Christmas Newsletter 2013

It is that time of year again...I sit here reflecting on this last year...Wow what a year it has been.

One year ago this week we moved into our 1st home.  What a difference it is to live in a house and not in an apartment.  We are so glad we were able to do this last year.

Now onto what is going on with the family:

Irene will be 5 in Jan.  She loves going to preschool and is looking forward to Kindergarten next year.  She is the taller of the twins and loves horses, princesses, and playing with legos and playing games on Lego.com

Ruth and Irene are best friends.  The joys of being a Twin!  Ruth too loves Preschool and is looking forward to Kindergarten as well.  She is the smaller of the two and two loves horses, princess and playing with legos and on Lego.com

Jennilyn is our smart 1st grader and is 6 yrs old.  She is an excellent reader and is learning math and enjoying it.  She loves to play ballerina and she has a lot of the same interest as the twins with horses, legos, princess and such.  Of course they all share a room so that is not hard.

Dillon is our fun energy boy.  He is in 2nd grade and just turned 8.  Dillon was baptized on Dec 7th.  He is enjoying cub scouts and he loves legos.

This year has been a roller coaster for Annette and Dan.  Both of us have had some health scares this year. But we have had fun too.

The end of  January we found out we were going to have another baby and were very excited about it, but a few weeks later we ended up in the ER with Annette in so much pain.  They were trying to find out what was wrong and we heard the baby's heart beat, but then were told that it was another Tubal Pregnancy.  They took her into emergency surgery.  While they were there they found out that Annette had appendicitis and took care of that too.  Annette is doing well and is moving forward as a mother of 4 kids.

In  April Dan had a scare that took us to the ER with him.  He has had problems with High Blood Pressure for a few years, and they were having trouble getting it under control.  He started seeing a specialist this year and with a lot of hard work we now have his BP under control, but he is also now seeing a cardiologist and it has been determined that he has a mild heart condition called  left ventricular non-compaction.  This is a hereditary family condition.  As of right now we just keep moving forward as there is not a lot of things to be done for it.  He will continue to be monitored for it.  But he is doing well and has lost 30 lbs this year.

 In June Dan and Annette traveled to Minnesota to attend Dan's sister Annette's wedding.  While we were there we got to visit with many friends and family.  Dan's Grandmother also celebrated her 90th birthday while we were there and it was very neat to get to spend time with her.

The kids and Annette spent a week at Camp Tifi with Papa Jack and Nana this summer and we had a lot of fun.

In October Dan and Annette celebrated 9 yrs since they got married.

We had the chance of having both sets of grandparents come and visit us a few times this year.  Also Great-Grandparents have come too.

In September we had a chance to have all of Annette's sisters come to Utah and spend time with all of them, and have some of them come stay at our home.

We are loving having a house and having family come visit.

Dan is still working at Sportman's warehouse.  And has had a busy year with them.  Annette is still enjoying being home with the kids, she has started doing some babysitting.

This year we have really been blessed and watched over.

We want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

From Our Family to Yours!

Love,
Daniel, Annette, Dillon, Jennilyn, Ruth and Irene

2012 Christmas Card

From Our Family to Yours!

Christmas 2011 Pictures~ Slice of Life # 80

Here are our pictures for Christmas this year!

"Burke Christmas 2011"

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Our Christmas Newsletter 2011

Dear Family and Friends,

This year has gone by so quickly and we are doing well.  Just a little update that of our family.

I guess we will go youngest to oldest....

Irene has grown and is talking so well.  She is also just about done with Potty training, and has done very well with it.  We love to hear her say each morning "Is it morning yet?"  Irene loves Princess and Dora

Ruth is growing and also doing well with her talking.  She loves her Belle doll and anything to do with Belle or Dora!

Both girls want to go to primary, but they don't turn 3 until January so they will have to wait another year to go.

Jennilyn is becoming a math wiz and she is only 4 years old.  Every time we go out she does the math of how many stops we have to make and how many we have left.  She loves her Barbies and her my little ponies.


Dillon started Kindergarten this year, and has really improved with his speech.  He loves Star Wars and playing the Lego games on the Wii.

Annette has been busy being a stay at home mom which she loves.  She has been enjoying learning to do crafts with her new toy that she got as an early Christmas/Late Birthday Present.

Dan has been busy with work.  He got to travel to Alaska, Mississippi and Washington State this year with work.  And to Pennsylvania for a computer certification class.  When he is not at work, he is usually studying to take more computer certifications.  Right now he is getting ready to take one in Jan and then one probably in Feb.

In July we traveled as a family to Spokane Washington, for Dan's brother David's wedding.  It was a wonderful event and we had a good time.  Dan had to travel back home to go back to work, while Annette and the kids stayed in Washington and went to the beach and had fun with Aunt Emily and Uncle Squire and kids.  They also got to spend a few days with Annette's grandparents and cousins in Kennewick.  Grandma Nova helped Annette drive back to Utah in time for Dan's cousin's wedding in Utah.

In August Dan's Grandma Burke passed away from cancer.  She will always be a part of our life, and we miss her very much.  Dan was unable to go to Minnesota for the funeral, so Annette went instead.  Papa Jack and Nana took care of the kids for the few days that she was gone.

As we come to a close of the year we think about the reason we celebrate the Christmas Season.  Christ came to earth to show us how to live and to make it possible for us to return to live with him again.  We are so grateful for the birth of our Savior and as we go through out this Christmas Season, we hope that each of us will remember the gift that was given to each of us from our loving Heavenly Father.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Everyone!
Love,
The Burke's

Black Friday 2011

I am recording this experience that happened to me for my kids to know what a adventure I had on Black Friday this year,  And just so you readers know, I did not get hurt and am ok.

I had told my sister W~ that I would go to Black Friday with her this year to help get the stuff.  Now just so you know I have done Black Friday a few times but it was not something that we grew up with, as our parents did not do it and I had not done it for 3 years when I was 32 weeks pregnant with the twins and went to Joann's with my mother in law (who I missed having with me this year!).  After talking with my other sisters we decided to divide and conquer at certain stores.  W~ and I got to Wal Mart just before 9pm.

Our closets Wal Mart is a smaller one, not a full super center.  Wal Mart did not close down so we were able to walk in and stand by our items.  At 10 pm they told we could touch the items we wanted.  I was right at the front of the display and reached down to get the two Wii Games that I wanted  and I got pushed down to the floor.  I couldn't get up because of how many people were crowded in on me.  I didn't get hurt other then when you bump your knee.  It was more scary then anything and it made me think of the stories in past years of people getting trampled to death.  But I got the games that I was trying to get and all was well other then being shook up a little!

 We got a couple of other items that we wanted and as we were standing in line back in the garden section to check out we noticed someone had put some cute Disney Princess Barbies in the cd bin, so we grabbed them for the girls for Christmas.  We were out of the store by 11pm and on our way home.

I got home and visited with my mom who had stayed the night so I could go out again in the morning and Dan could go to work.

I went to bed and got up at 5am and got to Joann's Fabric store and stood in line.  I was able to get the fleece that I wanted for the kids and then waited 1hr 20 min to get it cut. I really was missing my mother in law while I waited and was thinking of our shopping trip 3 years ago.  I even sent her text to let her know I was thinking of her!

Once I was cut (3 fabrics was all I had compared to peoples 25 or so) I walked right up to the cash register and paid and then I drove by Target which I knew there was a few items that W~ and I wanted there, but after Wal Mart we had decided to take our chances that there would be some later.  There was hardly any cars at Target so I went in.  I saw more employees then I did customers.  Target had opened at 12am.

I found what W~ and I had wanted and then a few other things to finish my Christmas shopping.  It was a lot less stressful waiting to go in 8 hrs after they had opened even though they might not have had the items that we wanted, but they did.

I was home by 9am and then the kids helped me put the lights on the tree and decorate the tree.

Now all my gifts are bought and I just need to finish making a few gifts and then mail the two gifts that need to be mailed out of state.

I am excited for the gifts that I was able to do for Family and Friends!  I really did try to think about each of them and what they might like!

I hope you all had a Great Thanksgiving and a great holiday season!

Annette

Christmas 2010 Pictures

Here is our Christmas pictures from 2010.  Sorry it took me so long to get them posted.

Slice of Life # 31 ~ Traditions

Growing up we always went caroling to the families in our neighborhood and to some of my parents close friends, who sometimes this was the only time of year they saw them.  One of my favorites was the "Coca~Cola" House.  This was a friend of my parents who had worked for Coca Cola and had quite the collection of memorabilia.

Growing up I remember between Christmas Eve and New Years Day we would have a Japanese Dinner. As I got older it became a Christmas Eve Tradition.  I love this tradition.  My Dad served his mission in Japan and this is the one time a year that he makes a Japanese dinner of some of his favorite meals when he was there.

When I went away to college I was a 12 hour drive to home and a 2 hour flight home.  I made the chose to only come home for Christmas while I lived away.  I did come home 2 of my three summers for a week or two, but never for Thanksgiving, or anything like that.  When I went on my mission I left in Aug and came home in Jan, so that meant I missed two Christmas's away from home.  That first Christmas was hard as I had never been away from home for Christmas.  When my company Sister Wadley and I arrived at the Bishop's home for dinner on Christmas Eve, I was pleasantly surprised that we were having a Japanese dinner, just like I would have if I had been home.  The Bishop was of Japanese descent and this was one of their family traditions too.  They didn't know that it was a tradition in my home to have this meal, so it really made my being gone for my 1st Christmas that much more easier for me.

It has been 11 years since that Christmas, as in Jan I will have been home from my mission for 10 years.  Boy the time sure flies.  I have missed a few of these dinners in the last 6 years as I have not lived close enough to come home for Christmas, but I am looking forward to it again this year!

I hope you all have a great Christmas and enjoy doing your own traditions!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

This was done for Slice of Life entry.  Please feel free to join us here.

2010 Christmas Card

Tree Cutting

Here is some pictures from going Christmas tree cutting with Nana and Papa Jack on Thanksgiving Day.  We also got to join Uncle Nick and Aunt Alysha and cousin Leo as they were cutting down their tree too.  Maybe next year we will get a real tree with them.

Christmas 2009 Pictures

We had such fun with my parents and most of my sister's and their families. I am sad I didn't take more pictures, that is my New Years Resolution to be better at taking pictures.

Christmas Newletter 2009

Hello Everyone,

As 2009 is drawing to a close we decided to do our Christmas Newsletter online this year to save trees and money, and it is the off year as we have done cards and newsletter's every two years.

This year has been a busy one for us, on Jan 20, 2009 we welcomed two beautiful addition's to our family,
Ruth Lois  was born at 4:17 pm and weight 5 lb 13 oz,  Irene Marlyn was born at 4:21 pm and weight 6 lb 2 oz.

We were really lucky to have Netty's parents move to Washington in Dec 2008 and her mom came and stayed with us for a month while Dan's parents (who we were living with) were out of town for a week. It was great to have both mom's at the hospital when these two little angles were born.  Because Dan loves Netty so much he couldn't handle being in the room when the c-section was preformed so Netty was privileged to have her mother there in the room with her and she got to cut the cord too.  What a blessing that was, Grandma Burke was with Netty when Jennilyn was born and Grandma Dillon was with her when the twins were born.  The girls did great and they all got to come home a few days later.  Then Grandma Dillon took Dillon and Jennilyn to Great-Grandma Alcorn's house for 3 weeks while mommy and the twins got adjusted.

In March Dan's job with CompuCom took a change and he was traveling quite a bit, he was gone from 3-7 weeks at a time without coming home at all, thins was a challenge for Netty, but we realized how much we missed him when he was gone so much.

In May we decided to move out of the basement of Dan's parents home and back into our own place, Dan was of course out of town again and we did it the day before Netty's birthday.  But we chose a place that was still close to Dan's parents so that if Netty needed the help it was still close by.

A week after moving in Netty traveled to Kennewick, WA were her grandparents live and then traveled with her mom to Utah for a visit since she hadn't been home since her sister Wendy's wedding 2 1/2 years earlier.  The kids did great with the traveling, they drove all night and it went very well.  The trip happened to collated with the Leo Dillon family Reunion, it was great to get to see everyone and show off her kids to everyone.  Thanks to all the cousins who helped with the babies that day, seeing you do that reminded me of how when I was your age I was the one on hand to help with the babies, it is fun to see things come full circle.

On June 3 just 3 days before Netty and the kids were to travel home, Netty was buckling some of the kids into the van and went to step out of the van to get the other kids and lost her footing and fell and broke both bones in her right arm.  This was the first time she has ever broken a bone.  It was a long recovery, and she has finally regained most of the use of her arm and hand, somethings are still hard for her to do.  And a big thanks go's out to her mom for coming and staying with her for 6 weeks as Dan was out of town during most of that time.  It was a challenge having 6 month old twins and not being able to take care of them.

In August  Netty saw that her cousin had posted on facebook that he was in need of a computer tech, so she told Dan to apply for the job, he did and the end of Aug he had two phone interviews and was hired, that meant a move back to Salt Lake City which put us close to her family.   Dan left Sept 11 and Netty and the kids came down Oct 1.  We are loving our new home in Midvale, UT, what is great is that we only live 1 1/2 miles from Dan's work, he comes home for lunch almost daily and he is at home at nights and on the weekends, which the kids and Netty are loving! :~)

Well as for the kids, they have been busy growing and learning each day.  Dillon is 4 and loves cars and airplanes he is still slow with talking and is in preschool, which seems to be helping and he loves getting on the school bus.  Jennilyn is 2 going on 16 with her love to talk, and to wear dresses.  The girl lives in the dresses the more frillier the better! We are working on potty training both Dillon and Jennilyn, but are not having much success yet. Ruth and Irene are 11 months old.  They are both crawling and into everything and  it is fun to watch them eat.  Ruth is very clean and Irene shoves the food into her mouth as quickly as she can. Ruth now has 7 teeth and Irene has 6 teeth.  Ruth took her first step Dec 15th.  Irene isn't quite there, but Irene  crawled first so it looks like Ruth will walk first.

Well we hope this finds all of you well and that you have a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
May you remember the Reason for the Season, and that the Lord does answer prayers, he has answered many of ours this year in which we are truly grateful for.

With all our love,
Dan, Annette (Netty), Dillon, Jennilyn, Ruth & Irene Burke

Traditions: Christmas trees & Ornaments

I thought this was interesting to read about the traditions of Christmas Trees.  Enjoy!  :~)

Traditions: Christmas Trees and Ornaments The fir tree has a long association with Christianity, it began in Germany almost 1,000 years ago when St Boniface, who converted the German people to Christianity, was said to have come across a group of pagans worshipping an oak tree. In anger, St Boniface is said to have cut down the oak tree and to his amazement a young fir tree sprung up from the roots of the oak tree. St Boniface took this as a sign of the Christian faith. But it was not until the 16th century that fir trees were brought indoors at Christmas time. CHRISTMAS TREE TRADITION HAS ANCIENT ORIGINS King Tut never saw a Christmas tree, but he would have understood the tradition which traces back long before the first Christmas, says David Robson, Extension Educator, Horticulture with the Springfield Extension Center. The Egyptians were part of a long line of cultures that treasured and worshipped evergreens. When the winter solstice arrive, they brought green date palm leaves into their homes to symbolize life's triumph over death. The Romans celebrated the winter solstice with a fest called Saturnalia in honor of Saturnus, the god of agriculture. They decorated their houses with greens and lights and exchanged gifts. They gave coins for prosperity, pastries for happiness, and lamps to light one's journey through life. Centuries ago in Great Britain, woods priests called Druids used evergreens during mysterious winter solstice rituals. The Druids used holly and mistletoe as symbols of eternal life, and place evergreen branches over doors to keep away evil spirits. Late in the Middle Ages, Germans and Scandinavians placed evergreen trees inside their homes or just outside their doors to show their hope in the forthcoming spring. Our modern Christmas tree evolved from these early traditions. Legend has it that Martin Luther began the tradition of decorating trees to celebrate Christmas. One crisp Christmas Eve, about the year 1500, he was walking through snow-covered woods and was struck by the beauty of a group of small evergreens. Their branches, dusted with snow, shimmered in the moonlight. When he got home, he set up a little fir tree indoors so he could share this story with his children. He decorated it with candles, which he lighted in honor of Christ's birth. The Christmas tree tradition most likely came to the United States with Hessian troops during the American Revolution, or with German immigrants to Pennsylvania and Ohio, adds Robson. But the custom spread slowly. The Puritans banned Christmas in New England. Even as late as 1851, a Cleveland minister nearly lost his job because he allowed a tree in his church. Schools in Boston stayed open on Christmas Day through 1870, and sometimes expelled students who stayed home. The Christmas tree market was born in 1851 when Catskill farmer Mark Carr hauled two ox sleds of evergreens into New York City and sold them all. By 1900, one in five American families had a Christmas tree, and 20 years later, the custom was nearly universal. Christmas tree farms sprang up during the depression. Nurserymen couldn't sell their evergreens for landscaping, so they cut them for Christmas trees. Cultivated trees were preferred because they have a more symmetrical shape then wild ones. Six species account for about 90 percent of the nation's Christmas tree trade. Scotch pine ranks first, comprising about 40 percent of the market, followed by Douglas fir which accounts for about 35 percent. The other big sellers are noble fir, white pine, balsam fir and white spruce. Premission was granted for Internet use by --- Written by: David Robson, Extension Educator, Horticulture; Springfield Extension Center CHRISTMAS TREE HISTORY Did a celebration around a Christmas tree on a bitter cold Christmas Eve at Trenton, New Jersey, turn the tide for Colonial forces in 1776? According to legend, Hessian mercenaries were so reminded of home by a candlelit evergreen tree that they abandoned their guardposts to eat, drink and be merry. Washington attacked that night and defeated them. The Christmas tree has gone through a long process of development rich in many legends, says David Robson, Extension Educator, Horticulture, with the Springfield Extension Center. Some historians trace the lighted Christmas tree to Martin Luther. He attached lighted candles to a small evergreen tree, trying to simulate the reflections of the starlit heaven -- the heaven that looked down over Bethlehem on the first Christmas Eve. Until about 1700, the use of Christmas trees appears to have been confined to the Rhine River District. From 1700 on, when lights were accepted as part of the decorations, the Christmas tree was well on its way to becoming a tradition in Germany. Then the tradition crossed the Atlantic with the Hessian soldiers. Some people trace the origin of the Christmas tree to an earlier period. Even before the Christian era, trees and boughs were used for ceremonials. Egyptians, in celebrating the winter solstice -- the shortest day of the year -- brought green date palms into their homes as a symbol of "life triumphant over death". When the Romans observed the feast of saturn, part of the ceremony was the raising of an evergreen bough. The early Scandinavians were said to have paid homage to the fir tree. To the Druids, sprigs of evergreen holly in the house meant eternal life; while to the Norsemen, they symbolized the revival of the sun god Balder. To those inclined toward superstition, branches of evergreens placed over the door kept out witches, ghosts, evil spirits and the like. This use does not mean that our Christmas tree custom evolved solely from paganism, any more than did some of the present-day use of sighed in various religious rituals. Trees and branches can be made purposeful as well as symbolic. The Christmas tree is a symbol of a living Christmas spirit and brings into our lives a pleasant aroma of the forest. The fact that balsam fir twigs, more than any other evergreen twigs, resemble crosses may have had much to do with the early popularity of balsam fir used as Christmas trees. Written by: David Robson Extension Educator, Horticulture Springfield Extension Center

One of my favorite Christmas Books

I have been following a blog for one of my favorite authors Anita Stansfield it is  http://unofficialanita.blogspot.com  They do different contest from time to time to allow some of us to bring into our collection some of the out of print books.  The challenge for this time is to post on our blog about the book A Christmas Melody .  I am now onto my second copy of this book, my mother gave me the first one many years ago when it first came out ( a friend gave me the second one a few years later, and I just held onto it), and I have read it many times.  It reminds me that we can rise above the challenages that we were born into and make a different in our lives.  As I think about it Melody(one of the main charactors) rises above an abuseive home and background as she strives to live the gospel with her "Warrior Angels" there to protect her.  I was raised in a very loving home and am so greatful to my parents for the love and surrport they have giving me through the years, but I think sometimes we have to rise above other challenges~physicall, emortional, mental, spritial~ and they can be just as hard as the lifestyle challenges.  For me I have had the physical challenge of being hearing imparied, which has brought on it's own challenges with no friends at times, feeling left out of everything, being the one that people joked about.  At times I went to church because I knew that was were I was surposse to be.  And because of that I found the Atonement of Jesus Christ, I had a desire to serve a mission and share that love.  I will never forget the experiances that I had on my mission in San Bernardino, CA.  It has been 10 years since I left and it seems hard to belive that it has been that long.  But I wouldn't trade my knowlege of the Atonement and the peace and comfort it has brought in my life for anything.  I am grateful for my family and friends who have been there to surrport me through the years and have become my very best friends as well as the Savior.  Thanks Anita for writing a great book.  I have enjoyed your books for quite a long time.
Until Next Time...

Dillon has three surviving great-grandmothers at the moment. On Christmas Eve, Great-Grandma Burke got see her newest great-grandchild, pictured here. It was a great party, but Dillon slept through most of it, noisy adults and children alike.

From his great-grandma, he received a cute, christmas teddy bear.

Of interest was his cousin Nathan stopping into a room where Dillon and my wife were for a moments feeding. Although Dillon was hidden from view by a blanket, he pointed over there and told the other boy with him that it was his cousin Dillon. They then promptly left. This was significant to my wife. It was cool to see the four-year-old boy proudly declare his relation to the baby.

We are hoping to visit another of his great-grandmothers for New Year's Eve. With a wedding or two planned for Annette's family this next year, hopefully Dillon will get a picture or two snapped of him with his surviving great-grandmother on his mom's side. So, the Lord willing, he will get at least one picture snapped with each of his three surviving great-grandmothers.