Merry Christmas!

I am so awful this year! I never got Christmas cards sent out! So I am going to do a quick update for all my friends and family that check this ocassionally! We are all doing well and are happy to report that finally ready for Christmas! It is a good thing since it is in 2 days :)

We hope that each of you are healthy and safe this Holiday season! We are so thankful for such good friends that always fill our lives with such joy! We are thankful for our beautiful and awesome families that support us and give us such happiness too!

We are thankful for our membership in the Church! We are so thankful for our testimonies of the truthfullness of the Gospel! Richard and I love the Lord with all of our heart and we are so thankful for the Saviour, Jesus Christ! We love this time of year that we have to reflect on his birth and life, and of course his atoning sacrifice.

Our children are all doing so great. They are such blessings in our lives and Richard and I are so thankful to be their parents! Each day brings a new story and laugh.. and always a moment to just feel gratitude for wonderful kiddos. Of course, we have our challenging moments too. :).. We aren't raising super heroes or anything.. :)

We just wanted you all to know how grateful we are for our relationship with you and wish each of you a Very Merry Christmas and a Wonderful New Year!

Much love to each of you!

Richard, Katy, Matthew, Shelley, Nicholas and Holly Anne

Stop Your Swineing!

Okay, so I am a nerd with my play on words huh? We have had a rough week. It started with Richard leaving town for a couple of days for work. His first day gone Matthew tells me he has a heaviness in his chest and was coughing. He had no fever, but I kept him home from school. By Wednesday he had a fever of 102.. so I took him to the dr. The diagnosis... H1N1... Swine flu!! Yikes. I was pretty surprised.. I called piano students and said to stay far from our infectious home. By Wednesday night, Rich came home and Nick started running a temperature too. By Thursday night his fever hit over 105!!!! We took him to the E.R... and the diagnosis.. surprise, surprise.. H1N1. He was so sick. They said he was dehydrated. Before we left for the hospital Richard gave him a Priesthood Blessing that his fever would come down quickly. By the time we got to the Hospital.. it was already down to 103. After we returned home from the E.R. that night (after midnight) his fever was 100.. and for the rest of his illness NEVER was above that temperature again. I always marvel at the power of the Priesthood. Nicholas had faith in his blessing and so did we.. I am so thankful for the knowledge my family has in the Gospel!!
So our boys were wearing little masks the rest of the week to prevent anymore of us from getting sick. They were so sad to be stuck behind those things for so long. At this moment.. no fever Matthew now for 72 hours.. and Nick for 24 hours. We made it!! So far no one else is sick. I hope that stays. Richard has a cold.. but we don't think it is the Swine Flu.
So, we are hopeful that it stays calm over here!!

First Day of School Pictures

Holly wishes she was big enough to go too!

First Day of School 2009

Shelley sporting a new hairdo! I know I am biased.. but these are some cute kids!

Matthew is in 7th grade, Shelley is in 5th grade and Nick is in 1st grade!!

Slogger... Blog slacker

I stole this word from a friend of mine... it totally fit me to a tee.
Let's bring you up to speed.....
It has been a busy month around here. School is going well for the kids. I think we are finally establishing a routine. I am getting my piano schedule organized and things feel like they are going well there. Holly is sick again, but that is nothing too unusual. The Doctor thinks her tonsils swell up partly because of allergies. So we are going to try singulair and see if that helps any. I had a fabulous August and got to spend time with an old dear friend.. Jamie. She flew to see me with her 2 kids. It was so wonderful. It totally reminded me that true and good friendships never go away and they stand the test of time!
I turned 32 last month... I am now officially double the age necessary to drive and date. That makes me feel pretty old. However, I do have a 12 year old.. I suppose to be any younger would be quite scandelous :)
KIDS NEWS....
Holly says the funniest things lately. The other day I was painting my toe nails, she came up and asked if I would paint her "ponytails" too. I then asked if she meant toenails, she replied " silly me, ponytails go on my head." She is so cute and funny.
Nick is really enjoying the first grade and loves to read. Getting better everyday. Shelley is in a Pom class this year and Holly is taking a dance class too. It is so sweet.
Nick plans to play Basketball soon and Matthew is busy with Jr. High.. (can you believe he is in Jr. High?) and plans to play basketball this year too. We have very busy and good kids!
Football fun....
This is a fun time of year. We are involved with Fantasy football, and currently we are not doing so hot.. but it is fun to do it none the less. We love watching all the Football games and especially cheering on the Huskers!!! I look forward to the leaves changing and to the temperatures cooling a bit.. not a lot, just a little. Pumpkin cookies and Apple Cider... I love Fall!!!
Lofty goals....
I am the organist in our ward and I have decided that despite the scariness of playing it, I am going to be the best one I can be.
I have decided that I am going to be a skinny girl again.. My mind is made up.. but, my body is like "whatever" ;). So, I will keep working out until I am sorda skinny again!

Cute hubby..
Richard is in the Elders Quorum Presidency as the 2nd Counselor. It has been a good change for him. He is really enjoying it. I am always amazed how he raises his hand whenever service is needed anywhere. He is always so willing to go the extra mile.. such a good example to me. He is a good husband and I am so thankful he is my husband and the father of my children.

Addicted to Politics..
I have really been upset by the current situation in Washington. I am a total Conservative and do not like Big Government. I have found it very challenging to stay positive about the direction our Country is headed. I know that there are many wonderful citizens who are standing up for what they belive in. (Like my parents going to Tea parties and such :) I am absolutely against a Public Option in Healthcare.. I am absolutely against anything where the Government's voice becomes louder then the peoples. But, I won't spend too much time on this issue.. this could be a whole post on it's own. Richard worries I get too obsessed. I am just concerned. Through all of this I have pondered a lot about my Great Grandfather John Hart who signed the Declaration of Independence. I try to support an agenda that would support what those founding fathers envisioned when they risked everything by signing the Declaration! Ultimately, I am so grateful to be a citizen of this great Country.
Conclusion...
I will try to be a more consistent blogger.. I know so many of you wait with bated breath for my next post. hee, hee.
We are so blessed. We are happy and life is Good!!!!
Pictures to come soon.. in Katy style, they will be a bunch all at once... cause that's how I roll.

The video below is of a song that I wrote for a man named Lynn "Doc" Cleland. He is pulling a handcart in honor of his Great Grandmother who was one of the first pioneers who entered the Salt Lake Valley. We met him here in Omaha while he was on the trail. I saw him on the news and then saw him our ward that Sunday. He asked me to write a piece of music to go with a Documentary he will be making after he completes his trek.
He asked me to compose something that was low in the beginning and had the melody of "Come, Come Ye Saints" The melody is definitely inspired by this hymn and also has a variation of that hymn through out the piece. One melody came to me when we were driving one evening to find Doc to walk with him. There is a part of the song where it changes keys.. it goes into a lower almost sad melody. While I was sitting at the piano I tried to imagine what it might have been like to be Sarah Goode Marshall. I tried to imagine the hardship she must have had being a widowed woman with 5 children. I am sure there were very dark moments during the trek, but her faith always sustained her through those moments. The melody then goes back to the original theme of "Come, Come ye Saints." I thought it should end as if she were entering the valley and the conclusion of the song should end with the "All is Well" part of the Hymn.
I know this is a very choppy explanation of the song, but it gives Doc an idea of what I have been working on. It still needs a lot of work and needs to be obviously notated and fine tuned.
It has been a neat opportunity to do this and work on this piece. I don't think I am a composer by any means, but it has been thrilling to hear my thoughts come out into music onto the piano. His website is www.faithgreaterthanpain.com You can read about his journey there!