Our son, David, commented that most Christmas letters seem to contain only “gloating”, so our “perfect” family has decided to add balance to this letter.  Look for our anti-gloating information, marked with a L.  Enjoy!

Harold began working for McAfee, Inc. from his home office in March.  He travels so much he is almost a Platinum Elite VIP at Marriott Hotels (= 75 stays since March).  Before beginning his work for McAfee he earned his yellow belt in Taekwondo.  One of his fun highlight this year was repeated visits with the family to Powell City of Books in Portland, Oregon.

He recently changed from Assistant Scout Master and is now serving on the Advancement Committee as Advancement Chair.  Per tradition all of his scouts who came Trick-or-Treating received a giant sized candy bar.

Originally, we were planning to move to Oregon next summer.  That plan has changed.  We are now planning to relocate to the McAfee office in Plano, Texas in late June.

L Last winter, Harold gunned his car on ice in front of his house, and then slid uncontrollably, taking out two of the neighbors’ mail boxes.  We watched in slow motion as his car hit a fire hydrant, which took out the front of his vehicle.  As my dad would say, “duuuumb kiiiiid.”

Holly is beginning to get the house and “stuff” ready for next summer’s move.  Her large project this year was adding trees, shrubs, and boulders to the barren flower beds in the yard. 

She earned her 2^nd degree black belt in Taekwondo.  She is also a volunteer Parent Council Secretary at Lincoln Academy for a second year.  She recently changed from Cub Scout Den Leader to Girls’ Camp Director for the young women of our church ward.  She is looking forward to camp in June and is busy planning pre-camp clinics and camp activities.

The highlights of Holly’s year were (1) visiting with so much family and friends in Oregon in July, at weddings, and at Thanksgiving in our home with 38 people, and (2) seeing Mesa Verde, Arizona in person.  We celebrated our 20^th wedding anniversary this month.

L Holly realized a personality quirk, while watching a family video.  Whenever anyone ends a sentence with “…now I mean it”, she inadvertently quotes Princess Bride by saying, “Anybody want a peanut?”

David (18) is 2” taller than everyone at 6’ 2”!  This year he achieved his life-long goals of earning his 1^st degree black belt in Taekwondo and his Eagle rank in Boy Scouts.  He is also on the National Honor Roll.  He has been learning Spanish and how to play both the piano and guitar.

David decided to torture himself his senior year by enrolling in Advanced Placement English.  Since English is not his best subject, this was a very gutsy move designed to help him prepare for college.

In January, David purchased a blue-mutation-masked lovebird he named Zoe.  This makes three birds for our bird lover.

David’s summer highlight was attending Especially for Youth (EFY) at BYU.  This was his third year there; he highly recommends it to everyone.  He is currently doing all he can to prepare to be a volunteer Mormon missionary when he turns nineteen.

L David rolled a new 2006 Yamaha Raptor 4-Wheeler while going about 45 miles per hour into a barbed wire fence and walked away to talk about it with only cuts and bruises.  It was the most expensive Fathers-and-Sons outing to date.

Jonathan (14) is catching up with David in height at 5’ 11”.  He loves Seminary.  His favorite memory this year was attending EFY last summer.  Like David, he highly recommends it and is saving up to go again next summer.  He also enjoyed winning a prize at his SmilePerfect Orthodontists' party at Seven Peaks Water Park.  L He did not, however, enjoy having his tonsils removed last summer.  “The all-you-can-eat ice cream is NOT worth it.”

L During the Fathers-and-Sons outing, Jonathan ran over the corner of someone else’s new tent with his 4-wheeler.  He was “forgiven” when he paid with a Cold Stone Creamery gift certificate to the mother of the owner who was able to sew it back together again.

For his birthday, Jonathan got an amazingly soft Chinchilla he named San.  He and Harold built a huge cage for San.  We were amused when San jumped off of Jonathan’s shoulder and slammed into the front room tapestry, which obviously was a good rendition of a real ledge, and toppled down…into Jonathan’s waiting arms.

Jonathan is doing well in school, is a Teacher’s Aid, and was student of the day at Mt. Ridge Jr. High this year.  He has earned the rank of Star scout in Boy Scouts and is almost a Life scout, one rank away from Eagle.

Andrew (11) advanced to a Blue Advanced rank in Taekwondo.  (He’s just three ranks away from Black.)  This year he assists Master Beardall at Lincoln Academy’s after school Taekwondo class.

Andrew has been adding to his drama repertoire by assistant directing one play and acting in three.  One of his plays was at Hale Center Theater’s drama camp last summer.  This school year he was the very first anchorman Lincoln Academy ever had for the daily LATV morning news.

Andrew’s most memorable events this year have been our family vacations to Vernal and Goblin Valley, Utah, and to Portland, Oregon (especially the Oregon Coast Aquarium and the World Forestry Center).  He also enjoyed his school’s trip to Seven Peaks Water Park at the end of his 5^th grade year.  Andrew’s hamster, Stripey, lived to the ripe old age of 3 years 10 months; twice as old as most hamsters live.  On a happy note, we received two parakeets from a close friend, and Andrew looks forward to taking care of them.

This 6^th grade year is proving to be GREAT because Andrew has the best teacher in the whole world, “Mr. Holley.”  Andrew is now a boy scout and is enjoying it.

Heather (7) is in the 1^st grade this year.  She loves school lunches and 2^nd grade math!  She also enjoys making friends.

This year she is taking a dance class and recently had a lead position in their first performance.  She is finally a scout … a brownie girl scout that is.  She loves brownies and especially likes the treats given out at the end of the meetings.  Heather also enjoys her new pet bunny, Jake.

Heather continues to amaze us with her observations, vocabulary, and imagination.  She is always a care giver and is working to make her bedroom a “relaxing room” and a “working room.”  She is constantly weeding out her room to provide things for those less fortunate.

Heather has learned to read this school year.  She reads out loud with us every morning as we study the scriptures.  Our little girl is growing up fast.

 

In conclusion, we would like to quote our Savior, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect.” - Matthew 5:48.  As you all now know, we’re not there … yet.

Our contact info, at least until this summer:

Harold & Holly Toomey
1376 North 1100 East
American Fork, UT  84003-3245

Home:    (801) 492-1526
Office:    (801) 847-0633 (VoIP)
Fax:       (972) 963-7529
Mobile:   (801) 830-9987 (Harold)
Mobile:   (801) 830-9986 (Holly)
Mobile:   (801) 830-9984 (Marcia)
Mobile:   (801) 830-9985 (David)
Mobile:   (801) 471-4413 (Jonathan)
Mobile:   (801) 471-4412 (Andrew)
Internet: www.toomey.org/family/times/
Email:     <first name>@toomey.org

Family at Mesa Verde – Apr 2006

 

Family at Temple Square – Dec 2006

 

David’s Eagle Court of Honor – Dec 2006

 

 

Jonathan Building Chinchilla Cage – Feb 2006

 

Andrew Blue Advanced Belt – Jan 2006

 

Pappy – Jun 2006

Merry Christmas

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