A Family Update

It's been a long time since we've updated.  I think I needed to type this all so I could see that we are accomplishing some things, and there is a reason that I sometimes feel like I'm not keeping up.  :)  So, here's a journal entry that you can share with us if you want to:

Bob is enjoying his job at  Computer Lab Solutions.  He bought a used exercise bike for his cubicle because sitting at a desk all day was a little hard for him.   He likes the people he works with and we are sure grateful for the health and dental benefits from this job.  Speaking of health insurance, Bob just met with a specialist about the knee pain he has been experiencing for months.  Turns out he has a large tear in his medial meniscus, and a cyst.  The pain has been increasing during activities like stake basketball (our ward just had an undefeated season and took first place in our stake).  He will be going in for surgery next Wednesday for it.  Bob is serving on the High Council in our stake.  It is a busy calling, but so rewarding. 

Going to the Homeschool Prom (No dates, just fun)

Aliysa is growing up!  She is finishing her first semester of concurrent enrollment through BYU-Idaho.  She took American Foundations.   [Yeay!  She's sitting next to me, and she just finished her online final exam.  She got 100%!  We're celebrating.  She will have a solid "A" in that class.  Yahoo!]  She is also taking a Missionary Prep and Doctrines of the Gospel institute class.  

She recently got a job working at "Journeys", a center for developmentally disabled children.  She isn't allowed to share too many details about the clients, but she keeps us entertained telling us about her daily adventures.  Let's just say that in the first few days of work she was sprayed twice with window cleaner, almost tackled, and bit...hard...with someone's toy Godzilla monster. 

She works with one client and he has goals that she helps him work on.  She is responsible for finding activities to do with him. They spend some time at the center,  go to stores, to the playground or lake, etc.  She keeps track of each 15-min increment throughout the day, documenting what activity they did, what goals they worked on, etc.  A favorite activity of her client is to go to the lake and pretend they are camping. 

Aliysa is taking an art class and an economics class at iFamily (our homeschool group) this semester - both fabulous classes with passionate teachers.  She plans on going to school at BYU-I in January, and pursuing a graphic design degree.

Jace turned 16 in February.  He's been on a few dates since then (can't believe he is old enough!)  He is about to earn his Eagle Scout award (just needs to complete the project).  He just got a job working at Broulim's (a grocery store here in Rigby), and he passed his written driver's test today.  He takes the road test tomorrow.  He is a cautious driver, which is so nice.  Jace has worked this year again as a gymnastics assistant, teaching over 80 students gymnastics each Friday.  The little kids there love him. 

This week he was having tooth pain, and we hoped he could wait a little while to go in to the dentist (our dental insurance starts in 3 weeks).  When his face started swelling, we took him in anyway.  Turns out the tooth already was one that had a root canal, but for some reason it wasn't sealed (most likely because the roots were still forming when he had the original root canal done).  He had a large abscess and he had to go to an endodontist to have the root canal redone, and then he'll need a crown.  Fun, fun.   He is on an antibiotic now, and It is nice to see him out of pain.

Jace is playing the part of Thurio in "Two Gentleman of Verona", with his Shakespeare class at iFamily.  He is also taking economics there.  We're really enjoying the growth that we've seen in him lately in all areas of his life. 

Courtney is turning into a beautiful and sweet young woman, who loves to be silly and crazy with her friends.  She is taking Shakespeare, Art, a Literature Analysis class, and Orchestra at iFamily.  She started ballet lessons this fall and already is ready for pointe shoes, which she is very excited about.  She also loves gymnastics.  She is trying to think up business ideas for this summer.  She got to go to general conference last week with her friend, Keziah.  Later she shared her testimony with us during our family devotional about her conference experience.  It really touched my heart.  She is an amazing girl.  She loves to laugh. 

Ballroom Dance Competition

Spencer turned 12 last fall. He enjoys being in Young Men's now.   He loves math.  He does his normal math program, and then will spend hours (if I let him) on "Khan Academy" (an amazing free website with math lessons). He loves gymnastics, mostly because his best friends are there.  He is taking Shakespeare, writing, jumproping, improv and orchestra classes at iFamily.  He also takes cello lessons and ballroom dance classes.  He did really well at ballroom competition.  He is really looking forward to a huge church "encampment" this summer.  He is just enthusiastic about everything in life. 

Mallory (& Zach & Abby) with Grandma Nuttall at Christmas

Mallory is 10, with the responsibility and maturity of a 30-year old in many ways. We had a really busy week before general conference, and I didn't get all the house cleaned up like we usually try to do.  Friday night Bob and I had to go somewhere, and the four oldest children all were gone with friends.  Mallory was so excited to babysit!  When we got home, we were amazed to see that the whole house was super clean.  She had bought a package of butterscotch chips that day with her own money, and she used it to motivate the younger kids to help her clean each room.  Abby offered to do all the dishes herself, and she did it, washing them all by hand!  (I put that batch back in the sink and handwashed it the next morning since I wasn't sure that a 5 year old could get them all disinfected, but they looked clean!)  Mallory had every room in the whole house clean, the couches moved so they were all facing the television to watch conference, and all the kids ready for bed and asleep.  We were able to enjoy conference in a clean home thanks to her. 

A layered salad Mallory made for lunch one day

 She is one hard worker.  Every morning, she has her chores done before anyone, then goes downstairs to start on her schoolwork before breakfast.  She is taking clogging, math, improv, jumprope, orchestra, ballroom, and cello.  She says the funniest little things lately and is always making us laugh.

Zachary is turning 9 tomorrow.  He is intense and focused.  I can't keep up with him for school - it seems that he masters everything so quickly.  He loves cub scouts and finds reasons to try to call his scout leader almost every day.  ("I think I'll call Sister Bird to ask her if we're having scouts this week", "I'm going to call Sister Bird and ask her what she is planning for scouts this week")  It is pretty cute.  He loves to read, do math, and do more math on Khan Academy.  He loves every sport, and has been begging me to let him play basketball. 

Andrew recently got a dog.  We got her so he could have a pet to snuggle with, to help him feel brave, and help him learn responsibility.  She is a great dog who bonded with him immediately and is so protective of him.  Her name is Pepita, and she has taught me (Tasha) to be responsible.  I have been house training her, bathing her, making a schedule for her so she'll stop using the front room as her bathroom, brushing her, and training her.  All while training Andrew to feed her, take her out on time, and clean up after her.  I guess I can just say that she's my baby since we didn't have a baby this last year, but Pepita doesn't smell quite as good as a baby and isn't as fun to snuggle. 

Andrew loves art more than any activity.  We bought him a tote for his 7th birthday in March which we filled with art supplies and a ream of paper.  He has been in heaven making creations.  He loves to read, and we've recently discovered that he is great at memorizing. He and Zach are fast friends - almost always together, and practically reading each others' thoughts. 

Abigail has learned to read quite well this year.  She loves to do everything "right".  Living in a large family with lots of craziness and joking has taken a lot of adjustment for her.  She is happiest in "quiet time" each day.  She has a large tote bag and two grocery bags filled with "quiet time" stuff: coloring books, markers, littlest pet shop toys, story books, and lots more.  She hauls these bags around, adding items to them daily until they get too heavy and then Mallory helps her dejunk and organize them. 

Abby on her birthday.  Taycie was enjoying the presents as much as Abigail.

 Abby and Taycie love playing together and if they get to be together alone, they quickly start laughing uncontrollably.  It is so cute!  Often I'll open the pantry to find them in it, with dolls on every shelf, and most of the food moved off the shelves and stored in more "convenient" places so they can set up their home.  I've always said that Abby could rule the world, and it still holds true.  

Our favorite recent story about her is when I had just deep cleaned our downstairs bathroom, and put a new air freshener in it.  Abigail went in to use the bathroom.   I was getting her lunch ready and called her into the kitchen.  She walked slowly, dramatically and wistfully into the kitchen and sat down to eat.  But she didn't eat.  She paused, sighed, and said "I just went in the bathroom...long pause...and it was so clean!"  All said in the tone of voice of someone who has just been given a million dollars.  "Yes," I said, "I just cleaned and scrubbed it today."  Still slowly, deliberately, and emotionally she replied:  "It... is... just... so... clean!"  Then a very, very long pause, with a faraway look in her eyes.  "Except...there are two tears on the floor."  "Tears?" I questioned.   "Yes...it was just so clean, that I started crying, and two tears fell on the ground."  "You weren't really crying, were you?"  "Yes!  I was!"  (getting teary eyed even now)  It was all I could do to not laugh.  Oh, how real life must often disappoint such a dramatic sincere little soul. 

Taycie is going to give us a run for our money.  She has the cutest smile, but it is often a sneaky smile.  She does all the things she knows she shouldn't, then usually comes and whispers to me that she did it, with an attitude of "ha, ha."  She has the "teasing" gene that about half of our kids were born with (passed down from one of their parents).  She likes singing, stories, and cuddling with me.  We're trying to get her to like being outside as she suddenly became scared of our big dog, and any loud vehicles, etc.  She helped me plant peas in the garden recently and learned to enjoy being outside a lot more. Taycie sings lots of songs, making up the words.  It is so cute.   I think every home should have a two year old to keep everyone laughing. 

We recently went to Utah for the Blue & White Spring BYU football game, and I left the camera in Utah.  It was fun...the kids met lots of BYU players.  Pictures coming of that trip.