So tomorrow is New Year's Eve. It's time to remember what we spent our time on in 2009 and evaluate. Also, I suppose goals are in order.
January-June = a big blur. Sundance Film Festival. Stay-cation Spring Break. I went to ITALY (I love my job)!
June = Summer Vacation! Lemonade Stand open most days.
July = BEST VACATION EVER - we took a road trip down to So. CA via Utah and Las Vegas. Beaches, amusement parks, sun, friends and family. Seriously, it couldn't have been better! (Except for maybe the night the cops wouldn't let us sleep in our car in a parking lot.)
August = Birthday marathon - Ian was 7 on the 8th. Brooklyn was 9 on the 9th. And Lucas, being the youngest and least understanding of why it isn't also HIS birthday, celebrated his half birthday on the 9th.
CASH FOR CLUNKERS - I traded in my old Ford Windstar for the cutest orange Honda Fit!
September = Back to School - I returned to work at Foothills School of Arts and Sciences www.foothillsschool.org
This year I brought my kids with me too. Since it is pre-k through 9th grade all the kids can attend with me. I LOVE IT!
However, we didn't love the SWINE FLU. Brooklyn and I escaped, but the little boys got it. But they were tough and we kept away from the hospital. Nothing a little TLC couldn't cure.
October = ARRR Matey! (See Halloween post.)
November = More birthdays & Thanksgiving in Utah at Gram and Libby's. Birthday cake, Chocolate Cheesecake courtesy of my dear mommy, and Thanksgiving feast in UT = limited pants options for the rest of the year. (Don't worry, the 2010 goals will take care of that.)
December = Cabin visit, sledding, COLD. Christmas was beautiful and we spent our 2nd Christmas in our great little house in Hyde Park. It's so nice to be in a house that we can finally call home.

Sure, the real estate market still sucks and YES, AARON IS STILL WORKING AS A REALTOR. The boys got the Swine Flu and we still aren't millionaires. BUT - we saw the beach and I got to see Ian happier than he's ever been riding the waves on Huntington Beach. Lucas makes us laugh and fills our hearts with joy everyday. (Even when he is sent home from pre-school, and has to write us notes about his "disrespectful behavior licking the office windows while in time out") He is our early riser and is a ray of sunshine in our home, especially on these dark days when there just aren't enough hours of sunlight. Brooklyn is "practically perfect in every way", although she is much to humble to think it of herself. She is a budding musician, playing piano, flute and electric guitar. She is the cutest rock star in the world www.boiserockschool.com . She is a good friend, kind, well adjusted, a good student, and an angel and peacemaker in our home. I couldn't love them more.

Aaron and I have managed to continue to love each other through some pretty major transitions over the past three years. We have learned to rely on each other and support each other. The harder times have made it more important to have a friend to lean on and I'm so grateful it's still him.

I feel refreshed that this first Y2K decade is behind us. 5 houses, 3 kids, 4 schools and many ups and downs later - it's been a good ride.

Random Festivities

1. Snow fell here. Baby, it's cold outside!
2. I learned how to make my Gram's recipe for gingerbread boys.
3. THREE WEEKS OFF! No work or school - let the wild rumpus start!
4. Decorated gingerbread houses with some of our favorite friends. See Aaron's Facebook profile picture for a view of the Santa BBQing hotdogs on the roof with a giant spatula and peppermint grill. Now that's ART!
5. Too cold to hang Christmas lights! Everytime I have a window to get the job done it's snowing or 4 degrees. I guess it gives me something to look forward to next year.
6. The 6 Schicks! Some of our best friends adopted a sibling group of three daughters to add with their one son. We had an open house for them last week over here and it was a true to the Spirit of Christmas kind of gathering.
7. Lucas thinks he's on the naughty list.
8. Santa is trying really hard to get Lucas on the nice list. But Lucas says, "it doesn't matter if I'm on the naughty list. Coal is the JACKPOT! Or it doesn't matter if I'm on the nice list -
presents or coal (are good)."
9. Ian and Brooklyn came running, screaming up the stairs yesterday,
"LUCAS OPENED HIS PRESENTS!
We just found them opened under his bed!"
10. Fred Meyer on Federal Way is giving away all their Christmas Trees as of 12/22/09.
11. Juggling families and festivities at Christmas is hard - and a blessing.
12. Sore throats are not fun.
13. I think we spent more on our dog than on our kids. (but she REALLY needs to go to the groomer, so we got her a gift certificate. I guess that is more for me than for her.)
14. Aaron is the most thorough researcher of TV's I have ever known.
15. Soy Nog for the lactose intolerant isn't good. The stomach ache is worth drinking the real stuff.
16. I'm like a kid on Christmas.

Christmas Card 2009

Aaron suggested that we do an e-card this year. You know, get with the times! It's the earth friendly way to go, right? All the cards just end up in a landfill in a month anyway. But I refused.

I admit, it's not for entirely unselfish reasons...
As many of you may have noticed, I have sent a photo Christmas card for the past 9 years. Ever since Brooklyn was 4 months old and her little fat feet were visibly kicking in the shot, I have adored our yearly card. Now I hang each card together for a holiday photo gallery during the Christmas season. From 2000-2008 I have watched my family grow and I can reflect on it at a glance through my cards.

I ordered our 2009 card tonight. I didn't order as many as usual. I think I'll just send them to family and those that I think could use a smile from seeing my kids' cute mugs on their walls for a month. But I didn't include Aaron and I in the picture this year.

Why not? Again, it's not for entirely unselfish reasons...
We didn't have a fantastic family photo this year. Although we did have one that would have worked.

But last weekend we went to Aaron's family's cabin in Smith's Ferry and we took a really cute picture of the kids out in the snow. It won out!

If you want this picture to hang around your house for a month,
leave me your address in the comments section.
"Harry Christmas Every Guys!" - Brooklyn 2003