What to remember about 2010:
1. Avery’s test scores revealed her ability to perform well socially thus confirming our belief that homeschooling is not working adequately.
2. Tenley read five verses from the scriptures in front of the primary all by herself. This made me look really good. (She also read her first chapter book, Parables of Nature. Later, to my amusement, she and Tobin acted out the parables.)
3. Tobin is as some say, “all boy” despite our attempts to raise him otherwise (i.e. gymnastics with sisters, a pink bedroom, Polly Pockets dolls and Dora the Explorer pull-ups at night.)
4. Tobin likes to be tough. If you tell him about the pull-ups comment he might tackle you.
5. We got a dog.
6. Then we got a Bissell carpet cleaner.
7. Avery got in her first bar fight and lost 5 teeth but won the fight.
8. Sean wants you to know we had the house painted and we sold our tent trailer.
9. I told everyone I liked going camping with the tent trailer and my kids. Now that it’s sold I can tell everyone the truth.
10. The twins started kindergarten. They are in the same class. It took her teacher about two seconds to see Tenley for the party waiting to happen that she really is.
11. We tried to bribe my single brother to come live near us. He started spluttering and snorting a laugh and then declined. Now we still have to bribe the babysitters.
And the number twelve thing to remember about 2010?
12. We made a mountain out of a couch when two weeks before Christmas I convinced Sean we needed a new couch. In return he convinced me to completely re-do our whole upstairs, leaving only our bedroom untouched. This means we need to make an announcement. We don’t have a guest room anymore. No worries though – the new couch has a sleeper in it. You all just got a guest SUITE!
Bottom line? When we tuck them in at night for the 23rd time, and threaten them with severity and then they finally fall asleep we remember we are madly in love with our kids and amazed at our blessings.
*Our fabulous friend Tom did the photos. Find him here.