Walton Family Creates Blog!

In an effort to keep in touch with up family far and near, we are proud to welcome you to our family's new blod site! Feel free to browse our site, and offer any suggestions. (Especially you, Darren and Emily, you experts)!

Here's what we've been up to lately:

Tyler

Ty has now recovered almost completely from his recent episode of bilateral Bell's Palsy. Thank you all so much for your prayers in his belhalf. We are so grateful that his smile is back and better than ever, (if not just a little crooked. . . ) Ty is now working on his first Level 10 complexity building at his new job at Nucor Building Systems. He loves his new job, and we are both so confident that the change was absolutely the right decision for our family. Nucor will offer better benefits, including tuition reimbursement for employees, spouses and children. We also feel that there is a better opportunity for advancement.

Tyler is currently serving as the Valiant 9 teacher in Primary, the Young Men's Coach, and is helping to teach the Missionary Prep classes.

Kristen

I am also working now, at Mountain West Research. I have recently been promoted to the position of Editor. In other words, I correct grammar for a living! How cool is that?! I like my job and really appreciate being able to choose my own hours, but honestly, I am really looking forward to the time when I can quit and be home full-time. (It's not that bad though; I only work 12 hours a week).

The kids are really keeping me busy, and I am also practicing piano for 45 minutes a day. It's really exciting to see my meager skills slowly improving. My friend Janeal Rogers from high school has just moved back to Brigham, and she is helping me with this goal. Eventually, I would like to play well enough to accompany others and possibly begin teaching voice lessons. I am now playing in Relief Society the 2nd Sunday each month, which is something I would have never imagined myself doing. (Luckily, the sisters are very forgiving!)

I am currently the Ward Web Page Administrator, the Ward Chorister and Choir Director, and I also help Tyler with his Primary class.

Kelsey

Our little Kelsey just turned five, if you can believe it! She is finishing up her last weeks of preschool and has her Kindergarten Roundup appointment this week. She is sooo ready to move on to grade school! She can recognize several words by sight, and is starting to "get" the concept behind reading. She can spell her full name, 'mommy,' 'daddy,' 'Katie,' 'hippo,' and 'church,' among others.

Kelsey's favorite color is pink. Her favorite food is spagetti. She loves to help Mommy and Daddy in the garden and to invent "Spanish" words for everything.

Katie

Katie's big news this month, is that she is now completely potty-trained! She is even staying dry in panties at night. She is so proud of herself, and Mommy and Daddy are proud of her as well. (We're also about $20 richer a month!) Katie is learning her ABC's and her numbers, and she knows how to spell Kelsey's name, but curiously, not her own.

Katie's favorite colors are blue and green and pink and purple and orange and white, but not red. She does not like red. Her favorite movie is "Strawberry Shortcake: Strawberella." She loves to help Mommy and Daddy water the strawberries, and explore the backyard with her walking stick.

Matthew

Matthew is now officially walking! He is the happiest and calmest baby ever, er. . . usually. Matthew now knows how to say, "here," "hat," "dada," "mama," "Trevor," "white," "brown," and most importantly, "MORE HAM!!!" His favorite food is ham. He loves to play with balls. He loves to watch Jazz games with Mom and Dad, and never hesitates to yell, "NO, NO, NO," at the opposing team members.

Keep posted for more postings!