Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

It's already that time of year when we try to sum up the past 12 months in a succinct note. First, we will start off by wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a happy, prosperous, and safe New Year!

Tanner, Kamryn, Kaylee, Brady, and McKenzie (left to right) at Temple Square.

Kamryn turned 4 years old last August. She loves to play with her older brothers (Brady, in particular). She has been busy with dance and swimming lessons and really enjoys her preschool class.

Kamryn holding a chicken.

Brady turns 10 years old just a few days before Christmas. He has been busy learning the piano and is very dedicated to practice. He had his sights on the football season starting, but a broken arm changed his plans (ironically, he was playing football with some friends when he broke his arm). He is doing really well in school.

Brady and Tanner.

Tanner turned 12 years old last April and was given the priesthood and ordained a Deacon! He played his second season of tackle football for the American Fork Cavemen. This year he made the "A" team where he played mostly defense and was responsible for several quarterback sacks, tackles and fumble recoveries (he forced some of the fumbles!). Tanner is also taking piano lessons.

McKenzie turned 14 years old in May. She enjoys sports and was planning on another year on the track team, when she was sidelined after breaking her leg playing soccer in PE. So, she spent her time focusing on piano practice and has worked hard on developing her piano skills. She tried out for and made the Concert Singers, an advanced choir in school, and really enjoys singing with them.

McKenzie

Kaylee turned 16 years old ---ugh--- and is driving and dating now. Despite the regular teasing she has to endure, she is actually a pretty good driver. It has been nice to have her run various errands for us as well as chauffeuring her siblings around to their various activities. Once again, she played Tennis for the America Fork High School Varsity team in first position. She met some tough competition, but that only made her more determined to practice. Kaylee also loves to sing and enjoyed going on tour this year to San Francisco with the American Fork High School Choirs. This year they took 1st place in the state competition.

Kaylee

Melissa had an extremely busy year. She picked up running and participated in the Salt Lake 5K, Freedom Festival Fun Run, and the Snow Canyon 5K! She has set a large goal next year to run in the St. George Marathon in October! After 3 years she was released from the Primary Presidency and now enjoys having a church calling that is not as demanding on her time. We had a bumper crop of peaches of which she cleaned, peeled and bottled them up for storage. On top of it all, she endured surgery on her sinuses.

Melissa and Kamryn.

 



 Joe turned the big 4-0 this year and can't believe where the years have gone! He completed 4 marathons and various half marathons during 2010, reaching a goal he set in 2009. Just before Thanksgiving, he had surgery to remove his gallbladder, which had been giving him fits for quite a while. You could say that we are done with hospitals this year! Joe keeps busy with work and church responsibilities and enjoys his family and friends.

Joe after finishing the St. George Marathon.

We should mention something about the new addition to our family, rather 15 new additions! Reports differ on how and when the decision was made, but somehow we ended up with 15 baby chicks, nine of which are now mature and are producing very fresh, delicious eggs. The other 6 are still growing (three of them are called "silkies" and are the weirdest looking critters imaginable).

Baby chicks.

We are very grateful for family and the many friends who bless and enrich our lives. This Christmas, as with all other Christmases, we hope that the spirit of this great holiday will permeate our homes and our thoughts and that the true meaning will shine through us all by our words and deeds.

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you warm greetings, 
The Shimanek Family

And It's A Grand Slam!

After finishing the St. George Marathon this past Saturday Joe completed what seemed to me like an impossible goal, he completed the Utah Grand Slam. This is when you run 4 out of 5 Utah marathons in one year.  The marathons that he chose to run were the Ogden Marathon in May, Utah Valley Marathon in June, Park City Marathon in August, and of coarse, the St. George Marathon in October. It was a proud moment when he was finally awarded his Grand Slam medal.

The St. George Marathon has been a tradition in my sister Terri Ballstaedt's family for the past 32 years.  We have joined them for the past 3 years and have enjoyed spending time with their family.  It is quite an event!  Every member of their family comes to support each other.  It is fun each year to see who in their family is going to participate in the marathon.  It can range anywhere from those who have been training die hard all year to those who decide to run or even walk it a couple of weeks before the marathon.  We were very impressed with Terri's son Smith who decided to do the marathon a few weeks ago.  Just a couple of years ago he was in a very bad motorcycle accident and nearly lost his leg.  He was a little sore after the run however, he seemed to be doing quite well.  Rock, my brother-in-law turned 61 this year and this was his 32nd St. George Marathon.  Amazing!

Because I have been so inspired by Joe and the Ballstaedts I signed up for the Runner's Series this morning.  That means that if I run two St. George sponsored races in the next few months, I am guaranteed entrance into the St. George Marathon next October.  I have to admit, I am terrified right now but determined nonetheless. 

It has been a while.

So I start a blog and then I never contribute to it!  Don't you hate people that do that?

We have been doing a remodel at our house that I had hoped would be over with by the end of June. 
Ha Ha, that didn't happen.  Here it is the end of August and I am finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.  One more room to go and we are done . . . for now.  I have a few more things I want to do, however, I need a break for a couple of months.  I will post pictures of what we have re-done when I get everything all cleaned up.  I am kicking myself that I didn't take any "before" pictures.  I think it would be much more impressive that way.  Oh well, I am new at this blogging thing.

Just to catch up, Kaylee had her first date.  It was with a boy in our ward who moved here a little over a year ago from Colorado.  He turned 16 several months ago and he has been waiting patiently for Kaylee to turn 16 as well so he could ask her out.  He wanted to take her out on her actual birthday but I said NO.  She has to spend her sweet sixteen with her mom and dad!  We took her up to the Park City Mountain Resort and had a great time riding the zip line, alpine slide, and the alpine coaster. 

Perhaps the most excitng part of Kaylee's birthday was getting her drivers license.  (For her anyway.)  I tried to talk her out of it, but she wouldn't listen.  She was determined that she was going to get it.  Part of the reason that I wasn't excited for her to get it was that it means she is growing up...something I don't like.  But the other reason I didn't want her to get it is well, I am a Smith.  That means that everytime she drives away I worry like crazy until she comes home safely.  Every time I hear a siren my ears perk up and my heart beats a little bit faster.  Thanks Dad.

I do have to admit, there certainly are things that I am getting used to.  Having another driver around that can run kids to football practice, piano lessons, and dance lessons is certaily something that I am enjoying.  I even handed her my credit card the other day and sent her to WalMart (thankfully it is very close by).  I was absolutely giddy that I didn't have to go.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

This a very exciting week at our house!  We are celebrating the 16th birthday of our oldest child Kaylee and the 4th birthday of our youngest child Kamryn.

I just can't believe I am old enough to have a 16 year old.  It seems like just yesterday I was the one turning 16.   Where does the time go? 

I told Kaylee that I was not going to allow her to get any older but she said that I couldn't stop her.  That is not fair.

Instead of cake, this year Kaylee asked for 16 cookies from Smart Cookie. What a great idea! That was a lot easier to put together. Plus, the frosting is thick enough that we could put one candle in each cookie. Something that yummy can't be bad for you, right?

Speaking of getting older, Kamryn who is turning four years old thinks she is turning 16. When I asked her what she wanted for her birthday this is what she said: "a pink cell phone, my own bathroom with a sink and a toilet, make-up, and a purple bike." Wow. What happened to barbie dolls and stuffed animals? She has obviously been influenced by her teenage sisters.

Normally, I would think she wouldn't have a clue what to do with a cell phone, but she seems to have figured out iPods and other gadgets just fine. She'll just have to wait several more years before she'll *need* a cell phone.