Land of LaFroths: 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.