Back to the Grind...

Although I am sure that I would eventually get tired of having my kids around all day every day, I wish that some breaks were a little longer. We had such a nice break over Christmas and spent some quantity and quality time together. Now we are back to school, rehearsals, work, etc. and it just gets hectic. I am looking forward to Spring Break already. Too bad Lee and the kids don't have the same one. We'll figure something out though.

But, life is not all bad. The weather has been great and we are enjoying being able to go outside, ride bikes, and so on and so on. Andrew is in the district Spelling Bee this month and we are proud of this accomplishment. It is also Choir Sweeps month - which we are just going to get through this year.

We have a Wii!

Yes, we have finally entered the 21st century of parenting and enlisted the help of Santa to bring our kids a video game system. He not only brought the basic system, but we also have several games. The kids said "We must have been really good this year!" They are having so much fun with it - although Seth is taking time to warm up to anything other than creating "Miis." I am really not very good at it, but I enjoy playing. We feel the need to rationalize this latest addition by saying that it will help with coordination, motor skills and also socialization opportunities. This was really the only present our kids got so luckily they like it. However, Lee got 6 tickets (from me) to see the Broadway version of Lion King on January 3rd which he will be sharing with all of us.

The Christmas concerts are over along with Christmas and it is a relief. Andrew did an amazing job at the Mesa Arts Center singing the "Silent Night" duet and my dad and Jackie were there to see it. I still get goosebumps at the end of every concert when all of the choirs together sing the "Hallelujah Chorus."

Happy New Year to all!

Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I don't know if I inherited this trait from my mom, but it is possible - I love Christmas! From Halloween on I am just excited. My mom used to buy presents in the summer in anticipation (I did this for the first time this year.) She also did not sleep on Christmas Eve even when she was an adult because she was so excited. I think what I love most about this season is the emphasis on family and giving. It just brings out the best in everyone.

The kids are getting out of school tomorrow and the boys' big concerts are all this weekend. We are going to be spending this Christmas here at home after our big trip to Utah the first "White Christmas" my kids have seen last year. It is nice to be able to just slow down and relax. We plan on doing some baking and some hanging out and even some fun activities.

May you all have a wonderful Christmas season and share it with those who love you!

M & M's

Not only are M & M's one of my favorite candies, it is also the first letters of my two middle children, Marissa and Matthew who have birthdays this week. We jumped the gun a little because of our schedule this week and gave both of them their presents yesterday. Marissa got a new adult-size purple bike and Matthew got to go to a really cool store (http://www.ridemakerz.com/) and build his own car. It was a really fun day.

Marissa, as those of you know her can testify, is a sweet girl. She is generally our peacemaker and all of her brothers adore her. She can be silly and fun and also serious. She loves animals, especially horses and loves to be outdoors. However, she also has another side. She is an extremely motivated hard worker who is also very smart and curious. She blows us away with what she is doing at school. As Lee's mom says "How does it feel to know that your kids are smarter than you?" We expect to see amazing things from her someday.

Matthew is our passionate child. He feels every emotion deeply. I love the way his whole face gets involved when he smiles. He can also be our "absent-minded professor" who can't find his shoes when they are right in front of him. He and Seth spend hours making up elaborate characters and story lines which they plan to make into a movie someday. He has an amazing memory for details which is almost freaky. He puts his whole heart into things that he loves and it is inspiring.

Marissa

Marissa recently received the honor of having her picture displayed in our school district's food services building for the next year. She was the only one selected from her school so we are proud of her and her accomplishments. Remember - Food is Fuel!

The Election

I am not going to get political, but I hope you are all voting and making your voice heard. It is the blessing that we have of democracy that allows us this privilege. Even if we feel our choices are limited, it is still our choice to make.

Halloween!

We had a fun Halloween night going to "Trunk-or-Treat" at church. The kids got plenty of candy, although not as much as they would have liked. Lee was a "Goth" guy, Andrew a mad scientist, Marissa a cowgirl, Matthew was our "green" costume, made from recycled parts of old costumes, and Seth was a deputy riding a horse. I was a busy mom. I did manage to turn my hair blue helping to make cotton candy at the party.