Tis The Season

This year we tried really hard to get Christmas cards/pictures/letters out, but it just didn't happen. I even typed the letter up, but it never made it into an envelope. So to allow close friends and family to still know our going-ons over the past year we decided to post our Christmas letter here on our blog. So, read on...and don't be afraid to ENJOY!!

Kyri's first Santa experience. I think she finally realized he's an actual person, not just a decoration. But now she tells me that Santa will come see her if she's good...and the snowman too!!

CHRISTMAS LETTER 2009

In the Spirit of this holiday season we thought it appropriate to send you a little letter with what has been happening in our household this past year. If you check our blog on a regular basis then you know what has been going on in our lives, so please feel free to stop reading now and just enjoy our family photo a bit more. However, you may miss out on something of slight entertainment if you do. If you don’t check our blog on a regular basis then shame on you. You really ought to. Then we wouldn’t feel like we had to frantically write something up just in time to send out with our Christmas cards!

We are pleased to announce that this year has brought us nothing but joy and happiness….right along with the feelings of wanting to poke our eyes out because we now have a 2 year old. Need we say more about her? Probably not, but if you keep reading you’ll get to hear about her anyway, because despite her gift of knowing which buttons to push to cause hairs to either fall out or turn gray, she sure does know how to put a smile on our faces! And we are not ashamed to brag about her and her cuteness.

When Graysen was born in April it seemed like he came out smiling. He loves to smile at anyone who will look at him or walk past him. He loves taking baths and eating. Typical baby. Graysen loves to do what we call “the caterpillar”, also known as crawling. He gets up on hands and knees only to throw himself forward. He’s pretty fast at it and definitely gets where he wants to go. Since this new discovery, Graysen has been a much happier baby. If only he could keep up with his sister and get into as much trouble as her! Graysen loves to laugh at his sister, except when she climbs in his crib while he’s sleeping and lays on him, then it’s only screams. Graysen is very tickle-ish, so the poor little guy gets tickled almost constantly, for our enjoyment. This little bundle has sure brought us a lot of joy!

Kyri turned 2 in September. With that has come much drama, tears, fits, and time-outs, but also many words, tricks, jokes, and laughs. Here’s a few that have not yet been mentioned in our blog (see, aren’t you glad you’re still reading?):

* One night while Kyri was taking a bath Gary habitually turned off the light when he walked out of the bathroom. He quickly realized what he did and turned the light back on. Kyri said, “Hey! Turn the gark back on, Daddy! Turn on the gark!!”

* One day Gary was eating a “baby orange”. Kyri had already had 4+ and we really didn’t want her to have any more. But she saw Gary was eating something. She said, “whatchya eatin, Daddy-o?” Gary said, “Oh, nothing.” After thinking for a moment, and concluding she’s not dumb or crazy and knowing he was eating something she replied, “I want to eat some nothing too!”

This year Kyri is finally catching on to the idea of Christmas and presents and Santa. It has been a lot of fun and we are all looking forward to Christmas morning. The only thing she has asked Santa for, though, is Smarties! I sure hope he can manage!

Kyri definitely keeps us on our toes and makes sure she keeps her toes (or whole body, really) on her brother. She loves him SO much and is constantly “checkin’ on him”, but sometimes she just goes too far. She has finally realized that if she hits, kicks, bites, or does anything else to make her brother cry she might as well put herself in time-out, because that’s what’s coming anyway. At least she loves him, and always has.

Mauri has continued being a full-time mom. Amazing how it’s not just a temporary job, isn’t it? Some days she wishes it was, but that feeling only lasts until one of the kids does or says something that simply melts her heart. And although Mauri has been known to sometimes mention putting her kids up for bid on e-bay, the truth is that she wouldn’t trade a single day (yep, that even includes the poop infested days) for any amount of money or alone time. There truly is nothing like being a mother!!

This year Gary has been enjoying his job at Wells Fargo. After some hard work and determination he managed to work his way from “online banker” up to a “Team Lead”. This new title seems to be much more important and enjoyable for him, but for Mauri and the kids it has only meant one thing, less phone calls home during the work day. We are happy he is working so hard and that Gary is happier in what he is doing. This year Gary also had an epiphany: he is to go back to school and eventually become a high school history teacher and coach. Even though the thought of 3 more years of school is a bit discouraging, we are all very excited for this career change, especially Gary. I mean, who wouldn’t look forward to dealing with overly dramatic, self- centered, invincible teenagers on a daily basis?

And that’s our year, in a nutshell. We hope your 2009 was as exciting and enjoyable as ours. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good 2010!!

Much love,

Gary, Mauri, Kyri, and Graysen