happy 16th birthday nick! you're our hero!

Santa Came for a Visit

Had a fun Christmas Party with Follett Family.....Santa came for a visit....Nick did a great job at his first time as santa and looks forward to many years of playing St. Nicholas!

Christmas 2010

Christmas Cookies

Temple Square Christmas Lights

Happy Birthday Ashley, 18!

Can't believe Ashley is 18!  Time goes by so fast!  For most of her life it's been all about gymnastics!  I know she is not finished with her gymnastic career but when i think of Ashley turning 18 I can't help but think of her commitment and love to this sport and the years she dedicated to it.  Here is part of an essay she had to write about her greatest accompishment so far in life.

"Since I was a little girl I have been doing cartwheels down the grocery aisle, flipping on a trampoline and swinging on the bars during recess. My passion for gymnastics has resulted in 6,946 workout hours, 5 gyms, 62 meets, 516 medals, 3 broken bones, 36 gold medals, 1 State Championship, 4 time regional qualifier, and 2 time Junior Olympic Westerns National qualifier.  I have always loved competing, and loved developing and trying to perfect new skills. By nature, gymnastics is born out of creativity, if you cannot visualize yourself attaining a skill, then you will certainly fail. The mental side of gymnastics is a defining element that can separate and average gymnast from an extraordinary one. Gymnastics has been a great tool for teaching me determination, tenacity, and how to cope with overcoming fear. Throughout my years of competing, I have been able to learn how to fight through adversity and teach myself how to do things that I never thought were possible."

We love you Ashley, Happy Birthday!

My friend from Texas sent me this beautiful quilt she made.  I was so overwhelmed; it is one of the most beautiful things anyone has ever made me.  (Kenny did remind me he made 6 beautiful children!)  My friend is not only a very talented woman, but is one of those people who live by the spirit and quietly serves and whom I admire very much.  I have lived without a mother for a long time, and every once in awhile someone will do or say something to me that touches my heart in away only my mother could.  This was one of those moments for me!   For a mother-less daughter these are very sacred and special moments for me and are always accompanied with the Spirit.   I’m so grateful for this gift, but even more grateful for the feelings of love that came with it.  And grateful for friends who are true disciples of Jesus Christ.

Merry Christmas

It is hard to believe that another year has gone by and the Christmas season is upon us. Our family is always amazed at how much we cram into a year; certainly 2010 was one of the most eventful years in our family’s history. As we reflect on all of the events, accomplishments, struggles and triumphs of the year it is amazing to recall all of the blessings that are ours! Our thoughts turn to the Savior and his atonement for us…we are the beneficiaries of his eternal love and hope for each of us.

We wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a warm, prosperous new year.




  Follett Family Highlights 2010
~Emma(8) was baptized ~Trip to Church Historical Sites (Independence, Adam-ondi-Ahman, Liberty Jail, and Winter Quarters) ~Nick’s(15) CRAZY injuries that put him in the ER (poison ivy, ping-pong ball eye accident, and swallowing his retainer) ~Lily(3) learning to swim ~Ashley(17) placing 2nd AA at Regionals and 5th AA at USA Gymnastics Western National Championships ~Kenny hanging out with the Brady’s (he wore out his welcome) ~Summer Sports Camps (tennis, dance, baseball, and soccer) ~Kelsi’s(20) screenplay being filmed by a BYU film student ~ Ashley’s Cheerleading Camp ~Jane released as Relief Society President ~TEXAS friends ~Moving to American Fork, UT ~Rekindling family ties in Utah ~American Fork 37th Ward Rodeo (Emma placed 1st place in the mutton busting) ~Jackson (12) hiked Mount Timpanogos ~Caveman Football ~Allen Family Visit ~Lily started gymnastics ~BYU Football ~Jackson’s 12th Birthday, received the Priesthood! ~Ashley’s recruiting Trip to BYU Gymnastics, Go Cougars! ~Thanksgiving with the Weavers ~Nick’s 16th Birthday (Stay off the road, and keep your daughters inside!) ~Having to adjust to cold weather (flannel sheets, snow boots, rock salt and lots of hot chocolate) ~ Snowboarding ~Christmas Visit by Grandpa and Grandma!

 

Christmas Caroling with Angels!

I love my callings in the ward; I teach the 9 year olds in primary and work with the 8 and 9 year old activity day girls! My primary class are the sweetest, and smartest group of 9 year olds in the church and I absolutely love my companion teacher, Sis. Ballard, who I have tremendous respect for and admire her grace, and testimony of the gospel! What a blessing to work with her. I also work with a very talented Sister in Activity Days, she can do it all, cook, sew, sing (all those things I lack!) but I love that the most important thing to her is to help these young girls to have faith in Jesus Christ and to help their testimonies grow! I’m having the best time!


This past week we took the activity girls Christmas Caroling! As we practiced beforehand, we talked about when we sing, we are bearing our testimonies of Jesus Christ. We went to several houses in our ward of families who were not members or those who are not fully participating in the gospel of Jesus Christ. We sang that would bear witness of Jesus Christ, “O Come All Ye Faithful,” “Picture a Stable in Judea,” “Silent Night,” and we finished with “I Wonder When He Comes again,” which ends with these words, “I'm sure He'll call His little ones together round His knee…. Because He said in days gone by... "Suffer them to come to Me." Each door these girls sang with such a sweet spirit, I couldn’t help but be overcome with emotion because the spirit was so strong. Surely these sweet little ones were bearing their testimonies of Jesus Christ. It was amazing, a highlight of my Christmas Season.

Preference Dance

One of the perks of Ashley's new gym is that there is a BOYS TEAM!  It took a little getting used to, she would find herself starring over to their side of the gym losing her focus but she soon adjusted!  She of course made friends with some, outside of the gym of course!  Coaches would kill them if they flirted during workouts!  When a girls choice dance came she decided to ask her friend Gabe from the gym....here in Utah everyone asks in a big and unique way so Ashley came up with the idea to ask at gym where she wrote on the big mirror where Gabe and the rest of the Boys Team were sure to see it!...."I'll Be Brief....Gabe Pref?"  and hung little boys briefs (sponge bob) on the the mirror! 

 She was very surprised when he actually put on the briefs and wrote Yes on a post-it note stuck to the back. Too Funny not to share the pictures!

Another tradition here in Utah Valley is a "Pre-date"....Ashley, Gabe and a bunch of friends went played paintball the night before at midnight in a friends backyard!  Thankfully her cousin Stuart(future marine) had great paintball hardware and they had lots of fun!

at the dance at the old Provo Library

Halloween 2010

Cruella Deville

Snow White

Secret Service Agent

Defend the Cave 2010

#30

Somehow, Nick and Ashley started using a horrible teenage word this year that their mother just hates and threatens to wash their mouth out with soap! Usually they call each other it when they are being annoying, it is just awful and I think they get a kick out of seeing mom go a little "motto italiano" (crazy italian) but after watching nick play football, I couldn't help take this picture! If that is not a "ButtSack" I don't know what is! (nick is #30)

Sand Dunes

1st campout with Varsity Scouts at the Sand Dunes! Nick had lots of fun!

Homecoming 2010

Ashley had lots of fun at homecoming....she was asked by two different boys in about 10 minutes of each other and had to choose which was very stressful for her...she ended up choosing the one who asked her by playing a song on his guitar! We found a dress on the clearance rack and spent more time searching for shoes then we did the dress!

Matt and Ashley at the dance, looks like they had crazy fun!

Rodeo Video

American Fork 37th Ward Rodeo!

Amazing ward activity, last night was the hay ride, square dancing, and dutch oven cook off! Today we started with a 5k run, and then a parade...here is a picture of Jackson and emma in the parade! (emma's activity day group was "I love NY")

Then the rodeo began.... here is lily getting ready for the chicken run (ages 7 and under) lily got into the arena but then "chickened out"

Here is emma doing the chicken run (ages 8 and up) she has green shorts and yankee shirt on.

Youth of the ward participated in the "Cash Cow" (chased a big cow around with dollar bills taped to her) Nick showed his texan colors and cornered the cow and then she turned on him and he almost got trampled on! he managed to grab some cash though!




Next was the Mutton Bustin' which emma was amazing! First to be brave enough to do it and second she rode that sheep for about 9 seconds, got first place! Go Emma!

Jack was next and he got on a very fiesty calf....he lasted about 1 second and got tossed and then stepped on...his ride was to fast for us to get a picture but we got a before and after!

Kenny even got asked to be on one of the milking teams, they had to lasso the cow and then hold them still so they could be milked! he looks a little out of place!

Lily with the goats

Lily bobbing for apples!

It was all too much fun, greatest ward activity ever and they do it every year! can't wait for next year!