Christmas Newsletter

Steve:

Steve graduated from Southern Utah University (Summa Cum Laude) with a bachelors in Graphic Design last year. When he decided to go back to school, it had been so long since he’d been I think we were both a little nervous about how it would go, but he worked so hard and totally rocked it. Within a month of finishing school he was hired on with a company called Landvoice/Domega as a graphic designer on their marketing team. The company has been such a great fit for him. He’s able to do what he loves, he works with great people that he really gets along with (and since I’m his wife I’m allowed to brag) and he has been a huge asset to their marketing team. I’m sure they don’t know what they’d do without him.When he’s not working he’s… working for fun. Seriously he loves graphic design and he’s always on the computer figuring out new techniques or brainstorming for a project. He also still loves watching movies, playing basketball and teaching the boys how to be men.He is currently serving on our Sunday School Presidency at Church. Which pretty much means he walks to each classroom every Sunday to make sure all the classes have a teacher and that someone is running the library, and if not he’ll occasionally substitute. It’s been nice. 

Katie:

Now that Steve is bringing home copious amounts of bacon I am able to stay home with the boys and cook it. (In other words- I’m a stay at home mom now) I love it! It was a weird transition at first. I have literally had a job since I was 6 years old (family paper route) so it was odd not to be working. But I’ve been able to fill my time with things I love. I have so much fun and so many learning opportunities with the boys. I’ve been able to volunteer a lot more. I’m the “room mom” for Spencer’s Kindergarten class (arrange volunteers for fieldtrips, plan class parties, etc) and I’m on the PTA and get help out a lot at Spencer’s school. I’ve been reading, exercising, crafting a lot, catching up with old friends in the area and making new friends in the neighborhood. At church I’ve been serving as a Visiting Teaching Coordinator. (Visiting teaching is where women of our Church receive regular instructional and compassionate service visits-usually by personal contact in the home-from other female members of the Church.) So I organize all that, to try and make sure every woman is visited and knows she’s loved and watched after. It’s a lot of work but I love the women in our neighborhood and in my local church so much-it’s been a blessing. 

Spencer: (6 yrs old)

Spencer started Kindergarten this year. I was more nervous than he was. The first day I walked him to his class and gave him a kiss and he said, “Ok mom you can leave now.” His teacher is Miss Holly. Other than coming home every day saying he is SO tired because school was SO long and hard (It’s 3 hours), he loves it. His favorite part is riding the bus, art, and learning to read. He’s started to come home with early reading books and gets the biggest smile on his face when he finishes reading to me. He is very outgoing and friendly. He immediately likes and wants to be friends with every person he meets. He was awarded the school wide “Gator Award” his 2nd week of school for being “kind, caring and friendly.”

It’s started to hit me this year that he is not my little boy anymore. He’s just a little over a foot shorter than me and is constantly surprising me with his insights and maturity level during conversations we have. He is also very tender hearted. I was asking Spencer how school was one day and he told me they had P.E. for the first time. I asked him if he liked it and he said it was ok but the teacher got mad and hurt his feelings. When I tried to get further details he started crying and couldn't talk about it. Later at dinner I asked him about it again and he said the same thing. I asked why she was mad and what he had done.

 He said, "I didn't do anything. I was listening but there was another boy that wouldn't stop throwing the ball so she got mad at him." 

I asked, "If she wasn't mad at you why did it hurt your feelings?"

Spencer," Mom, remember how I'm sensitive?"

Roderick: (3 yrs old) 

Oh man this kid. He is such a crazy, weird, talkative little boy…until we get around other people. Then he is very shy and will hide behind mom or dad until he (sometimes) starts to warm up.

Rod is a very smart little boy. He is completely potty trained-but we are still working on putting his pants back on and not running around naked after. He already knows almost all of the letters by sight, how to spell his name, how to count to 20 (Even knows a little in Spanish), all his colors and shapes and several nursery rhymes. The sad thing is, I really didn’t teach him a whole lot of it. He watches Spencer like a hawk and remembers everything he sees. Which is sometimes bad. For example: Whenever I ask Spencer where something of his is (toothbrush, shoes etc.) he always says, “I had it in my hand and then *POOF* it was gone!” So now when I ask Rod where something is he says, “I don’t know. I had it in my hand and then POOP!”

 

New Baby:

If everything goes well, this time next year I’ll be telling you all about our 11 month old little baby boy. I’m due January 17^th. Spencer is over the moon excited about it. Rod…is still apprehensive, but he’ll get used to him.

Thank you friends and family for all your love and support through the year.

We love you!

Merry Christmas!