This has been an amazing year of change! I've barely been able to keep up. As you can see from the dates, it's been a YEAR since I've had the chance to sit down and update things--well, not exactly like I didn't have a chance, I just had so many things on my plate, it got put on the back burner. But, I wanted to send out my Christmas cards with a note that invited everyone to look at our family blog, to see more about our year. Therefore, I truly needed to re-arrange the "food" on my plate, so I could share something worth the look!

The most recent pictures I have are from a visit with my Grandma, Ethel Poulton, and from my son Jacob's Christmas concert, "Christmas at the Movies". I enjoyed both of these things so much. They truly started off the Christmas season in a way that made me start to feel the spirit of the holiday; I didn't know if I wanted to face the hustle and bustle that really starts to occur at the beginning of December. I still just enjoy seeing the lights, listening to the music everywhere I go, decorating my home, and finding ways to spend more time together as a family, to learn about the real meaning of the day we celebrate. I've been trying so hard to help my family find more ways to "de-commercialize" Christmas. I love the giving and sharing, and love the chance to do both. But, even more than that, I love the calm in a house when everyone is asleep, and it's dark everywhere except for the blinking of the Christmas tree. It's peaceful, and helps me to think about the Savior's birth and the eternalness of his teachings and gifts, like the "evergreen" Christmas tree. I can think of my family--mainly the boys and feel the love they bring into my life. And, on a lighter note, if it's snowing outside and I have my soft bathrobe on with a cup of rasberry hot chocolate--it's a bonus!!

I just LOVE this picture. It's going to be a real treasure for me.

Jacob has really come "out of himself" this year. He started 10th grade at Springville High School and has been loving every minute! He joined the DECCA club and has been to a competition, tried out for the school play "The Music Man" and today "Much Ado About Nothing". He didn't get a part in "The Music Man" but we'll see how it goes for "Much..." The monologue he used was from "A Midsummer Night's Dream". And, he got to go to the state championship game because he'd had perfect attendance. So, he's been running around and busy, but we've been proud of him for keeping up on his homework. I was also able to talk him into joining the all men's choir, because I've felt as his voice has been changing and he has been singing more of the hymns at church, that he has a real talent there. It just needs a little refining. So, he did, and has been enjoying that, too. Especially this Christmas concert. He practiced like crazy with everyone and even helped with the scenery.

The concert is a fund raising event for the high school. Each year, they have parents who are willing to help, decorate a table. Then, those who have purchased tickets can attend the event and are served dinner while listening to the concert. Jacob didn't serve our table, but looked like he was being polite from a distance! I had fun decorating one of the tables, but I had even more fun eating a nice dinner (that I didn't have to clean up) and watching my son seem to just come "alive" as he sang. Hopefully I'll be able to post some of the video when I get it from the DVD. No one was allowed to film during the concert. I should also be able to post some of his fall concert video, too, once I've gotten it.

Well, I don't really have anything new to put on here just yet, as far as pictures go, but I thought I would at least add something "Halloweeny" to the page. I'm working on a video that will show you a group of 5th-6th graders doing some funny body percussion routines to the theme from the "Addams Family" as a Halloween activity during music class. The ones the kids have made up thus far have been really funny. Otherwise, you can probably tell what's been going on at my house based on my poll questions--getting children to do their chores, and prepping for Halloween. So...that's about it for now.