Another year gone by....

See.....cluster blogger.  So many changes in a year.  I'm not babysitting anymore.  It was really hard though not to have them anymore.  I got really attached to them and it was really sad not having them anymore.  It was good though and having them was so fun!  Now I work at Kroger, ( local grocery store) and in that store I work at Starbucks.  It's actually a lot of fun.  I am really enjoying learning new things.  From making drinks at Starbucks to piano it has been an awesome year so far.  For a bit there I thought maybe I may have bit off more than I could chew but as I've prayed and  tried to listen, I feel like both are either something I should be doing or something that it's good for me to do.  It's been a time of growth in many different ways.  Halloween this year was really fun.  In addition to it being Halloween it was Conner's birthday too.  We went trick or treating with a lady from Nate's work and her family.  We trick or treated on golf carts, and the kids got lots of great candy.  Super fun.  Alyssa is preparing to turn 12 and will be going into Young Women's with Natalie for a few months before Natalie moves up and decides to be a Mia Maid......sigh.....time just goes by so so fast.

Nate is still doing well at work.  He does well wherever he goes really.  He is the hardest working man I know and living here in Virginia hasn't changed that.  ;-)  Love that man!  I only love him more every day that goes by.  He's my person.  My best friend.  The better half of me.  Living here in Virginia has made that very clear to me.  I'm so thankful for him.

Natalie is in band at school.  She has decided that marching band is something she wants to do in high school.  She also wants to take spanish, and loves math.  I don't know where she gets these preferences, but I credit Nate's DNA...and I think it's awesome.  She will be 14 in a few months....

Alyssa is in middle school this year.  It has been a bit of a rough transition for her.  Before she left  elementary school she made friends with and ate lunch nearly every day with the principal and many teachers.   She made lots of friends and was finally feeling like she had her feet under her when she left to go to middle school.  But true to form for Alyssa she has made lots of friends.  She has more friends calling her and wanting to play than Natalie does.  She is a bit more social I guess.  She is going into Young Women's in January and is really excited about that.  She loves English in school as well as Science and History sort of.  She hates P.E.  :-)  She is definitely my daughter.

Conner is in 3rd grade this year and has the same teacher Alyssa had in 3rd grade.  He was excited about that because Mrs. Sved doesn't assign much homework.  She's known throughout the school for that.  He is doing well in school and of course has lots of friends.  He just turned 9 and LOVES P.E. and seems to be enjoying math.  He and Ethan love to wrestle and play fight as well as play soccer outside.  Right now Conner's best friend is Johnny Mascal and I love his Mom Denise.  She is one of my best friends here.  He is outgoing, fun, and a typical 9 year old.  He loves being in scouts and can't wait to serve his mission.  :-)

Ethan....oh Ethan.  He is still energetic as ever.  He loves to do flips and tricks on the trampoline, loves to run, loves to play.  He always wants to play.  He is so full of life.  So agile and loves to take things apart.  It drives his Dad crazy.  No box is safe.   He loves to dress up in ninja costumes, spiderman, and batman costumes too.  He is emotional, and currently going through the truth telling phase....meaning that we are teaching him that it's important.  He likes to "joke" when really it's being dishonest.  Each of my kids has gone thru this phase and they each learned it differently.  Ethan is in first grade and hates reading.  He just doesn't like to do it so he struggles with it as of now.  He loves math and science though and excels in those subjects.  Ethan has the same first grade teacher that Conner had when he got here, Mrs. Hile.  He loves recess.  IF you ask him is favorite subject in school, that's what he'll tell you.  :-)

Life in Virginia is beautiful....but anywhere would be as long as we are together.  Fall is one of my favorite seasons here.  It's just like the pictures.  Love it.  I see this everywhere just driving to work or walking with Nate in the evening.  We are so blessed to be able to live here.