It's "Hump Day!!!!" 365 down, 365 to go!

Leighton helped make the purple drink.....you boil the corn for an hour, add cloves, cinnamon and pineapple peal, then strain it, add ice to cool it, add the juice of 2 lemons, add chunks of pineapple and apple, then chill it.  Quite the process!

Here's Tanner and his purple drink!
Austin says this is one of his favorite drinks so we had to try it tonight. 

Cheers to another great year in 2012! We celebrated with or new drink and ate Mexican food...of course!

When we talked with Austin on Christmas Day he told us that at 6 months they cut off a tie, at 12 months they cut up a white dress shirt, at 18 months they cut up some slacks, and at 24 months they burn a suit.....so Austin should be taking care of a dingy white shirt today!  We decided to have our own "Hump Day" party as well.  Austin sent Jolene some "Purple Corn" and chocolate for Christmas....the purple corn is an ingredient for one of Austin's favorite drinks since he's been living in the Spanish/Mexican communities of Ohio and Kentucky.  Anyways, here's a couple of photos.....hope Austin had a great day too!

Austin sounded great on the phone for our Christmas call.  We didn't talk about much, just normal every day stuff and he asked Tanner and Leighton lots of questions about what they've been doing.  He has a little Spanish twang in his voice, but not too bad since he also speaks English.  He says he sometimes dreams in Spanish, and he couldn't remember the word "tuxedo" in English, so that was kind of funny.  We talked about ward choir and our Sacrament Meeting Christmas program, the Dodge Challenger that he anticipates driving, his cousin Elder Zachary ipson who is serving in the West Indies mission and comes home in February 2012, dance recitals and choir concerts, piano lessons and parties, mexican food, and probably more stuff I can't recall now.  He was enjoying his day at the Avila's, the Branch President's home along with his companion, Elder Garner, and Elder Homewood and Elder Ramsey.  They were excited to be having a more traditional meal of roast beef for dinner that evening.  He says most of the food they eat is really hot and hard on your digestive system, but also good and he is surprised that he is able to eat it all now.  We could hear in his voice that serving a mission is hard, yes it is.  I've never heard a missionary come home to report their mission and say that it was easy, it just isn't.  And so Austin is working hard, finding joy as well as discouragement, but he knows that he is doing the work of the Lord.  We couldn't be any prouder of this great son of ours!  We really missed him on this Christmas Day, as we knew we would, but we also wouldn't want him to be anywhere else.  He's serving at the right time, and in the right place.  Our phone call only lasted a quick 45 minutes and before we knew it, it was time to say good-bye and hang up.  So now we will wait anxiously to hear from him again on Mother's Day 2012!

As Austin's mom, I am so grateful for all of our friends and family that have written to Austin and sent him items to encourage him and show him your love.  It's got to be so nice to know you are remembered, so thank you to you all.  Merry Christmas, Happy "Hump Day" and a Joyous New Year to all!