The Payton Family Christmas Letter, 2014.

What a year is has been indeed!  Here's our Top 10 highlights for the year 2014.

#1 of course, was the Birth of our firstborn, Charley Eli Payton.  My favorite moment was at his birth, as the Dr's and Nurses laid him on my chest my new little stranger squirmed and it felt just like it did when he was inside, only suddenly I could tell what was a knee or what was a foot.  Travis said his favorite thing about being a Charley's Daddy is  " his constant smiles and laughter, especially when he sees me." He also said a few times this year that he is "proud of [you] that it was all med free."  Little does Travis know how much his humming to me during contractions really helped me focus on something besides the pain.  That was not fun.  Being a mommy is so worth it though.

#2  Grama Elmer came to visit!  We made cinnamon rolls and had a ball helping organize Melanie's parents new house on the hill.  While here, Grama also helped whip out a few beautiful quilts our Relief Society was gathering for youth in the Alaskan Village of Tanana.

#3 We also had Amanda and children and Robin in town!  So Charley got to meet everyone, or rather everyone got to meet Charley.  Best quote of the trip was from sweet Clara who said "I want a baby just like this one mommy."

#4  We got to fly to Colorado and meet the cousins and aunts and uncles on daddy's side of the family.  By Daddy I mean Travis-we talk to each other in terms of Charley's relationships now.  Go figure.  But, We saw Lauren Graduate High School, went to everyone elses advancements (Kindergarten, Elementary to Jr High, Jr high to High school and such).  Helped with cousin Isac's Eagle scout Project, and DROVE 16 HOURS to Oklahoma to chill at Grama Joann's house.  Charley had a ball with so many people to play and snuggle with.  He did not have a ball being in his car seat for forever.  It usually takes 12 hrs to drive to Grama's house, but we had to stop frequently to feed and change a grumpy baby.

#5 We went to Oregon for a wedding!  Teri and Asia tied the knot in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge.  We are happy for them and are glad we got to attend and spend the short weekend celebrating.  While there we also got to visit with my Uncle Dennis and his family.   It was long overdue and a tender visit.  Saw some beautiful sights in the Gorge as well between Portland and Washington State.

#6  Travis did the old switcheroo at work.  He left the Training and Development Department for Desktop Engineering.  There will be some disappointed professors he has regularly helped over that few years.  He still works in the same building up on campus, just a different floor. Lost his window for a bit more of a cave that resembles and airplane tube.....but he is enjoying being able to do more technical work than before.  Should help him round out that resume.  We've found through some application processes (LIKE WITH GOOGLE!) that with only IT support experience, people are only wanting to hire him in more IT support positions.  He has a wonderful manager Kenny Coon up on campus who is so willing to help Travis achieve his goals and put him in places where he stays challenged and excited about his work.

#7  Travis at work also had the opportunity before his switch to travel to Washington DC per request of Carl, the University of Alaska's Chief Information Technology Officer to meet with the tops dawgs of the McCain Institutes's Decision Theatre.  UAF is interested in building one up here on this side of the states.  Its pretty fancy stuff.  They went to learn more about how it was built, and how it is run.  While in the Nations capital, Carl had a day of meetings that didn't involve Travis, so he got to play tourist and see all the Historic Icons and landmarks.  Melanie is 100% Jealous.  Twice this year I was not able to attend a Washington DC Trip.  My first missed opportunity was in February when the LHS Ballroom Dance Team went there to preform and do workshops with inner city schools, I was 38 weeks pregnant.  One Day..... I hope to go.

Living room Before/when we moved in it was like this

#8  We Painted!!  Or I should say our Friends painted?  In January over New Years  break my Dear friend Kendra Tibbs came in her free time to paint the baby's room for us!  Travis wasn't available or that motivated to paint over the pink walls with Ponies and Palm Trees and Melanie Being Great with Child was scared of the fumes and exhausted at the thought of the repetitive up and down motion, as well as still busy with the Dance Team so Kendra came to our rescue!  We seriously owe her big time.  I don't think we'll ever thank her enough.
 Then, this summer, with my mobility back, and so inspired by the transformation of the "pony room" decided to paint the kitchen, and the living room.  Such a difference paint can make!  So satisfying to really start making our home our own.  Thankful for Help on our ginormous living room from Jamie Olsen who lives with us, doing the majority of the heavy lifting there on her day off of work.  We seriously have great friends.  And I managed to cover my kitchen with a 3$ quart of paint.  Felt super amazing about that one.

Living room after!

#9 Continual enjoyment serving in the Primary.  Travis teaches the CTR 7 class which is the class of children who turn 8 and get baptized.  Melanie is 2nd counselor in the Primary Presidency.  Kids really say the darnedest things.  One of my favorites was one of our 4 year olds who struggled the first half of the year with not being with mom, was out in the hallway with his teacher.  I told her I would help him so she could go back to the rest of her class.  In our little chat, I tried to convince him to go sit with his class while I would go and get  his mom to come sit with him.  He agreed, until at the last second said "I know, how about you go sit with my Class and I'll go get my mom."  Made me chuckle, I bargained back to we would go get his mom together.

#10  Witnessing the power and miracle of the atonement applied in action as events from our past come full circle.  The atonement of Jesus Christ truly heals our hearts, homes, and relationships.  Merry Christmas everyone!

4th of July Picnic with Grampa Skip