Merry Christmas!

Hello to Family and Friends,

I didn't get Christmas cards sent out last year, or a Christmas letter written, so if you didn't hear from me, you're in good company. :)  Last year for Christmas, we went to Utah for a family reunion with all of my brothers and sisters and their children.  We flew out there a couple of weeks before Christmas; I had every intention of writing a Christmas letter there, but I played with my family instead! :)

Here is a picture of all of us together at a ski lodge in Aspen Grove:

Here is a little update on our family:

Jason
Jason decided to return to school to get his master's degree in Information Technology.  He is an excellent student and is doing fabulous in his classes.  We miss him during his long study hours, but he still finds time to play with us when he is not working or studying. :)  He has been the cub master in our ward for the past few years which has given him a chance to show his funny side.  He is a dedicated basketball player in church ball.  If you ever want to know the stats for the games in our stake, or see "highlight reels," just ask. :)

Marsha
My new passion is teaching piano.  I started in the spring of 2013 and it has been an exciting journey.  I have always loved to play piano (privately, not publicly), but I had much to learn about teaching and it has been very fun to learn.  I'm also trying to be brave and play piano in public a little more myself. :)  I started teaching my own boys (Kayla had already taken for years) and now I have sixteen other students that I love, love, love.  I am a little piano obsessed at the moment, so if I do end up posting on my blog more (which is always my goal), I'm sure there will be plenty about piano.  When I'm not at the piano, or attacking the never-ending housework, I love to read books with the kids, play games, and watch movies.

Kayla
Kayla is 14 now and a high school student.  It's hard to believe!  She is as delightful as ever and I'm so grateful to have her as a daughter.  She is still getting her education at home.  She always planned to go to public school once she hit high school, but she tried partial enrollment at the middle school last year and decided she prefers homeschooling.  In truth, she isn't home much as she takes Algebra, Spanish, Literature, and a history/government class in the community.  She enjoys all of these classes and the freedom she has to choose her studies.  She started early-morning seminary this year and it begins each day at 5:30 a.m.!  This is super early for our family of night owls, but we're getting used to it.  She just goes back to bed when the class is over! :)  Kayla loves to create and write.  She is always working on some story and her brothers eagerly await the new installment of the on-going story she shares with them.  She has created several websites for business purposes and growth and improvement.  I think she is an amazing girl and a wonderful daughter and friend.  She just might be my favorite person to hang out with!

 

Hunter
Hunter is 13.  Yes, I have two teenagers!  He is the family comedian who sometimes takes his teasing too far, but life would be dull without him.  He is also homeschooling again and taking similar classes to Kayla.  He has really taken an interest in piano this past year.  To be honest, I don't get around to teaching him formal lessons often, but he teaches himself to play beautiful songs by watching YouTube videos and working hard it.  It has been fun to see his interest and hear his playing.  Jason thinks he might actually practice more than me, but I still think I win on practice hours!  Hunter likes building with Legos, video games, and making stop-animation movies.

Tanner
Tanner is 7 and goes to 2nd grade at Glenkirk Elementary.  I broke my homeschooling streak and put him in school at the beginning of first grade.  It wasn't my plan, but I felt like I couldn't give him enough on top of my other responsibilities.  When Kayla and Hunter were in the younger grades, homeschooling was my passion and "job" so to speak.  I devoted myself to planning fun classes and clubs for them.  With an energetic 2-year-old, piano teaching, and church responsibilities, I just didn't have enough left to be the "amazing" school teacher I wanted him to have.  We decided to give public school a try and it has been a wonderful fit for Tanner.  He has been blessed with excellent teachers and he genuinely enjoys going to school.  He likes structure, routine, and sitting quietly more than my other children, so it is a nice match for him in that regard too! :)  He loves the "specials" at school--art, music, library, etc., and we both LOVE his teacher, Mrs. Hayes.  Besides school, Tanner loves the computer game "Minecraft" and would happily spend all of his spare time playing that if Mom didn't make him do other things.  He also enjoys playing the game Apples to Apples with the family, making crafts (rainbow loom and bead stuff), and hanging out with his friend, Will.

 Archer
Archer is adorable and exhausting all wrapped up in one package.  He is a whirlwind of energy and has definitely shown a bit of a stubborn and demanding streak.  He is still my "baby" and I love snuggling up together with a stack of books and getting my daily "hugs, kisses, and loves."  I can't believe how fast he is growing up and I have a hard time realizing he is not a baby anymore!  He loves to play catch, ride his scooter, play with cars and trains, climb anything, and leave a trail all over the house.

That tells you a little about each of us.  Here are a few more photos from the past year:

Archer loved picking strawberries from our garden.

Baby bunnies we found in our garden.

Daddy outing with Archer and Tanner.

Boating at Lake Anna

Kayla going down a natural water slide.

Daddy outing with the kids to Skyline Drive

Going to the Gala Ball (at church) with Steve and Heather

Halloween at Grandpa and Oma's

Family Photos taken by Jean Allen at Stone Bridge.

Family photo taken at Busch Gardens this past summer



Merry Christmas one and all!

Much love,
Marsha

Thanksgiving

On Thanksgiving I wrote about the things I was grateful for and posted it here.  I asked my family to do the same thing and we read our papers to each other.  I loved hearing what they said.  This is what they wrote:

Archer (dictated at preschool)
I am grateful for Daddy.

Tanner
I am grateful for God.
I am grateful for Jesus.
I'm grateful for my life.
I'm grateful for the Holy Ghost.
I'm grateful for my mom and dad.
I'm grateful for peace.

Hunter
I am thankful for many things, and I am going to share a few of them and why I am thankful for them.

I am very thankful for being homeschooled. One year my parents decided to send me to elementary school, it was so awful. I was not able to speak without rasing my hand, not able to eat when I wanted, and the worst part was if you finished early, you had to wait for everyone else. On the contrary, at home you are able to do all those things plus you are able to chose what you want to do when you want to do it, get the blessing of your own home and the feeling of comfort, and you get to were your pj's which is EPIC! That is why am thankful for that.

 

Another thing I am blessed  for is my home.  Recently I've been learning about people having a hard time and not being able to pay rent and get food.  I am thankful we are able to do that without trouble.

 

And last but not least, I am thankful for my family. Archer is very cute and it is fun to watch him laugh, it is awesome to play with him and he is super cool.  The Fob (Tanner) is very playful and happy.  Although he is ridiculous, he always makes me laugh.  Kayla is an awesome sister that is epic.  Although I tease her, she usally takes it well and plays it cool.  She is really trustworthy and I know I can talk to her. Kayla is an amazing sister that I love very much, she is my best friend.  Mom is, well, I guess you could say she is what you call neat.  Even though we don't always get along, she is my mom and I love and respect her for the most part.  She is always helping me with my homework and is a loving and caring mother. Dad is the coolest dad in the whole world, he is always giving me good advice that helps me for the most part.  He is one of the strongest guys I know and can beat all of my uncles in arm wrestling. He is very loving and is always rubbing my feet. He shares really good shows that I always seem to enjoy. I am very thankful for my family that helps me get through so many trials in my life.

 

That is the things that I am most thankful for. I hope this paper helps you think of some things you are thankful for too.

Kayla
I am thankful for many things.

I am thankful for my home.  It is nice and large and provides a safe shelter.  My room is bright and cheerful, and it holds my toys that I like a lot.  

I am also grateful for my dog.  She is warm and soft and really cute.  Sometimes, when I am really sad, she is there to comfort me.  Though she does not always cuddle, it makes it really special when she does.  I am grateful for Kassie.

I am grateful for the church.  It has been such a blessing in my life.  I know it has given me essential guidelines that have helped me immensely.  It is great to have home teachers and ward members who will help us when we’re in a jam.  The church will help me become a better person through encouraging service and thinking outward.

I am grateful for my friends, namely Olivia and Rachelle.  They both are people I like to talk with, each having different subject of interest.  I’m grateful Rachelle could help me so much with the Spark Club.  I’m glad Olivia and I have stayed friends for all these years and get to see each other on some weekends.

I am grateful for my family.  While we may not always get along, they have my back and I have people to lean on.  What I’m grateful for about each member is:

Dad—makes me laugh, supports the family

Mom—sympathizes with the trials of little brothers, is fun to talk to, and fun to go on trips with

Hunter—a friend, another toy-lover, and funny

Tanner—a fellow basement role player, smart, and fun to talk with about his school

Archer—makes me smile, and is ultra cute
      
I am grateful for vacations, technology, food, love, the church, family, home, toys, the Book of Mormon, Ninjago, our cool basement, being homeschooled, and for holidays.  I am thankful for many things.


Jason
In general, I feel that I am a pretty grateful person.  I have lived a pretty charmed life and have thus far achieved outcomes that vastly exceed the level of effort that that I have input into life.  I am certainly grateful for my job that has employed me and given me financial security and employment stability that in this tough economy have provided much peace of mind.  Certainly, I am grateful for parents that raised me in a wonderful home, gave me more than my share of love and support, and helped me when I fell short.  I would be remiss if I also didn’t express gratitude for wife and children, all of whom are a source of great joy and happiness in my life.  Without them, there would be an emptiness to my life that could never be filled.  Although I could write extensively on any of those, I would like to focus my gratitude on this day of Thanksgiving toward my Father in heaven for the many mercies that he has shown me.  

From the earliest days that I can remember, I have had a strong belief in God and a desire to please him.  When consequences would come my way, it was because although God is merciful, he is also just.  In other words, I had it coming.  Nevertheless, looking back, the hand of God can be seen guiding the course of my life.  At a relatively young age, I had an experience that helped me to change, to be less impulsive, more patient, and ultimately helped me gain understanding of people and myself that would shape my destiny.  I knew at the time as I know now, that the experience was a revelation from God in how my character should be.  Over the years, although I didn’t know it at the time, my Father in heaven has sent the holy ghost to prompt me on what to do…only to have me second guess and discard those promptings.  Despite my failings, I always knew that “His arm was still outstretched…” toward me.  When I was at a turning point in my life, and I called out to my Heavenly Father, he answered my prayer and showed me a path to happiness.  For the love He has shown me, the great mercies He has bestowed, and the plan of happiness that He has provided, I am truly grateful to have such a loving Father in heaven.



Kind Words

A few months ago, I joined a Learning Circle with the Power of Moms group (if you are a mom and you haven't heard of this group before, you should definitely check out their website).  The Learning Circle is very similar to a book club, but you only have to read an article instead of an entire book.  So far, the discussions have been very inspiring.  Last month, the article was about the value of motherhood and our "homework" was to ask our husband and children to write down five things they appreciated about us.  My husband happened to be at his parent's house when I remembered the assignment and texted him.  He sent me these lovely messages, even his parents chimed in.  I thought I should record them so I can read them when I'm feeling blue!  I definitely liked this kind of assignment! :)

From Jason:
1.  Your example
2.  You are never malicious
3.  You are always striving to be better
4.  Romantic yet practical
5.  You are my best friend
And because I can't limit myself to five things that I appreciate about you...
6.  You are very appreciative which makes doing things for you a joy.  I wouldn't have taken the time to clean the kitchen this morning if this weren't so. 

Ah, so sweet!

From Kayla (age 14):
1.  She's good to talk with.
2.  Compassionate and caring.
3.  Fun
4.  Great vacation buddy. :)
5.  Helpful and hardworking.

From Hunter (age 13):
1.  She's nice.
2.  She's funny.
3.  She loves me.
4.  She lets me be homeschooled.
5.  She's my piano teacher.

From Tanner (age 7):
1.  She's nice.
2.  She helps me with school.
3.  She reads with me.
4.  She plays games with me.
5.  She gives me hugs and loves me.
6.  She lets me play Minecraft for hours on end while she plays piano.  (I can't imagine Tanner using the phrase "hours on end."  I think Jason might have added that part).

From Archer (age 3):
1.  She's my mommy.
2.  Hugs, love, kisses
3.  Batman mega blocks
4.  Octopus
5.  A Christmas tree...A toy one that you squeeze...A duck

Ha, ha, I think that list turned into his Christmas wish list, but it totally made me smile! :)

From Brigitte:
1.  She is a kind human being.
2.  She is honorable.
3.  She is a good daughter-in-law.
4.  She's a good mother.
5.  She took Jason off of my hands. :)
6.  She is a very patient person.

From Roy:
1.  She is very appreciative of what we do.
2.  She is very kind.
3.  She is very complimentary of others.
4.  Willing to help on anything.
5.  Her personality personifies warmth.

Well, I needed all of those kinds words.  I definitely don't feel like they apply to me half the time, but I'm going to try harder to be all of those good things!