MIA...

I feel like I have really neglected my blogging recently, probably because I have! I always have good intentions but life just has a way of taking over sometimes. Truthfully, there haven't been too many big events to post about so for now I will just give a little update and be done with it.

ME:

Spring break officially started for me after my last class on Thursday. I have really been looking forward to it because this has been a difficult semester. When this semester is over in May, I will have 11 classes left until graduation. Sounds like a lot still but I am seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. I cant imagine what it will be like to go to bed at night (at a decent hour) and not lay there fretting over what homework I may have forgotten to do. I have had some really great leads for work come about in the past few weeks too. This is super exciting because I decided that I just really don't want to teach. I want to work in publishing/editing/writing somehow. This is looking like more of a possibility now that I have been talking to a few people. I am feeling very encouraged at the prospects awaiting me after I graduate! But, this is it for updates on me....school is my life right now. I just registered for Summer classes. I wish I could take a break but I need to get this over with! I am singing in my choir still although I think I may have to drop out this time. I missed a rehearsal already and will be missing another one next Sunday as we will be in Reno visiting my parents.

IAN:

Well Ian is growing up so fast! He is 10 going on 16 and it drives me a little nuts sometimes. He reminds me so much of myself when I was that age. He takes Spanish lessons twice a week after school. He also takes piano lessons and violin lessons through his school music program. I love that he is so exposed to music. Of course he is singing in the children's choir as well and is very enthusiastic about it. Every week he announces a new solo that he wants to try out for. I have had to rein him in a little here and advise him to at least practice the solo part before he auditions! But I am excited that he is really jumping in to this experience. Soccer starts in April...which I am dreading...but now that he has orthotics in his shoes, he likes running more since his feet dont hurt. I am hoping this makes for a more positive soccer experience than

usual.

EVAN:

Evan is about to turn 9 in April. It is just so hard to believe. Time simply will not stand still. Evan takes Chinese lessons twice a week at school. I have no idea how this is going as the teacher does not communicate with the parents and Evan will not say anything about the class to me. I have tried to get him to speak some Chinese to me but he is tight lipped about it. I can only hope that he is learning something. Exposure to languages cannot hurt in any way, shape, or form so I am happy that at the very least he is being exposed. He is also singing in the choir and enjoys it although not quite as exuberantly as his brother. I mentioned in a previous post about the composer Masa Fukuda that Evan's class got to work with. Well, he kept our name and number for times when he needs kids for various projects. He actually called us last night and asked if he could come to our home and work with Evan. He wants to listen to Evan sing alone to determine if Evan has a pop voice or a classical voice. Evan is beyond excited about this. I guess Masa has a couple of projects coming up that he wants to consider Evan for but needs to determine which one would be best for him. Again, I couldn't be more thrilled with the sudden music explosion happening in our house. I love sports for the boys too, but a well rounded man is much better than a sports fanatic (sorry guys!)... Evan also starts soccer next month and he is very happy about it. He loves soccer and all the friends he has made on his team.

ADDISON:

Well, this little girl of mine is turning 5 next month. Again...where has the time gone. 5 is a hard age to swallow because it feels like the end of "baby/toddler" days. She is my last baby and so I have hard time accepting this. In fact, I completely blew off the fact that she starts kindergarten this coming school year and missed an important registration deadline because of it! Im just in denial that we are here already. She has big plans for her 5th birthday party although the plans change every single day. I think we will just have to have a "variety" birthday with Barbies, Princesses, Fairy's, Hello Kitty, and yes...Justin Bieber. She is so prissy and I cant get enough of her.

DENVER:

He is still working in South Carolina. When his year is up in July however, he will hopefully be coming back this way. He misses the kids and they miss him. He is in his LAST class at the University of Phoenix and will finally have a bachelors degree in Business Management in April. This is a big accomplishment for him and will hopefully help him secure a better job out here. In the meantime, he may be working in San Antonio Texas temporarily for Boeing...this will be nice because they will fly him home every 3 weeks. He was just here for a visit this past weekend for his 40th birthday. Everyone had a great time and were sad to see him leave, but he will be back in 3 weeks for the kids birthdays in April. I cant believe I didn't take a single picture of him with the kids. Im really getting bad with the picture taking. I need a new camera to motivate me! I did take this picture of the ring/bracelet that he brought for Addison. She was on cloud nine. She has been asking for a ring for months now....she is such a Daddy's girl.

Like I said, no major news or happenings. Just life moving along at mach 40... Ugh, there's that number again. I'm not looking forward to becoming a 40 year old in September. Oh well...nothing I can do about it I guess but make the best of it!!