Welcome 2023

 I can't believe it's 2023! I probably start every new year post that way, haha. 

We had a wonderful Christmas season. This year we FINALLY walked around the lights and blow-up Christmas displays at the local park in Farmington. We drive by it every year and say we should stop, but never had. This year after Thanksgiving dinner at the Botts we drove over and walked around those lights. Only took us 5 years but it was worth it! I'll always remember the way we all laughed so hard at the giant blow-up teddy bear that had moving arms and I said, "Oh, it wants to give you a hug!" and Marcus said, "Yeah, of death!" It doesn't sound as funny now that I type it out, but we really did all have a good laugh.

We saw a lot of other Christmas lights this year, too. We spent New Year's Eve at Luminaria at Thanksgiving Point with my parents. It was awesome and something we'd all like to do again. The rest of New Year's Eve was spent playing Mario Kart with a little friendly family competition thrown in.

Christmas was great! I was sick leading up to it ... like flat in bed for 6 days sick. That part was no fun. But I felt pretty good by the time Christmas rolled around and was able to party the day away. I personally love having Christmas fall on a Sunday because then we go to church on Christmas day and it feels extra special. Layla sang in our ward choir this year and really enjoyed that. The kids got a 3D printer for Christmas and they have been so excited about it and are printing all sorts of trinkets. We all were spoiled like always and very much enjoyed two weeks off of school and work. The kids definitely had their moments of arguing and getting on each other's nerves, but mostly they laughed and played together a lot.

We went skiing several times over the break. The kids have become quite the skiers! Marcus still doesn't love it, but he goes and does well. We have had more snow this year than the last 10 years or so it seems. I love seeing snow flocked in the trees and on the mountains. It's beautiful! I continue to make it a point to get outside every day despite the cold because my mental health suffers when I don't. I love walking in the sunshine and seeing the glitter in the snow.

The biggest change is that I quit my job and will be working part-time as a student advocate at the same school. I did this to have more time to study while I return to school to earn my Clinical Mental Health Counselor certificate (CMHC). I start classes next week and will start my internship this summer. I'm not sure if I'll be a therapist at a school or private practice, but I am sure that I only want to work part-time for now. I am very happy with this arrangement and am oddly excited to take classes about suicide causation, addiction counseling, etc. It's all so fascinating! My end goal is to work with teens who are experiencing suicide ideation. 

Layla is at a dress rehearsal right now for her 7th-grade school musical. She is Junie B. Jones in the musical, Junie B. Jones. She is so excited and also understandably nervous. I can't wait to see her perform! 

Marcus decided to quit drum lessons. Mitch and I are sad but have also learned that we cannot force or push our kids to do things they aren't passionate about. Marcus has a passion for his Robotics team and so we will stick with that for now. Maybe someday he will pick up the drums again, you never know. He is loving Robotics though and his team is doing very well. 

Mitch's work is crazy, as always, but he is happy there. He loves skiing on his every other Friday off. I'm hoping to join him on Fridays now that I'll be part-time!

Let's just take a moment to look at Harvey sitting so comfortably on Layla's head. That cat!

Every time I buy toilet paper, I ask the kids to distribute it to all the bathrooms around the house. Before they can do that though, they have to build creations with it. Every.single.time. Here they are with the toilet paper Eiffel tower. 

Jordan got a German Shephard puppy. Her name is Koa. Layla and I were dying of cuteness overload. Mitch and Marcus were not impressed and did not listen to our pleas to get a puppy. Maybe someday. (But to be honest I don't really want to shovel dog poop anyways.) 

Well, here's to 2023. Looking forward to all that it brings us.