December Hustle

Dear ones,

Oh, my-- what a busy week! I'm sure you all feel the same.


The first part of the week was pretty normal, but things sped up from there. TJLA classes ended last Friday, so we didn't have any classes this past week. Bonny and Gavin's seminary class ended for the semester, as did Bonny's dance classes at school. Lliam worked, and the kids made lots of messes. In other words, completely NORMAL!


Homeschool is now officially on break, though December is always slow in the academics department. What else is new?


We have been blessed to be the recipient of the 12 Days of Christmas this year, and we all work hard to NOT catch whoever our kind friends are. We've received treats, toys, yummy homemade bread, lovely decorations, and fun things like playdough for the kids. It is so sweet and makes the holiday even more fun than usual.

Bonny and some Dance class friends

Thursday evening, we ALL traipsed over to Bonny's dance recital-- the first one our WHOLE family has been able to attend, since the other ones from years past always charged mega-bucks for just Daddy and I to attend. It was awesome! Bonny did a really great job-- ballet truly IS her genius! The teacher placed her front and center on the ballet number, and it was GORGEOUS. She is such a lovely dancer!

She has made some good friends in her classes, even though she is one of the oldest students there. It's nice that the school is so small, but the majority of students there are junior high age. I'm going to look into the possibility of some science classes there for her next year. We'll see what she wants to do, and if that's even possible.

Lliam has been working hard in all the holiday rush at a cash register, and does a good job. Unfortunately he got sick, and has not been able to work as much as he would like.


Lliam, Bonny, Dierdre, Dad, and now Ronan all have killer colds, complete with sore throats and lots of coughing. Bonny completely lost her voice, and was not even able to go to church yesterday. The rest of us are taking lots of vitamin C, we all went to bed early last night, and several kids slept all afternoon after church. The house reeks of essential oils, humidifiers are humming, and herbal tea is being consumed at an alarming rate.


Almost all of Friday, I went out shopping, shopping, SHOPPING. It took a lot of time, but we FINALLY got Brennan's missionary package finished and SENT! (Whew!)

Then, that night, Bonny and I went with some homeschooling friends to see "A Christmas Carol" at the Hale Center theatre. (We've been part of a group called "The Statesmanship Club" that Sister W-- has created.) It was really good, and we all agreed that I should direct it in the next few years. We've already practically got it cast! ;-)


After the play, we took the youth to the G--'s for the Ensign Educator's yearly homeschool Christmas party. Bonny came home with me, since she was feeling pretty sickly by then. But Gavin and Didi had a good time. They had a hayride and went caroling.

McKenna and her fellow ballerinas

Saturday morning, Bonny had her recital for all her ballet students. It was cute, and they all did a good job. I think the parents were glad it was short and sweet, and so were we! The girls had a great time, and that's what's most important.

Dierdre and A-- before their dance number

Saturday afternoon, Dad and I braved the crowds and went out shopping until late at night. We are mostly done with everything for Christmas! YAY!!!


Yesterday's Christmas sacrament meeting program went really well, I think. I had more people sing with our choir than have ever sung with the choir in this ward. (So Brother H-- told me.) We sang three songs, with two speakers in between our numbers, and the songs and talks went together perfectly. Heavenly Father is so wonderful, isn't He? Everything in the program was so inspired, and I am constantly amazed at how much the Lord loves us all.


Sadly, Lliam and Bonny were sick, so I left Fiona home with Bonny. Daddy even went home after sacrament meeting, since he was beginning to come down with the ick.


In Relief Society, I sang with some ladies for a special musical number. Sister W--, Sister H--, and Sister W-- (You'll love her when you meet her!) joined me in singing "Candlelight Carol"-- one of my FAVORITES! I think it went well, but most importantly, it brought the Spirit.


I LOVE CHRISTMAS! I am so excited to have my Morgie home with us-- I can't believe her mission is over and she is coming home!!!! And I'm ecstatic to talk to my Elder Brennan on Christmas Day. WAHOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do we need more exclamation marks? Oh, yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:-)


We love you all and wish we could have each of you with us, but we are also grateful for the promise of eternal families that we have because of our wonderful Savior, Jesus Christ! My heart is full of joy and hope all because of the sacrifice of our our elder brother.


More than anything else, this Christmas I want to give my family my sure witness and testimony that Jesus Christ is REAL! That He loves us, and that He did all that He did for US. HOSANNAH!!! And Merry Christmas to you all!!!

Love, love, love,
Mama Rachel

Our Family 2013 Year in Review

Love, Mama Rachel

Davy's First Birthday

Happy Birthday, little buddy!

I can hardly believe that it was just over a year ago that I welcomed our fifth son and twelfth child into the world.

Davy is such a joy! He is a happy little guy who loves being a part of this big crowd of people. (Good thing, huh?) He smiles most of the time, and likes to hug and kiss and snuggle, even though he's such a busy toddler.

He had a fun birthday, but we had to rush to get him to open his presents and eat his cupcake before he drifted off to naptime.

He got a fun card with real money from Grandma (Thanks, Diana!), and an awesome Renaissance Halloween Costume from Granna and Morganne! (Thanks, ladies! Yes, we will post pictures after Halloween!)

One cute thing about Davy: He has never shown much interest in any movies we've watched, but one movie night, the kids were watching "The Man From Snowy River," and Davy was squealing and screaming on the part where the man rides the horse down the steep mountain. He about jumped out of Dierdre's arms! It was so adorable!

Oo! Oo! The horsies!!!

From then on, he has shown an interest in horses, so we were thrilled to find a sweet and simple stuffed pony for his birthday.

Davy and his new friend

And now, for our far-away family's viewing pleasure, we present two videos of our Davy being super-cute. The first one is on the night of his birthday, when he decided to put a fun "show" on for all of us. The second is of him giving up on eating his cupcake and saying "Night-night," instead.

Love, Mama Rachel

Mission Call!!!

Our Missionary

I want to let my blogging buddies know that our boy, Brennan, received his mission call yesterday to serve in the WASHINGTON SPOKANE MISSION!!!

He will be preaching the Gospel in the English language and enters the Provo MTC on January 1st, 2013.

Happy New Year to him!!! :-)

Here's the video of the call opening, surrounded by friends and family (thanks to technology!).

Time Passing

I can't believe that September is almost over!

Usually here in the land of The HEAT, we all wish that September and October would hurry and pass, since it doesn't cool off until Halloween. When everyone else is talking about putting on sweaters and watching leaves change color, we're clinging to the hope that today's temperature will NOT climb over 100 degrees.

But since we'll be doing the happy dance in January and February, no worries...

It's just that amidst all this quick passage of time, my babies get swept up and think that they have license to get bigger.

Oh, no way! 

STOP IT. 

"Why, Mama?"

It's just not very nice. Not at all.

Pretty soon my little Davy might be as big as this kid:

Brennan helping Eryn be reverent

Pinning the Eagle pin on his mother! Oh, Happy Day!

Okay, we need to see pictures of all the other cute people around here, too...

MacKenna is now 7 going on 16. *gulp*

Avalon with her typical BIG smile!

Ronan caught a big one at the lake by the park!
(And he put it back, too, of course.)

Bonny blowing out 15 candles!

Gavin, even at 13 years old, still loves babies.

Our Snow White (aka Grayse D.) passed out on the floor, again.
(Where's the apple?)

Card Games for FHE with
Lliam, Dierdre, Avalon, Ronan, Gavin, and Grayse

I'll just leave you with this little video of how grown up our Davy is. He's become quite the Little Man.

SIGH.

Love, Mama Rachel

The Merry Month of May

Fun at the Cast Party

The play may be over, but time marches on. I must admit I've been enjoying the luxury of taking an afternoon nap each day, in an attempt to finally kick this nasty illness I've had for four weeks.

Bonny (2nd from left) with her classmates and her beloved teacher, Chandler (far right)

Bonny had her ballet recital and once again did a lovely job. She was only in one number this year, but she loved her gorgeous costume. (She's on the far right throughout most of the number.)

The kids have been missing their "Fiddler" buddies-- there's always a sag in spirits after a show ends. But they are excited for their classes to pick up again in the Fall. We've been bracing for the summer heat, but had a pleasant surprise of mild weather today. The high is only going to be in the mid-eighties!

Didn't she do a good job?

Bonny had a great idea for a Young Women's project last week: She decided to cut out and sew swim skirts for our little girls, and one for herself. (WITHOUT a pattern.) I wasn't necessarily ready to give a sewing lesson, but as usually happens with our Miss Bon, she will plow through and bug Mama until she gets the help she needs. What a clever girl!

Lovely Bonny Dianne
(Yes, she is wearing a flesh-colored leotard under her costume. So much more comfortable for her!)

I am looking forward to a weekend of rest and projects. I need to finish writing for our Commonwealth School website and Russell is checking items off his "Honey-Do" list. (YAY!) Then he and I will finish up the website together. We WILL meet our deadline!

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND, EVERYONE!!!

Love, Rachel

More Performing Kids

I actually took several videos of the kids singing various songs from "Fiddler on the Roof," since everyone around here is constantly singing it. (One of the prices of directing a production!)

Don't worry, I won't post them all, but I did want to post another one that has more of the kids in it.

This is for the grandparents, y'all! :-)

We all love and miss you!!!

"Do You Love Me?"

This is a video of two of our little girls performing "Do You Love Me?" from "Fiddler on the Roof." I think they do a pretty good job! :-)

(I promise they do finish the song up after the brief giggling fit at the beginning.)



Maybe we should have them perform for our preshow???