Thursday, February 4, 2016

January Newsletter & Slideshow


https://picasaweb.google.com/103753336633055957263/2016_01_Slideshow

Hamilton Newsletter
January 2016
FAMILY: It has been a cold, snowy January, so we haven't gotten out a lot this month, but we've still managed to make memories & have fun. On the 5th, the girls got to go to Del Parson's art studio for Activity Days. That was really neat and cool. The 15th - 18th was spent with the Potts family in Bear Lake at the annual retreat. The girls were just ecstatic about going and even planned a fun "to do" list :) There was a lot more snow this year than last year, so we had fun playing in it, going sledding & snowmobiling (though with so much powder, sledding was a cold, messy business), eating yummy food, playing lots of games (including SET, Parents vs. Kids, Yahtzee, etc), watching movies (The Walk, Hotel Transylvania 2, etc), going to church, celebrating Grandpa Potts' retirement with sparkling cider and pie, playing in their downstairs play area, shaking cream to make butter :) and just visiting & enjoying each other. It was so great to see the family - especially the Checketts from Minnesota. They just found out they are having a boy - congratulations!! We are so happy for their family.  We headed to the Potts' on Monday (MLK day) and spent the night before heading back to Cedar. It was another wonderful retreat with loved ones! The rest of the month was spent doing our regular things, but we have enjoyed the time :)


JASON: Jason had a bad cold that lingered for probably 3 weeks this month :( He also started a new detail with the Forest Service as an administrative operations specialist. It's a 90 day detail. He has been learning a lot of new things and working long hours. One of his employees has sadly been fighting cancer, so we've been praying for her and Jason and his other teammate has been doing her job, too. Jason has been so good to be Mr. Mom while Heidi has been feeling so awful with pregnancy & has done a lot of dishes & putting the girls to bed by himself :)


HEIDI: Heidi picked up a book she's been wanting to read for a while, Monte Cristo. It's over 1000 pages, so we'll see how long it takes :) She's been busy with her Activity Days calling and had a meeting to schedule things, but we decided to change to every other week instead of every week, so that has been nice. Most of January for Heidi was spent in yuckiness as she has been working through pregnancy sickness. This time it's mostly been at night that has been the worst. She hasn't taken Zofran yet, but continues to take her B6/Unisom compound and it helps, although she still seems to throw up every 2-3 days. She is so thankful for Jason's help. On the 25th, Heidi met with a genetic consoler in St. George & they drew blood and did a genetic test. It came back fine & it looks like we'll be welcoming a baby girl in August!


McKINLEY:
-McKinley continues to love playing piano & singing. She even sang in our ward choir for the Stake Conference & dod a fantastic job!
-McKinley has been reading The BFG, by Roald Dahl to the family at night. She does the voices so good & it's been fun to read a book that she loves.
-There are 2 new boys in McKinley's class. One of them, Preston, has been made fun of by the boys in her class & she has stuck up for him and invited him to play with her and her friends. The other one is a boy from China, named Tom, and she has tried to talk to him and has downloaded an app on her tablet to learn Chinese so she can talk to him and learn a new language. We're very proud of how she has chosen to be like Jesus and make sure everyone is loved & included!
-At the end of the month, McKinley got to go to Hallie's 11th birthday party - she had fun!


IRELAND:
-Sadly, Ireland left her tablet on the ground one day and it got stepped on :( Thankfully, we had insurance on it and we are able to get a new one.
-Mom took Ireland to get her cavities filled & when the dental assistant came to take her back, mom asked for a kiss, but she was too embarrassed & only blew her a kiss :(
-After being on the waiting list for about 6 months, Ireland got into SUU gymnastics! She has had a lot of fun and her favorite part is doing bars (just like her momma) :)
-Ireland has been having a hard time sleeping again lately & has been playing musical beds with her sisters.
-One morning Ireland was trying to put away all the dishes for her choice chore, but we needed to get out the door for school. Mom backed out the car & honked for her & she finally came. When mom came home, she found out that (apparently for the sake of time) Ireland had just dumped the whole silverware container into the drawer. :/
-Maddy was so cute with Ireland at the cabin. She called her "the girl with the Hello Kitty shirt" in the beginning and then later she would say "where is my friend?" She loved to hang out with Ireland & follow her around :)



KEZIA:
-Kezia really enjoys Kindergarten, but struggles to stay challenged. She says her teacher won't let her go ahead :( We are looking at putting her in the Spanish Dual Immersion program for 1st grade next year.
-Kezia's favorite part of January was going to the Bear Lake Cabin & playing with her cousins
-Kezia got to go to Courtney's house for a late-over this month!
-She is really into asking if this or that would be a WORLD RECORD?



LINK:
As a lot of moms have been added to our SIDS moms group on Facebook, I have had the opportunity to connect with a lot of them and talk a lot about my experience with you, my sweet boy, and losing you, and surviving without you here. I love to tell your story and I'm thankful to be able to help others who are going through this heartbreaking experience. When mommy found out she was having a girl, she had a really hard day. Realizing that she wouldn't get to raise a boy in this lifetime. But we know God has a plan for our family & you will always be our boy. We know you have been able to spend time with your sister & prepare her to come to our family. We love you & miss you always Link!


NOELLE:
-Noelle continues to amaze us with all she knows and understands! She can point to probably 10 letters, she (almost) knows how to count to 10, she knows a few shapes & we're working on colors. She can sing 3 or 4 songs, including her Noelle goodnight song, which is so so cute :)
-Noelle loved the cabin & especially getting to play with Caden & Grace. She & Caden had quite the rousing game of Yahtzee at one point :) She didn't especially love the sledding, though, and went into the van after about an hour.
-Noelle is so cute at saying prayers. She folds her arms, puts her head on the table, and says her prayer & she's really good about saying Jesus Christ, Amen at the end. :) Sometimes we catch her even saying prayers randomly by herself.
-When you do something Noelle doesn't like, like her sisters do, she will look at you & say "DON'T!"
-Another cute thing Noelle has learned - saying "Xcuse me!" when she toots or burps and "Bless you!" when someone sneezes
-A NOT-so-cute thing she has been doing is drawing on things other than paper. Crayon on the wall upstairs & PERMANENT marker on the wall downstairs. And other items in-between. One time mom even watched as she drew on paper & then drew on the counter & told herself "No, no!"
-When Noelle bumps her head or falls down, or even if she hits herself on the head, she says "You Okay?"
-Noelle loves naptime & bedtime! She always looks forward to her blankie, doggie, and binki!