The Greenhalgh Family

I've used this blog in the past (rather inconsistently) for journaling and keeping family informed.  I am now journaling in a different app (not public) and creating family books to tell our story.  Unless anyone is still following this blog and completely objects, I'm going to stop using it altogether, publish/print this blog as a family scrapbook, and call it done.  Follow me on instagram for regular photos and events from our family.

Love,
Jana

 Took a break from journaling here.  Why?  Look at that cute baby.  Our kids now total 6, and it wasn't easy to do.  When I have a baby, everything else goes out the window for the entire pregnancy and for a good number of months afterwards.  Isn't he worth it, though?  Such an angel.
Henry is almost 6 months, so I'm sorry to not have journaled more about his first 1/2 year, but I'll try to make up for it.  He was born on March 25, 2014 ... Sam's 8th birthday!  That's quite the story, which I've written elsewhere so I won't repeat it here.  I sure love these adorable kids of mine.  Here's an update on what we're doing:

Nathan just turned 12! He's trying LaCrosse this fall, looking forward to basketball season, follows the Cougars Football season closely, loves playing with friends, is super helpful, and is a great big brother.  He went to the temple to do baptisms for the dead this week for the first time.  He has spent the last few months looking for family names and has a bunch to work on!  He was ordained a deacon in the aaronic priesthood last week and I am so proud of him!

Becca is an angel sister to all her brothers.  She takes care of the house when I can't keep up, she is a phenomenally responsible babysitter, and I REALLY don't know what I would do without her.  She is dancing with Harp Irish (which makes me jealous).  She loves to read and can read lots of books very quickly.  She gives me good book recommendations and I simply can't keep up with her.  She is doing awesome on the violin.

Sam is as handsome as ever and is a minecraft wizard.  He is also my sweet, tender cuddle boy.  It's not a good day unless I've had quite a few Sam hugs.  He is very bright and doing well in school, although I think he prefers to be out riding his bike and hanging out with his friends.  Sam is learning the piano and doing really well at it.

Owen, the engineer, continues to amaze us with his love for all things mechanical.  He is constantly asking me how things work, and if I don't know, he asks me to "search it up" online so he can find a diagram to study.  He loves to play with legos, his circuit board kit, and create inventions with random household items.  Love this little scientist of mine!

James and I have been spending some quality time together.  Since the kids went back to school, we've been engaged in "potty-training school" and he's doing mostly good.  I am still alive and grateful have another kiddo mostly trained.  James loves to play play-doh, play with friends outside, do anything fun, build train tracks, look at the stars & moon, and be my buddy.  He is very proud that he and I are the curly-heads in our family.

Henry, like I said, is an angel.  I am so in love with this little baby boy.  He loves his mama and let's me know.  He is a healthy eater, and has been so healthy in every other way, too.  He has the cutest smile we've ever seen, including one little dimple.  So far his eyes are still blue, and we hope they stay blue.  Henry loves his siblings, being carried, drinking milk, and being outside.

Brent and I are busy, busy, busy, especially getting settled in our new beautiful home.  We put in a yard this year and have the basement mostly finished.  We are constantly trying to stay efficient and get our priorities straight.  Organization is coming (it took a plunge with the move and pregnancy).  Brent is my hero.  I love him so much!

 We had a great trip with Grandma & Grandpa Greenhalgh to San Diego this month.  We played at the beach on Coronado Island ...


 We swam in the pool at the condo ...
 For Owen, we visited LEGOLAND!!



 ... and we stopped by the San Diego Temple ... beautiful!!!


 On Sunday we visited the Mormon Battalion Visitor Center in Old Town San Diego ...
 made bricks ...
 panned for gold ...
 and pretended we were pioneers.
 We were able to spend 2 days at Sea World ...



 and an afternoon at the Wild Animal Safari Park ...


 We made lots of memories and now our summer is complete.

Well, school starts tomorrow so our summer is done.  We've had weddings, fishing trips, girls camp & youth conference, swimming, a fun 4th of July, and lots of playtime with friends.  But the biggest event of our summer was making the decision to build a new HOME!!!  The hole was dug this week, and we eagerly await moving into this beautiful house this holiday season.

 Becca & her teacher talked me into competing in an Irish Dance feis (competition) with them a few weeks ago.  Becca did awesome.  So did aunt Emma.  And, well, I did pretty good myself.

 This is Becca and her 2-hand dance partner backstage, waiting to compete.
 Becca's wig was sweet ... and I don't need a wig, thank goodness.  By the way, I hate to take the wind out of my own sail, but those 6 beautiful gold medals were awarded to the ONLY competitor in my age category.  Maybe next time I'll earn them fair & square!

Congrats to our preschool graduate!  Kindergarten, here we come!!!


 Tecia has taught 3 of our preschoolers.  We are so sad to see her move away from the neighborhood this year!  What a great lady.

 Beautiful Becca is 9 years old!  For her friend party, she took her girlfriends out to Pizza Pie Cafe.  They stuffed their faces & had a lovely time.  For her family party, she requested pies instead of cake ... taking after her father.  I love you, Becca!

 The other day, Owen was trying to explain to me how his mind works.  He told me (and I already knew this from observation) that his mind gets ideas about things to build and he just has to do it!  He told me that some boys are creative, and that he was one of them.  I love that my five year old knows the meaning of creativity and uses his daily (although I confess the messes are sometimes phenomenal).  He really is very thoughtful & detail-oriented.  I suggested that maybe this builder talent of his was a gift from Heavenly Father.  He liked that idea.
 Here he is on his birthday a couple months ago receiving all things builder (legos, lego idea books, and his very first erector set!)

Owen reminds us of this cartoon quite regularly.

My sweet Sam is growing up.  He's still as handsome as ever, and such a sweetheart.  I love this boy!!  He enjoyed a good family party this month & took his friends bowling, too.