Merry Christmas!

Mike (36) has had the joy of commuting to New York City this year instead of Washington D.C. His schedule has been a lot worse, but he has been able to get most Sundays off. Getting Sundays off is important because he is now the Elders Quoram President. He is doing a great job. I think the highlight of his year was flying a helicopter! He is a great Dad, and he tells the boys lots and lots of stories. He even can tell them stories when he is away. Some of the favorites: Leah and the three lightsabers, the three marshans, and triceratops and the cave.

I (Kaylynn) (37) started graduate school and love it! At the end of my experience, I will have a Masters of Arts in teaching and be certified to teach K-8 grade--then will be the fun part, finding a job. It will take a full five years to complete, but I am taking it slow, only one class at a time. I ended my tenure of being Primary Presdient in February (it was a wonderful three years!). I miss it terribly, but I needed the time for school and family. I teach adult Sunday School every other week--I love reading the scriptures, but you can't be quite as creative with adults. I continue to enjoy my children and love to watch them grow and develop. I started blogging this year, and find it very rewarding!

Luke (5) is learning how to read, loves school, was the best goalie on his soccer team, and is a great big brother. School this year has been wonderful because his best friend is in the same classroom. It has helped him with confidence! He has a great imagination, and has started to write stories. We have started this new scripture reading program--I start by drawing a scripture story, and then the boys add to the story and color it in while I am reading them the scriptures. So when Abinadi gets burned the fire shoots out and grabs King Noah. The Stripling Warriors have swords on their feet, and the bad guys sometimes have six arms. He is at a great age!

Anakin (4) loves school and is doing very well. We love his very literal mind. Lately he said, "I don't want to be a wiseman when I grow up, I want to be a pilot like my daddy, and which wiseman built his house upon the rock?" He loves school, and knows all his letters, can count is learning how to add. He is very easy to promt: I will say, "I love being your mommy!" and he will reply, "I love being your son." He loves playing with his big brother, and is very disappointed when his brother needs alone time. He was very sad to learn that when he turned 5, that his big brother wouldn't be 5 any more, but comforted to know that his cousin would still be 5. He is a great kid and we love his great smile a big blue eyes!

Gypsy Girl (almost 18 months--two more Sundays then Nursery here we come!) has had a great year! She learned how to crawl on Easter day, walk on her birthday (not really but very close!) She is saying lots of words. She loves to read books, play the piano, get tickled, and be a girl in every single way. Her favorite show is Backyardigans, we are convinced that she is in love with Pablo! She continues to be a joy to everyone! Luke knows everything that she loves, "She really loves her blanket! She just loves Backyardigans!"

We celebrated Christmas early this year. Mike has to work on Christmas day, so our Christmas came yesterday. It was a great day. The boys got a battleship and and aircraft carrier, so the entire day they were playing with their ships. We opened the presents early, and they played, played and played. Then the doorbell rang--it was the UPS man (Thanks Joanne). We got to open the packages right away! It was a perfect diversion--crafts and popcorn. Then after we got the first set of popcorn cleaned up, then next package arrived--thanks Grandma and Grandpa! More popcorn all over the floor, more playing, changing into the new pajamas, and reading our new books. We had a great day. We will get to celebrate again at my sister's house with my parents on the real Christmas Eve and Christmas day. Mike told the boys that next year he would try and get Christmas off--Luke seemed kind of disappointed--because that would mean they couldn't have two Christmases. Children are so resilient!