January and February

So I've taken a very long break and am lamenting the thought of catching up and realizing I have been terrible at taking pictures.

It amazes me how long it really does take to adjust to a new place and life.  I was just telling a friend last week that I finally feel like I'm getting it now. I'm not sure if that means that I'll get any better at blogging.  But I always look back at posts and remember why I need to keep going.  Here is a very late, and perhaps lame, update of the past couple of months:

Tyler and I were called to be Logan's (10-11yr) primary teachers right when we moved into the ward.  We have had the best time teaching these great kids! They are fun, spunky and know so much about the gospel. It is great to see that Logan will be surrounded by strong youth as he approaches those critical years.  This is a pic from a party they earned.  Tyler promised them a huge party once they earned their points for reverence.  He had to leave town for business, and I was left with 15 tweeners to entertain.  I have now moved on to another calling (Hello again, RS!), so next party I'll have a blast watching Tyler handle the kids. :)

Mariah was in a little play at school and was the cutest little chick I've ever seen. She had fun singing and being  a part of the whole production.

Harrison made things very exciting when he let out a HUGE belch from my lap. It had every teacher on their feet to find the culprit. Unfortunately the kids in the audience laughed more at him than at the knock knock jokes little farmer Joe shared.

It was Mariah's turn to be in the green room at school.  She looked so patriotic doing the pledge.

Logan celebrated his 11th birthday!! Unbelievable. I swear I was just 11!?!!  Unfortunately this is the only picture I have to document it. I left town that afternoon for Utah (Pete's wedding), so we celebrated with all of us at 6 am before he left for school. Here is his special breakfast. Stuffed french toast, strawberries and sparkling grape juice. Tyler took over from there and they celebrated over the weekend with cheescake and his favorite dinner.  When I got back in town, we had a party with friends at JumpStreet.

Some things to share about Logan:

1. He continues to do incredibly well at school. He has had a very demanding 5th grade year, with at least an hour of homework every night. At his last conference, his teachers commented on how responsible, intelligent and friendly he is - everything a parent would be proud of.

2. He had a fun basketball season, which I will post about soon. I've never had this much fun watching him play before. He has just taken off with his skills and is so entertaining to watch. 

3. Logan is babysitting more for us now and Tyler and I appreciate the time we get together on the weekends. He is responsible and enforces all the rules. We tell him all the time how thankful we are that he is trustworthy.

4. Just yesterday Logan told me that he is so happy to have found such great friends here. He really put himself out there being the new kid, and it has paid off. We are glad that he has a couple good friends in the neighborhood that he can bike to. He no longer "plays" with friends, they just "hang out". Wesley and Matthew are probably his closest friends so far.

5. Logan is enrolled in Middle School! AHHH! I about hyperventilated at the orientation, but after several breathing exercises, we had him enrolled.  He is taking 7th grade math, orchestra, PE, and GT. He loves to remind me that he'll be in middle school next year, because it usually sends me into irregular breathing and tears.

6. Logan is saving for an Ipad. He wants one with all of his heart.  He is constantly thinking of ways to make money, which has been a great motivation. He has been working hard and it's fun to see him focused on a goal. Just yesterday he spent 3 hours baking homemade oreo cookies completely by himself and opened a cookie stand at the end of our street.  Within an hour he was sold out, and along with a few generous tips, he brought in $24!

7. We are proud of Logan for taking on the challenge to read the Book of Mormon this year.  He continues to grow in his testimony and has even had the opportunity to let his friends know that Mormons are Christians during a conversation at school.

8. As for me, I have learned so much from him this year. Maybe it's because he's my oldest, but I probably worry the most about him.  I have worked hard to better understand my boy so we can have the best relationship possible and we've grown so much closer this year.  I'm thankful to be partners with Tyler and Heavenly Father in raising this valiant spirit.