nov 17 2008 letter to dallan

Dear Dallan,

How are you? Me well I can’t complain. The Holiday’s are barreling down on us and I am so grateful that they are here again. I always love the holidays. I just wish I didn’t have to shop with a bunch of other crazy people. I prefer to be the only crazy person in the store.
On Monday we had our family pictures taken. Jon was a good sport and Stiles, Marcus and Erica were on their best behavior. -Remember that their BEST behavior is only mediocre compared to others. Hunter was great for the family picture part but then the other poses he was not so cooperative. I’ll get the pictures next week. Cross your fingers and hope for the best right.
Hunter is such a stubborn little guy. I have been asking him where is nose is for 5 months now almost every time I change his diaper. I point it out I point my nose out and ask him where his nose is. Well in Nursery They had a lesson about ears. And I asked him where his nose was and he shook his head no then I asked if he knew where his ears were and he immediately grabbed both of his ears. It is pretty obvious to me that Bro. and Sister Ward are much better teachers than I am.
Speaking of teaching I was asked to teach the lesson next week in Relief Society. My topic is the talk Elder Packer gave in the April conference on The Twelve apostles. I have no idea how to teach it. I almost want to cheat and just watch his talk instead because he teaches it so well. Anyway good luck to me I guess.
Stiles and Marcus are still plugging away at school., They are doing well and there does not seem to be any complaints coming home from their teachers. Either my boys are on task or there are some real problem kids in their classes at school. I am impressed with how Marcus seems to be catching up. Since he was supposedly so far behind the first week of school. Stiles is devouring books and his AR grade is awesome. They are having a drawing for a bike at the school at the end of the year in connection with AR and Stiles is very hopeful. I hope he is not to disappointed when his name is not drawn out of the hat.
Erica loves to sit with Marcus when he is doing his letter fluency charts and I can tell she is paying very close attention to the name of the letters and the sounds they make when Marcus is studying them. I don’t think she will score way low when she enters school next fall.
This Friday we had a surprise Birthday party out in the barn for Jon’s brother, ED. It was fun. Ed had no idea what was going on. And we had quite a few people show up. But I was just asked this morning if I was willing to Host the Briscoe Christmas Party out in the barn. We will have to see. We had a hard time getting the loft of that barn warm enough. And it was not a cold cold day on Friday. I don’t know how it would work if the wind was howling and the temperatures way below freezing. But if we do have the party I’m sure it will be just fine.
Jon had Hunter sit on the potty chair on Saturday. It was not fruitful in any way. I think Jon is jumping the gun . I figure I have at least one more year of diapers for that boy. But this morning I found the Toilet totally plugged with toilet paper and I am sure that hunter is my culprit because he escaped from his crib/cage last night. After the rest of the kids had gone to bed. So perhaps his interest has been sparked. Oh well. I will not count any eggs in the basket until the poops in the potty really happen
Well I don’t think anything else has happened that I need to let any one know about so I will just end this letter and let you know that I think Grandpa is right. I think you are a rotten little brother. But I still love you and am glad that the pot was wise enough to call the kettle black. I am still laughing my head off.
Study and work hard. We miss you and pray for you always.