CHRISTMAS SURVEY

I’d love to hear about your Holiday traditions, too.
Here are the answers for our family:

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper

2. Real tree or Artificial? REAL! We like to go and cut it ourselves!

3. When do you put up the tree? Hopefully early December--or when we get around to it....We just went and cut down our tree for Family Home Evening this week. It's up but not decorated yet.

4. When do you take the tree down? New Year's Day....or when we get around to it.....one year it was up until almost Valentine's day--but it was okay because it was a small artificial tree with red ornaments and bows...LOL

5. Do you like eggnog? YES!!

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Esther--Easy Bake Oven, Bryan--???, Catherine--my first bicycle, Amy--last year she loved boxes and wrapping paper!

7. Hardest person to buy for? Bryan because he buys the stuff he wants for himself and doesn't leave anything on his list for us to buy for him...

8. Easiest person to buy for? Anyone under the age of 3 or AMY

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, several 1- Avon Porcelain collectible Nativity @- Avon Children's plastic Nativity set, and 3- Fisher Price Children's Nativity set

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail (in January)

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Can't think of a single one!

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Mr. Krueger's Christmas with Jimmy Stewart

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Day after Thanksgiving

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? yes... usually for Uncle Itu's present game on Christmas day--it's Hilarious!!

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Cookies and chocolate

16. Lights, clear, all one color, or multi on the tree? Usually white or multi, but I think this year we will do all blue!

17. Favorite Christmas song? Anything by Harry Connick Jr. or Johnny Mathis

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay at home except the year when Amy was born. We traveled to Utah for her baby blessing so that more family could attend.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Absolutely! Dasher Dancer Prancer Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and Rudolph!!

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? On Christmas Eve, everyone gets new pajamas, (Esther's tradition) and opens one gift (Bryan's tradition). Christmas morning look in our Christmas stockings first, eat the cereal and juice from the stocking and then open all the rest of the presents!

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Children who say they want something for months and months and then change their mind at the last minute when talking to Santa on Christmas Eve at Henry Ford Museum!?!?!

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Patriotic--Red, White and Blue ornaments with iridescent stars on the lights

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Ham with all the fixin's

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? New Plasma HDTV!! (We've been saving for this one!!)

BUDDY WALK 2008

A Beautiful Day at Kensington MetroPark
October 4, 2008

These wonderful pictures were taken by Scott Langdorf

Annie and Chris with the Tiger Mascot, Paws

Esther and Amy











Amanda Kunz and Heather Leslie
















Walking the Walk!

Esther and Amy again....Amy didn't want to walk. Mommy carried her the whole way except for the last few hundred feet when Linda Wilson and Mommy held Amy's hands and she walked to the finish line...

Team Amy 2008:

Annie Langdorf, Chris Prevost, Sandy Langdorf, Scott Langdorf, Linda Wilson, Steve Wilson, Courtney Wilson, Amy Leslie, Ben Leslie, Emily Leslie, Katie Leslie, Heather Leslie, Amanda and Kevin Kunz, Mary Mendez,






THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR WALKING WITH US!!

SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!!

Grand Canyon August 2008

This is a great picture of Catherine at the Grand Canyon. Janet had fun with her camera and took tons of pictures!

Amy is one of Janet's favorite subjects for photos! Amy loves Janet's camera and tries to get it whenever she can! She is still a good natured girl and we take her everywhere!!

I love this close up of Amy! She was really having fun when Janet was taking her picture!

She's such a little clown. Amy makes us laugh every day!

This is a good picture of us at the Grand Canyon!

Janet having her picture taken....She would much rather be the one taking the pictures!

This is just one of the MANY MANY pictures that Janet

took when we went to the Grand Canyon.

It was a great adventure and we are so glad that we made the trip.

UTAH!!

Finally we are in Utah. We are bringing Janet to BYU and enjoying a vacation at the same time! I will post pics soon. Love, Esther

Today I'm working on a project I'm excited about! I'm on the planning committee for the Fourth Annual Southeast Michigan Down Syndrome Guild Buddy Walk on October 4th, 2008. The Buddy Walk will be at Kensington Metropark. I'm on the Food Committee and we're hoping that 1000+ people will come this year! If you're reading this and you are interested in walking with us, please e-mail me! We would love to have you come. You can even be a virtual walker--sign up for free and be on our team. I'll post more information here as soon as I figure out how to post a link to the Buddy Walk Site.

THE NEED FOR SPEED!!

Janet had the thrill of a lifetime on Saturday! Dad's (Tony's) graduation gift to Janet was a Richard Petty Driving Experience. She drove 8 laps in a race car at the Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet Illinois! She followed an instructor around the track and had to stay right behind the lead car. Her top speed was 133 MPH! Yikes!! We picked up Richard in Chicago and all of us watched Janet as she drove around the track. Richard and Tony did the "ride along" experience. They were in the front passenger seat while a professional driver raced around the track. Both Richard and Tony said they couldn't/wouldn't drive like Janet did!

I Belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

This is one of my favorite pictures of Jesus and the children. I remember this picture from when I was very young. Right now I am working with the children in Primary and I love it! I was worried about being the Primary President. I didn't know if I could do it, but I've found that I really enjoy the time I spend with the children each week! I learn from my teachers; I learn from the children, and I feel my Savior's love for them and for ME! I am happy to say that I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints! Esther

This is a more recent picture of my Mom and Dad.

I'm so glad to be your daughter. Happy Anniversary!

Happy Anniversary to my Mom and Dad!

This is a picture of my Mom and Dad on the day they were married in the St. George LDS Temple.
They have been married for 48 years!!

Tux

the best dog ever!

Another great picture of Richard

Richard's graduation

And finally I found a picture of Richard's graduation! It was fun to go to Chicago for the big event. The weather was picture perfect and Richard looked GREAT! We went out to lunch afterwards at a Greek Restaurant and tried lots of new foods. CONGRATULATIONS Richard!

Janet's Graduation

Janet graduated from Royal Oak High School on May 31st, 2008.We are so proud of Janet! She is an amazing young woman!

Our quick trip to Utah

This is a picture of Bryan, Amy, and me in front of the Manti LDS Temple. We were there to see Jordan and Kylee Clegg sealed!

They were married a year ago, and now they have been to the temple to be sealed together for all eternity!

Welcome to my Wonderful Life!

I'm finally taking the plunge into a new forum of self expression--I've created my first Blog! I have many things to be thankful for! Today I am thankful for my computer and for the time I can spend creating something meaningful here. And I'm thankful for a sleepy baby on my lap--Amy is growing up so fast. I'm thankful for Janet who needs to use this computer to do some online banking. (I can't believe she's leaving for BYU in 2 months) I'm thankful for Catherine who loves to play the piano, and I'm thankful for Richard, living in Chicago, who just graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Business and Finance, and is looking for a job. (I'm very proud that you've finished your degree!) I'm thankful for Bryan and for the time and effort he spends to provide for me and our family. I know he would rather be at home than at work. We miss him when he spends such long hours working. (I have a new appreciation for thunderstorms. It means that Bryan gets to be home! ) I am thankful for the gospel and for the strong foundation it is in my life. I could go on and on, but Janet really does need to use this computer....Esther