July 2013

Family Letter for 2013

The family party was held July 6^th in Uncle Ralph and Aunt Diana’s back yard.

Sybil and Dean Bateman Family

Sybil

Mom is doing pretty darn well for everything she has been through.  Perhaps the bright spot of this year happened in January when we celebrated her 90^th birthday.  She feels like it was a day made in heaven.  She loved the dinner with her kids and then moving to the church house and having so many of the family come and spend time just with her, talking to her, visiting with her.  She loved seeing the little ones and felt like that day simply could not have been improved upon.  It was very sweet. 

Mom feels like she takes too many pills and goes to too many doctors.  She sleeps more than she used to during the day, and less at night.  She is keeping the congestive heart failure under control.  She is more wobbly than ever, but faithfully uses her walker. 

She loves your visits.  She loves her family and she is thankful for all that is done for her by you. 

Kent and Sharon Bateman Family

Kent and Sharon:  Tune--Back in the Saddle Again

I'm back on the Mountain again, back with all my missionary friends,

in my RV every night, we're just tryin to do what's right, back on the mountain again.

I'm ridin' the range once more, bouncin on my little 4 by 4.

I go to the mountain height, it's such a pretty sight, back on the mountain again.

Yippee-ki-i-oh, down the trail I go, on my four-wheeler again,

Yippee-ki-i-eh I work hard every day, back on the mountain again.

We try to stay in tune, readin' our scriptures every night,

Midst the quakies and the pines, We can see the Lord's designs, back on the mountain again.

I'm back on the mountain again, that's where my heart has always been.

The winter passed so slow, now I finally get to go, back on the mountain again.

Yippee-ki-i-o down the trail I go, on my four-wheeler again.

Yippee-ki-i-eh I work hard every day, back on the mountain again.

Love from us to you, we are healthy and happy and hope to make it to the party,

Kyle and Laren Bateman.  (Kent, Brian, Kyle)

I just want to make note as to the additions to the family. My wife and I had our first son, Michael, on May 29th this year.  And we’ve moved to LeVan to live in Kent and Sharon’s basement for the summer.

Curtis and Alison Sandall

Dear Family,
I've had to work this summer, It's been crazy!!! Training a new principal it makes my brain hurt. Work has picked up drastically for Curtis and we spend most of our weekends trying to find excuses to go to Flagstaff so I can see the kids. hee hee
I won't spend to much time writing this because I'm at work besides it's probably too late to get it in the family letter anyway. BUT, if Andrea says anything about me and my family..... Don't believe it!!!! She always threatens to write my letter cause I can't seem to pull it together. Just kidding.... IF, she wrote anything, it's because she's on the ball and I'm not.
I will be better this next year...

The important thing to note is........

NOBODY, IS PREGNANT!!!!!!!

LOVE,

Curtis, Alison
Jared, Zarah Claire Sawyer
Ben, Kaylee, Kaylee, Stetson
Trevor, Katie, Alyvia, Owen
Kaleb, Megan and Peyton

oh the the ole dogs
Cowboy and Ben's Dog Duke
love you all!!!

Brent and Terri Bateman

Hello good cousins. This is Brent. I certainly hope that you are well. Here is our update:

BRENT: Recently, I calmly walked downstairs whistling a merry tune, and after several minutes of searching, located my large sledge hammer and retrieved it from its dusty home. As I returned to the upstairs bedroom with it clasped tightly in my hand, I grinned serenely as I remembered the events of ten minutes previous. I had arisen from bed, and for the 273^rdtime, bonked my head on that stupid giant coffin sized feature sticking out of my wall. As I walked through the door, there was no pause as I took two strides and did my best repeated imitations of Mickey Mantle. The dust and chunks and shrapnel flew around me in a very satisfying manner as I swung ol’ Betsy while continuing to calmly hum “Abide With Me, Tis Eventide” again and again.

After several satisfying minutes of this, the cloud of dust settled, leaving a beautiful drywall-covered frost on my entire bedroom landscape, and revealing two new features to my home: a brand new seven foot by three foot hole in my bedroom wall, and a very large and beautiful pile that can only be described as debris.

This simple and highly recommended act saved our family several thousand dollars. For the past six months of my life has felt exactly is it would feel to be loosely duct-taped to the grill of a careening Peterbuilt. Looking at the wonderful hole in my wall during that time (until it was finally repaired) has kept me from needing to resort to professional therapy, or perhaps forced commitment.

TERRI: In contrast, Terri would describe the past six months to being buried head downward in the cottonseed pile while someone constantly tickles her feet, which she hates. It is a very conflicting thing for a mother to be GLAD that her children are gone. However, since she works five part-time jobs, no fooling, and for the past six months has full time prepared to send two missionaries out, she has been a little busy. What’s more, she spent all of last week at girl’s camp, where she was the ward camp director. I am fortunate to have her home again, but will admit that I had to literally drag her back kicking and screaming. It is a sad commentary when girls camp (“the noisiest place on earth”) with 30 girls is preferable to being at home with me.

ZOE: Literally, right now, as I write this, we do not know where Zoe is. We think that she is somewhere in Pennsylvania.

SAM: We do know where Sam is. He is currently in the Dominican Republic MTC. We spend quite a bit of time looking at his location on Google Earth, figuring that we may actually be able to spot him because of his giant head. We also know what he is doing right now. Right now he is sitting in a classroom thinking “What in the crap is that person SAYING??? Is that even a LANGUAGE??? WHEN IS HE GOING TO SAY A WORD I KNOW LIKE ADIOS OR ENCHILADA?? HOW AM I EVER GOING TO LEARN THIS???” After being utterly bewildered in the Dominican Republic for the next five weeks, Sam will jump across the pond to Puerto Rico, to bring Puerto Rican souls unto Christ. Sam opened his mission call in January at the state wrestling tournament after taking 8^th place. He left on his mission in June, five days after graduating from High School. This contrasts quite differently from Zoe, who opened her mission call in March and reported to the MTC five weeks later in April.

DAISY: Puberty has transformed Daisy into a five foot tall walking hormonal bazooka. She frequently explodes with toxic outbursts regarding some various emotional crisis or another, ranging from life threatening love for a boy she met, to vicious rage at her lone remaining and quite innocent brother "being so immature." And she now attracts boys. Lots of them. On a hot day, one can actually see the pheromones rising from her body. I expect to be in jail for murdering one of them before the end of 2014.

JEFF: Jeffrey, on the other hand, remains joyfully uncomplicated. That is all that needs to be said about him.

Well, since I now have to write letters to two missionaries for the third time this week, that is all you get. I would say that you can keep up with my family by checking out my blog or friending me on facebook, but you can’t since neither exist. I am happy, however, to chat with you anytime. Even if you only call because you have a legal question, I will pretend along with you for the first few minutes that you called just to catch up with your favorite cousin, and we can happily chat about life. I will also pretend to be surprised when you remember last second to mention the thorny legal issue you were wondering about, which I will gladly attempt to answer. This is because now, at 46 years old, I have found that I really do love my family and will enjoy talking to you. That is not a joke.

Heath and Kathy

Kathy is fine; Lindsey is fine; Lauren is fine . . . . . Ok let’s get on to the story.

I have to admit that I hate to go to West Jordan anymore. It is so depressing to see what has become of the Farm. Like many of you that were raised on the farm, the pain of not having the farm is still tender and depressing. I went over to visit Grandma a few weeks ago and Kathy had to tell me to stop complaining about what the farm has become. Do those people who live there really know the personal history of that place? Probably not! It is not just the land that they bought, it is our history and lives that they have acquired. Especially that guy that lives in my Mom and Dad’s old house. I think his name is Cazier or something like that. I hope he is taking care of it and not abusing it. Every time I come to Grandma’s house, I drive down by the old shed to the rock area to throw eggs at Dale’s old house and to look at the condition of my old house. Often we see something that looks different that the new homeowner has done and I stop and say, “What an idiot! Doesn’t he know that shrub he removed kept the basement cooler in the summer? That guy doesn’t know crap from Crayola!” Again a subtitle reminder from Kathy to shut up and deal with it.

There is not much over there that I can still take credit for. I did however, help Grandpa and Warren Parker put the toy box together. We built it out of old wood and I think some of the old gun boxes that were down on the farm forever ago. The same type of gun boxes that Grandma’s old garage is built out of. Grandpa was sure smart when it came to stuff like that. I would look at a pile of old gun boxes and would see the possibility of a really cool bonfire. He would look at some old vintage gun boxes and see permanent structures like garages and buildings that Heath could look at and dream of starting a large bonfire. I miss Grandpa.

I can remember when the family built the D & D Dairy Bar (what kind of name was that??? Especially since for the longest time, they would not sell alcohol. Dairy and Bar??? I mean I understand the D & D. . . . . Dungeons and Dragons right? That’s like going to the kids store named H & H Diapers and Crack to purchase formula.) I don’t know the year it was built but I can vividly remember being carried through the construction of the building with my Dad. From the opening of that store until the present time, my life has revolved around one theme: GET CANDY! Grandpa was the gate keeper for candy. Getting to know him better meant that I was closer to the candy. However, getting closer to Grandpa also meant having to work for the candy. Get closer to the candy, have to work for the candy. Not such a good trade. Get Candy! Get Candy! I can remember when the concept of Halloween was introduced to me.

“Wait a minute . . . . Who’s giving away candy??? . . . . . Everyone we know is giving away candy!!??? All I have to do is go to their house and they will give me CANDY!!!??? I’ll wear whatever you want me to wear, just take me with you. WHAT! Brent is using his pillow case to carry all the candy in??? Yea! I’m all over that!!! Get Candy, Get Candy, Get Candy!

That is still almost the only thing I can think about. I remember Grandpa taking Brent and I to a place he called ‘The Wholesale House’ to pick up things to sell in the store (somewhat like Costco but a lot dirtier and no samples of Toquitos and Cheese Doodles or 16lb drums of nutmeg.) Candy was stacked in boxes and boxes as far as the eye can see. In fact, you won’t believe this but every word is true. I, yes I was the one that first brought Big League Chew (bubble gum) and the Whatchamacallit candy bars to the store. Grandpa let me pick out and new type of candy to sell on two different occasions and those are what I chose. I have spoken before about Grandpa letting Brent and I sleep over in the store but I’ll bet you never heard this story before.

One Saturday night I was sitting around watching television when on the TV a commercial on Candy came on. I can clearly remember what candy it was too. It was Boston Baked Beans (which is borderline a true candy nor is it baked beans so I don’t know why it set me off so bad but none the less, it did). Saturday night at home alone with no money, the cravings began again, Get Candy, Get Candy, Get Candy! In my mind I started thinking of a way to GET CANDY! If my memory serves, I went into Brian’s room to look for any kind of candy stash. Finding only body building pictures (some of which I could not tell if they were boys or girls in the pictures. I thought they were girls because they wore bikini tops but had not boobs.) and some musty funk only a teenage older brother could produce, I left without my precious candy. I went upstairs and looked around to see if there was anything that could be used as candy. I learned a valuable lesson that day. Not all chocolates are the same. There is something in a can in the cupboard that says Hershey’s Chocolate on it, smells like it, but brother, it ain’t chocolate. It comes in a powder and tastes NASTY! One spoon full takes 10 minutes to get out from between your teeth.

Finding nothing but flower and some part of a cow in the fridge, I walked to the front door and looked between Steve’s and Lynn’s house to see the Dairy Bar. Rows and Rows of Candy. Get Candy, Get Candy, Get Candy! Alas, closed for the weekend. (I didn’t have any money anyway) I walked back into the kitchen with my mind still heavily set upon the endless supplies of candy at the Dairy Bar when to my surprise; on the counter I saw my mom’s key ring. My eye rested upon two things. First, the large key was the key to the Dairy Bar. Second, there was a self defense Mace canister on it as well. Both were representative of a choice I was about to make. I could take the key and go down the store and get me some candy! Get Candy, Get Candy, Get Candy! But the Mace can represented pain that would come if I was ever found out. My thought process was something out of a cartoon with a little guy standing on each shoulder trying to win the conversation. It went something like this,

(Left Side) “You know, the candy is really already yours . . . . You are a Bateman . . . . . It belongs to your parents . . . . Your parents supply food to you (and occasionally candy) . . . . Perhaps nobody will even notice a few candy bars missing.”

(Right Side) “On the other hand, seeing that mace canister and if you get caught, great will be the pain there of!”

(Left Side Loud and clearly) “Get Candy, Get Candy, Get Candy!”

So I took the keys, went and put on my darkest cloths and headed down through the field to D & D Dairy Bar. (At this point I think D & D stands for Daring and Diabolical).

I sat in the bushes at the bottom of the field for several minutes clutching those keys in my hand wondering if what I was doing was going to be worth it. After all, I had watched my mom and grandpa on many occasions unlock the door, walk in to the key panel, take the little key and turn both alarm switches to the left, remove the key, take down the trip wire, all the while counting down from 10. I knew I could repeat the process. I just kept contemplating and thinking of what would hap . . . . . Get Candy, Get Candy, Get Candy!!! Like Pavlov’s dog, the saliva was dripping down my cheeks thinking about Candy. LET’S GO FOR IT! AFTER ALL THE CANDY IS ALREADY MINE ANYWAY!

When there were no traffic lights coming down 1300 West, I ran across the parking lot to the back door. I put the key into the lock and turned it to the left until I heard it click. I knew the countdown didn’t start until the door was actually open so I just stood there looking at that Mace Canister wondering if wha . . . . . . Get Candy, Get Candy, Get Candy! I rushed into the store and said out loud 10. . . 9. . . 8 . . . (made it to the switches). . . 7 . . . (put the key in and turned) . . . 6 . . . 5 . . . (removed the key and put it into the other switch) . . . 4 . . . 3 . . . (turned the other switch) . . .2 . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . silence.

I walked back and locked the door behind me and when I knew I was safe inside the voices in my mind started again.

(Right Side) “Well, now you have done it! All this danger for a little bit of candy??

(Left Side) “Don’t forget Heath. That candy is already yours. Your name is on the store.”

(Left Side) “Just take one thing. Something they won’t miss. Just what you were craving and make sure there is no evidence of the caper.”

(Right Side) “Yes, I can at least be a gentleman about this.”

After about 5 of the longest minutes of my life I was ready to leave. I had 2 full size grocery bags full of one of each brand of candy bars, several yogurts, and a bag of Nacho Doritos. Dangling beneath on my index fingers was a gallon of orange juice on both hands. Yea!!! Really Subtle!!! What happened to the Right Side Voice??? Casualty of Get Candy, Get Candy, Get Candy! I guess.

Stacking the two grocery bags on top of each other and setting the orange juice down on the ground I carefully reset the trip wire and went to the key switches. I inserted the key and then got ready. On your mark! Get Set! Go! I turned the key and started counting down from 10 once more. 10 . . (turn the first key) . . . 9 . . . (remove the key and put it into the other switch . . . 8 . . .7 . . . (Turn the Key) . . .6 . . .(remove the key) . . . 5 . . .(turn around and bend down and pick up the orange juice) . . . 4 . . .(fumble with holding the bags and both gallons of orange juice) . . . 3 . . . (run to the door while nearly spilling candy bars all over and trying to hold onto the key ring with two fingers and a gallon of orange juice hanging from the other two.) . . . 2 . . . 1 . . . (Slam the door like Alison did to her bedroom door when the announcement was made that Disco was dead) . . . . . . . . . . Silence . . . . (Breathing hard and fumbling with the shopping bags and gallons of orange juice) . . . . . . . . . .Still silence . . . . .

(Left Side) HOLY CRAP! That was stupid and scary. You almost got busted!

(Right Side) HOLY CRAP! That was stupid and scary. You almost got busted!

I set down orange juice and got the key and inserted it into the door and turned the key to lock the deadbolt.

(Right Side) Get Candy, Get Candy, Get Candy!

(Left Side) Got Candy, Got Candy, Got Candy!

After I returned the key back to the vertical position, and pulled it out, I could not stop thinking about what I had just done. No going back now. “Well, at least I got away with it.” I turned to leave in the cover of darkness when flashing back to my mind was one last step that my mom would do after she removed the key from the door lock. I thought that I better finish all the procedures that she did to make sure everything was complete. So with a gallon of orange juice hanging from each pinky and 2 large shopping bags full of candy and treats I pushed on the door with my knee to make sure it was locked. OPPS! The DOOR WENT SWINGING OPEN.

(Both Sides) OH CRAP! What second was I on? UMMM 8. . . .6 . . . . 2. . . . . . .TOO LATE!!!! And then a sound that I as unfamiliar with. That low resonating sound of that spinning alarm. It stared really low and fairly quiet but before I could even swallow, it sounded like a WWII air raid was happening in West Jordan. I just stood there counting down in my mind staring at the place where that horn was blazing away. I was sure to see Frank, Trapper and Hawkeye come running out of the S.W.A.M.P. because they were being bombed by the North Koreans. After I gathered myself and realized that everyone from Sandy to Murray could hear that horn I jumped into the store and closed the door behind me. Immediately the wrong choice. The horn was twice as loud inside and it was too late to put everything back on the shelves. With that alarm blazing so loud enough to crack my teeth, I ripped open the door again and slammed it shut, shoved the key into the lock, locked the deadbolt. Turning and running toward the field with terror in my eyes I ran as fast as my grocery bag carrying legs would take me. I decided that running though the pasture instead of the corn field might give me some more cover so I veered off the trail and headed toward the bottom of the farm. Get Candy, Get Candy, Get Candy had turned into RUN FASTER, RUN FASTER, RUN FAS. . . . .BOOM!

All I remember is candy and yogurt flying through the air. My feet had left the ground and I was heading toward the earth at an astonishing speed. I my first thought was had a police sniper shot me? I was lying on the ground looking up into the night with that terrible alarm still blaring into the night and I could not tell if the stars I was seeing were actually in the night sky or just in my head. Quickly, I sat up only to find candy bars all over the pasture, a gallon of orange juice broken on the ground and another one at least 15 feet away. I then noticed the barb wire fence I had just run into in the dark. Cloths Lined!

(Right Side) “You Idiot, you knew that fence was there. Serves you right!”

(Left Side) “Get Candy, Get Candy, Get Candy . . . Don’t Let Mom Catch You!

I gathered up all the candy I could see in the dark, slurped up a mouthful of orange juice from a hoof print in the dirt from a heifer in the field, and started back for home. (At this point I think D & D stands for Dumb and Dumbest!)

Only when I was down stairs in my house did the sound of that alarm leave my ears. It took several more days for it to leave my mind however. I went to the unfinished part of the basement and stashed my candy and treats in a corner of a junk room I don’t think anyone has ever visited before in the basement and sat down to think about what had just happened.

You know, candy didn’t seem to sound so good anymore. I wished I could start over and not have done this stupid act. I could see how disappointed my mom, my Aunt Diana and my Grandpa would be if they ever found out. I was contemplating flushing it all down the toilet to try to get rid of it. I determined to just let that stuff sit back there until it all rotted away and my problem disappeared. The spirit had left me to myself and I knew I had royally screwed up! I wanted to turn myself in but would rather not have a beating from my Father and Mother. I hoped it would just go away.

The next day I was sitting in my room downstairs when my bedroom door opened up and my Mom was standing there with a grocery bag full of candy bars, Swedish fish and yogurt. As long as I live I will never forget the look on her face. The look was the look of someone whom had decided that their child had lived enough on this earth and it was time to return him to his God. In a surprised and cracking voice I said, “Whhaatts Thhhatt?” She answered, “You tell me!” “I’ve never seen that in my whole life. I retorted. (As most of us parents already know, when your children lie to you it makes it better and makes all the anger and pain go away. NOT!!) In a deep, low voice I hope to never hear again, she said to me, “WHERE DID YOU GET THIS??” As fast as my mind would go I thought of another great lie! “Just say, it belonged to a friend whom hijacked a candy truck bound for the troops in Panama for the USO tour.” “Yea!” “That’ll work!” Instead I blurted out in a falsetto voice, DDAAIIRRYY BBAARR????

I woke up in the emergency room 3 days later from massive head and rump trauma from the beating I took that day.

Not really in the hospital. Still at home. But let me tell you . . . . . as Ricky Ricardo said to Lucy on many occasions, “You’ve got some splaning to do.”

The next day, we went down so I could apologize to Diana for what I had done. Diana taught me a great lesson that day. My mom was so angry with me, she told Diana that I should be banned from the store, (I never saw my Dad for a few days. I think my mom either tied him up and put him downstairs in the candy hiding place or drugged him and kept him in bed for the beating he was sure to reign down upon me when he saw me next. ) Diana looked me in the eye and she said, “No!” I thought for sure she was going to say, “Let's call the police and have him spend a few days in Judy. That will teach him.” Instead, she taught this lesson to me. She said, “I won’t ban you from the store. You have lost my trust but I love you and I want you to build that trust with me again. It is a terrible thing you just did but now you go and do good things so I can trust you again soon. In my mind, if I was banned, I had decided that I would never be able to speak with Diana again. But you know what? I have never felt like I could not talk to her because of the lesson of forgiveness she showed me that day.

I have never spoken of this before and there are only a few that know about it but I tell it today for two reasons. First because I am an idiot! Second because of family. I have never publicly told Diana how much that meant to me to have her trust me again. I lament the loss of the farm but not the ties that holds it together in our hearts. Thank heaven for forgiveness. Thank heaven for family members who support and care for us.

Heath

Jarom and Andrea Echols Brood

It’s been a great year for us, shame that it is mostly a blur… But, here we go anyway.  The kids started school in August.  Emma in 6^th grade, Rachel in 3^rd grade and Hannah in 1^st.  And Lily was the first in our family to attend pre-school. (Never going to do that again, I’m not committed enough to education to have that much responsibility… I’m lucky to get the older kids out the door everyday).  Anyway, the kids loved their teachers and excelled in their classes.  And I have successfully (with tremendous help from her teacher) added one more literate person, (Hannah) to the world.  So grateful for awesome educators who pour their heart and souls into teaching our kids!  August we celebrated Jarom’s birthday by making him pack the car and sleep over night on a sheet of plywood at Heber Valley Camp.  Though it was fun to visit the parents, I’m sure for his next birthday he’d prefer to stay home and sleep in!  We also celebrated Levi’s 2^nd birthday.  Only boy in a family of girls!  He and dad stick together, and he’s not that bad off at all.  That kid is so spoiled!  We love him and are glad we finally got a brother! 

September we ended the soccer season.  Emma’s team took 1^st place for their age group.  Rachel decided that this would be her last year playing.  Hannah just got faster and better, and Lily spent a lot of time splashing water on her face claiming it would help her run faster.  Better that, I guess, then laying on the ground where she spent the rest of her time.

In October, we were blessed to have our 6^th child, 5^th girl.   Little Ellie came to our home healthy and happy.  She is an excellent baby and gets all the attention everywhere we take her, until her cousin Oscar shows up.  That’s ok, cause we love Oscar too! 

November came and went in a flash as well as December.  Thus comes in that “blur” I spoke of… I’m sure I’m not the only one that happened to.  After Christmas Emma was scheduled to have the hardware taken out of her knees.  The day of the surgery Emma got up… and ate breakfast.  Crap!  We called the hospital and they cancelled the surgery.  We wanted to get it done because our out of pocket max had been met with our insurance.  Now we would have to reschedule for January.  Later that day, we got a call saying they had a cancellation for the next day… Emma said it was a Christmas miracle.  And it was!

January: Rachel turned 9.  She is loving and fun, and is always trying to do what is right!

In February Emma turned 12!  She was able to participate and serve in the YW sweetheart dinner on her birthday.  She loves YW, does everything Mom and Dad ask of her, and loves her little brother and sisters.

March…. Well, March happened.  Jarom started a second, second job, doing QA work from home.  It only took about a week of that for him to decide to quit his first second job at the “quick-e-mart.”  Good decision.  Though he is actually working more, we are enjoying the flexibility that comes with working from home.

April was very eventful.  Lily turned 5 on the 28^th!  She was all the way too disappointed when she realized she wasn’t headed to Kindergarten the next day.  Lily and the rest of us spent her birthday at Heber Valley Camp.  She wanted to, and well, we’d better comply! Lily struggles with her emotions like any 5 year old little girl, but she can be sweeter than honey!  She finished up her second year of speech therapy and has made leaps and bounds.  In the beginning of April Ellie got sick.  I took her to the ER and found out she had pneumonia.  It was a rough couple of weeks, but we felt blessed that it wasn’t something more serious and that we caught it early enough that she didn’t have to be hospitalized.  To avoid the hospital, we made a deal with the Doc that we would bring her in everyday to be checked and give her both antibiotics and daily breathing treatments.  She recovered beautifully!  At the end of April marked teacher appreciation week, and the end of being the room mom for Emma’s class.  I love being a room mom and being involved in what my kids are doing in school.

May 11^th was Hannah’s 7^th birthday.  Yay!  No ER visits this year!  Double Yay!  She is sweet and fun, and loves to do anything physical.  This year she learned one handed round-offs in tumbling and front hand springs in the back yard.  She doesn’t quite land on her feet and I keep telling her to stop… she doesn’t listen.  In May we also started softball.  The kids love playing and I love them getting outside and being part of a team.

In the beginning of June, Jarom started a new full time job.  He is now working from home and we are grateful to be saving all that money he spent in gas driving to and from Springville every day.  He will also have the flexibility to be with the family more, and see more ball games or other activities the kids are doing.  We are excited for this change and hope it will be better in the long run.  We also finished softball and signed up for soccer… and to our not so surprise, Rachel decided to play one more year.

The house is great, the kids are great, and we love being part of an awesome eternal plan that allows us to be part of this awesome, eternal family.

Kirt Bateman and Jerry Rapier

Finally! We have news to report. Our lives have been the same, unchanged, for so long, that we still have moments of disbelief as to what has happened. In August we found out that we had been chosen by a girl, living across the country, to be the parents of her unborn son. The next couple of months we were busy meeting the birth family and finishing up paperwork. On a side note, we found out that the paternal birth grandmother grew up in the trailer court next to the farm. Small world! Anyway, November 1st we hit the open road, scared to death for what was to come. We arrived, settled in to our temporary home, and impatiently waited. On November 20th, Oscar George Bateman Rapier arrived and changed our lives forever. We had to stay put for a couple of months while we finished up the adoption, but it was so nice to have that time away from work and life as we knew it, to just be with our new son. On January 31st, we went to court and the judge made it official! Oscar has been very busy and curious since his birth and at the tender age of 7 months, is moving all over the house and has recently pulled himself up to standing. We know he is going to keep us very busy, but we couldn't feel more lucky to have him.

Wayne (and Ranae) Bateman Family

Wayne

Well I am now 68 years old, and still as crazy as a man of 101. This year with the addition of three more grandchildren I now have 23 grandchildren total. It seems there is always someone coming or going from grandpa’s house these days. Of course that may be because of the candy I have hidden in my room, but I tell myself it is because they love me. This year I will have lucky opportunity to have my brain scanned, and I am not sure what they may see.  Who knows, it could be empty up there. I mean let’s be honest, the grey matter is dying as we speak. Really though, they are doing it to see why I have a balance problem lately, and I hope they can figure it out. I am pretty excited about the fact that Light Rail will be going down through Draper soon and I will be able to go catch the train to get around more to where I want to go. Julie and Jeff redid the upstairs bathroom and removed the tub to put in a shower for easier access for me. I now have a three headed shower-head, and I wonder why I ever waited to get one. I am working on a healthier diet that includes red meat and apple fritters. The doc said fruit and protein are important for the body. Really though, I have lost 24lbs and I am working on better habits so I stick around for my grandchildren. I still enjoy my gun hobby to many of my children’s dismay. However, I get to go shooting with some of them in the summer time. With two of my sons getting married this summer I will be adding new daughters to the crowd and a granddaughter which I already counted. I felt like they were all part of the family long before it became official. All in all I am doing well and have managed to keep from shooting myself in the foot yet.

Amy and Frank

Amy and Frank have been up to a lot this year. The big news for them is that they got sealed in the temple April 23, and couldn't be happier. Frank is trying to adopt Zachary so they can be sealed to him as well. Cody is living on his own, with some friends. He has been working hard, being an adult. Zachary has summer job, he is really excited to have something to do. Little Wyatt just turned 4, we can't believe how fast time flies. Life has thrown them a few curve balls but they are just doing their best to take one thing at a time.

Julie and Jeff Robinson Family

Well what can we say about our family, except it is ever changing. Our life, much like yours, continues to go through phases and shifts. So I have to say first, we are all alive and well. Jeff has been working as a substitute teacher now as well as maintaining the household, and let’s not forget, he is also handling my dad. We took on the project this year of redoing the upstairs bathroom, which was quite a chore since we had to do it quickly so dad would not have to go downstairs. However, it is done and we are relieved. So we all know he deserves a Medal of Honor, or at least an award for patience. Julie(I) have been working this year at both Joe's Crab Shack and Buffalo Wild Wings. Jeff and I both took summer semester off from school to get things done with the house and family. As far as educations go we are proud to say our Brittney graduated from Alta high school this year, and on my mom’s birthday. It was a very great day. We are so happy for her and can’t wait to see what she takes on in the next phase of her own life. Sydney has also graduated onto bigger and better things, we call it middle school. So while we move on from one teenager to an adult we have once more entered the teenage years with her. Thomas our youngest, will be in 3rd grade when school starts back up this year. However, he thinks it is his job to play video games 24/7 without going outside at all. I mean, who needs the sun anyway, right? It is our running fight. We need to constantly remind him that there is a world outside too.

So like I said we continue to move forward and we are happy, and that is all we could ever ask for.

Camille and Dustin Haight-

Hello family. We have had a great year. There have been a few changes for us as there always is, so I will try to start at the beginning. Since our last letter I (Camille) have had my first book published, as many of you already know. There were ups and downs during this process, and many chances to learn and grow. I stay pretty busy these days with cleaning up the edits on that first book, editing the second book in that series, and writing the third. If you read book one, Forgotten Enemy, and want to read book two, The Price of Knowing, I hope to have it out late this summer. Last summer I also took on a part time job working from home for a company called Blue Point Sales and Metals. I handle the internet marketing and sales of used heavy equipment. I can now tell you all the difference between a Trackhoe and a wheel loader, something I never thought I would even care to know, lol. However, it gives me a chance to test my marketing skills. Since I paid a fortune for the degree I suppose I ought to use it a little bit. I am still attending University of Phoenix for my BA in communications and digital publishing.

On another note, I should mention that Dustin continues to work hard at Walmart to keep the customers happy, while working hard to keep his wife happy as well. Not an easy task as I am a very demanding wife. He has had an even harder time of keeping the balance since this year is his turn on graveyards, and he is solar powered creature of light. The moon has the tendency to drain his superpowers. Although seeing a new Superman movie helped restore them a little. There may be a move in our future as well, as Dustin is on the hunt to manage his own store, and is looking for the right one that will keep us in Utah. So we will see where the wind takes us. I kinda hope it keeps me here in southern Utah. Dustin also continues his efforts to earn his BA in human resource management at UOP.

On to the kids now, I will start with the newest addition to our family. We were blessed this year with one more girl. Her name is Kendra Camille, named after Hawkgirl since I nixed naming her after Supergirl. (Yes, we are a little nerdy.) In any case she is as sweet as sugar. Little Kendra came to our family on May 12^th, Mother’s Day, awesome gift, I know! She weighed in at 7lbs 1oz and was 19.5 inches. However, now at six weeks old she is growing like a champ, and completely spoiled by her sisters. Kalie who is now 13 (Heaven help us, she is a teenager now.) spoils her the most. She will take any chance she can to hold and cuddle that baby. When she is not doing that she spends her time working as a babysitter 4 days a week and has a call, it seems, every time I turn around from someone else needing a sitter. I’m pretty sure is building a waiting list. She is still playing the violin and loves that she can now play the theme song to Lord of the Rings. In fact, her school orchestra won at the Southern Utah Preforming Arts Festival this year. Cassidy is now 10 and still lives for sports, playing outside, and video games, although soccer still seems to be her calling. She was made team captain this year and her team won second place at the Thanksgiving tournaments as well as second place for the spring season. It is fun to see the team climb from the bottom to second in a couple seasons.

Now Emily and Aspen’s world is not so chaotic. For Emily, now nearing seven years old, her friends and dancing consume her life. She is still my little dreamer. When not playing imaginary games with friends, or playing at dance class, she makes up dances and plays for Mom to watch. While Aspen, at three, believes she should run the house, (and often does). She is a little bossy to say the least, and also believes every house, car and item of clothing should be purple. She wants to wear a dress that spins every day and believes that makes her a princess.

Now if you were keeping track that is five girls. Five little girls that keep us hopping and crazy every day, and while every day is a little different we know that as Dustin told me once, “you can’t have love without Haight,” and each Haight girl in this house gives us a little more Love at Home.

Melissa and Robert Christensen

This has been an exciting year for our family. We have added Miss Melaina Rayne to the mix. Melaina was born on April 8th at a whopping 8lbs 10oz. We have come to the conclusion that April is just our month. Melaina is such a good baby and already sleeps through the night.

Robert is 12 short weeks away from graduating college with his bachelors degree and we couldn't be more excited. He has worked so hard to get finished with school and we are very proud of everything he has accomplished. I (Melissa) have been up to the same old stuff. I am still the PTA president at Grayson's school, which keeps me busy. I also work with the Autism Council of Utah, the Autism Coalition, and The Utah Parent Center. I keep busy with the kids and everything else.

Grayson is getting ready to start 5th grade, and turned 10 in April. He is still going to the Pingree Center for Autism and growing by leaps and bounds. We couldn't be more proud of him. Watching everything Grayson has accomplished makes us realize how important the little thing are. He is such a strong and sweet boy. Grayson is the best brother and loves every minute he gets with his little sisters.

Alyia is our little firecracker; she definitely keeps us on our toes. Alyia turned 3 this April.  It is so hard to believe she is already that big. She definitely thinks she needs to mother everyone. She attended her first year of preschool and thought it was her job to take care of the kids. I am not sure she realized she was one of them. Alyia definitely loves to take care of her brother and sister as well. She is definitely all girl. She is so much fun and we couldn't imagine life without her.

We are so blessed to have such a great life and family. I think we just try our best to appreciate all of the little things. I really couldn't ask for anything better.

Nathan Bateman and Malisa

We are so excited for our up-coming wedding on August 20th. We are working hard to get everything perfect. I (Nathan) am the department head of electrical at Home Depot in Riverton. Malisa is an area supervisor at Ross. Everything has been great for us this year and we couldn't be more excited to see what the future has in store for us. We know we can make it through anything as long as we are together.

Brett and Natalie Loveland

Well, it's been another big year for our family. We bought our first house, and we are in the process of making it our home. On October 23,  2012 we became a forever family when we went through the temple, and were sealed to our beautiful little girls. It was an experience we will never forget, and we are so thankful some of the Bateman family got to be a part of it with us. We also found out we were expecting shortly after our trip to the temple. We will be welcoming our 4th and final baby girl any day now.

We are happy to say Brett is still working at Kennecott Utah Copper despite the land slide and lay-offs that happened this year. He is still driving the haul trucks, and recently got put on the ore team working 13 hour shifts. He loves working there and we are very grateful he still has his job.

I'm still a stay at mom and with 4 girls under 4 that's about all I have time for. Our girls keep me on my toes, and I love being able to stay home and watch them grow and learn.

Brynlee, our oldest turned 3 in November, and she is such a smart girl. She is mom’s big helper and such a great big sister. Brett taught her how to shoot a bow and arrow this year, and she makes her daddy proud. She will be a better archery hunter than him in no time, I'm sure.

Quinn turned 2 in January, and she is our stubborn, fun-loving child. She is Brynlee's little shadow, but with a mind of her own. Quinn is pretty easy going, except she won't do anything unless it’s her idea. She's the same size as Brynlee, so we get asked "are they twins?" a lot.

Cambree turned 1 in March. Cambree is made of fire and ice, no sugar and spice in this little girl. She is quite the little trouble maker, but what 1 year old isn't? She is pretty spoiled and we are interested in seeing how she will adjust to the new baby in the weeks to come.

Finally we come to our newest addition. Kennedy, was born on June 18^th weighing in at 5lbs 15oz and 19.5 inches long. We are so happy to have another little piece of Heaven. It's been a great year for our family, and we are excited to see what else this year has in store for us.

Brenda and Gary Jeppson Family

Gary and Brenda

Life certainly seems boring for us Empty Nesters right now---no proms, high school diplomas, marriages, missions, babies, cruises, hospitalizations—BUT WAIT!!  There is more!!  Just one or two little things which I will mention, but you must get details from the kids.

Gary is in his third week of retirement, all done without much fanfare.  He finished up a big job for Zirconium (General Electric) out on the northeast shore of Great Salt Lake, and since no other work was forthcoming, he just did it.  We’re kind of sad and kind of glad.  I did some substituting during the school year, not to exceed seven days a month; that was my high.

Brad is moving from Phoenix to Boise for his same firm, Corollo Engineers.  He is SO happy; he has never learned to adjust to Phoenix’s heat and spread-out freeways and commuter requirements.  He loves winter weather and snowy sports, and they’ve been in Phoenix for 12 or 13 years, so his family is also okay with the move.  Speaking of Myrissa, she earned her degree last month from ASU.

Christopher has been accepted by the State Department, and is headed out soon to the Soviet Bloc or somewhere else as remote. It’s called the Foreign Service, like where ambassadors get killed.  He trains in DC for five months, then off they go!  His house is up for sale.

Holly is employed part-time as a Dental Assistant!  First time she has worked since marrying.

Jennifer has one more year in Japan.  At least, that’s what they are saying at the moment.  Madison has one more year of high school. . . . it’s about time they were home, right?  Maybe Gary and I can get in on the mission calls.

Neal is really happy with his CES work.  Get this:  Brad’s company, Corollo, and Brad, are working for the city of San Angelo, Texas (Neal’s city), to develop a new civic water system.

Gary has torn off our back deck completely.  After 32 years, it was rotting.  So new deck by snowfall.

Abbie, Holly’s daughter, will be traveling with me to Okinawa the last half of June.  I’m absolutely sure it will be my last visit, whether Cheneys make it home in a year or not.

Mission coming up, I surely hope before I write another of these family updates.

Not too bad for having nothing to say. . . .                                                  bbj

Jennifer and Randy Cheney

The Cheneys are still in Japan, where Randall works for the Air Force. We'll be home in another year. Madison and Levi are playing in a Japanese youth orchestra, Jacob and Madison are trying to get summer jobs as lifeguards, Jonathan plays the trombone in his school band, Jacob swims on the swim team, and Madison runs on the cross-country team. Levi is a member of taiko drum and soroban (abacus) clubs at his school. He also ran 100 miles in a running club at school this year. All four of our kids are great students and doing well. This is really boring to anyone reading, but it's what we're kept busy and happy with. We have lots of good friends here and are very blessed to have the opportunity to live here. We're also looking forward to coming home and working on our house and property. :)

Lee and Holly Woolsey

The Woolseys are all doing great in Richfield! We are enjoying summer by doing things like scout camp, girls camp, family reunions, sports camp, traveling the world (Abbie is in Japan with Brenda and Jennifer’s family), gardening, bike riding, barbequeing, playing tetherball (best $50 ever spent!) staying up late and sleeping in! Abbie is taller than Holly and Nathan beat Lee in a tug-a-war, so things are changing at our house!!

We love life here and everybody is doing really well.

Christopher and Allyson Jeppson

Our family has much to report this year.  We could bore you with the regular updates like how awesome our kids are and how they are excelling at virtually everything they try, but let’s just get to the real news:  We are cashing in our chips and headed overseas for the rest of our career!  The Foreign Service has hired Chris as a Facilities Manager which means he will supervise a variety of crews of tradesmen that keep the embassies running smoothly (carpenters, electricians, HVAC workers, painters, mechanics and plumbers).  We feel very much guided that this is what Heavenly Father wants for our family at this time.   We are especially excited for our opportunities that will be available to us through the rapidly expanding restored gospel throughout the world.  We report to Washington DC on July 15^th and will be stationed there until November.  We will then report to our first assignment (we don’t yet know where our first assignment will be but it could be anywhere in the world).  We will be reassigned to a new post location every 2 to 3 years.  Allyson plans on teaching special education in the Anglo-American Schools our kids will be attending at each post and spend plenty of time soaking in the culture, history and sights of each post.  Many have called us crazy for leaving our beautiful life in our little storybook town of Wellsville and for selling our home we worked so hard on, but that seems to be the very reasons that make it so appealing for us.  The experiences we will have will bless our kids with a rare perspective on the blessings of our lives as Americans.  Our three boys will be leagues ahead of their peers when it comes to missionary work and charitable views of the world.  Too many of us wander about our lives complaining about even a slightly diminished luxury when most of the world has never even imagined most of what we feel we’re entitled to.  We want our boys to understand how blessed our circumstances are. 

As a result, our whole lives are either up for sale or destined for storage.  For the next few months, life will be intensely hectic for us, but we are anticipating it all being worth it in the end.  Suddenly we are focusing on spending time with those we love.  Ethan our oldest has decided he wants to get his Patriarchal Blessing before we leave, so that will be a special experience for him. 

We are buying a lot in Wellsville and plan on returning there to build a house upon our retirement in about 20 years.  We plan on returning home frequently (at least annually) to visit.  More than ever, we recognize the richness with which the Lord has blessed us.  We have so much!  He seems to continue to pour out blessings as we strive to do his work.         

Neal and Lori Jeppson

Our life in Texas is filled with happiness, stretching moments, and peace. Meg is 8, Kate is 6 and Avery is 2. Life is busy with three little girls at home and with such different personalities.

Recently our little girls went on a summer walk. The temperature was 100 degrees plus, and everyone was complaining. Meg, in her normal cheerful way, tried to cheer everyone up. She explained that the sidewalk was like life, and we had to keep moving forward through the difficult heat and enjoy the shade when it came around but not stay in it very long. “The heat was like the challenges we face in life and the sidewalk cracks were blessings we can get if we step on them.” Kate, initially very irritated with the heat, pushed ahead of the family and with arms swinging showed she could overcome life's challenges (most of the time that consists of Avery making her crazy). We had not planned for such adverse conditions, so when we passed a local church, we asked for some water and sat in some shade. Kate finished the analogy by saying, “And water is like Jesus!" That is a good sum of our life. We are so happy with what we are learning and experiencing, even when the sun gets pretty hot.

Our little girls, Lori and Neal are doing so well in life. Both Meg and Kate ride bikes, know how to swim and are excellent readers. Avery keeps us all on our toes and her little personality pushes us to the limits of our sanity. We are not crazy yet, and we count it as a great accomplishment. None of these achievements have come with minimal effort and always have strengthened confidence.

We are more blessed and happier then we have ever been.

Ralph and Diana Parker Family

Ralph and Diana

Well, the most important thing you should know about us is that we are now in our 60s! This is a great excuse for doing only what we want to.  However, somehow we keep doing what we have to.  The inequities of life!  Ralph is still working for the church, Diana is still teaching school in Magna, at Brockbank Jr.  Together we make almost enough money to survive.  No, really, we feel greatly blessed and know that Heavenly Father has watched over us. 

Ralph’s mother, Reva, died suddenly in October.  We thought she was doing better but then she was gone.   Taking care of all the pieces of someone’s life has taken much of our time.  Our jobs, our callings, and our children take all the rest. 

We’ve spent the last year writing wills and planning for retirement, since it is looming, so we can take care of ourselves and none of you will have to.

We are doing some fairly serious remodeling at our house.  We redid the family bathroom as the last of all the rooms to be redone at least once and the last squeaky floor is GONE!  Hallelujah!  This summer we are patching and sealing the garage floor, repairing the gutters, and replacing the downstairs outside sliding glass doors.  Hopefully we’ll get to the steps on the south side of the house. 

We still love each other very much and love our children and grandchildren, of which there are now 17.  Greatly blessed, we thank Heavenly Father every night for our abundance and the knowledge that we have of the gospel that keeps us going through thick and thin. 

Mike and Anne Sampson

Has it really been another year?  It seems like I just wrote!  Surely something incredible or earth-shaking would have happened to us since then, but alas, we are pretty much the same uninteresting people we were last year.  If you want to know just how much so, read on.

Mike has gone from Elder's Quorum President to the Ward Mission Leader which didn't solve the problem of both of us having to be at Ward Council on Sunday mornings, but he did have the neat opportunity to baptize and confirm a new member of our ward.  Not long after, he also had the opportunity to baptize and confirm Jonathan, who turned 8 years old this year.  He is also happy to report that his public symphony  synthetic photo  photosynthesis or whatever it is called, has fully healed and he is able to take his runs during his lunch break and walk without looking like one leg is a full two inches shorter than the other again.  Anne, after enjoying a busy and fun summer, is looking forward to having all three kids in one school finally.  Although the PTA practically begged on bended knee for her to be the PTA president or president elect, she was able to resist, telling them that she would think about it when she was released from being the Primary president or didn’t get re-elected to the homeowners association board of directors.  That was a big step for her.  The whole family is excited to have a trip to the Seattle area planned for October and just need to decide whether to take their costumes or not!

As far as the kids go, Daniel (10) just completed the fourth grade where he was chosen to compete in the district debate competition and even received a public speaker award for his accomplishments.  Let’s just think about that for a second, though.  Since when was it a good idea to teach a pre-teen to effectively debate anyone?  Parents are still nervously waiting to see what the long-term consequences will be.  Daniel is a wonderful child, but our one wish would be for him to stop leaving the books he reads each day (approx. 421) around the house!  Jonathan (8) branched out this year and surprised us by wanting to take a hip-hop dance class.  After the second or third lesson, he was invited to join what his teacher called “The Great Eight,” a boy’s competition team she put together, and got to perform at high schools in the valley.  The next goal we are encouraging Jonathan to accomplish is to do something to put his name in “the book” (get in trouble at school) after which the whole family will go out for shakes at Arctic Circle.  He is currently refusing.  Ella (6) is causing real problems for her parents trying to think of new excuses to turn down numerous play date invitations from every parent and child who sets eyes on her.  However, she makes up for it by being extraordinarily cheerful, bright, creative and kind, as evidenced by some of the signs on her bedroom door:  “If you are a dolphin lover, please come in.” and “Tikits to the flowree gortn.”  What a group!  We love them all.

Mark and Jessica Parker

This has been a year of…more of the same, I guess.  Mark still works at Medicity, owned now by Aetna.  Jessica is staying home (when she is not running around hauling the kids somewhere) taking care of our eight wonderful children. 

Our big news is the addition to our family of our youngest child, a girl whom we have named Charlotte.  She was born in August and while all the children are excited, Kaitlyn is especially happy to have a sister.  We have purchased a trailer and we are trying to make good use of that to get away from the world for a few days at a time.  The kids are variously involved in Theater (Grandma is teaching that!), Piano, Kung Fu, Soccer, and Swimming lessons.  We are still working on the house and yard.  We have four completed bedrooms downstairs and the bathroom and family room downstairs are in various stages of renovation.  But the big project for this summer is to remove the deck and replace it with a cement patio.  Know anyone who does cement work?  Please send us their names and phone numbers.  And if you are bored, we have plenty of projects to put you to work on.  We’ll start you with ripping out the deck.  Come on, if 10 of us cousins got together, we could do it in a day!  Call me at 801-518-3467. 

I have fallen back to the traditions of my fathers (well, grandfathers) and have taken up hunting (deer and elk) seriously.  I took my first deer last year and I even know how to gut and care for the meat, which Jessica prepares for us deliciously. 

I was just released from Elder’s Quorum and put in as one of the three or four gospel doctrine teachers in our ward. Tough calling, we rotate.  Jessica is in charge of the program on Sundays and if you don’t call her to give her your information she is brave enough to put TBA! 

I guess the last thing you should know about us is that we are trying to lay low and stay quiet so the NSA won’t catch us. 

Michael and Robyn Parker

Once again the fourth of July is upon us, which means freedom, fireworks, and time for our semi-annual reflection of the past year in the form of this family letter. Although to be honest, I haven't made a new year's resolution since...well, ever, so for me, at least, I'll just call this my annual review. I'll start with the biggest and best news: We finally made a girl! This is a big deal for us, because not only did we overcome some pretty bad odds (Diana had a ratio of 13 boys to 3 girls, if my math is right) but we also fulfilled 50% of Robyn's primary life goal, which is to have at least two girls. And, really, fulfilling 50% of your life's mission by 30 ain't bad when you consider the life expectancy these days.

We named her Bridget Parker, not only because we liked it, but because we needed a name that would work for the nickname Gigi, which is what our boys have been calling her since -9 months. I'm not clear on the details here, but we already had a blanket embroidered with Gigi, so we were kinda stuck. She was the smallest one we've had at 7lbs 9oz, and 19 inches long. Mom and baby are doing great, everything is normal so far (except she's a girl, of course). I should share that this fulfills a prophecy of sorts, as we found out we were pregnant just in time to share the news with my Grandma Parker the night before she died. She was very happy for us, and promised that it would be the girl that we had wanted so badly.

So, while any other news I might share pales in comparison to this, here's to hoping my life isn't so boring that it actually puts you to sleep. In connection with adding a girl to our ranks, we, of course, took on a few remodeling projects in her honor. This included lots of pink paint and wood nailed to walls (plain, painted sheetrock is SO masculine), as well as some new windows (you start to think about the value of useable windows in case of fire only after you have female children), and some new furniture (instead of buying new or used stuff, we prefer the arduous process of resurrecting beyond-dead furniture as a sort of testament to...something...possibly low math ability, I'm not sure).

We've had an interesting spring and summer so far with Ethan (turns 6 in August) and Matt (4). For the first time, they've been playing with friends a lot. It's been so strange to send them over to neighbors' houses to play. They've got a few boys their age who love to ride bikes with them, so they've both mastered bikes without training wheels. One day they were all riding their bikes in the street (we have a big wide street, and we were watching) when one of their friends noticed a car on its way toward them. The friend yells out "¡Carro! ¡Carro!". At which point all three of their friends (who all come from homes where English is a second language) make a beeline for the sidewalk while Matt and Ethan just keep riding around in circles wondering where everyone is going. After that, Robyn and I concluded that despite Dora and Diego, my boys knew exactly zero Spanish and very little English, and have since written Nickelodeon to ask that they focus on a more "working" set of language skills.

Robyn and I continued a few traditions from previous years. The first is a tradition of meeting the deductible on our high deductible health plan. This has really helped us out financially so that we don't have to pay more than 20% of our health care costs after that. After you've covered that first 4500.00, it feels really great when you go to sleep knowing that, "Hey, 80% of the next thing is on THOSE fools!" Last year Matt helped us make the grade by getting his tongue clipped. He had hitherto been a worst-case example of tongue-tied-ness, but now, on the other side of those hospital bills, he can (and does) stick out his tongue and play with it and lick things and drool like a normal infant. This year, with the birth of Bridget of course, we're well on our way to achieving our goal again. It's really a family effort.

Other traditions we continued were (in no particular order) dressing up in matching family Halloween costumes (the Avengers), filling the holes in Ethan's teeth, climbing around on the sides of mountains to cut down an ugly Christmas tree, going to St. George on a family vacation and watching a play at Tuacahn, getting out of debt and saving money, hanging out with Paul's family whenever they need haircuts, spending 50 out of 52 Sundays a year at dinner with somebody's in-laws, and going to Church faithfully. Some of these make us pretty big nerds, but hopefully they're balanced by the ones that make us normal. Or...maybe those are the same ones. Scary thought.

Sara and Dustin Marcrum

The Marcrum's have gone from working tirelessly inside their house, to working tirelessly outside their house. Conquer one thing and move on to the next, that's how life goes for us all I guess. This year we successfully delivered the baby boy that was on the verge of exploding out of my belly last we saw you all. Our oldest just completed kindergarten, but seems to be the only one to have completed anything all year. Things are always looming ahead but we are happy and healthy, what more can we ask? Except to be favorite Paul's 1st cousin :)

Abridged version:

Marcrums

3 sons

1 cat

boys cute

cat fat

new house

overgrown yard

worn out husband

overworked credit card

spudman looming

we cannot lie

I've got no bike

and Dustin might die

Nothin much changes

we live day by day

we're blessed and we're happy

what more can we say?

Lynn and Gail Bateman Family

Lynn and Gail

Since last year we completed our assignment at the Single's Branch, ending in February, just 4 days short of exactly 3 years. We pleaded with the Stake President to let us stay, but he kicked us out anyway. So, in retaliation, we went on a hunger strike. But no one cared. They only started a rumor that Lynn had cancer or something worse. We decided to take up a collection, but all we could get was sympathy, an not much of that. To date Lynn has lost 56 pounds and is looking great and Gail has lost 35 pounds and is finally starting to show some progress. We were only out of the Singles for one day before Gail received a new calling to teach Sunday School, the 14 & 15 year olds. Lynn, however, wandered aimlessly in a funk for months before receiving a grandpa calling in the Stake Sunday School. We have become the way station for lost souls from Florida. We have 2 young Floridians living in our basement. We made them leave their alligators at home. They are children of a family that Lynn knew on his mission all those years ago. They are here to go to school in Provo, and are shopping for spouses also. Gail is still working at Juab Title and Lynn is still working on the Farm and volunteering as the Fire Chief in Levan. Our lives don't change much from year to year. We just grow a little older and appreciate our family a little more each day. We love you all.

Jason and Amanda Mecham Family:

Jason just started a new job with a company who flip homes. Amanda just "changed sides" in January and is now working the contractor desk at Home Depot instead of Lowes. Work is now close enough that I have started to bike to work. Greg (now 17) will be a senior this fall. He is getting really good on the guitar. Greg and Monica (now 15) are in Drivers Ed together. (Two kids arguing over who should drive.) Monica is also on the Cross Country team and loves it. The coach said the everyone loves her. Jeff (now 14) starts high school this fall. He is my great helper, and so creative! Ruthanne (now 7) is excited to be baptized this coming December. Life continues as usual in our little bubble here in Provo.

 Kay and Ryan Pettit

This year in the Pettit family…..The only major change to report for us is with employment.  After some soul searching, prayer, and budgeting shortages, we decided that maybe Law Enforcement wasn’t the path for Ryan.  Though he really did enjoy his time with the Juab County Sherriff’s Office, we found that in order to make ends meet, he had to work several part time jobs.  That meant that we never saw him.  That is no good.  So, as of May 1^st, he went back to driving truck full time.  He now has every weekend off, and no longer has to work the night shift.  This means that he now has way more time to spend with us!  We have really loved having him around for the past 2 months!  Ryan has also recently been called as the Gospel Principles teacher for our ward.  The class had about 3 people attending regularly when he started teaching, and has steadily grown since. 

I (Kay) have been keeping busy too.  Along with chasing the kids, and trying to keep up with the house, I have also launched full force into 2 at home businesses.  My cake business has picked up drastically in our area because of word of mouth, so I finally started to put together a business page on Facebook where I have been posting pictures of cakes that I have made.  Several of which were made with Rebecca.  I also became a distributor for It Works Global.  There is plenty of work that goes into each of these each day, and I have been pretty busy.  I am back in the nursery.  Probably forever.

Branden is getting ready for 7^th grade.  He is almost 13, and has passed me by about 3’ and will probably out-weigh me by the end of the year.  He is getting ready to start football again in August, and we are hoping that he can be a little more aggressive this year.  As a lineman, he is expected to hit the other guys.  We keep telling him that it’s ok!  He’s really smart, and a good helper.  He does a lot to help me with the littles in my house.  I’m super proud of him.

Jace is 11 and going into 6^th grade.  He’s excited to be the big man on campus, and to not be living in Branden’s shadow!  He finally discovered this year that reading is fun (I was so excitedJ) and finally found a physical activity that he is interested in.  He really wants to be good at baseball.  He’s at a bit of a disadvantage, because we haven’t had him in every year, but he tried hard this year and did his best.  His team took 2^nd place in their division.  We promised him that if he really wanted to play baseball, we would do whatever it takes to get him the help he needs to be up to par next year.  He is also super smart, and usually a good helper.  I am very proud of him too.

Ashton is 9 this year, going into 4^th grade.  He has decided that he wants to be a scientist, and a paleontologist.  I would love to think that it would work for him J.  He is great with math.  He never misses a math problem, he just can’t sit still!  As far as I can tell, scientists have to be able to sit for long periods of time and concentrate on one thing.  Good luck buddy.  He has improved a ton this year though.  With the help of the Dr. he is able to concentrate through the school day, and then by the time he gets home, he can totally let loose!  That boy wares me out!  I can’t help but smile when I think about him though.  He’s a good kid.  He’s excited for soccer to start.  He really got the feel for it last year, and he loves it!  He has the energy level for it, that’s for sure!

Gabriel would be 7 this year.  He has been gone for 6.  It’s just not right.  One day someone will explain this to me, right?

Keira is 4 and is such a princess.  Someone (not me) put it into her head that she should be a cheer leader.  I want to beat them.  She is absolutely set on it.  There is a dance/cheer studio in our community, and every time we pass she says that she is going to be a cheer leader there.  I’ve looked into it.  Seriously?  There are parents who buy $300 cheer outfits every year for competitive cheer leading for 5 year olds?  Um… How about $30 soccer?  Honestly though.  She pretty much has all the boys (and men) wrapped around her finger.

Tyson is 2. That could pretty much sum him up!  Really though, he is a great kid.  He is so much fun, and we love having him in our family.  Just like all of his older siblings, he blows us away by how smart he is.  He has such a contagious smile, and says some of the craziest things.  We love him so much!

I really am so lucky to have such a great family.