We send our love and greetings to our loved ones far and near. We hope this is a beautiful Christmas season for you! Here is a report on our family in 2012:
Andrew (almost 16) has finished his Eagle Project (YAY!) and we are anticipating his Eagle Court of Honor in the coming weeks. We are proud of him sticking through this difficult task! This summer he went to Isle Royale for a seven-day backpacking scout camp - his dad was able to attend, and can attest that it was a difficult physical accomplishment! He also got to attend EFY in Kirtland, Ohio and had a great experience there. He is doing well in school, continues to get himself up for early morning Seminary, and is a very kind young man. At church, Andrew has been serving as Teachers Quorum President this year. He also has his learners permit - any day now, and I’ll have someone to serve as mom’s errand runner! Hurrah! Andrew is also on the high school boys’ swim team. With early morning seminary before school, and swim practice after school, this boy is gone for 12 hours a day! What a hard worker. One of the greatest things Andrew does that always makes my day - he is very thankful to those around him, whether it's for good food, help with homework, or clean clothes.
Chandler (13 1/2) is also moving rapidly through Scouts. He just earned his Life, and is on target to accomplish his goal of earning his Eagle before his 14th birthday. He continues to excel academically, and is taking a break from orchestra to take studio art (he wanted to do both, but had to choose). Chandler is still playing the piano, and plays for Priesthood at church. He is also serving in the Deacons Quorum Presidency at church. This last spring, Chandler was on the middle school’s boys swim team, and is looking forward to doing that again this year. Chandler was our travelling boy this year. In addition to a family trip to Chicago, he went to New York to visit his cousin, visited Isle Royale for a seven-day backpacking scout camp, went to Kirtland, Ohio to drop off Andrew and see some sites, and travelled to Utah with his mom and Andrew at the end of the summer. We almost even made it to Washington, DC - but had to change our plans because of Hurricane Sandy. Hopefully we’ll make it there early next year! We love Chandler’s drive to excel and his contagious positive attitude.
Jordan (11) is in Middle School now and is doing fantastic. He has really caught onto taking responsibility for his homework, and likes to please his teachers. Jordan has taken up the cello this year (he did violin last year) in orchestra, and also continues piano lessons - he is really making amazing progress on his piano! He often sits down to play/practice without being told, and his mom loves it! Jordan loves to help take care of Bentley, and is an adoring older brother. He is taking tennis lessons with his cousin Ben, and is having a great time! It may be the sport he decides to really go for. But he also loves to swim like his brothers, so who knows - he may follow in their footsteps as well. Jordan is now in scouts as an 11-year-old and has already earned his first two merit badges. We love Jordan and his independent spirit, especially when he puts it to great use!
Seth (8) was baptized this year by his dad. It was very special! Seth has really stepped things up in the responsibility department - he is a whole new boy! He gets up on his own, gets dressed, gets his lunch and snack put together, and is usually sitting at the computer all ready when his mom gets home from taking Andrew to seminary! Seth is in Chess Club again (which his Mom heads up at the school) and has a lot of fun with his friends there. He is also continuing piano lessons. Seth is now a wolf in cub scouts (yep, that’s four boy/cub scouts we’ve got now!) and is making great progress. Seth continued to play soccer this last spring, but took a break in the fall (well, maybe it’d be more accurate to say his parents took a break!). He’s looking forward to playing again in the spring, and his parents are looking forward to the physical outlet it will give him! We love Seth’s contagious laugh and boundless energy.
Michael (6) is in love with turtles. He had the surprise of his life on his birthday this fall, when he got THREE REAL LIVE TURTLES!! They are baby red-eared sliders. He loves to talk to them, feed them every day, and report on their swimming and basking habits. It has been a lot of fun to watch. Michael also loves to draw pictures and make little books, stories and mazes. He is all about the details and exhibits a lot of patience. He lost his first tooth a few weeks ago, and had a lot of fun writing a letter to the tooth fairy with instructions about how his tooth would be in a little box next to his pillow. Michael is such a fun buddy to have around - he takes everything very seriously, and is a joy to have a conversation with! At church a couple of weeks ago, after singing the sacrament hymn about Jesus dying on the cross at Calvary, he looked up at me and said, “Mom! That actually happened! That was real!”
Bentley (2 1/2) is forging his way into the family at full speed! He considers himself just as much a Boss as any of his brothers, and makes it known! His vocabulary is increasing, potty training is in the works, the crib is away, and the toddler bed is out. Note to the world: toddler beds and night owls are a bad combination. Bentley has had several all-nighters (as far as we can tell - he's awake playing in his room when we crash, and he's already up when we get up in the morning!) My favorite word that comes out of Bentley’s mouth is “Okay!” He says it with such a cute little lilt, and it comes out the same, whether I’m asking him to put something away, find his shoes, or go to time-out. “Okay!” and off he runs with full determination. He has such a fun giggle, and is so full of life! What a joy to have around.
Sherie is still serving in the Relief Society Presidency as first counselor. Life is one crazy day after another, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. She enjoyed a scrapbooking weekend this fall. In the summer she enjoyed taking and picking up Andrew in Kirtland, Ohio and seeing a few of the sites there with Chandler on the drop-off trip, and Jordan on the pick-up trip. At the end of the summer, just she, Andrew and Chandler had a fun visit to Utah, where they visited family and friends, attended Education Week at BYU, and did a little touristing in SLC.
Greg is blessed to continue to work for IBM. He has now submitted nearly 300 patents to the USPO through work. He was recently called as the Stake Young Men’s President at church; this will be a great calling with all the boys we have in, and coming into YM. He manages to balance work, church, family, and wife just perfectly. He is Sherie’s rock - she doesn’t know how she’d do it without him!
We had only one family trip this year that involved the entire family, and that was to Chicago during the summer, but, as mentioned above, much of our other travels were split with different people at different times. We feel blessed that we were able to experience so much this year.
We send our love to all our friends and family! We love you, and miss those that are far away geographically, but not far from our hearts!
Chandler (13 1/2) is also moving rapidly through Scouts. He just earned his Life, and is on target to accomplish his goal of earning his Eagle before his 14th birthday. He continues to excel academically, and is taking a break from orchestra to take studio art (he wanted to do both, but had to choose). Chandler is still playing the piano, and plays for Priesthood at church. He is also serving in the Deacons Quorum Presidency at church. This last spring, Chandler was on the middle school’s boys swim team, and is looking forward to doing that again this year. Chandler was our travelling boy this year. In addition to a family trip to Chicago, he went to New York to visit his cousin, visited Isle Royale for a seven-day backpacking scout camp, went to Kirtland, Ohio to drop off Andrew and see some sites, and travelled to Utah with his mom and Andrew at the end of the summer. We almost even made it to Washington, DC - but had to change our plans because of Hurricane Sandy. Hopefully we’ll make it there early next year! We love Chandler’s drive to excel and his contagious positive attitude.
Jordan (11) is in Middle School now and is doing fantastic. He has really caught onto taking responsibility for his homework, and likes to please his teachers. Jordan has taken up the cello this year (he did violin last year) in orchestra, and also continues piano lessons - he is really making amazing progress on his piano! He often sits down to play/practice without being told, and his mom loves it! Jordan loves to help take care of Bentley, and is an adoring older brother. He is taking tennis lessons with his cousin Ben, and is having a great time! It may be the sport he decides to really go for. But he also loves to swim like his brothers, so who knows - he may follow in their footsteps as well. Jordan is now in scouts as an 11-year-old and has already earned his first two merit badges. We love Jordan and his independent spirit, especially when he puts it to great use!
Seth (8) was baptized this year by his dad. It was very special! Seth has really stepped things up in the responsibility department - he is a whole new boy! He gets up on his own, gets dressed, gets his lunch and snack put together, and is usually sitting at the computer all ready when his mom gets home from taking Andrew to seminary! Seth is in Chess Club again (which his Mom heads up at the school) and has a lot of fun with his friends there. He is also continuing piano lessons. Seth is now a wolf in cub scouts (yep, that’s four boy/cub scouts we’ve got now!) and is making great progress. Seth continued to play soccer this last spring, but took a break in the fall (well, maybe it’d be more accurate to say his parents took a break!). He’s looking forward to playing again in the spring, and his parents are looking forward to the physical outlet it will give him! We love Seth’s contagious laugh and boundless energy.
Michael (6) is in love with turtles. He had the surprise of his life on his birthday this fall, when he got THREE REAL LIVE TURTLES!! They are baby red-eared sliders. He loves to talk to them, feed them every day, and report on their swimming and basking habits. It has been a lot of fun to watch. Michael also loves to draw pictures and make little books, stories and mazes. He is all about the details and exhibits a lot of patience. He lost his first tooth a few weeks ago, and had a lot of fun writing a letter to the tooth fairy with instructions about how his tooth would be in a little box next to his pillow. Michael is such a fun buddy to have around - he takes everything very seriously, and is a joy to have a conversation with! At church a couple of weeks ago, after singing the sacrament hymn about Jesus dying on the cross at Calvary, he looked up at me and said, “Mom! That actually happened! That was real!”
Bentley (2 1/2) is forging his way into the family at full speed! He considers himself just as much a Boss as any of his brothers, and makes it known! His vocabulary is increasing, potty training is in the works, the crib is away, and the toddler bed is out. Note to the world: toddler beds and night owls are a bad combination. Bentley has had several all-nighters (as far as we can tell - he's awake playing in his room when we crash, and he's already up when we get up in the morning!) My favorite word that comes out of Bentley’s mouth is “Okay!” He says it with such a cute little lilt, and it comes out the same, whether I’m asking him to put something away, find his shoes, or go to time-out. “Okay!” and off he runs with full determination. He has such a fun giggle, and is so full of life! What a joy to have around.
Sherie is still serving in the Relief Society Presidency as first counselor. Life is one crazy day after another, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. She enjoyed a scrapbooking weekend this fall. In the summer she enjoyed taking and picking up Andrew in Kirtland, Ohio and seeing a few of the sites there with Chandler on the drop-off trip, and Jordan on the pick-up trip. At the end of the summer, just she, Andrew and Chandler had a fun visit to Utah, where they visited family and friends, attended Education Week at BYU, and did a little touristing in SLC. Greg is blessed to continue to work for IBM. He has now submitted nearly 300 patents to the USPO through work. He was recently called as the Stake Young Men’s President at church; this will be a great calling with all the boys we have in, and coming into YM. He manages to balance work, church, family, and wife just perfectly. He is Sherie’s rock - she doesn’t know how she’d do it without him!
We had only one family trip this year that involved the entire family, and that was to Chicago during the summer, but, as mentioned above, much of our other travels were split with different people at different times. We feel blessed that we were able to experience so much this year.We send our love to all our friends and family! We love you, and miss those that are far away geographically, but not far from our hearts!
Love,
Greg, Sherie, Andrew, Chandler, Jordan, Seth, Michael, and Bentley
I am literally speechless after your yearly update! I cannot believe you all look so darling, rested and sane!! What an amazing family you have created. I wish we lived close enough to rub shoulders with you good people more often! xo
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