Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

2010 has been a very good year at the Escamilla house. We have been truly blessed. It's amazing how you can be going through a trial...or what you think is a trial...only to look back at the end and see all the blessings you have been accumulating!

In March we finished remodeling our master bedroom. We added a bathroom and walk-in closet. Just as we were about done we realized that we could make the room dad's bedroom, so he moved in with us at the end of March. Having him with us has definitely been a change, but it's been a good move for all of us.

Eli resigned from his job teaching to stay home with dad. He is still very busy though...probably busier then when he was working. He is also home-schooling Tanner in three of his classes and of course is always in the middle of "the next phase" of remodeling our house.

Michelle is still working at UVU and loving it. Her job has changed a little and she has been working more with the Dean's office as an assistant to the Associate Dean. She also gets the chance to do a bit of traveling in her position with the Legal Studies Department for training and was just in Indianapolis in October and is now planning a trip to Denver in March.

Connor is continuing to take classes at UVU. He is hoping to be close to finishing his Bachelor's degree before his mission. He will turn 18 in March and the way time has been flying by will be filling out his mission papers before we know it!

Tanner has been very busy with school! He is definitely not your average student. He is taking three classes at Provo High, one of which is Jr. ROTC where is the Flight Commander of his group and loving it. He also has three online classes that Eli is home-schooling him on and is taking an Algebra class at UVU.

As this year comes to an end and we look back at all we have experienced and accomplished we realize how truly blessed we are.

Our wish at this time is that you may be enjoying the spirit of this season and find yourself surrounded by the love of family and friends.

Love,

Eli, Michelle, Connor, Tanner & Scotty

I'm not a pepper any more...

Anyone that knows me well knows that I love my Dr Pepper. I started drinking Dr. Pepper way back in 1979, before it was even popular.

I was working at the distribution center of Marci's, a clothing store for women, in El Cajon, CA. Stopping at 7/11 or Maverick for a fountain drink on the way to work wasn't an option, because they didn't have them. There was an old pop bottle machine that only had three choices, Fresca, Dr Pepper or Coke.


At first I chose not to get drinks at work because I didn't like Fresca, and since I didn't drink caffeinated drinks the other two were not options for me. I'm not exactly sure why, but one day at work I needed a drink. I had tasted Coke before and didn't like it, and I knew I didn't like Fresca...so my only option was Dr Pepper.

I remember that first bottle to this day...believe it or not, I didn't like it. Dr Pepper definitely is an aquired taste. A few days later I wanted a drink again, so I got another Dr Pepper. Soon I was getting one every day. There have even been times in my life where I was waking up in the middle of the night to get a sip of Dr Pepper from a bottle in the fridge...Sad, I know!

Over the years I have tried to quit several times. Twice I even quit for six or seven months. Both times after quitting, I ended up somewhere...a restaurant or hotel...where the only drink I liked on their list of choices was Dr Pepper. Each time I "just had one" then another one a few weeks later, which lead to my daily Dr Pepper.

One of the times I quit was just over a year ago. I had had surgery for a prolapsed bladder and the urologist suggested I quit drinking caffeinated drinks. Now I kick myself for starting up again, because it was very easy to quit that time. No cravings or headaches!

Now that I am almost 50 one of my doctors told me I should have a bone density scan to start monitoring any bone loss. The scan showed that I have Osteopenia. Osteopenia refers to bone mineral density (BMD) that is lower than normal peak BMD but not low enough to be classified as Osteoporosis. My doctor informed me that it is reversible with vitamin D therapy. He also asked if I drank any caffeinated beverages. Then he explained that coffee could help to improve it, but caffeinated sodas would make it worse because of the carbonation, and suggested I quit all carbonated beverages.

So...it's been three days since I've had a Dr Pepper. Keep your fingers crossed that this time it's for good!

I've Got a New Hat

I am a woman of many hats... nurse, taxi driver, head chef, housekeeper, gardener, teacher, confidant, personal shopper, finance manager...the list goes on. I now have another hat to wear...that of student. I have gone back to college to finish my degree. I was SO close when Eli & I got married, that I kick myself for not finishing then.

Dad's One-liners...

Eli took Dad & Tanner to see Avatar at the dollar movies Saturday, but arrived a bit late so the only seats left were in the front row.

After sitting down, Dad turned to Eli & announced, " I wanted to watch the movie, not be in it!"

Don't Forget to Pray...

One of the memories I have from my teens is waking up early to get ready for Seminary and school. In California there is no "release time" to attend Seminary during the school day as an elective...we attended Early Morning Seminary! Depending on the time of year that meant getting up before the sun (and sometime wearing pj's under my coat because it was just too cold to get undressed that early in the morning!)

I can very vividly recall coming out of my bedroom to go to bathroom to shower and primp for the day and being able to hear dad's voice coming from the living room in low whisper. Then tip-toeing quietly to the end of the hall to get a peek at who dad was talking with at that early hour. There was no one else in the room...Dad was on his knees, with his scriptures open on the table in front of him, praying. This was a daily occurrence...unless I was late getting up. In that case he was in his chair already reading his scriptures.

Dad was always a great example at remembering to pray...before every meal, at the end of the day or at the beginning of any trip a family prayer was always said. Now as Dad's memories are fading and he sometimes forgets that we are living in my house and not at a hotel or that Connor is only 17 and not on a mission...he continues to remember to pray. At the dinner table it is not uncommon for him to forget that we just blessed the food and he will pause to say an individual blessing, and in the evening as he is in his room getting ready for bed I can hear him in his room praying before he reads his scriptures.

What a comfort it is as I watch my father's memory deteriorate to know that even though he sometimes forgets that I am his daughter, he is still a great example to me and prayer continues to be important to him.

Where Did February Go!?!

February always seems to disappear for me. I once heard that the older you get the faster time flies & I am beginning to believe it! Normally as one month runs into another it doesn't bother me, but I have a problem when February disappears...Connor's birthday is March 4th! Now, his birthday is only a few days away & I still haven't figured out the perfect birthday present for him! What do you get a 17 year old that doesn't really ask for much? Hmmm, you'd think it would be easy, but the fact that he doesn't really want anything makes it even harder.

Hello 2010!

We welcome 2010 with open arms! 2009 was a tough year, but as we look back we see lots of opportunities for growth as a family.

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