Our year in review

Today is the last day of 2008. I have a personal tradition that when I get to the end of a calendar, I like to go back and read all the things written on it and remember the various things that happened that year. It serves as kind of a simple journal for our family, which is nice because I am not very consistent with keeping a real journal. I am afraid sometimes I forget to record the things that matter most, the ones that happened inside of people rather than outward To Dos. But the calendar helps me remember some of it at least. This year it there were many ups and downs. There were weddings, new babies, lost loved ones, setbacks, and uncertainty. There were lots of blessings and lessons learned. For me (Alysia) there were many starts and stops, as I tried to move forward with some things but then felt inspired to be still for a while, and wait for the right time (not yet). Maybe the Lord was trying to tell us to keep things simpler, stay close to home, do some inner work and just gather the family close. Closeness has definitely been important this year as we have gone through challenges. Most of the significant happenings this year have gone on inside our hearts, I think. I'm not sure how to write those. So here is our 2008 in review, as far as the calendar could remind me, with some things left unwritten, to be read between the lines:



Jeremy and Jacob played basketball in Jr Jazz

Shaun was in a shooting sports club

We got a new Nephew, Arie and Giles' son Aiden

Shaun and Jacob took piano lessons

We all went to chess club together on Saturdays

We attended a Co-op with 3 other homeschool families twice a month for history and science

Alysia took a parenting class

Alysia attended a 'Vision Walk'

Jacob found his passion for cooking and joined a cooking club

Alysia served in YW, Mike served in the bishopric

Alysia did a 12 week group scripture study project

Shaun took an electronics class

Shaun was in the homeschool spelling bee

We got to know some of our neighbors better and had them over for games

We went on a cruise to Mexico with Mike's family

Shaun turned 10 on the cruise

Alysia's brother, Elijah, died in a car accident Easter weekend

We spent more time with family and more time at the temple

We had a weekend at Pine Valley cabin

We cut back on extra curricular activities (looking at this list I'm glad we did!)

Shaun and Jacob made new friends

We went to Alysia's family reunion

Alysia's sister got married

Jacob debuted his 'restaurant' and invited friends over to eat (shaun was the waiter)

The kids attended a fire safety field trip

Jacob and Shaun performed in a piano recital

We had plans drawn up for an addition to our house (which we didn't build)

The boys and Mike went bowling for Fathers and Sons (they didn't feel like camping)

Alysia started walking in the mornings with a friend

The boys went to a Scout Expo and helped man booths

Alysia played flute with her friend, Shauna, for church

Alysia applied and was accepted to take classes at a local college (then she felt it wasn't the right time so she hasn't done it yet)

Alysia learned to make herbal tinctures and salves

Jacob turned 8 yrs old and was baptised on his birthday with his cousin, Logan

We planted a garden and occasionally tended it (most of it died but we did get a few tomatoes)

We had picnics and days at the park

Shaun finished reading the Lord of the Rings trilogy

We worked on our food storage and made some good progress

We attended missionarry discussions with 3 boys our kids' ages who were investigating the church

Jeremy took swimming lessons

Jeremy turned 6 and had a party at Discovery Park

Mike and Alysia attended a parenting seminar and started having family council meetings

Alysia went to girls camp without any kids - Alaina's first time away from Mom

Mike took care of everything and everyone at home wonderfully

Shaun went to scout daycamp

Mike tried to go on a scout camp but ended up going for a long drive instead

We celebrated pioneer day at Enoch's small town jamboree

We went camping at a reunion on Cedar Mountain with Mike's extended family

Jeremy attended a soccer day camp

We went to a baby blessing for our new baby Nephew, Ben

We had a visit from our friends, the Cheneys

Alysia put together a creative dance class (which didn't happen yet but hopefully will when we know where we will be living)

Alysia helped with the area homeschool parent's information night

Alysia's calling changed to Sunday school

Mike's calling changed to Elders quorum presidency

We went to a neighborhood block party

Alysia started trying to eat more healthy and learned to make some new foods

We had a yard sale

We started homeschool again after summer break

Alysia had a girls' day out with her Mom and sisters at the Hot Mama Makeover

Alysia played flute in Stake Conference

Jacob and Shaun were in Knights of Freedom club

Mike went to an auditor's conference in Phoenix

Ethan turned 4

Mike and Alysia went to Les Miserables at Tuacahn and listened to Faith's amazing piano playing

The boys invited their friends to church with us and they came

Alysia was called to Primary presidency

Alysia and her friend Tia started a book group

Mike learned about possible layoffs coming at work and started Job hunting

Shaun led an activity for Knights of Freedom

Jeremy took a soccer clinic

Jacob and Shaun participated in the Knights of Freedom regional Summit, Mike played a bad guy, and Alysia was a lady in waiting (looking over this post, the title of lady in waiting seems rather fitting right now - waiting for the right time to start classes, waiting to see where we will end up living at the end of the job search, etc)

Mike had interviews in SLC

Jeremy graduated to independent reading

Mike helped people move, helped build fences, got wood from the mountains, and other Elders quorum stuff

We celebrated Halloween at a harvest party at our friends' the Walker's ranch

Mike and Alysia took a cruise by themselves to Mexico for Alysia's 30th birthday

Alysia helped with her first primary program and first primary activity

Alysia finished her Young Women Recognition program for leaders and earned her award - finally!

Mike taught a finance class to the ward Young Women

We had Thanksgiving with Alysia's family and visited Mike's family for a family home evening after

Alysia had lunch with Mike's Grandma, his Aunts, and Sisters in Law

Alysia played her flute in the Stake choir Christmas program

We all went dancing at a family ball

Christmas parties, caroling, and nativity reenactments with McCausland and Humphries families
Family Christmas party with Alysia's family in Pleasant Grove

Alaina turned 2

Happy new year!