Another letter update

I know I haven't been the best about writing right now.  I guess I should have made a resolution to blog more regularly.  Somehow I think I would have broken that one!

I wrote a letter to my brother tonight and realized that much of what I told him is what I wanted blog about.  I know it is not the usual HILARIOUS writing you are accustomed to getting here.  I do have some projects I've been wanting to show off so I'll try to get right on that....

He's the one on the right.

Dear Elder Rick,

Things are going well here.  The kids are all healthy.  A has taken to calling herself “Mokey the Bear” after Smokey the Bear.  Grandpa Pyatt taught the kids a little song about Smokey the Bear while he was here over Thanksgiving.  While mom and dad were here after Christmas, A was singing, “Mokey the Bear! Mokey the Bear! Mokey the Bear!”  Since then, she has taken to calling herself Mokey.  It is hilarious and sweet.  She has also really started singing.  A few of her favorite songs are “Church (I Belong to the Church of Jesus Christ), Sunbeam and LaLa (Elmo’s World song)”.  I’ve thought about you as a little boy lately too because A has recently discovered Barney.  She loves Barney!  I remember Barney came out when you were little like her and you used to love Barney too.  There’s a lot of music in it and I think that’s part of what attracts A.

K is doing well.  She is still loving preschool.  She is actually learning quite a bit too!  We got a Wii for Christmas and she has taken to it quite well.  Her favorite games are boxing and dancing.  She’s not too shabby at boxing.  It is something to watch her punching a guy out on the TV.  She’s brave too.  I took her in for a doctor’s appointment right before Christmas.  She needed 4 shots but didn’t necessarily have to have them that day.  It would be convenient because we were there but she just had to have them before she starts Kindergarten.  I talked things over with her and gave her the choice.  She decided to just do it.  So I held her on my lap and she bravely took her 4 shots with nothing more than a whimper until the last one.  It was MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) and that one is a sore one.  Even then she only cried a bit.  I was so proud of her!  She was scared and didn’t really want to do it but did because it had to be done.  That’s very grown up of her.

D is also doing well.  He has a project coming up in school called ‘Be an Expert’ where he picks a topic to be an expert about.  He has narrowed it down to three topics: “How to make a thermometer”, “how to drive a train”, and “Electrical Circuits”.  Tomorrow we will do some preliminary research on each of those topics to determine which one has enough information and interests him the most to do a report and 5 minute presentation.  I love that he is doing this in first grade but also kind of hate writing reports.  This is worse though because I am not writing the report.  I am trying to let him write the report without putting too much of myself in it!  We went to a “Great to be 8” fireside for him this year.  It is a bit difficult to believe that he will be 8 this year.  I kind of cringe inwardly at the thought of Cub Scouts but I smile outwardly because it is a good program. : )

Roy just got a new calling.  He is the new Elder’s Quorum president now.  It is a big job that will require a lot of time and effort but I know he is up to the challenge.  I’m grateful the Lord trusts both of us with this responsibility.

You asked about goals in one of your last emails.  I didn’t forget because I wanted to tell you about my goals.  I don’t know if you are familiar with Emily Freeman.  She is an LDS author that I have heard speak a couple of times at Time Out for Women with mom.  She has a website and challenge/journey to read the entire standard works in a year.  I decided to take the journey so I’ve been reading 7 pages a day.  So far I’ve read Moses, Abraham and part of Genesis.  It is good for me to have a goal to read for.   I like to read my scriptures but doing it consistently has always been a struggle for me.  I’m an on again/off again reader.  When I have a set goal of what I want to read I do better.  Plus, it will be easier to get through some of the more difficult parts of the Old Testament by committing to read 7 pages a day.  At least that’s what I’m hoping for. 

My other resolution is to go to bed at 10:30 regularly.  I am a night person.  I’d rather stay up late to do something rather than get up early.  This was okay in college but now I’m almost 30 and have kids.  It is harder to get up and work and be the kind of mother I want to be.  So I’m imposing a bedtime on myself.  I’ve already broken it several times.  However, just like other parts of life, I am not letting my follies bring me down.  I’m just recommitting myself to do better.

 I should have a bunch of more goals but I figure if I set too many resolutions then I’m just setting myself up to fail at them all.  It is better to work on a few at a time.  Roy and I did have a chat this weekend and rededicated ourselves to working out and being healthier.  I’ve set a pretty rigorous exercise schedule for myself.  We’ll see how it goes this week.  I’m trying to change my mindset from “I’m going to lose X pounds” to “I’m going do this for a week.  Then I’ll do it next week.  I can do it for a month.”  Yeah know, just taking things a week at a time.

Well, that pretty much brings you up to speed on things here.  We love you.  The kids love you and are so proud of you.  K was looking at “pictures of Chile” on the mission blog tonight.  They all like to talk about you and your mission.  Keep working hard and praying harder.

Love,

Sheena