Holiday Correspondence (A little late, but still entertaining. . .)
A Joyous Holiday Season to one and all!
For those of you who dig this sort of thing. . .
Here's our Mason Family News:
Charlie, after a ten-year run with the Scouting program, has been called back into . . . the Scouting program! J He’s now working with Tommy and the Varsity Scouts here in our neighborhood. Still loves his job with Coke, and has a great time with all our shenanigans here at home! Charlie got to travel to Boston earlier this year, and helped out a bunch with the little kidlets while Amy was ‘out for the count' toward the end of the summer.
Amy survived yet another pregnancy, and not such a fun one at that. But of course, ultimately, good came of it! We welcomed Kaylie Jo Mason into our home Sunday, September 12th, 2010, with joy and rejoicing. Happy Birthday to me! 😊 She is a sweet, pretty baby, beloved and adored by all! Mama is excited to be able to walk again, and has great hopes of finally painting the kitchen and a hundred other things! 😊 Very busy with our now 8 little minions:
Laena . . has been attending college classes throughout the year, and they have been many and varied. She does very well in school, and if she were to actually study, she’d probably be able to take over the world. 😉 If you were to Google the phrase “Social Butterfly,” up would pop a picture of our Laenabug. I kid you not! 😄 At one point, she had sworn off men, but has now “rethunk” her decision. Working, dating everybody, having all kinds of fun with her Institute Sorority, (I know, it sounds weird, but seems to be a great program), and besties Stephania and Misty, she continues to enjoy college life to the fullest! Sadly, she has been wearing far too much red. . . 😉💖
Clinton, Eagle Scout and high school graduate, has also joined the Bruins at Salt Lake City Community College. He made some friends, and lost about 35 lbs this fall, with his weight training class and working out after school. He’s also been following a relatively strict diet of protein and fruit. Clint is excited about school this coming semester, and has signed up for 20 credit hours, his theory being that if most of them of are gym classes, that he won’t have any homework to speak of. 😂 Ha ha ha! Whatever works. And speaking of work, he and Laena have been working off and on for a cleaning company owned by a friend of a friend. With any luck, our eldest son will learn how to break dance before the end of the school year! 😊
Eric, who also earned his high school diploma and Eagle Scout rank this year, is still working at the theater on 90th South and Redwood Road, and not wanting to do much else. We do enjoy the enormous bags of popcorn he brings home on the weekends. 🍿 He is currently signed up for a couple of Institute classes, and should enjoy them, but is still entirely opposed to the idea of growing up, and all that goes with it. It’s so hard to leave Neverland! 😄 Eric continues to enjoy photography and drawing. He had the opportunity to visit Wyoming and Montana with his Grandma in August, and brought back many beautiful pictures of the scenery there. He also had fun at Aunt Sarah’s cabin, where he met some really cool chipmunks! 😎
Tommy, breaking with tradition, has decided to leave West Jordan behind, and give this whole charter school thing a whirl. .:) He really loves Paradigm High School, and is excited for next semester also, looking forward to a Tae Kwon Do class and some other fun things. . Earlier this summer, Tommy spent a week at BYU EFY, had fun at a couple of Scout camps, and somehow lost 40 lbs in the process! :) Actually, he was extremely disciplined with both diet and exercise, and the results are evident! He’s enjoyed school this year so far, and just a week or so ago, got to see a fabulous Christmas performance there, which was accompanied by his Seminary teacher, Brother McDonald. Tommy is full of ideas, and is looking forward with great hopes to the future! :)
Aleia, with her beautiful, lyrical voice, got to participate in a local production of the musical “Wicked,” for kids! :) She had a great time in 4th grade with Miss Jeppson, and is now thoroughly enjoying 5th. She’s been recognized for her achievements in art and academics, earning awards for her entry in the Reflections program and other contests. Aleia recently got to sing and play the bells in the Majestic Christmas sing-along. :) Our ‘little’ Rosebud loves to play with her friends and hopes to learn more about music and theater in the future. She’s growing up way too fast and prides herself on being a ‘preteen’. I like to call her a ‘tweeny-bopper”, which she, of course, loves. . Aleia is still the most goal-oriented of all of us, and is already planning her eleventh birthday party, three months in advance. 😄
Jefferson is now 8 years old, and was baptized in November. He’s all boy, but truly loves his little sister, and writes about her in his stories at school. : ) Jeffy got to travel to Yellowstone National Park with Daddy and the Scouts in June, and had all kinds of fun catching fish and exploring the wonders of nature! He also enjoyed visiting Grandma Harshbarger at her 70th birthday celebration, and was especially excited about riding the miniature horses! :) Jeffy has great fun with his friends and loves to spend time playing with Legos and other favorite toys. As energetic as he is, we are reminded every day of many reasons why he is still our ‘little sweet thing.’ :)
Binky is our sweet, lovable little ball of fire! We love him so, but are still at a loss as to how to get him to relax at times. He’ll beat up on his older brother, for instance, and then proclaim his undying love for everyone, all in the same couple of minutes. 😄 I sometimes wonder. . If you add ‘terrible 2’ and ‘terrible 2’, do you get ‘frightening 4’, or adorable little angel, as they cancel each other out? Maybe a little bit of both. 😉 We just shake our heads. Lincoln loves to play outside and roughhouse with Daddy and Jeffy and Tommy. He and Jefferson are both fast friends and sworn enemies, depending on the time of day. :) Our lovable little red-head certainly keeps us on our toes!
And Kaylie Jo Mason, our newest addition, is all sweetness and spice and everything nice!:) We love her so, our Kaylie Jo! (Hey, a rhyme! With sort of a Dr. Suess flavor. .) She’s what smiles are made of! Three months old, so chubby and cute! Our little honey, we can’t get enough of her! :) She’s recently discovered her hands, and may end up a thumb sucker. :) We couldn’t be prouder!
Best wishes to all!
Prospero Ano y Felizidad!
Love, Charlie, Amy, and Minions 🎄
