2016

So... let's just pretend that it's not almost 2 months into the new year and I probably didn't probably finish off 2015.  It's been a crazy few months, to say the least.

Let's start backwards.

School is going well.  You're very bright, sensitive, helpful and you are especially good at Math and reading.  You love learning new things and you're doing well with Spanish.  Your teachers really love you and you love learning new things and being with friends.  You haven't had a very easy time making new friends.  You easily get frustrated, and being an oldest child, I think you're a bit bossy and are used to getting your own way.  That doesn't always work during recess, but the last few weeks seem to be better.  Your biggest hurdle is slowing down and paying attention.  But, you catch on quick and still like reading at home.

We'll skip Disneyland, Christmas, and your birthday.  Because, those certainly deserve their own posts.

We moved to the new house 6 months ago.  I'm still working on getting your room decorated, but I'm pretty close, so I'll get pictures on here soon.  Everyone has their own room. We have a finished basement with a playroom/area.  Fully fenced  backyard, quiet road.  It's great.  The ward has a lot of boys your age.  I'm not sure how well you're doing fitting in at church.  The boys go to another school and a few are in 2nd grade too.  You start scouts at the end of the year, so I'm hoping that you'll get to know them better later on.

Your favorite things are your kindle, star wars (thanks to the new movie and Disneyland), and Minecraft.  You try to be helpful, can do your morning routine without any help and very few reminders.  You started playing tennis after school once a week, just for 5 weeks, I think you've only had two lessons.  The first day I asked how it went and you said you just played around and didn't do anything like tennis.  Although, then you talked about how you hit balls with racquets.  I'm guessing you guys just didn't use nets the first week.

You are still in music class, and progressing pretty nicely.  You don't like going, to be honest, but you seem to enjoy your time when you're there (I'm with you once a month) and you don't mind practicing (a bit).

That's pretty much it, so far.  I'm sorry that I haven't kept on the daily stuff lately, I'll try to do better.

Christmas

Christmas 2015.
It's now February, so I suppose I'll do the recap with pictures.

Santa Claus wanted to bring you guys a surprise this year... I was so excited for it!

 Christmas Eve at Grandma Colleens.  And back at our house with the Lafeen's.  Christmas brunch at the Hardcastle's with the Petersens.  We ended up staying there the entire day to help Grandma Hardcastle with dinner later on.

Then, we headed to the cabin with Mimi and Papa for a few days.  We had Christmas up there spent a few cold and beautiful days.

Silver Mesa

New year, new school, new teachers, new house, new friends.  It's been a crazy summer/fall.

Your new school is Silver Mesa Elementary in Sandy.  It's about a mile away, but across a pretty busy road, so I'm not sure you'll ever be able to walk.  I really like your teachers.  Mrs. Bailey used to be a kindergarten teacher, and she's definitely more warm and friendly than your last teachers.  Senorita Gonzalas is really nice too.  You have one friend in your class that lives behind our house, but is in a different ward, Peter.  Every once in a while you guys will play at each others houses. I tried to get involved with the PTA this year, and technically I am, but I haven't done much.  I'll try harder next year.  It's still pretty hard to volunteer in your classes while I still have Milo and Kate around.  
  

Seven years old

First... the interview:

What is your favorite color?  ALL THE COLORS EXCEPT FOR PURPLE

What is your favorite toy? MINECRAFT VIDEO GAMES

What is your favorite fruit? ALL OF THEM

What is your favorite tv show? MINECRAFT GEMS VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE

What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? PIZZA

What is your favorite outfit? STUFF THAT GLOWS IN THE DARK AND HAS A HOOD

What is your favorite game? MINECRAFT VIDEO GAMES

What is your favorite snack? BANANA'S

What is your favorite animal? LIONS

What is your favorite song? PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

What is your favorite book? THE ENTIRE MINECRAFT HANDBOOK COLLECTION

Who is your best friend? PETER, EMI, AND MAX

What is your favorite cereal? LUCKY CHARMS

What is your favorite thing to do outside? SHOOT WATER GUNS AT EACH OTHER IN THE SUMMER. 

What is your favorite drink? ROOT BEER

What is your favorite holiday? CHRISTMAS

What do you like to take to bed with you at night? ALL OF MY STUFFED ANIMALS

What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? WAFFLES

What do you want for dinner on your birthday? PIZZA AND ROOT BEER!

What do you want to be when you grow up? STAY HOME AND NOT DO ANY JOB

What did you used to do when you were little? CRY

7 Year old Stats

And the Birthday Party.
This year was a friend birthday party and we went Rock Climbing at a local recreation center.  We invited all the boys from the ward (I think 6 or 7) and your friend Max, from our old neighborhood.  I think you had a fun time and all of the boys eventually made it on the wall (a few were a little reluctant to put on the harness.

You also had a bunch of family parties, as usual!  No shortage of celebrations around our place.  

Your first house

We moved in when I was 10 weeks pregnant.  I did my best to 'decorate' a nursery.  Your dad was pretty set against anything too permanent, and I still hadn't convinced him putting a few nail hole in the walls was inevitable.  But, he traveled a bit.  So I did manage to frame a dozen or so books and hang them in your room, to go with your generic ABC bedding.  Most were my favorite children's books, with one of your dad's favorites for good measure.

We brought you home to our first house.  We were pretty scared and slightly shocked the hospital let us take you home, and at the last minute we had Grandma Hardcastle stay with us too -just to make sure we didn't break you the first night.

I worried non stop about the stairs and the rock around the fire place.  We bought the only gate available that was wide enough for our entryway and I bought a few huge pillows to save your from yourself around the fireplace.  It didn't help much.  There were very few places in your first house that you didn't test out with your head.  You fell down both sets of stairs, more than once.  Locked yourself IN the house (dad went to the neighbors house, climbed on the roof and into our 2nd story bathroom window).   You learned how to crawl and walk there.  You ate your first bite of rice cereal.  You made your first best friend between the ages of 3 and 4 and you and Max spent hours and days running in between your two houses.  We took first day of school pictures there -three years in a row.

You played video games in your first house and began what I can only assume will be your lifelong habit of climbing and jumping on everything within reach.  You practiced reading your first books here and it was the house you started to bring homework home to.

You welcomed two siblings home in your first house.  And you also got mad and tortured those same siblings as well.  You've eaten countless popsicles outside, thrown stuff down the window well, and left a permanent mark on the stucco with silly string left in the sun to bake.

It's been a good house, Hyrum.  I hope you will have a few memories of this place, because I know that I will.