2015 in Review

I've been experiencing some guilt over not writing a Christmas letter. So this is my way of resolving that guilt. This year has been filled with all sorts of excitement or what ever you want to call it.

Christmas 2015:

Going to find a tree this year was traumatic for the girls. Or maybe more for mom since they all cried most of the time. May next year be a little more fun.

Christmas lunch

We started the year off by welcoming Shyla Jaymme into the family in a very non-expected way on January 1st at 1:24 am. Yes we knew she was coming eventually, but not in that hospital, before the on-call doctor arrived, and all natural. She was considered the New Year's Baby and so we got our picture in the newspaper.(Just what every post-partum mom dreams of... A full page spread of her picture.) Shyla is proving to be a go big or not at all kind of girl. The first nine months went as smoothly as a mom of three can expect. She was healthy, growing well, and we were adjusting fantastic. September thru December was rough. She experienced; 4 ear infections, numerous colds, a broken femur, Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease, the stomach flu, being weaned, and started getting her teeth in. She was healthy for the all the holidays and her birthday, and we are very grateful for that. Because of her trials in life the last few months, Shyla finally started crawling the first week of December. She is now trying to learn to pull herself up and is small for her age. Still healthy and doing well, just on the smaller side of the scale. She can say dad, mom, and horse. She thinks she needs a cell phone to listen and dance to music. She is a daddy's girl 100%. Who needs mom around when dad is here. She is usually the first to hear him come in the door and greet him by yelling, "Dad, Dad, Dad!" from the baby gate at the top of the stairs. She was born with red hair and still has it. I don't know whether to blame it on the red hair or from months of not feeling well, but she sure can tell you when she thinks something needs to be different. However, when she's happy, she's is totally content to play by herself.

 

Amid all that we buried my older brother, Christopher, unexpectedly in March and moved into a different house on the ranch for more space in April. April thru June we never plan on seeing dad much. It's his super busy season. That means me, myself, and I with help of some very nice neighbors and Beth moved everything except the furniture in one day. I had to brush up on my trailer backing skills. That had been awhile and probably good Bryant wasn't around to see it. Bryant rounded up help after a long day of work, and moved the furniture. That same week we celebrated Bryant's birthday and a week later was my big 30.

Making Shyla's birthday cake

This year I discovered a new joy in my life. I loved gardening. I started a lot of my own plants (both veggies and flowers) indoors and then transplanted everything outside in June. I'd call it a pretty good success except the strawberries never grew. Getting outside during nap time with a baby monitor attached to my hip was my saving grace this year.

Halloween 2015:

Shyla the Strawberry 

MaKatie the ballerina

Aimee as Minnie Mouse

Bryant still works for Deseret Land and Livestock. He was called into the Young Men's Presidency. That has been an adjustment for him. He claims scouts was a lot more fun when he was a kid and not the leader. I think he's still on the learning curve here. Bryant still enjoys making a good horse, learning new roping shots, leather work, hunting, and spending time with his family.



MaKatie turned five 15 days too late to start Kindergarten. She is attending Little Learner's Preschool here in Woodruff  two afternoons a week and LOVES it! She has also been doing an on-line preschool program. She is sounding out words and learning power words. In addition to school, she is back in dance at the new dance studio in Randolph. Social butterfly is her niche and there for is always begging me to be anywhere but at home with me. She thinks if I pester my siblings enough mom will let me go play with friends. (If only it worked that way.) But she is also a huge help to me! I couldn't handle 3 kids without her help. P.S. She will finally order something besides chicken nuggets to eat when we are out and about.

5th birthday... ready for school

She cut her tongue clear through with a pair of scissors. We were almost to the ER, when I thought to call the peds office and they said don't waste your time...no stitches needed.

Aimee turned 2 in April. She loves pink and purple, macaroni and cheese, dancing, and being a cowgirl (minus being around the animals part. She loves them, but don't get them too close or you will hear her lung capacity.) This January she started dance class with MaKatie. She absolutely LOVES it. Independent is her personality and not just a phase, I fear. "I will do it!" is probably her favorite phrase. She wants to go potty, get dressed, and do her hair all by herself. Don't think you are going to help her either. She is very detail oriented. You only thought you could sneak a fake chip in with the toy dishes. That will not be accepted by her, it has to go into the toy food basket. Her independence matched with MaKatie's desire to be the boss, cause for some friction. That is one of my trials in life right now. She has also figured out that if I cry, I might just get my way cause its going to be assumed that I'm being picked on by MaKatie. She keeps asking for earrings and loves to do hair everybody's hair.

Did I mention she cut her own hair this year? Or sprained her knee on the trampoline and couldn't walk on it for several days?

I keep thinking because 2016 is here finally, I am going to get my life put back together. Maybe I'll finally finish unpacking the last of the boxes or figure out how to get three kids out the door on time without getting frustrated. I dream of being able to find my living room floor, kitchen sink, and the bottom of the laundry pile (both clean and dirty) on a regular basis. So far its just flying by too in a complete blur. That little change from a 5 to a 6 hasn't changed life a whole lot. But what's life without family... whether we are crazy or not. So maybe the real goal for this year should be a few more giggles and pictures to remember it all by.