Happy 2014!

Since the beginning of the school year, life has gotten quite crazy busy, and my journaling has taken the back seat.  Pregnancy threw me for a loop, and I have been in survival mode.  Feeling much better now.  And cheers to a new year, which always comes with reflection, ways to improve, and new goals.  One of mine this 2014 is to do a better job of  journaling our family activities, my motherly thoughts, and growth that takes place here at home.  Someday, I'll be grateful I took the time to write things down, even if it's a paragraph here and a sentence there, even if there are no pictures attached.

Since August, here are a few highlights and happenings: 

• Taylor started highschool, after skipping 8th grade.  He has been challenged academically, for a first.  And he loves the social scene as well.  After the first month of school, I knew it was the right decision to have him skip a grade because he hadn't missed a day of coming home from school and, after me asking how his day was, saying "Mom, it was an awesome day" or "Mom, it couldn't have been better" or, "Mom, highschool totally rocks".  He loves it, and I love that he loves it.  Half way into the semester, he realized that he had some B's in a few classes and made a goal then and there that he would work as much as it took to get straight A's through all 4 years of highschool.  Being in all honor's classes, that's quite a goal.  Sure enough, he came home from school the last day before Christmas break and told me he had brought up all his B's to A's, and had gotten straight A's for the semester.  I'm glad he's being challenged. 
• Andersen played soccer for the first time.  John and I think for a 6 year old, he has quite an athletic build with lots of muscle definition.. . .maybe he'll be our prized athlete!  So we were interested to see how he'd do in soccer.  When he kicked the ball, it went really far.  But he wasn't too agressive on the field, but would wait towards to back for the ball to come directly to him.  But he enjoyed playing on the team, especially since most of the boys were friends from our ward. 
• Abby tried out and made the school musical, Aladin.  She didn't make a lead role but is happy to be involved and frequently comes home from practice singing for the rest of the evening. Love it!
• Mason played organized football for the first time with the junior high team.  They lost every game but one, and tied one game, 0 to 0.  To say the least, it wasn't his favorite sport.  But he learned a lot and was a good team player.  Now onto basketball.
• John was released from serving as Bishop's 2nd counselor, I was released as serving in the primary presidency, and we were both called to serve together as team teachers in primary for 8 year olds.  It's been a joy to serve together.  John is a super amazing teacher, and he knows how to be cool with the kids but also how to demand respect without being rough or mean.  I love learning from him.
• I survived the first trimester of my pregnancy, which had a few complications that kept me all but bed-ridden.  The blood clots have become a lot smaller as the baby has grown.  I am scheduled for an ultrasound next week to make sure things are healthy and to find out gender. Almost 20 weeks, not quite into maternity clothes yet, but I'm getting quite limited with the clothes that fit.  I always call it the "awkard stage".   It's nice to be feeling better and to have more energy so I can keep up with my kids.
• My brother Matt got married to Jessica Richardson in SLC.  We love her and are excited to get to know her better!  She's perfect for Matt.

We have  a lot to be thankful for.  And I have a lot of journaling to catch up on. Cheers to a new year!