What's "NEW"

I can't believe another year has come and gone.
Time is really flying.
2011 was a great year at the Paxman home:

After a few years and many many hours Lincoln became a published author.  We are very proud of his accomplishment.  Writing this book has been a goal of his for a long time.  He really persevered did a lot of research and interviews and had some help from a great lady... and finally all his hard work and sacrifice of time has paid off.   He continues to love his job as a Captain at Sandy City Fire as well as the time he spends at Bluffdale and Lehi Fire Departments.  He also enjoyed another trip to the D.C. area this year attending the National Fire Academy.  He loves going there because it allows him to go crazy with his history.  This year the highlight of his touring was seeing Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson.  He loved the gardens and grounds.  He and Benjamin are going to take up ice fishing this year.  We'll see how that goes as Lincoln hates the cold and winter.

Bailee is half way through her second year of college at Weber State University on a Performing Arts Scholarship.  This past summer she worked her first real job at Port of Subs and really enjoyed the people she worked with.  She also LOVED attending the YSA Riverton 1st ward and making many new friends.This school year as well as participating in the theatre department, taking 18 credit hours and passing with honors, being the Treasurer for the AAT, she is on the Institute Folk Dance team which she loves.  It has allowed her to make many new friends and really get involved in Ogden Institute.  She is a busy girl, but is loving life.  We miss her when she is gone.

Benjamin had his first full year of GREAT health!!!  He has grown about 4 inches and gained about 20 lbs.  It's unbelievable really.  He is taller than both of his parents.  We are truly blessed.  Ben is also enjoying being on the Musical Dance Theatre team at Riverton High and has been involved in the plays "Smile", "Annie Get your Gun" and just landed a great role in "Metamorphosis".  He is also a Thespian officer this year and really enjoying his involvement with theatre.  Ben spent a lot of his summer hiking all over the Wasatch Front with friends.  He also took the CNA course and passed his test with a 90%.  He is now an offical Certified Nurses Assistant.  He hopes to begin shadowing some of his past doctors and later in the year find employment at Primary Children's hospital.

Brooklyn started the 6th grade and says it's one of her FAVORITE years in school so far.  She loves both of her teachers.  Brooklyn also got to join the ranks of a Beehive in Young Women's and attend her first year of Girls Camp.  She loves going to Young Women's.  She still dances classical ballet 3 times a week and recently started doing lyrical dance as well.  She participated in her 6th year of the Nutcracker and continues to love it.  Brooklyn also loves to sing and continues to do well in her private voice lessons.  She auditioned and was chosen to be one of a few students to sing a solo in the Christmas Assembly in front of the whole school.  She was very nervous but did an incredible job.  I think we might have another theatre kid in the making.

As for me...I was called to be the Young Women Camp director early in 2011 and had a great time planning and getting ready for camp.  A few months before we were to go to camp I got a new calling...Young Women's President.  I love this calling.  It is a challenge as I have never served in the Young Women's program before, and there is a learning curve, but I have a great presidency and a lot of support.  It keeps me busy.  I continue to enjoy my weekly bowling league with my girlfriends.  I am also the Secretary for the Parent Teacher Organization at Brooklyn's school and I enjoy being involved at the school again.  The Monday after Halloween I started a diet and lost 15 pounds before December 1st.  My goal is to loose 10-15 more at least, before Lincoln and I go on our first cruise in March. 

The dog and cat continue to growl, yowl and in general chase each other all through the house.  It is a love hate relationship.

Life for is is great and we look forward to this new year, with new experiences.  It's a bittersweet year for us because it's the last whole year we have together before Benjamin goes on a mission.  We hope to fill it with a lot of fun, laughter and love enough to sustain us for two years.

Christmas 2011

I realize I have been slacking in the blogging department.

What can I say?...

Here are a few photos of our Christmas afternoon.

We go up Christmas morning and went to church before opening presents.

I actually enjoyed going to church on Christmas

after all "He is the Reason for the Season".