Let's start this review off with our Cami. Cami turned 7 in 2013. She started the 2nd grade and has done fabulously in her class. She is brilliant. She reads very well and has improved her scripture reading this year. Cami was in level 4 swim class this summer and is an excellent swimmer. She really enjoys her tumbling class. She loved playing soccer this year and so far has decided that she does not want to do horse riding lessons with her older brother and sister, the size of the horse scares her. Cami is an excellent big sister and is constantly asking to hold Annie or get Max out of bed in the mornings. One of my favorite stories about Cami this year is this one; This past spring we went to Knott's Berry Farm. It was an "interesting" family vacation as every member of the family ended up sick at one point or another. While we were at the amusement park there were some big kid rides. Gloria and Grayson BOTH were nervous and decided that they were way too scared to go on these bigger rides! But Cami looks at me and said "Mom, I REALLY want to go on those rides! I'm not scared! Can I please go on the rides, even if Grayson and Gloria won't go?". Now Cami was only 6 at this point, but she was also very tall, so she was able to go with her cousin Taylor on the big rides over and over again. Gloria and Gray never got the courage to go on some of the rides, but Cami loved the rides and went again and again with a big grin on her face. This past year we also went to Disney Land and the whole family went on the Tower of Terror. During that ride, a picture is taken at the most scary part of the ride and we can see it when we get off the ride. When we got off the ride and went to see the picture, everyone in the picture looked terrified, EXCEPT Cami! She is grinning from ear to ear! That's my Cami!!
Gloria is 11 years old and becoming such a young woman. She is in the 6th grade and doing fabulous. She is such a smart girl. She excels in every subject. Gloria loves to dance. Currently, she is doing Jazz, tap, ballet, tumbling and a performance team. She is a little obsessed with dancing. This year she was even able to dance at DisneyLand in the parade down main street. It was so cool to see her dance there. She is still doing guitar and singing lessons and loves them. She is also doing riding lessons. She was afraid of the big horses for a few weeks, but after some time she has gotten more used to them and is enjoying lessons more. Gloria is such a help to me. She is a great babysitter and loves to watch kids. This year she went with me to Yreka for a few days when Annie was only 3 days old. She helped me with Annie the whole time and also got to spend time with Annie and Max's birth mom. She is growing so tall, she is 5"4 and she wears the same shoe size as me. She seems to be growing up so fast, but she is growing into a wonderful young lady and I am excited to see the person she is becoming. I love having her as my oldest daughter and an example to her siblings.
Olivia turned 5 this year. She is our little bubbly, strong willed, happy child. She did not go to kindergarten this year- it was actually a very hard decision to make, as she was right at the deadline and we could have chosen to send her or keep her home. Her preschool teachers told us that she was the most academically and socially ready out of all the kids in her class. She is a natural leader and makes friends easily. However, after many months of prayer, Travis and I felt strongly that she needed one more year at home before she entered school. I am so thankful every day for that decision. She decided in September that she didn't want to go to preschool any more (I have never forced any of my children to go to preschool, it is always their decision and I like having them home with me). It was a big shock when she made this decision as she has always loved going to preschool and was dressed and ready to go every morning without even being asked. Since she has made that decision, it has been wonderful having her home with me. I love having this sweet girl around all the time. She is so helpful and loves to help out with Annie and Max. She is just such a sweet girl. She still dances and tumbles and can lift her foot up past her head whenever you ask her to. She can do a back bend and a perfect cartwheel. She love primary and singing. She is our little angel.
Grayson turned 10 this year and is in the 5th grade. Grayson is our funny kid. He loves jokes and loves to make people laugh. Grayson is still taking guitar lessons and loves them. He is also taking riding lessons and loves the horses. He teases the horses a lot and calls one of them bossy pants. He is constantly looking for the funny in any situation. He played soccer this year and was definitely the star defender. He excels in school and is the leader of every school group he is in. He got straight A's this year. Grayson has a lot of will power. He is very social and gets along with anyone. He has a lot of friends and he sets a good example for them. He doesn't let his friends tease other kids and tell them to knock it off if they do try to tease someone. He is a leader and the kids like him for standing up for other kids. His teacher told us that she wished everyone of her students were like him- he listens, helps others, is kind and honest and works hard. Grayson is my big helper... he will always help me out with anything and he does it with a smile. I am glad that he is a momma's boy and still gives me plenty of hugs and cuddle time. I sure do love this boy of mine!
Maxton turned one at the very beginning of the year. This year he was finally able to go to nursery, however, just because he CAN doesn't mean he WILL! Most Sundays Annie and Max and I just walk the halls of the church. It's ok. I like being with him. I don't force my kids to go to class. When he's ready to go, he'll go. I will just enjoy my time with my Max. Max is super busy. He is so smart that he is constantly looking for new things to explore and figure out. He is using a lot of words and it is so great to hear him putting words together. Last week Aspen took him to the zoo and when he got home I asked him about the animals at the zoo and he recounted all the sounds for me that the animals make. So fun! He is obsessed with keys and cars. He is also an artist, although we are desperately trying to get him to put his drawings on paper and not on walls, or doors, or furniture! Max has a toddler class once a week and he loves to go and sing songs and do crafts and play with other toddlers. His favorite foods are pickles and yellow peppers and beans. This year we were blessed to be able to have Max officially adopted on July 19. We then were able to take him to the temple to have him sealed on July 27. What a blessing that was! Knowing that he is ours forever is the best feeling in the world. He is our wish come true!
Have you ever felt like you were complete, and then discovered that you were wrong? That you were actually missing an important piece of your life that you didn't know you were missing? That's how I felt. I felt like our life was fine and great. And then, one day, I felt like I was missing something- no, someONE -important. I knew that someone important was missing from my life. But I didn't know WHO. I started counting my kids repeatedly. Even though I counted 5 kids, I just knew I was counting wrong because surely not all my kids were there, someone was missing. Then, one morning, around 4am, we got a phone call that changed my life. And I knew. This was WHO was missing from my life. This was the piece of my heart that was missing. She was piece of my life that I needed to make me complete. I didn't just think this, I KNEW this. This was my baby, she NEEDED me and I NEEDED her. I left all my kids with neighbors and drove as fast as I safely could (an 8 hour drive done in 6 hours...) and finally met my baby. My little girl. They put her into my arms, and she was mine. There was no denying the power and love that was there. Our hearts connected. It was magical. And I knew peace. The frantic counting would cease. Here was my missing child. Here was my Annie. Annie was born at 6:36am on May 30th. She weighed 6 pounds 6 ounces. She is my 6th child. She is my joy. She is so loved. She is a peaceful, happy and very easy going baby. She loves to cuddle and be held. She smiles all the time. She has a very happy disposition, and is very easy to travel with. She is our sweet girl.
In this picture you will see Aspen. She is very much a member of our family this year. She came to us to help me with our two youngest kids. She has a wonderful disposition and is always happy to help. The kids absolutely love her. We all do. She is just what we needed. She came to us from Tennessee and is saving money for a mission. She is a wonderful example to our children and she is amazing. We are blessed to have her in our home.... I don't know how we will survive without her when she leaves, it will be like someone cut off one of my arms! I will have to learn how to do it all on my own again. But in the mean time, we will just love every moment of having this amazing girl in our home. She is going to do amazing things. She is going to be an amazing mom, one day. She is already an amazing person.
Travis and I have had a busy year. This year we celebrated our 13th year anniversary. We have done quit a bit of traveling and added onto our family. We have kept ourselves busy. Travis owns 2 dental practices, has a dental partner, an associate and 20 employees. He is a high councilman and does a great job of serving willingly. He loves mountain biking with a group of guys a couple times a month. He likes getting out on the boat and wake boarding or skiing. He likes to go snowboarding with his kids or getting on the quads with them. He is a wonderful dad and we are blessed to have the best dad in the world raising our kids! I am blessed to have him as an amazing husband who will do anything to please me. He is really wonderful and I am thankful for him. I have been busy raising 6 kids, learning to quilt, making cards and teaching bootcamp at 2 gyms this year (although I quit one gym when we had Annie). I really enjoy teaching institute, even though I do get stressed out preparing the lessons.
It has been an amazing year and I am thankful to a loving Father in Heaven for all my blessings.
Well, folks. That's All! On with 2014!
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