Dear Family and Friends,
Is it just me or did this year go by even faster than normal? 2010 has been a busy year. As I look back over all the things we did I think maybe we need to consider doing much less…As a family, we enjoyed going on a trip to see the Cahokia Indian Mounds in Illinois and visiting the St. Louis Zoo where we were able to pet Sting Rays, my mom was here visiting and was able to go with us. Kevin’s brother Greg, and his other brother Vernon and family were able to come out and visit us in June for a fun week of cousins playing together and the rest of us fitting in as many board games as we could J. We also enjoyed having our friend Tanya out to visit twice from L.A.
In July, we visited our friends, the Busch's, in Atlanta, GA and then stayed in Orlando, Florida for a few days. We were able to spend some time with mission friends, Alex and Rosa Mancuso and their two daughters, and we were able to go to Disneyworld for the first time. Emilie loved seeing Buzz Lightyear and she hated Splash Mountain. Hyrum loved it all. Reed decided he did not like Space Mountain and Mallory decided she likes roller coasters after all. Kevin, Mallory, and Reed were able to go to the Orlando Temple with Kevin’s brother, Vernon, who is the Young Men’s President in his ward in Davie, Florida. We went down to Davie, Florida next to be with Vernon’s family and were able to play lots more games, visit the beach, and the Flamingo Gardens. 
Recently, we had fun going to a university football game together and going to see Tangled 3D at the theater. On a sad note, our cat, Lexie, disappeared one April night and we have not seen her since. We think an owl got her as we spotted one the next day near our house.
Emilie turned 4 in February. She started Pre-K at Blanchard Elementary, since Alma Schrader is in the process of adding on and had less room this year. She played soccer in the spring and in the fall. She really got into it by fall and scored seven goals in one game. She and I attended the opening of the Cape Children’s Museum and she ended up on the front page of our local paper! She did swim team this past summer and learned how to swim then went on to compete in two swim meets, earning ribbons at both (it helps that they let you grab the lane line as needed at age four.)
Hyrum continues to love cub scouts and Explorers. He turned nine in April. He is in his final year at Alma Schrader, since he is in fourth grade. He loves participating in the fourth grade choir and helping with safety patrol. Just before his ninth birthday he got contacts which he likes better than glasses. He played soccer in the spring. He also had the opportunity to go to the City Museum in St. Louis for the first time and loved it. Half the time, I wasn’t sure if he was in the ceiling or under the tile floor—what a place that is! He ran weekly with Marathon Kids after school last school year and continues to do so this year. This past summer, Hyrum loved being on swim team and being in the soap box derby. On his practice run, a girl’s car ended up crossing in front of him near the end in a t-bone crash. It was scary and her car was done for the day with a cracked floor board and Hyrum’s car had to be put back together as he had lost a wheel and axle. He kept the bent axle as a prize. He and the girl had already been friends on swim team and became even better friends through their crash experience.
Reed enjoyed the last semester of middle school. He was in reading club, math Olympiad, triathlon kids club, and he was a finalist in the school’s Geography Bee. He made it to the final four in the chess club championships and enjoyed being a part of the percussion ensemble, Shere Khan. They traveled to Iowa City on tour. Reed got to play a lively Caribbean tune on the steel drum which he really liked. He also was able to go with his Explore Group to Camp Lakewood up near Potosi, MO. He learned team building skills and survival techniques. I enjoyed going too. He and I also joined the sixth grade on their end of the year zoo trip. He played soccer every season and continues to play on an indoor soccer team now that it is winter. In the spring, he played on an all star team. He qualified to go to the state track meet by winning first in more than one event at the Hershey’s track and field meet but we decided to skip this year. Reed started junior high as a seventh grader this past fall and recently turned thirteen. He is enjoying percussion and cello classes. He also participates in library leaders, reading club, BETA club, and Art club. He ran cross country for the junior high and ended up placing tenth in the Conference Meet. He recently received a full size marimba to practice on at home.
Mallory is fifteen and a sophomore in high school. This past summer she got her driver’s permit. She really likes driving and wants to take her dad’s Honda Civic as soon as she gets her license this coming summer. Mallory swam with the Gator swim team this past summer and worked as a volunteer at the Cape Girardeau Public Library. She continues to excel in orchestra (cello) and qualified for District Honors Orchestra. She has also continued to be in Spanish club and BETA club. She completed her second year as a Varsity Cross Country runner for the high school and is swimming for the high school for her second year. Mallory earned her Academic letter for being on the A honor roll both semesters of her freshman year. Mallory continues to attend early morning seminary and her Spanish teacher and Art teacher both told me that she is gifted in these areas when I attended parent-teacher conferences. She also is in Honors Chemistry, Honors English, and Honors Algebra II. She also joined Junior Varsity Scholar Bowl this year; so far they have won most of their meets. 
Brynda (Me) can’t believe she will be 40 this month! Where do the years go? In May, I was released from being the Ward Relief Society President after only two years when Kevin received a new calling. Later, in May, I was called to be the Ward Gospel Doctrine teacher, and I have enjoyed getting an in-depth look at the Old Testament. In the spring, when I went to Camp Lakewood with Reed, I got to have fun doing archery and climbing a rock wall, only to make what felt like a suicidal jump to get back down again! I was feeling my age. I started working out four times a week from September until now, as a guinea pig for a student at the University training to be a personal trainer. I discovered after weeks of sore muscles that I do feel much better when I keep up a regular exercise routine. I have been getting a few white hairs so I had blond highlights added to mix in with them J.
Kevin has been almost as busy as the kids if that’s possible. In April, he was released from being first counselor in the Ward Bishopric to be called as second counselor in the Stake Presidency. Over Spring Break, Kevin went to Washington D.C. to take students to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a non-partisan policy think tank. He was elected Faculty Senate Chair-Elect at Southeast Missouri State University and will be the Faculty Senate Chair next year. He flew out to Los Angeles in October for the baby blessing of our new niece Charlotte Naida Dickson, Greg and Stephanie’s first child. He enjoyed spending the time with his family and friends out there, all 3 brothers were able to be there which doesn’t happen all that often with us all living in different time zones.
We wish you a Merry Christmas from our family during this special season in which we remember the birth of the Savior of the world.
Kevin, Brynda, Mallory, Reed, Hyrum, and Emilie