Hello! We're back!

So...I've been extremely absent from the blogging world, but I decided I should come back. So we'll see how this goes.

Let me explain, no, there's too much. Let me sum up. We're in Staten Island now. I think my last post we were still in Brooklyn (2 years ago). So through divine blessings Kyle got a job in staten island as a full time salary teacher of music at a charter school. It was an awesome change and it has been so nice to be able to pay our bills! (almost) And nice to see more of Kyle. He then got a position as the team leader the second year, which was a lot more responsibility. It proved to take too much of a toll on his ability to write music and on his time with his family, so he stepped down from that position and is a regular teacher this year! Its nice, however he also started classes in Brooklyn (funded by his school) to become a certified teacher. So that will be two night a week for the next two years. I'm trying not to think about how long that sounds, but it will be great that he will be certified and able to teach anywhere.

As far as his music career, he is collaborating with two other people he met in the BMI workshop to write a musical called Gruff.  It is about the three billy goats gruff and their woes and story of getting over the bridge. Its pretty funny and I'm excited to see it continue to grow and hopefully be produced someday.

As for me, I have been home with the kids. Which has grown to three since my last post. They are ages 5, 3, and 1 now. I also have a calling as the Relief Society President in my ward, which has proved challenging and rewarding in many ways. After Hazel was born I suffered from Post partum depression and have been fighting that battle for the last year and a half. Some days are better than others, but I intend to win, somehow. Kyle is also in the bishopric, but that doesn't seem to take much of a toll on the family. We really get to spend a lot of time together. Maybe because I guard our time with my life and it is worth it.

I'm sure I missed major events, but that is a sum up. Here are some recent pictures.

James is 5 and a half and just started 1st grade. He is his same old self. Fun, smart, energetic, high maintenance, emotional, and wonderful boy. If that sounds mean I don't mean it that way. He is just full of life and it is either the very best day ever, or the very worst day ever. Never just in between. He makes things exciting and keeps things interesting. (and sometimes challenging)

William is three and full of energy. He is kind and stubborn and mellow. He wants to be exactly like his older brother. He is kind and stubborn and mellow. He is very good at noticing the needs of others and helping without being asked.  But when he gets an idea in his head there is no getting it out. You can't bribe, punish, threaten or trick him into doing anything he has decided not to do. Luckily we don't get in the battle of the Wills (pun totally intended) very often, but if we do its a fight to the death.

My little miss Hazel. She is a sweet and spicy little girl. But mostly sweet. She talks way better than the boys did at her age and she makes her thoughts known! It surprises us how clearly she can communicate what she wants. She is very good at sharing and amazingly easy to discipline. She is not stubborn and so it is easy to win a fight with her. She makes us think we're perfect parents. (Really though, she just came that way.) And the boys are good at keeping us sharp. 

Hazel loves James. This picture wasn't set up. They were just sitting there like this.  She would do anything for her and he takes such good care of her. He's always gentle and sweet with her. 

When these three get together they can have so much fun. Those moments are ones that I try to hold onto since it feels like I'm always breaking up arguments.

This was totally posed. Haha