2016 Highlights

Happy New Year! To finish up 2016, here's a White family highlights reel, accompanied by all of the family photos we took in 2016. Amidst all of the crazy that comes with the territory of life with kids, I know I learned and grew this year. That's all I ever ask of a year, to finish it a little bit better than I started--to do better and be better today than I was yesterday. Keep on trying!

White family highlights: 2016

• Jeff
• Turned 34 and started his 6th year of teaching French at Sunnyside High School
• Ran 70 miles per week over the summer, just for fun
• Built and fixed a couple of computers
• Called as the Sunday School President at church
• Got a sleek road bike and bikes to work (7 miles) and ward council (10 miles)
• Coached his first season of middle school cross country and loved it
• Shaina
• Turned 30 and grew a few more white hairs
• Vacuumed the house more than once per month
• Almost drowned in laundry on numerous occasions, but survived to wash another load
• Ran a half marathon as a last hurrah to her 20s
• Drove 4,000 miles round trip alone with three kids to visit the Broadbents
• Called as young women’s secretary at church
• Wrote 56,339 words on the family blog
• Jay
• Turned 7 and enjoyed another soccer season
• Enjoyed extra freedom riding his bike up to a mile away from home
• Learned how to swim AND tie his shoes (not at the same time)
• Started second grade and wishes there were less worksheets
• Started real piano lessons and is excellent at reading music notes
• Read the first eight books of the Book of Mormon by himself
• Best quotes of the year:
• "I'm stealthy. I'm Pianissimo Man! I'm so quiet, you can't hear me!"
• "I read so many scriptures today, I won't have to read scriptures for a long time!"
• [licking his bowl] "I'm trying to lick the atoms and the molly-cools.
• Rose
• Turned 5 and daydreamed through her second season of soccer
• Started kindergarten and LOVES school
• Learned to read--quickly became the top reader in her class
• Learned to ride her bike without training wheels
• Started mini 5-minute beginner piano lessons with Jay’s teacher
• Used at least a ream of paper for her many colorful, detailed art projects
• Best quotes of the year:
• "Resurrected people are basically like zombies because they were dead and they come back to life."
• "Jesus loves everyone, even you."
• Amber
• Gave up her Wub binky in May without a fight after she bit the tip off
• Refused to go to Nursery without a parent
• Learned how to tell knock-knock jokes
• Turned 2 and learned to fold her arms for prayers
• Potty trained herself (kind of) in one day on December 8th, 2016 and wore undies for an entire week with only 4 accidents before getting bored with it and switching to 50/50 potty/diaper
• Best quote of the year: “Daddy’s MINE!”

Someday they will thank me for forcing them into all 33-ish of these pictures.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!