Merry Christmas 2011

What a year this has been!!
Our big news is that we bought a house!!! So that is why this Christmas blog post will be the extent of our holiday sharing this year. Maybe I'll bring around 4th of July goodies to the neighbors next year to make up for my lack of holiday giving this time! :)
We have really enjoyed living here and we're going to miss our friends so very much! But it's nice to know that we're settling down for a long time. And a great thing about the house is that we'll have a guest bedroom!! And a big basement where kids can sleep, so we have room for visitors!!! Here's a photo of the front & one of the view off the deck in the backyard.


Lance has been working a lot this year at Ascend Recovery and now has the opportunity to cut back his hours there and build up his private practice in Saratoga Springs. We've been working towards this decision for years, and now we have a lot of motivation to make it work. We're excited for him to be working so close to our new home--it's only 9 minutes away, and hope to see him a little more often. Check out his website at onegreatmarriage.com & refer your friends!!! He's also getting closer to finishing his dissertation and we hope to be able to call him Dr. Dome later this year. Earlier in the year, Lance's cousin Ryan came to live in Utah and it's been so nice to have him close.


Shiree has been busy with the kids & being the CEO of our home. She really enjoyed her calling as visiting teaching coordinator and getting to meet so many people in the neighborhood. She was surprised in September to be released from that calling & called as the secretary in the Young Women's organization. She had a delightful and VERY busy 3 months before being released in December. Her sister Tracy, and their family moved to Utah at the beginning of the year & it's been so wonderful to have them close. Joe & Rich also live in Utah and we've been able to hang out some. After 10 years of all living in different states, it's great to be together again. We also had a visit from Laura, Alexia & Thomas Dickinson during the summer. We had a great time visiting lots of fun places and spending time with them.




Jenny finished up 4th grade & started 5th. She turned 10 in June & Shiree about had a heart attack!! She likes to read books, especially about cats & dragons. She loves all animals and she couldn't pick a favorite if she were asked. She loves spending time with her friends & her pets. She can't wait for us to get a dog sometime soon. Her favorite colors are purple & blue. She likes to draw & write stories. She's really great at helping with Becca & reading to Daniel. She's excited to move & meet new friends, as well as keep her old ones. She's very outgoing & fun & we're blessed to have her in our family.


Alex had a great year at Fox Hollow Elementary school. He finished 2nd grade & started 3rd & has really enjoyed his classes. He likes to eat food, play with his friends, play video games & read. His favorite books are Garfield comics, Hot Dog & Bob series & a lot of picture books. He turned 8 in May & was baptized by his dad soon after. He started cub scouts & loves it so much!! Shiree got to go with him to a scout day camp and they had a great time!! He has his bobcat, some belt loops and is working on his wolf. He's excited to have his own bedroom in our new house, but not that happy about changing schools, wards or scout troops. He's a happy kid & we're so glad he's in our family!!



Daniel started Kindergarten this year! He has 3 best friends in his class & about 5 more that ride the bus with him. It's so fun to have this gang of 5 yr old boys pop around from house to house after school every day. Shiree is really going to miss that when we move! He's learning to read & loves Gerald & Piggie books as well as anything electronic. He loves to play sports & played soccer & flag football this year. He can't decide which sport he likes the best, as long as there is a ball involved, he's happy. He also just told me, "I like to eat healthy food so I don't die. And I like my family." --glad to hear it! He is a sweet boy & Shiree is glad that she gets him home with her still for part of the day.



Becca is the queen of the castle. She is 2 1/2, the fourth child, and the "baby" and she knows it & uses it to her advantage. She loves, loves, loves to dance & she has so much character! She has to wear her pink skirt over her pants every day--and it's the same pink skirt every day. She loves to read and sing & she's just so much fun to have around. She's learning to play pretend and sometimes can be very demanding of attention, but other times she'll play by herself happily. Shiree is really thankful that she's still home with her all day, for a little while longer.


We were blessed to be able to take a family vacation in September to Maine to be with Lance's mom's family for his grandmother's 90th birthday celebration! We had a wonderful time "camping" in cabins beside a lake & visiting lighthouses & beaches & just relaxing. It was so nice to spend time with his family as they live so far away.



We've really had a wonderful year and have been very blessed. We are thankful for this time of year when we all remember the birth of the Savior, his life and teachings. We love you & are thankful for your friendship!

Love,
The Domes