpanogos temple on April 25th. We are so so blessed. We love our little angel.
Sarah Kathleen - Sarah has had a fun year adjusting to being a full time Mother and she has done incredibly. Sarah loves Leah so much and is happy to have her life revolve around her. In her spare time, what little there is, she takes on projects for family and friends. Whether it be writing and illustrating books, electronic scrap booking or helping her Mom and step-Dad with their business, she always is happy to help and does an amazing job. She is the most talented and creative woman I know. This year she was released from serving the young women at church but is now an Activity Days Leader so she gets to work with the pre-teens and she enjoys it. She is so supportive of me in my calling and responsibilities. There is no doubt, and I am sure no one would dispute it, she is the better half.
Q - What a great thing it is to be a Dad. It has been quite the adjustment, but a very pleasurable one. Leah has a special way of warming my soul when she chooses on her own to hug me or to put her nose to mine and stare into my eyes. I have thoroughly enjoyed watching Sarah surprise me time and time again at how selfless she is and what a good Mother she is. They both make me so happy. I am currently a Vice President for a small marketing company in Thanksgiving Point, UT. While I may not necessarily enjoy what I do day to day, I realize I am so blessed. The owners are the most amazing bosses and are such great examples to me. My employees are good people which makes my job that much more stress free. There is not a day that goes by that I don't thank my Heavenly Father for such a blessing as my job. I am currently in the Bishopric of the Stake Young Single Adult Ward. It has been a wonderful opportunity to learn, stretch and grow. Even though it seems like yesterday that I too was a YSA, working with them keeps me young. I pray daily that they will find true happiness and will not get lost in this sometimes confusing time of their lives. This year I chose to simplify my vehicle situation and rid myself of three cars. One left...anyone want an Alfa Romeo? While I miss them, it is such a relief to have them gone. The year started out great for me as I entered American Fork's Biggest loser contest. After losing 40 pounds in two months, I fell off the wagon on vacation and quickly gained it all back. The end of the year was a little tough on me as well, as the Men of Troy have struggled. I continuously remind myself that the other school in Los Angeles would kill for an 8-4 season. We will return to glory once more in 2010. I am sure of it.
As a family, we have traveled quite a bit. We visited Grandma and Grandpa, uncles, aunts and cousins in California four times! We went to San Diego, Anaheim, Disneyland, the beach, Sea World, and the San Diego Zoo. We spent some time in Moab (our favorite place in the world). We also visited Zion NP, Bryce Canyon NP, Arches NP, Canyonlands NP, Dead Horse Point SP and Goblin Valley SP with the littlest Trosper and his new sweetheart. We later got to attend their wedding in Temecula, California. After celebrating Thanksgiving with the family in Corona, we went on a Mexican Riviera cruise to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas. Each of these trips involved my wonderful family and/or our wonderful friends and neighbors. We are ending the year off with a cabin trip to Snowbasin to celebrate the holidays with Sarah's family. Traveling with Leah is something to get used to. For being such a little thing, she somehow manages to double our luggage and materials! While it has not been easy, it has been worth it. She loves to experience new things, as do we. Happily, we are blessed to do so.
This holiday season has been stressful (never take a vacation immediately following Thanksgiving) and it has been a trial to work myself into the Christmas spirit. I worry more and more each year as I watch society as a whole slip further and further away from the true meaning of Christmas as they get more and more wrapped up in the gifts, the stress of money and what others may think. I hope we all can remember the true meaning of Christmas as it relates to each of us. This may be, the birth of our Savior, or the opportunity to gather with loved ones. It may be the time to reflect inward on the last year and what we have done for those less fortunate or it may be the time to reflect on how we will serve those less fortunate in the coming year. I hope this season means all of these things and more for each of you. A loving God has displayed His love for us everywhere we look. We simply need to open our eyes and choose to see. From us to you and from ours to yours. We hope and pray that the holidays bring you peace and joy.
Merry Christmas, Melekalikimaka, Feliz Navidad, Yukpa Nitak Hollo Chito, Joyeux Noel, Nollaig Chridheil Huibh, and Frohliche Weihnachten!
The Trospers
Marque, Sarah and Leah
Marque, Sarah and Leah
2 comments:
Merry Christmas Trosper Family!
Nice Christmas letter. I got mine written, pictures on it, printed, and not mailed. Oh well.
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