For some reason I couldn’t muster the energy or enthusiasm to write a “family brag letter” this year to go in our Christmas cards. I figure I post every week on the family blog and that should be sufficient. That is if anyone is actually visiting our blog site. Well in any case I thought I’d post a few of this year’s highlights for the Oliver Family.
Spencer(2) has had a lot of those "Wait-when-did-my-baby-grow-up?" moments lately. One of those times being when he rode a horse all by himself on a camping trip this summer. He loves going to music class every Monday morning with mom while Carson is at preschool. As he has learned to talk better his personality and sense of humor are beginning to surface and he can be a big tease. There are many nights we hear Spencer heckling Carson from his crib trying to get him to play around some more. Spencer's true love is his blanket which we have to lock up during the day in his bedroom, but that is a whole other post. . .
Carson(4) also had one of those "moments" metioned previously this fall when he gave a talk on the Holy Ghost in Sacrament Meeting during the Primary program. It was a talk he had given in Sharing Time and they asked him to do it again during the program. He had most of it memorized and couldn't sit still waiting for his turn to give it. I don't know where he gets his confidence and love for public speaking, not from Nick or I that's for sure. Carson is in his 2nd year of co-op preschool and I enjoy being a part of teaching him and watching him learn. He has taken off when it comes to learning to write and recognize letters and reading some familiar sight words. I look forward to sending him off to Kindergarten next year for all sorts of reasons. Carson has inherited Nick's engineering skills and is becoming a master Lego builder. One of Carson's loves is spending time with Grandpa Doll and the trains in California.
Then there is Nick and I. . . not nearly as interesting as our little boys. I took on the challenge of training for a triathlon this year. The training seemed more managable than another marathon. It's nice to know that all those hours spent in the swimming pool growing up could come in handy later in life. I am proud to report that I finished the race, enjoyed training with friends and have plans to do another someday. I have found that I enjoy working on personal goals that are independent of me being a mother. As for Nick he has braved numerous campouts this year with the scouts in our ward, some even in the rain. Nick, a true outdoorsman even went fly fishing in the snow. When in Utah this summer we made sure to visit the Cabela's store, and found that Nick could have stayed and browsed for hours. He and I both have taken on a few DIY home projects and truly enjoy spending some of our weekends working together.