Dear Sam,

This school year so far has been the hardest on you, and for that, I am sorry.  I know how much you miss your old school and all your friends, and I don't blame you at all.  Every day, little by little, you have enjoyed APA that much more, and I have seen a great change in your academically, which is so great.

We discovered that you hate math class, and that you have a tendency to hurry so fast that you end up getting a lot of answers wrong that you really do know.  We also discovered that you can make friends so easy, and have already made quite a few new ones.  We also discovered that APA has healthy lunches, but they are actually pretty yummy to you, and that the uniform is actually pretty comfy too.

We are now in the middle of the 2nd term of school, and you have just brought home the bi-monthly report card showing that you have all A's!  This is a major improvement from the 1st term, and I am so happy for you.  In talking to your teachers, you are kind and nice to everyone, always on task and very respectful to your teachers, which actually means more to me.  You are a kindhearted kid, and always have been.  I am more proud of your character than I am of your smarts.  They both will get you very far in life.

You  have been taking guitar lessons from Jake Rosenbaum down the street for a couple of months now, and you are starting to play mini songs.  I love to see your desire to play, even though you struggle with it at times.  I know you would much rather be playing video games or playing with friends than lessons, but it makes me happy to see you put forth the effort.  I know if you stick with it, it will bless your life.

I love how you insist on sitting by me in church, and how I have to prod you to sing the hymns with me.  I love how you get the giggles over something silly without fail in Sacrament meeting, and all the many cute pictures of animals that you draw.  I love how your shoelaces are ALWAYS untied, how you hate to see me leave the house, even for a short errand, and how you like to talk to me about everything when I tuck you in.  You are truly a mama's boy, and I hope it never changes.  I love you.

Love, 
Mom

Dear Emmi,

Dear Emmi, 

It is my favorite time of year, dance recital time.  Watching you and the other girls always makes me miss my dancing days.  You are such the cutest little dancer, and my secret wish is that you will love to dance like me, but I am not sure right now if you want to.  For the summer, you are back in gymnastics, and we will keep you there for now.  I just want to find what you love doing.  Whatever that is, I will support you.

Your little dance number in the recital was a tap dance to "Splish Splash" and I think it was darling.  We had lots of family there to support you, which I know means a lot to you.  Papa also brought you some flowers, which made you smile so big.  I can't wait to see you again on stage (I hope!).  I love you.

Love, 
Mom

Dear Sam,

I was so proud to be your mama today and be there for your baptism.  You looked so handsome in your little white jumpsuit.  I could tell you were very excited and maybe a little bit nervous too.  

I hope you will always remember this day, as I have looked back fondly on mine.  I hope you will remember the love that you felt from all of our family, and even dear friends who came to support you.  I hope you also felt the Holy Spirit during the baptism and confirmation.  I know this church is true, and I hope that you will find that out as well.

It was a wonderful service, Grandpa Hunsaker doing such a great job on the Holy Ghost talk, and Grandpa B saying the opening prayer.  You also got baptized with Cameron Carroll and Trinity Fredericks from our ward.  Afterwards, we went back to the house for pizza and lots of other fun food, enjoying family and playing with cousins.  

You are also officially a cub scout now, and want to work in book every night.  That is something that I love about you, how much you love to learn and try new things.  You do the same thing with your homework too.  Your enthusiam for everything is contagious, and our family would truly be dull without you.  I love you Sam.

Love, Mom 

Halloween!

It was a hard Halloween at our house.  Emmi and Jack started getting sick a few days before, and were still running a fever that morning.  So, of course, I had to keep Emmi home from school that day, which I felt terrible about.  Being in Kindergarten, it was her first time to wear her costume to school, be in the school's Halloween parade, and first class party.  I guess I lucked out that it was her first, and she really didn't realize how much she was missing.  She didn't take it too hard.  I did though.  What a crummy day to be sick!  I told her that we would still let her go trick-or-treating, being it was Halloween after all.

Before we headed down to trunk-or-treat, we had to stop by and see some of our favorite people, who sweetly always have a special bag of treats waiting for my kids.  First was our Carolyn.  For the first time since we have moved to Payson, we did not get to show Ida Mae our costumes, and that was sad to me.  However, Carolyn was as cute as she could be with the kids. 

Next was Max and Linda's house, who are good friends of Chad and I's that we met through working at the temple.  We lucked out in that they live in Payson too.

Max was even good to get in a shot with the kids.  I just love these people.

This is my FAVORITE costume that I have ever bought.  Yoda is special to me and for a number of reasons.  First, when I was a baby, I was bald.  I also was blessed with my Dad's slightly pointy ears and hence, my uncles on my mother's side used to tease and call me Yoda as a baby.  This was all said before I was old enough to know, thank goodness, because I probably would have thought my uncles mean.  But anyway, it makes me smile to dress my kids up as "their mother" for Halloween. Then, in high school, and the first year I was on the drill team, our motto was "Do or do not, there is no try," which are Yoda's clever lines, and was one of my first times to actually watch and appreciate Star Wars.  And lastly, it has been said that Yoda's physical characteristics were patterned after another great spiritual leader, Pres. Spencer W. Kimball.  I can totally see the resemblance, and makes me love Yoda all the more.  It is also is too darn cute on little toddlers.. you just can't beat it.


Remember this?  Emmi was the first one to don the Yoda back in 2008.

 


After the trick-or-treating was over, it was time for more visits to favorite people.  First, was Grandma and Grandpa Thornock, who now live nice and close.  We didn't get to stay long, being a school night and all, but the kids sure surprised Grandma when she came to door.  It took her a minute to recognize us.

Last for the night was Grandma and Grandpa Hunsaker.  Grandma told Keaton his red eyes were sure scary.

So, another Halloween is in the books.  It wasn't my favorite.  It just felt off.  Normally we have pumpkin pizza from Papa Murphy's, but we had to settle on grabbing a pizza late and eating it in the car on the way to Santaquin.  The trunk-or-treat was a bust, I am kicking myself that I didn't take a picture of the back of Emmi's costume because the long braid was so darling, but worst of all, when we got home that night from the Hunsaker's, we found one of our pumpkins smashed in the driveway, another one missing, and the candy, along with my favorite mixing bowl no where to be found!  

It was the very first time we had left a bowl out, and only because were not going to be gone for more than one hour, and becase there was no trunk-or-treat, we had a lot candy that we wanted gone.  The kids felt the worst about the missing bowl, and Keaton all teary-eyed asked me if we should call the cops.  I felt bad that it shook them up so.  After school the next day, I even found my boys looking around my front yard to see if they could find the bowl, since the only way I could appease them to sleep that night was the idea that maybe it was just hidden somewhere in the yard, and not stolen.  Oh, what sweet boys I have!  

Oh well, I guess there is always next year.  Hopefully, it will be a healthier, and all around, better Halloween for all of us.

Preschool Graduation!

Dear Emmi,

Once again you were the cutest little preschool graduate.  I was so proud to during the program.  Through preschool you have shown that you are not only cute but very smart, and anxious to learn to read and count like your big brothers.  

I was not the only one that was proud.  Lots of family also came to see you graduate, including grandparents, great grandparents, and even a few cousins. (Even though I did not get photos of everyone).

This year made such great friends, like sweet little Lola, who we will be hoping to see again next year in Kindergarten.

You know that you had the BEST teacher ever too, just like your brothers had.  Boy, do we love Miss Amy.  It is crazy to think that she had all three of you... wow, time flies!

The Thomson's also came down for the day, and while all the boys went to see The Avengers, us ladies went for cupcakes!  It was a great day.  I am so glad to have you as my little girl.

Grandma's Chicken

I am pretty sure that I have mentioned my boys and their love affair with eating chicken off the bone or "chicken bones" as they call them, so forgive me if I am repeating myself.  We have been frequently visiting KFC and buying more rotisserie chicken from our local supermarket than we ever have, all for them, and I don't see it ending anytime soon.  My own Grandpa "T," (and Dad for that matter), are also very big on chicken.  My grandpa once told Chad and I that he would eat the bones if he could.  I myself am of a different sort.  I prefer little to no meat in the first place.  I do not care too see or taste any kind of fat, bone, tendon, you name it on anything that I eating.  I am also not a big fan of eating the skin, and seeing any kind of meat pink or underdone is not palatable in my book.  More than once after making a meal for my family I simply could not eat it after having to touch and work with it raw.  So naturally, although I am okay with buying drumsticks for my boys, I honestly cannot watch them eat their chicken without becoming grossed out.  However, it does bring a smile to my face to see such big appetites, and I can picture my father and grandfather being the same way when they were young.  

Dinner time has always been such a hassle for me.  I like to cook, I really do, but only if those I cook for enjoy it.  I also hate trying to plan dinner last minute.  So, for the last year or so, I started making a menu on Saturday for the upcoming week, just like my own mother did.  I pick out 5 meals for the upcoming week, trying to get a least one meal that each child likes, and make a shopping list that I hand over to my trusty sidekick, (i.e. Chad), to take to the store.  (Wednesday night is "whatever you want" and it is leftover or cereal night, and we usually take the kids out one night.)

 

It just so happens that Chad's Grandmother makes excellent fried chicken.  I remember back when we were just dating and I was learning about his family.  Let's just say that I did not know much about Grandma before I met her, but I knew that she knew how to make a mean fried chicken.  This was mostly due to the fact that her chicken was all he could talk about when her name was brought up.   

Knowing my boys' love of chicken, and that we are now lucky enough to be living close to Chad's grandmother, I asked her a couple of months ago if she could come and make chicken for us, knowing that my boys would be ecstatic.  Well, the weather and sickness took over, months flew by, and fried chicken had still not been crossed off my little menu.  This week with the nice weather and Grandpa's clean bill of health, we were excited to have both of them over.  I made homemade mashed potatoes and rolls to go with, and Grandma's chicken did not disappoint. 

   

Someday, maybe I will have the stomach to try and fry them up as she does.  But somehow, I just know it won't be the same.  Chad will say it is not as good as Grandma's, and I think, he will be right.

Christmas Dance Recital

Emmi's Christmas dance recital was yesterday, held in my mother-in-law's dance studio.  I was so proud of her. 

She was one lucky girl because she got to have me, her daddy, and her Great-Grandparents there to watch her, as well as her dance teachers (her Grandma and aunt Kristin). Chad even asked Emmi after the recital if he could take her out for ice cream.  I think she was feeling really loved. 

   

Here she is in "Jingle Bells."