We can’t believe another year has gone by already! Life just seems to be going faster and faster! Our biggest focus right now is our seven
children. They are LOUD, LOUD,
LOUD!!!! Being a mom is definitely an
occupational hazard. I think I pretty
much have nerve damage in my ears from all of our kids – especially from
Josh. Perhaps that is why Heavenly
Father made sure we knew Sign Language!
That way if we go deaf in our old age (or before at the rate we are
going), we can still communicate!
Janika just turned 14 and is LOVING Middle School! When I asked her about school, she says that
she has lots of laughing attacks and constant “blonde” moments. Maybe we should re-think her highlights for
next year. But her teachers tell me she
is the perfect student (and just as quiet as ever and so those “laughing
attacks” must be between classes). She
is taking voice and piano lessons and loves to stay connected with everyone on
facebook. She desperately wants a cell
phone but we aren’t giving in quite yet.
Janika loves listening to music
and keeps the family up to date on the latest hits. Janika is a wonderful baby-sitter and helps
out SO MUCH with the kids. We don’t know
what we would do without her!
Jase just turned 12, received the Priesthood, and is now the
only Deacon in our Branch. He is very
outgoing, loves Intermediate School, and continues to get a 4.0 in all of his
classes. His favorite subject is Math
and he recently took 4th place overall in a “Math Counts”
competition out of all of the 6th and 7th graders from
four different schools. Jase enjoys
Scouts and also accepted a weekly paper route that he does all on his own (on
roller-blades). He is excited for the
upcoming Geography Challenge and he also just earned the presidential award for
physical fitness.
Jared is 9 and always
does his homework without being asked.
He is doing very well in school and is in the advanced group in Spelling
and in Math. Jared must really love
school since he always insists on riding his scooter or bike 45 minutes early
instead of riding in the car with his sisters. Riding his scooter must keep him in pretty
good shape because he is “the 2nd fastest runner” in his grade. He recently ran a 7 minute mile! (Rick thinks he ran it that fast because he
had some girls chasing him - - Jared continues to deny the allegation.) Jared loves to tease his younger sisters (and
then does an evil laugh) but he also gets a present for them whenever his class
has a school auction.
Janelle is 7 and in the first grade. She loves to write and draw pictures and
hopes to become an author someday. Her
teacher gave her a blank hard-bound book so that she could write and illustrate
a story for her class. She has a kind
heart and is easily moved by beautiful music or a sad story. She can also be a little too hard on herself
if she has done something wrong. She
loves to sing, dance, and play the piano.
Jaiden is 5 ½ and is enjoying kindergarten. The first thing she does every day when I pick
her up from school is show me the stamp she earned for being good. She is a good playmate with Josh in the
afternoons and she loves to “tend” the baby. She loves to color, draw pictures, dance and
sing. She is lots of fun (albeit
somewhat hyper and a little overwhelming at times!)
Josh is 3 ½ and is in his first year of pre-school. He is still quite temperamental, although he
seems to be improving (at least we are hoping and praying!) He is quite the talker and is so cute and
mature one minute and hyperventilating or SCREAMING bloody murder the
next. He had a difficult adjustment to
pre-school at first but now he is doing great and loves it!
Jenna is 14 months.
She still hasn’t decided to walk or talk yet but she sure does get
around. She is constantly climbing on
top of the kitchen table, up and into her high chair, on top of the couch, on
top of the fireplace… It is a good
thing she is our last baby because she is wearing us out! So if you come over to our house, don’t be
alarmed to find her on top of the kitchen table playing with scissors… Less
than 4 months until nursery (but whose counting?)
Rick is still the Seminary Principal at Snow Canyon Middle
School and has been serving as the Deaf Branch President for 1 ½ years. He has made a few faux pas but they haven’t
kicked him out yet… Wendy is spending
her time running children back and forth to school and other activities. She is teaching an evening ASL class again
at Dixie College.
One of the highlights this past year was hosting a Deaf
Branch Conference for participants who lived throughout the U.S. Those involved enjoyed tours of the Jacob
Hamblin home and Tabernacle with the weekend culminating in a special ASL temple
session for the Deaf. Our Branch worked
diligently with temple leaders here and in Salt Lake to set up ASL Sessions
especially for the Deaf here in St. George.
This has been a wonderful blessing for our area!
Other highlights from the past year include a family trip to
Disneyland and Laguna Beach over Spring Break as well as participating in our
Stake Pioneer Trek (Rick, Wendy, and Janika) in Wyoming at Martin’s Cove,
Sweetwater, and Rock Creek Hollow. It
was a moving, incredible experience!
Our family continues to be involved in music. Click on the link below to hear the songs the
songs we have been working on for our family CD:
We are so grateful for all of you and the wonderful
influence you have had on our family! We
are also grateful for the Savior and for His gospel in our lives. We wish you all the best in 2010!!!
Love,
Rick, Wendy, Janika, Jase, Jared, Janelle, Jaiden, Josh, and
Jenna!
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