Happy Anniversary to US!!

Married for time and all eternity!

December 19, 1986

My, my how we have changed! 22 years has flown by, we have been married as long as we were single now. It has been an amazing journey! Lots of trials and tears but just as many joys and triumphs! We have been so blessed. What more could we ask for?

I love you Spence!

Our Christmas Poem 2008

We send this out in our Christmas Cards each year. If you didn't get a card and you want to read a cheesy poem, read on. This way, those of you in our ward won't feel left out.


We wish you a merry Christmas in this year 2008
Our poem needs to be written, I know it just can’t wait.
The time just flew right past me and our poem, I’m sad to say
Last year didn’t get written, nor sent out on ANY day!
So now I am repenting and trying to set things right
I’ll finish up our Christmas poem, even if it takes all night!!

I’ll start out with my Spencer, our dad who works so hard,
Although his work for this year doesn’t take him past our yard.
His company’s based out of Portland, but he has no need to roam
He does his work so happily each day, right here from home!
The church has given him a rest, in the bishopric he is no longer,
He works within the High Priests now with testimony growing stronger.

I try to go to institute and the temple once each week
Learning more this year about our Savior has really been a treat!
The chorister in primary is my calling in church right now
I think this is my 5th time and I love it! Holy Cow!
Now if you want to have a laugh and keep up with our news,
Go to toomanyteenagers.blogspot.com and you will have a clue
Of what goes on in our house, with pictures and stories galore
So if this poem just once a year isn’t enough, go there for more!

Brad is a mighty senior, it is still hard for me to believe,
That in a year and a half from now, for his mission he will leave.
He loves the freedom of driving and he also dates up a storm,
I’m always glad each night, when he’s in his bed safe and warm.
He is learning to budget his money and has heaved a big sigh of relief
Gas prices went up so high, he’s glad they’re back down now, good grief!!

Shannon is a studious sophomore and is already counting the days
Till she’ll be that magic number when being older really pays!
It’s for working, and dating and driving that she just can’t wait to do,
She’s grown up way too fast, she should wait another year or two!
She can’t live without her cell phone, that, for her “new attitude” she did earn,
To be respectful, kind and obedient are the wonderful things she did learn.

An energetic eighth grader describes our cute gal Michelle,
It’s for sports and not academics that she waits for the ring of the bell.
She puts in some time and works for grades that are high
So when sports season is here for a team she can try.
She loves to read and read, book after book after book,
And when you cannot find her up on her bed you should go look.

4th grade is now the school year, our Rachel is learning in,
Coronado is also now her school, not Franklin where she had been.
Her interest are very artistic whether thru art, song, gymnastics or dance
She’ll have you watch a production of hers if you give her half a chance.
If a baby is anywhere near her, she’ll snatch it up right away
For helping mom’s watch their babies is just as fun to her as play.

Kindergarten, this one more time, our big girl Jen has done
And now at the skills of math and reading she has totally won!
Her speech is getting better, on the horse she still loves to ride,
Although at 7:00 in the morning, under the covers she tries to hide.
She has no time for princess things, it’s all batman and superman too,
And on her bed is Lightning McQueen, or yes that’s really true!

Well, that’s our year in a nutshell, and what a year it’s been,
I catch myself sitting thinking, “oh, I remember when….”
Thru the laughter and the tears, weather triumph or a trial
Over the bumps and the hills, striving mile after mile
To follow the one who showed us the right way
To make it back to our Heavenly Father someday.

Our hearts fill with gratitude and love in this season
For our family and friends and our Savior is the reason.
We hope you feel joy and happiness too
Not only this day but the whole year thru

(We do truly love all of you are wonderful friends who have become family to us as our family is so far away.) Merry Christmas!!

Brad's santa hat band....?

This past Friday was our ward party. Some guys asked Brad to be in the band they were doing. He was their keyboard guy and he even played the drums on one song. (You can't really see Brad in this picture because he is in the back, so I had to have him pose later.) They had about 5 practices and that was it. They sounded pretty good and they had ALOT of fun doing it.

I told him they should do a battle of the bands for a stake activity. Every ward could have a band and then have a contest. They had a great time.

Jenna was the most excited about seeing Santa!!

Christmas is such a fun time of year!! soooo magical!

Gingerbread House Building

Well, here is our annual Gingerbread house building for 2008! Brad and Jenna did a house together. We do this every year and the kids really have a great time doing it. Here we are at the beginning. and......here is the end result! Yum Yum!!

Traditional "Stairs Christmas Pic"

Even though we were in a "rush" to get to church, we took a minute to take "the" picture, which we didn't take last Christmas nor the Christmas before. Gosh, they have all grown up ALOT!! How blessed I am to have these amazing children. True....they can be a trial at times but they are truly amazing and I am in awe at their strength. They are bombarded with Satan's fiery darts constantly and they strive hard to still remain strong and faithful!

Jenna wanted her picture taken with her picture from last year at school (I think) anyway, some of us don't change a whole lot in just one year. Just a little longer hair but still the cute mischievous smile and silly personality to go along with it! What would we do without her?!

Yes her hair is wet because she doesn't want to get ready for church till the LAST possible second!

Christmas (Winter) Formal

Well, the girls planned a "day" date before the dance so they all got together about noon and went to savers to buy some cool outfits for each other. The girls picked for the guys and the guys picked for the girls. This is what they all came up with!Check out the leather pants black for Brad and silver for Tyler (I think that's his name) got to wear! Very stylin! After they got their fabulous outfits, they went to the mall on a picture scavenger hunt.

One item was "a movie poster"They had a list of 12 things they needed to find, these are just a couple. But sad to say they got kicked out of the mall before they were all done. They weren't being bad, I guess they are just intolerant of teenagers being silly. Brad's team had 10 out of 12 so they won I guess.

another item "someone wearing a cowboy hat"

Check out Colter's outfit! High top leather boots with his overalls tucked inside with a stylin pink and orange shirt! I told Brad, I could just hear Shelly laughing and saying, "oh, that is great!"Then back home for a bit of a rest for the guys (since it only takes them about 15 minutes to get ready but longer for the girls) and they met back at one of the girls houses for a nice dinner that they had to order in whatever order they wanted but everything was disguised like "marshmallow" for roll, "Reindeer Delight" for salad, etc. Brad said he didn't do too bad but some ended up with their cheesecake first. They all went to the dance and danced till the skating rink opened at 10 and then they ice skated till it closed at midnight. Brad had a blast. His observation was that it is WAAAAAAYYYYY more fun with lots of people. I'm sooooo glad Brad has some really good kids for friends!

Jenna Jenna Jenna!!

Spencer was washing the cars the other day and this is what he found on the back of his car..

and this on the back of my car....

yes! written with a sharpie...!

You be the judge!

Some of the Manwaring Family think brad looks like Jacob from Twilight. What do you think? Maybe there is a little similarity?

New Family Pic

We went to Power Ranch park on Saturday to take a family picture since that is the only thing Mom wants for Christmas. There were SOOOOO many families there! yikes! Despite the many people and level of frustrations, we were able to get some good ones. I forgot to get one of just the kids so we may have to try again for that.......um, maybe not.....

The "studly" senior...The "sophisticated" sophomore...

the "energetic" eighth grader....

The "fabulous" forth grader.....and the "kookie" kindergartener!

....and some people were just plain HAMS!!! :)

Thanksgiving 2008

All because these two fell in love!

We had a fabulous thanksgiving. Alot of my family were able to come down. Mom and Dad, Susan, Bruce, Linda and Maria and their whole families. We had 29 people here counting my family.

There was a HUGE pile of shoes by the door....and I didn't even tell people they needed to take their shoes off, they are just true Manwarings and that's the first thing we do when we get home is kick off our shoes! ahhhh

It was basically a 3 day party for the kids. They had a blast with all their cousins. We even had an impromptu talent show and all the teenagers sang the theme from efy and the little ones sang If the savior stood beside me. Then many did individual talents. It was so good. I'm so blessed to belong to such an amazing family! We just kicked back on Friday and played games and such. Dad brought his "Shocker" and that was crazy! On Saturday we HAD to go to In N OUT for those less fortunate than ourselves who don't have one close to them. It was so busy there we took it to Discovery park and ate there.The kids all had a great time playing on the golf cartand the big boys palyed hide and seek in the dark with it. They made a fire (I'm not sure it's legal) each night in the back yard and it was great! Made lots of memories!!

This Thanksgiving was truly TOO MUCH FUN!

The only thing that would have made it better is if Michael, Amy and Mark could have been there with us.