Finally, I am caught up on this blog!  There are still a few things to add or tweek, but I'm happy with the results.  I've been busy moving to the house next door and going to school.  However, I've been forced to relax the last couple of days, because I have strep throat, again.  This is the third time in 4 months!  Oh well, my antibiotics should kick in soon.  Just scroll down to see updates from this past year.

We have been renting the house that we are currently living in, here in Provo.  Around Thanksgiving, we found out that the house next door was for sale.  So, we have been negotiating "the deal" for a while.  We finally closed on December 31.  What a relief to have it all work out!  We are excited about the move... we love this neighborhood: the neighbors, the kids, the cul-de-sac, the schools, the views of the mountains, and the close proximity to BYU and, of course, Keith loves his job and the tiny commute.  Keith's mom, Karen, came home with us from Oregon and helped clean the new house so the transition would be easier.  Thanks for all your help!  My Aunt Tami helped me paint the family room in the basement and one of the bedrooms.  Thanks!  Couldn't do this without help.  Keith's been tearing off wallpaper in the bathroom.  We've had the windows replaced and carpeting installed in the 3 upstairs bedrooms.  This is an older home (built in the 1950's), so there are endless projects.  We are done with projects for now.  We just want to get settled and, yes, save up some money.  We do need ideas about how to incorporate the current basement stairway into the house instead of the garage.  So, come for a visit, and we will add your ideas to our list!  The basement has a family room and 4 bedrooms.  There's lots of room for guests.

This Fall I started a Post-Baccalaureate degree at Utah Valley University in Music Education.  I have really been enjoying my classes and learning lots.  I feel lucky to live so close to school.  It makes it super easy to be home with the kids when I'm needed.  The Music Ed degree takes about 4 years, but I'm hoping to to finish in three years.  I've transferred all my undergraduate credits and hope that they will accept several of my graduate education credits.  I took 11 credits (7 classes) last semester.  I was worried that I wouldn't be able to balance everything, but I was able to make it work.  In fact, if you will indulge me, I need to brag about my 6 "A's" and my 1 "A-".  It pays to be an older student.  I'm also fortunate that 5 or 6 "soccer moms" all went back to school this last semester, too, adding to the half dozen or so moms currently enrolled in the Music program.  They are my Utah friends!  This semester I am taking 4 credits (3 classes) as I have to balance my time with moving and getting settled.  Also, this is one of the few semesters that I can split between Spring and Summer terms.  I will take 4 credits (2 classes) in the Summer.  At the end of this Summer term, I will have 2 years left.

What is the point of going back to school, you say?  I never got my teaching certificate, so when I'm finished with the program, I will have a Teaching Certificate for Jr. High and High School Choral Arts.  Then, I can go to the state and add endorsments for French, English as a Second Language, and whatever subjects I want to study!  I can't wait!  And, of course, I love music and especially choral music.  I'm lucky that UVU has such a distinguished music faculty.  Check it out on UVU's website.

We love to hear from all of you... and I follow most of your blogs.  If your blog is not listed on my blog, then you need to email me the link!  Blogs are great, and I pledge to blog more often in 2011!!!  HAPPY NEW YEAR!


p.s. If you didn't get our Christmas Card mailed or emailed to you, I don't have your current contact information.  There are a few that I haven't mailed yet, but they are going out in the mail tomorrow.