I didn't make Christmas treats for neighbors, I didn't make Christmas treats at all really.  I didn't get a letter sent out. Yet Christmas came all the same!  I enjoyed reading all the letters and cards we received.  I wrote this and figured I would post it to the blog at least.  Happy New Year!

While 13 is supposed to be an unlucky number, 2013 was a good year for our family. 

Bridger was able to complete his Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation this year.  It is a course of 8 college level classes that he has studied for in his free time (haha) to complete.  In our kids’ terms, it means we will be able to go to Disneyland this September for his commencement ceremony.  We are all very excited about this!

I (Cindy) was called as relief society president (leader of the women’s organization in our church) for our local congregation here in Nebraska.  It has become a big portion of all of our lives as everyone in the family has had to pick up the slack of what I don’t have time for anymore.  We went to Idaho for a stint over the summer.  It was nice to see family and friends and get away from the rigors of normal life.  I don’t have much time to read.  I have less time to exercise.  But I like the quote,” Motherhood, it was what you were given time for.”  Giving to them and to others seems to define who I am right now.

Corban went to scout camp for the first time this year and while there, ate a taco for the first time, and actually liked it!  He is in 8^th grade at the middle school and will start at the high school next year.  He is the deacons quorum president.  He still loves jumping on our trampoline close to 365 days a year in any type of weather.

Kjerstin started 6^th grade this year at the middle school.  She tried out for the show choir and made it. She has enjoyed it a lot.  She takes pride in her grades, and loves to learn and have fun.

Brynna is in 3rd grade.  She got braces this year, and will soon start basketball.  She has a developing testimony.  One of the things she asked for this year for Christmas was to be more Christlike. 

Daven is in kindergarten and got new glasses for school this year.  He has wavered between wanting to go and wanting to stay home with Mom.  He is still super duper talkative.  He has told us stories about his “other” family in China, but he recently told me I am his favorite Mom. For him, that is saying something!   

Gideon is very busy as always.  I enjoy staying home with him to hear the funny and cute things he says to me daily.  He keeps me on my toes.  He is the apple of his siblings eyes as well.  They all love him. 

Here is a Christmas message that spoke to me as I am often late, in the relief society and wonder when I will get my own act together.  May each of you feel your own worth in our Heavenly Father’s eyes and our hearts. 

http://segullah.org/daily-special/sabbath-revival-and-the-soul-felt-its-worth/

Catch up (not catsup!)

I have been keeping a list of things I want to blog about.  It is a little hard to condense three months into a post.  I will try. 

Gideon
The weather here has been wacky.  If it was Idaho, it would be normal. But Nebraskans say this is not normal.  We had a snowstorm May 1.  Gideon has taken to wearing a backpack he got for Christmas everywhere.  He sees Daven wear one to school so he wants to wear one, too.  I have a photo of him jumping on the trampoline with the snow and his backpack on. He is a character and a half.  He has done a somersault down the aisle at church during sacrament meeting one time when he snuck away from us.  He also likes to do headstands on the bench in sacrament meeting.  He is now finally potty trained.  I can say that I am now done with diapers and I won't have to (hopefully) potty train another child.  He is quite the boy. 
Daven
Daven keeps me laughing.  He has told Bridger that he has a crush on me.  He is always telling me that he loves me.  The last week has been CRAZY relief society busy.  I have been a little stressed and grouchy.  He came up to me one day and said, "Mom, I forgive you."  I asked why.  I was told it was because I have been so grouchy.  If he keeps that up, he will be set for life.  He has also recently told us MANY stories about his other family that he has in China.  He has another mom, dad, grandpa, grandma, 2 brothers and 3 sisters.  He tells us their names and stuff they do.  He keeps me smiling.
Brynna
Brynna, Corban and Kjerstin are taking tennis lessons right now.  Brynna just finished swimming lessons with Daven and Gideon.  We were going to a sporting goods store one day.  Brynna was excited we were going.  Corban asked why she was excited because he said she wasn't athletic. She responded, "I am, too!  I have taken dance and gymnastics.  I am taking tennis now and I want to take basketball in the fall!"  She is a happy go lucky girl who loves to cuddle. 
Kjerstin
Kjerstin bore her testimony in sacrament meeting in April about how it had been a year since we have moved her and how hard it had been.  Then she said that she has decided that she is glad because she has the opportunity to share the gospel with more people now.  After her testimony she told me she is never doing that again.  I asked what she would never do.  She said "bear a grown up testimony and not say the stuff that kids usually say."  I told her that she did great and I was sure before she died she would do it again.  She had a project in school called an "I Am" project. They take an ipod home and record themselves doing things in their life that represent them.  While that is playing they make several "I Am" statements about themselves.  The first thing she said was "I am a Mormon because I belong to the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."  I was amazed at her boldness.  If we moved here just to increase her testimony, it was worth it! On a funny note, we were doing family scripture study recently and she asked, "Can I please read in an accent?"  I think a foreign mission is on the horizon for her! She celebrated her 11th birthday this week.  She is growing up. She didn't ask for a decoration cake this year.  She wanted a cake for it's flavor rather than decoration.  We went to an art place here and the kids each got to make a painting.  I think she is quite talented in that area.  She must have got it from her Dad!
Corban
Corban gave his first talk as a youth speaker in church.  We don't usually have youth speakers.  Corban is the deacon's quorum president.  In bishops youth council, Corban suggested it.  They responeded, "That is a good way to volunteer yourself."  Corban said he didn't care and he would speak.  Sure enough! He was called to speak on mother's day.   I was grateful that he did not use a line he used in his practices where he said mothers love their children so much that they would jump in the sky to get a bomb to protect their children.  Other than that, he did okay.  He also had a drama class.  He had a short performance.  It was great to see him out of his element.  He enjoyed it as he requested Drama as an elective for next year.  His line for was to sing "The Love Boat."  He doesn't even know that show.  It was funny for the adults, I guess. 
I got our garden in and put a rabbit proof fence around it.  I can understand how Farmer McGregor felt as the bunnies kept creeping in to eat his garden!  I also made good on my threat of no electronics for a week with the kiddos.  After the week, I asked how it had been.  My response was "Boring."  I thought it was great.  I did it before school got out to try to bite the electronics habit in the butt before summer began and they thought it was an electronics fest all day every day.  We had our first real hail storm here in Nebraska.  I was at the church so the van in the parking lot took the brunt of it.  The roof is dented and one of the back tail lights was broken out.  It makes me glad I don't have a car that I worry about those kind of things about.  Speaking of cars, Bridger was rear ended twice in a 10 day period.  He was not injured.  Hopefully we have met our quota!
I hope that sums up our adventures that last few months.  I will try to update as I can.  I am still swimming in the duties of relief society president.  We will leave for Idaho on my birthday.  I am excited mostly for my relief society break!  Maybe a blog post will result!

Relief Society takes over

As you can tell, I haven't had time to write lately.  I have been consumed with daily demands of life and the demands of my new calling.  I am wondering if I will ever feel like I know how to be a relief society president.  The out going president told me when I get released I will be sad.  I am not there yet, so I guess I won't be getting released any time soon!  I wanted to post a picture of Gideon's birthday cake.  His birthday was February 10th.  He had a Luigi cake.  I tried a new recipe from Pinterest with a 3 layer chocolate cake with the middle layer being brownie instead of cake with my favorite Test Kitchen chocolate frosting.  It was very good!  I know that because it didn't last around here very long.  Daven's cake lasted longer than I would like to admit.  It is our year for family birthday parties instead of friend parties.  I like that year!  We will do some fun activity as a family.  We haven't yet done it.  Now that the kids are finished swim team for the season we might have some time for that. We are taking a break from activities for awhile.  I need a break to learn to juggle my new challenges with my calling.  Bridger has had some stress with work lately, too.  That is a good thing about my calling.  I can empathize with more of Bridger's stresses at work.  We had stake conference today.  It was a regional broadcast from Salt Lake.  It was very good.  I actually heard some of the talks!  It is nice to have a Sunday to relax.  I actually took a nap today.  It was very nice.  I could handle more Sundays like this!

Christmas 2012, Daven's birthday, and new calling Ah!

We started out Christmas break 2 days early due to a snow storm that finally gave us a white Christmas.  It was our first Nebraska snow storm.  I was grateful for the extra hands to help me get more chores done at home and have less structure of places to go.  Corban was going to shovel himself a pile of money.  I think he got one driveway done and decided that was enough work.  My other kids played outside in the blowing snow just enjoying it regardless of the cold. 

My sister Pam flew out for Christmas.  My kids were counting the days until Aunt Pam arrived rather than Christmas.  It has been fun for her to be here and helpful to have an extra set of hands at this busy time.  I think everyone was happy with gifts, but I think I overprogrammed myself.  I could have been a textbook example of President Uchtdorf Jenga example where the tower keeps getting higher and higher until it topples.  I toppled, a few times actually.  I talked to one of my other sister's on Christmas day.  Her day sounded similarly exhausting.  I talked to a friend a few days later who expressed her weariness she felt on that day.  I wonder if that is just what Christmas is for moms.  I have made my first resolution of the year 2013 to have a better Christmas.  We will see how I do. 

Daven had a good birthday.  He is such a funny buddy.  He has been talking about his birthday since spring and waiting not so patiently for each season to pass.  He finally made it to Christmas and then his birthday.  When he woke up, I said, "Happy Birthday Daven!"  He said, "No, it's not today.  Trust me."  I laughed.  I think he has heard no so many times that it he was convinced it would never come.  He finally agreed it could be his birthday if that meant he could open his presents.  Waiting until Dad came home from work was TORTURE! He asked me every 20 minutes (no exaggeration) what Dad was doing at work and if it was time for him to come home yet.  Then he was unhappy his party was the next day and not ON his birthday.  He had a good birthday party, too.  I had a hard time planning it because the guest list kept changing and the itinery kept changing.  I made cupcakes using fondant (my first time).  I was impressed with the visual result but no one is eating them :( .  I am not sure I will do it again.  We will see. 

I just was sustained today as the relief society president in our branch.  I am overwhelmed.  I really like being a follower.  I guess it is time to get out of my comfort zone.  When our we talked with our branch president before we moved here, he was very anxious for us to move into the branch.  I told him, "You must need a relief society president."  He confidantly told me that he had just called a new one and didn't need one.  Times change.  I have had peace that it will be okay but my natural man keeps freaking out.  I am grateful my 1st counselor has served many times as a relief society president.  I know who the Lord calls, He qualifies.  I had a lot of gap to fill and my eyes keep focusing on that gap.  It will all work out.  It always does. 

Christmas letter 2012

Some of this may be redundant from items I already posted on the blog, but here goes anyway!
Dear Family and Friends,


2012 has brought many changes for our family, first of which was a move to Nebraska. Bridger accepted a position as a claim team manager with State Farm in Omaha, Nebraska. We found out in February, and by May we were gone. We were blessed to be able to sell our home quickly and find a home that would work for our family. We are in a small community outside Omaha called Gretna. It gives us a small-town feel with all the benefits of a big city very close. We have been very pleased. Our kids have done pretty well adjusting to new schools and making new friends. Bridger is enjoying his new job responsibilities, and attended the Idaho State/Nebraska football game.



(Cindy continues to be the light of our lives and the glue of our hearts. She stays busy running children to activities, serving in the young women, and caring for our home and family. Her greatest achievement this year is successfully relocating a busy household 1000 miles east of Pocatello. She hosted 14 family house guests in July, and applies her writing talents when time and demands allow. If you want to see where she’s been, where she’s going, or what’s for dinner, check Facebook, Pinterest, or her blog for scrumptious details.) Bridger's addendum



Corban turned 12 this summer and was ordained a deacon. He said his highlight of the year was going to an indoor trampoline facility called Defy Gravity for his 12th birthday with some of his cousins. The local pool is close to our home and the kids enjoyed being able to walk to the pool many summer afternoons. Corban and Kjerstin decided to continue swimming by joining the swim team at the YMCA. They have both done well and improved on their personal records so far this season. It has been fun to go to swim meets and cheer them on. Corban also got braces this year and is doing well not eating all those foods that are now restricted while he has braces on.



Kjerstin has really enjoyed swim team and all the clubs available at her school. Her highlight of the year was her birthday because it was all about her. She is in the 5th grade choir, the book club, the make a difference club and has especially liked being able to do pottery in the art room at the school.



Brynna turned eight this fall and was baptized. She said it was her best moment of the year. She also got a cat named Henderson for her birthday. This is our family’s first cat attempt; I didn’t know how it would work out. We got him from the local humane society and he seems to be made for our family. He is great. She has been doing gymnastics at the YMCA and is really making progress.



Daven has been busy, too. He did a leap off a sofa and ended up with stitches to sew his lip back together. This made it necessary to get rid of his thumb sucking habit. He has also started preschool this year at the local elementary school. He goes 4 days a week for a little over 3 hours a day. He really enjoys it. His teacher told me that he is ALWAYS so happy at school. He is a happy little boy. He said his biggest achievement of the year is getting his chores done.



Even though Gideon isn’t in swim team or any clubs or school, he has been the busiest of all. He has overflowed our upstairs bathroom sink 3 times! The last time, it was right after his dad finished fixing the ceiling from the previous time. He loves his siblings and was not happy to be home alone with Mom. It has been good that I have started babysitting a little girl Gideon’s age to keep him company during the day. He is a sweet boy and has a smile that can melt mountains.



These sweet children are our life and keep Bridger and me on our toes and in our cars. We are grateful for them. We send our love and wish you all a very merry Christmas.

.

You may have a Gideon if...

You may have a Gideon if....

-you wake up at 4 in the morning to hear Angry Birds being played in the kitchen on your phone
-you try and hide your phone on the fridge and he climbs to the top of the fridge to get it
-you leave a cake and come back and it looks like this

-you find 2 apples with one bite taken out of each one
-you have problems with bathroom flooding
-you have problems with bathroom flooding again
-you have problems with bathroom flooding AGAIN!
-you play foosball with an apple
-you find yourself running down the halls at church chasing an escapee
-you see this smile and all the above melts away from your mind.

Halloween 2012

I think we are finally done with Halloween.  It lasts a while when you have class parties on different days, church trunk or treats, and then the actual holiday itself.  We got our Halloween sugar cookies made and decorated.  We roasted pumpkin seeds. I redeemed myself this year by actually getting our pumpkins carved. It didn't happen last year because there were too many things going on.  I heard about it for awhile, too.  It is always fun while it lasts but I am always glad when it is over, too.  Corban (no photo available) was all of The Avengers.  I thought it was pretty clever for him to come up withon his own.  He had an Iron Man mask, one hunk hand, a meat mallet/Thor hammer, a bow and arrow made from a stick and sting for Hawkeye, and a cardboard Captain American shield.  He wore this to the trunk or treat but decided he was too old to trick or treat.  Kjerstin was a bag of jellybellies.  She kept loosing jellybeans, though.  Brynna decided to be a witch since she now has the black cat to go with it. Daven was Mario (of course).  He talked about being a fireman and Iron Man and Spongebob but when it came to getting dressed it was always Mario.  Gideon was Luigi.  He was SO cute.  When he says "trick or treat"  it sounds like "Christmas tree"  He always said thank you and "Happy Halloween,"  too.  He even blew kisses (unprompted) to some of the people.  My kids insisted on trick or treating the whole neigborhood.  They had fun.  We went with our neighbors who live 2 doors down.  That night they were good and tired.  As Bridger checked on everyone before he went to sleep, he saw their overflowing pumpkins and their "visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads."  Daven has been on a candy diet for a day or two.  I will be glad when it is all gone.  I am glad they had fun, though.  The kids had no school last Friday so they helped me pack the Halloween decorations away and get the Thanksgiving decorations out.  On to the next event!