2012 Christmas letter
2012 was a great year for the Yerkes family. We had some big
events, and some small, big changes and small. I feel like with Facebook,
blogs, and things like Instagram, everyone already know what there is to know
about our family, so I am just going to talk about the things that felt most
significant to us, and in no particular order.
Family- We had a nice surprise in March when we realized we
were going to have another child. We had been thinking about it, but were
surprised to find out I was pregnant. I guess when you open your heart even a
little to something good, God steps in and makes it happen. And we are so glad
he did because Cydney (CC) has been such an incredible blessing in our family.
I am still in awe over how much I love this child, and how full she makes our
life feel. I am also thrilled by how much her brothers and sister love her too.
Dillan constantly asks to hold her, but like most guys, the second she starts
crying he hands her over…and says she is hungry. Lexi thinks she is the cutest
little thing (high praise from Lexi). Derrick is now affectionately being
called “smother brother” because he can’t seem to leave her alone.
Church- The Church is such an important part of our lives,
and one I do not talk about much. I love the Gospel, and feel so grateful for
what it adds to our lives, for what I know, for the comfort and peace it gives
me when I think of my children and their facing the world we live in. This year
our family scripture study has been much more consistent than in the past, and
more enjoyable. The kids being able to read means they can follow along better,
and read some of the verses themselves. My calling has widened my view and
helped me work harder at helping my kids relate to the scriptures and apply the
gospel principles in their daily lives. If there is one thing that has become
glaringly obvious to me this year it is how far from perfect I am, and how much
the Atonement means to me. Dillan will be getting baptized this upcoming
February, and that has made both Brett and I feel even more strongly about how
important it is to make sure he understands what baptism is, what it means, and
how wonderful that blessing is.
Money- This is something that feels significant to many
people, and Brett and I are no exception. This year was different for us. We
decided to stop using credit cards all together. We made a budget, read Dave
Ramsey, as well as many other finance books, and decided to make some changes
in our habits. We have loved the results. We have less “stuff” and will likely
go on fewer trips, but we feel great!
Jobs- Brett has worked at Harvest for the past four years,
and in November we felt really good about him making a change. There was little
to no room for advancement or growth in that position, so he put in his two
weeks. He is currently serving at Ruby River while we look for something that
is a better fit for our family than Thanksgiving Point and the restaurant
business in general. As for Rachael, I am still working, though less than I have
in the past. I have great clients, and still LOVE my job, at least most of the
time.
School- We were really excited when Lexi got into the same
French program as Dillan. The year started out rough as Lexi was WAY behind
grade level. Fortunately, we were able to get her a great tutor, and with
private session2-3 times a week, she is now doing really well. Dillan is still
excelling at school, and LOVES to read. He reads everything! Lexi still prefers
television to reading, but is doing much better than she was at the start of
the year. They both are doing really well in French, and it is so much fun for
us to hear them chatter away in it. Derrick is in preschool, and loves the
social aspect of it.
Vacation- Vacation is very important to our family. We
started the year off right with a fun family cruise in January to Mexico. It
was so nice to spend a whole week just playing with the kids, not worrying
about school, cooking, cleaning, etc. In April Brett and I were fortunate
enough to be able to go to South Africa, and visit where Brett served his
mission. What an amazing experience. We saw wild animals, played in the ocean,
learned of the culture, and best of all got to visit old friends from when
Brett served thirteen years or so before. During the summer we stayed closer to
home and visited Yellowstone for a few days, enjoying the geysers, wild
animals, and most importantly the resort pool! We were also lucky enough to
spend a week in Salmon canoeing, river rafting (floating), four wheeling,
fishing, cooking, and just having fun. These trips were significant to us because of the fun, the
family time, the sharing of stories, and sillies, and the creating of new
memories!
Another thing that was new to us during 2012 was the making
of freezer meals. Since I spent what felt like the whole year pregnant, it
meant I spent the whole year feeling crappy, and having NO energy. Thus, in order to save my children from
a diet of only cereal, I had to make sure I had food on hand that would be
fast, easy to prepare, relatively healthy, and tasty! When I had good days I
would make as many freezer meals as possible to get us through the bad days. We
now have a collection of favorites, and life at dinner time has been greatly
simplified.
Some favorites from the year:
Brett- Playing softball!
Dillan- Piano
Alexis- Friends
Derrick- Netflix!
CC- Mom
We hope next year we can continue to grow, learn, and
experience challenges that make us stronger better people. We are so grateful
for the many people in our lives, both family and friends, who have made this
year so great for us. We have felt so much love, support, and friendship, and
hope you have felt the same from us!
Love, The Yerkes Family
