2008 summary

I'm happy to announce that I kept last years 2008 resolution.

Okay so I didn't set my self very high... It was simply...

To survive to the end of the year and, in the process, finish building and move into our new home.

After years of doing New Year resolutions that I quit in a week, I finally finished one.

I gave myself a little pat on the back.

We started last year in a little house my mom generously borrowed us that my mom and I call "rose cottage"There are not any roses on the property, yet. But I did get sent roses while living there. Can that count? No, well okay then. Be that way! The thousand square feet was a bit tight for a family of five. We were thankful to have a roof over our heads.

Shane and I had spent most of December 2007 driving 30 minutes to the new house to wire the electricity in the new house in freezing our tails off! - negative degree weather. Let me tell you it was warmer outside then in the house!

So the beginning of 2008 we were still working on the new home with electricity and some other things. Freezing our tails off! Seriously, my tail is gone due to the freezing! It was a cold beginning to a new year.

February brought trips to Lowe's who had, thank goodness, came to the neighboring town. A few day trips to Home Depot in "the city."

February brought Violet a cute little birthday of three years. She had a party at cousin Teikens' house. Other then Lilli, Violet was the only girl at the party. But we made up for it by making the four little boys wear sweet pink strawberry shortcake glasses. A few of them may have even tried on Violets pink beaded tiara!

Violet still loves hair and twiddles it every second she can get. She is a good little talker three brought a little sassinous with it! She tries to pronounce every word accurately.

Violet loved the trampoline that blew away. She would have stayed on it for hours playing ring around the rosy. Violet learned to play in the mud last summer. She wasn't too crazy about swimming lessons but they grew on her.

She also, started asking when she could have her own real baby which we reply not for twenty five or thirty years so quit thinking about it! Maybe, Mom will have one... some... day...

Which Violet replies two boys mom. If you are a baby kitty at our house. You better run, because Violet will have you wrapped in a towel and singing you to sleep! She likes to make up songs.

Violet is quite the little mommy. When Lilli calls for mom I don't know how to reply cuz Violet informs me that, "Lilli wants me mom not you. You are the sister!

Some time through the year, Violet started pointing to older Lady's and saying, "Look! She looks like grandma Grace. " Violet has never seen even a picture of my grandma Grace who passed away when I was eight. I can't help but think, Violets sweet little spirit is so close to heaven and she has been privileged to meet my Grandma.

Violet is moving from the church nursery up to the primary sunbeam class. I watched her as she sat very reverently with her tiny arms folded. She entertained her self by pulling faces. Being the little mother hen that she is, she turned to a boy in the older her class and told him he needed to be quiet!

That's our girl!

Questen who was going to kindergarten near "rose cottage" was very excited to add a year to his super life. His party was at "rose cottage" with his cousins and friend Gunner.

Questen learned to love Star wars and dressed like a Jedi knight for Halloween.

He learned to read a like a Jedi Knight. He was reading on a first grade level by the end of his kindergarten year.

He started fast pitch and enjoyed it! We missed a few because of moving.

He moved into the new house not to sure he was crazy about having his very own room. I think he liked having some one in the same room with him. Not necessarily, the sharing with Violet part. He's tough and stays in there to sleep. His room has grown on him.

He enjoyed swimming lessons and was gun ho to go. He loved the trampoline and it was very traumatic when it blew away. Her learned to enjoy riding his bike up and down the hill and building jumps with the neighbor kids. He's really awesome at it! He also likes to play in the mud.

He learned to be daddy's big helper and go with Shane to move the wheel line. He will run the mover for Shane and like to look for bugs in the process.

He learned to call 911 in an emergency and tested our local police in their efficiency!

He started 1st grade a very excited boy. He has taken off , even more, in his reading skills and is amazing to me! He also adds and subtracts like a whiz and gets awesome scores on his report cards! He is a very smart boy.

He likes to tell jokes and IS very funny. Except when he is copying me and it starts to sound very much like sassing.

He did tumbling and basketball this year. He liked both of them.

He is my big helper and, when he wants to, he plays really well with the girls.

Questen likes to go to church. He is a great example to me. He seems to sit quietly in his class and listen very well. He likes to sing the church songs and has given talks in church. He does very well.

He is a very good boy! He's the bestest boy in the world!

May was a new beginning for all of us. I woke up on my birthday in the new house for the first time. It was a great birthday present. I started this blog in August. I have started to get a food supply which involved learning to can. I did a little sewing and pretty much every thing else has to do with watching kids and taking care of my family.

May made Shane a 28 year old. One year older and as my brother-in-law would say Sexier too.

Personally, I think this is true!

After a year of not being able to make knives, Shane was back into the swing of things with his new shop. He's become a pro at it. If you haven't seen his work you're missing out! Shane and I went to Shane's first knife show. It was in Oregon. We went to the Oregon temple which was magnificent!

We had a great time touring, but Shane had a great first time knife show. He sold knives well and we made friends with some great men who I think will be a big part of Shane's knife future.

We share a little primary class and love the little five year olds in our class!

He still is working for local telephone company and was asked to make three knives for some of their events.

He is a great father and a great husband that I wouldn't know what to do with out.

She's last and she's little, but if you know her... you know she is not least. Lillian has personality. Lillian has learned to stay out of the toilet. That was a huge accomplishment! She has also learned to move the bar stools to where ever she wants and this has created a whole new world of mischief for Lilli. We are determined to survive. Lilli loves to play with dollies and she is very good at bouncing them and feeding them. She likes to make play food in the girl's little kitchen. Lilli loves to dance and sing.

October-Lilli had her second birthday in our new house. It was a wonderful day. We were able to fit everyone on both sides of the family.

At the first of december she gave up her beloved passifier. If Lilli can give up her passy maybe mom can give up the pop.

Lilli is always smiling and she can brighten the most drab day! She is my little cuddle bug! The last few months she calls for daddy when she wants something. She loves to be with Shane and toddle at his feet in the shop.

She's a little imp who likes to make the biggest messes, but she's very loving and we wouldn't changer her personality. I do hope the messes get fewer, and don't involve Ketchup though.

Happy New year and may 2009 be good to us all! And skinnier on me!