Pew Year in Review 2016
Another year BAM! Why is it when you are a kid you feel like the years take forever? I am pretty sure first grade was almost 2 years. But maybe that’s because Mrs. Roman didn’t like me. When you have a bunch of kids or I bet even one kid or a just a dog, life can get pretty crazy. Most of the time it’s a good crazy. I am grateful for a husband who is helpful and supportive because it’s usually me volunteering for craziness. We took some breaks for pure fun by heading to California with my family the day after school got out. We rented a Ford Transit Van (just for our family), it was sweet! We went to my paternal grandparents’ graves in Camarillo. It’s a lovely place and I had never been there. We also went to Naples and kayaked to some moon jellyfish. They aren’t poisonous so some people in our group touched them. Not me. We also went to Huntington Beach, the water was still pretty cold so we briefly played in the water. Timo brought his Spikeball game so he and the guys played that a lot. We went to Disneyland 
two days and Universal Studios one day. The point was to see Harry Potter’s wizarding world that had just opened. It’s not as big as the one in Florida but still was magical. We hope they add to it in the future! We went to the Hollywood Walk of Fame but we ended up going to the Santa Monica Pier instead. It was less sketchy. We stopped in St. George on our way back and enjoyed relaxing at the pool. And drove home early Sunday morning so we could return the Transit Van on time! We had fun during the year visiting Thanksgiving Point Gardens, the Museum of Curiosity, The Museum of Ancient Life (Dinosaur) and the Farm too. Seven Peaks waterslide park with cousins and also Trafalga for mini golf, lazertag and rides. We also went up the canyon for fun adventures. Not to mention all the sports and shows the kids were involved in. We have a lot to be thankful for. If you want to keep reading here is what each of us has been up to in 2016:
Gwen (10) is in 4th grade this year. One of her highlights this year was being in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Lone Peak High School. They had a children’s chorus from students from the elementary schools in 5th and 6th grade that feed into the high school. Her director of Singer’s Company invited her and other Singer’s Company girls to be in Joseph because she was the musical director for Joseph. Gwen knows a lot of the students at Lone Peak in drama because of Emily so it was super fun for her to be in it with Emily. The show was fantastic, and I am not exaggerating because I saw it at BYU over 25 years ago and thought ,”That is one strange musical.” And never desired to watch it again. It was so funny and fun. Gwen is still taking piano and does well with it. She is still doing gymnastics but is no longer doing Singer’s Co. because Miss DeLayne isn’t doing it anymore. She did a little song and dance with girls from our neighborhood for a church variety show and loved it--they did Hard Knock Life. It was so cute and well done. She misses being in a show so I may need to find a group for her to join. She loves singing show tunes (as in musical show tunes) with Emily, and playing with dragons. She is fun and full of love and hugs that never get old.
Zane (13) is in 7th grade and started junior high and I think he’s almost enjoying it! I think some classes he likes and others not so much. He is still taking piano lessons which he doesn’t like but he’s diligent and reliable to do it. He’s the one kid we don’t have to remind: he does his homework AND turns it in! He started playing on the Lone Peak Middle School Ultimate Frisbee team this fall and loved it. It’s been so good for him to learn to be positive and have good sportsmanship. He also has skills so it’s been a good thing for him to participate in. He went on his first scout camp this summer and had a good experience. He works hard on his merit badge stuff and everything even though he really doesn’t like scouts. He will be a Life scout soon. He’s in Men’s Hip Hop and I look forward to their dance recital in December. He’s still the biggest BYU fan. And he still loves Legos. So if he’s not playing Ultimate, football or basketball he’s playing Legos. He’s a funny kid and I love how responsible and good he is.
Micah (14) is in 9th grade. He is now the tallest in the family. He flaunts the fact enough to bug all of us. Owell.In other news he made the 9th grade basketball team at Mountain Ridge. He’s not a starter but he’s grateful to have a chance to play. He also played Ultimate Frisbee this fall. He is currently on the boys B team for Lone Peak but there are 2 spots open on A team still and he would love to be on it. He’s pretty young so we’ll see. He’s made some new friends this year and having lots of fun with them. He went on a week long scout camp to Wind Rivers Wyoming last summer. They actually got up to the Continental Divide! He said that it was hard but it was worth it. He’s a good student when he isn’t being the class clown. He’s the first to help me when I am bringing in groceries or super busy. So with all the goofiness he has a nice good side.
Izak (16) is in 11th grade. He also is playing on Lone Peak’s Ultimate Frisbee team and he is on the boys A team. He’s pretty excited about that. He loves his teammates and coaches and enjoys the girls who were on his mixed team this fall. The season just ended until February. It’s been fun for him to have both his younger brothers playing. He got his license last spring so it’s been nice to have him drive them to practice. He went to Camp Helaman this summer for scout camp and they built a raft out of milk jugs and some other cool stuff. He also went to Southern Utah with the youth his age from our church. He had a lot of fun on that and Emily went with him. He also has a job at Arctic Circle. It’s growing on him now that he has made friends and he knows what he is doing. He’s enjoying school dances. He went to Homecoming and Sadies. He has a lot of fun whatever he is doing. He’s taking AP US History and Honors Math but I think his other classes are pretty low key overall. He’s just been so busy but now with ultimate frisbee being done for awhile he is going to play Jr Jazz and have time to organize his eagle project, I hope! He’s a good friend and cares a lot about his friends so sometimes scouts and keeping his room clean are not priorities!
Emily (19) graduated last spring from high school. She had a fun senior year! She had a musical revue with her Drama Productions company and had to stage kiss--I laughed every night. Her brothers were disgusted. She was in movie knight with the chamber choir kids--no kissing there. She went to New York City with Chamber Choir and loved all the shows she saw: Wicked, Phantom and Matilda. Matilda was her favorite. She got sick but awesome parents on the tour helped her out.They sang in Carnegie Hall while they were there, very cool. I am glad she was well enough to do it. She got to go to Florida to Universal Studios (spent all day in the Harry Potter part) and Disney World with her Drama Productions group and they performed at DisneyWorld. They had a workshop with Disney World and they wanted her to audition to work there! She had decided she was going on a mission this fall so she didn’t. She made some great friends this year that helped her through some tough things. After our trip she got a job at O’Crowley’s Irish Tacos. The food is good and she likes the people she works with. She turned in her mission papers and it seemed like forever until they came back. Her mission call actually came while she was doing some fun hiking and stuff with the youth from our church down in Southern Utah. So she waited until the Sunday after she got home to open it. She is called to the Columbia, South Carolina mission. She had the original Missionary Training Center date of November 9th but she had it moved back because she ended up having surgery on her ankle the end of August. After hiking in Southern Utah she felt like something wasn’t right and she should have her foot checked before leaving on her mission. They found a divot in her ankle bone caused by trauma--it’s hurt her off and on over the past 2 years so we aren’t sure when the trauma happened or if it was multiple traumas. Anyway, the surgery went well and she was healing well, ahead of time but she decided to delay because she felt like it was too weak. I was relieved when she shared her decision. She was reassigned to December 14th. We all felt good about that. So at this writing she has less than a month when she will be leaving! She went back to work as soon as she could and has been going to physical therapy and doing yoga and walking to strengthen it. My parents were in Kauai for 3 weeks in November and she went over there and spent time with them. She had a great experience and feels ready for her mission more than ever. It was hard to put off when she just wanted to GO! But I think she is learning some great things during this time. She’s going to be great because her testimony of Jesus Christ is very strong.
Timo (22) is in his 2nd year at BYU. He earned a full tuition scholarship after last year for his hard work. He is still working at BYU Mail Services. He saved and bought himself a used car. His major is Stats with a minor in psychology (I think). He made lots of good friends last year and then moved out with his high school friends in the spring to an apartment off campus. He has made new friends and is still having fun with his friends from last year. It was fun to have him with us on our trip to California. He missed last time we went so he got to have fun with us until he had to fly back for his roommate, Gabe’s, wedding. He went camping with friends and to St. George with friends.After finals he’s flying to San Antonio to visit friends from his mission, the day Emily goes into the MTC. He has a tough schedule this fall and hopes to keep all his scholarships when it’s over. We always enjoy when he comes home with his friends for dinner and we play games after. 
Taran (23) did not go to school this fall. He’s a senior who is still figuring out what he wants to do. He got a fulltime job at NuSkin after going full-time at BYU last year. His band was busy with different gigs and venues including Battle of the Bands. We can’t always go but it’s fun to watch them. He and Lisa are doing well and just moved into a bigger apartment. And then their car died so they are saving up for a vehicle. That’s what they are getting for Christmas :). They were able to come with us to California. Actually Taran had to work the first part of the trip so he flew down. His wife Lisa went the whole trip with us. She had never been to Disneyland so it was fun to take her. He is signed up for a class next semester. I think he’s settled on Spanish. He and Lisa helped Emily take care of the kids while Tim and I were out of town. They are lots of fun to hang out with. 
Rachelle (also almost 50) so this year has been interesting. I had helped with the Drama Parents group at the high school and that came to an end with Emily’s graduation. I enjoy being involved. Well no worries I am the PTA President at our elementary school. It’s been great I have great people to work with. My president elect had to step down and I haven’t been able to find anyone to replace her. So I may be president one more year. Luckily most of my board is willing to join me another year so that’s a twist I wasn’t quite ready for! I still help with the choir at the high school and in other things as I can. I am still doing cub scouts but now I am in the WEBELOS den.They are the same boys I had last year it’s so fun! Hopefully they aren’t sick of me. This summer I realized that I needed to get into better shape and stop being lazy. I am active but I also came to find out I was eating 3 times the suggested servings on most things--YIKES. I am lucky I wasn’t bigger and in worse shape. I enlisted God’s help and He came through. He inspired me with a lifestyle change-- not a diet or special exercise for a limited time. Something I can do FOREVER. And it’s working. I am so grateful. I have lost over 20 pounds since I started on July 7th. This has been handy because my back has been having problems and after an MRI I found out I have a bulging disc same one I had to have surgery on 9 years ago. I had an epidural and it’s helped some. The chiropractor has also been very helpful and my daily yoga. So I am hoping no surgery this time. My Aunt Bev, my dad's sister passed away in September. I feel blessed to have been with her before she passed with my sister and cousins. She will be missed but she was suffering so it was a tender mercy.
Well that’s it for a year. I have personally felt lifted and guided during my challenges this year by Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father. I know they love us and want to help us we just need to reach out to them. We hope you have a great Christmas and fantastic New Year!
Much love, Rachelle and the rest of Pews
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