Oh My Heck! (by the way, I NEVER say that!) It's been a long time since I've caught this up. Been too busy ending the school year. No, that's a big lie. I've discovered FarmTown on Facebook and I spend way too much time on that addicting game. At one time I made my farm look just like our farm in Missouri.

Happy Father's Day to all. We had a wonderful barbecue here with all but Sara joining us. We also celebrated Hannah's 4th birthday.

Bill, Robin, and Joey are out of school now, working hard around the house, catching up stuff that has been waiting a long time to get done. Busy Busy Busy. I still have 9 days left of school. Swine Flu has bitten a bunch of my students, but they spring back fast. Then we're going to have a busy summer, camping and going to Calif. so Joey can stay with Sara and we can visit kin.

Well, I'm off to harvest, plow, and plant a new crop. Enjoy your summer!

Just saw "Wicked" for the 2nd time. Still awesome! I think I could defy gravity . . . . .

Happy Easter to all! I hope the Easter Bunny was good to you, but also remember the real reason we celebrate. We had a lovely party at our house, arranged by the daughters. I used to dye eggs with my little girls, and now they are the mommies dying eggs with their children. I sat back and watched them play, dying and hunting eggs. What a lovely memory for all! Thank you, girls for being good daughters and mothers.

All right, enough hints out there. Been too busy to blog, but I'll repent and get to it. I've been having too much fun catching up with everyone on Facebook. We've been to Las Vegas so Bill and Joey, plus friends, could go to the Monster Truck show. Susie and Sandy, my bestest cousins, met me there and we had dinner with The Rat Pack, thoroughly enjoying the show (that's Frank, Dean, Joey, & Sammy). I also won $91.00 on the penny slots, but gave it all back on the 21 Tables. Also watched Robin win 2 Bronze Medals in Special Olympics, for Bowling! (The 3rd one is for Basketball.) Now I'm looking forward to seeing "Wicked" again, on Wed. Then I'm going off track for 2 glorious weeks when I can finally work on 6 quilts that have been gathering dust in my sewing room. So Life goes On and On and On. More later . . . . .

Back from California, rested and relaxed. (And REALLY home: it's 2:43 a.m. and I'm still up, sneezing and not breathing, with 2 out of 3 cats and 1 dog on the bed - out they go tomorrow, after washing sheets and blankets.) Rested at Ma's, watching TV and playing Solitare on my laptop. Enjoyed a weekend at Linda's with Sara and Eric and Susie, playing Shanghai and Dominoes. Won tons of Shanghai games against Susie until we quit to quilt all day. Went to the movies with Susie and Sandy. Spent too much money at a Scholastic Book sale and a quilt shop. On the way home I got to spend an hour over a blizzard, shake and onion rings with my old friend from Missouri, Susie. Now I have 1 1/2 weeks left of off track time so I'm ready to tackle reality again. Even in the cold, snowy weather. Welcome Home, Me!

I'm in sunny Calif., enjoying 70 degree weather and green grass and trees. Susie and I have been shopping and playing cards. Just relaxing with no schedule. I'm off to my mother's today fo spend a week before a weekend at Linda's with Sara and Eric. Then back to Susie's for a few days, and then home to the snow and frigid weather. Don't miss that at all.

Wendover, Louie Anderson, and Sunshine

Last weekend Bill and I went to Wendover to see Louie Anderson. For you young'uns, he's a stand-up comedian, pretty clean, who was popular way-back-when. I'd seen him before, in Las Vegas, with Susie and Sandy, while Bill and Joey were at the Monster Truck show. Kim got us tickets for Christmas, "Row A, Seats 1 & 2," so I told Bill that he involves people in his act who are sitting close to the stage. He started out with a few comments about Mormons - nothing bad- and asked who was Mormon, so we raised our hands. Later he asked Bill if he was offended, and when Bill said no, he made Bill part of his act! Bill and Joe, a smoker, who fed into Louie's smoking jokes. He asked Bill questions, like how old he was (and he said Bill looked pretty good for his age) and what he did. They bantered back and forth and Louie talked about things he'd said - old age, teaching, etc. He was very funny. We laughed the whole time!
The weekend was a nice get-away, until 5:30 a.m. when someone pounded on our hotel room door, yelling at us to let them in because they lived there. By the time Bill got dressed and to the door, as I was yelling at them to go away, they'd realized they had the wrong room and strolled off.
Tomorrow I go off track and am off to Calif. for a week, to relax and play with sister & cousins, and watch my mom watch TV. Thank goodness Bill does a good job of keeping the house and children in order while I'm gone. It sure helps to have Jill living here, too, to take charge when he has to work at the previously-known Delta Center. So enjoy the snow while I enjoy the sunshine!!!

Pat told me on Facebook that I have to ramble on, so I will. However, it will knock off some of my beautiful daughters' pictures and updates, so go to "Blog Archive" in the left column, click on 2008, then on Dec to see them. (It will be worth it!) (Even though Pat is the only one who reads this and she's seen those . . . ). Life in Leeperland is busy. I'm all alone today - Bill is working the Dinosaur show at the "Delta" Center, Joey is at Michael's, and Robin is at Hayley's. Jill is trading in her new car for one she can get financing for. Anyway, I'm supposed to be reading a boring Math book and writing a paper right now, but I'm taking a long break. It's a 3 day weekend after all so it will get done before the Tues. class. I've been up since 5:50 a.m. on a sleep-in Sat. to take Joey and friends to their Pow Wow to earn merit badges. I think I enjoyed it more than they did. Then we went to a church basketball game where I watched these poor boys, with no subs, play against a team much taller than they and with 3 subs. WE WON IN OVERTIME BY 1 POINT!!! This week I went to a meeting to see about getting a doctorate - How does Dr. Leeper sound? When I read about it, it was all theory and research. BLAH! I gotta quit taking classes anyway, but I love to learn. Gotta keep ahead of my 5th graders.
Everyone here is fine and keeping busy. Not much else to ramble on about. Next time I'm up at 3 a.m. I'll ramble on some more. P.S. I track off in 5 1/2 days, but who's counting?????

The Christmas season was full of surprises! Sara, Kevin, & Eric drove in from San Diego, surprising everyone. It was wonderful to see them again. Linda, Bob, and baby Andrew (Andy's son) drove up for Bob's niece's wedding so they spent a few days with us. We couldn't have asked for a better gift!

Sisters Linda & Karen

Leeper Ladies All Together!: Sara Kim Robin Kassie Jill Meridy Katie Kaleena

Grandkids: Eric (Sara's) Andrew (Linda's) Lizzy ( Katie's) Dylan (Kaleena's) Tyler (Kim's) Hannah (Meridy's) Joey (Karen's & Sara's), Anna (Kaleena's) Jenna (Kim's) Maggie (Katie's) & Tavien (Kaleena's)

Merry Christmas! 2008 has been an adventurous year! In January, Scott and I went on a Caribbean cruise. We had a blast swimming with stingrays; cave tubing, and ziplining through the rain forest. We loved it so much that we are taking the kids on a cruise this January. In May, Scott, Jake, and I completed the Ogden Half Marathon! Jake had a busy year. He turned 16 and got his drivers license, a new job at Office Max, and a serious girlfriend. Tyler is taking lessons on the electric guitar. Jenna is one of the top readers in her 1st grade class. We feel very blessed and hope this letter finds you all happy and healthy
Kim, Scott, Jake, Tyler, & Jenna Parkinson kimparkinson2067@comcast.net



Happy Holidays!
I hope the New Year finds everyone well. Our family has just finished moving. We finally have our mini-farm equipped with our three horses, four dogs, one cat, and now seven chickens. It feels like Missouri all over again. We love it. Maggie is 9 and in fourth grade. Maggie keeps busy riding her horse and catching chickens. She likes hunting for eggs. Her goal is to hatch one. Maggie’s a good mother hen. She makes the eggs little cotton beds to help keep them warm. Elizabeth is 12 and in 7th grade. She is enjoying the middle school experience. Elizabeth loves hanging out with friends, riding horses, and singing in her school choir. Her one fear is that she’ll be chased by a headless chicken when her dad decides to have one for dinner. James is still employed at Staker Parsons. He went on his first deer hunt this year. He loves our new farm life. I have a new job. I work at Elk Meadows Elementary with an Autistic Cluster Unit. It’s hard work but I love it. Our big news this year is that we are expecting a new baby at the end of July. Miss and love you all
Love, the Gaulrapps.
jkgaulrapps@yahoo.com

It's BLURB TIME!!!! Uuummmmm....... ya lol. Another year, another Christmas it's time to hear what the Leepers are doing! (and Parkinsons, Gaulrapps, Behunins, Howards, Strongs, and Hutton) ha ha. We have had a busy year! David took a job in Colorado so we see him once a week. He is working hard and misses his Hannah!! I am still at Western Neurological Associates in the business office and loving it!! I have been working hard on losing my weight- so far...... 146 lbs lost!!!! (I feel like I’ve lost a friend he he he) Only 28 more lbs to go until I hit my goal!!!!! Good thing I’ve got a GREAT roommate (Sassie Kassie) to keep me motivated! Kassie, Kaleena and I have workout night on Wednesday nights, that is if Ghost Hunters doesn't distract us! Kaleena is my daycare! I love that Hannah gets to play with her cousin Dylan every day- he is her best friend! (and keeps her from asking me for a sibling lol) Well Kassie got a new doggie so Wickett has a friend now during the day. Hannah loves to chase them both up and down the hallways! Well have Happy Holidays!
Love the Behunins' mbehunin04@comcast.net
,r4zx5yttvg89vgr5vu8o;ouiytzx (Hannah wanted to sign it lol)

Hi all. I can’t believe how fast this year has gone. What’s funny is that from Jan. on I’m always thinking about this blurb. Any time something happens with our family I say to myself, “OHHH! I’m going to write that!” But then time goes on and there’s more, “OOO OOO! That’s a good one, too.” Whether it’s been a good year or a trying one I’m grateful for this because I believe it solely serves as a purpose for the Leeper clan to take time to reflect the wonderful times we enjoyed with our families. So by the time I sit down to write this, how do I sum it all up? Well goodbye to 2008, Hello to 2009!
showard@fbsboiler.com
Hi everyone! I am Eric. Most of you know me. I am in 6th grade and 11 years old. I love to read horror books. I am reading the book "Cirque Du Freak" right now. I am on book 4 and just started it. I like to skate and play with my friends. That about sums it all up for now.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!! Love the Howards

Hi Everyone,
It has been a great year for me and I hope it has been for all of you as well. I am still working at The Local Pages in the Editing department. I love my job and can't believe I've been there for almost 3 years already. On the weekends I am now a Karaoke DJ at the Ritz Bowling Alley. I have a lot of fun and it gives me the opportunity to expand my horizon with different types of music. When I'm not in the office or jammin out at the bowling alley, I spend time at home hanging out with the family or hanging out with friends. I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and wish everyone a Happy New Year. Jill
star_light@watcherknights.com

Hey Everyone
This year has been a long but fun one. Arianna is now 1 and is walking and gibbering, she likes to get into everything so she keeps us pretty busy, she loves to play with her brothers and cousin Hannah loves to do everything Hannah does. Dylan is now 3 and just about potty trained, he hasn't started school yet but he will next year. Tavien is 6 and is in the first grade he says he doesn't like his teacher because she gets his name wrong but other then that he likes it, he also likes to help me take care of Arianna which is a big help. Jeremiah works too much I hardly get to see him and I hate it but when he does take a day off we do fun family things together and every once in a while he goes fishing with his friends. As for me I quit my job at the beginning of the year so that I can stay home with the kids and I also watch Hannah during the day for Meridy its lots of fun especially for the kids. We are trying to move again because our landlord just sold the house we live in but he found another for us to buy so hopefully we get it. We also got a cat his name is Smokey but he only answers to "here kitty kitty" he hates Jeremiah but loves me and the kids, Arianna loves to dangle a string in front of him and laughs when he chases it. That’s about it for us this year. I hope ya'll have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year With Love Jeremiah, Kaleena, Tavien, Dylan, Arianna and Smokey aka The Strongs rylprincess@comcast.net

Hello All,
This year has been long, but successful.
Success #1: I got rid of the husband and replaced him with a Maltese Poodle! He and I split about 6 months ago but he’s remained one of my best friends. Living the single life has been very good for me, and so much fun, too! I moved in with Meridy and Hannah a few months ago and we’re having a blast living together. We’re always looking forward to Wednesdays when Kaleena comes over to watch Ghost Hunters with us. Girl talk and exercise have been nice to share with them.
Another success was finally deciding on a career. I’m going to start saving up for school and hopefully start next year. I’ve always enjoyed exercising, so I’m going to be a Personal Trainer. As of right now I work at MediConnect Global collecting medical records from facilities for Humana Insurance. It isn’t the most entertaining work, but I love the people I work with. I’ve been there for 5 months now
As you can tell, it’s been a very good year for me and I hope it’s been a good one for you, too! I wish you a very Merry Christmas and may your 2009 treat you just fine!
Love, -Kassie- swtstuff86@comcast.net

I’m going to South Valley College. I have new teachers and I like them and my school. I work at Wal Mart. I played on the Special Olympics Basketball Team and won a Bronze Medal. I have a cell phone! I like my home and parents and brother and sisters and new dog, Bliz

I am in 8th grade. I am now old enough to have a job and I have one. I work as a sweeper at Westland elementary where dad teaches. I play on a Jr. Jazz Basketball team. Dad, James, and I went hunting, but were unsuccessful. At scout camp I earned a lot of merit badges and I’m going to start working on my eagle. Last winter I went snowboarding for my first time. During the summer I went camping and ATVing with the family a bunch.
Merry Christmas, Joey

I am in 8th grade. I am now old enough to have a job and I have one. I work as a sweeper at Westland elementary where dad teaches. I play on a Jr. Jazz Basketball team. Dad, James, and I went hunting, but were unsuccessful. At scout camp I earned a lot of merit badges and I’m going to start working on my eagle. Last winter I went snowboarding for my first time. During the summer I went camping and ATVing with the family a bunch.
Merry Christmas, Joey