An update on the Haslems.

Let's start with Emily. 

Emily is getting taller everyday. She now surpasses Annabelle by almost 4 inches. 

She loves playing the violin and plans on doing it again next year. 

She has started babysitting which has allowed her to earn money that can buy more than just candy. 

I can see that her testimony of the gospel is increasing all the time. 

She isn't very vocal about it but it's just something that a mom can sense, I think. 

She has an awesome sunday school teacher who is a proud feminist (ie: liberal) and a professor at BYU-I. 

I really appreciate the different perspective her teacher brings to the gospel and

 I think she's a great example for 11-12 year old girls.

 Emily loves to bake and cook, be creative, hang out with her friends and learn. 

She always has a book or two...or four that's she's reading. 

Annabelle:

This girl can be crazy, in a good way. 

She still doesn't walk anywhere; just like when she was little. 

She either skips or runs or hops. 

She loves her school teacher and I believe that her teacher is the best she's ever had. 

Anna loves to be creative and finds examples to copy everywhere.
I think she draws an especially cute face and is very creative with her letters.

She tries her hardest to be kind to people. 

She's an early riser~ first in the shower and first to be all ready for school. 

She loves the chickens and usually never complains about having to feed them. 

She'll be 10 in July but I still consider her my "baby" girl. 

Stephen: 

Stephen loves to read! He is always reading. 

Sometimes he'd rather read than go play with friends. 

He has a 5th grade reading level but is easily reading higher level books. 

He just got done with Hatchet and we heard something 

new about that book everyday until he finally finished it. 

He started baseball again this year and is doing great. 

He and Trevor are outside practicing a lot. Whenever it's not too cold or windy. 

Stephen is very quiet~unless he wants to be loud. Then he's really loud!

I don't think that he has volume control. 

He's all boy. And by that I mean he can be crude and annoying. 

But he is so sweet and tries so hard to be good. 

He'll be baptized soon and is really looking forward to it. 

Joshua:

I keep reminding myself that I only have a few more weeks where I have Joshua to myself all day, everyday. 

Every morning when I get on the treadmill I wonder "what am I doing?".

I always feel a little guilty and like I should be following Joshua around like a puppy dog. 

But I control my feelings and keep running.  

It's going to be sad for me when he starts kindergarten in August. 

He is a very smart boy.

He loves to play with Stephen and his friends. 

He loves Batman and Superman although he's just starting to understand that they aren't real. 

We go everywhere together, everyday. 

He's more spoiled than the other kids were at his age. 

If he's good at the store, I allow him to get a treat, which is just candy or a soda. 

Sometimes we'll go and get lunch together or rent a movie and eat popcorn. 

He's becoming more adventurous with his eating. 

Usually he'll eat 5 or more bites of something before he claims not to like it. 

That's definitely progress. 

He loves Carl and sometimes squeezes his neck too hard from loving him too much. 

Trevor:

Trevor is really liking the new store he's at. 

He works less hours and is home at an earlier time. 

He's really enjoying raising chickens and plans to get some turkeys this weekend. 

And he's going to finish the last phase of the coop. 

Trevor loves spending time at home. 

There's no where else he would rather be. 

His favorite show is still The Office, which we watch every week 

but he's also branched out to other equally good programs (Masterpiece??)

He's a great father, supportive, kind, attentive and hard working. 

And he's a really great kisser. 

Sarah:

I never know what to update about myself.
Like everyone else, I'm constantly evolving. 

What I think/feel one day can be completely different the next day. 

It's the nature of a woman-we are entitled to change our minds. 

Like Trevor, I also enjoy being at home. 

I love to go outside. Even if it's just to sit on the steps in the sunshine. 

One thing I don't enjoy is something I had to do the other day. 

I had to scoop up a dead chicken and put it in an empty paint bucket. 

And while I was at it, I went ahead and scooped up the calf's head and added it to the chicken bucket. 

I then had to carry it the long way to the shed with both the calf and the chicken staring at me. 

It was gross but I man-ed up and did it. 

I love to sew and have been doing it much more lately. 

I think I'm getting better and may attempt an article of clothing at some point. 

And actually finish it. 

And that's what I call an update. 

Albeit a very long one....