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| ^McMurtrey family, 2025^ |
Merry Christmas, from our family to you!
We have had such a great 2025, with lots of ups, downs, plus several zig-zags this way and that haha. From road trips and kitchen dance parties to baseball & basketball games, dance classes, time with family, three kids in braces, new church callings, job changes, and a T1 diabetes diagnosis--this was definitely not a dull year! Haha.
Through it all, we are grateful for each other and for the gospel of Jesus Christ. He is the reason for the season, and the reason we have so much to be grateful for in our full and happy life!
Boston's top memories were:
1. Our road trip to St. Louis this summer for his birthday for the AJR concert
2. Playing for the junior high TKS baseball team
3. Universal Studios & EPIC with the whole McMurtrey family for fall break
4. Camp Hendon (diabetes camp) & FSY (church youth camp) this summer
He's been such a champ this year with his T1 diabetes diagnosis (in April), and we are just so proud of how he has handled everything. Despite that huge hurdle, he has had a great year and is growing so much. He's full of random facts, is kind to everyone, and is always fun to hang out with!
Santa wish: A magic card trick online course (he's a master of card tricks these days!)
Camden has had a great year, and has really come out of his shell in so many ways. He grew a ton on the field playing flag football in the spring, and has thrived in school with band, academic team, and Y-club. He is hilarious and always keeps us laughing!
Camden has had a great year, and has really come out of his shell in so many ways. He grew a ton on the field playing flag football in the spring, and has thrived in school with band, academic team, and Y-club. He is hilarious and always keeps us laughing!
His top memories of the year were:
1. KYA (Kentucky Youth Association) trip to Louisville for school
2. Spring Break trip to Disney! Magic Kingdom & Hollywood Studios
3. Winning the Flag Football Super Bowl with his team in the spring!
4. Orlando with the whole McMurtrey family & Universal Studios for fall break
Santa wish: Lego sets & a new gaming keyboard
Holland has had a great year this year playing basketball & flag football, joining Beta club at school, and hanging out with a great group of buddies. He is so much fun to be with!
His top memories from the year are:
1. Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios for Spring Break!
2. Glow dance with Brights & mom
3. Cincinnati Reds game in Ohio with the family
4. Grandma & Grandpa Gillman babysitting when me and Jord were in Puerto Rico
5. Universal & Epic with Mac fam!
6. Big Mac pizza in St. Louis!!
Santa wish: The Lego Nike Dunk set
Brighton has had a big year this year! He turned eight in February and got baptized, which is a huge milestone in our church. We had both sets of grandparents plus Aunt Whitney out here for his special day, and it was so awesome! He has loved school this year, got braces in March, and is still just the best little artist ever.
Brighton has had a big year this year! He turned eight in February and got baptized, which is a huge milestone in our church. We had both sets of grandparents plus Aunt Whitney out here for his special day, and it was so awesome! He has loved school this year, got braces in March, and is still just the best little artist ever.
His top memories from this year are:
1. Glow dance with Holland and mom
2. Universal Studios with the whole Mac fam
3. Dude Perfect Tour show in Louisville!
4. Jonas Brothers Concert in Lexington
5. Slime Kitchen experience in December--making my own slime!
Santa wishes: A new mario game & art supplies
Monroe is thriving in kindergarten this year! She is such a big girl, and she is just so much fun to have in our family. She kicked off 2025 with her Taylor Swift themed birthday party, and has been obsessed with Taylor's new album & Kpop Demon Hunters for the last few months haha. She is quite the singer and dancer, and has loved dance class this year.
Monroe is thriving in kindergarten this year! She is such a big girl, and she is just so much fun to have in our family. She kicked off 2025 with her Taylor Swift themed birthday party, and has been obsessed with Taylor's new album & Kpop Demon Hunters for the last few months haha. She is quite the singer and dancer, and has loved dance class this year.
Her top memories from the year are:
1. Her Taylor Swift birthday in January
2. Seeing The Nutcracker Ballet with mom
3. Strawberry picking in May
4. Singing to K-pop Demon Hunters and the new Taylor Swift album
5. Grandma & Grandpa Mac coming out for the Fourth of July
6. Going to the splash pad and pool in the summer
7. The City Museum in St. Louis in July!
Santa wish: An American Girl Doll
Kels top memories:
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| ^She finally warmed up to him...right as we were leaving haha^ |
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| ^they've all been good this year, Santa!^ |
Kels & Jord:
It's been a wild year, but we are so grateful for all of the blessings that we've seen in our family! Jord took on some huge changes at work, and was called this summer to be the bishop of our ward (kind of like the pastor of the congregation). He is a rockstar, and somehow manages everything on his plate while being an incredible dad and husband. I'm just so lucky to have him!
I opened up my first brick & mortar location for my online boutique this year, which has been so fun! Jord and I spent months renovating, painting, and laying out the new space--and it was quite the project. Haha. But so rewarding, and we have loved having the space in town (Jord uses a portion of it for his office, and I use the front for my boutique space and office). I have also enjoyed serving on our church stake communication council & as a sunday school teacher for Camden's class. I'm also the family "Uber driver," as Camden says, taking everyone too and from one million activities constantly haha.
Date nights, laughing together as we tried to figure out how to paint and renovate, watching our favorite TV shows, crying as we navigate diabetes, carting kids around to a million activities, and showing up for each other however we could amid the chaos was how we got through this year.
Jord's top 2025 memories:
1. Puerto rico with Kels in August
2. St. Louis summer road trip with the family
3. Orlando trip with whole McMurtrey family
4. Trip to Vegas with dad & brothers for BYU basketball game in October
5. Doing the Heartland parade with the church float
6. Jonas Brothers Concert in Lexington with the kids!
1. Taking a solo trip to Arizona in January to thrift and hike and eat!! The best!
2. Jonas Brothers concert
3. Orlando with the McMurtrey family in October
4. Road trip to St. Louis in the summer! (The big mac pizza we had at Press Pizza--YUM)
5. Trip to Puerto Rico with Jordan--so fun!
6. Monroe's first dance recital in May. The most precious thing.
7. My birthday date Jord planned to Shucked the Musical & Ruth's Chris
8. Thrifted Mint Grand Opening!
9. Christmas kickoff night downtown Elizabethtown (Brown-Pusey House & night parade)
10. Brighton's baptism in February
What a year!!
We are so grateful for all of the memories we were able to make this year, and are excited to see what 2026 has in store for us. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!
