Christmas letter for those of you I don't have e-mail addresses for:)

Hello Friends and Family,

Since I am so very terrible at actually mailing Christmas letters I thought I would cheat and do the e-mail thing this year. We have had a fast yet somewhat uneventful year. Hopefully this letter doesn't bore you to death:)

Nathan has been very busy doing what he loves best... his job. Nathan flies on average about twice a week( he wishes it were a lot more). This year his most interesting flights have been: flying a huey to Vernal in two hours to have lunch with Becky ; a flight to pick up some General and he literally came home with 26 mosquito bites just on his knees; he also spotted a wildfire. Nathan has followed college football quite a bit more this year than he has in the past. We even went to the BYU vs.. Air Force game with Nathan's parents. Nathan continues to work on his Master's program. He is only taking one class at time but the reading alone takes up quite a bit of his time:( Oh, and at the squadron Christmas party Nathan was awarded the "Deer in the Headlights" award.

I have been busy with the girls. I volunteer in Mara's Class on day one and three. The schools here have a weird program for the days the kids do "Specialty" classes. I take Mara's class to Computer lab and then to Library. I really enjoy my time there. Becca comes along too. My ward calling in the Young Women's also keeps me quite busy. I do enjoy it though. I am the Mia-maid advisor. There is just nothing like a bunch of teenage girls thinking you are still cool to make you feel younger. I started seeing a craniofacial specialist this year for my TMJ and will hopefully get to ditch this splint for braces in February or March. I know its pathetic to wish for braces. I have also enjoyed watching my friend Jayne become quite the little baker with a little encouragement:) I made my very first dress this year. It was for Teia and wasn't the best craftsmanship in the world; the zipper was crooked and so was the hem. But I still made it all by myself.

MaraLenae has lost 7 teeth this year. She is extremely proud of each one she looses. Mara has to call Grandpa Roy every time she looses a tooth. I think, because he pulled her first one. The crowning event was loosing Three teeth in two days. Mara has continued to amaze us with her capability in reading. This summer she read "the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe" three times. MaraLenae is definitely the big sister in our family and loves to mother everyone including me. Mara has taken on the challenge of learning the Harp. This presents a unique challenge for me since I don't read music and to my knowledge there are no harp teachers her in Cheyenne. Grandma Becky gives her a lesson every time they come for a visit.

Teiajanae loves Kindergarten. She had gotten past the shy stage and is really starting to shine. Teia's talent in school so farhas been in math. She can just whiz through simple addition and subtraction problems. Teia is the "pet" of her class. The quite literally pet her and carry her around. She doesn't seem to mind it at all. Teia is still very attached to her stuffed puppy "Bubba", she takes him with everywhere but school. Then I get to, please, watch her. Yes, bubba is a girl. Teia loves to write. You can most often find her with a notebook copying random words she finds.

BeccaCorinne is four years old. That pretty much sums it up. Becca loves dressing up. Her favorite books are the "Fancy Nancy the "pinkalicious" books. Becca loves to write and her name. B is the letter she always goes to first because that's her letter. Becca is very attached to the daughters of our very good friends the Jenkins. There are very few days that she doesn't ask to see Amy and Lydia. Those three are practically joined at the hip. Becca had a lesson in church about three months ago in which they talked about serving like Jesus. Becca, since then loves to "help" me and makes sure that I know that she is serving like Jesus. She also likes to remind everyone(strangers included) that I am not her servant,yet another lesson. Becca is very attached to her blanky and to a stuffed puppy named "Lucky." She even feeds Lucky pretend food. No sweets, it has to be healthy food or he might get a cavity. Becca is still my little cuddle bug and will just curl up in my lap for long periods of time. Becca hates going to bed at night.

I think that gives you all an idea of what we have been doing in this last year. I pray for all of you a happy and healthy new year.May your Christmas be very Merry.

Love to you all

Becca moment

This morning out on my mom's lawn were about 15 quail. We all hurried over to see them. I was holding Becca up because she was too short to see them.The girls were very excited! My mom started to tell us about when she was a little girl. Her parents gave her a little baking set with a roasting pan. Her dad had gone out hunting and brought back a quail. The roasting pan was just the right size. That night they cooked the quail in my mom's little roasting pan. I put Becca down(she is getting a little big now to hold for very long) and she tried squeezing in a little closer to the window. She managed to get right up next to the window to see the quail. Then she started to excitedly yell " I can see them, I can see food!" What a little cutie.
Hope you have a great day
NINA

The end of babyhood

Yesterday marked the end of of my baby days. Becca is now 4 years old. I must admit to being a little sad about this little fact. She hasn't really been a baby for a while but for some reason her turning four has made a mental change for me. I am not baby-hungry in the idea of wanting to carry, hold, and feed a child of my blood so much as the realization that it will never again happen(my own choice). Se-la-vie. I am happy with my little family which continues to grow. We are ready for Halloween now! It only took me an entire to make 3 aprons for my little candy corn witches. But they are really cute!!!! Here is a picture of the first one I made. I had to send one to my mom the minute I finished the first one. Teia is the star of the picture.
Have a great day
NINA

Friends remembered

I have recently gotten on a find old friends kick. Every once in a while I will start thinking about the past and wonder what happened to so -and -so. There are several people I have heard from since I was nine years old and I still wonder what ever happened to those dear friends. I recently found a few from high school and it is wonderful to "catch up." The Internet is a wonderful tool for those of us who really stink at writing letters but who no longer live around everyone they grew up with.Me, the longest I have ever lived in one place was 8 years. That makes for a lot of lost contacts. I know this blog doesn't make a lot of sense I just wanted to share some of my joy at finding old friends and my sorrow at losing some. I have not used names for the sake of security(in case you were wondering). Maybe you have an old friend you are missing, maybe its time to find them.
Have a great day
NINA

I am a chicken

Today is the annual spouses flight for Nathan's squadron and I am going to be sitting safely on the ground for the second year in a row. I went our first fall here, two months after moving in, and ended up losing my lunch right in front of the base commanders wife:( I haven't wanted to repeat this experience even though Nathan promises it was just because the pilot was showing off and pulled in to steeply. Well that's all for today. Now the whole world knows that I am a chicken!
NINA

Everyday Goodbye's

An average day in our house starts out in the morning around 6:30. We wake-up, read scriptures, and pray as a family. Then, while I make breakfast Nathan helps the girls unload the dishwasher and make their beds. We then eat break fast and Nathan leaves for work. All of that was leading to this our daily good-bye to daddy. Nathan goes around the table giving everyone a kiss and telling them good- bye individually.When he gets to me the girls usually giggle because daddy kisses mommy on the lips.OOOHHH!!! When he gets to the front door one of the girls inevitably yells "See you later, Crocodile(they think its silly to put in different animals instead of alligator)". To which Nathan replies with another rhyming epithet like; "see you there teddy bear" . I love watching this banter in the morning. I have also found that the girls have learned rhyming words fairly easily because if they start a see you... statement we help them finish it. I hope you have enjoyed a glimpse into a Leakey morning.
Have a great day
NINA

weirdest feeling in the world

I am doing physical therepy for TMJ a disorder of the jaw. Part os my PT is Ultrasound therapy or muscle stimulation. This is by far the weirdest feeling in the world. It is like being shocked while at the same time having a very lovely massage. In your Face! I have only had one session of this therapy and it was on a very low setting and for only 4 minutes on each cheek. Next week I am supposed to do double that.I ought to be twitching for a good 1/2 hour afterward. Yippee!

First Lesson

Well I got the Manual for my new class yeaterday at church. BTW I am the new Miamaid advisor. The first lesson I get to teach is a doosy. I get to teach 14 and 15 year old girls the importance of forgiving themselves and how self- forgiveness can impact our eternal progression.Yeehaww!! I am sitting here with 5 books and a cup of tea hoping I don't completely botch my very first lesson. Please pray for me on Sunday!!Other than that it has been a very normal Monday. I got the girls to school on time,barely. B and I went to the gym and then get allergy shots.
I hope that everyone has a great day
NINA

blessings

I was at book club last night with 5 other women from church when I had one of those moments. You know one of those moments when you are absolutely sure the Lord is speaking to your spirit. We were discussing the book "Left to Tell" by Immaculee Ilibagiza. As we talked about the struggles of faith in everyday life I was struck with a very real knowledge of just how blessed I trully am. I have Great children and a Wonderful husband. I have friends who are there for me at every turn in life and I have family (in-laws included) who are loving and bless me richly.
I am defiately on a soapbox there and I apologize to all reading this but I just had to share it with someone.
Have a Great Day
NINA

By-the-way I am now a new aunt to a litlle boy. The first on Nathan's side of the family!!!
It is a happy day!!!

Rip My Heart Out

Teia has for last two days taken to ripping my heart out and throwing it on the ground! She has broken into tears when I drop her off at school. Yesterday the teacher had a hold of her as she leaned out the door yelling "Mommy, Mommy don't leave me!"(Rip) Today, she did a little better but still the tears flowed freely(Rip). I really hope tomorrow is better or I may, well I don't know what I will do since its law that she be in school. Mara Never cried over going to school she didn't want me to hang around. This is a very new experience for me. Any suggestions?

We are still alive

Nathan and the Girls Christmas 2007


Here goes another attempt at letting the world of our friends keep in contact with the ever changing life that is the Leake household.


We are enjoying our time here in Wyoming and cannot imagine the day the miltary says pack it up. Nathan has even gotten to play CSI since we have been here(although he doesn't think he likes it). Nathan does enjoy his job very much. He thinks that hovering above the ground and grabbing branches off pine trees is great fun(I have heart attacks when he tells these stories). The guys and 2 girls he works with are all wonderful and we have made great friends with one family in particular, the Jenkins. They will come up alot in the course of my blogs because Jayne and I live at each others houses. I keep busy running after the girls most days. I am currently the music chairman in our ward; a calling I love but am not very good at, I forget to do it. I have a new calling but I can't tell you that because I haven't been sustained yet=).


The Girls are all growing like weeds. MaraLenae is now 7 and in the 2nd grade. She adores school and everything that goes with it. Her teacher Mrs. Telander is the best teacher ever. Mara loves reading. This summer she read " The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe" and "Prince Caspian" together in less than a week. She amazes me!


Teiajanae is 5 and just started Kindergarten. She loved school but wishes that mommy could and would stay there with her all day long. We have even put a picture in crayon box at school so she won't feel so lonely without us. Teia is a little shy but hopefully after a few weeks of being around the same people she will get used to the new routine.


BeccaCorinne is 3 and so wishes she could go to school. She gets a little lonely now that its just her and I at home. Becca loves to go and do things so we make sure that we get out at least once a day. We usually got to the gym on base, she loves the parent-child room.


Well I guess that is an ok update for now. More to come later. Have a great day


NINA