A brief briefing on our cute little buggers.

Every year we send Christmas cards, I wish I could have a chat with every person whose address label I put on an envelope. What great family and friends we have and life seems too busy to connect like we would like. This year flew by and each of the children grew amazingly, both physically and mentally. We have had a wonderful year. Here is a quick run down on the fam:


Lillie! (20 months) What a caboose. She is the funnest toy to ever hit our home. She "nuggles" with us all and makes us think we each are her favorite. She is smiley and happy but recently realized that to scream was to let others know she had an objection. She quickly has become our best screamer because alas, she is tired of being loved too much. None of us can pass her without squeezing her! We all love having conversations with her and although we can't understand what she is saying she is quite the conversationalist.

Alyse- (3) She is the Maughan family's first girly girl and she might be the only one of four girls to be so.  As I type this she is brushing my hair "...so you wiw be so beautiful mom." If she is happy she lets us know by saying "My lips are happy!" Her lips are happy most of the day and her smile affects her whole being and consequently the being of her smile target. She is such a little lover girl. She loves to play with dolls and really "care" for them. Now the dolls I have purchased over the years are being used. She also would want to be mentioned as a prima ballerina/dancer because she absolutely loves her dance class.

Hattie- (6) My funniest child. She directs us all around and tells us how life should be and what we need to do. When she was 2 she went over to a high school kid on a swing and demanded that he get off the swing because she wanted it. He should have held his ground because she realized she could be fairly effective bossing people around. She will jump out in front of shopping carts in a store to direct traffic (like a cop) if she sees a need. She is in kindergarten and is the social butterfly in the class who all the girls follow around. What a kid. She demanded the other day, "Mom, do not leave me because then I would cry and then Santa wouldn't bring me anything, because you know that song...."you better not cry I'm telling you why." She is in a dance class and has taken piano lessons but she is much better about telling others what to do than following her teachers. (Her teachers all really like her.)

Harrison- (7) He is our happy mischief maker. He is a math whiz and a major reader. His school teacher really enjoys him in her class because of that big innocent smile he always flashes. He loves nothing better than to do a project with dad or the grandpas. He is the one child to stay with a job even if it is all day. He is our major eater in the home. He loves the contents of the kitchen almost as much as he loves outside. During gardening season he was our produce counter and reported to me daily any new pumpkin or bean plant he saw. A few months ago he was on a kick to need to know how old everyone was. I told him I was 29 and he dutifully let everyone know how old he was and how old I was. Good thinking on my part don't you think? He is my best grocery carrier and runs to do it before anyone else beats him to that much loved task. If anything is lost we ask Harrison because he knows where everything is with the exception of his socks and shoes.

 

 

Wells- (10) What a fun thing it is in the house to have a boy and girl who enjoy music enough to play for us and others. Wells has quite a gift in the violin and in the music department in general. Playing violin comes easy to him and he really loves to practice for the most part. He has had great opportunities to play for people. He played football this year and really enjoyed getting some "appropriate" rough play out of his system. He is athletic and loves to play any sport but his parents at present are limiting his activities to preserve sanity. :) He loves airplanes and figuring out the mechanics of things. A major highlight of the year was having an undefeated pinewood derby car which he built with a little help from Ellie and some wheel adjustment from dad. He also continues his long standing title stripped from his dad years ago, "Maughan family biggest tease."

Ellie- (11) She is such a blessing to Nathan and me. She loves taking on responsibility. The little girls come to her as a second mother and when mom ain't happy she becomes the preferred TLC giver. They all love to sleep with her in her bed and she loves it too. Ellie is an up and coming pianist and has long since passed me in her fearless desire to play for anyone and everyone. She and Wells put lots of numbers together and enjoy performing together. She loves dance, write chapter books and is a vacuum reader, especially if it has anything to do with Greek mythology. She can hardly wait to grow up and we can hardly stand to see her grow up. She is anxious for high heals, pierced ears, make-up and her drivers license etc. Yes she is growing up too fast for her parents.

Nathan and I are doing well. We continue to fight aging and have felt really blessed to have energy to keep up with our energetic balls of fire. We both are on a kick to get more fit and loose a few extra pounds and beef up our scripture study and in turn, our relationship with the Lord. Nathan is still coming up with more ideas to bring money to the cattle business and has his hand in so many projects and working ideas that we are thankful and happy he finds enough time to spend enjoying his family. I am loving watching the kids grow up and am learning to fight the mother grumpies so I can enjoy these amazing people while they are in our home. I got more into sharing essential oils this year and it has been a great way to have some "sharpen the saw" time and teach other moms how to heal their families. This has been an amazing year of learning for me. I feel much wiser and feel the growth that comes with age but I still feel like such a young woman. I guess that is how it feels to grow up. We truly love you all and pray an amazing year for all of you. We are more blessed than we deserve and have full knowledge these blessing come from a kind and loving Heavenly Father. The only happy peaceful way in life is to look up and follow the Savior. The more our testimonies grow the greater the peace and joy we feel! Please keep in touch! Lots of Love! Nathan, Lissie and crew

For those that see this post now we will get some pics of Nate and me on here soon. I really am behind the camera always, when I bother to take pictures, that is.( I know about selfies but am not into them. :)) I hope it is not one of the top duties of a mom because I have failed if it is!