Dear Family & Friends,
This year has been a busy time for us and full of learning and growth for our family. The beginning of this year we said good-bye to our little guy, Cache. We only had a short time with him, but he has been a wondrous blessing to us and we are so grateful that he is part of our family. We have learned so much from him, we have grown closer as a family and to our Heavenly Father. We are so grateful that we will have the opportunity to see him again and that we can have him forever!
Dalia Madsen is 4 years old and going on 5 in May. We can't believe that she will be starting school next year, which she is very excited for!! Dalia is such a sweetheart, so loving and caring, she definitely wears her heart on her sleeve and can be emotional at times. She is such a help to her mom at home, she is always asking to help her with whatever she is doing except maybe picking up toys! Dalia loves people and making friends. She loves to play dress up, Barbies, anything princess, coloring, drawing, writing letters, and doing her hair. She also loves to play with her sister, although I think she likes trying to be her boss most of all. Dalia loves to watch Barbie movies (which Dad has a special rule for: no watching while Dad is home, Barbie movies aren't for boys), she also likes SheRa (a cartoon I grew up with -- remember HeMan anyone?), and of course MUSICALS. Dalia loves to dance around the house or almost anywhere there is music -- and it's even better if she has a window or a mirror to watch herself in. She also loves to sing and has an amazing talent of picking up on any tune and the lyrics, even if she has only heard it once you can catch her singing it weeks after -- but she likes best to make up her own words to familiar tunes. She has enjoyed primary, she is a sunbeam, of course since they get to sing! She has sung in sacrament meeting a couple of times and also she had a solo in the primary program -- it has been very fun to watch. Dalia also took a 3 month long gymnastics class and enjoyed every minute of it. She will be starting a dance class in January and is very excited. Dalia has been doing preschool here at home with me and is doing very well and loves learning.
Mataya Lyn is 2 1/2 years old going on 3 in March. This past year Maty has really grown into her own little person, and Spunky doesn't quit cover it. She too is a sweetheart and is such a caregiver, but she is extremely independent and not crushed so easily. Maty loves to be a big girl, trying to do everything that Dalia does or her mom. She is a big help and a hard worker already! Maty gets along with almost anyone, but you'll often find her doing her own thing and loving it!! Above all this year her number one favorite thing to do is playing with her "little peoples" (Fischer Price little people sets). sShe does like to play with her sister, Barbies and the like. Maty is a movie girl too, she has become a huge Charlotte's Web fan this year and has a little stuffed animal pig that she takes all over! Mataya loves to make up her own songs, and she is enjoying the Christmas carols especially jingle bells (Dalia too!) Maty is currently in nursery and she loves to go! She also took a 3 month long parent/child gymnastics class, which we both enjoyed, she thought she was such a big girl. Maty has been attending preschool here at home with Dalia and she is very sharp and has caught on to everything quickly.
Gage Averett was born December 1, 2009 @ 7lbs. 12 oz. 19 3/4 inches with tons of dark hair. He is already such a joy to us. The girls are of course smothering him with love; there have already been several squabbles over who gets to hold him next. Gage looks so much like the girls, he is such a cutie -- and I think, if it is even possible, that he has hold of his Dad's heartstrings even tighter than the girls, their interaction is fun to watch!! We are so excited to have him with us and to enjoy getting to watch him grow and learn by leaps this coming year!!!!
The girls and I also did a bit of traveling this last year. We took a trip with Aunt Joni through Utah and Idaho visiting family. We also attended the Wood Reunion this year which was such a great time, we very much enjoyed it. Also this year we took a family trip at the beginning of November to Sea World!! We had so much fun!! It was a memory making trip for our family and one we hope to repeat, not necessarily to the same place.
Mat has been very busy this year with work and church. He is currently serving as the Elders Quorum president in our ward. He is such an example to our family of true unselfish service and we have received many blessings as a family by his sacrifice to servve. Mat also had the opportunity this last year to make two trips to Nome, Alaska for work -- one of which was a 3 week long trip, but he was able to meet diffrent people and see new places. Mat has also applied to the Las Vegas Metro Police Department; he did so back in April and has been going through the application process which has been very slow and frustrating. This is something he has always thought of doing and with the economy as such we thought a backup plan was a good idea -- so why not!
Well, as for me this year has been full of the comings and goings of my kids and husband as well as my own projects that are never ending. I have been doing preschool at home with the girls, which with Gage being here now is going to present a whole new challenge! I just got released from the primary presidency so we'll see what is next in that arena. Also this past year I decided and took the opportunity to video interview my Grandma Stewart, basically a bio interview. It was great to hear the stroies and advice and to just spend time with Grandma. This coming year I plan on transcribing the video and putting together a book as well -- oh lots to do!!!!!!
As I said before this year has been very full for us!! We have been very blessed and are hoping for greater opportunities for our family this coming year. We love you all and wish you all the best!
Merry Christmas! Love,
The Spieth Family
