Christmas Newsletter 2008

Well, another year has passed and we have decided to "get with the digital age" and put our christmas newsletter on the web! 2008 has been a year of amazing blessing for our family that still leaves us humbled. This year started with Marshall working as a marketing intern for The Toro Company's consumer irrigation division. He had a lot of fun and if you go to Home Depot and look for the Toro LawnMaster II sprinkler timer, the packaging design was coordinated by him. (he's obviously proud about the project) In April Marshall's internship ended and he got a job with the world's largest GIS (Geographic Information System) software company, ESRI. He is a marketing coordinator for the transportation division which he has really enjoyed.

In April, we were blessed to be able to purchase our first home in Beaumont, California. We absolutely love the house, neighborhood, and community in which we are surrounded. We have also been blessed to have Leslie's sister, Brandie, living with us while she attends Physical Therapy Assistant school at Loma Linda University. The kids love having her around and she is doing very well in her studies. (so far straight A's!!!)

Leslie has been very involved with activities that have helped in the educational development of J.T. and Ashtyn. She, with other moms in the area, has started a "Joy School" that uses the resources of the local library to teach basic concepts to J.T. and three other children his age. The moms rotate teaching weeks and J.T. has loved it! Leslie is also pregnant with our third child and is due March 16th. We chose not to find out the gender of the child, so we will let you know as soon as we do!

J.T. is full of life and love. His favorite activities include: riding his scooter, going to joy school, going to the library (on his scooter, of course), playing with anyone who will play with him, and wrestling with his sister. He is a fantastic older brother and sincerely reminds us that he loves us almost every day. He knows his letters and numbers very well and is always thirsty for knowledge. He can't wait until his time comes to go to school, which won't be for another year and a half as he turns four this February.

Ashtyn will be turning two this January. She has a personality that attracts just about everyone. At times, however, she can be quite feisty and will not hesitate to let you know what she is thinking. She loves "girly" things, especially clothes. Despite her feminine side she has no problem wrestling with J.T. and has a lot of fun rough-housing and playing with cars and trains. She is quite a doll and can easily wrap your heart around her finger. Thanks to her older brother she does pretty well with her letters and numbers as well.

We hope this letter finds you well and want you to know that our best wishes are with you. We are so grateful for the friends and family the Lord has blessed us with. May this holiday season, and the new year, be filled with blessings and joyful memories.

Love,

The Cammacks
Marshall, Leslie, J.T., Ashtyn, and baby #3

Let It Snow!

Snow in Southern California?!? Yup, as you can see we received a light dusting that actually caused the roads to be slushy. It was a lot of fun and the kids were mad they had to come back inside. Don't worry, though, a few days later it was back up to 67 degrees!

Fun with Family

It has been great having Grandpa Cammack come and visit us while working in Mexicali (about 2.5 hours from us, just over the Mexico border) J.T. and Ashtyn give him little rest while here because it is time to play!
This is Janelle at thanksgiving wearing the latest bird fashions straight from Thatcher, Idaho. Who needs Paris or New York?
Ashtyn made a new, and probably her only, dog friend, Roxy at Grandma and Grandpa Sharp's house. She spent quite a bit of time feeding Roxy one piece of dog food at a time with a spoon. Talk about pampering your dog!

Uh-Oh!

What can we say? At least they had fun...while it lasted! Ashtyn is sporting "Apricot Glaze" lipstick, which she obviously thought was hair and body stick. J.T. and Ashtyn also had a lot of fun with Grandma Cammack's package, or rather packaging, as well as every parents worst nightmare to clean in the kitchen... Flour! - Is it possible to ever get it all?

Best Friends

It has been fun watching J.T. and Ashtyn become such great friends. Aside from making our lives a lot easier, it is fun to see their love for one another grow. We are crossing our fingers that this friendship will continue for A LONG time.

JT dragging Ashtyn

Last night while we were talking with Grandma Cammack on the phone, JT was pulling Ashtyn around on her blanket. So upon her request here is the picture. Both of the kids think it is the funniest thing to do ever.

Halloween Costumes

This is the kids in their halloween costumes. I ask JT what he wanted to be for halloween and he said a fireman, so he was a fireman again this year, and Ashtyn is a butterfly fairy. The bottom picture is the window that JT and Ashtyn helped decorate. I was very proud of JT he made two spiders, he traced and cut them out, he also cut out the ghosts. Ashtyn helped trace on the cup and hang them in the window.

Pumkin Patch

This is us at the pumkin patch we had to go the first day it opened! JT looks forward to the pumkin patch all year round. We get to ride the big tracker, see the animals, and of course pick our pumkin.

Grandma & Grandpa Sharps visit

This is Grandma Sharp playing and enjoying her grandkids!

JT's new Friend magazine

After playing on labor day JT grabbed a string cheese from the frig and sat down on the couch to read his Friend magazine. He has loved having it, we've read almost all of the stories and all the pictures are already colored. This is the first one he has received, so I'm sure we will see much more of this.

These are pictures from Labor Day. Ashtyn knows she looks so cute

JT is having a blast doing what most 3 year olds do climbing up the slide rather than going down it.

Best calling ever!!

Okay so I have to say that I have the best calling ever. I teach Relief Society once a month from the Joseph Smith manual. I have the whole month to get inspired about what the lesson is really focusing on. I get to teach from Joseph Smith, my testimony growes from him every month. (If you aren't reading your lessons each week, trust me you should. Just be prepared with a dictionary, Joseph has a big vocabulary for his education. I guess that is what happens when you are educated by God. I did find a word two months ago that wasn't even in my dictionary, maybe if I had one from the 1800's.) Anyway, then the best part is when the spirit takes over all of your study and helps deliver the message from your heart. I love my calling!!

Pictures of JT and Ashtyn

JT finishing off the brownies for the missionaries. He made them almost by himself.
Ashtyn's first hair cut. I know you are wondering if she has enough hair to cut, so I guess I should say style.
I give her a tooth brush to keep her distracted.

JT loves going outside, his cars and trucks usually follow.