It's Time for a Robert's Family Update

It's been a while since I've done an update. We're all back on a new schedule and routine, so now seems like a good time. Here's how everyone is doing...

Ken turned 38 on Wednesday! We had less than an hour between work and going to class to squeeze in all of his birthday festivities. Ken is one busy guy right now. He is working full-time and taking 16 credits at UVU. He has applied and been accepted for graduation in December, granted all goes well with this semester. He has a very heavy load to carry right now, but he is making an incredible effort to succeed at all he has on his plate. He is still serving with the young men in our ward. He is an awesome dad and a wonderful husband. We are super proud of all he does to better our family. Way to go, Kenny...You da' man!  

Me: I am busy, busy too. I also went back to UVU this fall. I am taking 6 credits. So far so good. I was feeling a bit overwhelmed this week trying to get back into an easy routine with the little ones at home and managing the 6 others at school. That may sound easy to some, but it is no easy task. When people ask me how I manage with so many kids, I used to respond by saying something like this...Oh, it's no big deal. It's all the same after three kids anyway, as long as they come one at a time. Well, I guess it took getting pregnant with twins for me to change my tune, because I no longer feel like this is NO BIG DEAL. It's a HUGE deal, and I am flippin' awesome! (sometimes I need to pat myself on the back) Taking care of 10 people everyday is SO WORTH IT, but seriously exhausting. I do at least 2 if not 3 loads of dishes everyday. Laundry is of course always in progress, but never done. Cooking for 10 people is a task, Picking up after 10 people is IMPOSSIBLE, therefore my house looks "well lived in" each day. Somebody always needs me, usually more than one at a time. The house is rarely quiet (oh, how I covet nap time). Then the house turns into a zoo, with wild animals roaming all about when all the kids get home from school. My brain seriously goes into system overload as each child rattles off the events in their day (all at the same time), and then the list of things that needs to be accomplished before the next day begins. Basically, from 2:30 until bedtime I just manage a LOT of  their "to do's", while earlier in the day I attempt to tackle all of my "to do's" in the mist of taking care of the needs of a feisty 2 year old and a too cute for words 7 month old. Life is crazy, life is busy, life is exhausting, and life is just the way I like it...really wonderful!

Sydney is enjoying 8th grade. She has 6 of her eight classes with her best friend, and she is taking some classes that she really enjoys. She especially like her foods class, and art, which she is so good at. She has been interested in art for the last few years now, thanks to my niece who is a fantastic artist. I have loved watching Sydney work hard and develop her talents. She is very detail oriented and always takes her time to get things just the way she wants them. She spends her time hanging out at home or with friends. She is currently involved in a singing group that will perform near Christmas time.  She babysits (for me and many others). She is awesome with babies and is a super big sister even if her siblings don't always appreciate her, I certainly do. 

Kaylie is enjoying being the top dog at her school this year. 6th graders rule the school! Just today she turned in her application for student council. Kaylie is hoping to be the Ladies and Gentleman's club captain. I am really proud of her. Up until recently Kaylie has been scared to step into any leadership role, but lately she is stepping out of her comfort zone and really blossoming. And as always she is excelling in school and enjoying her class and teacher. Kaylie is also performing with the same musical group as Sydney. She too has been doing some babysitting this summer. Kaylie is a baby charmer. She is very responsible and is  a HUGE help to me with her younger siblings. Kaylie has such a patient way about her with the little ones, she can get them to do almost anything with her soft words and creative energy. I could take a lesson from her sometimes. She will do great things this year and I can't wait to watch her keep finding herself and her talents and blossom into a young woman soon.

Tyler is more like an adult than a little boy sometimes, in that he carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. I think he thinks it is his job to try and fix everything all the time. Of all the kids I believe Tyler has been the most effected by the ups and downs of our lives this past year. Ken and I are trying to help him overcome some of the anxiety he carries and just help him concentrate on being a little boy. On the other hand, he is very much like a typical 10 year old. He loves the dirt bike, his bicycle, scooter, roller-blades, skateboard, and heelies. He is quite a natural at those things. He is currently reading the Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites series and loving them. He flip-flops back and forth on whether or not he likes school. It depends on the day. That's maybe a good way to sum up Tyler right now, a little flip-floppy. He is a GOOD boy. He always wants to make good choices, he also gets a little chip on his shoulder at times. You would think that he is actually the teenager in the house. Every once in a while we have to give him a little attitude adjustment. But I love having Ty around. Tyler is sort-of like a security blanket. If he's around you know you are in good hands. He is a good protection, and a loving boy. He adores Aftyn and I love seeing him take care of her. Tyler is a keeper.    

Emma is my little 3rd grade genius. She loves school! But she does complain that her teacher gives her "baby" homework, because it's way too easy. Emma does like a challenge, when it come to school anyway. Emma is my child stuck right in the middle. Sometimes my heart breaks for this little one because she doesn't understand yet that life isn't fair. You can imagine how life would seem totally unfair if you were too young to be an older kid and too young to be a younger kid. I've been trying to teach her to speak up and express herself, without pouting or whining. Unfortunately for her she has a momma who does not react well to drama-queen attitude. Emma is sometimes a sad and frustrated little girl, but she is learning that she has the choice to be happy or sad. When she chooses to be happy she is like a ray of sunshine. She is contagious. She is also such great friend maker. She makes friends everywhere we go. It never takes long before she is hand-in-hand with a new friend playing as if they were life-long pals. Emma has also been working hard to read the Book of Mormon, we are really proud of her good choices.  

Todd is adjusting well to being a 1st grader and going to school all day. He likes being able to eat lunch at school. He came home on the first day of school very upset because some kids in his class were making fun of his speech. He's never noticed before but he notices now and it hurts his feelings. Mine too! If only those kids knew how far he has come. I'm sure it is just that he still sounds a little different and they weren't used to it. I don't think anything more has been said since that first day. Todd has not complained since, so I don't think it's a problem. Some day's he is happy to do his homework and reading and other days it's not so fun for him. Those days are not so fun for me either. Todd is growing up fast, he'll be seven soon. SEVEN! He loves all things BOY. He also loves the dirt bike, helping dad, and fixing anything he can. He is the best worker ever when you have him next to you working on a repair or mechanical problem. He is a thinker. He has great ideas. I think he should grow up to be a mechanical engineer. If he can build things as well as he can break things he will be brilliant!

McKenna is one of my babies. She's one of the youngest so I can't quite think of her as growing up. BUT she is! Everyday I send her to school like one of the big kids. She reminds me everyday that she IS a big kid (because she goes to Primary). McKenna is a bossy little girl, full of attitude who always stands her ground. She is like 4 going on 16. She has always been that way. She knows what she wants and she's not afraid to tell you. I love that about her! Not particularly when she argues with everything that comes out of my mouth, but I know it will be a great quality when she gets older, if she chooses to fight for the right things in life. McKenna is feisty, but she still has us wrapped around her finger, She is TOO cute to resist. Plus she is just charming and sweet too. She is usually really well behaved, you just have to know that she can be a fire-cracker ready to pop if you don't handle her with care. She is a good big sister to Daric and Aftyn. She puts up with Daric when he's being a stinker and she loves to play with Aftyn. She loves her preschool. She talks about recess and coloring the most, but was so excited today to do "shaving cream letters" and get on the computer. I love that she gets this experience. I want her to learn lots, only not too much until after January because then she'll graduate out and that would NOT be cool. McKenna is a darling little love and she gives great hugs. 

Daric, Daric, Daric is 2. Need I say more? Challenging would be a good word to describe this little man. That and adorable. But challenging is winning out over adorable most days lately. He is a typical 2 year old. He gets into everything, he hits, throws fits, screams, destroys, argues just for the sake of arguing, makes messes, disappears, and drives me nutty. He also melts my heart. He is a little giant. He is our huskiest boy by far. He is a lover and a fighter. He is in that adorable "talking" phase. He is a great talker, but not everything comes out perfectly clear and I love his little voice. He is clever and I love watching his mind work. He also says hilarious things. The other day I sneezed and he said, "Bless you, Nanc" he did it again the next day so I asked him what made him think to call me Nanc. He says, so matter-of-factly, "Well, that what dad calls you". He is so smart and observant. Sometimes he will come downstairs and do Zumba with me (which is so stinking cute) and he will repeat everything the instructors are saying while he's shaking his bootie. It's so funny, but it's also a good lesson to me that kids HEAR everything. And an even more important lesson; they repeat what they hear! I love little-D, he is a sweet heart and a pain in the bum wrapped up all together in an adorable thick package. 

Aftyn is PERFECTION! She is, it's as simple as that. I have hesitated for a while to blog anything about Aftyn because I know I will be completely powerless to keep the sappiness from oozing out all over the place. We are smitten. Honestly, none of us can get enough of this little piece of HEAVEN. She is so good, so cute, so snugly, so kissable, and so much more. She is army crawling all over the place. She loves to roll around on the floor and move from toy to toy or anything else she can find on the floor. She sit-ups but really that isn't her favorite position, she would rather be mobile. She has two little teeth. She has lost most of her long dark hair and now has a fuzzy head of reddish-brown. She has a smile that lights up her face and an angelic little giggle. She loves to make noise, she doesn't cry much but she does have a pretty good set of lungs. She is getting some chunk on her, but really she is still little and compact. I have enjoyed her staying little for so long. She is still such a baby to me. She is not so independent that she doesn't like to be held, she loves to be held and played with. She has a precious spirit about her that just makes you feel good to be around her.

I can't resist a few more pictures of her.

Okay, well that took way too long. :)

Hope you enjoyed catching up.