This year has just flown by for our family. It seems we went from May to December in the blink of an eye. The kids have had a lot of milestones this year and we’ve had a lot of fun. We’ve struggled with some growing pains too, with each of the kids trying to find their individual identities in a large family. Life is always crazy and loud at our house, but it’s never dull.
Nathan turned 6 in May and entered the First Grade at our local elementary school. He enjoys camping, fishing and hunting. He has had the opportunity to join our local Cub Scout troop and he completed the Deer Dash, a 3.1 mile race sponsored by his school in May. We were so proud of him for committing to training for the race and for completing it!
Tate will turn 4 in January and he is a very energetic little boy. He works very hard each week with his Speech Therapist and has made amazing improvements in his pronunciations and his vocabulary. He started attending pre-school three days a week in September and has reluctantly enjoyed it. He loves fishing and watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Tom and Jerry cartoons. He also loves to play trucks, boats and campers with Nathan.
Lana and Jackson celebrated their second birthday in October. Lana loves all things girly. She loves the colors purple and pink. She loves to talk and her language is very advanced for her age. She loves to watch Sesame Street, color and play with her baby dolls and princess stuff. She has also mastered the potty! She says the funniest things and she consistently surprises us with her manners by saying thank you, you’re welcome, excuse me and bless you. Jackson is the sweetest little boy. He’s very shy and quiet, only talking when he needs to. He loves giving kisses and hugs and you can always count on him for a smile. He loves to play with his fire trucks and trains. He also loves to play with Lana. He is very attached to his sister, often sleeping in her bed with her or next to her bed on the floor. They both enjoy their time in the playroom at the YMCA when I can actually get to the gym.
As for myself, the kids keep me busy. I spend most of my time taking them to and from their schools and their appointments. I enjoy my occasional trips to the gym at the YMCA. TJ is still working at Microsoft. He travels a lot for work, but we enjoy having him home when he’s not traveling. He’s also a co-leader with Nathan’s Cub Scout den. We were honored to help celebrate two big events in the Spahr family this year with TJ’s sister Robin getting married in May and our first niece, Brooke Elizabeth Spahr, arriving in October to Dan and Stephany.
Our family is preparing for a big move in 2012! We are hoping to put our 3 bedroom 2 bath house on the market and start the process of building a new home that will have more space for our family. We are very excited to see what 2012 will bring our family. We wish your family health, happiness and a year full of new adventures!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
