A Year In Review

As I stated when I started this blogging experience, I am using the blog as my journal. I thought I would end this year with a review of the major points of my year and then put my blogs in a book for 2008! Just something for my children to throw out when I am gone.

January began with the New Year and may last semester at Salt Lake Community College. It was also Shauntel and my birthday month. My baby turned 25. That is a weird thing for a parent when the children start hitting the milestone birthdays. Unfortunately for Shauntel, she is the first to reach them and so she is history maker. In four years, Scott and I will be saying to each other that we can't believe we have a thirty year old.

February, March, and April were pretty uneventful. March was Jacob’s 20th birthday which he celebrated on his mission. He has done so well and we are so proud of him. In April Scott and I had to take a business trip to San Diego. Because of this silly trip, I missed my granddaughter’s first birthday. I was truly saddened by this. From the looks of the pictures taken, Scott and I were not missed too much and it looked like everybody had a great time, especially Shyann. Ryan also celebrated his 25th birthday in April. I finished my semester at SLCC and applied for graduation. It was a busy time and I was saddened to be leaving SLCC but I got accepted to the University of Utah and transferred there to start in the fall of 2008.

May was graduation. I was not going to participate in the ceremony but my family and friends talked me into it. I graduated with an Associates Degree in Psychology. I love the subject and loved all the classes that I took that dealt with psychology directly. The other courses that they make you take for the degree were not as well appreciated. I graduated with high honors and a great GPA of 3.96. It was a great experience and I am glad I did the walk. It was a lot of fun. I did do something that my family loved: I sat up front so that I could be one of the first to get the diploma. After I received mine, with a smile and a wave, I kept walking right out the door so that my family could duck out a little early. They were very appreciative. We went to lunch after. It was a good day and a lovely memory. We celebrated J.R.’s birthday at my house with a combination birthday party and Memorial Day pool party. It was great fun. I love my grandchildren so much.

June, July and August were typical summer months. I did end up taking another class at SLCC to help me get ahead up at the U of U because I was feeling a little school withdrawal. Jacob hit his one year anniversary in June and will be home next June. We went up to Deer Creek Reservoir and rented a boat. That was fun to spend time with my husband, girls, and grandchildren. Scott and I celebrated our 27th wedding anniversary on June 12. We now share this date with our daughter-in-laws birthday. I will never forget her birthday unless of course I forget my wedding anniversary, which I have been known to do. August did hold a great trip for me and two of my daughters, Shauntel and Whitney. We went to New York City. It was a truly fun trip and I will forever cherish the memories.

September was back to school and the start of my new experience of traveling up to the U of U. That was a culture shock for sure. I got behind in my classes a little bit and it took some time to get caught up. It is not like SLCC. You have to stay on schedule because if you get behind, it is very difficult to catch up and still stay on schedule with your classes. Happily, I did catch up and did well in all four of my courses. I have to take at least 12 credit hours a semester to keep a scholarship I received as an honor transfer student.
Thanks again Whitney for encouraging me to apply. You are the queen of scholarships and knowing what to do to get them. Josie’s birthday ends the month of September for us and we had fun at the Melting Pot for a fun birthday celebration.

October was also a busy month for me with school. I had midterms so there was a lot of studying and preparation. I did well on three of my midterms and received A's but my political analysis class I did not do very well. Neither did most of the class so she let us take it over and I ended up with an A-. That was a welcome relief. Josie and I surprised Shauntel by going to her house for Halloween. It was so much fun and I inadvertently taught my grandson to throw a fit if anyone gave him chocolate. Grandma forgot you can not joke with a three-year-old. A fit he threw when someone gave him a chocolate bar. He threw in on the ground and said “I don’t like chocolate!” His mom and dad were a little embarrassed. I just laughed. Oh well.

November was filled with you guessed it, studying and schoolwork. We did spend Thanksgiving with Shauntel and Ryan at there home. It was so much fun. All my children were there together. I can not think a better treat than that. We had a great dinner with the exception of my burnt rolls, which weren’t too bad after we cut the bottoms off. We even got Scott to play a game with us after dinner. He is not a game fan but he did not seem to mind Apples to Apples. November is also the birthday month for Scott, Brad, and Whitney.

December was the month of finals. I was studying for two full weeks before finals. I could not do much else but that. We had our company Christmas party on December 5, and if I did not have the help of my great sister-in-law, Jennifer, I would not have managed. She was a great help along with my great husband who took care of getting most of the prizes for our employees. I took my finals on 16th and 17th of December and did very well. I ended up with three A’s, two in history and one in geography, and an much unexpected A- in political analysis. I truly thought this was going to be my first B course. Finally, I could now concentrate on Christmas. Scott and I went shopping that Saturday before and then again on Christmas Eve. We had everyone home with the exception of Whitney, who had to work at the hospital, and missionary Jacob. Maybe next year we will have them all home next Christmas.

It was a great year and even though it was very busy and hectic I loved every minute of it. God has truly blessed our family. We have good health and strong bodies. We have so many blessings such as a roof over our heads, food to eat, clothes to wear, a beautiful country to live in, good family and friends, I just pray that the Lord will continue to bless us as generously in 2009.

10 Things I Love About You….2008!

1. I love all my educational opportunities even though I whine sometimes.
2. I love the success of our business and pray for a great new year.
3. I love all the blessings that the Lord so generously gave me and my family.
4. I love teaching my Sunbeams. They are the best!
5. I love riding my spinning bike when I am not too lazy.
6. I love eating lunches with my kids, most were spent with Whitney.
7. I love Sunday dinners with my kids, most were spent with Brad and Amy.
8. I love when Ryan, Shauntel, and the grandkids come to visit.
9. I love when Shyann comes running to hug and kiss me, maybe Jar Jar will do that someday.
10. I love my husband and every minute we spend together!