Christmas Eve 2009

This was the happiest night we have had in the last 6 mos.

We were finally in our new home, our OWN home!
I love this picture of all of the kids in front of our new fire place on Christmas Eve!

!

We "camped" out at our new house in sleeping bags. We had no running water or toilet. The kids ended up sleeping in their bedrooms because Santa wouldn't come if they were in the living room. We watched a movie and layed down in front of the fire until it was time for bed. What a great night!

Update on us!

Well I'm not sure where to begin. Riley is doing well in his class at the new school. He went down-hill skiing for the first time this past week and loved it. He is playing Basketball on a school team. He shares the love of basketball with his mom. He listens to the advice from his coach and pointers from mom on the way home from games and practices. At times his anxiety gets the best of him and he gets lost in the game but I can see his constant effort and enjoy watching him play. He has little cheerleaders(sisters) that go to his games, they make me laugh!

Amelia has also adjusted quit well to the new school. She as always loves to go to school for what she see's to be the main purpose which is to socialize. She has made lots of new friends, one of which attends her brothers basketball games and joins in with the cheering. Amelia shares the love of Basketball also, but finds herself torn between her two passions in life, watching the game and socializing!

Alexis has really found a love in drawing like her big sister. She spends lots of times creating 7 yr. old works of art to give to those around her whom she loves. She likes to read and is very good about doing her homework with eagerness to get it done.

Alicia loves to read. She also likes to draw but in a much more abstract way. She likes to get up and start her day with chores that she has decided the night before that she wants to get accomplished. She remains a mommy's girl.

The three of them went cross-country skiing and snow-shoeing this past week for the first time and loved it.

Savannah has adapted very well to the Jr. High School. She does not do much in the form of after school activities because the school is so far away. She attends Young Women through our church, which she finds great joy in. She has reached a stage in which she can reflect on the last several months and recognize the blessings that have come from staying with family for the extended period of time and to notice the differences now that we are in our own home again. She has expressed her gratitude to me for the choices I have made in her life and in her willingness (most of the time) to help me in ways that a child of two parent family's would find difficult to understand. She has offered many times to babysit her siblings so that I will go out on dates, which I find very comical. She has a deeper desire for me to be married then I ever thought she would.

As for me, I am trying to get my life back on track. It has been a year full of trials but I recognize that in the long run they will only make me stronger. I love my new home more then I can express but I do honestly find myself missing Utah.

Inside our new home

Kitchen, looking toward the kids bathroom/Riley's bedroom.

through the kitchen, looking into the living room.

Looking toward the dinning area

Our new living room/fireplace.

It all looks a little different now that there are boxes every where and some furniture here and there. I have pictures from Christmas eve that I hope to post soon, of the kids in front of the fireplace.