The Diesen Family

Happy Holidays from Plains!! 12-22-08
Hey, everyone! Another year has come and gone. We sure hope you are all doing well. We have awesome news!!! No, we’re not expecting. We have finally moved into our new home!! It is an amazing story, that I don’t have enough space to tell, but basically, it was a miracle that was meant to happen. We have tried for many years to get into our own home, but it never seemed to be the right time. Well, this was. Anyhow, just 4 months after breaking ground, we moved in!!
The house is beautiful!! Samuel built all the cabinets in the kitchen and bath out of Ash (which is gorgeous), and I painted the entire interior, (with help from mom and friends). It sits on 5 acres with perhaps the most stunning views across the valley and into the surrounding mountains. We like to watch the storms roll into the valley or just enjoy the amazing sunsets!!! We have 3 bedrooms on the main floor and 3 in the daylight basement. Because we sit on a hill, we were able to make the basement with one full, framed wall. The bedrooms run along that wall so they can have full windows to take in sunlight and the views. The backside has the family room, laundry room, bath and a storage room. We absolutely love the feel of it. It’s about 1200 sq ft on each level, but feels very roomy. It’s definitely a homey home!!!
As for us, we are doing great. Kelsey is a freshman at Plains High School. WEIRD! She is growing into such a beautiful young women. She excels in her academics and has a group of truly great friends!! She was a standout in softball and also played soccer. Her fave, however, is basketball! She was one of 2 freshmen to make the varsity team this year!!! She plays point guard for both varsity and junior varsity. I love watching her play!!
Madyson is in 5th grade and of course a straight A student. She really likes her class this year. She too, played softball and soccer and did awesome!! Maddy is a very mature 10 year old and I’m always impressed with how she treats others. She has continued playing her guitar and I must say, she does pretty well. She spends hours just singing and strumming her guitar (very dedicated to it)!!
Bailey is my KINDERGARTNER. Yahoo, Bailey!!! She has completely blown me away with how well she’s doing. Her teachers can’t say enough about how quickly she learns (she’s already reading a little) and how polite and conscious of others she is. Yes, I’m talking about Bailey. She is a super good Kid!!! She played soccer this fall and made about a 100 goals (I’m not kidding). She’s really coordinated and extremely athletic. She definitely has a sweet spirit!
Alexandra got to play on Bailey’s soccer team. She just turned 5, so this was her 1st year. She was shy the first couple of games, but really got aggressive at the end of the season. She goes to Headstart with Wiley and loves it!! She can figure out how to have a good time with a rock and a piece of string, very imaginative! Lexie is just plain adorable. Both girls love to color pictures for me.
Wiley is by far the most vocal. He’ll howl like a dog just to hear him self make noise. He comes up with some of the most creative stories and descriptive words. He definitely keeps me laughing, “Seriously!” That’s a favorite word of his. He’ll be 4 in March and just LOOOVES dinosaurs and fish!!! Wiley would be content to just spend his day fishing. However, it is devastating when it comes time to kill and cook them. They are his “friends”!!
Turner, a.k.a. Turney, is 21/2 and everyone’s favorite. He just lights up the room. He can’t help but be adorable, especially when he speaks in 3rd person. If he sneezes he will say, “Bless you, Turney, bless you!” Or, my favorite, “Mom, Turney poop!” Gee, thanks Turner!!! He has the best manners and craziest facial expressions I’ve ever heard or seen, always saying thank you and please and excuse me. Like I said, He’s just too dang cute!!!!!
My little Lilly is 1 and growing into her own little person. She too just lights up a room. She’s always happy and content to just hang out. She has definitely been an easy and sweet baby. It’s really funny when she attacks Turner and tries to squish him to the floor.
As for Samuel and me, well we’re just fat and happy!!! Sam kept busy all spring and summer with his sisters kitchen as well as ours. I didn’t see much of him for about 6 months! I spent the summer having fun and healing my knee only to find out in Sept. that the new graft for my ACL had nearly completely disintegrated. So, I had to redo the surgery in Nov. using the left patella tendon for my right ACL. Yikes, having both knees cut on at once was not fun. You don’t consider the little things like how you’re going to go to the bathroom, (toilets are really low!), or get in and out of chairs or climb into your car. Showering was interesting! I’m just now getting to where I can slowly climb the stairs and get into the van without using all my upper body strength. I still can’t kneel down or put any weight on my knees. I figure about a year before I’m feeling more normal!!
We are loving our new home and waiting for tax season to work on the landscaping and driveway. I feel like I landed in Arizona with all the dirt, rocks and rattlesnakes!!! Oscar the cat brought one in shortly after we moved in and Maddy lifted up a rock and found a baby rattler under it. She quickly smashed its’ head. J We all miss our nice green grass and snake free yard!!
We LOVE you all and want to wish you the best holiday season and year to come. It won’t be too long before I’m writing another one of these and wondering where another year went!! God bless!!

Love from The Stockett Clan J
Nik, Sam, Kelsey, Madyson, Bailey, Alexandra, Wiley, Turner, Lilly, Oscar, Katie and Leopold (Dang cats!!)