Well the news is out, we are expecting another sweet baby just after the first of the year. That’s right, we will soon be a family of Nine…whoa, I still can’t wrap my head around that! I definitely know divine intervention has been helping to grow this family, because I am not much of a planner; but I am so excited for our spontaneous little baby (he/she will fit right in to our lifestyle).
Just to get a bit of family history down, I will try to post some pictures of the past year and a half, along with some notes as to what we have done. Starting from the most recent… we had a pretty busy summer. We went on a Road trip to Grants Pass, Oregon to visit cousins, and along the way we stopped at Lassen Volcanic National Park, The Redwoods National Forest, took a run down the Rouge River (cliff jumping, tree swinging, and white water) along with some beach time, and good old fashioned family car fighting time to make the memories. WE HAD A BLAST! Also this summer we bought an old, retro green, pop-out camp trailer (1978 Apache Ranger) to make camping a little more bearable with our spontaneous weekend decisions. We’ve been down to Great Basin National Park, where we picked fruit off the trees in Fruita, and where we got a flat tire. We also made it up to Crystal Hot Springs in Honeyville, where we sat in the most mineral rich hot springs in the United States. There, we almost took home a free kitten after seeing a sign we saw off the road, but sadly the kitty could not be found. We also tented a few days off Timpanookee Road. We’ve gone on some fun hikes during our trips that I am happily surprised some of our younger kiddos, and even our older kiddos were able to finish due to the length and steepness of many of them. We definitely have hardy troopers in this family, each one of them. We also got a Family Annual Zoo Pass, since it was cheaper than paying for one family entrance fee, and we’ve really enjoyed seeing the animals throughout the different seasons.
School started for four out of our six, and we’ve been busy balancing schedules. We have P and B at home doing virtual school this year, and K and C at public brick and mortar school doing the good ol’ standard. So far we’ve been able to make it work, but I’m always a bit frazzled when I have a kindergartener that chops up the day, especially the year when I have another baby.
P was just ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood (this was also the year he broke his elbow), and K will be getting baptized in a few weeks (he is the only one who plays the piano). I am so proud of them, and each one of my children, and for the path they are choosing to follow. Life is so wonderful when we have knowledge and truth to help us on our journey. I feel so grateful to be their mother and to see them grow into such unique and amazing individuals. B is showing more and more independence and responsibility each day, I forget he is two years younger than P. C is learning scholastic skills so fast, I’m amazed how quickly she is learning to read. T’s personality is really starting to shine through, she has such a sense of humor but yet she’s so feminine; and Little G, what a character. He, reminds me so much of his dad it’s eerie. Our little boy is so rough and tough on the outside, but he is such a softy on the in it makes my heart melt.
And now for the pictures…
