Randy- Randy is loving his job right now. He's doing a great job- like we thought he would do any different. He's been recognized at the last two ( his only two) sales meetings. This man succeeds at everything he tries. He is the Scout Committee Chairman in the ward. He loves that it doesn't require as much time as the last couple of Scout callings he's had. I like that as well- he's gone enough as is. He said it's different just going to Elder's Quorum each week. He is gone pretty much every Tuesday-Thursday traveling. It's nice to kind of have a "schedule" he can follow (instead of being on a Dr.'s erratic schedule) but it's hard to have him gone so much. It's not as much travel as Spillman Technologies, when he was gone three weeks of the month, but it's enough for us to wish things were different. Looking back at our almost 13 1/2 years of marriage, he's been gone for
a lot of it. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. Sometimes it's just make the heart want more.
Stephanie- I have been enjoying my time with only my two littlies at home in the morning. I love that we are reading so much, Tyson on my lap and Brennon on my side. Brennon is picking up the basic reading words and teaching Tyson all he knows. Just this morning Tyson was singing along with Brennon the RED song. "R-E-D Red, R-E-D Red, I can spell RED." I love watching my kids learn. I like the quiet in the house as well. They play so well together, just the two of them. They miss the others, but have fun together just the same. I am also the Secretary in the Relief Society. I love that calling, I tell you. I love the organization. I love getting to know everyone in the ward. I love compiling all of the information. I just love being on the sidelines of such an important calling. It's just what I love to do. I have slowly been getting sick again. Headaches are plaguing me almost every day again. I'm hoping to find relief from a Homeopathic Doctor. The Doctor I met with in July said he could find nothing wrong with me and suggested I take another route. Let's hope I can find relief soon. I don't want to be "Casper sick" again. I've been going to the gym again. I love the feel after I'm done, especially when I can say I can run 5 miles in one hour! From someone that hates the
idea of running, I'm pretty proud of myself!
Caden- He received the Priesthood on May 19th and was set apart as the Deacon's Quorum Secretary in September. He is doing well in school, thankfully. Last year was really hard for him, but he's pulled through like a champ and is getting good grades and making good friends- though none as close as Brayden. He has been doing a lot of Scouting this summer as well. He actually earned 10 merit badges on the 2nd of October. He is so close to earning his Eagle. Randy is so good to work with him. Caden is lucky to have someone by his side through these years. He loves having his braces off, even if he's awful about remembering to wear his retainer. Thorn in my side, I tell you! He's such a good boy. The other day I took him to get snack so for a campout. He saw some Pringles and picked up a can. I asked him if that was all he wanted when he said, "No. Well...If that is all you would like me to have, I'll be grateful." He knew he would like more, but he also knew to be grateful for what he was given. Then, when we were walking out, I said I could take one of the two bags. He gave me the lighter of the two. He holds open doors for girls to enter the school, and is always polite to his elders. He is shaping up to be a valiant boy/young man/man/husband. Love him!
Keilie- She just started the Art Club in school and couldn't be happier. She is always doing little projects when she finds herself with a spare minute. It doesn't happen as often as she would like, but she does love art. She is again in a lot of tutoring sessions to help raise her grade level. She has the BEST teacher ever that helps her along. I couldn't have asked for a better year/teacher for her. She is still having trouble taking tests and doing other work, but we hope to get things straightened out before she enters Middle School next year. She never complains, though. She does what is asked, and does it with a smile. She is the nicest little friend to others, and always talks about girls with love and friendship. Although the hours between 3:30-7:30 are stressful trying to help her with her homework, I am grateful to have this time to spend with her one-on-one. I am so glad to be able to help my kids! I know this will not always be the case, especially if they keep changing things (like long division stratagies) but for now, I'm loving my kids' education. Keilie also loves babies. Jamie had little Caleb here for Tyson's birthday party. Keilie
begged to hold him. While sitting on the couch, Caleb was content to just look up into Keilie's face. I got the cutest picture of her holding him. She will be such a good little mother someday!
Shelby- LOVES school. She loves everything about it. Every day is AWESOME! I don't think she will ever be unhappy, wherever she goes. She has such a love of life and learning. She is doing well at Math and Reading and can pretty much remember anything she learns. She is like a sponge. She also started Ballet with her friends in September. She had such a fun time at the Dance Camp in the summer, I knew she had to get into this class. She just love being with friends and loves playing. She still loves the fact that she can brush her hair without snarls. I miss her long locks every once in a while, but with as easy as it is to do her hair, I'm loving this new cut. She also just lost her 5th tooth. She is a work horse! As she was
ripping it out without even crying, she made the comment, "The sound my tooth is making is like crunching chips!" So glad I was at Time Out for Women when this happened! I can NOT believe how brave/strong my girls are!! So glad they aren't like me with my weak stomach!!
Brennon- Brennon is in his element at Kindergarten. He comes home with everything he did that day. There is no, "I don't know's" or "Colored," when I ask what he did, he is all "I did this, and this, and this, and this..." He loves to tell me every aspect of his day. Who he played with, what he liked, what he learned, what song he likes, that sort of thing. He is in love with reading. He picks out each word he has learned and knows. He even loves that Pumpkin has "in" in it. He loves to look ahead in the words of the book that we are reading and beat me to reading it out loud. I love his enthusiasm for reading! He is still in love with Cereal and Milk. He is always hungry, and always asks for it! He's not as stocky as he once was, but he is still
solid. It's weird to go shopping for him and get him the same size as his age. For all of his life he was a size above. He's thinned, but still feels heavy. He is such a loving boy!
Tyson- He is definitely the "baby" of the family. We can not get enough of him! Keilie makes a statement almost daily about how she wishes he wouldn't grow up. He has us all wrapped around his four-year-old finger. He says the cutest things. He knows more than he should at this age- probably because Brennon teaches him everything he knows- and he just gets smarter each day. He is sassy, spunky, and curious. He thinks he can have fits, and then says "you're not invited to my party" when he doesn't get his way. He'll sit in the car if he doesn't want to go where you want to. He goes hungry if he doesn't like dinner. He goes to bed early so he doesn't have to clean. He is just a little terror. And then he comes up later and says he's sorry. Or cleans without asking. Or kisses you on the cheek just because. Or snuggles on your lap while watching a movie. Or sticks his behind in your face while trying to get on your lap while reading. Or says, "Holy Crap, That Was Feakin' Amazing" when something surprises him. And once again, we are all enamored with his cuteness. He has told us that he promises to stay four forever! And I'm going to hold him to it!
Times are changing for our family. Life has settled down to a nice simmer, here. We have our routines. We have our work. And right now, we are finding Joy in this Journey. We decided that our family motto would forever be "Come What May ~ And Love It!" and right now, we're Lovin' Every Minute!
