We're going "green" this year with our Christmas letter. :) Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Risenmay Update: catching up after 7 ½ years…….better late than never……This year has been really busy for us. Jeff has worked more hours than ever before (often going days without seeing the kids awake) since working for Deloitte – going on 5 years. Despite his unusual work load, we’ve managed to have a lot of fun this year.
Lea is 5 and growing up so fast. I think Kindergarten has aged her more. She has a great teacher – Mrs. Gardner, whom she loves dearly. Lea can read just about anything and loves to learn. She’s always reading, writing or coloring something. She loves everything Princess and Tinkerbell and enjoys playing dress-up. She has an incredible memory, very sweet and sensitive, and is always thinking of others. She’s a wonderful big sister and is so happy to share her room with her baby sister Abbey (more on her later). She enjoyed t-ball with Jeff - Go Blue Dinos! She’s daddy’s little girl. We’re trying to get her to play soccer starting January – we’ll see how that goes.
Lucas (2) is well……all boy (aka Little Jeff). He amazes us with his endless amounts of energy, fearlessness and his powerful throwing arm. He’s as feisty as his hair is red. He always has his hat and his shoes on – it’s the first thing he looks for when he wakes up. He’s daddy’s little buddy and can win Jeff over by asking to watch “daddy football”. Although rough and tumble – he is very sweet, loves to snuggle and help clean up. He gets lots of mom time while Lea is in school. His favorite thing to do is go to the stores in the morning and get free samples. He wants to go, go, go, but don’t you dare miss a nap because it’s all over after that. As long as he’s fed, well rested, has a remote control and his cars – he’s great!
Abbey was born on May 26th this year. She is sweet, loveable and happy as can be – except for when I leave the room….. She’s very close to crawling, but is content with steamrolling her way around a room to find toys. She loves it when Lea and Lucas play peek-a-boo – she finds them incredibly funny. I love to hear her laugh. Another possible red-head in the family – still waiting for her hair to grow in more.
Jeff (el Jefe) turned the big 3-0 this year. Aside from work, he stays busy with church as Stake Clerk. He hiked 22 miles across the Grand Canyon from rim to rim in late September and completed his first Triathlon in October. His latest hobby is playing Xbox Live with his brothers in Utah and Idaho. (Fine with me, I get dizzy trying to follow along and it’s hard to play together with only one controller). He also helped coach Lea’s t-ball team.
Me (domestic goddess – 29, yes I really am 29 this year) I keep busy running the house as Jeff is gone a lot. So I’ve (don’t fall over) done a lot of yard work and yes I do clean. For fun though, I get a chance to play volleyball and basketball during the week with other women in our stake. Our kids enjoy it and it’s a great opportunity for me to exercise and socialize. Other fun hobbies include: scrapbooking, couponing, canning, painting the inside of our house – I would suggest one room at a time. A good stopping point would not be the middle of the kitchen……
More family adventures: My parents and niece (Shayla) came when Abbey was born; in-laws came; many trips to the water parks; road trip to Washington, Idaho and Utah; And to top it off: one case of headlice and strep throat for Lea - courtesy of Kindergarten and Primary.
