Sam & Ginger - Jan. 08

Alright already, I know it's March but I'm just getting to January!

The New Year has been a flurry of activities, business and snow! It’s been winter here in the Northwest with a lot of cold weather and plenty of snow in the mountains and several deposits in the lowlands too. It’s made for some great skiing, maybe some of the best snow we’ve ever had here. Ok, it’s not Targhee or Utah but for us it’s been pretty dang good. Brock and Bailey are both skiing a lot with me, and Ginger is about at the threshold of, “I just can’t take it, I’ve got to come with you guys”. She likes to ski but the conditions have to be “just right” and we don’t do a lot of “just right” here in the NW.

The first semester of school has just ended and both Brock and Bailey have done very well. Brock keeps talking about senioritis setting in but he’s so busy with physics, calc and a host of other demanding classes that he hasn’t had too much time to think about it. Good job Brock for not being a slacker and congratulations on being accepted to BYU Provo. He’s really looking forward to being around lots of family and friends that he hasn’t had enough time with and mom and dad are thrilled that he’ll have the opportunity to be in such a great environment as he makes his final preparations for his mission. Bailey has hit her stride in Jr High, has lots of friends, is working hard and doing well in her classes, plays the piano in Jazz Band, is doing great in her regular piano, has done two sessions of indoor soccer and ski’s every week too.

Ginger is in the middle of doing nine ward conferences around the stake so she’s scarce on Sundays so it’s been me and the kids holding down the fort. Dinners aren’t as good when I cook but Brock and Bailey have really stepped things up making sure things are managed in her absence. Work is really busy for me especially after being out on vacation for about three weeks at the end of the year…I wouldn’t change it for a thing. Our company continues to grow and the demands in a startup company in growth mode are significant. I’m really having a lot of fun and there seems to be a real demand for our services in the supermarket sector.

I started this winter with a list of “indoor projects” to complete around the house and, well, the list hasn’t changed much. I’ve had so much fun being with family over the holidays, going skiing on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings with the kids along with the regular have to do’s each week that I’ve accomplished little and looking back, I’m proud to say so. The list will still be there tomorrow but the kids might not be. Life passes quickly and we struggle like most to find the balance and I’m sure I’m no different than all of you in finding that there is never a shortage of things to do and demands on my time and just so everyone knows, the list will be in the drawer this weekend because I plan on skiing again Friday evening and Saturday morning, going to Bailey’s soccer game and on a date with Ginger Saturday night and spending Sunday doing what has been the glue for us in everything, being with my family and worshiping the Lord on the Sabbath.

Love and miss you all.

Delayed Christmas update!

Well hello family!!!
So I am finally updating for the month of December, isn't January almost over? oops! But hey where are all of your entries? It isn't a hard thing to learn how to update. It just takes seconds. Let's keep updating it's great to hear from you. As spread out as we are we need to keep in touch!


Anyway, back to the update. Christmas was great. We spent Christmas Eve with friendsat our house and had brunch with other friends on Christmas day and just relaxed (nice for a change) in between all of that. It was just good to be together, drink hot chocolate, sit by the fire and miss all of our family who isn't with us! :-)

We have had a TON of snow. In fact in Decemeber we broke an all time record for the most snow fall ever in the month of Decemeber. But I have decided it's a lot easier to deal with the cold weather when everything is and you get to look at cute snowmen like this one.
It's our neighbors but I love it!

Along with lots of snow comes lot's of sledding and snowboarding. Ben got a snowboard for Christmas so Mike is teaching him how to board. He is really getting the hang of it. I think the other boys will be boarding here before to long. We have been sledding several times. They LOVE it.

We also celebrated Ben's 10th birthday. Wow!!! I have a 10 year old. They had a great time we made our own pizzas, ate our snowboard cake and then Mike took them snowboarding /skiing. It was there first time to an actual hill with a chair lift. I don't want to actually call it a resort being that it only has one chair lift. But it is less then 5 minutes from our house and is a great place for beginners. They had a ball. The day after we were counting Ben's bruises on his legs from all of his crashing (the crashing came before he actual learned how to turn) and it might have been easier to count the unbruised skin parts then the bruises! But you know the bruises must make him more manly or something! The joys of boys. I love you all and am looking forward to hearing from you!!!

The Peterson Christmas

After a few crazy weeks the beginning of December, we were happy to leave it all behind and head up to Seattle. It was the first time our "whole family" has been together for a few years. Those 11 days went by pretty fast and now we just have to live with a 3 year old who whines several times a day that "I want to go back to Seattle". We are so grateful for the time we got to spend together as a family and especially getting to know Darren and Melody - they both definitely fit in the Beeson family! Some of the highlights were: bowling (and the lovely bowling attire), Kate's first time sledding, staying up every night watching movies in the in-home theater, Kate looking at Christmas lights saying "Oh my goodness" in the most dramatic voice possible, having lots of help with the kids and just hanging out. Thank you Mom and Dad for the most wonderful Christmas.

Life is back into full swing now that we are home. Santa visited our house in Texas as well so we had two Christmas celebrations and now we've taken down all the decorations. Kate is convinced that we've "ruined Christmas" but maybe someday she'll understand the idea that it will come again in a year from now. Sadie is just about ready to crawl, loves eating things she finds on the floor and is happily entertained by her big sister.

Around here we're hoping that we can make 2008 a little slower and have a little more down time as a family and less time spent on things that don't matter as much. We love you all and hope you had a wonderful Christmas.

love Brent, Brooke, and girls