An Update

Sharrid is still begging to be transfered to the North Las Vegas women's prison. We know there's openings but we also know how a prison system works so he is trying to be as patient as he can. We talked about getting a local job to end the commute and even with a campaign to make that happen, he's worried about the money end of it...and I understand that. That would save us hundreds in gas money and free up a lot of time, but it would also be undoubtedly less secure. I think Shar will hold out doing this crazy hour and a half commute. He is now working a swing shift with Monday and Tuesday off so we are going to my parents ward in the meantime. He's starting to reach the end of his rope so I really hope this transfer happens soon. He's just not happy and I understand why. He has very little time with his family and home, a tough job, a super long commute, and a system that won't comply easily, on top of which he cannot accept a calling and go to his own ward. We are praying everyday for the transfer.

On the flip side I am doing very well. Marce walks to school everyday. I can walk to my parents house whenever I want. I go shopping with my mom. My sister also helps get me around and my quality of life couldn't be better in my current situation. I am loving coupon shopping and have been building up a supply of food and toiletries. I have also started working out and running. I got to see my best friend, Julie, this month. I go to my brother's home basketball games and can't wait for the HS track meets! I am coahing Marcelus' parks and rec basketball team right now. I am reading fabulous books and even writing and composing a little bit of music. Life is good for me. I just need my husband to be happy ;)

The boys have been riding their new bikes everywhere and they love going outside to play. Marce rides his bike like he's been riding for ten years! I think he's just naturally athletic. They have been in a Cars 2 "mode" since we got the movie and that is the number one movie at out home theater! They love to take their cars and race them around the carpet making up scenerios. Marcelus is learning the game of basketball playing for his first year. He'll play baseball in the spring! He is in the second semester of "Let's Play Music" as a Blue Bug and loves it! He is learning so much in that program and I am super impressed with it. He's going to be a great piano player in the near future! Marcelus' "advanced" situation has been difficult for us to deal with. He has undoubtedly regressed at least in his reading. Part of that is my fault because we aren't reading hardly at all at home. The one verse he reads almost every day during scripture study is not enough. We are starting to pick him back up in that area. His math is where the problem has really been from the start. The teacher doesn't even know what to do with him. Students don't become part of GATE until 1st grade, and even then, I don't know if he'll be challenged enough on the whole. I thought about talking to the principal but haven't yet and don't know if they can do anything for him. In the meantime I bought a computer program that has all the curriculum from Pre-K-HS Graduation. Marcelus has a profile and does online work and the program keeps track of it all. What he has done, how much time he spent, correct answers, incorrect answers, trouble areas, ect. everything. It has reports on everything so you can easily guage the progress of your child. I'm having him work on there nearly everyday to keep up on his math. It's not just plain math either, it's everything from measurement, grouping, positions, fractions, counting, patterns, money, time, ect. We have access to every grade level but I have started him in Kindergarten work to see where he's at myself and start him out easy. As you are working a particual "worksheet" if you are doing well, the questions increasingly get harder or more challenging so the kids stay engaged. Marcelus loved it the first day and did not want to get off. He earns gold medals and mystery pictures on his gameboard. He loves the little "awards" he earns. It is a fantastic program called IXL. And I thought it was well worth the money I spent to keep him challenged with what he's best at. Now that the math is taken care of, we just need to find the time to read more!

Phoenix loves to ride his bike too and just needs to work on his braking! Phoenix is potty training and doing pretty well! I am happy with the results we're getting! It's so nice to have it down to one in diapers. Phoenix has been growing his hair out so we can do corn rows, so hopefully soon we can get it done! He recently graduated from Nursery in church but having a bit of a hard time with the transition :( He's doing great though and growing up fast!

Amar'e has been fighting a cold the whole winter but we finally took him to the doctor today and he said it was just a surface cold and nothing to worry about. So on we go. Amar'e is 9 months in a few days and is hard to feed. He is getting more teeth and is almost ready for anything but not quite. He refuses baby food so we have a hard time coming up with "real" food he can eat all the time. He took his first steps days ago but is still not considered to be "walking".

That's the latest from us. I hope I didn't forget anything!

Decorating The Christmas Tree

This is the best shot we got (and the one we sent out) for our Christmas cards. Next year I'd like to get them professionally done.

The next few photos are the attempts, but seriously, my kids (cough...phoenix) cannot follow directions! Look up, take your hands out of your pockets, look here, put your head down, ect. ect. epic fail.

This one is pretty good. Here we are decorating the tree. Shar requested the silver garland and I had to give in, although it doesn't go with my traditional feel at all. Looks like we are going to be a "two tree" family soon. Shar wants a tree with blinking colored lights, fun ornaments and tinsel/silver garland. I like a more traditional look with white lights. I love the other idea too but all of my ornaments are nicer and classier I guess than what Shar wants so we're going to have to do them both next year probably. My mom made me a tree skirt matching the colors of our stockings and ornaments, but I didn't get a picture of it cause I hadn't gotten yet.

Play Time

The Many Faces...

Christmas 2012

This year we had a great time! We planned a couple things and I think it made all the difference. My parents and the "singles" and "babies" had their own Christmas after church. Shar had to work Graveyard and didn't get home til 9:30 am. My kids were prepped much earlier that we would not be able to wake up to hide for Santa this year because daddy wouldn't be home in time and we wanted to do everything together as a family. We weren't even able to go to our 9:00 ward. So, as soon as dad got home (the boys were very patiently waiting downstairs) we all went upstairs to see what Sanat had gotten us. The boys got a basketball hoop and bikes from Santa. I got Sharrid a juicer for Christmas and he LOVES it. He makes juice throughout the week. Sharrid got me clothes mostly, yay! He actually let me go shopping for a bunch of clothes at Forever 21 and H&M, plus he picked a few things out for me himself and wrapped them for under the tree. I was impressed with 2 things. 1. He is getting better at gift giving in the first place in general and 2. The things he picked out were pretty good.

This year Connie and I collaborated again for our 3rd rendition of "Willard Jeopardy!". Tibi stepped up her game this year but Kira came away with the win I think. Dad wasn't bad surprisingly but mom just sat there and listened and laughed the whole game. She didn't even have any money to wager for Final Jeopardy!....we let her have $1000 for free. Only Mother.

We also started a new tradition that was inspired by some private dancing performances of ours from over 10 years ago. This year we held our first annual "Willard Christmas Dances". I'm so glad we started this right now with the grandkids just barely being able to do it...and loving every minute of it! Connie and I were the only two older people paired up and we crammed together a jazzy Bob Fosse type of number to Gloria Estefan's "Let it Snow". Mind you everything was recorded but we all promised it would not be published to the public through blog or Facebook. Kira was paired up with Jonah. They did some lifts and a lot of marching in their dance. Michaela was paired up with Levi and they shook their hips and flirted with "Feliz Navidad" by Michael Buble. Tibi was paired with Marcelus and I think they had some of the best choreography. It was cute. Landon was paired with Eden and they partner danced to Amy Grant. All in all, it was fun and it's going to get even better as the kids get older!

Dad took a few of us out shooting and that was way fun. It had been too long for me anyway! It included Dad, Peter, Connie, Sharrid, Me, Tibi, and Landon. We shot dad's 22's. Connie shot the pistol for the first time. And Shar shot his new gun off. It was loud! It's a Glock 22, 40 Caliber pistol.

We all met up Christmas night for a nice Ham dinner which was odd (my family never has had the "big meal" for Christmas...) Then there's always a lot of presents to open. We pick names but everyone pretty much gets everyone something anyway. Our family doesn't have any rules about that nor a price limit on the gifts. We just have fun with it so there's always a lot of great gifts to go around.

I gave Landon the Iron Gym. He loves it!

This is Marce Christmas morning already started on the Lego Kingdoms Castle set he got.

This is what the boys really wanted, especially Marce. I had them open it last. They had a good time setting it up with dad.

Phoenix LOVES his Francesco and anything to do with Cars 2, which they also got this year. They watch it everyday! And what can I say, I freakin' love the movie too!

Is it just me or does he look like Oscar from The Office? Or the dancer in The Proposal? (same guy) ha ha

Phoenix is getting the hang of his bike and just needs to use his brakes instead of dragging his feet on the ground! He's fearless but more clumsy than Marce so it worries me a bit but he is improving steadily. Marce was a champ from the start and we took the training wheels off after a week or so. They were holding him back...typical Marcelus. I am so happy we moved here when I see my kids being outdoor kids, riding their bikes to grandma's and all that, makes me beam inside. I love life right now! And I'm pretty sure it's the best thing that ever happened to the boys too.

We got the boys these festive robes and let them open them Christmas Eve.

I'm dissapointed in myself for the lack of pictures but I vow to do better next year.

To whoever our Secret Santa was: If you somehow read my blog, Thank You so much. To be on the recieving end and surprised like that is so neat and fun.