A Year in the Life of the Huhtalas

(to be sung to the tune of “Twelve Days of Christmas”)

In the year of oh seven, the Huhtala family: Fully finished their basement

In the year of oh seven, the Huhtala family: 2 surgeries and fully finished their basement

In the year of oh seven, the Huhtala family: 3 kids in dance class, 2 surgeries and fully finished their basement

In the year of oh seven, the Huhtala family: 4 school-aged children, 3 kids in dance class, 2 surgeries, and fully finished their basement

In the year of oh seven, the Huhtala family: 5 different sports, 4 school-aged children, 3 kids in dance class, 2 surgeries, and fully finished their basement

In the year of oh seven, the Huhtala family: 6 swimming lessons, 5 different sports, 4 school-aged children, 3 kids in dance class, 2 surgeries, and fully finished their basement

In the year of oh seven, the Huhtala family: 7 church callings, 6 swimming lessons, 5 different sports, 4 school-aged children, 3 kids in dance class, 2 surgeries, and fully finished their basement

In the year of oh seven, the Huhtala family: 8 ER trips, 7 church callings, 6 swimming lessons, 5 different sports, 4 school-aged children, 3 kids in dance class, 2 surgeries, and fully finished their basement

In the year of oh seven, the Huhtala family: 9 hours of traveling, 8 ER trips, 7 church callings, 6 swimming lessons, 5 different sports, 4 school-aged children, 3 kids in dance class, 2 surgeries, and fully finished their basement

In the year of oh seven, the Huhtala family: 10 acts of service, 9 hours of traveling, 8 ER trips, 7 church callings, 6 swimming lessons, 5 different sports, 4 school-aged children, 3 kids in dance class, 2 surgeries, and fully finished their basement

In the year of oh seven, the Huhtala family: 11 family sayings, 10 acts of service, 9 hours of traveling, 8 ER trips, 7 church callings, 6 swimming lessons, 5 different sports, 4 school-aged children, 3 kids in dance class, 2 surgeries, and fully finished their basement

In the year of oh seven, the Huhtala family: 12 baby faces, 11 family sayings, 10 acts of service, 9 hours of traveling, 8 ER trips, 7 church callings, 6 swimming lessons, 5 different sports, 4 school-aged children, 3 kids in dance class, 2 surgeries, and fully finished their basement



We hope all of you have a wonderful Christmas! We feel our Savior’s love daily and are so grateful for this Christmas season to remind us of His birth. We will try to “do a little more” in 2008 and we challenge you to do the same.

Love Always,

The Huhtala Family- Ed, Amy, Hannah, Haylee, Alex, Logan & Aidan


*Some of these numbers are just for the sake of the song- see back page for more explanation

1. The basement is finished and just in time for our friends to come from Virginia and Oregon. We had 6 adults, 15 kids and 2 dogs under one roof for 4 days! It was a blast! We can’t wait for them to come again.

2. Haylee and I both had surgery this year. Haylee ended up performing in her dance recital just 3 days after her emergency appendectomy!

3. Alex joined the girls this year by taking a clogging class. Now we have 4 cloggers in the family! Haylee took ballet and clogging this year and Hannah did clogging and modern dance. The girls also performed in the Stadium of Fire (Provo’s Freedom Festival).

4. Time flies! We never thought we’d have 4 kids in school. Logan started Kindergarten and loves it. Alex is doing awesome in 1st grade. Haylee loves 3rd grade and is excelling in all of her subjects. Hannah’s 4th grade teacher is fabulous and she ended the term with straight A’s.

5. Well, it was only 3 different sports but it really felt like 300! We had baseball in the Spring, Soccer in the fall and a new edition this year… wrestling. Alex and Logan took wrestling for the first time. I thought they would be perfect at it since this is all they do at home. Alex placed 3rd in the Nebo Wrestling Tournament. Hannah and Haylee were on the same soccer team and placed 3rd in the league. They are quite the dynamic duo.

6. One of the things the kids look forward to the most about summer vacation is swimming lessons. They had a great time this year and also managed to avoid that community pool parasite.

7. We really only have 4 callings if you combine both mine and Ed’s (me 3, Ed 1). But I definitely wanted to include something about our ward since it is such a big part of our lives. We absolutely love our neighborhood and have learned so much from the people around us.

8. Yep- like all of you, I’m pretty sure we had at least 8 ER trips…. What family doesn’t?

9. We only took one trip this year- to St. George over Labor Day. We met my mom there and mostly just hung out at the hotel and in the pool. The kids loved it! I did get to go to Washington D.C. in July to visit Denise. I had so much fun although I do not recommend Virginia in July- holy humidity!

10. Acts of Service- We’re trying really hard as a family to serve one another so that we can have harmony and peace in our home. The kids do a great job of helping each other out.

11. Family Sayings- Ed and I have developed what we like to think of as clever ways to get our point across. I coined the phrase, “If you have time to kick it, you have time to pick it up.” Ed’s favorite is, “If you’re not gettin’ to bed… you’re gettin’ in trouble.” And the long-time favorite, “You get what you get and you don’t throw a fit.” Alex thinks our family has too many rules.

12. Baby Faces- Aidan is a hoot! One of our favorite things is to take turns pulling a face for Aidan to copy. He can glare and raise his eyebrows, among other funny faces. We’ve all had fun teaching him new ones and new phrases to say while he’s at it. It’s been such a joy having older kids to play with the “baby” and of course to help out as well.