Holiday Letter 2014

It’s that time of year again…time for our year in summary.

Of course EVERYONE knows we spent January-March in England, and moved back to Utah April 1. It has been a wonderful, stressful, sad, happy, confused, and FINALLY content adventure. Last year at this time we knew we would be leaving England, but had no idea where we would land. We thought of staying overseas, but in the end decided it was best to come “home.” The kids need to be near their cousins. Our house needed some TLC.  I needed to figure out my place. There is comfort in the familiar.

The first four months of the year were an absolute whirlwind. We sorted, shipped, sold, threw away, and gave away all of our possessions. I am not sure we made the best decision to ship the $2000 worth of stuffed animals,  toys, books, treasures, and weird household items. I think at least 1/2 of it we could have done without. Good thing I shipped plastic flower shaped coasters.

Maybe not.

I am proud of my family for all of the

changes and sacrifices we made this year.

Christian had to give up living in a place where he was comfortable for the first time in his life. The English pace suits him. He had to go from primary caregiver to full time, commuting worker. He was an amazing stay at home dad. I have not been able to replicate his consistency, his yummy dinners, or his calm demeanor with the kids. He started his new job at the University one month after we arrived back in the States. He loves programming much more than he ever loved law, and he doesn’t have to work 80 hours a week like he did when he had his own company. I am sorry he has to commute 2 hours/day, but hopefully that will change in the near future (at least he gets to do it in his sweet Fiat 500). He has repaired our garage so that we don’t find our cars buried in it. I am pretty certain he is building a time travel machine in there…or communicating with aliens. Anyway, he has spent many many hours getting our house to a comfortable (and safe) state.

My heart was completely broken when we left England. I felt settled there and enjoyed the amazing friends we made. I wasn’t sure I would survive the transition. Not only was I going to miss our life, I was going to have to face a few things I would have preferred to run from. Everything is different and I hate change. But, guess what?  I feel closer to my family and friends now than ever before. I still get to talk to friends in England. I like my part time job and I am super excited to begin a private practice in 2015. I have figured out that I can and do create adventures wherever I am.

Augi is an amazing kid. She did not want to leave. She was incredibly secure in our life and terrified of moving. Within weeks of our return she wanted to go to school. She knew what she needed to feel settled. She attended our local school for a few weeks…just enough time for standardized tests… and blew their curve out the window. She breezed through summer, and started her new school on top. By the end of the year, she is a top student, she is taking hip-hop dance lessons, and she has developed some amazing friends. She loves to read fantasy and she continues to improve her art skills. She is incredibly confident and competent.

Emmett handled the first few months of the year, and the move, quietly. He talked about not wanting to go, but didn’t complain much. After a few weeks in the US, though,  he became down right naughty. He felt completely out of control. He didn’t remember this country, our house, our friends, or even our family. He wasn’t coming home…he had left it. Over the last few months he has began to pull through. He is doing VERY well in school. He is a math whiz. He just started admitting that he can read over the last few weeks. He is an aspiring artist. He is well liked in his class and by his teachers. He has some best buddies. He loves his music lessons and he can build just about anything in Minecraft. He continues to be my shadow, and I have to remind myself that all of this is still new to him.

Phiz LOVED the summer, she thinks her doggy door is awesome (although she has to squeeze through it now…), and her life is complete with her new puppy, Tiki.

That’s us. 2014.

 

Emmett Beuller's Day Off

Ferris: "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." 

I am feeling so old. Ferris Bueller's Day Off came out 30 years ago. Ug.

Me in 1984:

Sort of Mugshot-ish. I was actually the "Monarch of the Month." 

Ferris: "How could I possibly be expected to handle school on a day like this?"

Once in a while my kids request a mental health day, i.e., they want to play hookie from school.

Augi requested one in May. Imagine that? She had been back in the US for about 6 weeks and she was feeling overwhelmed. She took a bath, played in her room, and skyped friends.

Emmett requested his on Wednesday morning. First he said he had a tummy ache. I reminded him that it is ok to say he needs a day off without feigning illness. He fessed up. He wanted a day off. I couldn't take off work Wednesday, so we agreed upon Thursday.

Ferris: "Pardon my French, but Cameron is so uptight, if you stuck a lump of coal up his ass, in 2 weeks, you'd have a diamond."

I know that some people will balk at my decision to let my kids stay home once in a while. I say they are uptight. One day off is not going to send my children into a downward spiral into failure and homelessness.

Mr. Rooney: He jeopardizes my ability to effectively govern this student body.

• Grace: Well, he makes you look like an ass, is what he does, Ed

You might say my kids are manipulative, I am too squishy in my parenting, they are spoiled, they are learning to run from their troubles. Why can't they do it on the weekend?

Because weekends are just not the same. 

Admit it!

Jeanie: "Why should he get to do whatever he wants, whenever he wants?

 My kids are very well behaved at school. They follow the rules. They turn in their work. They try their hardest. They are nice to everyone. They also know that they don't have to lie and tell me they are sick when they just need a break. They are learning to recognize their feelings and take care of themselves.

Ferris: Only the meek get pinched. The bold survive.

So we played hookie!  

Ferris: The question isn't "what are we going to do," the question is "what aren't we going to do"?

This is what we did in our 6 hour freetime:

(He learned that he didn't like it.)

At the end of the day...we both said we would do it again!

Garage Attendant: You guys got nothing to worry about, I'm a professional.

• Cameron: A professional what?

That's right. I am a professional. 

Stay home days are not only ok, they are necessary.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Just one pic from our Thanksgiving Brunch. I’m such a lame photographer…I forgot to get 1/2 the guests. Only those that stayed til the bitter end made it in my pics.
Anyway…Great company! Thanks for coming everyone!!

Pictured from left: Cousins Jared and Colton, Virgina the mama of Clint, Brother Clint, Augi, Me, Em being antisocial on the floor, and Lacey my adorable cousin-in-law.

Not pictured: Tammy, Bruce, Chris, Tabitha, Breeden, and Tyler.

October and November

October was full of excitement for the upcoming Halloween. November was full of excitement for Thanksgiving. The kids wore me down until I got out the Christmas decorations MID NOVEMBER. The weather has been incredibly mild…from what I remember. I have been happier with cooler temperatures. So has Emmett. We two weren’t made for the desert heat. Augi and Chris seem to enjoy it. My home office is nearly complete…actually just waiting on those darn painters. Ok. Maybe I am the darn painter.

This is the last weekend of November. Another month gone. I catch myself saying “Oh my Heck” way too often. Oh well.

The kids were wearing shorts to school until just a few weeks ago. I am the only parent who waits on the playground in the mornings with their child. I wouldn’t have to wait long if Augi didn’t insist on being 20 minutes early.

Hi pretty sunrise. This is a reason to love Utah. Most days the sky is just this blue.

We got our teeth nice and clean…just in time for Halloween.

The kids are making some great new friends at school.

 

We are getting to know the family we only just discovered…you can never have enough cousins! And we lucked out with these two.

They are AWESOME.

We were hoping for a new neighbor who had kids. Instead, we got a new neighbor with dogs. That’s next best!

We did get a nice snowy day. It’s all melted now, but it was great fun while it lasted!

Kookoo Head.

Hmmm. What to do when you have moved across the world, started new jobs, completed major house repairs, and started new schools…and you are feeling settled for the first time in 7 months?

You expand your family with a puppy!!!!

Telling the story of how we ended up with this little sniglet isn’t really worth the time. He is an ex-con. He was brought in as a stray. Some days I feel like sending him back. Mostly he is perfect. Augi loves that she can carry him around like a baby. Emmett loves that he can look at his goofy face and laugh. Chris likes that he is the only one who runs to greet him when he gets home. I love that he is cute as a button. Phiz is happiest. She has someone to boss and she is much better behaved now that we have him. It was a good decision, but boy was it risky.

I am pretty sure he is Don Knotts reincarnated.  We love him anyway.

Halloween…back in the US!

We were all really excited to celebrate Halloween in the US. The kids were  a little sad as they wished their English friends could have been here to celebrate it with us. We spooked our neighbors, then joined our cousins to spook the neighbors at Mimi and Papas! We must have been really spooky because we ended up with a truckload of candy!!!

Augi wasn’t just any pirate. She was Hilary, Terror of the Southlands. I bet you can guess what Emmett was…ZOMBIE. I dressed as my hero…Pipi Longstocking. Chris was classic Dr. Jekyl. Or Mr. Hyde. Not sure.

What’s on Emmett’s Mind?

Over the last year Emmett has followed in his sister’s footsteps and become quite an artist.

His favorite subject?

Minecraft. Monsters. Holidays.