Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!
We can't believe Christmas is here again!  We sure have had a great year and hope you have, too.  Here is a quick update on our family.

Scott and I (Selma) just celebrated our 15 year wedding anniversary and feel so lucky to have each other. Scott is working at UPS and WestFab.  He is serving in Young Mens and is helping with Scottie's basketball team.  His love is still running and he completed his 11th St. George Marathon this year along with two Ragnar Relays.  He is planning on trying the Utah Valley Marathon next summer.  He is so great to help out around the house since I've been super busy.  I'm not sure how I would have done it without him.  He is the best dad I've ever heard of!

I just finished my first year of the nursing program with one semester to go for a RN.  I am loving what I learn in school.  It is so fascinating and exciting to mentally challenge myself.  I plan to start a  bachelor program as soon as I finish this next semester.  Besides school, I help out in the boys' classes at school, run a little, drive the girls everywhere and try to not get too behind with primary stuff. 

Josie is 13, in 7th grade and is involved in everything.  She takes dance three times a week, practicing for a play everyday after school where she is a featured dancer, ran cross-country, plays percussion in band, takes piano lessons, involved in Math Counts competitions, gets straight A's and just joined an online algebra class for upper division math.  Besides all that, she loves Young Womens and is really growing up too fast.  Besides the sometimes moodiness, she is a super great girl.  I don't think we are ready for a teenager!

Ellie is 11 and in 6th grade.  She is so sweet to always think of others and wants to make others happy.  She loves dance and takes hip hop, ballet, jazz, tumbling and a dance team class.  She loves the piano, percussion, and cross-country as well.  But her favorite thing is cooking.  She wants to be a chef when she grows up!  The only problem is she doesn't clean up after herself:)  She is also going to be in their school play, Beauty and the Beast, where she is a ballroom dancer and a villager. 

Scottie is 9 and in 3rd grade.  He loves school and his teacher.  He is a reader!  His favorites are still Harry Potter and Candy Shop Wars.  Scottie is so busy and the only time he stops going is when he is reading so we encourage him to read a lot!  He never stops talking and asking questions, ever.  We usually have to limit how many he can ask.  He loves eating, playing basketball, baseball, legos, teasing Josie, and bugging the heck out of Bentley.  But, he sure is a joy with that smile on his face!

Bentley is still my baby.  I love that he will still snuggle on my lap and tell me he loves me and that I'm the best mom in the whole world.  He is growing so tall and handsome.  Bentley loves basketball, loves jumping on the trampoline, playing games, and going to sleep early.  He doesn't like to pick up his room or put away his clothes or eat his food but does love treats. 

Here are some of the fun things we have done this year! 

 Hanging out at the cabin in Pine Valley.

Playing at Red Cliffs!

Running Wasatch Back Ragnar Relay!

Summer sleepovers

Swimming all summer

Hanging out at Bryce Canyon

Playing at the river

St. George Marathon - Boston qualifiers!

Hiking in Zions - Observation Point

Celebrated Halloween

Getting our Christmas tree - Yeah!

Waiting for Santa!

 We are thankful for our beautiful family, our great friends and neighbors, and the gospel of Jesus Christ.  We wish you a Merry Christmas and the Best New Year ever.  Lots of love,

The Bushar's

 

January

So, no pictures.  Just an update on us.  Life is busy again.  Christmas definitely went too fast and life is it's usual craziness.  I started the nursing program and wow am I in for it.  Love it but don't sleep much anymore.  I have to hand it to mom's who have gone back to school.  I haven't figured out the juggling thing very well, yet.  I think Bentley thinks Ellie is his new mom and I am more of a fly on the wall watching my kids grow up while my nose is stuck in a book.  Oh well, it could be stuck in worse places, right?  The kids have been busy themselves.  Scottie has been playing basketball, Josie working on a science project, and Ellie a president report.  Bentley stays busy building space ship things and finally riding his bike.  Scott is the husband of the year and does the dishes every day and cooks dinner every night and packs lunches besides working like crazy.  I'm trying to convince him he wants to do the laundry and pay the bills, too.  But that hasn't happened yet.  He is the reason our family is somewhat functioning at the time being.  Life is good, though, and we are all happy.  One month down and only 17 more to go. 

Wishing a Merry Christmas to You!

A very Merry Christmas from us to you this Holiday Season!  We hope all is well with our friends and family at this special time of year.  We wish you all joy and happiness.  With love from the Bushar's!

 Scottie with the Grinch!

 Me with my girls.  Love those girls!

 Bentley afraid of the Grinch!  He did not like this at all.

 Ellie and Josie after their dance.  Check out those tights!

The family hanging out at Thanksgiving at the Red Rocks!  We love playing.  Give us a free weekend with a little sunshine and we'll be outside!

Happy Birthday Josie - The Big 12!

Happy Birthday, Josie! We had a fun day celebrating Josie's birthday. Since it was Saturday, we opened presents early, went out for lunch to celebrate and the kids got to trick-or-treat! Unfortunately Bentley was home sick but he was happy that the kids shared their candy with him. Josie loves her birthday being part of the Halloween holiday. She thinks it's all for her, well it is isn't it? With Josie turning 12, I'm feeling old. I remember bringing Josie home from the hospital on Halloween and Scott running to the store for something. I could hardly get off the couch but I would answer the door everytime a trick-or-treater came to the door. She was so little and so sweet with so much black hair that stood up that she didn't look like our baby at all! I'll never forget snuggling or kissing and singing to that sweet baby of mine. I also remember having time to sit on the couch and read a book while she took her naps because my house was already clean and I had nothing else to do. Oh, where did the time go? I'm excited for the next 12 years and many more to see what a wonderful woman you grow up to be! Stay happy and super cool!

Happy Halloween!

The Grand Canyon

We took a quick day trip to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon with some friends, The Hench's, over fall break. It was a great trip. The leaves were changing colors and it was beautiful. I know I've been to the Grand Canyon as a kid but didn't remember it at all. To live here my whole life and just finally to be taking my kids makes me appalled! We will definately be going back when we can stay and camp and hike for more than one day. It was absolutely breathtaking! Thanks for letting us spend the day with your family, Hench's!

Josie Running X-Country

Some fun pictures of Josie running her first year of cross country as a 6th grader. As you can tell she had the time of her life hanging out with all the kids but especially Allie. Pine View has such a great cross country program and did such a great job with the younger kids! Josie was amazing! Her races were about 2 miles in length and she really was a speedster! We are so glad we can watch cross country again! It seems like forever since we watched my sisters run. So, run Josie, run!