New Update - No Pictures

So, McKayla keeps reminding me that I need to update the blog.  She's right - it's been over two months.  Here is the problem - I'm burned out on taking pictures!  Last year I completed a "Picture-A-Day" scrapbook in which I really took a picture every single day.  It was so much fun, and I loved it!  Unfortunately, I have only taken about 5 pictures since January 1st.  I haven't pulled out my camera for over a month!
Here are some of the things we have been up to lately (with no pictures - sorry!):

*  Christmas was great!  We were totally spoiled this year and not only bought a 55" HDTV, we also got a Wii from my parents to play on it.  The kids have had such a great time on the Wii, I have loved having a DVR so I can record all of those shows that I never get the time to watch the first time around, and the SuperBowl was amazing on the new TV!  Too bad my Colts lost.  

*  McKayla turned 12 in January!  I can't believe how much she is growing and changing.  She is an amazing girl, and so much fun to have in our family.  New Beginnings was on her birthday and she has loved being in Young Women.

* Kyle and McKayla are both on Knowledge Bowl teams this year.  I'm coaching Kyle's team.  The subject this year is Geography and the kids are learning all kinds of things about maps, globes, states, countries, flags, rivers, mountains, National Parks, etc.  There is so much information to learn, but they are doing really well.  The school district competition is in the middle of March - just a few more weeks to cram it all in!

*  Joe has been really busy at work.  His unit has moved from here in our hometown to a beautiful new building near the SLC airport.  It's a good move for the unit, but it sure makes a long commute!   He has to leave home at 4:30 a.m. to get to work, but he's home before 5 most nights.  His unit has also been able to assist local police and fire departments in a couple of "Real World" incidents during the last month.  They have done a great job and really been effective helping identify dangerous substances. 
Joe's travel/training season is just getting started.  He will be gone off and on quite a bit in the next few months.  He even gets to travel to Guam later this year!

*  Josh is doing great.  He is in preschool - and loving it.  He counted to 100 to me the other day with no mistakes.  Maybe that's normal for a preschooler, I don't know, but I thought it was great!  He can even read small words, and he loves to take our letter magnets in the kitchen and spell words like "Mom" and "No".   His favorite thing to do is play on the computer and he spends hours on the Wii.  He is great at Mario Kart!

*  Kyle has his "Blue and Gold Banquet" this week and he will be receiving his Wolf badge.  Congratulations to him!  He has some great leaders who really care about the boys and want them to succeed.

*  We are planning a trip in April to Arizona and California.  The first half of the trip will be visiting family, and the second half wil be at Sea World and Disneyland. We are so excited - it's coming up soon!  (I better dust off my camera by then!)

*What else?  Just busy, busy, busy.  Joe is still in the bishopric, I'm still Primary President.  I have 12 piano students and volunteer at the school a couple of times a week, along with being Kyle's KB coach.  The kids have preschool, dance, jujitsu, scouts, young women, piano and homework. 

It's crazy, and sometimes we end up eating cold cereal for dinner because that's all we have time for, but it's great.  We are so blessed in so many ways!  Sometimes when I look at our family and the life that we are living, I can't believe how lucky I am!  We are healthy, Joe has a great job, the kids are great - no diapers or teenagers : ) - food in the pantry, a few dollars in the bank, great family and friends, and of course, the gospel to keep us focused on the Savior.   I can't ask for anything more!