Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Here's a little note to update you on our family for the year.
Jonny is still enjoying his work as a Project or Test Engineer at the Yuma Proving Grounds. His job has sent him traveling a few times this year to other proving grounds and manufacturers in Alaska, Maryland, and New York. He is also still serving in the Elder's Quorum presidency (church service organization for men ages 18-50). In his spare time, he still works on his Ford Bronco, enjoys target practice in the desert and supporting his kids activities. He is highly-prized at our house because we only get to have him in rare quantities. The limited times that we have him are the most enjoyable.
Christi made a bold move in May when she decided to quit working as a nurse and embrace her motherhood and housewife roles full-time. She has not regretted the choice but has had to increase her patience and problem solving skills as well as make alterations in budgeting and time-management. She still enjoys dabbling in family history, SIMPLE sewing/crafting, and supporting her kids activities. She also still serves as a counselor in the Primary Presidency at her church which oversees the Cub Scout program.
Jay turned 11 years old in September, graduating from Webelos in Cub Scouts to the 11yo Patrol in Boy Scouts. He managed to earn all 20 Webelos Activity Badges and his Arrow of Light award and is now working towards his Tenderfoot merit badge. He is enjoying Boy Scouts and his jovial good-nature is a great asset to his troop. He and Jonny go on a campout on almost a monthly basis now which allows them to see all sorts of neat areas around Yuma. Jay has started to play the trumpet in an elementary school band this year in addition to still taking piano lessons. He is also participating in 4H Shooting Sports and 4H Poultry Showmanship again this year.
We currently have 12 chickens: 1 Polish, 1 Bearded Belgian D'uccles, 1 Blue-Eared Silky, 1 Salmon Faverell, 1 Spotted Sussex, 2 Rhode Island Reds, 2 Barred Rocks, 2 White Rocks, and 1 mutt Americana. If the names sound exotic, it's because they are exotic-looking and all but one is a purebred. We have a whole menagerie of very interesting chickens that are very friendly to hold. The 2 old enough to lay eggs have been taking a long vacation from it and the other 10 are too young as of yet to lay but in a few months we hope to start gathering and eating 12 eggs/day.
Nikki is also participating in 4H Shooting Sports, 4H Cake Decorating, 4H Poultry Showmanship, AND 4H Rabbit Showmanship. She will be picking up her baby Holland Lop rabbit in a few weeks. She is also taking piano lessons and showing great progress. We are blessed to have such a wonderful daughter and "big sister" in our family. She and Jay are beginning to show patience, wisdom and maturity enough to be left in charge of their siblings for short periods of time this year which has been a wonderful help to Christi when she has to run a quick errand AND it lines their pockets with a little cash. Nikki also still adores animals, hence we have a large number of pets: her lovebird "Sunny"; our black labrador "Solé"; the 12 chickens of course; a recently added short-hair, tortoise-shell kitten named "Paws Galore"; and soon her new Holland Lop rabbit for 4H.
Britton enjoys going to school mainly for recess and socializing but he also excels with straight A's. He's been wearing glasses for more than a year now. He patiently endures his position as middle child with so many bosses over him. He enjoys being outside, riding his bike, jumping on the trampoline, and playing soccer. Britton is also an excellent reader for his age and therefore also frequently found behind a book. He also still loves to build amazing Lego creations.
Joshua is attending preschool with a speech therapist again this year. The difference from a year and a half ago is astounding. He still needs a few reminders now and then to stick out his tongue when saying his TH and L sounds, close his lips to make the B and M sounds, etc. He is quite the ham at school and loves to tell jokes. He has a very beautiful, wide-mouthed grin with dimples on either side. Josh will start soccer this winter season for the first time and is looking forward to it with anticipation. He, too, likes to jump on the trampoline, ride his bike with training wheels, and build with Legos.
Darren, our "baby", is growing up too fast! He will be old enough to leave Nursery behind and join his older siblings in Primary at church in January. He's becoming a good talker and knows how to get through most of the obstacles placed in his way. He is often found under the table munching on forbidden snacks. We found a stash of empty cereal boxes the other day in our bike trailer in the far obscure corner of the yard. He is also great at playing hide-and-seek. He's learned how to hide quietly to avoid detection which means it takes us quite a while to find him sometimes. His favorite word is "wait" which means he must hear that a whole lot. We gave away our crib set this year but he hasn't begun to sleep in his big boy bed yet and can still be found sleeping on Jonny and Christi's floor every night. In October, he lost the tip of his thumb when a bedroom door was slammed but the doctors were able to tack it back on and although small in comparison to other's trials, we are sure glad for that little piece of flesh and that his thumb is almost back to normal.
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