I can hardly believe that 2007 has already come to a close and 2008 is quickly slipping by.  It is amazing to me that we have been so blessed this past year, and we continue to be blessed as our lives move forward.  Last year Nathan and I enjoyed our time together but also welcomed or loving daughter, Natalie Renee on April 21st.  She has brought so much joy and peace to our lives, and we are excited to continue watching her grow into the sweet spirit that she is.

We were able to travel back to Lewiston, Idaho quite a bit for boating, four-wheeling, hiking, riding the scooter, visiting family, etc.  It is possibly our most favorite city and we can't wait to move to Lewiston and raise our children in such a wonderful community.  Aside from those trips, we also traveled to Seattle, Idaho Falls, Salt Lake, Provo, Las Vegas, Santa Barbara, and San Francisco.  We loved our vacations and enjoyed being able to drag Natalie along.  She has experienced so much in her short little life!

Nathan is back in school and getting back into his routine after a long Winter Break.  He continues to love dentistry and can't wait until he can have his own practice.  I am once again tackling year-end audit errors and tax updates by working 50+ hours a week.  Thank goodness I only have to do this 1 month out of the year or I'd go insane!  Natalie is constantly learning, and can now walk with help, crawl all over the house, pull herself up and stand for a couple seconds.  She talks a lot, and loves to read (she even turns her own pages when reading with mommy)!!!  Copper is still protective of his little baby sister and continues to be a good cat for our family.  He has recently learned that scratching on Natalie's door when she's sleeping is not a good way to find a play-mate!  Instead, he patiently curls up in a ball outside her bedroom door and waits for her to wake up (most of the time).

Nathan continues to serve in the Young Men's and is admired by the boys he serves (even though he won't admit it).  He does a great job with the youth, and has enjoyed his calling.  I have been released from being a primary teacher and now serve as a Sunday School teacher.  We are studying the Book of Mormon, which I am incredibly excited for!  I'm hoping Natalie will have listened to the entire Book of Mormon before the end of the year as we read and study our scriptures.  I continue to perfect my piano playing skills by taking more advanced lessons and learning some very fun classical pieces.  Natalie plays with me, and Nathan still plays the guitar and sings.  I love having music in our home and love the peace and spirit it brings to our lives.

As we approach 2008, we have already had the opportunity to go snowshoeing, and Nathan has made a couple skiing trips.  We are also planning a snowboarding trip for February at the cabins on Mt. Hood!  Natalie will be coming with us, as she always does, and will take turns playing with those tired of boarding in the lodge.  I'm sure it will be fun, and we're excited for the many adventures, blessings, and service opportunities we will have in 2008!