Fun In Utah (or newtah if your my child) lotsa pics

We stayed at Great Grandma and Granpda Turners house on the way to Utah and back. the kids and us had a good time with them and it definatley made the trip alot easier to stop.

riding the train thing to slc to see the lights

Berkley Gavin Shai, Brett and Monroe in the stroller

Grandma berk & Gavin- dont know why its fuzzy- this was before I got my new camera

fam in slc

John Marissa kenzie Trenton & Hallie (and berk tring to get in there family picture)

kids decorating cookies

Leah Cam Ike and baby Tyler
Avatar in 3-D the boys liked that movie WAY to much

Merry Christmas Ballerina!

Monroe happy Christmas morning

The Girls with Grandma and grandpa Turner

Grandpa christmas morning

Everyone

berkley and Jacob. Berkley misses her cousins so much and had such a fun time with them. shes been talking about them and Grandma and Grandpa since we got back.

Carson in his camo with gun in hand christmas morning

Berkley in her dress up ballet clothes

Jacob, Gavin and Carson playin Christmas morning

Monroe with her special airplane toy- she loves the pooh bear that goes up and down

We had a fun time over Christmas and did lots of fun things. we got to go to slc and see the lights which I have never done before and would reccomend but just know it will be freeeeezing. And lots of Family. Thank you Shari and Brady for letting us stay with you and feeding us all that delicious food! We made lots of Christmas treats, gingerbread house, and ate wayyyy too much but thats ok thats what new years is for right. I got to see my sister (Marissa)and my cousin (leah)which was nice- I wish we could have stayed longer but life goes on. We've been pretty busy since we've returned. we're buying a house, kind of all of a sudden but its a great deal and PLENTY of space for us to grow in for a while. so we've been trying to get that going smoothly but it'll be crazy cause the family we are buying it from are moving into the house we are renting so moving day, whatever day that will be, WILL be crazy. But Im getting really excited about it. Berkley starts Dance the begining of Feb and shes so excited- We went wed to sign her up and she wanted to go into the class that was going on right then and was so sad that it wasn't that day. busy next couple weeks then hopefully things will chill out for a minute also we are going out of town the weekend we close, like the day after, for work. so again I say it will be crazy, but Im still excited for it all! heres some more pictures from my other camera from Christmas Break! Happy New Year a week late! (And if anyone is wondering, yes we did sell our house in Moscow a few months back)

Instead of a Christmas card...

Merry Christmas everyone! instead of Christmas cards this year Im just posting the pictures I would have sent. hope you all have a very merry Christmas and travel safe! love Brett, Emily Berkley & Monroe

Merry Christmas!

Take my Son
A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art. When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.
About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands.
He said, 'Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art.' The young man held out this package. 'I know this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this.'
The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture. 'Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It's a gift..'
The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.
The man died a few months later.. There was to be a great auction of his paintings Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection.
On the platform sat the painting of the son The auctioneer pounded his gavel. 'We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?'
There was silence.
Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, 'We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one.'
But the auctioneer persisted. 'Will somebody bid for this painting. Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?'
Another voice angrily. 'We didn't come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Gogh's, the Rembrandt's. Get on with the real bids!'
But still the auctioneer continued. 'The son! The son! Who'll take the son?'
Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. 'I'll give $10 for the painting.' Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.
'We have $10, who will bid $20?'
'Give it to him for $10. Let's see the masters.'
'$10 is the bid, won't someone bid $20?'
The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son.
They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections.
The auctioneer pounded the gavel. 'Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!'
A man sitting on the second row shouted, 'Now let's get on with the collection!'
The auctioneer laid down his gavel. 'I'm sorry, the auction is over.'
'What about the paintings?'
'I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings.
The man who took the son gets everything!'
God gave His son 2,000 years ago to die on the cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is: 'The son, the son, who'll take the son?'
Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.
FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, WHO SO EVER BELIEVETH, SHALL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE...THAT'S LOVE
Please send this to at least 3 people and back to the one who sent it to you.

Do whatever you like, but remember that maybe 'one' of the people you might have taken the time to send this to, may be just the person who needs to hear this message. You have a choice to make.'
God Bless.

I got this story in an e-mail from my sister and thought somebody else mught enjoy it. Merry Christmas!!

"oh I-ee I-ee I-ee am dreamin, of white, christmas!"LEAH

so I just heard that song and got a little sentimental. this is for all the cousins out there! so on Christmas eve we have kind of a talent show with the whole fam and Ive only been gone one year, but the point is I just keep thinking of LEAH and TANNER singing that song and it was thee coolest! And I will miss the Christiansens singing malaka meke maka- whatever it is the hawaiian one! the Dicksons with all there musical instruments. And of course the one year I was gone when Shanni was Mary, I wish I could have been there! I miss and love all of you guys! you made me the cool person I am today! and memories of growing up with you are my favorite things to think about! I hope you are all making your husbands sing Christmas morning before you (Im mean your kids) can run down the stairs. I feel bad I haven't practiced yet with my kids they dont even know about it. the Snow dance with you all! I love all of you COUSINS!!!!!!!!!! if any of you are driving through tri-cities please stop by! RASSMUSSENS STEVESONS DICKSONS DUNNS CHRISTENSENS!

ALSO Here are some pictures from our fun thanksgiving at my Parents- We missed you Marissa!

the crew at the tree farm the day after thanksgiving

cousins making apple/candy turkey's

Dad carving up the best turkey ever

watching christmas movie with the cousins

dads bday

time to go home

Thanks Giving

Just wanted to Give Thanks for all my many blessings starting with my little Family,

Monroe is growing up so fast! shes already wearing Berkleys clothes from when she was 12 months. no shes not super blob, berkley was really petitte and still is. She'll be 9 months after thanksgiving. she can crawl backwards and has started to go forward, just a couple steps- not steps but you know what I mean. She is a talker. and not a quiet talker and loud talker. She'll say mama and dada.and just has the sweetest smile and little laugh! shes my little snuggle bug- I love it! And she thinks Berkley is thee funniest person in the world! so darn cute!


Berkley really is little miss sunshine. She's so funny, she does this thing where she'll lip sync to music and its pretty hilarious she'll put one arm on her stomach and one arm out and shake her head like shes singing opera. its pretty cute. And she loves to dance! I can't wait for her to start dance in January. this is a picture actually of her with one of her ballet costumes over her clothes of course. I love this stage shes in right now. Its the all the things you think of when you think of a little girl, dolly's and tea parties and dress up! Shes a sweetheart too she gives compliments like nobody Ive ever met. its so nice to hear 'mom I like your haircut' thats a daily one. or I like your pretty bracelet- or whatever. Shes such a great example to me of how I should be, except for the kissing little boys thing! (I think we got it under control) two cute things she says lately "I am beautiful" and "I made this for you" its funny cause she says it about things that she didn't make like toys. I think she thinks it means Im giving this to you. I dont know!
Brett I love you! Thank you for all you do for us! all your long hours at work. And all the time you find to play with the girls and spend with me! I apreciate it so much and I know you've gotta be exhausted. We are all so excited when you get home and look forward to it everyday. Your a great dad and husband and I wouldn't trade you for a million bucks! maybe 2 million-noooo! just kidding your my world! love you, miss you! -Em




I love my girls! Im so grateful for them both and my one big boy!