2020 what’s what

*Bob Cratchit irl

Matt has been with his company for 10 years now, and he’s  got a Tag Heuer watch to prove it. He’s still busy with the navy and enjoying his leadership opportunities there. Next year will be 20 years with the Navy, and i am so grateful for how hard he works for our family. He’s served as the 2nd counselor in the Elders Quorum Presidency for around 2 years now, first with Mike, and now with Tim and Ross. He loved his stint with community theater last month and would love to do more. He definitely finds himself with too many good things he’d like to do. 

*I got a fun new pot for Christmas!

I am still tutoring my one perfect student. She’s in 6th grade now, and is more than half way through with our program. I see her 3 mornings a week, and right now that’s all I’m up to do. I am going on 4 years, 1 month as Relief Society president. I genuinely love my calling and feel so blessed to be able to serve for so long. I will serve as long as possible, but when I was first called, I told myself it would only be 5 years. So I guess I feel like I’m winding down. I want this to be the best year and feel like I’m leaving on a high note. That’s the plan at least. . 

Our House of Order project of 2018 is almost done. Our bedroom is thiiiisd  close to being ready to be painted - currently getting high on primer fumes. Then it’ll be Delaney’s room, our master bath, and our closet. Then hopefully we’ll still have enough $ to carpet the last floor upstairs. After that the whole house - every ceiling, trim, door, and wall will have been painted. Cost me a thumb surgery, but it’s worth it.

I’ve almost got my resolutions worked out for the year and that makes me so happy. After lexi and crew left, I decided I have to see baby Em at least 3-4 times a year, so that’s one thing. 

*just a couple of bro’s 

*my fav pic of these two 

Alexis, Cade, and Emmett have been in Great Falls for over a year now. 1 down, 2 to go! They’ve got a cute little house and a good network of friends. Cade likes his job and the guys he works with. Since Alexis just got her degree, she’s been thinking of going back to work, but leaving that precious boy would be so hard. She subs occasionally when Cade is home, and that’s hard enough. Of course my vote is for her to stay home, but life is expensive and I get it. I wish they lived closer and I could help with Em, but alas. Lu is adjusting to new mom life beautifully. They are both so good with Emmett, and he just adores his parents. Marriage can be tough, but they are committed and awesome. And of course little Emmett is just perfect. He just learned to sit up and is a happy, friendly little guy. I was so happy he let everyone hold him so much when they visited! He’s got our families crazy sensitive skin, so his parents are navigating that, but otherwise he’s healthy and happy and amazing. 

*Chris with Sally Cratchit

Christian is still managing Crabknockers. He’s working to figure out what to do next, as the Air Force is dragging their feet, and who knows if that will happen. He and Pablo have been roomies at their cute rental home for almost a year, and they still like each other, so that’s a win. He’s an amazing big brother and the girls love introducing him to their friends. He’s just an all around good guy. He serves as a notary, and one of my friends recently lost her father, so had called him several times to notarize things for her. She lives right across the street, so he always just goes to her, which is such a nice service. Anyway, she texted me the other day and asked his fav restaurant because she wanted to get him a gift card to thank him for all the times he’s come over and never charged for his services because she was grieving her dad. Sweet, right?

*Santa Addie at Flat Iron Farm

Addie is 11.5 and in 6th grade. She’s so great, she’s just her unique, weird, brave little self, and I love her. She doesn’t really like school, and is definitely exploring her other likes and dislikes in her personal life. She starts young women this Sunday, and I’m barely ok. I can’t believe we are already here with our second round. Addie is unorganized, loving, random, kind, responsible and irresponsible, all at the same time. She is in her 6th year of piano which is touch and go. Her pieces are getting more difficult and she definitely gets frustrated. She played a song for the primary program and did a beautiful job, she is really talented. She’s also in her 3rd year of horseback and is starting jumps and looks so professional as she rides. She still absolutely devours books, and we will all be so happy when our new library that she can walk to opens. She loves random facts and will share them at very random times. 

*enjoying a hot cocoa on a papa date

Frabkie is 9, but since it’s 2020, she’s basically 10 - her words, not mine. She’s excited to get her military id so she can go shopping - more of her words. She is social, loves babies, art, and reading. She doesn’t love playing games, but will usually humor is, and I think they’re growing on her. She is proud to be overcoming her learning disabilities and another goal of this year is to figure out how to turn them into strengths. She will be the first to volunteer to read, even though she struggles and gets words wrong, and that makes me so proud of her. I never want her to feel embarrassed, or not enough, and I know that kids say things to her because I have heard some of her best friends comment on her reading. It’s normal for kids to question why she’s struggling, I don’t think it’s malicious, but that can still be challenging and make a person feel self conscious. So far she hasn’t, or when she has we’ve been able to work through it. We’re so proud of her. We don’t tutor as much as we should (another goal), but she works hard. She is in her 4th year of piano and is fully ready to quit, but we’re pushing through. She also plays violin with the school strings program, and she’s doing a hip hop class at Gracie’s. 

*this little piggy loves Christmas 

Delaney is knocking on 8’s door. We’ve picked her baptism date and she is very excited. Sissy took her to get her ears pierced and she thinks she is hot stuff. She has not stopped talking, ever really, and most days I love that. She’s got lots of ideas and opinions and still loves learning. She’s stoked to have her new big girl room all painted and fresh and nice for her birthday. She loves school but often comes home grumpy and tired. She still does everything with lovey, she even gets a kiss before she leaves her. She is still skinny and little as can be, but not as picky an eater anymore. She’s in her 2nd year of piano and with 3 recitals under her belt, still loves it. She also loves horseback and following in Addie’s shoes, which most dads Addie doesn’t enjoy - she likes to be original. 

*poor Em’s shoe was poking him and we didn’t realize it. He was so sad for our whole photo shoot 😂🤦‍♀️

We’re all imperfect, but real. We don’t always get along, but we love each other fiercely, and get along pretty well actually. We’ve got challenges and are working together to overcome them. We’re all healthy and mostly happy. What more could we ask for? 2019 was good to us and we’re optimistic for 2020.