June 2008
Okay, so I’m not as regular at writing as I had hoped, but I think the addition of this letter will still beat the record for 2007! Summer is here, and the kids and I already love it! Dad just wishes that he had summer vacation, too....and so do we. We haven’t really settled into a very structured schedule...don’t know how scheduled I even want things to be. After living for 10 months according to a planned program (dictated by the school district), I just feel like throwing off the chains that bind! Doing whatever we want when we want to sounds pretty enticing...and, I’m sure that my children would agree with me on that! We typically fill our summers with pool days, play dates with friends, cousin-time, parks (before it gets too hot in the day), maybe a trip to the movie theater or two, a visit to Grandma and Grandpa’s home in Oregon, evenings in the back yard, and family walks. It’s a great time of year! This year, we’ve added a few new events to the season:
Our annual trip to Oregon will be moved from August to June this year in order to attend a Brennan Family reunion. My Dad’s siblings and their children and grandchildren (along with Dad’s own children and grandchildren, of course) are all traveling to Oregon so that we can relax together. It’s been a few years since the last reunion... There’ve been weddings, babies born, moves, job-changes, and adoptions since we last enjoyed time all together. It’s going to be wonderful catching up. With the thousands of miles that separate our homes, it will be nice to see faces and remember that we have so much family.Noah and Levi have decided to try baseball out this year. It’s the perfect time to test it out since the boys will both be on the same team (9 & 10 year-olds are combined). I’ve heard how time-consuming this particular sport is, so it’s a relief to know that we only have one schedule to follow! Noah loved it from his first practice...Levi was bored the first couple of practices, but once he got his uniform and hat his enthusiasm has known no end. He even wears them at home when it’s not a game day! (That makes laundering a bit tricky). The first game is next week. J and I are prepared to smile at our adorable kids as they play...and not even look at the scoreboard... (Okay, theirs is a team full of beginner pee-wee ball-players)! With all of the “stuff” we have filling our crawlspace and storage room; I have decided to hold a yard sale this year. Normally, I just pile bags on the front porch that are labeled for ARC or the Salvation Army. However, summertime and extra spending money seem clearly compatible...so, the objective “yard sale” was born. Well, after a few days of hauling, piling, sorting, and bagging I was already overwhelmed and dreading the task ahead. A couple of days cleared my head and I received my epiphany (can I even use that word in conjunction with the present topic?) I formally enlisted the children, with the promise of a share in the profit. Voila! Everyone is happier than before. With a countdown of one week, we’re in good shape so far. More clearing, moving, laundering and organizing ahead; but ten sets of fingers are crossed for an excellent return on our invested time and efforts.Swimming lessons will start shortly after we return from Oregon. Once again, we’re feeling lucky. The older three children’s lessons (two different classes) are offered at the same location and at the same time of day. The only tough part is that I will have to call from Oregon on the first day of registration (at the hour of 4 a.m.) to ensure that this dream-schedule turns into fruition. It’s well worth the sacrifice in my mind. We haven’t continued providing swimming lessons for the children since we moved to Colorado. It’s time to start up again and move their skills to the next level of proficiency...for Leah this will be her first session ever, the boys will receive more instruction on the crawl and backstrokes.After completing all of the classes required for licensing through the state as a home child care provider (btw, I passed the PLACE exam in April, so my Colorado teaching license has been extended...yeah!), a home inspection is the next step to receiving my license. It will be scheduled some time after Oregon and before school starts (they’re really specific, aren’t they?), so preparations are in place. That’s actually one motivating factor in clearing out the basement. I’m expanding the preschool just a bit and therefore need more space. All of this should be done before the coming inspection...so... first, haul away “stuff”; second, rearrange other “stuff”; third, complete “stuff” on the inspection checklist; fourth, get preschool “stuff” ready... Nothing more fun than doing stuff, right? This stuff will keep me busy all summer!Funny story:
I took Leah and Seth with me to run some errands yesterday evening while Jeremy was at baseball practice with the big boys. I couldn’t help but watch my children in amazement. During all the returns, exchanges and purchases (that were a bit of an irritation to me), my little children experienced adventure after adventure. In the first store they found soccer balls which they threw, chased and kicked nearby; went on a treasure hunt through rows of boys shorts to find the numbers 8 and 10 slim; followed Mom like freight cars behind a train engine; and found a toy bench to open, shut and sit on. Walking to the next store was a combination of follow-the-leader (Leah was the leader) and trying not to step on the cracks in the sidewalk. It was anything but boring to observe...this was no ordinary sidewalk. There were decorative concrete pours with smaller and larger grids, small inlayed tiles, arches where bikes are usually parked that became tunnels, benches to hurry to only to touch their bums to the metal long enough to eject a high-pitched sighing sound...then on the run again. As I walked to the copy center in the next store, they quickly grabbed free cups and straws (meant for coffee) and carried them and stirred while they stayed on only the gray floor tiles. In between straw-stirs they exclaimed the name of the imaginary drink they had just made and took a loud slurp from their cups...always moving...stirring...slurping loudly...exclamations to each other...gray tile after gray tile. I’m surprised they didn’t get dizzy or disoriented and fall over! They had me worn out just watching them. Then, outside again to walk on the decorative sidewalks. The next store provided more tiles to follow, avoiding cracks...then the tiles turned into lava and they peeked in and out of clothing racks as they walked parallel to me stepping only on the carpeted floors. The dressing rooms near the sock racks (where I was looking) provided musical beeps as my children stepped into- and out-of view of the sensors. Finally, my last errand...perhaps the most fun of all...As I slowly fingered through a well-picked-over rack of baseball pants (keep in mind that I have no real idea of what my selection should look like, never having played the game or watched siblings play it), Leah and Seth competed on the same baseball team. They pitched, swung and caught imaginary fly balls, ran around the rack of gloves and bats to score...As I stood at the counter to pay, I noticed them playing imaginary baseball again...this time with invisible props. It’s surprising what I learn when I’m paying attention. It wasn’t misbehavior at all...just pure play. Perhaps the reason I was able to appreciate my adventurous children, even while running errands in a public place, was that the stores were practically empty. No one else’s peace of mind, or mobility, was threatened by these childhood antics. I’m so glad! Watching them play made my work turn into fun. Well, I’m off to start some enchiladas for dinner... Hope you’re enjoying your summer!
March 2008
There is definitely a time in a child's life when they aren't so excited about seeing you come home after a long day at work. I still love that Leah and Seth will greet me at the front door and throw their arms around me exclaiming, "daddy is home." On the contrary the two older boys just give me the head nod as I pass through the room and if I am lucky will put some words together like, "hey" or "what up?". It's only a matter of time before I loose my status altogether.
March 2008
The last couple of weeks has brought in some great weather over the high plains. Zach and I took advantage of one of those days and played 18 holes at Buffalo Run GC. The good part in the brotherly rival is that we came out with the same score. We had a good time and even tried a few "Happy Gilmore" shots from the tee box. You have to love a good game of golf, especially when it's free.Speaking of weather - Seth refuses to wear anything but shorts regardless of the temp outside. He claims that he is a professional exerciser and must wear his shorts in order to do his profession well. If you ask him if he is a professional exerciser he just gives you the look (hard to describe in words) and answers "of course I am." Luckily we have convinced him that socks and a long sleeve shirt are part of the outfit, at least until the weather is bit more consistent instead of fluctuating 30 degrees from one day to the next.I have decided that if I ever run for political office I will run solely on the promise of abolishing the time change twice yearly. Can't we just keep it one way or the other? I think Arizona and the few other places in the U.S. have something special.
February 2008
The wind blew so hard through the night that our windows were whistling and screaming....doesn’t make for a very good night’s sleep. Although I’m ready for spring, I was a little disappointed with only a couple of inches of snow on the ground this morning....all night it sounded like a blizzard Laura Ingalls might have experienced. I guess March is coming in like a lion this year. Hopefully it’s as mild as a lamb by the end of the month.
Speaking of snow, our neighborhood had a unique snowfall to shovel just a couple of weeks ago. Sometime during the night freezing rain fell and covered the world with a layer of ice about ¼ inch thick. It clung to our house, windows, car, concrete, landscaping rocks... Jeremy couldn’t even scrape it off his car so that he could drive to work that day...had to catch a ride. After that, the powdery dry snow fell and piled up. I can only describe the experience as shoveling snow on a Teflon, no-stick surface. The shovel slid easily across the coated concrete and the snow effortlessly slid off the side of the driveway. The only con to this shoveling experience was that I was also standing on the no-stick surface. Without friction, an object exerting force will move opposite the direction in which the force is applied. So, at each shovel-push, my feet slid backward. It must have looked pretty silly to any passers-by. Turning to walk back to my starting point when I reached the edge of the driveway was also an unsteady experience...slip, sliding away...
The children are snuggled up in blankets, with pillows all over the floor of the loft. Yesterday Jeremy hooked up a TV in our loft, and the kids are testing it out with the Disney movie The Incredibles. They all look so comfortable, I think I may just grab a blanket and pillow and go join them.
Live plants...I like them, and I don’t. We’ve got them scattered and grouped throughout the house, and they look absolutely lovely when they’re thriving. The trouble is that many of them are tropical (don’t ask me why stores in the Mile-High city sell mostly tropical plants...). With the dry and cold here, along with any weather changes, my greenery doesn’t look beautiful very often. I’m sure it doesn’t help that growing healthy houseplants is not near the top of my priority list...I’m far more focused on growing healthy, balanced children.
My first experience with Jury duty came this month. I’ve been a registered voter for 18 years, and never received a lavender-and-white summons in my mailbox. Jeremy and I received our first summons’ just a few days apart. Both of us had a similar experience...we canceled any plans for the given report date, arrived bright and early, went through security reminiscent of an airport, and sat in a large conference room for over two hours. At which time we were released to go home...never needed for a case. I must say that I was only slightly disappointed. Yes, it would have been interesting and educational to participate in a trial, but I’d prefer having the rest of the day “off” and get back to my chosen daily activities without an extended interruption. I’m crossing my fingers that Jury summons are somehow generated at regular intervals...that would put me back in the courthouse in another 18 years.
I’ve decided to license as a child-care provider through the state. This means taking classes and passing through some red tape and inspections, but in the end it will be worth it. Other preschools in the neighborhood and area usually go through this process, so I think it will make my preschool more competitive. I registered for my PLACE exam (for my Colorado teaching license). In reading about the exam, preparations, testing center, etc.; I couldn’t help but feel like I am facing a college-type exam. I had to chuckle...it’s been so long since I took a multi-hour exam in a testing center...I wonder how young the rest of the participants will be? I might feel rusty and out-of place, but then again, perhaps it will feel like I never left the University...
J and I are officially Coloradans now. We’ve been registered voters for over a year, but just got our Colorado drivers’ licenses this month. I must say, we both like the look of the Utah licenses better, but oh well. Maybe we’ll end up with one of those again in the far-away future.
Seth is already making out his birthday list for the end of this month. He wants a Pooh Bear or Dinosaur Nerf gun. Have any of you seen one around? Big brothers have been way-into Nerf this year, so Seth wants to make his custom entrance to the sport (?). I’m sure he’ll go for a sticker on the side of a regular Nerf gun. He also wants a Tyrannosaurus Stuftie (his word for stuffed animal), and a Pooh Bear shirt. Since he’s discovered that he can use his laundry hamper to shoot hoops, we won’t need to invest in another toddler basketball hoop....the last one died before our move. He also wants a dinosaur coloring book. Seth is such a detailed colorer (is that a word?) that it takes him a long time to finish a page. He changes colors often, and stays in the lines almost always (even in tight spots). I suppose that a coloring book would be a great investment into keeping him occupied...the best bang for our buck, for sure.
The other day Seth came running to me with tears and cries. As I cuddled him on my lap, I asked him what had happened. He took out his thumb to tell me, “I hurt my...I-don’t-know-what.” After further inquiry he pointed to the spot on the side of his nose where cheek and nose come together. Hmmm...what would you call that?
Noah and Levi are becoming so independent in the kitchen. They can get their own breakfast and lunch when they’re impatient for me, or if I’m running an errand. They reach glasses, pour drinks, microwave, spread, toast, cut, serve younger siblings...it may not sound exciting to all of you, but YEAH! I love that my children are so capable, requiring less servant-like service from Mom. Of course they still need me (and I need them). It’s just that it’s different things than when they were smaller, and it’s nice for a change.
I’m off to bathe little bodies and dress them for church. Enjoy your first month of springtime, and the Easter season.
January 2008
It’s a new year for resolutions, and one of mine is to keep better records of my life and my children’s young lives. My favorite way to do this is to write a letter to all of you. If you’re opposed to mass-communications, I apologize, but these letters not only reach out to keep in touch with you dear ones, but will hopefully be a joy to my children and grandchildren later on. You’re right, I’m not totally grey-haired yet (though I’ve started adding hair-highlights to camouflage the ones I do have). However, if I wait that long to start writing things down I won’t remember any juicy details. J Since, I haven’t written recently, this New Year’s edition will cover things as far back as Halloween...Have fun!
I turned 36 years old this past week. The good news is the added youth of the above-mentioned highlights, my body still works well enough to keep up with my children and students, my parents and husband periodically remind me that I’m an intelligent person (not forever stuck in a pre-school mentality), I’m gaining experience and learning (hopefully wisdom) each year that I exist, and I’m planning ahead by starting regular exercise again...my children will want to live at the pool this summer and it’s too hot here to stay out of the pool, so I must face a swimsuit again! The not-so great news is that my wrinkles are deepening. One day as I held Seth up in my arms, he caressed my face softly with his chubby hands—we moms love this part of our job—then his eyebrows shot up and he touched my forehead as he excitedly exclaimed, “A Rainbow!” I couldn’t think of a sweeter way to describe my wrinkles.
Jeremy is enjoying his new job... Whew! The office is smaller and therefore provides more intimate inter-working relationships. This can be great if you like the people you work with, but not-so-hot for the ones you don’t enjoy. Of course, there are both kinds at Transunion. One plus for Jeremy is that he and a friend in the neighborhood work and carpool together. I think that would be my favorite part of going to work...40 minutes to chat with a friend before and after putting in your nine hours at the office!
The kids are all doing superbly at school. We’re looking forward to a five-day weekend in February. The school put some teacher development days in connection with the President’s Day holiday. Wish we were planning on long-distance travel, but Jeremy still has to work. Maybe the kids and I will find a new place in the metro area to visit and explore. J and I have got a date set for Valentines Day. I can hardly believe we were still able to find a baby sitter with just a week’s notice. He’s been wanting to take me to a great restaurant he’s been to, so now is our chance.
Regarding dates, my favorite month was December. Noah and Levi practically pushed us out the door whenever we left, suggested a date night every weekend, and offered babysitters such great help. I’m sure this had something to do with the fact that they wanted to provide every opportunity for our Christmas shopping. In fact, that must have been the sole reason because their enthusiasm for our dates has certainly waned.
I must say that one of the best kinds of Valentines are the ones that are delivered all year long. Having a daughter that can write provides for just such experiences. Each time I put on a coat or pair of pants (or anything else with a pocket) I find little love notes that she has written and given to me. They’re left on the kitchen counter, my bed, handed to me in person, and even place on my bathroom counter or the computer desk. Jeremy and I share the love and generosity of this sweet, strawberry blonde...so that’s double the notes. In fact we get so many that (don’t tell her this) some of them find their way into the waste basket. If we could have saved them all, our home would be 3 feet deep in autographed paper. I save some in my box of treasures, but some I leave in my pockets or purse just so I can feel her love everyday, whenever I need it...and sometimes that forgotten surprise is just what I need to brighten my day. (This must mean even more to me than I realize, as I noticed while writing this letter, that I had made note of it twice on my sticky note of things to share).
Although she’s smart enough to read and write, she’s still got an imagination that is sorting out reality from pretend. Just before Halloween we purchased her witch (Elphaba) costume and broom. Of course, she had to try it on immediately...right there in the family room with tags still dangling on the sleeve and hat. She dressed up and hurried outside to the back deck. I watched through the window for a moment, then opened the glass doors to beckon her inside from the cold. In that moment I heard her complain aloud to herself, “Oh Dang! My broom doesn’t fly.” I smiled, still standing behind her. We then had a short exchange which clarified that brooms never fly in real life...only in the theaters or on TV. She was understandably disappointed.
Seth and Leah were eager to help me grind wheat a few weeks ago. We got everything set up, with their chairs pulled up to the kitchen island so they could see well. I demonstrated how to carefully fill the measuring cup and dump it into the top of the grinder. I then warned them that it would be very loud when I turned it on. They covered their ears in anticipation. About five minutes into the dumping and grinding process, Seth turned to me and shouted above the grinding whir, “Mom! It’s not making a loud sound anymore!” ...Amazing how we acclimate to change.
He was equally confident a few days later when he came to me resolutely and announced, “Mom, the highest number is not 19, it’s 66.” He thought for a moment and then added, “I mean it’s 99.” He then turned and ran back to his play.
Seth is adorable in many ways. He’s still got the baby fat, chubby hands and feet, cheeks that are absolutely irresistible to kiss, and the thumb...which we hope will magically become less appealing when he finally reaches his very anticipated 4th birthday in March.J One fairly unique trait is that he eats his meals like Mikey on the old Life Cereal television commercial. His chin is just above the level of the table (as he refused the aid of a booster seat some months ago). He often leans his head to the side and rests his left hand on that temple. As he props his head at a slight angle, he scoops or pokes his food and fills his mouth. It makes me smile whenever I see him doing this, though I don’t know why. Maybe it’s the innocence of table etiquette, perhaps it is a purely child-like thing to do. Not that every child does it, but that an adult would have a hard time pulling it off if he/she wanted to try it.
Something else that is purely Seth, and adorable (and which a grown-up most probably could not get away with) is whisper echoing. For example: Mom says, “Time to get in the car.” And Seth whispers to himself as he’s moving toward his shoes (barely audible), “Time to get in the car.” Dad may compliment, “Great Job, Seth!” whereupon Seth whisper-echoes as he grins and bustles about busily, “great job.” Any gown-up could be called nuts or crazy for such a habitual action. It’s true that Seth is starting to grow out of this cute phase (sometimes I’m sad that my baby is growing up). My guess is that this was either unconsciously done, or he was somehow processing things aloud as well as internally during the period of several months that this has been a consistent part of his day.
As part of Seth’s growing-up and gaining a bit of independence, he freely offers opinions that are sometimes contradictory to what Mom or Dad thinks. Sometimes, we feel the need to correct or explain back-talking, but other times we smile at this glimpse of his little mind at work. The other day I told him I thought that he was over-tired because he was acting hyper. He quickly let me know what he really thought. “I’m not over-tired and hyper, I’m over gentle.” This was his 3 ½ year-old reasoning out of a nap... If only his Mom had fallen for it.
The big boys have been playing on a school basketball team for the past three weeks, and enjoying it. They would prefer something a little more competitive than this program that reinforces skills and plays scrimmage games. They get that from their father...the will to conquer and win! Of course, I’m a bit competitive myself, but certainly not in the athletics arena. We’ll see what other sports they participate in as the year unfolds. Their school plans to put on a flag football program, which I know they’ll have fun with. They’ve expressed a desire to try baseball, too. I just need to do some research and find somewhere that two boys, ages 9 and 10, can try the sport for under $300.
Have a great month. We hope to see many of you this year during family vacations and the Brennan family reunion in Oregon!
May 2007
Dear Family and Friends,
Jeremy and I just returned from a dinner date so I’m feeling refreshed and ready to tackle another one of my responsibilities…the family letter. You realize, of course, that any updates or news from this home may sound differently from any of six individual points of view, but I will try to give you the main points in a rather informative, unbiased voice.
For example, I’m feeling just grand about being settled here in the Denver area. I’m mentally adjusted, emotionally at peace (finally), and enjoying making plans for a future here. Some of my plans include: teaching preschool again this year and the following as well, watching the new perennials I planted fill out and blossom over the next couple of years, doing more things with neighbors (they’re just great), and enjoying every moment living near family. I nearly start to cry just thinking about an unknown future time when we may move away from my sister and her family—I can’t bear to even imagine it. The children are switching schools this fall. Levi and Leah will attend the new charter school being built in our neighborhood. Noah will give the public schools a try for his 6th grade year. (There’s no sixth grade at the local charter school this year). On our recent return from a quick vacation to Utah I even called the Rocky Mountains “our mountains” for which I was slightly reprimanded by my husband. Apparently, “our mountains” will always be the Wasatch and Uintas.
Although the house is not being advertised as “For Sale” at the moment, Jeremy occasionally reminds me that our stay here in Colorado is only temporary. I think it’s therapeutic for him to travel to Utah monthly (or so) and keep ties there for work and friends. It lends a kind of stability/continuity for his experiences here. He is absolutely overtaken with work pressures right now. This week he admitted that he didn’t know how he would be able to use up all of his paid time off this year (32 days)…or even half of it. The multiple projects he is managing right now are large in scope and importance. You see, Discover Card is spinning-off later this year, after having enjoyed a coexistence (missing the business term here) with Sears, Dean Witter and finally, Morgan Stanley throughout its existence. Apparently spinning-off is huge for a company this size and the pressure is being felt at every level of the company. In addition to work, Jeremy keeps busy with family needs. (He’s such a good husband and father!) Today he mowed the lawn, washed two cars, finished painting the dining area, coached Levi’s soccer game, played video games, took me on a date, and bought baseball mitts for his sons and bubbles for the little ones. Whew!
Summer is the next happening on the horizon. For us that means, three days a week at our neighborhood pool, a few extra chores for the kids, reading and game time together—all this while trying to stay quiet so Dad can work in the home office. Hmmm… Of course, lots of down time, too—for cousins, sprinklers, trampoline, picnics, baseballs, playing in the gym, otter pops on the back stoop, trips to the park, and so on. There’s no kid Xbox this year, as it has been broken for the past several months. That may encourage more reading time (the boy’s are both reading J.R.R Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings books right now), but may also give their Gameboys a chance for some attention.
Jeremy and I have a trip planned for just the two of us this summer—June 21st is the anticipated date! We’ve talked about numerous places to go—from isolated national parks to downtown in a large city, but just can’t decide yet. I guess we’ll savor the options until the very last minute and then enjoy Wherever It Is. Thank goodness Grandma (and maybe Grandpa) Brennan is willing to play babysitter so that we can get away together. Of course, we have the most wonderful children in the world! We’ll just appreciate them even more after missing them for a few days.
Speaking of those adorable children of ours, here are some fun things they have done/said recently:
When the house seemed a little too quite one day, I walked through the house looking for Leah and Seth. In their shared bedroom I saw every single stuffed animal and doll that they own set out carefully in one very large circle on the floor. “What are you doing?” I asked. Leah answered casually, “We’re just having a staff meeting.” I was stunned into a silent smile. It occurred to me later that day that she had perhaps gotten the line from one of the Toy Story movies.
Leah, Seth and I have lots of time together so I hear plenty of cute things from them. One day about noon I asked Leah if she was hungry. She answered in the affirmative. Seth piped in, “I’m drinky.”
One morning I made a deal with Leah and Seth that I would take them to the park if they helped me pull weeds in the back yard. They were really hard workers—enthusiastically donning kid-size work gloves, they joined me in weeding the bark planters along the fence. We noticed and talked about the different kinds of weeds and always cheered when one of them got the roots out with the leaves of the plant. Our harmony of purpose was only dashed once when Seth suddenly shouted at Leah, “YOU TOOK MY WEED!” and began to cry uncontrollably. Unbeknownst to her, she had pulled out the weed that he had had his eye on.
We must have been sitting on the family room couches watching a morning cartoon or movie when the little ones wanted to try on my wedding ring. (This is the only location I ever let them put it on their little fingers). We admired it as each one took a turn letting it hang on a pencil-thin finger. Leah was of course dazzled by the diamonds and began describing her future wedding ring: the diamond would be pink and shaped like a heart, a silver band instead of gold, etc. When we girls were done admiring and discussing, Seth announced that his wedding ring would have Pooh Bear on it.
The New Year and an older age have reawakened an interest, or rather threatened a fear, to become more healthy and fit. I sporadically add Pilates into my routine and try to eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Making my own whole wheat bread has been a challenge. It is absolutely delicious, but just doesn’t rise beautifully like my white bread. One afternoon I served the children some of a new loaf of homemade wheat bread. It had sunk in the middle so the edges were pointing upward while the center was concave. The children didn’t even hear my embarrassed apology about its appearance as they were too busy emitting excited chatter about the shape of their slices. As I listened more carefully, I realized too, that the slice of bread looked like the face of a cat with the two ears pointing up on the sides. The children were delighted to have “Spook Bread” for after school snack! (Spook is the name of Levi’s cat). In fact, the next time I made bread I was much more successful with the shape of my loaf, which greatly disappointed the children.
Jeremy oversees dinner meals in an almost policeman-like fashion. He offers etiquette instruction and correction to all in hopes that the boys will someday know how to take a girl to dinner without embarrassing themselves and that the little ones will one day be able to finish their entire plate of food without getting off their chairs. One evening Jeremy commented that Levi needed to focus on eating—that he was doing too much of this. (As he said the word this, Jeremy opened and shut his thumb against his four fingers in an alligator snap fashion to illustrate that Levi was talking too much instead of eating). Immediately, Leah very seriously added, “Yah. Dad does this.” (On the word this, she rubbed her thumb back and forth on her four fingers like people sometimes do when they speak of money, only her four fingers were above her thumb as if she had a puppet on her hand). We all stared blankly at her, not knowing what she meant by the comment and hand motion. In answer to our query, she logically explained that the hand motion she had made up and was doing meant chewing with your mouth shut. We all burst into peals of laughter. Leah was absolutely delighted to join in the laughter even though she didn’t understand what was so hysterically funny. When Jeremy got control of his voice again, he explained that the hand motion he had used meant ‘talking’, not ‘chewing with your mouth open.’ (Some things just have to be seen to be appreciated. If you didn’t get the humor in this one, just ask one of us to reenact it for you the next time we see you!)
One evening when Jeremy was wrestling with the kids and I was catching a little bit of computer time, Leah got bumped and began to cry. She came to me for a hug and comfort when she noticed the page on the computer in front of me. It was just the home page of MSN or something because I was heading there to check my e-mail account. One of the clips showed some actresses in their formal dresses. (This must have been about the time of the Oscars or something). She was calming down just admiring the two pictures, so we began clicking through the slideshow of dresses. Exuberance and exclamations over the sparkles, colors, and hair styles flowed out of her five-year-old mouth. About halfway through, she remarked that she hadn’t know that wedding dresses could be so many different colors. Of course, I also used this as a discussion platform for the topic of modesty. It turned out to be such a fun girl-chat time, even though it wouldn’t have been something I would ordinarily do online.
Oh! How could I forget one of the items of big news this spring? Seth is officially a Big Boy now. This means that he sleeps in a twin bed and is potty trained. Indeed, the next time you see Seth he will most assuredly tell you what he does any person he meets in the store, at a park or at church, “I wearing underwear!” The only thing that still ties him somewhat to babyhood is his thumb sucking (and of course the soft, chubby baby fat). It is still so cute, but his front teeth are beginning to push forward, which makes me fear expensive treatment down the road. Luckily, there may be an end to this in sight. His thumb sucking is inseparably connected with his 10-inch stuffed Pooh Bear. Seth sucks his thumb while he rubs Pooh Bear’s soft nose with the pointer finger of his other hand. After several trips to the mending shop (my needle and thread), Pooh’s nose is again open and losing stuffing. One of these times there just won’t be enough black fabric left to cover the hole in the middle of Pooh’s face.
Well, my to-do list is getting even longer as I spend my time typing. I really do enjoy writing about our family. It brings me joy to relive the memories. Hope you enjoy getting to know us a little better through the glasses of this letter. Don’t expect regularity, but I’ll try to write again before the end of the summer. Have a wonderful summer. We love you.
December 2006
Old Man Winter has made his mark on the Rocky Mountains, as white snowcaps top the high 
peaks along the Front Range. It’s hard to believe that another year has slipped away, and even harder to believe that I am writing this letter from Colorado in spite of our attempts to relocate back to Utah. Notwithstanding the uncertainty of when we will return, we are excited to spend another holiday season with family members that we wouldn’t otherwise enjoy. With the cold and bitter temperatures outside, we nestle warmly within our home and look back on this year with gratitude for our four healthy children.
Noah – Can there be enough said about our oldest boy who fulfills his role nothing short of textbook? He is kind, generous and almost always obeys the first time—no questions asked. Noah continues to impress us in his academics as he skipped fourth grade this past year. He continues to be one of the top students in the fifth grade in spite of his young age of nine years. Noah has also enjoyed taking piano lessons and playing sports during the little spare time that he has.
Levi – For those of you who knew me at a young age, you also know Levi quite well. He’s as stubborn as a mature rooted tree trying to be moved in a wind storm, and is determined that his parents know little about life. Once Levi makes up his mind, there is no convincing him otherwise. One attribute that Levi received from his mother falls within the academics field. Levi is determined to be a good student and has even taught himself cursive this past year being that it was a prerequisite for Noah’s fifth grade experience. We would not be surprised if he follows his brother and skips a grade as well.
Leah – She is truly the princess of princesses. If Leah could write an article of belief it would surely read something like: “If there is anything that is pink, purple, or white; soft and cuddly; centers on the topics of unicorns, princesses, or fairytales, or is otherwise deemed girly, we seek after these things.” It’s fun to watch and listen to her creativity as she is playing. Leah has been so jealous of her brothers having homework each night that she insisted on us buying her a workbook that she can busy herself during the same timeframe. It’s cute to see her proclaim “homework” time after the dinner hour is over. She continues to amaze us with her ability in singing. She will definitely be pursuing this talent in years to come.
Seth – What a bundle of joy! The way he walks, runs, jumps, eats and sleeps is completely adorable. He loves to follow his older sister around and is content to play whatever roll he is assigned– despite his father’s silent protests when it is not a masculine one. Seth has one volume level that is always set to high (he gets that from Grandpa Brennan). I guess being the youngest he has to be heard. And heard he is, no matter where he is in proximity to his target. We will enjoy and remember these early years of chubby hands and pinch-able cheeks.
What a wonderful time of year! A time when humanity changes course, even if briefly, and shows a kinder face to mankind. Despite the constant conflicts throughout the world we find peace in celebrating the Savior’s life and message that brings peace to all. May this letter find you well and happy now and throughout the coming year.
Summer Vacation 2006
I can't remember the last time we took a family vacation. In recent years I was taking the youth on some kind of activity—scout camp, high adventure camp, young women's camp etc. while Tamara and the kids took a reprieve to Hood River, Ore. This year I had no ties to the youth and a trip with the entire family sounded wonderful. And so we set off for a two-week adventure in the Northwest—okay, I actually was only there nine days, but it was a splendid nine days at that.
Grandpa picked us up tote and all August 1 at the Portland, Ore. Airport. John is a great father-in-law. I am not just saying that because he will more than likely read this, but he is a man of his word, works hard, can kick me in a game of pool and help raise a wonderful daughter. The trip through the Columbia George always brings back memories for both Tam and I. The hour journey 40 miles east hardly seems like it with all of the scenic waterfalls, trees, the Columbia River, and land formations along the way. I guess the kids’ complaining about the drive does put awareness to the time.From the moment we arrived both John & Marilyn doted on us (not just the grandkids) hand & foot. Catered meals, trips to the river, unique toys and dress ups for the kids, borrowing of vehicles, walks and dates for J&T, the list can go on, but you get my drift. It truly felt like a vacation in every sense of the word.
The second day of our arrival our family of 6 borrowed the van and tent trailer; stopped by the grocery store on the way out of town and headed to the Oregon coast for a couple of nights. It was the first time that the kids actually remembered being at the beach and they enjoyed every minute of it. Sand, water, great weather, and no “tent”, contributed to a great experience. We played all waking hours, only to drive up and down the coast during Seth’s naptime to try and get him to sleep. I think it worked for the most part. Cape Lookout is not complete without a trip to the Tillamook cheese factory. I am sure that many of you have been around a cheese factory and can recall the odor of rotten milk and cow manure that surrounds the area. Leah, having such a strong sense of smell could hardly stand it. The moment she stepped out of the car the nose was plugged until we found ourselves on the inside. Even on the way back to the van, ice cream cone in hand, she still had her nose plugged. I don’t think she tasted any of her bubblegum flavor during those 5 minutes of walking.We had so much fun on our expedition to the coast that we plan to include it in our yearly vacation to the Northwest each year. Tamara has been on a tent trailer purchase program ever since our successful run. Every time she visits Craigslist you can bet that one of her searches includes a Coleman Apache or whatever the models are. I have no objection to her excitement, but I keep reminding her that we actually need to go more than once before we travel down that road. More Beach Pictures Upon our return we just lazed around the house and enjoyed ourselves before I caught a plane to SLC. The plan was that I would work a couple of days from the office and then head for the High Uintas for a backpacking trip with Jason (brother), and a couple of friends of mine. 
After two days of craziness in the office, we embarked on our travels to Swasey Hole and its neighboring lakes. We had a fantastic time as Bryce caught about 20 fish (all of which were released for you environmentalists). The weather held up for the most part and the scenery was gorgeous. I think our highest elevation was around 11,300 feet. The picture you see is a pass that one must go over in order to get into Swasey Hole. It was a sight to take in and a picture just doesn’t do it justice.While I was away Tamara scheduled sometime to see some of her old high school friends. They met up at a park and let the kids play while they caught up on the latest happenings. She also picked and made her yearly blackberry jam. This year the boys went with her for the picking part and did a pretty good job (although I think they ate more than they picked). I can’t remember the total count of jars she ended up with, but it was quite a few. She also ended up canning plain blackberries to use in cobblers or on Breyer’s Vanilla ice cream—a tasty treat during the summer months. 
Since I returned home from backpacking earlier than expected, I decided to catch an earlier flight back to Portland, Ore. On our way back to the house we decided to stop at the Hood River marina and let the kids play in the sand and water. They must not be releasing a lot of water out of The Dalles damn because the sand bar went halfway into the river (the Columbia River is about 1 mile across where the Hood River empties into it). The kids had a blast, as they apparently cannot get enough of that type of environment.Tamara and I were able to escape for a date without the kids. We didn’t really do much except walk and talk around the Columbia George Hotel grounds and run a few errands for Marilyn. This may not sound too exciting for some, but Tam and I really enjoy the time to talk about our little family and the potential each of our children have for this life. It's too bad we can't tape record our conversations so that someday they realize how much of our time is spent thinking about each one individually. Perhaps when they have their own children and spend the same amount of time talking to their spouse about each one they will realize, as did we, how much parents worry for the salvation of their children. All together we were gone for a couple of hours, which was enough to spell us for a time—thanks Marilyn!
Our trip home was uneventful. The most exciting thing that happened was my internal frame backpack was not waiting for us at Denver International Airport. I got a $50 credit on a future flight which I am sure will be used in the next month. That is the extent of our trip. We can’t wait to do it all over again next year.
