xmas newsletter home.

What happened to this year?! I thought it was going to be such an organized season...and yet here I am 10 days from Christmas trying to hammer out as fast as I can, a synopsis of the past 12 months. We did the usual trips; San Clemente beach house, and visits to Utah. And we stayed close to home by getting season passes to the local water slide park “Raging Waters”, and doing weekly trips to the beach.

In June we decided to get back to our farming roots! After putting in our garden we went on to incubate a dozen chicken eggs. Yes! You read that right...we hatched some chickens! It was great fun and educational. We sold them for a profit and kept three to raise for our family’s eggs. One of our poor little hens died from some ant poison, but the other two have reached maturity and started laying last month. It’s been such a blast to go out each morning and find fresh eggs (omelet's anyone?).

Another biggie this year has actually been the most rewarding. We started homeschooling. It’s something we’ve wanted to do for some time and didn’t quite have the nerve to undertake. But the timing seems right and we decided it was worth a try. We jumped in and it is the most wonderful thing to happen to our family! If you’ve ever contemplated such a venture my advice is “go for it”! Ken and I feel very confident in the curriculum we purchased, meeting and exceeding the educational goals we have for our children. They are progressing rapidly, and it has been well worth it. I could go on and on about it, but I don’t want to sound fanatical. WE LOVE IT!!!

Amy (15) as most teens lives are is crammed full of activities. She completed her horseback instructions at the first part of the year. Sadly, only because her instructor moved from our area. She finished off junior high by playing Goldilocks in the school production of “Fairy Tales”. She was very dramatic. A real change from her normally reserved personality. Then she went off to BYU for ten days to attend Girl’s Academy camp. She enjoys her piano playing and has added hammered dulcimer and the tin whistle to her instruction. She has lots of fun attending church dances with her friends, going to early morning seminary, and earns tons of money babysitting. Her schooling consists of correspondence with American School, which grades and will give her an accredited diploma. She is a very self-motivated young lady who can accelerate her learning on her own, and maintains 4.0 grade. Oh yeah, she went back in braces...yuck!

Brian (12) received the Aaronic priesthood and was ordained a deacon. Mom was so emotional the first time he passed the sacrament to his family! Hard to believe another major milestone has come! HE spent his spring sports life playing on our community baseball team, where they took first place and became city champions—pretty exciting stuff! He still preservers with piano, but I actually heard him play some tunes for the first time, for his own enjoyment the other day. Maybe we're making progress?! He and his friends have formed a club. They keep really busy renovating the clubhouse and coming up all kinds of rules. They all have aspirations of being in the movie industry with Walt Disney productions, so there are always scripts, drawings and videotaping going on! He has enjoyed being at home for school, and tested out very high in Math and Language and has accelerated to a higher grade level. He is very proud of his accomplishment academically and it has really spurned his interest to learn! His current pet is a green tree frog. It is usually tucked in a shirt pocket, or squatting in the palm of his hands more than his mom cares to recount. Other than that he is a happy growing boy who loves to tease his sisters to no end. But is there a boy alive who doesn’t?

Karen (9) is our bubbly, happy, thriving little socialite! She is rarely home after school, because she is off with her “bestest friends”! Her piano lessons have really taken off and she loves to outperform her brother. Her extra curricular activities include Achievement Days and a sewing class. She is busily “making” all our gifts for this Christmas, and the sewing machine’s just been humming! She makes life just one big whirl with all her interests. She loves animals and keeps insisting we should add to our already bursting menagerie. She also joined the ranks of orthodontia...but thinks it’s just wonderful. Go figure!

Laura (6) is truly our most active. She is always keeping up with the “big” kid, and she enjoys having everyone home with her for school and all the help they offer her. She has been riding her two-wheeler this past year and is frequently seen buzzing merrily throughout the neighborhood. She’s now roller blading! What next? If it’s fast and has wheels, Laura’s into it.

Ken who was teaching early morning seminary for the last four years got a change to Elder’s Quorum. It’s a nice change! He has really pursued his scuba this year, and seems thrilled sitting under 40 feet of water with the possibility of sharks eating you alive!

Linda has kept busy planning out school agendas, outings and finding the latest ways to keep organized. In addition to Ken’s new calling, Linda received one as well to be the Primary President! It has been a demanding assignment.

And so it goes one year following another. I truly feel like friendships are renewed as I hear what has been happening in your lives. Fond memories of other shared moments come rushing back with fond reminiscence. Isn’t that what friendship is all about? Shared moments of life?
Rich blessing be upon you and yours…
SEEK HIM WITH YOUR HEART
LOVE HIM WITH YOUR LIFE.
Love,
The Boyer’s