We had a fabulous year in 2010. In June, the Swensen side of the family came to Texas for a family reunion. We were able to hike Enchanted Rock, visit Sea World, and have family pictures made. There were 32 people in attendance. Then in July, Dorias' youngest brother got married in San Antonio. We also embarked on the Great Swensen Chicken Adventure. We made several trips to Weatherford, TX to visit the Bell side of the family (six out of seven of Dorias' brothers and sisters live in Texas now). We decided since we hadn't been to Grandma's house in a while that we would go to Idaho for 10 days in December. We had fun visiting, skiing, and playing in the snow. While in Idaho, Mark and Dorias celebrated their 20th anniversary.Mark: continues working for Valero Energy. For the last 2.5 years he has been leading a project to roll-out an integrated refinery scheduling and product blending tool to all eleven Valero U.S. refineries. He often lulls Dorias to sleep trying to explain to her the art of blending gasoline. The U.S. refineries will be done in early 2011, then it's on to Quebec and possibly Aruba. This past April, Mark was released from the bishopric of our local church congregation and was immediately asked to serve on the high council, a regional leadership group. As for Mark's hobbies (when he has a little time). they include taking care of the pool, four wheeling with Matthew, and taking his wife out on a date almost every weekend. he also really enjoys football and must watch all the BYU games, plus some. He even had Dorias' parents get the correct sports channels on Dish Network so that he could watch the BYU-Utah game over Thanksgiving break. If we lived closer to the slopes, skiing would be his #1 hobby.
Dorias: is as busy as every. She thought she would have more time when the twins started school, but her time obligations just changed. She is volunteering twice a week at the elementary school. Dorias decided to coach the twin's soccer team this past fall and also volunteered to be the U6 Soccer Commissioner for the Boerne Soccer Club. She continues to quilt, clean house, cook, play chauffeur, exercise at the YMCA five mornings a week and is learning to digital scrapbook. Dorias is also substitute teaching at the kids' schools. She subbed for two weeks at the high school for choir right before Christmas. She had to get 4 different choirs ready for their Christmas choir concert. She really enjoyed it and learned a lot.
Matthew (16): was able to get his driver's license on his 16th birthday. We have really enjoyed him being able to drive. He is a junior at Boerne High School. He was able to enroll in a dual credit Information Technology System program at the school which will include an internship this summer. He still loves to play computer games. Matthew earned his Eagle Scout in April. He was able to attend High Adventure Scout camp and Especially for Youth during the summer. Matthew helped Dorias coach the twin's soccer team, and worked at the soccer fields painting lines and setting up goals. He is a great big brother and the twins adore him. Matthew really enjoys playing basketball. During practice in October, he was going up for a rebound and another player hit his arm and dislocated his shoulder, tearing some cartilage. He did physical therapy and we are hoping another injury does not happen so that he won't need surgery.
Rebecca (14): loves music and loves to read. She is constantly playing the piano, singing, or reading (she will knock out 300 pages a night). She was able to attend a choir camp through UTSA this past summer and was able to start voice lessons in September. She competed in Region Choir try-outs as a freshman and was a cast member of the high school production of the Wizard of Oz. Rebecca and Dorias were able to go to Boston and New York City in June with Rebecca's history class. It was a wonderful trip and they learned a lot. She also attended church girls camp and Especially for Youth. Rebecca loves animals so she gets pet duty most of the time. She is getting about 10 eggs a day from the chickens. She did great skiing and was pretty much keeping up with Dad and Matthew by the third day.
Richard (5): is all boy. He wants to be a fighter pilot when he grows up. He started dual language kindergarten this year, where 90% of his school day is in Spanish. He loves school and is becoming quite the reader in English and Spanish. Richard had his tonsils and adenoids out in July. Over Christmas he learned how to ski. He caught on quite well. On the beginner hill, he learned how to go straight down the mountain, using a snowplow or "pizza", but he thought turning and zigzagging down the mountain was overrated. After one really bad "face crash" on a slightly steeper hill, he decided that turning, stopping and zigzagging might be good skills to acquire. Richard loves to play with his toy guns and his bow and arrows.
Robert (5): is our snuggly little boy, but he can rough and tumble with the best of them. He is attending dual language kindergarten also, but in a different class than Richard. Robert has learned to read in both English and Spanish. He is tender hearted and will share with anyone. He had a hernia repair done in March and then had his tonsils and adenoids out in July. Robert also learned how to ski. He was a little more cautious and would fall down if he got going too fast. He picked up on turning and zigzagging more readily, especially after we named his right leg "Darth Vader" and his left leg "Obi Wan" (apparently "left" and "right" didn't have as much meaning for him). Robert loves to play Legos and he loves to sing.
Lucky, the Family Golden Retriever(5): Well, Lucky is the best dog in the world. She sleeps in Rebecca's room most of the time. She is the friendliest dog to everyone, but then will warn us if she thinks something is amiss. She watches over the boys when they are sick and lets Dorias know when their fever spikes. When we go on vacation and she has to go to the kennel, she becomes the family dog of the kennel owners while we are gone. She has strong retriever instincts, and will play fetch with her ball for hours. Her only flaw is that she likes to catch chicken... she has caught tow of them so far.
The Great Swensen Chicken Adventure: You have heard several mentions of the chickens in this letter thus far. In March, Mark and Matthew were at a local hardware store buying some tools and supplies for Matthew's Eagle Scout project. Since it was a week or so before Easter, the store had baby chicks and ducklings for sale. Mark texted Dorias and told her she should bring the twins in so they could see the baby chicks. Well, that was a big mistake. Dorias came home with twelve chicks and a warming lamp. They lived in the dog crate in the laundry room for three weeks while we built a chicken coop. When we figure out that most of them were roosters, Dorias ordered 10 more hens and we had a nice rooster Sunday dinner. Then "Goldie" hatched 4 baby chicks and we now have quite a clutch of chickens in our backyard.
As you can see, our life is extraordinary and ordinary. We love it and wouldn't have it any other way. We have been blessed and recognize the hand of our Savior in our lives. We are thankful for the Atonement and what it means to have Christ as our Savior. We hope you have a wonderful 2011.
Matthew (16): was able to get his driver's license on his 16th birthday. We have really enjoyed him being able to drive. He is a junior at Boerne High School. He was able to enroll in a dual credit Information Technology System program at the school which will include an internship this summer. He still loves to play computer games. Matthew earned his Eagle Scout in April. He was able to attend High Adventure Scout camp and Especially for Youth during the summer. Matthew helped Dorias coach the twin's soccer team, and worked at the soccer fields painting lines and setting up goals. He is a great big brother and the twins adore him. Matthew really enjoys playing basketball. During practice in October, he was going up for a rebound and another player hit his arm and dislocated his shoulder, tearing some cartilage. He did physical therapy and we are hoping another injury does not happen so that he won't need surgery.
Rebecca (14): loves music and loves to read. She is constantly playing the piano, singing, or reading (she will knock out 300 pages a night). She was able to attend a choir camp through UTSA this past summer and was able to start voice lessons in September. She competed in Region Choir try-outs as a freshman and was a cast member of the high school production of the Wizard of Oz. Rebecca and Dorias were able to go to Boston and New York City in June with Rebecca's history class. It was a wonderful trip and they learned a lot. She also attended church girls camp and Especially for Youth. Rebecca loves animals so she gets pet duty most of the time. She is getting about 10 eggs a day from the chickens. She did great skiing and was pretty much keeping up with Dad and Matthew by the third day.
Richard (5): is all boy. He wants to be a fighter pilot when he grows up. He started dual language kindergarten this year, where 90% of his school day is in Spanish. He loves school and is becoming quite the reader in English and Spanish. Richard had his tonsils and adenoids out in July. Over Christmas he learned how to ski. He caught on quite well. On the beginner hill, he learned how to go straight down the mountain, using a snowplow or "pizza", but he thought turning and zigzagging down the mountain was overrated. After one really bad "face crash" on a slightly steeper hill, he decided that turning, stopping and zigzagging might be good skills to acquire. Richard loves to play with his toy guns and his bow and arrows.
Robert (5): is our snuggly little boy, but he can rough and tumble with the best of them. He is attending dual language kindergarten also, but in a different class than Richard. Robert has learned to read in both English and Spanish. He is tender hearted and will share with anyone. He had a hernia repair done in March and then had his tonsils and adenoids out in July. Robert also learned how to ski. He was a little more cautious and would fall down if he got going too fast. He picked up on turning and zigzagging more readily, especially after we named his right leg "Darth Vader" and his left leg "Obi Wan" (apparently "left" and "right" didn't have as much meaning for him). Robert loves to play Legos and he loves to sing.
Lucky, the Family Golden Retriever(5): Well, Lucky is the best dog in the world. She sleeps in Rebecca's room most of the time. She is the friendliest dog to everyone, but then will warn us if she thinks something is amiss. She watches over the boys when they are sick and lets Dorias know when their fever spikes. When we go on vacation and she has to go to the kennel, she becomes the family dog of the kennel owners while we are gone. She has strong retriever instincts, and will play fetch with her ball for hours. Her only flaw is that she likes to catch chicken... she has caught tow of them so far.
The Great Swensen Chicken Adventure: You have heard several mentions of the chickens in this letter thus far. In March, Mark and Matthew were at a local hardware store buying some tools and supplies for Matthew's Eagle Scout project. Since it was a week or so before Easter, the store had baby chicks and ducklings for sale. Mark texted Dorias and told her she should bring the twins in so they could see the baby chicks. Well, that was a big mistake. Dorias came home with twelve chicks and a warming lamp. They lived in the dog crate in the laundry room for three weeks while we built a chicken coop. When we figure out that most of them were roosters, Dorias ordered 10 more hens and we had a nice rooster Sunday dinner. Then "Goldie" hatched 4 baby chicks and we now have quite a clutch of chickens in our backyard.
As you can see, our life is extraordinary and ordinary. We love it and wouldn't have it any other way. We have been blessed and recognize the hand of our Savior in our lives. We are thankful for the Atonement and what it means to have Christ as our Savior. We hope you have a wonderful 2011.
No comments:
Post a Comment