Hello 2023

 New Year's day was a bit tough since we switched back to early church and had to get up. I love afternoon church and am trying really hard not to be sad that we have to go in the morning now. But I had promised my kids we would watch Holiday Inn, which is an old movie that I love and it starts and ends on New Year's Eve so we came home from church and watched it. They weren't so sure they could do black and white but they all ended up liking it. Then my parents came and it has been great to have them here. Sunday we just talked and had dinner and then we watched the first half of our family 2023 movie. Josh put all of our videos together and made a movie and so we watched January through April, which was so fun because a lot of it was our CA trip. 

Monday we just hung around and played games and watched the Rose Parade (some day I really want to go in person) and relaxed. I felt this weight looming over my head all day knowing it was back to school and real life the next day. My normal life is pretty good but I sure have loved sleeping in and not being on a busy schedule and especially having Josh home. Tuesday everyone went back to school and work. My dad ended up having a hearing aid issue so we had to drive up to Costco to get it fixed, which took our whole morning. That night right after dinner someone rang our doorbell and we opened it to find the Schoenys! They are so random and you just never know when they will show up on the doorstep. I love surprises and it was super fun to see them. We talked for awhile and the kids all played ping pong and basketball and were running around like crazy. I hope they will move back at some point because they are fun and awesome and I miss them. 

 

The rest of the week has been pretty normal with activities and school and such. Having two more adults around has been amazing. My dad went and picked up Curtis from his after-school band practice while I was teaching piano lessons and mom made dinner on Thursday night while I took Curtis to basketball and my dad took Lily to dance Saturday morning while I made breakfast. It has been so nice having support and help and other people around who love my kids and me. Friday Josh had off and so we spent all day cleaning up Christmas. My dad helped him get the lights down and my mom helped me with the endless supply of needles that the tree left behind. Then we went on a double date for lunch to Panda Express. Saturday Curtis played well in his basketball game and his team won. There are two players who are especially good and even just by being around them Curtis has upped his game. It was exciting and fun and I'm so grateful he has a good coach and a good team. The other team's coach was super obnoxious because he kept yelling at the kids the whole game; not bad stuff just coaching them every moment of the game instead of just letting them play. Even the referees got annoyed because he was kind of coaching them too. I remember him from last season and am just so grateful Curtis is not on his team and glad we beat them pretty handily. Then Josh and Lily went to the stake youth activity and the rest of us went to Wendy's for dinner and we played games. 

 

Yesterday was a nice Sabbath day of rest with a good church meeting and then we had dinner and I went to go get my temple recommend renewed while Josh and the big kids went to the youth fireside. Mom came with me to keep me company and dad stayed home with Emma and Brandon. Their presence has just made life easier in so many ways. I didn't have to wait long though and President Bracey and I kept things pretty short and sweet. I love being asked the temple recommend questions though and feel the spirit every time I say Yes! I believe in the atonement of Jesus Christ and Yes! I believe in living prophets and Yes! I believe in the restoration of the gospel and Yes! I keep the word of wisdom and the law of chastity and am honest. It is such a blessing to go to the temple and make sacred covenants with God and I'm grateful to be worthy to enter His house and participate in holy work.  

As I think back on 2022, it was overall a very good year for our family. We had an amazing weekend at Great Wolf Lodge for Brandon's birthday, our California adventure was a trip of a life time and we loved every second of it, we had both sets of grandparents here for Lily's ballet performance which was so sweet and fun, the Burningham beach reunion was so much fun and great beach time and I loved being with all of my family, Lily finished middle school and has started high school off with a bang and I'm so happy she got into GIS, Curtis has grown so much both physically and socially/emotionally and learned from some challenges he had at the beginning of the year, Josh is that much closer to being done as bishop and this past year was probably the most settled and easiest year for him so far, I read lots of good books, Josh and I are both doing a good job exercising and we feel healthy and fit, we get to have every other Friday day dates while the kids are at school, Brandon's reading has really taken off, the temple dedication and open house were special experiences and I've been able to go 1-2 times a month since then which is amazing and Emma was picked for student council and tried out for the play and joined chorus. 

I see a lot of growth in my kids and Josh and I as well and we're just in a really sweet spot of life. There is lots to look forward to in 2023 so I'm grateful and feeling very blessed.