Life with ALL the Kids Home!

Don't you hate a lot of RULES!

Do my Kids know Me or What?

This was my Christmas present from several of my children!
I loved it!
(And it should last a few days!!)

The Best Gift is Love

One of the hardest days of Gwen's short life was when

the Gunter Family moved to Maryland last May.
Gwen was thrilled when they arrived for the holidays this week!
But she wasn't the only one excited ~

Everyone wanted to hold Baby Maeli Skye
Maeli was getting a little tired after making the rounds.This one is my favorite!
(We have got to figure out a way to get
Walter to move back to Utah!)

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

It was 29 Christmases ago that we had our

First Christmas as the Brockbank Family.
Over the years we have had many different kinds of celebrations
from just the two of us in Seattle to
huge family gatherings at my mom's home.

We have enjoyed every Christmas
especially each time we added a new child to our family.
For seven years we had Christmas
with our six children.

Then there were three years with Ben or Bry or both on missions.
Last year we were all together again
for the first Christmas in four years.
We repeated that again this year!
Our family is growing and changing and
we are thrilled with those changes.
Next Christmas we don't know where Ben & Alyse will be
and Brandon will be in the mission field.
So 2009 was the end of an era ~
our last Christmas with just our six children.
It was wonderful and we enjoyed every minute of it.
We reviewed the past 24 Christmases and laughed and mom cried.
We shared lots and lots of love (and some teasing.)
But most of all we rejoiced in our Savior and his Birth!

The Spirit of Christ(mas)

Silver Beaver

As most of you know, Harold has been involved in Scouting
almost the entire time we have been married
(which is a very long time.)
He has been Scout Master, 11 year old Scout Master,
Assistant Scout Master and various other positions.
He has also been actively involved with his 5 sons in scouting.

Harold has been selected to receive the Silver Beaver
from the Great Salt Lake Council in March 2010.

The Silver Beaver Award is the highest form of
recognition that a local council can bestow on a
volunteer for outstanding service to youth.

Congratulations Harold!

Dare Student of the Year!

The 5th Grade just completed D.A.R.E.
(Drug Abuse Resistance Education)

and had their graduation this week.
During the graduation, Murray's Police Chief Peter Fondaco
announced the D.A.R.E. Student of the Year ~
GWEN!!!

Gwen received a huge Daren the Lion!

Gwen and Officer Huber

Congratulations Gwen!

A Christmas Tradition

Every year since Ben was a baby

we have had our picture taken with Santa Claus.
Some years it has been very professional,
but this year we just ran over to the mall.

We all agreed this Santa was a little creepy --

Almost looks like that "Toy Santa" in Santa Clause 2!

Men at Work

Brad and Blake shoveling walks at the office complex.

All I Want for Christmas!

AMEN!!!

Do You Have Room for the Savior?

It's Christmas Time

It is Christmas Time and that means lots of performances!

I realized as we attended the Christmas Band Concert at the Jr. High
that this had become a tradition starting with Ben 12 years ago.

This year it was Blake's turn to perform with the Concert Band
Blake is part of the Percussion section . . .
where he plays a variety of percussion instruments . . .
and like a good drummer always knows where his sticks are!

Gwen performed in the Christmas Dance Show.
The Sr. Starlettes danced to "Everybody Knows the Clause"
which was a fast paced jazz number.
Not to be left out --
Brad had several wrestling matches this weekend.
Brad did very well and won 7 out of his 11 matches.

What a way to ring in the Christmas Season for the Brockbanks!

Six Eagles in One Family

A Big Day has finally occurred in our Family ~

All the Boys have received their Eagle Scout!
Blake had his Eagle Court of Honor

Many Things to Be Grateful For

This was a wonderful Thanksgiving Weekend.

We feasted with the Grant Brockbank Family
and everyone was there.
This does not happen very often
and probably won't happen again for a long time
due to missions, marriages and school.
It was also Piano Recital Time
Brad played "Root Beer Rag"Blake played "In the Hall of the Mountain King"and Gwen played "Ballade Pour Adeline"We also attended the BYU /U of U game in Provo
where the Cougars were victorious!
We ran into Cosmos at dinner after the game . . .and Brandon ran onto the field with thousands of BYU fans!

Our Own Nacho Libre

Wrestling has started and the Brockbanks have their own

Nacho Libre!
Brad has his first match with Alta . . .
pinned his opponent in the second period
and was declared the winner!
Murray beat Alta 57 to 24 on team points!

The reason Brad had to wear the mask was because
he just got his stitches out on Saturday
and needed to protect his face.
This is one happy wrestler who is also one of the team captains.
Way to go Brad!

Ben & Alyse are Engaged!

After 11 years

we are adding a new member to our family.
Ben & Alyse got engaged today.
Ben got the principal at the school where Alyse teaches
to have her come down to the office.
Ben lined up her students and gave each a rose
and a heart telling her one thing he loves about her.
Each student handed Alyse their flower and heart.
Ben was on his knee in her classroom . . .
when Alyse walked in.
Ben proposed and gave her the ring.
We are so happy to have Alyse as part of our family!
We Love You Alyse.