Update

It’s been a crazy long time since I last did one of these babies.  Not sure I remember how.  It’s a little painful for me to think about all the things that didn’t get updated the last year or so, hopefully I’ll be able to fill in some gaps, but for now we’re moving forward. 

Joshy is 4 years old.  He is currently in preschool two days a week and a “Let’s Play Music” class taught by my friend, Sarah Asplund.   He loves both of them.  He’s always had such an interest and ear for music, I love that he gets to do this class.  It’s a brilliant curriculum that teaches these young kids so much while they think they’re just playing.  I love it.   When he’s not at preschool or music class,  or running errands with me – he’s with Daisy and Eliza Keller.  Daisy and Liza are two little girls who live right next door.  Daisy is just about 10 days older than Josh and Liza just turned three.   Josh is pretty attached to me, that can be so rewarding as a Mom, but I hope this year he can gain more confident standing on his own.  He is a bright, sweet boy.  We love Josh.

Benjamin is getting closer and closer to being baptized. He’ll be 8 in April.  It’s really starting to hit me, and I think he is feeling like he wants to be ready.  He’s supposed to read for 20 minutes each night when he goes to bed.  I noticed that all on his own, without even saying anything about it, he started reading the Book of Mormon for a few minutes and then reads from a library book.  That impresses me so much, what a great example he is to me.  He is playing basketball right now and loves it so much.  He has so much physical ability and coordination.  It’s so fun to watch him really be good at the things he enjoys.  He also randomly will sit down and color or make something and spend a long time getting it just right.   He’s probably the most introverted of all my kids, he kind of just loves to have some down time.  We love Ben.

Nate is just getting over a bad cold with a miserably sore throat.  He does not like being sick.  He was stuck home from school for 3 days and while I’m sure he didn’t miss the schoolwork, he really missed the social scene.  He always has a vision of what his day is going to be, who he’ll be hanging out with.   He has such a cute group of friends and they have all become good friends with the girls.  They also all have crushes on each other.  So far, he’s been pretty open with us about who he likes.  The other day he mentioned a girl and referred to her as his third crush.  I asked him about two girls he’s talked about before and which one was 1st and which one was 2nd.  He hesitated and then explained that he wasn’t sure anymore because they had each told him the other one was mean.  (Girl A told him that Girl B was mean and then a few days later Girl B told him that Girl A was mean).  He was quite sincere and I could tell he had serious reservations about the possibility of them being mean.  I was so happy to know how much that mattered to him.  He is such a sweet boy.  We love Nate.

Abby has really taken the whole junior high thing quite well.  She is blessed with a kind of quiet confidence, security and a great group of peers.  She has a whole handful of friends who live close that she absolutely loves and has so much fun with.  She often organizes huge outings of 15 girls or so to meet and go shopping at our big new shopping center right here in Farmington called Station Park.  She plays the trombone and really loves it.  She is very diligent about practicing each day and has amazed us with her progress in just a few months.  She had never touched a trombone til their summer camp.   The band instructors are a married couple and they are so talented, they have produced an excellent band program, but also really emphasize that they want band to be a great, fun, social experience.   She has her ups and downs, but for the most part is still our sweet, helpful girl.  We love Abigail.

Anna is in 10th grade at Viewmont High.  I still can’t believe we have a high schooler.  She loves the flexibility that having an A day and B day give her and is enjoying being older with a bit more freedom.  She just tried out for the high school musical.  They’re doing Fiddler on the Roof.  She sang “How Lovely to Be a Woman” for her audition and felt good about it.  They don’t have dance auditions til Dec. 2nd, so I’m guessing it will be awhile before she knows whether or not she made it.   She really hates auditioning and was so nervous, so I’m really proud of her for going for it.   She also tried out for a solo part in one of the choir numbers at school and got it!   Half the kids in our ward go to Davis High, so it’s kind of sad that they’re all divided.  She’s hoping to branch out and get to know some new people at school.  The other half of her friends are still in 9th grade, they’re the girls on her soccer team.  She’s such a good girl, we are so grateful for her goodness.  I’m also so grateful for how connected she is to her siblings.  The other day I came home from running kids around and heard laughing and chatting.  I walked in to see Anna, Abby, Nate and two of Nate’s friends laying around the front room.  It was so cute to see them all enjoying each so much.  We love Anna.

To Write the Wrights

The other night Anna needed some photos for a school assignment.  We pulled up this blog and started looking around.  Pretty soon everyone home at that time was gathered around the computer laughing and reminiscing as we looked at all the old photos and videos and read the funny things the kids had said.  I suddenly knew I had let something precious go.  When I started blogging, I fell in love immediately.  I knew I had found the perfect medium for my wordy, non-scrap booking self.  The bonus of blogging was that it was interactive.  I loved reading the comments and commenting on their blogs and feeling connected.   Eventually the interactiveness stopped.  The novelty wore off, and people got too busy to read about our less than exciting day to day lives and thoughts.  I knew it was still important to do, but I stopped.  I got busy, I got distracted.  I got Instagram.  The newest even easier way to connect and interact.  I love Instagram, but I miss writing and recording the lives of the Wright Family.

As I read through my old posts I had a pang of envy.  I envied my blogging self.   Blogging self had essentially the same life as current self does; but when I recorded our lives it gave me the chance to stand back and observe it.  Writing about the day let me right the day.  I could put things in perspective and order and see things I had totally missed when I had lived it the first time.  The last few years have gone by in a blur, an unrecorded blur.  I don't want anymore blurs -- I want memories, thoughts, feelings, photos, videos.  Anna is 15, she could move away to school in 2 and 1/2 years.  I want to live and re-live every minute we have with Anna, Abigail, Nathan, Benjamin, And Joshua.  I'm back.

Josh’s First Primary Talk

Yesterday Josh gave his first talk in Primary.  His topic was on the Savior, so I came up with a few lines and had him memorize them.  He memorized them very quickly and loved practicing.  We were both so excited for his big day.  Brennan had been in Las Vegas for the Mountain West college basketball conference finals, his plan was to drive to St. George Saturday night and then drive home Sunday.  He normally wouldn’t have left til 9 or 10, but he got up early to make sure he was back in time to hear Josh. 

Josh was so excited and proud of himself as he got to sit up in the front of the room.  When he started talking he was startled by the loudness of his voice because of the microphone.  So then he started whispering.  I finally picked him up and encouraged him to talk normally, but the other primary kids were cracking up by then and Josh DOES not like to be laughed at.  I finally persuaded him to do it with a few prompts he did.  We were so proud of him.  I filmed him tonight doing it all by himself.

Anna’s Solo and Ensemble Audition

Anna’s choir teacher asked her and another girl in their class to audition for Solo and Ensemble with the very beautiful duet, Andrew Lloyd Weber’s “Pie Jesu”.  At first Anna was supposed to do the alto part which is very hard because if you can’t find the first note of the phrase you’re hosed til the next phrase.   They performed it for their class and Anna messed up a few times – she was devastated.  So, they decided to switch, she would sing the soprano and her partner would do the alto part.  Last night, she got hit with aches and sore throat and basically flu symptoms.  She was so stressed about ruining this for her friend, again.  My dear friend, Sarah, helped them twice, and totally put Anna back together again last night.  Today, she couldn’t go to much of school but was determined to see this audition through.  She nailed it!  They both did.  I’m so proud of her for sticking it out, even when it got really hard.  I was able to video it.  I didn’t have the best vantage point, but you can still hear.

Our Little Musician

 

I have so much catching up to do on here, that I really have no business posting anything but all the catching up; however, these just can’t wait.  We were at my parents’ the other night and Josh started singing for us.  My Dad got some of it on video and I will be watching these several times a day.  I love him so much and I love how much he loves and dials into music. 

“I’m So Glad When Daddy Comes Home”

 

 

“Angel Lullaby”

 

This one is the one he needed the most help with, but the way he sings “hallelujah” just kills me.  I also love how everyone joins in and Anna and my Mom on harmony.

“Heavenly Choirs”

Anna and Chloe’s Talent Day

 

In Anna’s choir class after their concert they always do “talent day”.  Each student has to perform in front of their class.  They can do small groups or solos.  I love that their teacher makes them do this.  This year was extra scary because they’re in concert choir which is girls and boys.  Anna and Chloe worked up a number that Anna had done for Musical Theatre Workshop called “My New Philosophy” from You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.   All the other kids stood up and did current songs, but these two incredibly brave girls stood up in front of their 9th grade peers and totally performed!  I’m so impressed, because I think I was a fairly confident kid, but I NEVER would have had the guts to do this.  Their fellow students loved it, they got a standing ovation.

Christmas Card and Letter 2012

Merry Christmas

Joshy is getting heart-breakingly old and turned 3 last July. Fortunately, he is making these toddler years very fun and entertaining. He senses exactly when he needs to soften his dictatorial demands with his cherub charm that completely wins us over. He has a great imagination and loves to play with action figures. He named his favorite guy “Jenter”. He lost him and was so sad, but the kids found it, put it on the porch, rang the doorbell and ran. Josh opened the door, saw his long lost little action figure lying on the porch and in the most delighted voice squealed, “Jenter came home!!!!” We love Jenter, but mostly we love Joshua.

Benny is 6, and losing teeth by the second. He's always had a smile that embodies everything adorable, warm, cozy and sunny, but you add some big old gaps and it does not get cuter. Fortunately, he still mixes up some words like when he drank a slushy and yelled out, “Frain breeze!”. Ben is a first grader and is loving school. He also played soccer and basketball this year. He is a great athlete, and hands-down the most enthusiastic guy on the field or court. At the ripe old age of 6, he's definitely our most self-sufficient child. He also gets sick the most, I often wonder if that's just so I have a chance to take care of him sometimes. ;) We love Benjamin.

Nate is 9 and in 4^th grade. He has the best teacher in the school and he loves her. In the last year he has suddenly developed opinions about his hair and clothes. He eats more than all of us combined and is still always hungry. He loves to tease, but his smile and sense of humor make him irresistible and hilarious when he chooses to use his powers for good instead of evil ;). Nate is your typical rough and tumble boy, but has a soft spot for little kids (especially Josh) and animals. He loves all things sports especially basketball, LeBron James and football. He played flag football this year and loved it. We love Nathan.

Abby will be 12 in January and is loving her last year in elementary school. She is a great friend and is so blessed to have such fun, quirky, inclusive girls around her. Abby was in our city's production of “Hello Dolly” last summer and loved it. She also played soccer and still takes ballet and piano. She is super responsible and really kind of keeps things going around here. She does also know how to let loose though and keeps us very entertained. Abby isn't the least bit shy about telling us who her current crush is and all the ways he is so dreamy. The position of “Abby's current crush” tends to have a high turn-over rate. We love Abigail.

Anna is 14 and in her last year of junior high. A.maz.ing. She is pretty slammed with a heavy school load and has spent many hours playing with Josh, Ben, neighbor kids, stray cats, or anyone else she can find to avoid doing her homework ;). She's still playing and loving soccer with a great team. She is a delightful combination of fun-loving and free spirited with the biggest conscience known to man. “How Do You Solve a Problem like Anna Maria” from The Sound of Music describes her perfectly (how do you catch a cloud and pin it down?). We are so grateful to have such a sweet, cheerful 14 year old who still likes us most of the time. We love Anna.

Last summer we got around to cutting ties with Josh's binkies. We chose the sending-them-to-the-moon-via-balloons method. I anxiously anticipated trauma and drama on his part as we tied his beloved binkies to the balloons. I was taken by complete surprise when I found myself choking down sobs as those stupid balloons so peacefully and smugly drifted away with the last bit of babyhood in our family. Aside from those occasional moments, I am really enjoying this phase of life. I love still having young ones, but am also loving watching the big kids come into their own. Life is good.

They say golf is great for networking. I have come to realize just how true that is. Brennan continues to make more and more contacts for more and more golf. He also manages to turn many of those contacts into actual business, but mostly more golf ;). Brennan was recently released from working with the 12-13 year old boys in our ward. Several of these cute boys were literally in tears when they found out he wouldn't be their leader anymore. He was too. I love that about him -- that he has so much in common with 12-13 year old boys. Just kidding, I love his ability to connect with people and set them at ease. We feel very blessed to be at the top of the list of people he loves. We love Brennan.

Merry Christmas! We devour your letters, cards and pictures. We are so grateful for each of you and for this time of year to reflect on the gift of our Savior. May His peace and love fill each of our homes throughout this new year!

Love, The Wrights