Greetings, Humpherys family! Here we are, dragging our feet again. It’s been a great year, starting with the family reunion last summer. We had a blast with everyone who managed to make it to Newell and Sally’s, we can’t really pick our favorite part of it. The waterskiing, the food, the cut throat water basketball game (you’re all cheaters), the river… my personal favorite was playing games with everyone the last night of the reunion. We have some very creative people in this family! I think some of you had culture shock seeing all the hippies in Nevada City at the festival too.
We didn’t do a ton of traveling as a family this year, but we managed to squeeze a few things in. Before the reunion we went to Monterey Bay where we got to see the famous Aquarium, play on the beach, and wake up to the sound of waves. In October we took the kids to San Diego to cheer for Camille during her American Idol auditions. We got to play on the beach too and hang out with cousins from Sally’s side, and CJ and Mercy went with Camille, Sally and Brooke to the actual audition. CJ even got a backrub from Ryan Seacrest, who’s jealous now? Just a few weeks ago CJ and I ditched the kids with my parents and went to Phoenix to see Jeff Dunham and his puppets perform. I don’t think I’ve ever seen CJ laugh that hard before, Jeff is hilarious.
CJ: Still working for the Border Patrol, he was training the new recruits but got sick of it and is about to go back on the mountain team in the Huachucas. He’ll be there for a whole year which means finally a whole year of a regular schedule, usually they swap every 6 months but not on the mountain team. Still 2nd counselor in the Elders Quorum, but that might change with our new ward building that should be finished before the end of the year. Our stake will probably get a big shake up and all the ward boundaries will be moved around thanks to how big the church is getting down here. This summer CJ plans to take a trip with some of his friends from work to hike/canoe to Skeleton Cave, near Phoenix.
Laurie: In January I got to go home to Toronto for the first time since CJ and I were married while CJ stayed at home with all four children. My mom and I went to the wedding of my best friend from childhood, it was a really great trip. Next time I plan on dragging at least CJ with me. Still the treasurer for Cactus Wren Preschool, which Jameson now attends. It’s hard but the girls I work with make it fun for me… most of the time. I got called to teach the 14-15 year old Sunday School class, which is a whole new experience for me, I haven’t been out of Relief Society since we moved here! I really love it, the kids are just amazing and my co-teacher is such a great woman. I’m also still helping out with Mercy’s Girl Scout troop but this is the last year for that, who knew Scouting could have so much drama!
Mercy: In the second grade and blowing all expectations of her out of the water. She amazes us on a daily basis. She’s one of the top readers in her class as well as in the accelerated math program. She’s still doing ballet and enjoys it for the most part, her teacher is teaching her class some more advanced movements and Mercy gets frustrated with herself when she doesn’t catch on right away. She also started playing soccer and really loves it, I can see her asking to drop ballet soon to do more sports. She got an iPod for Christmas and she’s mastered searching the web for historic details. She stumps us constantly with her questions, so this is a good thing. She shows us up a lot too, luckily I can fall back on the “but I wasn’t raised here so I don’t know this stuff” mantra. CJ’s not so lucky.
Porter: Started Kindergarten in August and really loves it. He was really shy at first but we were lucky and got him into the same teacher that Mercy had, and she’s amazing with him. He’s now reading and looks to be as good with numbers as Mercy is. Which is NOT good for me, math gives me hives. Played soccer this fall and rocked it! Last year he just had fun but this year we’ve actually seen quite the competitive streak in him. CJ’s thrilled. He’s now on the same soccer team as Mercy but he’s a bit more conservative because it’s a bigger field and he’s one of the smaller players, I think he’s intimidated. Plus the referee tripped over him once, that didn’t help the confidence. He’s also doing tee-ball again but they’re still just in practices, games haven’t started yet. He got a PSP for Christmas and can kick CJ’s butt at the games, talk about humbling.
Jameson: Started 3 day preschool this year, and his teachers adore him, but they don’t see his obstinate side like we do at home. We put him in soccer in January and that tanked. He loved it until he realized he wasn’t always in control, and then he refused to do anything. Even bribing him didn’t work. Stubborn boy! He’s threatened to run away and find a new family a few times, even one time snuck out the door and made it to the park without us knowing, luckily our neighbor saw him and brought him home. He’s brave though, CJ took us on a hike to a bat cave and he was the only one who wanted to go into the actual cave with CJ, even wanted to go into tunnels that CJ didn’t want to go near. He’s Quinn’s best friend though, the only one who can calm her down and make her laugh so hard that she can’t stop. When he gets upset and cries, she’ll get upset for him.
Quinn: She’s one year old and the happiest baby in southern Arizona, I swear it on my life. She’s always smiling and laughing at anyone who will make eye contact with her. Even when she gets hurt she only cries for a little bit and then forgets why she’s sad and starts smiling again. We had a big St. Patrick’s Day party for her with a bunch of our friends, poor girl is going to get sick of having her birthday on St. Patrick’s Day! We made a baked potato bar with lots of toppings and just had a good time celebrating her. I think she’ll be my dancer, she loves to dance to music and if you tell her to shake it, she starts shaking her hips from side to side and bopping up and down.
We’re sorry we won’t be able to make the reunion this summer, hopefully we can make it next year!
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