alec gets to use the internet one time a week for a total of 30 minutes--not much time, but right now this is the only communication we have with him due to the slowness of the mail system in the DR. i am copying the letter that i just sent him to this format in case he comes to the blog for his 30 minutes.

(i actually recieved 2 christmas letters in this format and thought they were fun so i stole the idea)

Well Alec,

Last time you got after me for not writing about home. I have sent another letter (via pouch) detailing more of family/home life but I thought I would tell you about Christmas.

TURNER FAMILY CHRISTMAS BY THE NUMBERS:

10: NUMBER OF CHOCOLATE COUNT DOWN CALENDARS THAT WILL ATE (BEFORE THE 24TH)

10: NUMBER OF CHOCOLATE COUNT DOWN CALENDARS THAT DAD BOUGHT FOR WILL

4: NUMBER OF "12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS" PRESENTS THAT GRANDMA DID (THEN SHE GAVE UP)

1: NUMBER OF CHRISTMAS PRESENTS THAT GRANDMA GAVE ALL OF US ON CHRISTMAS DAY

8: NUMBER OF GINGERBREAD HOUSES THAT BELLA ATE BEFORE THE PARTY

0: NUMBER OF GINGERBREAD HOUSES THAT BELLA LEFT FOR THE PARTY

1: LOUD SCREAM WHEN MOM FOUND OUT THAT BELLA ATE THE GINGERBREAD HOUSES

30: THE NUMBER OF MINUTES BEFORE THE PARTY THAT MOM FOUND OUT THAT BELLA ATE THE GINGERBREAD HOUSES

1: THE NUMBER OF TIMES WE LISTENED TO "THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGENT EVER" ON THE WAY TO GRANDMA AUSTIN'S HOUSE OF CHRISTMAS EVE

26: NUMBER OF TIMES THAT WE WATCHED "HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS"

72: NUMBER OF TIMES THAT WILLIAM ASKED TO WATCH "HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS"

7: NUMBER OF TREES MOM REJECTED BEFORE THE PERFECT TREE WAS FOUND

27: DEGREES F WHEN SAID CHRISTMAS TREE WAS FOUND....BRRRRR!

1: NUMBER OF MORNINGS THAT WILLIAM THOUGHT IT WAS CHRISTMAS WHEN IT WASN'T (HE RUSHED UP STAIRS THINKING THERE WOULD BE PRESENTS.....SO SAD!)

12: NUMBER OF TIMES MOM THREATENED THAT WILLIAM AND AUSTIN WOULD ONLY GET A BARBIE FOR CHRISTMAS

0: NUMBER OF TIMES THAT WILLIAM THOUGHT THAT GETTING A BARBIE FOR CHRISTMAS WOULD BE BAD

102: NUMBER OF TIMES WILL PRACTICED HIS LINE FOR THE CHRISTMAS PROGRAM (HE WAS JOSEPH, AND HIS LINE: "STAY IN A STABLE?!!")

2: TEARS SHED FROM GRANDMA AUSTIN WHEN WILL SAID HIS ABOVE LINE IN THE CHRISTMAS PROGRAM

A ROOM FULL: NUMBER OF LAUGHS HEARD WHEN WILLIAM SAID HIS LINE IN THE CHRISTMAS PAGENT (DUE TO THE CUTENESS IN HIS DELIVERY!)

6: NUMBER OF PAINT COLORS REGAN GOT FOR CHRISTMAS FROM DAD

4: NUMBER OF TEENAGE GIRLS IT TAKES TO PAINT REGAN'S ROOM 6 DIFFERENT COLORS

4+: NUMBER OF DAYS IT TAKES SAID TEENAGERS TO PAINT REGAN'S ROOM 6 DIFFERENT COLORS

5: NUMBER OF TIMES AUSTIN HAS GONE SNOWBOARDING (I AM SURE THIS NUMBER WILL INCREASE AS WE HAVE 4 MORE DAYS LEFT OF VACATION)

3: NUMBER OF TIMES THAT GRANDMA AUSTIN MADE FUDGE FOR THE TURNER FAMILY

4-5: NUMBER OF LOAVES OF BREAD INJESTED BY BELLA

1: NUMBER OF CHOCOLATE SANTAS INJESTED BY BELLA

1: NUMBER OF BAGS OF CARMEL POPCORN EATEN BY BELLA

3: NUMBER OF CHOCOLATE MUFFINS EATEN BY BELLA

4: NUMBER OF COUCHES BELLA INSISTS ON LAYING ON WHEN SHE IS HOME ALONE

15: NUMBER OF TIMES MOM THREATENED TO KILL BELLA

12: NUMBER OF TIMES DAD AGREED WITH MOM TO KILL BELLA

3: NUMBER OF CHRISTMAS TREES DECORATED IN OUR HOUSE

6: NUMBER OF DAYS IT SNOWED THE WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS

1: NUMBER OF DAYS IT RAINED, MELTING THE SNOW FOR CHRISTMAS DAY...TOO BAD!

2: NUMBER OF FOUR WHEELERS IN GRANDMA AUSTIN'S FRONT YARD DECORATED WITH LIGHTS

1: NUMBER OF TRAILERS ATTACHED TO FOUR WHEELERS DECORATED IN GRANDMA AUSTIN'S FRONT YARD

1: NUMBER OF BLOW UP SANTAS IN TRAILER IN GRANDMA'S FRONT YARD

4: NUMBER OF HAIR CUTS RECIEVED THE WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS (BELLA, DAD, AUSTIN, AND MOM)

1: NUMBER OF TRIPS TO WILLARD BAY TO SEE THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

2: NUMBER OF TIMES AROUND WILLARD BAY SO THAT WILLIAM COULD SEE ALL THE LIGHTS

66: NUMBER OF TIMES THAT WILLIAM WAS FOUND SINGING: "YOUR A MEAN ONE, MR. GRINCH, YOU REALLLY ARE A PIIIILLLL!!"

3: NUMBER OF ALEC'S FRIENDS THAT CAME OVER TO MAKE CHRISTMAS CANDY WITH DAD

1: NUMBER OF "BATMAN MEETS SCOOBYDOO" MOVIES THAT WILLIAM GOT FROM SANTA

TOO MANY: NUMBER OF TIMES THAT WILLIAM, DAD AND AUSTIN WATCH THE ABOVE MOVIE.

12: NUMBER OF TIMES A DAY THAT WILLIAM QUOTES THE ABOVE MOVIE: "HOLY TRADEMARKS IT IS A BAT, BATMAN!"

57: NUMBER OF TIMES MOM ASKED DAD: "DO YOU THINK ALEC WILL GET HIS CHRISTMAS PACKAGE?"

57: NUMBER OF TIMES DAD REPLIED: "I HOPE SO!"

0: NUMBER OF PACKAGES THAT ALEC RECIEVED FOR CHRISTMAS

10: NUMBER OF MEASLY MINUTES THAT MOM AND FAMILY GOT TO TALK TO MISSIONARY SON ON CHRISTMAS DAY.

0: NUMBER OF LETTERS RECIEVED BY MISSIONARY SON IN THE DR....SO SAD!


HOPE THIS GIVES YOU SOME IDEA OF OUR CHRISTMAS, WE MISSED YOU. LOVE MOM