Christmas & New Year’s Letter 2008/2009

Merry Christmas and our best wishes for a happy and healthy 2009!

The Jessop House – Loud, crazy, everything’s been rearranged by our tornado named Jack-Jack or chewed on by our new puppy, Dash. Mornings filled with last-minute work on homework projects, stacks of made(by Dad) -to-order lunches, arguments with Alexander about wearing the same sweatpants for the 3rd day in a row, carpool horns honking, prayers, Andrew’s sweet kisses, kids stuffed into coats & carseats, AND (on Saturday) sleepyheads, waffles and the sound of orange juice being whipped up.

Afternoons find Jack-Jack napping and Dalliene cleaning up toddler/puppy chaos as well as stacks of laundry, dishes, and maybe a bit of reading/sorting out time. Service done, some puppy training (not enough!) Young Women lessons prepared, and usually a call to Kevin to sort out the day and chat. Errands, etc. and on a very good day, more flowers planted and the entire garden weeded!

Mayhem starts again at 2:30 as noisy children spill through the front door (bringing friends,) and backpacks, shoes, coats, and homework strewn about the house. Puppy runs around greeting everyone and EVERY LIGHT IN THE HOUSE IS TURNED ON! Bass, guitar, violin, & piano compete with blaring music from all about the house. Pleas to be taken to friends’ houses to play or work on projects – or to be taken to soccer or orchestra or the store. Puppy walked, fights refereed, computer time negotiated, dinner started, Kevin gets home and 3 little boys rush to the door to kiss their Daddy and tell him all about their day.

Dinner done, dishes, scriptures, stories, homework, prayers, more chaos cleanup and most of the lights finally go out (usually by midnight.) On a good night, no bloody noses, sleepwalking little boys or children sleeping in mom and dad’s bed. Finally peace and quiet when we reflect on our hectic day and give thanks for those 5 little blessings that keep us so busy!

We’re looking back on 2008 and, besides being thankful for our family and friends, we’re also thinking that…

Kevin is thankful for. . . no gray hairs (no fair!!), longer arms for reading, being injury free to run the St. George marathon, a wonderful, loving dad who passed away in October, his job at Diversified Ins. in Salt Lake, his Orem office space, our Australian Shepard puppy  who will be big enough to run with him this spring, neighborhood running partners, teaching Lizzy’s Sunday school class, the kids’ soccer games, BYU sports, and time to take pictures.

Keep up with Kevin at kjessop2.blogspot.com and view his fabulous photography at flickr.com/jessopphoto.

Dalliene is thankful for. . . her hair colorist!! , volunteer time at kids’ schools, opportunities to learn new storytelling skills and then to perform at the library, fabulously written and illustrated books, the challenge of writing grants for school programs, flowers & shrubs & trips to the local nursery with her Dad and Karen, friends to carpool and exercise with, evenings when Alexander doesn’t have a meltdown about dinner, school counselors who help with college prep, and the joy of watching her girls grow into young women.

Katy(16) is thankful for. . . her cute driver’s license picture, soccer games & teammates & coaches, rehearsals with the Utah Valley Youth Symphony, an excellent score on her AP Human Geography exam , her kick-boxing class, Jane Austen, finishing her Young Women’s Personal Progress program, sunshine & warm weather, good friends, Facebook, texting, Stake dances and cute dates!

Lizzy(13) is thankful for. . . math & science & Spanish & French, her ballroom dance class, her guitar and awesome guitar teacher, mended bones after playing aggressive soccer games, friends, cell phones she can locate, abundant supplies of chocolate chips, J.K. Rowling and Stephanie Meyer, growing 4 inches in the last 18 months , and being able to see the floor in her room.

Alexander(8) is thankful for. . . extra minutes before school throwing the football with classmates, BYU’s football team, any sport on TV , Underarmor, his baptism in September, violin & elementary school teachers, an awesome Spanish accent, being the oldest on his soccer team, movies that aren’t scary, fast sledding, author Brian Jacques, and dinnertime fare that doesn’t make him run screaming from the table.

Andrew(6) is thankful for. . . the chance to show the elves that he’s on Santa’s “Nice” list, piano lessons from mom, Spanish class, the Magic Tree House series, paper & crayons to leave love notes for the family, band-aids, Lizzy’s chocolate chip cookies, playtime with friends, Art Club, finally losing his first two teeth , snow & warm gloves, Webkinz, and playing on a recreation soccer team with his big brother.

Jack(20 months) is thankful for. . . three-corner kisses, Dash’s water bowl, order that can quickly be turned into chaos, electrical outlets, his own potty seat so he can be like his big brothers, matchbox cars, his daddy, nursery toys, sitting on the counter when breakfast is being made, finding forbidden binkies , and Karen, our neighbor!