striving to live each day HIS way

December 2011

Dear Family & Friends,

Greetings! I pray that you are enjoying this Christmas season. We have just put up our tree this week and are planning on making gingerbread houses on Sunday (complete with dye and high fructose free treats bought at Wholefoods.)

Jason will be 14 on Saturday. He wants to celebrate by spending the day eating his favorite junk food, Pizza Hut pepperoni pizza, and salt and vinegar potato chips; and playing his Wii and laptop. In addition to video games, Jason still really enjoys reading. He also has done horseback riding all year and loves it. He is doing so well he has been upgraded to more difficult lessons. Jason has a natural repoire with animals, and especially with the horses. He has his own pet sitting business. Jason is in 8th grade and his favorite subject is math. He is learning pre-algebra. He also is enjoying studying astronomy, and our monthly visits to the Franklin Institute.

Joshua turned 8 in May. He prefers to be called Josh. He is in the 3rd grade. His favorite subject is spelling. He also really enjoys studying astronomy and that we got to see the sun with special equipment at the Franklin Institute. He loves riding his bike and scooter. Josh did basketball in the winter and will start again this upcoming Jan. He enjoys it. Josh also enjoys video games, especially the Wii. Josh did guitar lessons for 4 months this year, and has switched to keyboard which he enjoys much more. He really has a musical talent, which he certainly did not get from me. Josh also is an amazing big cousin to Kaiden who is now 18 months old. He is constantly playing with him and teaching him new things.

A typical day in our home starts about 8:30am. Josh, Lady (our dog), and I walk with my mom or Jason's grandmother. We try and walk for an hour. While we walk Jason sleeps in. After our walk we all get dressed and eat breakfast. We have formal school lessons from 10:30am-12:30pm. Then we have lunch. After lunch we do more school, and then about 2:00pm Kaiden comes over. We watch him while his mom, Samantha, goes to work and school. From 2:00pm on boys work on independent work, and help out with Kaiden. At some point we all do chores. Kaiden loves to "help" with chores as well (which makes more work for us.) Kaiden leaves about 9:30pm, and then Josh goes to bed. Around 10:00pm I do a quick straighten of house and check over school notes for next day. Jason and I will then usually watch a show together. Jason usually is in bed about 11:30pm, he seems to take after me in being a night owl. I try to read a bit and force myself to fall asleep by 12:30am.

Of course when you throw in Jason's horseback riding, doctor's appointments, Wed. night family church activities, Josh's keyboard lessons, Jason's writing class, and other misc. activities things can get a bit hectic around here. So we make it a priority to have one no drive stay home all day, day each week.

We all still go to Calvary Baptist Church. We go Sunday at 10:30am for worship service and Wed. evening at 5:30pm for dinner with classes following. Jason goes to the youth group Wed. night and Sun. afternoons (4:00pm-6:00pm) as well. Josh goes to the Wed. evening children's class (which I also teach) and Sun. afternoon (4:00pm-5:00pm) chess and checkers club. We will also be there Christmas Eve at 6:00pm; we would love it if you could join us.

As you hustle and bustle about this Christmas season, take some time to really enjoy your family and celebrate the birth of Jesus, who was born in such a humble way so many years ago.

-Becky, Jason, & Josh