Family Updates

So, I've been preoccupied with being a Mom to a new little one. Sometimes I forget to mention all the great things that have been happening otherwise. We've been extremely busy, as usual. I'm a bit upset right now because our video camera is missing. I believe it must have been in the diaper bag that was lost during Pony Express Days. Jared took it to the parade, and it hasn't been seen since! Luckily most of my videos were already downloaded on my computer. I'm still missing some from Peyton's kindergarten program and Caile's choir concert. There were a few cute pictures I took of Peyton with his kindergarten teacher and some of his friends from school. All gone. I guess I can pray that it turns up, but I won't count on it.

Jared has been amazing as usual! He's continuing to work 2 jobs, is coaching Caile's soccer team, and is assisting with the scouts when he can. He's also playing on a soccer team himself. He likes to tell me that he's not the "oldest" person on the team...."there is one guy older". It's been a lot of fun for him. A bunch of out of shape guys running around the field...haha...it's good for them! It doesn't leave much time for anything else! Sometimes he has so much on his plate that it's hard to get everything done....but he always has the best intentions.

Josh has struggled a little this year. Problems with his ADHD has made things difficult. We started him on some new medication and he's in counseling again. I think it's helping some. He can be such a good kid, he just has a lot of struggles that most of us have difficulty understanding. He's wonderful with his baby brother. Always willing to help if we need him to. He gained some privileges back after being in trouble most of the school year. So, he's been excited to spend time with friends this summer. He's been even more excited to have his Xbox back! He's going to scout camp next week, and can't wait to go. School was a bit of trouble this year, but he managed to get his grades up before the end of the year. He also did really well in band! He started with the flute, the changed to the clarinet the following semester. He does great! Very musically inclined. He's looking forward to football tryouts. Football has been a good outlet for him, so hopefully he'll be on a good team this year! Josh is a wonderful artist and loves to draw. I'm really amazed at his talents!

Caile has had a great year. She's been on a competitive soccer team all year! They play indoors during the winter months and have just recently started playing outside again. She absolutely loves it! She's a defender, and is really good at it. Jared coaches the defense on the team, so we know her coach is good :) ! Her team had a really good season and made it to the playoffs. She's a very well rounded child, or at least tries to be. She has been in choir all year, loves to sing. She's also in a theater day camp all week this week. Her best friend's parents are running the camp, so we had an in! Caile is also a wonderful artist. She loves to draw and write stories. She did well in school, with a little help from a math tutor :). She's growing up too fast....and is becoming a beautiful young woman!

Peyton Peyton Peyton. He's had some ups and downs this year. We all know that he's an adorable beautiful boy. He's so loving and compassionate. He can be a little overly sensitive and emotional....which has it's good a bad sides to it! He's not the kind of kid to sit still for too long....which becomes a problem in the classroom. His teacher was so wonderful and worked so well with him though. He had a great Kindergarten year...after a rocky start. He's learning how to be a big brother, which he's done really well with! He loves his baby brother and tries to be involved with everything that is going on with him. Sometimes he tries to help too much! I think it's also been a bit of a struggle for him. He's not the baby anymore, and that's a hard thing to give up. He still fights for attention. I try to show him I love him just as much as I did before. He's just a Mama's boy and is learning to deal.

Preston is more of a Daddy's boy. He just lights up when Daddy comes in the room! I love how animated this little boy is. He just has this amazing awareness in his eyes all the time. I can tell he's going to be extremely bright, and a handful! He already throws temper tantrums when he doesn't get what he wants. There's no tricking him either. Way too intelligent for the redirecting trick. He cries so hard sometimes that he doesn't take a breath, and starts turning blue. Then he does his big gasp for air and is fine. It's usually over something silly like taking a Lego away from him that he was trying to eat, or closing a door to a room that I don't want him to go into. Oh, the thing that makes him the most angry is blocking the stairs off so he can't climb them. This can't be a learned behavior at 9 months old.....it's definitely personality! It's gonna be fun to figure out this one :). He can be a very happy baby though. He laughs a lot, smiles a lot. He likes to dance and is walking! He just recently started walking a ton! All the way across the room. He will even hold things in his hands and walk at the same time. So cute! I've even seen him turn in a circle and go the opposite way! He also just barely started standing up in the middle of the floor instead of crawling somewhere to pull himself up. I knew it wouldn't take him long to get the hang of it. Smart boy. He's sleeping a little better. Only waking up twice a night usually. It's much much better! I can't believe how blond his hair has turned, and his little eyes are still blue as ever! He still just has his 4 little teeth but is starting to cut some more further in the back. He's been such a wonderful new part to our family.

I'm doing about the same. It's been a bit rough working every weekend, but a necessary thing. I'm looking forward to having some weekends off in the near future...so maybe I can spend some time with my whole family. I don't think I've had more than 4 hours of sleep in a row in the last year or so. I think I'm still adjusting to living so far from my family. It's really good in some ways, but it would be nice to hang out with my sister now and then. Or have my Mom near by to help out with the kids once in a while. I have made some great friends out here, and have some good neighbors....with the exception of a few HORRIBLE ones. I'm enjoying my life and know that the best is yet to come. I'm trying to enjoy the journey!

Some new videos of my baby walking and dancing...I'm such a proud Mama!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Tw6Ln1AH4Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aprmDSrFTr8