Boy - I am just not good at keeping this up to date. We had a great 2013 year - we moved to Powell WY at the beginning and have been able to see and help family as much as we want. The kids get to do many things that I grew up doing which is very beneficial for them though they probably don't appreciate the hard work. But it doesn't get any better than riding behind tractors and shooting guns! We have been blessed to have awesome Aunts/Uncles/Grandparents that are willing to tolerate kids jumping on them, wrestling them, begging them, and playing with them.
This spring we planted grass around the place we are renting, cleaned up the yard, had some awesome-huge bonfires, inherited 5 kittens from the neighboring mama-cat, learned to shoot guns and wrangle calves, and helped the grandparents plant a bazillion rows of corn.
By summer, half of our grass actually grew! along with a wild crop of kosha-weeds - so when Toran mowed the lawn it looked fabulous until you looked closer and saw what was really in all that green stuff.
My brother Whitney and his family moved into Grandpa Melvin's place this last summer and Jenna is amazing at face painting. It is one of her many talents. Whenever we are home the kids love to have her practice on them! Many of my other brothers came home off and on during the summer to help on the farm. They were always taking kids off on their many jobs and I could only cringe and pray when I saw Toran sitting on the edge of the back of the truck with his uncles and hope they all come home in one piece. I don't know how my mother survived all the dare-deviled men in the family!
Toran had a great season in baseball. He played catcher, pitcher, and third base.
He learned the best way to bust calves so they were ready for branding and figured out how to fly fish on his own! He has grown up so much. He isn't my little boy anymore but is a great help with Levi though sometimes he wrestles a little too rough! He is really into basketball and football but loves to read a good book on the couch.
Mikayla had a special year - she turned 8 and was baptized by her dad. She has learned to take responsibility for her actions and has been working on making good choices even when it is tough. She is our peacemaker in the family.
She loves to dress up and put on make-up but can also be found outside in the mud and in the trees holding kitties or making forts. She loves animals, drawing, and art.
Leah is our jokester. She is always saying the funniest things and makes me smile. She finally started loosing her teeth, hates it when her ponytail is too tight, and really dislikes her bed covers being wrinkly - which poses a huge problem when the little monster can't stay still.
Leah will be going to kindergarten this year and I'll sure miss her and her smiles. She's also a nature athlete and can pass a volleyball super-good. It'll be fun to see how well she does in sports.
Levi is a hoot. I love his smile, his dances, and funny faces. We can understand a little bit of what he is trying to say but is super-good at saying 'Det do!' (let go!). When I leave the house for YW - Trav says he wanders the house calling 'mom! mom!' It's nice to be so loved! He started nursery and isn't liking it very much. How can you go wrong with toys and snacks? We looked forward to the time when he could go and end up spending time in there instead of class anyways. It'll probably be another year before we can enjoy alone-time in our own classes. He adds so much to our family!
My sister Paige finished her junior year in volleyball at Utah State in Logan and we took a trip to go watch her when she had 2 home games. She is awesome! It is so fun to watch her! We performed the national anthem for one of her games. The kids did amazing. The girls sang the melody while Toran harmonized. I'm so proud of them.
While we were there in Logan - we took advantage of Trav's landscaping skills and tried to fix Taubi's system. Her new home is the perfect place for her, but needs a lot of work. We spent the days in the dirt fixing the sprinklers and in her basement demolishing her bathroom. Then spent the nights watching games and eating lots of good food!
This fall the kids got to go sky high in the loader to pick all of the grandparents apples. We raided the DI in Utah and our dress-up box for Halloween costumes. What a spooky zombie, deathly-beautiful vampires and adorable indian we had this year.
We took Mikayla to USU for a mother/daughter vball camp and got so see a couple of my former teammates that I played with during my years of vball there.
We finished off the year with helping Whit & Jenna clean-up after they poured a cement drive-way and sidewalk. They had a lot of help as you can see, but it all got done and no one got hurt! And afterwards - used the crows in the field as target practice. No luck there.
We are so blessed to have siblings/family that get along and can work side by side with some rough-housing, jokes and friendship. We've kept up the tradition of big family projects every Thanksgiving and what better way to celebrate a time of thanks than working with your family.
My final thought: The Lord has blessed our little family so much this last year. I've been able to look back and see his hand in many ways. He guided us and led us to where we are now and whenever I start to waver in my faith and trust - I can look back on that experience and remember that He cares and will answer our prayers. He knows our worries and our problems and wants to help - we just need to trust in Him. I love my family; I love the gospel and the assurance it provides in a time of uncertainty. I am proud to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Catch up time!
