Dear Family and Friends,
It’s been quite a year! One filled with events and memories, but one that seemed to go by much too quickly!
Wow...what a beautiful girl our little Kamryn is turning out to be. She turned 7 this year and started 2nd grade in the fall and is doing great. She is in a group of 5 kids in her class that are being pushed and challenged with additional reading, math and spelling assignments. Her teacher is very pleased with how easy and quickly she learns. She is anticipating being baptized this new year, especially since watching her cousins being baptized. She loves to read and spend time with her friends. In the spring will mark her 3rd year with a performance group called Tavaci. She loves to perform and sing. We are proud of the wonderful kid she is and the great influence she is on others.
London, what a sweetheart! London is now 5 and started Kindergarten 2 days before her 5th birthday. Honestly, I was tired of paying for pre-school so we decided to put her in kindergarten since her birthday was right before the cutoff. At first I thought we might have put her in kindergarten a bit prematurely, but after a few months, our little London has come out of her shell (somewhat) and is really doing well in school. She has learned all of the letters in the alphabet and numbers and now she is very excited about learning how to read. She loves her class and teacher and really enjoys riding the bus with her sister. London loves to sing with her sister in Tavaci and can be heard singing around the house constantly. She is quite the little crafty/artist type as well and I've learned to keep tape and envelopes out of her reach (two of her craft staples).
Sullivan turned a year old last month. That went fast. He loves anything boy-related, from cars and tools to sports and everything in between. He loves his big sisters and puts up with more than he probably should. Currently, he loves to climb and I catch him standing on top of tables and places he shouldn't be. He signs milk, more and all done and says the word "ya" a lot, but other than that he just grunts and smiles as he tries to learn how to communicate. The boy can run, seriously! He's pretty fast and keeps me on my toes.
One of our biggest events this year was the special sealing and baby blessing of Sullivan in June. We are grateful for the family and friends that were with us, and know that those that weren’t were with us in thought. It really was a special weekend. To have our little family in the temple, dressed in white, is an image that won’t soon leave my memory.
We had the opportunity to go to upstate New York together this summer. Jeff had to go for business and I was able to accompany him. Jeff has been able to go quite a few times the past few years, but it was fun for me to go for the first time. We had a great time and enjoyed seeing all the church history sites and the chance to spend time together without the kids, thanks to Aunt Ashley.
Our other big event was that we started (and finished!) construction on our new home. After months of planning, designing, and working with banks for finances, we were able to break ground on our home in August. They finished the beginning of December and we were able to move in on December 4th. We absolutely love our home and hope it can be a long-term home for us. We now have plenty of space and hope to see visitors in the coming months and years. We have room for you.
This Christmas season we find ourselves very fortunate for the blessings that we have. We know they are centered around our faith and understanding that we have a Savior, one who was born long ago in humble circumstances, one who lived an exemplary life and one whose death allows us to grow closer to him and our Heavenly Father. May you all find peace this time of year, may your season be filled with happiness as you surround yourselves with those you love.
With love,
Jeff, Jennifer,
Kamryn, London and Sullivan
*pictures by emilymerrittphotography.blogspot.com
