2010 A Year in Reveiw

RYKER
It has been a great year for Ike so far. He was born. We are so lucky to have such a sweet baby join our family. He is just so pleasant. He is working on his first two teeth and is 7 months old. He is a great roller and I think he will be crawling soon. He is happy and smiling 95% of the time. If he fusses I just have to look at him and he is smiling again. He loves baby food vegetables and is not into fruits much. Prunes and bananas make him gag and shudder. He loves all of his older siblings and loves to watch the cats. He is also a very tactile baby. He loves to feel anything. The other night while I was rocking him I rubbed the palm of his hand softly and he smiled himself to sleep. I am so pleased with my sweet baby and have really enjoyed him immensely.

MACKY KAY RAWLINGS JEPPESEN(this is what he says when you ask him what his name is)
Mac is Mac. He is so funny and wild. He doesn't like to listen too much and I think it is just that his mind is moving too fast to the next thing that he can't stop to listen. He is such a fun kid. He is our dare-devil and reminds me that it is okay for him to do dangerous stuff because "I am amazing, Mom". Mac is looking forward to pre-school next year and talks about it often. He did go through a bit of sibling rivalry with the new baby and he still likes to pretend that he is a baby. He loves to play the part of the baby when Anikka has friends over. He is so funny and I sure love having him in our family. He is good, smart and AMAZING.

BENNETT
This has been a banner year for Ben. He turned 6 in July and headed to Kindergarten in the fall. Shortly after school began I received a phone call from his teacher. She was asking permission to work with Ben on her reading recovery program/class that she was taking. She said that because he tested so well with his literacy and his personality that she would love to work with him. She also needed my permission because they would be observed by the others in the class at the end of the semester. It was so wonderful. I would drive him to school Monday through Wednesday a half hour early and they would work together on reading. I was able to go and observe with the others on the observation day. It was so neat to see Ben work with his teacher and their rapport. I loved hearing the comments that the others made about Ben and his teacher. He is reading at a level E and they want kids to be at a level C when they start 1st grade. He also got such a great report card, all 4's with the exception of two 3's. I am so proud of him and wish that I could take all the credit for him being so smart and such a good reader but it is all Ben. He is such a good, smart and wonderful boy.

ANIKKA
Anikka is growing up so much. She turned 9 in June. Anikka is the best big sister that three boys could ever ask for. She watches out for her brothers so well, especially Ben. She and Ben have such a good relationship. It would not surprise me if the grow up to be best friends. Anikka is also doing well in school. She got straight A's on her report card. She continues to amaze me spiritually. I love to hear her get up and bear her testimony. She is so thoughtful and kind in all she does. She has started writing poetry and songs lately. She also loves making paper crafts. I love her creativity and the way it is starting to manifest itself. I love having a good and sweet daughter.

BROOKE
I have had a good, sometimes bumpy year. The first part of my year was spent waiting on Ryker's arrival and the last half of my year has been spent focusing inward on our family. I am thankful on Ike's good timing of not being born on my birthday. He was a great Mother's Day present. I am enjoying motherhood quite a bit more this last year. I have spent more time living in the moments and less time looking for what is going to happen next. I try hard to be a good mother, a good wife, and a good person, sadly this does not leave me any room to be a good housekeeper. The poor house suffers. Better that than my kids. Recently I have been participating in my Relief Society's challenge "Forty Days Closer to Christ". It is a challenge where we read the Book of Mormon in forty days. It has been hard but I really wanted to show myself that I can do hard things and I will be able to let my kids know that they can do hard things as well. I have learned a lot and feel like I have grown. I feel like I am a better wife and friend to my great husband.

RYAN
This year Ryan started a new job in January. He loves his new job. He feels useful. He thinks that he is able to use his unique skill set more fully at this company. Along with his new job he inherited new habits. He has been working out 5 times a week with his bosses. He is stronger than ever and that is saying a lot. He feels better, too. He paticipated in a mini triathlon in March and was happy to not be the last person to finish. He is still the most amazing person that I know. So incredibly talented and smart. I love being married to him. He impresses me daily and is a rock for me. I can really depend on him.