JaNEWary

1-22-2012
Dear Family,
I've really enjoyed January this year! After the holiday bustling, it's been refreshing to get back to a more normal-paced routine, and feel like I can actually accomplish what I plan to each week (I think it's been about 5 years since I've done that).  That's my NEW joy, and here's a little of other excitement:
Brian-

NEW Birthday--he picked out a new router, and is already planning new projects--if he could just figure out a warm place to woodwork! He got us together for a family council right after NewYears too, to start a new morning scripture reading and earlier FHE, and is getting into an earlier routine himself.  I had to photograph his birthday cake since I'd never been so fancy to put cake crumbs around the sides like that  (notice Lucy mourning she can't dig her fingers in yet!).  He also enjoyed getting some Charlotte-proof chocolate from Nathan (w/ cayenne, chipolte, and poprocks inside??!), his Natl Geographic subscription renewal, and Elder Bednar's new book.

The two of us also enjoyed going went out that weekend to see the new Sherlock Holmes movie.  Since his router wasn't a surprise, I got this GREAT inspiration to surprise him w/ a new putter, since his had broken a while back.  I must admit, I felt so clever remembering such detail (since I don't know one club from another!).  I found just a basic one at the local sporting goods store, and confidently threw out the receipt feeling still so clever.  As I dramatically pulled it out at the end of the gift opening, he smiled and said, "You do know I bought one of those last time I went golfing, right?" So much for my clever memory! At least we could use the instore credit to wander around, and eventually settle on a nice softball mitt for him--which he's never had, so it all turned out well :).
NEW for Maddie:
JR High P.E.!!Oh the thrill(!) She's somehow gotten out of it for the last year and a half-, and uses our "Just Dance 3" game for some of her aerobic activity requirements. She was also thrilled to get her expander out of her mouth, and her teeth are moving beautifully from their previous home in the ROOF of her mouth down with all the rest of the teeth.
NEW for Brent: BASKETBALL!! Deacon's Basketball on Thursday nights (while Maddie plays w/ the YW) and his JR JAZZ team games on Sat.  He can hardly get enough, and between those 3 games a week, I feel like we should all be pros! He also finished his first Science Fair Project this year, testing which kinds of fins would best stabilize boats--he worked hard on it over the holidays, and we got to go over and see him displaying it at school w/ all the other 6th graders.

NEW for Emily: SPELLING, and more SPELLING, and more SPELLING!! We went through that 200 word list until I thought we'd ALL have them memorized, and when I couldn't help her, she'd use the webcam to record herself saying and spelling the words, so she could quiz herself w/o looking at the words.  And it paid off! Brent and Emily were both in the spelling bee (he wasn't attracted to our studying fun), and Brent, as we like to tell it, "took one for the team" barely missing "eureka"(how appropriate?) and giving his sister a chance to do so well.  She came in 2nd place to a 6th grader, and only when they moved in Round 10 to the Challenge Words (I was feeling the challenge by that time keeping Lucy and Anne from starting a circus right there in the library) which she had only been able to go over a little. She got the first few, and went out on "acolyte" still managing to secure her spot to move on to "Semi-Finals."  It was fun to watch, despite all my butterflies, since half of the students were in our ward,--3rd place is a boy in her Primary, so we were rooting for lots! We're proud of her focus and hard work! (and she now says she's had enough spelling studying forever!)-and instead of nervousness, she seriously had a GRIN we thought might crack her face through the WHOLE THING!!

NEW for Spencer:  Being a High White Belt in Karate.  He actually advanced before Christmas, but we took December off and he didn't get his new belt until this month.  He still really enjoys going and memorizing all of his katas.

NEW for Anne:  starting Suzuki Violin Lessons! After following very strong feelings to get her started in that, I was thrilled to find a great teacher close by, and I've read Mr. Suzuki's Nurtured by Love, and we've had 2 lessons so far.  The one on one time is invaluable, and I'm already feeling like my poor older children have suffered being parenting guinea pigs at my expense! She's also LOVING Primary, and listens to the new Primary songs she's learning as often as she listens to the Suzuki cd!

NEW for Lucy:  words and more words! She is really taking off, repeating EVERYTHING:  "Tank You", (always followed by) Du Welcome, moon, circle, sheep, ruff-ruff, cheese toast, "Nawuone(another one)!" "Igedown""OOH--Lookadat!""Batu"-(diaper or bath), everyone's names, lots of animals, sory (story), sowwy (w/a  love pat--sorry), and lots more.  She's apparently getting new teeth to say them too, as she's had a couple of sleepless nights the last couple of days.

NEW for the weather:  SNOW!!! This has been the DRYEST, WARMEST winter we've had since coming to Utah--a few snowstorms in October, and then not a flake (to stick) in December!! We finally woke up to a decent storm a couple of Saturdays ago--one of those white, quiet, magical mornings, and we weren't the only ones excited to go sledding (hence the worn out sledding hill at the high school)! I can't believe I've actually missed it, but I was really hoping for a White Christmas, and still kind of long to go shovel some snow (crazy, I know!), but we've had days in the 50's this week, where Lucy runs around outside every chance she gets.  Maddie was home sick, and Lucy and Brian napped while I took the rest of the kids over to sled--it is SO much better than sliding around in our yard on cookie sheets like we tried in GA growing up.  Anne LOVED it, and kept going until she was SO tired! She'd climb up the hill, and then just kind of collapse in the sled as it started sliding down, not even bothering to adjust her position at all.  

Also, as an add-in, NEW for our nephew/cousin Tyler, he got his Eagle Scout!-AMAZING!, and he not even 14 yet! Quite a ward, with 5 boys all receiving the honor together (there was a similar group last year too!).  We enjoyed attending his Court of Honor, and being there for Miles' (Brian's partner) son at the same time!

Lots of fun things--I'm also loving some new books (delighted w/ I Capture the Castle), new recipes (todiefor Tomato Butternut Bisque), and a new chance to volunteer at Women's Conference this year! Hope you're all having great new starts to the year as well! Love, The Duncan's