Happy New Year from the Matheny Family!

Wow!  What an amazing year 2010 has been for us! The biggest thing of course being the move. We have all grown tons from it, and I couldn't feel more blessed. We absolutely love our new community and home. We have all settled  right in and made wonderful friends. We have always been an extremely close family, but I have to say this move has made us even closer. The hardest part for me is missing my mom. Even though she didn't live in the same town, she visited very frequently. Now it's too hard of a drive for her to make, so I don't get to see her much...that's hard for me. Of all the kids, I think it was the hardest on our little Maggie. She just doesn't do well with change. It just takes her a little longer to adjust to "new". She got really involved by joining the running club (and ran her first 5k in Nov.) chorus at school, playing on an indoor soccer team, and taking piano lessons. Now she loves it here, and says she wouldn't want to ever move back. She has tons of friends and fun play dates all the time.

The child who has absolutely loved every minute of the move and NEVER looked back was our (never met a stranger) Mallory. She is excited about life ALL THE TIME! I knew the move was going to be easy for her when we went to the pool just a few days after moving and within five minutes of being there she was playing with a big group of kids. I love what she said to me that day. As we were leaving I said "Mallory, you make friends so easily. I love the way you are". Her reply was "Well, I was nervous, but I just went under water and said a prayer, then when I  came back up I just went right over there and asked if I could play too". She tells us weekly how happy she is that we moved here.

Our painfully shy, super quiet, Mitchell, has really shocked us here! He loves it. I think his favorite part is that all the cute girls at school knew who he was within a week or two...ha! He loves his new scout troop and is excelling towards earning his eagle. He can't wait until his birthday in Jan., because that means he can drive the golf cart by himself! He tells me daily that we have to go get his driver's permit the day he turns 15! He is trying out for the golf team in Feb. and is really excited to get back to golfing.

Meredith, sweet Meredith! I know I am her mama, but she is close to perfect in my eyes, so angelic! She has been so mature and grown up through this move. I can't imagine moving at her age! She says often how she misses "home" but wouldn't change a thing because of how much she has grown. She is such a leader everywhere she goes! She has made friends so quickly, and brought so much strength and unity to her church peers here. She studies all the time. Michael and I often comment on how we never even got close to studying  like she does. She  studies every night, even Friday and Saturday! She has great babysitting jobs here, and when she gets the kiddos in bed (wherever she is babysitting) she pulls out her books to study! She still isn't driving! I am starting to fear that we will be sending her to college next year, and she still won't be driving then. She just has no interest. I am sure glad that the golf cart can get her around though! It sure does lighten the load to have one that can help run errands and get themselves to early morning seminary and school!

Last but not least our little Max. He loves it no matter where he is. He is just a happy kid, all the time! He is doing wonderfully in school! He is in ESL and early math/reading intervention to get him  caught up. His teacher LOVES him! She tells me all the time how smart he is and how amazed she is with his progress. His math screening score at the beginning of the year was 15% and by Nov. it was 78%! I love all the one on one he gets at school. He also joined the running club but his favorite part is his indoor soccer team. He loves when Saturdays roll around and it's time for indoor soccer! His first game, not to mention his first time to ever play any organized sports, he had the high score!!! The whole family was beaming on the sideline. We were so proud of him!!! He was so adorable to watch. He was so excited he could hardly stand it. Every few minutes he would look over at us and smile. We continue being taught simple little things by our sweet Max every day. For example: A few weeks ago it had been kinda rainy and cloudy for a couple of days. Max woke up that morning, came downstairs and said "Mama look how beautiful it is outside. This is going to be a great day"! Later that same day we were out running errands, and he said "Mama I can't stop smiling today." When I asked him why, he replied, "I can't stop smiling because it is such a beautiful day". He teaches us to appreciate the simple things in life, and we love him dearly for that!!!

As for me, life is so good here! My life has never been so convenient/easy you might say. I guess the best thing to say is that I've never had everything so close to me.  I feel that i have lived in my car for the last 15 years,but here there are days/weeks I never get in my car except to go to church! I love it! I have been blessed to have made great circle of friends here. We absolutely love our church family...and they are truly like family to us!

 I have been busy remodeling the house. We bought our house with ideas of what to change right away! The kitchen and dinning room wallpaper being the first thing to go!!! We started all the construction in early October and everything was complete on December 23rd as the tile guy and painters left @ 8pm! Just in time for us to have a wonderful Christmas with Mama C and Uncle Grant. Our adventures in remodeling were crazy! We started simple. First thing was built in book shelves, adding columns, shadow boxes in dinning room, adding crown molding (everywhere),  bead board in the girls room, a window seat in Meredith's room (lucky girl) and opening up the wall between the formal LR and dinning room. Next came the kitchen. We had no kitchen for about 6-7 weeks! I say I must be a fattening cook because we ate out every meal and all lost weight....go figure! The worst part was the hardwood floors! We already had hardwood in the kitchen and den area but wanted it in the dinning room and formal LR too. Our hardwood guy was scheduled for early Jan. but had some cancellations. SO, he came early! Which wouldn't be that big a deal, BUT, we had already put the Christmas tree up! SO, we very carefully drug it into the sun room (still fully decorated) along with all the furniture on that level, until Christmas Eve! During the week of the hardwood was probably the hardest!!! We had to pack up for a week and move to the basement! All 7 of us with one bathroom, one bedroom, and a pretty good size den area. We did have fun watching movies together and playing some good pool games! The kitchen was the longest process, and me being the "contractor" didn't help. I did a couple of things out of order, but it was relatively smooth. I hope to never live in a house again while construction is going on, but now that it's over we are so glad we did it! We love, love,  love it!!! 

Michael is lovin' his new job! After being on the job not even a year, he got a big promotion. His Korean boss values his work ethic and loves our family! Anytime we are around his boss and his wife, they just can't stop smiling at our family. Michael has said he always looks at our picture on Michael's desk and tells him how he and his wife envy our big family. His boss recently traveled to Korea for business and brought back his wife and me some Lancome lipstick. They are both so sweet and kind to us :) Michael's favorite part of 2010 was having us all back under the same roof! We have been here now for 7 months and almost every day when he walks through that door he says "I am so glad you're here when I get home".

Meredith, Lucy, and Rachel getting ready for the New Years Eve party.

Mallory joined them.

Maggie picked out Max's clothes and fixed his hair for the party.

Mitchell and his buddy Evan playing XBox...the new thing to do for them!

We want to wish a Happy New Years to all our friends and family! We love you all and hope 2011 finds each one of you with great health and an abundance of happiness!!!