It's been SOOOOO long since I updated this blog! I feel so behind! Maybe I will attempt to catch up but for now I'm just gonna write a small update on each of us.
J.D. - hmmm what can I say - he is one busy guy! He has tons of responsibility at work and church and at home. He is still teaching AP Calculus at American Fork High School. He teaches on A days and teaches 4 classes - which means he does not get a prep hour. Which means he preps after school and grades those "lovely" tests till the wee hours of the night. Boy do we love test week! He is an amazing teacher and dedicated to what he does. J.D. is also still working at the Alpine School District office as the Secondary Math Specialist the other half of his time. So he goes there on B days. Since he loves his students so much - before work starts at the district at 8am he goes in to the high school to give extra help to the kids at 7am. There is a new state core for math that he is a huge part of implementing to Alpine School District. So meetings and more meetings and stress and more stress! Don't know how he keeps it all together! Then there's his church responsibility as Young Mens President. We are going on 3.5 years of this calling! WHEW-what more can I say to that! And then he's still the best daddy is the world. The kids rush him every night when he gets home! I'm really very proud of him - wish I could help him more with all his STUFF !
Joshy-Poo! I mean JOSH! I can't believe my baby boy is 12! He received the Aaronic Priesthood in August - so he's passing the sacrament now! He also started Jr. High School :( He is playing the trumpet in the band. He got an IPod touch for his birthday (which he paid half of), and he LOVES to play with it all the time. Still playing soccer, basketball, football and playing the piano! We definitely keep this kid busy! He had an osteochondroma on his knee - it a bone tumor (non cancerous) on the side of his knee and it was really bothering him. So a week and half ago he went in for surgery and 45 minutes later his little "nodule" (I LOATHE that word) was gone! He has about an inch long scar but I think it will fade! He was off his leg for about 3 days but now back to his active self! He's doing honors english and history and is in algebra as a 7th grader! He's got his Daddy's genes.
Dawson - the back flipping 5th grader! Dawson is 10 now and is the best babysitter. He is really attentive and helpful. In this picture of him, he got his sisters bathed and ready for bed before JD and I got home from a date! He's also getting really good at backflips on the trampoline. He and his friends are outside even when it's freezing! Dawson is still playing soccer, basketball, football, and playing the piano too! He's a social kid and loves having friends over.
Tan the Man! He is turning eight in a month and is excited about getting baptized on his birthday! Wahoo! This picture is funny because we got a few mice this year (blah) and so we caught all of them right in a row. We didn't know that would happen so fast and easily. Well Tanner was the only one that wasn't totally grossed out and freaked out (besides JD of course). JD was at work and one had been sitting there under the sink dead all day (EWWW), so when the boys got home I wanted them to take it to the trash. Tanner was the bravest! Go Tan! He got it in the dust pan and then threw it in the trash and then took it out! Tanner is my sports FANATIC (and that's saying a lot - because all the boys in the house are pretty fanatic). JD let him do fantasy football this year - oh boy. Tanner is in heaven - he know everything about every team and player and game. Crazy! He loves to watch and play football and he can keep up with his big brothers and their friends just fine. He is really big for his age - he's almost caught up to Dawson in height and they are almost 3 years apart! He is taking piano and he has really done well. He's also a great soccer player and he gets to start basketball this year! 3 basketball teams to watch, oh and of course JD is coaching all three!
Marissa is finally 4 years old! I say finally because we've been hearing about it since she turned 3. She had a great birthday party in November with her friends and cousins. Now she's old enough to play soccer and go to preschool but she doesn't get that she has to wait for several more months till that's going to happen! So hard to explain! She is a feisty but sweet and adorable little girl. She loves her sister and is good to her most of the time. She sleeps on the top bunk now that Brielle is in a big girl bed. Marissa loves her puppy and Toodles gets to cuddle with Riss every night! Marissa did dance during the summer and then we signed her up again for fall. She had a recital last week and can I just say "OH MY GOODNESS". She was so adorable. We were worried she would be really shy and not do it but we were so wrong. She got up there and stood with a HUGE smile on her face and her hands on her hips waiting for the music. Then she did the whole 1 minute song with that big smile and didn't miss a beat! I was amazed. It was really fun to watch her!
And then there's sweet little Brielle! This girl can just melt your heart. She is the cuddliest girl ever. She loves to hold Marissa hand in the car while we drive. She likes to get real close to my face and hold my hand when she climbs in bed with me every morning. And all of the sudden she's becoming quite the Daddy's girl too. Brielle copies whatever Marissa does (good or bad). She is learning new words every day. She loves to watch Jake and the Neverland Pirates. She comes up and says "Jake" but it sounds like drink, so she'll pull you over to the computer to turn on her show. She LOVES dogs. None of my kids have been so dog friendly - I guess it's because she's growing up with one. But she just has no fear and goes up to all dogs and hugs them and grabs their faces - we have got to be careful with this girl. She loves to play with Marissa tea set, especially if someone is there to sip tea too! Oh and the picture below - who gives a chocolate SEE's sucker to a less then 2 year old? Seriously - it was everywhere - thanks Santa!
And then there's ME! I'm just trying to keep up with everything that's going on around here. I have been doing a Jillian Michael's work out video (don't laugh) for 3 months. Not because I'm overweight - but I wanted to tone up and I love to exercise. It's been good for me and my abs are slowly getting back to what they were before 5 babies destroyed them! I don't do too much for myself - it's just not that time of life yet - I take care of everyone else right now - and that's just the way I want it. I received a 3rd calling at church last month. I teach Relief Society once a month, I do Cub Scouts for the 8 year olds, and now I am the Young Women Camp Director. Yeah - that was a little scary and overwhelming but I'm excited too. Camping is one of the things I love - so this will be good and I know I will learn a lot as I prepare for all the young girls in our ward to go to camp for a week in June. I recovered great from my hip scope I had done in August. Crutches for about a week and some physical therapy and now I feel almost 100%. I felt inspired to read the Book of Mormon again and do it by the end of the year (I started in November). My testimony of it's truthfulness has increased tons. I learn new things every time I read it and I know that it is the word of God and another testament of Jesus Christ. I feel so blessed - even though I may seem crazy and frazzled at times - this is exactly what I've always wanted!
