HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I was so glad to say goodbye to 2008!!! This has been a year...a year of lots of good things, don't get me wrong...but a year that started and ended hard. I went back through my blog to see all the things that filled our year...it was nice to reflect. I am ready to start 2009 fresh and energized!
Our New Year's Eve day and night did not go as we had planned. We found out the day before that we were going to DJ the Moreno Valley stake youth dance..what the?? haha (: So I told Dave that we would both go and do it together...got to be with my love
and get my New Years kiss!!
The youth of the Moreno Valley stake had a hard morning and said goodbye to a dear friend Gabe Deyo. He passed away on December 23rd, 2008 and his funeral was on New Years Eve. We knew that the youth would be in wierd sorts. It made for a strange day for them...and for us too. The Priests in his ward were his pallbearers and the YM and YW sang at his funeral. Gabe was a sweet and good kid...and he will be dearly missed. I have a few memories of him that I will now hold dear to my heart. We continue to pray for his parents and family.
I am always impressed by the youth of the church and so grateful that I have had many opportunites to be around them and learn from them. We figured that they would not be in the mood to party like its 1999...but we were wrong. They took the week and the morning to reflect and say goodbye to their dear friend. And then when it came time to come to the dance and to be with each other and other kids form various stakes, they celebrated the year and looked onto 2009. I think that this is how Gabe would've wanted it...to have fun...to LIVE.
The dance was fun...the kids were great...it was a great conclusion to 2008. And I got to be with my love...Dave makes it easier to live and to be...we are enjoying our journey...and hope the best is yet to come...

At least there were party favors...oh and Martenelli's! (:

Our view...through the lights and fog...the youth dancing to the Cha Cha Slide...

A boy and his love...Shamu...

David's Dad's Gift...

David's Dad gave all of his kids a copy of the picture he drew of the Savior. He has been working on it for the last part of the year and wanted it ready to give to us for Christmas. He calls it "his legacy". He has always been a great artist, but none of us have any of his work. We all were so excited to recieve such a special gift. It is hard to tell, but the picture of Christ is made of all dots. It was a special Christmas gift.

Santa Claus came to the Grogan's!

We had a great Christmas morning with the kids at Dave's Mom and Dad's. The kids were very excited about the treasures that Santa had brought them this year. Santa brought the kids Guitar hero...and let me tell you...it rocks! Dave and I have played it more than the kids and now see the screen of notes in our head as we listen to music. Later in the day Dave's brother and sister came over with their famlies. We had a fun time playing cards and beign together. It was a great Christmas!

The best Christmas gift this year...

My family..the Campbells, recieved the best Christmas present this year...a package from Jessica. She made us wait until Christmas Eve to open it...and yes we listened. (: My Mom had the honors of opening the package and reading the letter. Which is a very hard task to take on. We opened it and inside she had a small treasure for everyone. the best treasure was a DVD that she made for us. We were all missing her as we read the letter and saw our gifts, but as we watched the DVD we realized that she is were she needs to be. She is having so much fun and learning so much. And we don't miss as much...well kind of. Spain looks amazing! Her Spanish is so good too...though she says it needs alot of work. We are all so proud of her!

My Dad holding the special package.


My Mom reading the letter..it was so thoughtful and very special.


The package our gift came in


"Dennis the Menace" with his Granada slingshot


Our bracelets...all of us sisters got one..we are just missing Allison


Samantha with her fan..well it was mine...she thought she should have it...


There she is...Hermana Campbell


The beautiful scarf that Jessica gave my Mom.


Tiny screen...and alot of people...


So Jessica...funny girl...was filming and thought if she turned her camera that it would autocorrect...but it didn't so we had to turn the screen to see it the right way.


The Campbell's...minus a few