We hope that you all had a very enjoyable Christmas. We didn’t get Christmas cards out again this year so we thought we’d send out New Year’s greetings. We hope this letter finds you healthy and happy. 2006 was an eventful year full of challenges, changes, but most of all blessings. Here’s what’s been going on in the Houghton household…
Emma is now two-years-old and is enjoys doing her “work” all day. According to her, “work” is moving her things from one place to another making little messes all over the house. She loves to be outside and could probably live at the park if allowed. Swinging is her favorite. She likes to help her mommy cook and is very helpful. She enjoys playing with her dolls and kitchen. She has discovered the joy of friends and finally likes Nursery (it’s only taken a year!). She’s a little spit-fire and a joy to us all. It’s so fun to have a little girl around!
Max just turned seven last month and has started First Grade this year. He had no problem adjusting to going to school all day. He loves his teacher and is learning new things everyday. He has worked hard and has improved a great deal in his reading. Math` is his favorite subject and is very proud of the fact that he can add. He is also a great artist. He really enjoys drawing and building things. He has a great imagination. He loves being outside and riding his bike. He loves playing with his brothers, sisters, and cousins. He and Emma have become very close over the past year. He’s a great big brother! He is looking forward to turning eight next year so he can be baptized and go to cub scouts!
Cole is eleven and in the sixth grade. This year in school he has a good teacher that expects a great deal from him. He has worked very hard so far and is doing great in school. He is enjoying his new-found talent—playing the guitar. He has learned some chords on his own and will begin taking lessons this spring. He finished Cub Scouts this year and earned his Arrow of Light. He’s now in the Eleven-year-old scouts and was very excited to go on his first Boy Scout campout. He really enjoys the outdoors and is looking forward to going on the week-long bike trip this summer with Lee and the boys. Last summer, he took golf lessons and getting really good at it. He enjoys playing with his dad and brothers. Cole is still our comedian. He is truly gifted in this area! He’s very funny but he knows there’s a time and a place for being funny and we appreciate that. We can always count on Cole to make us laugh. He always has a smile on his face! Cole is a joy and we are so thankful he’s in our family!
Scott is thirteen and an eighth grader this year. He’s involved in many things at school. He’s a member of NJHS (National Junior Honor’s Society) and has been involved in many service projects so far this year with NJHS. At Christmas, he helped organize a toy drive at school. They collected 120 toys and he was excited to deliver them to the Boys and Girls Club here in Provo. He also is in Leadership and helps plan student activities at the school. He still plays the trumpet and is in the Concert Band and Jazz Band. He has to go to school every morning an hour early to be in the Jazz band. He sets a good example of dedication for us all. Even with all his involvement in school, he has earned a 4.0 every term since he’s been in Middle School. We are very proud of his accomplishments! He also enjoys Boy Scouts and has earned his Star ranking. He serves as patrol leader in the scouts and as Deacon’s Quorum Second Councilor at church. Scott is a budding film producer and enjoys making short films with his brothers. He is very creative and loves to make movies and mix music tracks on the computer. He also plays golf and is a natural. Scott is a hard worker and is willing to help whomever and whenever he can. He is a big help with Emma!
Jake is fifteen and in tenth grade. He has surprised us all this year by how much he has grown in such a short time. He has gone from 5’10” at Easter to 6’2” by end of summer! He worked last summer at a scout camp as a counselor. It was an exciting adventure for him but scary too. A bear came into the camp one night and attacked one of the other counselors through his tent! Then a week later, Jake lost his footing and fell down a small cliff and broke his collar bone. It was definitely a summer to remember for him! He is doing great in school and has taken on a very demanding schedule this year including Physiology, Pre-Calculus, Chemistry ,and Honor’s English. He goes to early-morning seminary so he could take eight classes at school instead of seven. Jake has always enjoyed learning. He is still playing the French Horn in the school’s Wind Ensemble and Philharmonic Orchestra. He has surprised us all by playing the piano again. He is doing very well at both instruments. He has completed all the requirements for his Eagle Scout except his project which he will be completing hopefully this spring. He serves as the Teacher’s Quorum President in church. He enjoys golf, music, camping, soccer, and ping-pong. He is a great young man and tries his best in everything he does. We couldn’t be more pleased with Jake’s abilities and accomplishments!
Elisabeth is eighteen and a freshman at Southern Utah University. (Can you believe it!?!) This has been a big year for her. She graduated from Provo High with honors in May. She received a scholarship for college which pays for almost all of her tuition and fees. We are so proud of her accomplishments! She also received her Young Women’s Medallion in June. She worked all summer babysitting two children and prepared to go away to college. She started S.U.U. in August and adjusted quickly to college life. It was a hard reality for us to have her gone but she has done a great job her first semester of college. She lives in an apartment-type dorm with 5 other girls and has quickly made many new friends. She still plays the violin and is going to be in orchestra next semester. Something she missed greatly last semester! She sings in the Institute choir and takes Institute classes. She has decided to study Elementary Education and will be starting her pre-requisite classes for the education program next semester. She is currently serving on the Enrichment Committee in the Relief Society in her ward in Cedar City. She is a beautiful, smart, capable young woman and we are so proud of her! She is such a wonderful daughter and sister and we are so happy and excited that she is able to venture out and start her own life (but we sure do miss her!!!).
Cari is busy trying to keep up with everything. It is a challenge having children of all different ages from adult down to toddler. She worked for a short time this year for Provo City as the Volunteer Coordinator. She enjoyed her work (everything but pulling a trailer!) but it was just taking too much time away from her family so she ended up quitting. She is currently serving as the Primary First Counselor and on the Activities Committee at church. She enjoys being a mom and all the busyness that goes along with that. She still enjoys the piano and tries to work on hobbies when she gets the chance. She is looking forward to working on some home improvements this coming year.
Lee is working hard as ever building his Real Estate business. He has been blessed with many great opportunities this year and looking forward to a great year next year. He still occasionally does cabinet work, something that he just can’t seem to let go! He is very involved in church and serves as the Young Men’s President, the Venturer Scout leader, and until recently, the Teacher Improvement Coordinator and Teacher. He also is a home teacher to eight families. He gets to have Jake as a home teaching companion for four of his families which has been a great experience. He camps a lot with the scouts. It is fun for him since his boys get to go with him. When he gets the chance, he enjoys golfing but he doesn’t get to do that very often!
We’ve had an exciting year and looking back we can see just how blessed we are. In August, a Super Cell Storm hit Provo. All the telephone polls on our street were blown over and we were left homeless for four days! Cari was caught out in it and is very grateful for her ugly but sturdy van! It was an extremely scary experience but we are so blessed that our home wasn’t damaged and no one got hurt! We are also grateful for our family who helped us out. We’ve survived storms, bear attacks, accidents, and a daughter leaving home for college. It has been a year of changes and challenges but we are so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who continues to bless us daily.
We hope 2007 brings happiness and peace to all! We wish the best for you and your families!
With much love,
The Houghton’s
Lee, Cari, Elisabeth, Jake, Scott, Cole, Max, and Emma
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