2010 in Review (from my perspective)

In January our boys turned 13 and 17.  Spencer and Briana continued in school. I officially bid a work goodbye to my dear friend, Amy.  And Bri and I started teaching Relief Society as a team on the 2nd Sunday of each month (that has been a blessing!).  I also continued as ward activities committee chairperson, which I dislike.

Amy's leaving 2LL caused all kinds of inner turmoil for me (see, Amy?  it's all your fault), so in February I accepted a different job and moved from 2LL to 8.  Spencer and Briana reached the half-way mark in their schooling, so there was suddenly light at the end of the schooling tunnel.

March started bringing the promise of spring, so my new boss on 8 left permanently (OK, three years) for Hawaii.  Suddenly I had nothing to do.  So I looked  forward to watching the falcons.  But they didn't nest at the COB this year.  Ashtyn was very ill and I was very sad.  And we had our first ward activity of the year, which was an adults-only fireside. 

Ashie continued ill through April and was on home and hospital care through the high school and the seminary.  But we did all that we could to get her on choir tour, which meant that Briana and I got to go to San Diego.  The WJHS choirs rocked the convention, and the entire trip was FABULOUS.

In May Ashtyn went back to school and I finally got warm.  Despite snow on Spencer's birthday.  Little did we know that we were going to see lots more of the white stuff before the end of the year.

June's highlight was running the Ragnar Wasatch Back.  I accomplished something I didn't think I could do, and I made (and re-made) some friends along the way.  Ashtyn nearly failed some classes based on the previous months, so I spent more time talking with people at WJHS.  You'd think we would all be best friends by now!  Also, a trip to the West Jordan Care Center changed my life.  AND we finished our last year of 7th grade--Hallelujah!  (7th grade should be outlawed.)

I turned 42 in July.  I ran a 5K with Amy (which proves that I do not hold a grudge :) ).  With Spencer in school we didn't do as much organized playing as we usually do; but there was still a lot of fun goin' on!  We had a super-fun, overnight family reunion in Heber, where we got to see aunt and uncles and some cousins we hadn't seen in over a decade.

August was wildly busy.  My parents and sister (from California) came to visit, so we did lots of running around to be in different places.  My brother and his wife and their family moved in with us, so we painted and shuffled and organized and "moved" into the upstairs-only of our house.  The three younger children went back to school, and I started yet another job, this one taking me from 8 to 11.

Briana and Spencer finished school in September.  Also, Spencer won the statewide Forklift Rodeo, which we are still laughing about.  We spent Labor Day weekend in California, celebrating our annual Hilladay with a trip to the beach and to Apple Hill.  The Donut Dash was the next ward activity.  Jen made this a huge success, and the kids in the ward loved it.

October continued the busyness--Halloween. a ward activity, General Conference, and another Ragnar relay (this time in Las Vegas).  Briana started running with us and covered Spencer's legs in the relay.  She was a hater at first, but now she's becoming a runner.

November brought the C-word into my life.  My mom had breast cancer.  My sweetheart was wonderful, and at the beginning of December I got to go to Sacramento for a few days right after my mother had a mastectomy.  In December she was declared cancer-free!  Remember that awful mammogram in July?  So do I, but I will not be skipping those any more for the rest of my life.  Briana and Spencer passed their massage therapy licensing exams and graduated in November, and Bri started a new job in December.

In December I started school for an MBA at WGU.  Apparently we just can't really be finished with school (Spencer says he'd like to do a master's program after I do mine).  We had a beautiful, busy Christmas season, and the last ward party of the year.  Taylor, who is a Madrigal singer at WJHS, participated in 74 performances during the month of December.  And Ashtyn went back on Home & Hospital care again, which means more pin-cushioning and doctor visits for her.

Now it's on to 2011!