What happened last year!!! -Christmas Letter to Friends and Family-

I am really bad at keeping a jurnal or updating the blog.... I am going to try to do better this year!!! Here is our letter that I have sent to friends and family (well... I didn't get this letter done soon enough that I didn't really send to many people...)

A Happy New Year!!!! I hope you all had a wonderful year. I say this every year, but again it feels like this year really passed like a bullet train!!! Although, we did have a pretty fun year! Kids experiencing new things and discovering the joy of all the fun holidays throughout the year made our lives so much more fun! Through the kids eyes we for sure see the blessings that God gives us everywhere every day. Here is what has happened in our family this year!

Josiah- This year is a big milestone for him. He graduated from Weber State University in Computer Engineering Technology. And is finally done with his commuting to Ogden! He got to join the team who made a hover craft for the senior project and was chosen as a senior project of the year at Weber State. He sure worked so hard and enjoyed doing the project! While working on his degree, he had worked full time to provide for the family. He sure is a hard working dad. Watching him in a gown at commencement really made us appreciate everything he did and does for us and we are so proud of him! Josiah got a great job at Sunrise Engineering last year (Thanks to the Bailey’s) and has been enjoying working there, and the work has inspired him to keep going to school to get a master’s degree. He is again back in school 2 weeks after the graduation to prepare for getting into the Masters of Electrical Engineering Program with an emphasis on electrical power at Idaho State University’s outreach program! He is still in the ARMY National Guard and is enjoying being a soldier. He is such a busy dad, but he tries hard to spend some quality time with me and the kids. We are so lucky to have him!

Yuki- getting into making tutus after making one for my niece’s b-day! Someone like me who starts making something and never finishes, I feel like I finally found a craft that I am good at doing and it made me feel good ;0) I have been working as a substitute crossing guard from this Fall and totally love it! enjoyed going to a volleyball game at church once a week and loved playing with awesome ladies in our stake! Did a lot of canning with my neighbor friend this year, was a lot of fun!! Worked really hard for making a music program for our Ward Chirstmas party and made a lot of my own arrangements! Ah it was a great time! And as always LOVE being a mom for our adorable kids! I have to admit there are days that they drive me absolutely NUTS, but there are many great moments that remind me of my calling and amazing blessings in my life!

Kai- don’t know where he gets his energy ( I claim it is Josiah’s gene) he is a very busy boy! This year he truly enjoyed all the events and was so fun to watch him enjoy every moment! Little before turning 3 he started drawing stick figure with smiley face REALLY well! Since then he absolutely LOVES drawing and we think he is pretty good at it! He also started talking a lot more! I can’t believe how much he knows and remembers! He really surprises me with crazy faces! They are sometimes so cute and funny I really need to write them down! He did great job at potty training! It took shorter than I thought! He absolutely adores his sister. He just can’t give enough hugs and kisses to her! He is pretty protective of her when we are with other kids! What a cute brother. More things he loves are his Mcqueen, UP (movie), Birthday parties, Being outside playing “bad guys”, playground, throwing rocks in the river, playing in the dirt with his cars, noodles, Tofu, Natto, pizzas, hamburgers, library, ice cream cone, bed time story, candyland, praying, church, his friends and cousins, grandparents, and of course his family! He is such a fun kid! We love him!!!

Lily- She is such a good girl! She was just a new born at the beginning of this year, but now she is One year old! Lately she started to walk and talk! Ah, she is just so cute! She is such a mama’s girl, she follows everywhere mommy goes. And of course her first word was MAMA!!! We can’t tell between Daddy and Petey and according to her Daddy and Pete says “woof woof” ;0) She is such a good eater, I think she eats more than Kai. She won’t let you go till she gets a bite of what you are eating! Kai is always her target! Even though she gets lots of scratches from her big brother, she loves playing with Kai and tries to copy whatever he does! She LOVES her bath time and cries for joy like a dinosaur baby when I turn on the water! She has a perfect smile and her cute hugs and kisses make me and daddy feel so loved.

Pete- He found his best friend! Our neighbor dog “BUDDY” is his best buddy. They have a great time running and wrestling in our yard! He is such an energetic dog, and he just loves everyone who visits our home and dying to lick them to death! Someday he may calm down a little or will he ever?? Kids love him and he just loves them! He is such a good dog! He just let them do ANYTHING.