October 09 Highland Post

Dear Family and Friends,
We are getting settled in. Lareen has decorated, redecorated and decorated again most of our walls and shelves as well as arranged and rearranged the furniture enough that we seem to be settled for at least a month or so. It is fun for her and exciting for the rest of us to see what will be different every day. Speaking of days, they are shorter for her here than in Idaho because the kids don't have the extra "bus" time they had in Greenleaf. She has been frustrated that she doesn't get as much accomplished since the kids and all of their friends are over ALL the time. So, in order to try to restore some semblance of order we've limited the time that friends can be over to between 4:30 and 6pm and ONLY if the kids have their chores and homework finished by 4:30... this seems to be helping.

Logan is doing good in school, had joined the Creative Writing club (her first club or organization she has joined in school). Logan has been called to be a special needs representative by the Stake Presidency for the special needs mutual. So, she goes and helps work with special needs kids on Thursday nights... I've dropped her off a time or two and watched her interact with these special people and it really warms my heart. Logan has a very special spirit that she inherited from her mother. She can love everyone and make people feel comfortable. What a special talent that will bless life and the lives of those around her for her entire life. Oh, and she has a boyfriend... Mike Taylor. He's a really good kid. He's only 2 months older than her but he's a Senior. He is very talented in music and plays the guitar, piano and sings very well. He's also very talented in French and took a national test and ranked 8th in the nation. Anyway, it has been a very interesting thing to have him over ALL the time. It's like we have another son. I like him but I hope he goes away to College next year :-)

Jarom didn't end up playing football this year so he and I have been trying to go work out together. Our schedule has been messed up lately since we've been struggling with some cold and flu symptoms in our home. Jarom is really growing now and is almost the same height as Lareen. He can wear my shoes, ties, T-shirts, socks etc. The problem is that I tend to end up missing things regularly now as my socks etc. all end up in his drawers. He's still hopeful that with this growth he'll get big enough to play football again next year on the High School JV team. I think the thing I'm most pleased with about Jarom is the way he treats his sisters and mother with respect and kindness. He may like to tease a bit too much at times - but he really loves and wants to be good to them. I am also very pleased with how he lives his life. He had his interview today with the Bishop as his Birthday is coming up, it is nice to know he is truly trying to follow the right paths in his life. The other thing that is impressive is how he's doing in Scouts. He's got his first two Eagle Palms and is on track to get the 3rd. One of his best friends just earned the Bronze palm for the 2nd time (meaning he's gone 20 merit badges beyond the Eagle) - I've never heard of anyone doing so well and it's great to be a part of such a great troop.

Hannah is still our little cutie. She is in 8th grade but looks like she could be in the 5th grade. She is on track to get straight A's and is taking some classes with mostly 9th graders (like Geometry) and is still getting an A. She is absolutely LOVING her cooking class. She enjoys baking "extra credit" treats for her teacher and we enjoy helping her consume them. She's made lime squares, fudge cookies and other treats and she will certainly continue the tradition that Lareen's grandmother and mother started of being expert dessert makers! She has some really good friends but her best friend is still Emma because with Emma she can still be a little girl and play lego's and dolls - which is GREAT. Her other 8th grade friends tend to just listen to music or watch movies or talk with boys on their cell phones - so I'll take playing dolls with her little sister ANY day. Hannah is doing great with her Violin and is now 1st chair in the intermediate Orchestra.

Emma can make friends with anyone and everyone but she chooses to use that talent to bless the lives of peers that tend to have a difficult time with friends. She has chosen to put her arms around the little girls who are different, or struggle. Just this week she invited a little girl who would fall into this category to come to an after school pumpkin walk with our family and it was a treat to see that she is such a good friend to this girl who "doesn't have many friends". This is another wonderful talent that Lareen passed on to our kids that remind me of how fortunate I am and was to find such a great woman to share my life and build my family with. Emma's middle name is Lareen and in this way she has earned the right to that wonderful name. Emma is also doing well with her Violin and loves it.

Lareen is now the Primary Chorister and is a real ray of sunshine for the primary children here. We feel blessed to be in our new home, to have a good job and to be enjoying health and happiness. We went to California a couple of weeks ago to celebrate our 18th year of marriage and 22nd year of knowing each other. We actually were down in California for our 22nd anniversary of our first date in September if 1987. I'm going to be in China for our wedding anniversary so we celebrated it early. I had a business conference in San Diego but we stayed up in LA area just north of Huntington Beach just 100 yards from the beach on Sunset Beach in a small bungalow. It was a real treat. We were able to leave the kids for the 4 days without worry because they did such a nice job of taking care of things while we were away and we could trust them. That is a true blessing. It also helps to have good friends and neighbors as well as the Griffins close by so that if anything were needed help was close and willing.

I'm happy it's getting cooler :-) I love fall, cool weather, seeing the leaves change, look up and see the tops of these gorgeous mountains frosted with snow and enjoying the Boise State Bronco's at #5 in the Nation!!! WOOHOOO!

With all our love,