Season's Greetings

In order to be "green" this Christmas season, I've decided to "send" our Christmas cards by posting a blog about our year. (That does sound better than saying that I'm running out of time to mail them before Christmas, and haven't actually started on them yet, right?? )


This has been a busy year for our family. I think that I will dub it as "The Year of Change." Back in February Charlotte joined our family. She is a sweet addition to our family of girls. In case you are trying to count, that makes FOUR little girls for us. Poor Jeff is really outnumbered. Charlotte is now nine months old, and learning to crawl ... although most of our floors are not carpeted, and so sliding has proved to be a very efficient way to get around :)

Madison is two and a half going on sixteen. Really, the other day she tried to convince me that she was sixteen so that she could ride in the very back seat of the van with her older sisters. I've been telling her that she will be able to ride back there when she is older. My children have very good negotiating skills! Madison is the kindest two year old around. She is always sharing with others and asking them what they like. She has learned that Daddy will give in if she whispers this secret in his ear - "Daddy, I love you." It melts my heart to hear it. She truly is Daddy's little girl.

Savannah is five now, and started Kindergarten this year. She goes half day in the morning, and she LOVES it. She is making friends, and her two favorite parts of the day are snack time, and painting/coloring. Since we moved at the end of Summer, she had to leave behind her friends from our old neighborhood, and that was hard on her. We all miss our Provo friends dearly, but I think Savannah misses them most of all. It's nice that my girls get along so well, because they will never be without a friend.
Brooklyn is seven, and eagerly anticipating turning eight so that she can be baptized. She is in second grade this year. Because we moved, she had to change schools. I was a little worried that this would be hard on her, but she quickly made a new best friend. Also she has a teacher that loves to do art projects, which is her favorite thing as well. The other day she said to me, "I feel like I've been at this school the whole time." Meaning that the changing schools wasn't all that hard after all. I'm so happy that she likes our new home and school.

Jeff started a new job this year at The American Academy. It is an online high school that focuses on helping people get their high school diplomas and improve their lives. He has really enjoyed this new environment and the people that he works with. He does their internet programming, and their "IT stuff." He is very happy there, and that in turn makes me happy.

I've spent my year nurturing four wonderful children, de-cluttering, remodeling our bathroom in Provo, packing, unpacking, more de-cluttering (as I tried to organize our new place), along with dishes, laundry, cleaning, running kids back and forth from school, and all the other day to day things that keep me busy. I'm hoping for less changes next year, and more time to reconnect with friends - old and new.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Love,
The Beck's