Sunday, May 17, 2009
Monday, May 4, 2009
APRIL: by Bjorn
April has been a very busy month for us. With soccer games for Enoch every Tuesday and Thursday, and games for Isaac and Natalie every Wednesday and Friday, we have really been on the go. I am Isaac’s coach and the assistant coach for Enoch’s team. Quite the whirlwind! At Isaac’s Friday game the other team forfeited but we ended up playing anyway just for fun. The other team had a couple players claiming they were on the team but were clearly too old to be 5th or 6th graders and so Isaac’s team was down by 2 or 3 goals at half time. During the second half I couldn’t resist any longer and I ran out on the field and joined my players. Screams of excitement ensued and the boys had a blast being a little bit crazy and enjoyed not having to play exactly by the rules. Isaac said he would remember that game for the rest of his life and I realized how out of shape I really am. I agreed to play in an adult city soccer league with Enoch’s coach and some other guys. We’ll play on a shortened field with only 6 guys per team playing at a time. It should be a blast, but I’m trying to whip my body into shape in order to avoid making a total fool of myself.
Auriana gave her first talk in sacrament meeting last Sunday and did a fantastic job. She spoke on having the courage to be virtuous – using excerpts from Elaine S. Dalton’s October 2008 General Conference address. Auriana also made her parents proud when she decided she wanted to try out for Show Choir at school. She and I went over to a friend’s house in the ward and got some help putting together an audition number. She practiced and practiced and when audition day came she did a great job. Thirty-seven girls tried out and only 20 made it. We were excited to learn that Auriana is one of them. Yes, this is the same shy Auriana that you all know and love – just coming out of here shell a little more each day. Honestly, she is growing into an amazing young woman – talented, mature, confident, considerate, spiritual, quick-witted, and really fun to be around. Of course she’ll always be daddy’s girl. Aren’t I lucky that I have four of them!
Miriam performed in her Let’s Play Music recital and was so cute playing the xylophone and singing her Do Re Mi song and many others. She has really learned a lot about music in that class. She had a fun birthday earlier in the month. Towards the end of the day she started acting a bit nervous and strange and at one point broke into tears. We asked her why she was crying and she said that she didn’t want to go to bed but wanted to stay up and play with her toys since this was her last day before going to kindergarten. We realized that we had been telling her all along that when she was five she would get to go to kindergarten – we just failed to explain that it wouldn’t happen until September. We all laughed when we realized the misunderstanding.
Natalie is excited to be participating in the Hershey Track Meet this Tuesday. She’s doing several events included the 4x100 relay. She’s the fasted girl in her grade. She even beat the fastest boy once and said he instantly started blaming it on some people that distracted him or something. Boys! She’s joining Isaac on the city Youth Track Club that starts tomorrow. Natalie is once again the speedster of her soccer team – she says soccer is her favorite. She’s also really enjoying her Irish Dance class. It’s tough having a child that is good at everything she tries. It’s also tough keeping the activities to a manageable level. We love to encourage them to develop their talents, but we also want to make sure there is still time to relax and have some down time – for them and us. Harry Potter is monopolizing much of her and Auriana’s (and Isaac’s for the eleventy-billionth time) time. Natalie is on book 3 and Auriana is just starting book 7.
Ellie also gave her first talk last Sunday. She talked about reverence and did a fantastic job. It seemed she knew exactly what she wanted to talk about and when I went off on a line that we hadn’t rehearsed at home she just stood there and refused to say what I was whispering in her ear. Once I dropped that and got back to what she knew she wanted to say, she then dove right back in and finished off strong. It’s hard to believe our youngest is old enough to be giving talks.
Enoch’s black eye is finally mostly faded. Isaac figured someone had to keep up the tough guy look so he got a black eye playing kick ball this past week. With my venture into soccer again, maybe I’ll be the next tough guy. ☺ Enoch starts tee ball practices this week. Maybe this year there will be a little more focus on the game and a little less daydreaming in the outfield… maybe. Enoch’s sense of humor has really blossomed lately. His mind is so quick, he often has all the kids and even his mom and dad laughing out loud at the dinner table. I think it all started when he began reading Calvin and Hobbes. It’s not uncommon to see a combination of “Calvin” faces working their way across his expressive face. And watching Jerry Lewis only adds to the silliness. It’s actually really fun to see them all joking and laughing together and building off each other’s humor.
Isaac is pretty good at commanding the floor too. Once he hooks an audience he doesn’t let up. Isaac also starts Track Club tomorrow. He enjoyed it so much last year that he’s been looking forward to it for a long time. He even bought some nice running shoes with his own money. He’s usually done just the short distances, but this year he’s going to try the 400. He’s really been enjoying 11-year-old scouts. I get to go on a campout with him in July. We also have the fathers and sons campout on May 15-16.
I guess that’s about it as far as the kids go. Becky is going through a workout schedule with a friend of hers and getting in some good running. She went with Enoch on a field trip to the zoo. She continues to be a great help to all of the kids’ teachers. I’m glad she stays so involved in their education. I appreciate the fact that she puts forth the effort to plan many of our dates when I’m so busy I can’t even think ahead more than a day or two. I have been putting in several late nights over the past couple of weeks and she has been so supportive and done so much on her own with putting the kids to bed and taking care of running everything else. I’m sure I don’t tell her nearly often enough how grateful I am for all she does for me and our family.
Happy Mother’s Day to each of you mothers and future mothers out there. I hope you know how much we love and respect and honor you!
Auriana gave her first talk in sacrament meeting last Sunday and did a fantastic job. She spoke on having the courage to be virtuous – using excerpts from Elaine S. Dalton’s October 2008 General Conference address. Auriana also made her parents proud when she decided she wanted to try out for Show Choir at school. She and I went over to a friend’s house in the ward and got some help putting together an audition number. She practiced and practiced and when audition day came she did a great job. Thirty-seven girls tried out and only 20 made it. We were excited to learn that Auriana is one of them. Yes, this is the same shy Auriana that you all know and love – just coming out of here shell a little more each day. Honestly, she is growing into an amazing young woman – talented, mature, confident, considerate, spiritual, quick-witted, and really fun to be around. Of course she’ll always be daddy’s girl. Aren’t I lucky that I have four of them!
Miriam performed in her Let’s Play Music recital and was so cute playing the xylophone and singing her Do Re Mi song and many others. She has really learned a lot about music in that class. She had a fun birthday earlier in the month. Towards the end of the day she started acting a bit nervous and strange and at one point broke into tears. We asked her why she was crying and she said that she didn’t want to go to bed but wanted to stay up and play with her toys since this was her last day before going to kindergarten. We realized that we had been telling her all along that when she was five she would get to go to kindergarten – we just failed to explain that it wouldn’t happen until September. We all laughed when we realized the misunderstanding.
Natalie is excited to be participating in the Hershey Track Meet this Tuesday. She’s doing several events included the 4x100 relay. She’s the fasted girl in her grade. She even beat the fastest boy once and said he instantly started blaming it on some people that distracted him or something. Boys! She’s joining Isaac on the city Youth Track Club that starts tomorrow. Natalie is once again the speedster of her soccer team – she says soccer is her favorite. She’s also really enjoying her Irish Dance class. It’s tough having a child that is good at everything she tries. It’s also tough keeping the activities to a manageable level. We love to encourage them to develop their talents, but we also want to make sure there is still time to relax and have some down time – for them and us. Harry Potter is monopolizing much of her and Auriana’s (and Isaac’s for the eleventy-billionth time) time. Natalie is on book 3 and Auriana is just starting book 7.
Ellie also gave her first talk last Sunday. She talked about reverence and did a fantastic job. It seemed she knew exactly what she wanted to talk about and when I went off on a line that we hadn’t rehearsed at home she just stood there and refused to say what I was whispering in her ear. Once I dropped that and got back to what she knew she wanted to say, she then dove right back in and finished off strong. It’s hard to believe our youngest is old enough to be giving talks.
Enoch’s black eye is finally mostly faded. Isaac figured someone had to keep up the tough guy look so he got a black eye playing kick ball this past week. With my venture into soccer again, maybe I’ll be the next tough guy. ☺ Enoch starts tee ball practices this week. Maybe this year there will be a little more focus on the game and a little less daydreaming in the outfield… maybe. Enoch’s sense of humor has really blossomed lately. His mind is so quick, he often has all the kids and even his mom and dad laughing out loud at the dinner table. I think it all started when he began reading Calvin and Hobbes. It’s not uncommon to see a combination of “Calvin” faces working their way across his expressive face. And watching Jerry Lewis only adds to the silliness. It’s actually really fun to see them all joking and laughing together and building off each other’s humor.
Isaac is pretty good at commanding the floor too. Once he hooks an audience he doesn’t let up. Isaac also starts Track Club tomorrow. He enjoyed it so much last year that he’s been looking forward to it for a long time. He even bought some nice running shoes with his own money. He’s usually done just the short distances, but this year he’s going to try the 400. He’s really been enjoying 11-year-old scouts. I get to go on a campout with him in July. We also have the fathers and sons campout on May 15-16.
I guess that’s about it as far as the kids go. Becky is going through a workout schedule with a friend of hers and getting in some good running. She went with Enoch on a field trip to the zoo. She continues to be a great help to all of the kids’ teachers. I’m glad she stays so involved in their education. I appreciate the fact that she puts forth the effort to plan many of our dates when I’m so busy I can’t even think ahead more than a day or two. I have been putting in several late nights over the past couple of weeks and she has been so supportive and done so much on her own with putting the kids to bed and taking care of running everything else. I’m sure I don’t tell her nearly often enough how grateful I am for all she does for me and our family.
Happy Mother’s Day to each of you mothers and future mothers out there. I hope you know how much we love and respect and honor you!
Sunday, April 5, 2009
March: by the KIDS
AURIANA
I had a choir performance called the BLAST. We did the show four nights in a row and it was really fun. Isaac finally persuaded me to read Harry Potter. I started it a week ago and I’m almost done with the third book.
ISAAC
Enoch had a game day and I helped out and even though Enoch lost at all the games, he had a great time. I went to my friend Cody’s house and played until 8:00. For my birthday I got this really cool iron wood carving from Mexico and it’s really cool. And, my mom gave me a real arrow, and something to put all of my scout achievements in. Someone pushed me down in the hall at school and I got a really big carpet burn on my forehead.
NATALIE
I had two dance recitals for Irish dancing. I took third place in the school spelling bee and got a trophy. I’m excited that soccer is starting. My favorite thing to do is jump on the tramp. Right now I’m reading Junie B Jones.
ENOCH
I started soccer and I had a game night with my friends. We played Spoons and Sorry Sliders. We ate gummy worms and pizza. I turned six and a half.
MIRIAM
I like to play with Natalie’s Minnie Mouse. I like ice cream. My favorite story is three bears, because they shiver and get scared. Tomorrow is my birthday. I’m going to play games!
ELLIE
I play with googles (Natalie’s little pink ball with eyes). I play with toys. I do my greens (chores). I go to the bathroom a lot by myself. I play with my friends. I hit my head right here. I hope that I will have a birthday again and I hope that Santa will bring me presents and blankies. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
I had a choir performance called the BLAST. We did the show four nights in a row and it was really fun. Isaac finally persuaded me to read Harry Potter. I started it a week ago and I’m almost done with the third book.
ISAAC
Enoch had a game day and I helped out and even though Enoch lost at all the games, he had a great time. I went to my friend Cody’s house and played until 8:00. For my birthday I got this really cool iron wood carving from Mexico and it’s really cool. And, my mom gave me a real arrow, and something to put all of my scout achievements in. Someone pushed me down in the hall at school and I got a really big carpet burn on my forehead.
NATALIE
I had two dance recitals for Irish dancing. I took third place in the school spelling bee and got a trophy. I’m excited that soccer is starting. My favorite thing to do is jump on the tramp. Right now I’m reading Junie B Jones.
ENOCH
I started soccer and I had a game night with my friends. We played Spoons and Sorry Sliders. We ate gummy worms and pizza. I turned six and a half.
MIRIAM
I like to play with Natalie’s Minnie Mouse. I like ice cream. My favorite story is three bears, because they shiver and get scared. Tomorrow is my birthday. I’m going to play games!
ELLIE
I play with googles (Natalie’s little pink ball with eyes). I play with toys. I do my greens (chores). I go to the bathroom a lot by myself. I play with my friends. I hit my head right here. I hope that I will have a birthday again and I hope that Santa will bring me presents and blankies. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
February: By BECKY
Auriana and I spent time together this month doing Algebra. I love math and she is very smart, so I look forward to times when she asks me for help. I’ve also enjoyed listening to her practice and progress on the violin and the mandolin. She has recently become much more self-motivated and self reliant in all that she does. She’s often wondering what she’s going to read next. It seems she finishes a book almost every day!
Isaac and I spent time together this month going to and from basketball games. He’s really fun to watch, especially when he’s grinning after he does something good. I enjoyed spending time in Isaac’s class twice this month, once during the Valentine party where I helped the kids make roses out of fruit roll ups, and another day while they were writing very entertaining leprechaun stories. Isaac still spends most of his time reading or playing outside with friends, but he has been very diligent this month at getting his chores and practicing done well, as that helps him earn his final activity pin for Webelos. He’s worked hard to earn all of them before his birthday in March. It will be strange not to have him in Cub Scouts since I’ll still be involved with it as the assistant cub master.
Natalie and I spent time together this month going to and from Irish Dance class. Class is in Provo on Friday afternoons and I usually leave the rest of the kids home with Auriana and have some quiet-Natalie-time in the car. While she dances, I watch or grocery shop nearby. Irish Dance is a very happy dance – I love to watch. Natalie’s sad that basketball is almost over, but not sad to give up Saturday 8am games. I was able to spend some time in her class working on reading comprehension – not hers, she’s an amazing reader! She was chosen to participate in the 3rd grade spelling bee this coming week, so we’ve had some fun times together practicing for that.
Enoch and I spent time together this month reading the Book of Mormon stories book. He loves it and never wants me to stop reading. He’s progressing well in reading himself and is becoming a very responsible boy. Yesterday, I announced that it was time to get ready for a baptism that we were attending and in about 5 minutes flat he was Sunday dressed and putting his shoes on. I didn’t even have to ask him twice. This morning as I type and the others sleep, he is setting the table and getting breakfast out. I didn’t even ask him to. I spent time in his class this month on the 100th day of school. My assignment was to do 100 exercises with the kids. After 4 groups, I had a pretty good workout for the day.
Miriam and I spent time together this month in music class. Her class is great, because the Mom’s attend with the kids every other week. It’s so much fun to sing and clap together, and we don’t get a lot of alone time together otherwise. It was my turn to teach her preschool class recently as well. We had fun making a book about ourselves and our families, etc. Remember the book, “Is this you?” We learned all about the letter “Y”!
Ellie and I spent time together this month doing all the things that I do. She’s still my buddy most of the time. She sits on my lap when I’m on the computer, she helps me fold clothes and do the dishes, she loves to wipe things off! I’m her sunbeam teacher, so every other week we spend time together in primary. There’s only one boy in the class and he rarely comes, so I usually teach four very sweet and reverent little girls.
Bjorn and I spent time together this month having several quiet lunches together and also a nice trip to the temple. I usually feed the three youngest kids lunch at 11:30 before Enoch goes to school, so after he’s gone and the girls are busy, Bjorn and I eat lunch alone. Bjorn organized a ward temple night this last week and there were about 70 members of our ward in attendance. Merrill Bateman talked to us for a few minutes before the session. It was neat to be in a session with all familiar faces. Together, we also attended the final showcase for the Adult Art Education workshops that Bjorn has been heading up over the last 6 weeks.
Isaac and I spent time together this month going to and from basketball games. He’s really fun to watch, especially when he’s grinning after he does something good. I enjoyed spending time in Isaac’s class twice this month, once during the Valentine party where I helped the kids make roses out of fruit roll ups, and another day while they were writing very entertaining leprechaun stories. Isaac still spends most of his time reading or playing outside with friends, but he has been very diligent this month at getting his chores and practicing done well, as that helps him earn his final activity pin for Webelos. He’s worked hard to earn all of them before his birthday in March. It will be strange not to have him in Cub Scouts since I’ll still be involved with it as the assistant cub master.
Natalie and I spent time together this month going to and from Irish Dance class. Class is in Provo on Friday afternoons and I usually leave the rest of the kids home with Auriana and have some quiet-Natalie-time in the car. While she dances, I watch or grocery shop nearby. Irish Dance is a very happy dance – I love to watch. Natalie’s sad that basketball is almost over, but not sad to give up Saturday 8am games. I was able to spend some time in her class working on reading comprehension – not hers, she’s an amazing reader! She was chosen to participate in the 3rd grade spelling bee this coming week, so we’ve had some fun times together practicing for that.
Enoch and I spent time together this month reading the Book of Mormon stories book. He loves it and never wants me to stop reading. He’s progressing well in reading himself and is becoming a very responsible boy. Yesterday, I announced that it was time to get ready for a baptism that we were attending and in about 5 minutes flat he was Sunday dressed and putting his shoes on. I didn’t even have to ask him twice. This morning as I type and the others sleep, he is setting the table and getting breakfast out. I didn’t even ask him to. I spent time in his class this month on the 100th day of school. My assignment was to do 100 exercises with the kids. After 4 groups, I had a pretty good workout for the day.
Miriam and I spent time together this month in music class. Her class is great, because the Mom’s attend with the kids every other week. It’s so much fun to sing and clap together, and we don’t get a lot of alone time together otherwise. It was my turn to teach her preschool class recently as well. We had fun making a book about ourselves and our families, etc. Remember the book, “Is this you?” We learned all about the letter “Y”!
Ellie and I spent time together this month doing all the things that I do. She’s still my buddy most of the time. She sits on my lap when I’m on the computer, she helps me fold clothes and do the dishes, she loves to wipe things off! I’m her sunbeam teacher, so every other week we spend time together in primary. There’s only one boy in the class and he rarely comes, so I usually teach four very sweet and reverent little girls.
Bjorn and I spent time together this month having several quiet lunches together and also a nice trip to the temple. I usually feed the three youngest kids lunch at 11:30 before Enoch goes to school, so after he’s gone and the girls are busy, Bjorn and I eat lunch alone. Bjorn organized a ward temple night this last week and there were about 70 members of our ward in attendance. Merrill Bateman talked to us for a few minutes before the session. It was neat to be in a session with all familiar faces. Together, we also attended the final showcase for the Adult Art Education workshops that Bjorn has been heading up over the last 6 weeks.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
January: BY BJORN
After Miriam’s entry last month I don’t know that I can ever write something quite as cute or memorable or hilarious. I still laugh out loud every time I read that.
We had a very nice trip to Rexburg over the long holiday weekend in January. The kids never want to leave, and I think if it could work out logistically with going to school and everything, that Auriana would love to live at Grandma and Grandpa’s. Maybe she’ll get her wish when she goes to college. Thank you to everyone who was willing to go along with my craving for Florence’s chocolates. My taste buds loved it, but not my ever-increasing spare tire. ☺
Isaac just finished his Science Fair project and did a great job. He decided to do it on how fast different fibers burn and so we had fun gathering different types of cloth and paper and burning them in the garage – timing each one. With Becky’s help he put together a great display and impressed his teacher and the judges.
Isaac and Natalie are both playing basketball right now and having a great time. Natalie is a great player and scores several baskets each game. Because he’s grown so much lately, Isaac is one of the two tallest guys on his team and is making the adjustment to being a “big man” and playing under the basket and having to set screens and play a little differently than he’s used to. He had at least 3 blocked shots and forced several other turnovers, along with a couple of great fade-away shots and tons of rebounds in his game yesterday. I’m glad he puts up with his dad’s constant “advice.”
Natalie just started an Irish Dancing class in Provo and absolutely loves it. She’s really catching on quickly and its fun to see her prance around the floor in the Riverdance style. She baked some Snickerdoodles the other day and they came out perfectly. She’s taking after her cookie-baking dad.
Auriana cooked me some amazingly delicious lasagna the other day as her “gift of love” from Christmas. She is becoming quite the good cook. I have also recently enjoyed the fun email correspondences we have with each other. Her fun personality really comes out in what she writes.
The other day Enoch, Miriam, and Ellie pushed the slide up against the opened ping pong table and decided it was fun to run up the slide and across the table. Things were going great until they all got on the table at once and it suddenly folded in half and they got their legs stuck. I wasn’t home, but Becky reported that as soon as she freed them and was hoping that they had learned their lesson, that Ellie ran right up the slide and onto the table again. Have any of you heard Bill Cosby talk about his children having brain damage? Case in point. ☺ Yesterday I went down and saw Ellie standing on the top part of the slide debating whether to jump the 4 feet down to the ground. She’s our little fearless bundle of energy. Yesterday she did this little dance in the living room that had us all laughing as she put so much emotion and shoulder and head movements into her routine. Its amazing how young they pick up on those things, but she’s particularly good at hamming it up.
I think out of all our children, that Enoch is enjoying the extra space in our new Suburban the most. We haven’t heard much growling from the back seat at all lately. ☺ It’s hard to believe we’re now cruising around in a “Mormon-mobile” but the extra space is definitely nice. When I was packing for our trip to Rexburg I got everything in the back and it wasn’t even up to the top of the headrests, so I yelled out to Becky, “it’s not full, bring more stuff!” But everything was in, so I actually got to see out the back window for once.
Becky is enjoying her somewhat reduced responsibilities as a Sunbeam teacher now that she has a teaching partner and only has to teach every other week. She’s making the adjustment well to having to sit still during Gospel Doctrine and Relief Society, though I’m sure she still gets the urge to have a quick treat or turn around and kneel on the floor and color a picture every once in a while. ☺ She also enjoys helping out in the kids’ school classes on a regular basis as well as serving as the Treasurer of the parent board at Auriana’s school.
I’m in the middle of organizing and running the Cultural Arts Education for Adults workshop with the Arts Council. It’s a 6-week workshop with a bunch of visual, performing, and literary arts classes for adults. We’ve had a great response this time around with enrollment jumping from 85 up to about 120. I really enjoy going around to the different classes and seeing people learning a skill or further developing their talents. We hold a showcase at the end where they all display or perform what they have learned or created. Since I have recently learned to play a simple bass guitar accompaniment with the Pendleton family band (Auriana, Isaac, Natalie, and I actually have a blast playing together), I decided to join in with the Folk/Bluegrass class and will be able to perform a number or two with that group at the end of February. I have enjoyed being president of the Arts Council and was voted in for another 3-year term – basically because no one else is willing to do the job. ☺ Work is a bit slower lately. It’s always a bit slower in January, but if it doesn’t pick up soon I may be coming to some of you for a loan. ☺
I can’t wait until the 2nd annual Pendleton brothers’ snowmobile trip to the cabin on the weekend of the 20th. We did some things this past summer to winterize the cabin so it should be a much easier and warmer experience. And now that I know where to stop and unload the machines, I should be free of scary jackknife experiences and skidding down the hill out of control. ☺
We had a very nice trip to Rexburg over the long holiday weekend in January. The kids never want to leave, and I think if it could work out logistically with going to school and everything, that Auriana would love to live at Grandma and Grandpa’s. Maybe she’ll get her wish when she goes to college. Thank you to everyone who was willing to go along with my craving for Florence’s chocolates. My taste buds loved it, but not my ever-increasing spare tire. ☺
Isaac just finished his Science Fair project and did a great job. He decided to do it on how fast different fibers burn and so we had fun gathering different types of cloth and paper and burning them in the garage – timing each one. With Becky’s help he put together a great display and impressed his teacher and the judges.
Isaac and Natalie are both playing basketball right now and having a great time. Natalie is a great player and scores several baskets each game. Because he’s grown so much lately, Isaac is one of the two tallest guys on his team and is making the adjustment to being a “big man” and playing under the basket and having to set screens and play a little differently than he’s used to. He had at least 3 blocked shots and forced several other turnovers, along with a couple of great fade-away shots and tons of rebounds in his game yesterday. I’m glad he puts up with his dad’s constant “advice.”
Natalie just started an Irish Dancing class in Provo and absolutely loves it. She’s really catching on quickly and its fun to see her prance around the floor in the Riverdance style. She baked some Snickerdoodles the other day and they came out perfectly. She’s taking after her cookie-baking dad.
Auriana cooked me some amazingly delicious lasagna the other day as her “gift of love” from Christmas. She is becoming quite the good cook. I have also recently enjoyed the fun email correspondences we have with each other. Her fun personality really comes out in what she writes.
The other day Enoch, Miriam, and Ellie pushed the slide up against the opened ping pong table and decided it was fun to run up the slide and across the table. Things were going great until they all got on the table at once and it suddenly folded in half and they got their legs stuck. I wasn’t home, but Becky reported that as soon as she freed them and was hoping that they had learned their lesson, that Ellie ran right up the slide and onto the table again. Have any of you heard Bill Cosby talk about his children having brain damage? Case in point. ☺ Yesterday I went down and saw Ellie standing on the top part of the slide debating whether to jump the 4 feet down to the ground. She’s our little fearless bundle of energy. Yesterday she did this little dance in the living room that had us all laughing as she put so much emotion and shoulder and head movements into her routine. Its amazing how young they pick up on those things, but she’s particularly good at hamming it up.
I think out of all our children, that Enoch is enjoying the extra space in our new Suburban the most. We haven’t heard much growling from the back seat at all lately. ☺ It’s hard to believe we’re now cruising around in a “Mormon-mobile” but the extra space is definitely nice. When I was packing for our trip to Rexburg I got everything in the back and it wasn’t even up to the top of the headrests, so I yelled out to Becky, “it’s not full, bring more stuff!” But everything was in, so I actually got to see out the back window for once.
Becky is enjoying her somewhat reduced responsibilities as a Sunbeam teacher now that she has a teaching partner and only has to teach every other week. She’s making the adjustment well to having to sit still during Gospel Doctrine and Relief Society, though I’m sure she still gets the urge to have a quick treat or turn around and kneel on the floor and color a picture every once in a while. ☺ She also enjoys helping out in the kids’ school classes on a regular basis as well as serving as the Treasurer of the parent board at Auriana’s school.
I’m in the middle of organizing and running the Cultural Arts Education for Adults workshop with the Arts Council. It’s a 6-week workshop with a bunch of visual, performing, and literary arts classes for adults. We’ve had a great response this time around with enrollment jumping from 85 up to about 120. I really enjoy going around to the different classes and seeing people learning a skill or further developing their talents. We hold a showcase at the end where they all display or perform what they have learned or created. Since I have recently learned to play a simple bass guitar accompaniment with the Pendleton family band (Auriana, Isaac, Natalie, and I actually have a blast playing together), I decided to join in with the Folk/Bluegrass class and will be able to perform a number or two with that group at the end of February. I have enjoyed being president of the Arts Council and was voted in for another 3-year term – basically because no one else is willing to do the job. ☺ Work is a bit slower lately. It’s always a bit slower in January, but if it doesn’t pick up soon I may be coming to some of you for a loan. ☺
I can’t wait until the 2nd annual Pendleton brothers’ snowmobile trip to the cabin on the weekend of the 20th. We did some things this past summer to winterize the cabin so it should be a much easier and warmer experience. And now that I know where to stop and unload the machines, I should be free of scary jackknife experiences and skidding down the hill out of control. ☺
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
JANUARY 2009
Becky-
It has been a wonderful Christmas! I was sad to see the vacation end today as everyone went back to school. My favorite part of the Holiday was spending peaceful time together as a family. Everyone got along and helped out around here remarkably well. I’m grateful for the “special”-ness that affects everyone this time of year. It was especially fun to have Emmaline here (and her parents of course) for our Nativity pageant. We also really enjoyed a few days in Las Vegas, where Jenny and Chad spoiled us with love and food and lots of fun.
Elena-
I loveded Santa to give me my presents. I remember when he came and bringed my nightgown and my coloring book. Then he bringed me my aquadoodle. Emmaline was baby Jesus and Stuart and Heather were here. Brenda came. I played with Miriam and Kay Kay and Miriam was a baby in the game. My mom got me milk and graham crackers.
Miriam-
I got a nightgown and a pixo and I got some books to read myself and learn how to read. And, I got two candy canes. One was striped white and red and one was striped green and red. The pixo – you can squirt out dots and they’re called pixos. Even you can make something and put papers under it to make what you want, like a bear, and a flowerpot, and a shelf. You can make the shelf like feet and you can use the flowerpot as a tummy and a nose for the bear. Even if you want you can use the flowers like eyes for the bear. Even you can make something else like an umbrella, dinosaur, boat, and bird. If you want to do another bear, you can make another bear. If you want to use the one, well, on the other side of the bear one, you can do that, but if you don’t want to make anything on the pixo, you don’t have to. If you want to do all of the ones you can, because it’s mine and if you’re my friend you can do them. Even, I got some coloring books and I’ve been coloring in them and I got lots of presents from Santa – even the pixo. And, I got the nightgown from somebody named Becky and I love Becky.
Enoch-
I got my zero gravity micro. I liked that we went to Grandma’s house on Christmas Eve and decorated my Dad like a Christmas tree. We went sledding on a huge hill.
Isaac-
I got the whole Harry Potter series.
Natalie-
I got an ATM machine. My favorite part of Christmas was getting and giving presents. I liked it when we went sledding with our cousins and Grandma Pendleton. We went down the hill on an air mattress and I got snow in my face.
Auriana-
We had a really fun Christmas, we woke up at about 6:15 and got done opening our presents at about 10:00. In my stocking I got some cute notebookes and a folder that all matched, some hairclips, fingernail clippers (since I am always looking for some), and some chocolate. From my mom, I got some new school clothes, from my dad I got a series of books that I really like, from Miriam I got a fuzzy warm bathrobe that goes to my ankles, and from Santa I got a new green camera. My dad got the complete Calvin and Hobbes set, so I spent all day curled up on the couch reading those. It was the best Christmas ever!!!!
Bjorn-
For Christmas I got the exteme satisfaction of seeing my children truly happy in both the giving and the getting. My heart swelled when I saw the looks of excitement and joy in each of their faces. I loved being able to just relax the whole day and be with my family playing games, eating delicious food, being lazy, and basking in the Spirit of the day. There were many other fun and wonderful things that ocurred throughout the season, but the deep contentment that I felt on Christmas day stands out above them all. I am a truly blessed man to have such a wonderful wife and such wonderful children, and to have a Savior whose birth and life we can celebrate and emulate.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
January, 2009
Becky-
It has been a wonderful Christmas! I was sad to see the vacation end today as everyone went back to school. My favorite part of the Holiday was spending peaceful time together as a family. Everyone got along and helped out around here remarkably well. I’m grateful for the “special”-ness that affects everyone this time of year. It was especially fun to have Emmaline here (and her parents of course) for our Nativity pageant. We also really enjoyed a few days in Las Vegas, where Jenny and Chad spoiled us with love and food and lots of fun.
Elena-
I loveded Santa to give me my presents. I remember when he came and bringed my nightgown and my coloring book. Then he bringed me my aquadoodle. Emmaline was baby Jesus and Stuart and Heather were here. Brenda came. I played with Miriam and Kay Kay and Miriam was a baby in the game. My mom got me milk and graham crackers.
Miriam-
I got a nightgown and a pixo and I got some books to read myself and learn how to read. And, I got two candy canes. One was striped white and red and one was striped green and red. The pixo – you can squirt out dots and they’re called pixos. Even you can make something and put papers under it to make what you want, like a bear, and a flowerpot, and a shelf. You can make the shelf like feet and you can use the flowerpot as a tummy and a nose for the bear. Even if you want you can use the flowers like eyes for the bear. Even you can make something else like an umbrella, dinosaur, boat, and bird. If you want to do another bear, you can make another bear. If you want to use the one, well, on the other side of the bear one, you can do that, but if you don’t want to make anything on the pixo, you don’t have to. If you want to do all of the ones you can, because it’s mine and if you’re my friend you can do them. Even, I got some coloring books and I’ve been coloring in them and I got lots of presents from Santa – even the pixo. And, I got the nightgown from somebody named Becky and I love Becky.
Enoch-
I got my zero gravity micro. I liked that we went to Grandma’s house on Christmas Eve and decorated my Dad like a Christmas tree. We went sledding on a huge hill.
Isaac-
I got the whole Harry Potter series.
Natalie-
I got an ATM machine. My favorite part of Christmas was getting and giving presents. I liked it when we went sledding with our cousins and Grandma Pendleton. We went down the hill on an air mattress and I got snow in my face.
Auriana-
We had a really fun Christmas, we woke up at about 6:15 and got done opening our presents at about 10:00. In my stocking I got some cute notebookes and a folder that all matched, some hairclips, fingernail clippers (since I am always looking for some), and some chocolate. From my mom, I got some new school clothes, from my dad I got a series of books that I really like, from Miriam I got a fuzzy warm bathrobe that goes to my ankles, and from Santa I got a new green camera. My dad got the complete Calvin and Hobbes set, so I spent all day curled up on the couch reading those. It was the best Christmas ever!!!!
Bjorn-
For Christmas I got the exteme satisfaction of seeing my children truly happy in both the giving and the getting. My heart swelled when I saw the looks of excitement and joy in each of their faces. I loved being able to just relax the whole day and be with my family playing games, eating delicious food, being lazy, and basking in the Spirit of the day. There were many other fun and wonderful things that ocurred throughout the season, but the deep contentment that I felt on Christmas day stands out above them all. I am a truly blessed man to have such a wonderful wife and such wonderful children, and to have a Savior whose birth and life we can celebrate and emulate.
It has been a wonderful Christmas! I was sad to see the vacation end today as everyone went back to school. My favorite part of the Holiday was spending peaceful time together as a family. Everyone got along and helped out around here remarkably well. I’m grateful for the “special”-ness that affects everyone this time of year. It was especially fun to have Emmaline here (and her parents of course) for our Nativity pageant. We also really enjoyed a few days in Las Vegas, where Jenny and Chad spoiled us with love and food and lots of fun.
Elena-
I loveded Santa to give me my presents. I remember when he came and bringed my nightgown and my coloring book. Then he bringed me my aquadoodle. Emmaline was baby Jesus and Stuart and Heather were here. Brenda came. I played with Miriam and Kay Kay and Miriam was a baby in the game. My mom got me milk and graham crackers.
Miriam-
I got a nightgown and a pixo and I got some books to read myself and learn how to read. And, I got two candy canes. One was striped white and red and one was striped green and red. The pixo – you can squirt out dots and they’re called pixos. Even you can make something and put papers under it to make what you want, like a bear, and a flowerpot, and a shelf. You can make the shelf like feet and you can use the flowerpot as a tummy and a nose for the bear. Even if you want you can use the flowers like eyes for the bear. Even you can make something else like an umbrella, dinosaur, boat, and bird. If you want to do another bear, you can make another bear. If you want to use the one, well, on the other side of the bear one, you can do that, but if you don’t want to make anything on the pixo, you don’t have to. If you want to do all of the ones you can, because it’s mine and if you’re my friend you can do them. Even, I got some coloring books and I’ve been coloring in them and I got lots of presents from Santa – even the pixo. And, I got the nightgown from somebody named Becky and I love Becky.
Enoch-
I got my zero gravity micro. I liked that we went to Grandma’s house on Christmas Eve and decorated my Dad like a Christmas tree. We went sledding on a huge hill.
Isaac-
I got the whole Harry Potter series.
Natalie-
I got an ATM machine. My favorite part of Christmas was getting and giving presents. I liked it when we went sledding with our cousins and Grandma Pendleton. We went down the hill on an air mattress and I got snow in my face.
Auriana-
We had a really fun Christmas, we woke up at about 6:15 and got done opening our presents at about 10:00. In my stocking I got some cute notebookes and a folder that all matched, some hairclips, fingernail clippers (since I am always looking for some), and some chocolate. From my mom, I got some new school clothes, from my dad I got a series of books that I really like, from Miriam I got a fuzzy warm bathrobe that goes to my ankles, and from Santa I got a new green camera. My dad got the complete Calvin and Hobbes set, so I spent all day curled up on the couch reading those. It was the best Christmas ever!!!!
Bjorn-
For Christmas I got the exteme satisfaction of seeing my children truly happy in both the giving and the getting. My heart swelled when I saw the looks of excitement and joy in each of their faces. I loved being able to just relax the whole day and be with my family playing games, eating delicious food, being lazy, and basking in the Spirit of the day. There were many other fun and wonderful things that ocurred throughout the season, but the deep contentment that I felt on Christmas day stands out above them all. I am a truly blessed man to have such a wonderful wife and such wonderful children, and to have a Savior whose birth and life we can celebrate and emulate.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Monday, December 1, 2008
December 2008: by BECKY
Bjorn’s been busy with work – for which we are always grateful. I am personally so thankful for the way that he provides so well for all of us! I’m enjoying helping out in the kid’s classrooms as well as Miriam’s preschool. Today for preschool, we went on a field trip to the bowling alley. My favorite part was watching Ellie’s “hand on hip” stance as she watched her ball roll down the lane – very cute as usual. The other night, I was laying by Ellie in bed, and in her deep sleep she said, “I didn’t do it!” I wonder what she was dreaming about…. probably a broken ornament, since she can’t seem to keep her hands off of them this year.
Miriam loves to play! And everyone loves to play with her! If anyone needs a buddy – she’s your gal! She bounces around the house all day – I hope she can sit still in Kindergarten next year! Not really – she definetly loves to sit, read, color, learn letters, and she begs for “homework”! Enoch has made great strides in reading this month. He’s starting to realize that there are words everywhere and he can actally read them if he tries! If he can’t figure out what it says – he asks, because he just wants to know! I love that stage!
Natalie is doing great in school! She often comes home with reports of being the only one who got 100% on a test and she’s currently leading the class in learning the multiplication tables. We’re trying to figure out how she’s going to wear her much needed glasses and play basketball at the same time – she detests contacts.
Isaac’s made some new (very nice) friends recently and has spent the past month on the trampoline playing some sort of dodgeball with them. He’s been so good about hurrying to get his homework done without being asked before he hurries out to play – I’ve been very impressed. He hurt his neck pretty bad –playing with Ellie- and spent a few miserable, painful days recuperating. He has also taken up boondoggling and is excited for basketball to start!
Our November was filled with a nice daily routine of school, friends, family, meals, music – and not much else. We enjoy being busy, but it’s nice to have a few weeks of calm every once in a while! We’re bracing ourselves as we look forward to much more activity in December. The wonderful craziness has already begun with Auriana’s Choir concerts this week. Three nights of practices and three nights of performances in one week is enough to wear anyone out, but Auriana has handled it very well and has even been able to finish (most) all of her homework . We all (Brenda, too) went to the big show last night – it was quite impressive, involving 300 students from grades 4-12 from her school. It was fun to see Auriana play her violin and sing in the choir, she looked beautiful in her long blue dress. Auriana was able to do baptisms for the dead for the first time this month. Bjorn and I took her on a date to the temple – and afterward she said, “We should do this once a month!” It was a memorable day. We’re so proud of her and the way she’s growing up!
Miriam loves to play! And everyone loves to play with her! If anyone needs a buddy – she’s your gal! She bounces around the house all day – I hope she can sit still in Kindergarten next year! Not really – she definetly loves to sit, read, color, learn letters, and she begs for “homework”! Enoch has made great strides in reading this month. He’s starting to realize that there are words everywhere and he can actally read them if he tries! If he can’t figure out what it says – he asks, because he just wants to know! I love that stage!
Natalie is doing great in school! She often comes home with reports of being the only one who got 100% on a test and she’s currently leading the class in learning the multiplication tables. We’re trying to figure out how she’s going to wear her much needed glasses and play basketball at the same time – she detests contacts.
Isaac’s made some new (very nice) friends recently and has spent the past month on the trampoline playing some sort of dodgeball with them. He’s been so good about hurrying to get his homework done without being asked before he hurries out to play – I’ve been very impressed. He hurt his neck pretty bad –playing with Ellie- and spent a few miserable, painful days recuperating. He has also taken up boondoggling and is excited for basketball to start!
Our November was filled with a nice daily routine of school, friends, family, meals, music – and not much else. We enjoy being busy, but it’s nice to have a few weeks of calm every once in a while! We’re bracing ourselves as we look forward to much more activity in December. The wonderful craziness has already begun with Auriana’s Choir concerts this week. Three nights of practices and three nights of performances in one week is enough to wear anyone out, but Auriana has handled it very well and has even been able to finish (most) all of her homework . We all (Brenda, too) went to the big show last night – it was quite impressive, involving 300 students from grades 4-12 from her school. It was fun to see Auriana play her violin and sing in the choir, she looked beautiful in her long blue dress. Auriana was able to do baptisms for the dead for the first time this month. Bjorn and I took her on a date to the temple – and afterward she said, “We should do this once a month!” It was a memorable day. We’re so proud of her and the way she’s growing up!
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August: by Bjorn
Well, the 3 younger kids are off to their first day of school! Can't believe Miriam's in high school! We did father's blessings...
