Full Circle
My first blog post ever was on January 11th of 2006. The next day, I blogged about putting away all the Christmas decorations. Well, I may be a week shy of one year, but I have come full circle. Today, I was going to blog about having put away all the Christmas decorations!
I still love how clean my house feels when the holiday clutter (most of it good) is gone. But, instead of focusing on my reorganized house, I'm going to use this as a chance to highlight the last year. (I loved Kristi's and Michelle's posts!) Here are some of the things that defined 2006 for our family:
Sunday Dinners- Angela & Micah and Nate have been at BYU. They come to our house on Sunday after church for dinner, wrestling, visiting, games, and shows. It is the highlight of our week. We LOVE having them close by and try not to look to far ahead when we know life will take them far from our door.
Dental Hell- I don't know if my mom will appreciate my language, but there is not another word to accurately describe what our year has been like in regards to the health of our teeth! I had two fillings and two wisdom teeth pulled. I held Emily's down and we both cried while the dentist put in three silver teeth. Soren had a tooth pulled and a spacer put in. I spent hours and hours sitting in waiting rooms with bored and hungry kids. We have put off going back, but are going to give it another go- all of us- on January 15th. Let's hope this is a better year for us with the dentist!
Going to the Temple- I think the last time I attended the temple this many times in a year was 1995, the year after Kelly and I were married, before we had kids... it has been really wonderful to go more regularly than we have in so long. I hope we make it even more in 2007!
Seattle- Our family vacation is usually a summer event. We just didn't pull it together this year, so kind of last minute, we drove up to Seattle in October. It was a great trip that we are still talking about! And hoping to repeat!
Photography- I took a class through UVSC's community eduacation program, Kate got a digital camera for her birthday, we got a new camera... it is something we all love and want to get better at!
Baptisms- Megan was baptized in July. Our friend, Landon was baptized in September. I attended our Stake baptisms almost every month. It is such a wonderful reminder of the commitment I made to follow Jesus Christ, of how much my testimony has grown, and of the purpose and importance of my fasting.
Our first broken bone- and of course it was Ethan's! Not even two yet and he broke his arm! We don't really know how. There are a hundred ways it could have happened to this kid who is so full of life and energy and so lacking in fear! Neither Kelly or I have broken one. My other kids have not. Ethan gave us our first cast, our first laughs accompanied with heartache and our first experience with a vibrating saw!
Elementary School- In August, Emily started Kindergarten. I now have four of five kids in the same elementary school! I drop four kids off at 9:15am, go back for Emily at 12:08 and then back again for the other three at 3:30. Unless it is Monday when we have early out- I'll spare you my annoyance... Next year, Kate may be accepted to an accelerated program and by the time Ethan is in Kindergarten, Kate will be in Jr. High (how can I even be thinking about that?!!). So, this year has been all about reading at night, book reports, recess, packing lunches, friends to play with, and loving the wonderful teachers my kids have!
Music- Kate and Megan both started music lessons in 2006. Kate went back to piano after her old teacher moved away. Megan picked up the violin. We are not great at practicing, and when they do- it can be a little hard on the ears! But we love music and having it in our house!
Dance Dance Revolution- we bought this game for Megan for her birthday and it was an addiction! We could not get Ethan to sleep long enough for us to get our fill! We played it with each other, with our friends and family! My girls have gotten pretty good at it. I play it too- often, when the kids are away at school!
Primary- My children are all in Primary now. Ethan entered Nursery in February. And I have served a full year as the Primary President. The girls attend Activity Days. I am constantly working on sharing time, ward council, teacher training, quarterly activities, sacrament presentation... Primary has had it's own list of things to do and it is always long! But I have loved being in Primary with my children! I love the opportunity to share my testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I love helping the children, especially my children, feel the peaceful, happy assurances of the Holy Ghost. I love that my children know how grateful I am to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And that I know we are happiest when we obey God's commandments!
2006 may be gone, but it will not be forgotten! It was a great year for our family!
I still love how clean my house feels when the holiday clutter (most of it good) is gone. But, instead of focusing on my reorganized house, I'm going to use this as a chance to highlight the last year. (I loved Kristi's and Michelle's posts!) Here are some of the things that defined 2006 for our family:
Sunday Dinners- Angela & Micah and Nate have been at BYU. They come to our house on Sunday after church for dinner, wrestling, visiting, games, and shows. It is the highlight of our week. We LOVE having them close by and try not to look to far ahead when we know life will take them far from our door.
Dental Hell- I don't know if my mom will appreciate my language, but there is not another word to accurately describe what our year has been like in regards to the health of our teeth! I had two fillings and two wisdom teeth pulled. I held Emily's down and we both cried while the dentist put in three silver teeth. Soren had a tooth pulled and a spacer put in. I spent hours and hours sitting in waiting rooms with bored and hungry kids. We have put off going back, but are going to give it another go- all of us- on January 15th. Let's hope this is a better year for us with the dentist!
Going to the Temple- I think the last time I attended the temple this many times in a year was 1995, the year after Kelly and I were married, before we had kids... it has been really wonderful to go more regularly than we have in so long. I hope we make it even more in 2007!
Seattle- Our family vacation is usually a summer event. We just didn't pull it together this year, so kind of last minute, we drove up to Seattle in October. It was a great trip that we are still talking about! And hoping to repeat!
Photography- I took a class through UVSC's community eduacation program, Kate got a digital camera for her birthday, we got a new camera... it is something we all love and want to get better at!
Baptisms- Megan was baptized in July. Our friend, Landon was baptized in September. I attended our Stake baptisms almost every month. It is such a wonderful reminder of the commitment I made to follow Jesus Christ, of how much my testimony has grown, and of the purpose and importance of my fasting.
Our first broken bone- and of course it was Ethan's! Not even two yet and he broke his arm! We don't really know how. There are a hundred ways it could have happened to this kid who is so full of life and energy and so lacking in fear! Neither Kelly or I have broken one. My other kids have not. Ethan gave us our first cast, our first laughs accompanied with heartache and our first experience with a vibrating saw!
Elementary School- In August, Emily started Kindergarten. I now have four of five kids in the same elementary school! I drop four kids off at 9:15am, go back for Emily at 12:08 and then back again for the other three at 3:30. Unless it is Monday when we have early out- I'll spare you my annoyance... Next year, Kate may be accepted to an accelerated program and by the time Ethan is in Kindergarten, Kate will be in Jr. High (how can I even be thinking about that?!!). So, this year has been all about reading at night, book reports, recess, packing lunches, friends to play with, and loving the wonderful teachers my kids have!
Music- Kate and Megan both started music lessons in 2006. Kate went back to piano after her old teacher moved away. Megan picked up the violin. We are not great at practicing, and when they do- it can be a little hard on the ears! But we love music and having it in our house!
Dance Dance Revolution- we bought this game for Megan for her birthday and it was an addiction! We could not get Ethan to sleep long enough for us to get our fill! We played it with each other, with our friends and family! My girls have gotten pretty good at it. I play it too- often, when the kids are away at school!
Primary- My children are all in Primary now. Ethan entered Nursery in February. And I have served a full year as the Primary President. The girls attend Activity Days. I am constantly working on sharing time, ward council, teacher training, quarterly activities, sacrament presentation... Primary has had it's own list of things to do and it is always long! But I have loved being in Primary with my children! I love the opportunity to share my testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I love helping the children, especially my children, feel the peaceful, happy assurances of the Holy Ghost. I love that my children know how grateful I am to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And that I know we are happiest when we obey God's commandments!
2006 may be gone, but it will not be forgotten! It was a great year for our family!
posted by jenn | 1/04/2007
7 Comments:
what an incredible year! and a great way to document it. i think i might have to do something like that. i can't believe how much you and your family did. sorry for the dental woes...that's a huge bummer.
Sounds like a good year for your family with loads of memories. We also had our first broken bone. I think it's great you attended the temple more. It's always a goal of mine and yet I don't go as often as I should. You have inspired me...if you can do it so can I. My sister has the dance revolution and does it with her children all the time. I should really look into this. I hear it's great exercise.
This was such a fun post Jenn (you're spoiling us with multiple posts this week!).
I really feel for you and the dental hell you've been through. I can't believe you're still going to the same dentist.
I already had forgotten about Ethan's broken arm, wow that seems like a long time ago.
I still want to see you doing Dance, Dance Revolution!
Great post, Jenn. It's fun to be able to see all the highlights like that. We had our first broken bone this year, too! (Max) Hang on, maybe it was last year. Dang, I can't even remember.
I am so intrigued by your comment on my depression post. We need to chat.
I had to go look to see when my first post was b/c it wasn't long after your first. Happy Blogging Anniversary to us!
I usually make a list of the year's events, but your descriptive recap is wonderful. It was a very good year for each and all of you. May next year be as wonderful!
You have been, seen and done much in 2006. What great memories and such a nice re-cap.
Except for the the dental hell, it has been a great year! You handle your life so well, and you really seem to enjoy it. I would be a total wreck. You're such a good example to me!
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