A New Leaf

I created this blog quite a while ago and have hardly done anything with it thus far. With the new year, I'm going to attempt to post something here at least every other week, if not weekly. I've also been pretty terrible about keeping my photos downloaded, cataloged, and posted. So I'm going to try and keep up on THAT as well. It seems like a tall order to fill for me, but it's just something I'm gonna have to do. SO...here's something new in the line of photos! Nothing fancy; just a little family photo (along with Paul's parents) taken at temple square when we were up in Salt Lake visiting for Regan's baptism at the beginning of December.

With the new year and a new ward has come new callings for me. Along with teaching the Valiant 9 class still, (which will include Rieka) I'll also be doing Activity Days. THIS is something completely new for me. I'm not really sure what kinds of things to do with the girls (a group of about 5 to start with...again, including Rieka!), but I have great faith in my VAST network of friends and family who are incredibly talented, witty, and crafty! ;o)

As for family happenings, things are well and good. Paul enjoyed a bit of time off during the holidays (see photo below of him and Kaleb playing Rockband, which was Kaleb's big gift for Christmas!) and is now back at work and just started his classes again as well. He also found out when they play basketball in this ward and went for the first time last week. It's well on the way to becoming his weekly work out.

Rieka spent a LOT of time visiting with family (cousins) over the winter break from school. The time really did fly by and she returned to school feeling a combination of reluctance that it was all over and joy to see all of her classmates. She continues to keep herself busy with the computer, Aunt Rinda's dogs, reading, and playing with her little sister.

Leila is just as busy as ever!!! She's a movie fiend and loves the Disney princess movies as well as Mary Poppins, Shrek, Elf. She loves to sing and dance and can frequently be heard singing "I know you...." from Sleeping Beauty. We have to watch her closely when she gets near the dogs because she loves them SO MUCH and just wants to lay all over them; it makes us just a LITTLE nervous and we want to make sure that she doesn't hurt them, so that they don't hurt her. She spends a lot of time with her puzzles and books, and likes to draw and color also with her favorite canvas being Aunt Rinda's refridgerator doors! How I LOVE washable markers!!! ;o)

I keep busy enough dividing my time between various things...home stuff, church, reading, computer time, family, friends and so on. With all of the changes of the past year, I've had to put school stuff on hold but I'm looking forward to the time when I can start up with that again as well.

We love you all, and hope that you all are healthy and happy with many wonderful prospects for the new year!!!