New Year's Tree - accomplishments from 2015

This year we all wrote down our favorite accomplishments that each person had made throughout the year. We even wrote one for ourselves.

Zoe (from Zoe): made a cute bird dino
Zoe (from Zoe): finished math test
Zoe (from Pierce): started reading harder books
Zoe (from Pierce): got tickled
Zoe (from Mattie): improving so much on Sophies
Zoe (from Mom): made her parents and teacher so proud at her most recent parent teacher conference with her amazing growth and improvement
Zoe (from Mom): went right back to enjoying playing soccer after recovering from a broken collarbone
Zoe (from Matt): for filling our home with color the entire year
Zoe (from Matt): for living her covenant of baptism for almost a year, and for guiding her family as well as herself using her gift of the Holy Ghost
Zoe (from Matt): for changing from a student who gets her work done when asked to a student who owns her own education and learns for learning's sake

Pierce (from Zoe): Made an awesome lego structure for pics
Pierce (from Pierce): started deacon's quorum
Pierce (from Pierce): learned clay work
Pierce (from Mattie): Gael's class art
Pierce (from Mom): won the essay contest _____ times
Pierce (from Mom): was worthy to receive the priesthood
Pierce (from Dad): for being patient and humble during countless opportunities for retaliation as being the only brother in the home
Pierce (from Dad): for becoming confident on the soccer field, to striving to be Christlike even during competition
Pierce (from Dad): changing to become a leader in his class - impacting those who are following his example

Mattie (from Zoe): started high school
Mattie (from Zoe): Whel Zoe is hurt, she helps me feal better
Mattie (from Zoe): back surgery, DONE!
Mattie (from Mattie): surviving back surgery
Mattie (from Mattie): starting high school (and getting through family school)
Mattie (from Mom): watched over young Beehive girls very kindly
Mattie (from Mom): attended 5:30am seminary faithfully
Mattie (from Mom): has teachers who trust her and believe in her
Mattie (from Matt): completing back surgery - all the bravery, gumption and hard work it takes to progress from flat on her back to herself again (almost)
Mattie (from Matt): for learning how to control her emotions when appropriate and using reason even in difficult circumstances
Mattie (from Matt): for transitioning to high school and becoming a new example of Christ to a whole new group of people. Also for amazing all of her teachers in a whole new school.
Mattie (from Matt): for hosting a beautiful violin concert that filled our home with uplifting music during and before her performance

Mom (from Pierce): started chemistry
Mom (from Mattie): doing so much to help me through surgery (Dad too)
Mom (from Pam): played the organ 2 times without an embarrassing mistake
Mom (from Pam): finished with relief society calling
Mom (from Matt): for setting the example for all of her family on becoming smart, wise, kind and Christlike. Our own lighthouse.

Dad (from Zoe): turned 29M
Dad (from Pierce): learned to 3d print
Dad (from Mattie): made the kitchen table
Dad (from Pam): innovated an amazing new kitchen table style
Dad (from Pam): pursued his talent in creating metal art
Matt (from Matt): for spending wisely on projects and tools

Zoe's baptism

It's hard for me to reconcile myself to the fact that my kids are all growing up so fast! My little Zoe turned 8 years old and was so very excited to be baptized. We learned about baptism at family night, we read some scriptures, we discussed the covenant she would be making, and she prayed about it. Then she was sure that she wanted to be baptized. Actually she was sure before all of that, but I was happy that she still felt the same way after some preparation. Mattie, Zoe and I went to the temple a few days before her baptism and took some pictures in her baptism dress.





This time she brought along her OWN new scriptures (the previous pictures we'd taken were using Mattie's scriptures, not hers, because she got her own for her birthday) and that made it even more special.












It was a special thing to do pictures at the temple. She especially wanted one by the door here. We talked about temples for the rest of the day and she is sooooooo excited for the open house for the Fort Collins temple! Unfortunately I think it will be late next year, so we will have to wait awhile.


Zoe's actual baptism was on February 17th - she had to wait almost a month after her birthday for our ward's baptism day. Here she is before we left the house.


So excited and happy. Also baptized at the same time were her friends Bella and Matthew, which was pretty neat also. Zoe and Bella have been friends since preschool, and we really like Matthew and his family also.


I'm so grateful that Matt is a faithful priesthood holder and can baptize his children.


We were also very grateful that Mom and Dad could come and visit us for the big occasion! We had a fabulous visit with them. It was warm and beautiful one day, then it got cold (for the baptism, can you tell that they are shivering here?) and we were afraid they might have to stay an extra day because it was really snowing in Denver, but their flight got them home just fine (dang it).




It was also really nice that both Mattie and Pierce gave talks on Sunday while they were here - Mattie did a great job in sacrament meeting, and Pierce gave what might be his last talk in Primary. (I fear for when he has to speak in sacrament meeting... I don't know if he'll be able to do it... but he did a great job on this talk!)

Congratulations to Zoe - she is an official member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! We love you Zoe!

Zoe's baptism dress

I can't believe that Zoe is about to turn 8 years old this week! Her birthday is on Friday, and she could not be more excited. There are so many wonderful aspects to her birthday - she gets to bring treats to school, she gets to choose her own cake for her true birthday, and then another cake for her birthday party, because it's on the next week - actually on Matt's birthday, so they are "sharing their pool party". Matt says that his friends are going to stomp Zoe's friends in a game of water polo. She is allowed to get her ears pierced (amidst many many questions about how much it might or might not hurt). The most exciting part is that Zoe wants to be baptized, since she is turning 8 years old. Her baptism date is 2/21/15.

Zoe and I had big plans to go to the temple and take some pictures in her baptism dress. That didn't work out (because she was throwing a gigantic temper tantrum and we ran out of daylight, but never mind the little details) but we were able to take these beautiful pictures of her reading the scriptures. She was absolutely darling and beautiful.








This one is my favorite, though I love them all. She has a hard time keeping a straight face but this expression is perfect.




We all love our Zoe so much! And I'm so proud of her for choosing to be baptized next month.

Snowmen in our yard!

We don't often get enough snow here to make a real snowman. Not every year - last year we never really got any snow. But this year we actually got enough for a school delay, awesome. (Sometimes there is a school delay and we don't actually have any snow on the ground at our house, but this time it was a real honest snow delay WITH SNOW.)

Pierce and Zoe worked together on a snowman and a snow turtle.




So cute and happy.


Oh I love this guy.


Can you tell that this is a snow turtle? It's a little tricky for me but obvious to her.




Love this girl, always laughing.


And Mattie woke up at the regular time, because they posted the school delay super late, and she didn't go back to sleep because she was super excited to go out and make a snowman. How nice is this guy? She got all the snow off the car, I love it. Her snowman looks very professional.


I love this sweet girl so much!



They all got so soggy, but luckily it wasn't actually very cold out. They had to dry off some clothes but mostly it was warm enough to wear lighter weight coats anyway to school. By the time they got back home again all the snow was gone except the remnants of the snowmen, which lasted a couple of days.

Zoe's first real sewing project

This Christmas break, Zoe and I spent a lot of time together cleaning out her closet, playhouse, toy boxes, book shelves, and more. Her room needed it. A lot. But once we finished, we had such a great time playing with the things she found that she'd forgotten about! I mean, we found a ton of stuff :) - so many socks and clippies and headbands, for example. Anyway, once we had a little free time, she rediscovered this really cute little sewing kit, and she finished it up in one day!



So happy and proud of herself.


She and I had made the little bear a couple of years ago, but it was tricky for her and she pointed out that I had kind of made a lot of it for her. This larger bear is different! She did it all herself.




We loved how happy she was to finish this project herself. (I need a picture of the finished bear!) Great job, Zoe!

New Year's Tree

This year we tried something new! I read a great idea about a tradition that sounded like a lot of fun.The night before New Year's Eve, I took down the Christmas decorations and decorated a New Year's tree instead, with streamers, a little cash, and balloons with notes inside. Later on in the evening it was time to pop the balloons!



That long (sharp) stick is a balloon popper. (We switched to a safer stick pin after this.) Inside the balloons were notes that listed some accomplishments to celebrate for each of the kids.




It was fun to pop the balloons. It might have been even more fun if I'd remembered to buy larger balloons, because I wanted to put some change in each balloon too, but all I had were water balloons, and coins just wouldn't fit in there. But this was fun anyway.






She might not look too excited, but I think she did like remembering all the cool stuff that she (and the rest of us) did this year.








We may need to try this again next year!

Zoe:- passed her subtraction test, now learning multiplication

Pierce: learning algebra in 5th grade

Mattie: 2nd year of algebra in 8th grade

Mattie, Pierce, and Zoe: swimming at District meet in July

Mattie & Pierce: swimming at the City meet and improving their times so much

Pierce: two great seasons of soccer

Mattie: competing in the district spelling bee

Mattie: performing with the violin at church multiple times

Mattie: finished her violin book 2 and concert, and two other great recitals

Zoe: two great ballet recitals with Miss Nicole

Zoe: learning to play the guitar

Pierce: awesome pinewood derby car, made by himself, and race

Mattie, Pierce and Zoe: interesting and well-done inquiries

Mattie, Pierce and Zoe: parent teacher conferences that left us very proud of your work and effort

Mattie: standing up for yourself while refereeing a game with obnoxious parents

Zoe: having grit and playing soccer even when a little hurt

Pierce: performing in a puppet show and even singing a solo

Mattie: performing beautifully and confidently in a puppet show

Zoe: great performance as Utility in her class play

All of us: traveling across the world to Australia!

Mattie: being dependable and kind as Beehive Class president

Pierce: receiving all the best scout awards: webelos and arrow of light

Mattie: her first away from home summer camp

Pierce and Zoe: keeping the sabbath holy even when it was difficult

A little cooperation

After we got home from Mexico we opened the presents that we didn't take with us (which was most of them). So many thoughtful gifts, thanks so much to our families! The kids (mostly) cooperated with me for a picture in front of the Christmas tree. We didn't have Christmas outfits this year, obviously, but how cute are these guys?