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

Camping with Papa Jack and Nana!

We went camping this Father's Day weekend.  We didn't get a lot of pictures, but here are a few that I took.  We had a good time even if Dan and I are sun burnt and we forgot to put sunscreen on when we went swimming!

Kids playing in the dirt!

Our Tent with our double stroller and my sister's double stroller.  With all the walking we had to do they were a life saver!

More time in the dirt!  Irene was being stubborn and didn't want to wear her jacket!

Papa and Nana's cabin

Uncle Nick's cabin

Beautiful up here!

Dan and the girls playing in the rocks!

Jennilyn playing with her cousin's toys

Irene giving Ruth a ride

Ruth giving Irene a ride!

Dillon has taken to the water this year!

Waiting to go in!

Irene

Ruth

Dan getting ready to go in the pool!

Netty and three of the kids!

Netty and all of the kids, this is were she wishes she had the sunscreen on!

This picture was taken on our way home.  It is a bad picture but off in the distance is a plane that crashed while we were there.  My mom saw the life flight fly away as she was headed back up to camp on Saturday.

We had a lot of fun with Nana and Papa Jack!  Thanks for having us up!  We hope to do it again sometime soon!

Slice of Life # 44 ~ Famous Places

This weeks Slice of Life is Famous Places that we have visited.  How Ironic that this was the prompt for this week, as I have been thinking about this trip, and had just sent a request to some of my family asking for pictures, as I seem to have lost mine.


It is July 2001, I had just come home from my mission a few months before and the "Jack Dillon Clan" set out on a adventure of our life.  This is one of my most memorable family vacations.  You see most of our family vacations were camping or going to Washington to visit family, we did go to Disneyland when I was 14, but that is the only time I have ever been there.


Back to July 2001.  My parents and my 4 sisters and myself headed to Buffalo, New York on an airplane and then we rented two mid-size cars, to fit all of us and we started our driving tour of the East Coast.  We then ventured to Niagara Falls, going over into Canada and raiding the Maid of the Mist right up to the falls, oh that was so worth the trip!  We then traveled to Rochester, NY and the next day spent the day in Palmyra, NY and saw the Hill Cumorah Pageant.  We then traveled to New York City, our hotel was on the New Jersey side, and we were running late to get to our Broadway play of  Les Misérables, wonderful play, we took the subway from New Jersey into the World Trade Center, and since we were running late we decided not to ride to the top of the World Trade Center.  This was July 11, 2001, just two months before they fell.

The next day we went to the Statute of Liberty.
The line was so long to get into it and then it was so long to wait for the elevator to go up.  But here is the kicker, you can ride the elevator up, but you had to walk the 23 flights of stairs down, unless you had some kind of disability that would let you ride it down.  Well my family decided we had had enough of waiting in line as we had already waited for about 2 hours just to get inside by the gift shop, we decided to climb the 23 flights of stairs up and then the 23 flights of stairs down!  We still made it to the top before some of the other people we had been waiting in line with did.  


We also went to Elise Island and then we made our way to Gettysburg, Washington DC were we saw the sights, some of my sisters spent a lot of time in the Holocaust museum.   Then Jaclyn and I left everyone else at the National Scouting Jamboree, and we went and saw Williamsburg, Bush Gardens, and the Washington DC Temple before we went home. And Mom, Dad, Emily, Wendy, and Alysha visited those sights before they came home three weeks later.  Emily ended up meeting her husband to be at the Jamboree, so I think it was more memorable for all of us because of that!


I still want to go back to New York and see some of the other sites that we just didn't have the time for and get in another play, maybe one day Dan and I can do this type of trip with our kids.  It will be one that I will never forget.  Of course I can't find any of my pictures from this trip as this is before I got a digital camera.


I want to say Thank You to my Mom and Dad for taking us on this grand adventure to so many famous places!  The best part I think is that since we were all ranging in age from 23-16 that we will all remember this trip!
Thanks Again Mom and Dad for all the wonderful memories from not only this trip, but other family vacations.  

Slice of Life # 43~ Illness

I can say that illnesses have been in my life a few times.

When I was 4 I tested positive for TB, but never really had all the symptoms of it.  I did spend some time in the hospital just to make sure.  I remember receiving a pretty pink doll to keep me company.  I then had to take medicine for 6 months when I went to go on my mission, just to make sure.

When I was 12 I missed two weeks of school because I had a bad case of bronchitics.  I remember my dad taking me to the doctor and they couldn't get a blood pressure reading.

When I was 14 I started getting really sick and tired all the time.  I would sleep all day be up for two hours and then sleep all night.  We found out that I had mono, and no I didn't get it from kissing a boy.  They told us  I could of picked it up from a drinking fountain at school.  It got so bad that by Oct, I was pulled out of school and did home school until we went back to school from Christmas break.  I remember my doctor at the time wanted to give me shots to help my energy.  I had to have a really big needle in my bottom every two weeks.  It seemed to help.  I was told I will always have mono, just it may not be active.  As a result most of my sisters also ended up with mono, just not as bad.

There have been more, but I think the one I will remember the most was 5 years ago.  In March 2006 we found out we were pregnant with baby #2.  Dillon was just 4 months old.  I went to Spokane, WA in April 2006 to spend two weeks with my in-laws, and then go to Utah and spend two weeks with my parents and attend my baby sister's wedding in the Salt Lake City Temple.  While I was in Spokane, I stared cramping and bleeding.  I went into the ER and they said I was miscarrying, but couldn't find the baby during the ultrasound.  After a day the bleeding stopped and everything seemed fine until one week later, I had gone onto Utah and the day before my sister's wedding I started to hurt and have a bad case of diarrhea, I thought I had eaten some bad Chinese food when we had gone out to dinner.  During the night, I was staying with my friend Jamie, and I was cramping so bad, I got up to go talk to Jamie and I passed out onto the floor.  Dillon was sleeping on some blankets made into a bed on the floor, I am lucky I didn't pass out and fall on top of him.  When I came too I went into Jamie's room and had her call my dad.  Dad and Grandpa Alcorn came and gave me a blessing.  I then was able to sleep, but by morning I was in so much pain.  My dad came back and took me to urgent care.  They took my blood work and said my white blood cell count was sky rocket, I had internal bleeding, which is why I had passed out.  They sent me straight to the hosptial.  I was told I had a ruptured tubal pregnancy.  I had lost one of my tubes.  We called Dan, but he was in New York working, and it took us a while to get a hold of him.  By the time it was done there was nothing he could do, so he stayed and continued to work, so we didn't miss out on the income he was providing.  My dad stayed with me until he had to go to the wedding, and then came back until he was needed at the wedding reception.  They moved me to surgery just after my dad left.  Jamie stayed with me and some family friends had Dillon with them.  As they moved me to the operating table I passed out from the pain again.  When I came too after the surgery, I looked at the clock, and told Jamie, well we missed the wedding.  I ended up staying with my parents for two extra weeks before I went home as the doctor wouldn't clear me for travel until then.  I made it back home to Dan after having been gone for 6 weeks just a couple days after my birthday.  We have gone on to have 2 more pregnancies since this happened.  We now have Dillon, Jennilyn, and the twins Ruth and Irene.  It is a miracle that I had twins since I only have one tube, but I am grateful for them.  When I recently had a miscarriage a month ago, my new doctor was being very cautious because he didn't want me to have to go through this ordeal again.  I am glad I found someone I could trust and who is looking out for me.

Well this is one long post for Slice of Life, but I am glad that I have recorded it, and if I have have my post printed into a book, at least it is recorded for my children to know about my life.

Slice of Life # 35 ~ The Family Business

1960's a little boy wants a horse.  His parents told him he needed to save his money for one.  So everyday Monday- Saturday he would get up with his Dad at the crack of dawn and go work for Mr. Skinner in his orchards picking fruit.  His Dad would help him for awhile until it was time for him to go to work, and then he would spend the day picking by himself, until Dad came back after his job.  It took a couple of years, but he finally got his horse.

This is what my Dad did when he was young.  He kept that horse until I was just a baby then he sold it.  This has taught me a lot about hard work.  We can do anything we set our mind to.  Sometimes it is hard to keep the faith and keep working hard so we can have what we want, but if we keep at it, we can achieve our dreams!

Thanks Dad for setting the example to us, that we can do anything we set our minds too.  Love you!

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A Year in Review with the Burke's & Our Christmas Card

Wow, the year has flown by!  I can't believe it is already December and we are counting down the days until we go to Nana and Papa's house! (Annette's parents).

Here is the Year in Review for us!

January~ We celebrated the twins 1st Birthday with a party and lots of cake!

February ~ The Ruth took off walking and Irene was walking around on her knees!

March~ We celebrated Dan's 37th Birthday.  Dillon and Jennilyn started to Potty Train! Yea for Mommy now this next year hopefully we will see the twins also Potty Train! And Annette and the kids went to Ashton, ID to visit Dan's sister Marsha and her family over Spring Break, ended up driving in a Blizzard coming back home, thanks to her cousin Beau and his wife Joanne for housing us for a couple of hours while we waited out the storm.

April~ Dan took his first business trip to Kentucky, and there is at least two more scheduled for this next year!  Irene took off walking, now with all 4 kids walking you would think I could walk to the van without carrying a child, but 9 times out of 10 the twins still want to be carried to the van!

May~Annette turned 32 in May and we had fun getting out for walks with the kids!

June~ Found us going to back to Ashton, Idaho for a quick trip to see Dan's parents and younger brother and play with the cousins.  We also got to go to the Aquarium with Papa Jack and all of our cousins on mommy's side.

July~ Found us going on our first Airplane ride as a family!  Dillon hadn't been on an airplane since he was 11 months old.  And none of the girls had ever been on one.  We flew to Minnesota for a special Family Reunion and for Dan's cousin Beckie's wedding.  What fun we had spending time with the Great-Grandma's and letting Dan's grandma's and sisters who had never meet the twins meet them for the first time! Dan had to fly back early so Grandma Burke flew back with us!

August ~ Jennilyn turned 3.  Dillon started his 2nd year of pre-school. We also went to the Church History Museum to see the "I am a child of God" exhibit, before it was taken down for good.  We road TRAX for the first time.  The kids seem to enjoy it.

September~ Just found us busy with Dillon in school and going to the park.

October~ Found us with our 1st annual membership to Thanksgiving Point.  We went to the Dinosaur museum, the Children's Garden and to the Farm Country.  We also enjoyed going Trick or Treating with our cousins.  Dan and Annette celebrated 6 years of marriage.

November~ Dillon turned 5 and then the kids went and spent a week with Nana and Papa Jack.  Dan and Annette got to go see their 1st movie in the IMAX, they saw Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 of course.  Then Annette went down to spend the week with the kids and Dan came down the night before Thanksgiving.  We had a great Thanksgiving at Nana and Papa Jack's house with Uncle Nick, Aunt Alysha, Uncle Josh, Aunt Wendy and cousins Leo, Cole, and Jack.  We even went out with Nana and Papa Jack and Uncle Nick and Aunt Alysha hikeing in the woods looking for a Christmas Tree.  We are thinking next year we want to do this for ourselves.  It was so much fun!

December~ Has found us down to one car.  We decided after Dan's car didn't pass the state Safety Test to sell his car.  We sold it in 2 hours.  It was sad for Dan to see it gone after having it for 17 years, but now he is getting his exercise in walking a mile to work and a mile back each day.

We have had a great year and are Thankful for all of our blessings.  We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

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!

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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.

Aquarium

In April Papa Jack took us and our cousins to the Aquarium in Sandy, UT.  We had wanted to go to the zoo, but the weather wasn't cooperating so this was our backup choice.  We had fun with Aunt Wendy and cousin Jack, Aunt Emily & Uncle Squire and cousins Jonny & Steven,  and cousins Christopher and Sammy (which I didn't get any good pictures of them.)  And Aunt Alysha came to town with Leo and Cole so we had all the cousins but cousin Matt with us. Thanks Papa Jack for taking us we had fun!

Wheeler Farm

We went to Wheeler Farm for Memorial Day this year.  We were joined by Papa Jack, Nana Marlyn, Aunt Emily, cousin Jonny & Steven and cousins Christopher and Sammy.  We had fun on the hayride, petting the horses, sheep, seeing turkey's pigs, cows, chickens, pony's and feeding the ducks.  Thanks for joining us for a picnic and having some fun!  Hope you didn't get too sunburned.

Having Fun!

Well we came back down to my grandparents on Monday and have been having fun with my parents, and two of my nephews, Jonny & Leo.

Dan was asked to stay in Ohio until May 30th so we are sad that he is gone. We are going to go to Utah to visit family and friends the end of May and I am excited about that.

We are also moving into our own place next week. I am excited to have my own space again.

Some pics of the twins

Well we blessed the babies on March 1st. We had family from Kennewick, WA and Ashton, ID come for it. I have two sets of twin cousins and one set of them Bryce and Chase came to the blessing so we took some pictures of the twins with them and me since I am a twin myself. I also got a 4 generation picture with my grandparents and my mom. Also Dan fell asleep rocking the twins while he let me get some sleep. I am grateful that he is willing to do that once in a while. Dan is gone to Louisiana with a job until Mar 29th so I will not see him for a total of 3 weeks. But we are surviving

My mother in law Nova made the dresses, booties, and hats that the girls are wearing.

Thank you so much for making them. I will treasure them for the girls forever. Now Jennilyn has one that was made by my mom and Dillon has a boy one made by mom. Thank You both for everything this last few months. I love both of you and appreciate all you both do for me.