Christmas Letter 2007

Ring Out Wild Bells 2007

We hope this little update reaches you healthy and well. Let’s see what hopefully interesting and mostly random things there are to mention this year...

Keegen (20 months) has certainly grown into his own little self this year. He’s very certain of what he wants and when and how he wants it and if we can’t quite follow or understand his demands, er, requests, it is most certainly our problem! I have no doubt that one day in the very near future I will find him swinging from the chandelier in our 2-story foyer as he is into everything and climbs anything he can find. He’s already had his first ER visit, walking away with seven stitches to his forehead. He talks a lot. Were this our first child, we might think that was really neat, but we know now that this just means we will soon have (yet another) incessant talker on our hands. Favorite phrases of late are: “CLIMB! CLIMB!” “’scuse me, Mommy” “Come on, Bode!” and “TACKLE!” Happily, he does slow down at times and is still a fantastic snuggler.

Bode (3 ½) is taking all of this big brother stuff in stride and enjoys showing Keegen the ropes and for the most part enjoys having a playmate around. He’s in the very fun stage of preschoolhood where he’s loving learning and absorbs so much (meaning I [Ashlee] have to be careful with my potty mouth…). He’s incredibly inquisitive and already asks questions that we can’t answer to his satisfaction, such as, “Why is Lydia a girl and I’m a boy?” “Why is the moon up when the sun is up too?” “Why can’t I got to Noni’s house everyday?’ “Why is Mommy a nurse, Daddy, and you are not?” (disappointed in Doug’s job description). I recently learned of a story he’s concocted and shared with friends that “our old house was knocked down by a wrecking ball so that’s why we moved to our new house.” He’s got mad trampoline/jumping and tricycle pedaling skills. When he slows down, he loves to sit and read with us and is enjoying chapter books (which are a nice change of pace from, “The cow says MOOO, the sheep says BAAA..”).

I (Ashlee) am working hard to stay sane with all of the energy and testosterone in my household. I do all of the things moms do and just recently started cleaning my house again after a long hiatus. No, we didn’t have a housekeeper. I just recently realized that I am the mom, the adult, the responsible one, and that no one else was going to do it (in all fairness, Doug was doing his share). I’ve made my own environmentally-friendly cleaners that make me oh-so-happy and the kids share in the cleaning too without me having to fear that they will sprout a third eye or some other toxic result. I started working part-time (two-days a week) last February in outpatient surgery and love it. It’s a great balance for me between stay-at-home mom and nurse (meaning I don’t yell at my kids quite as much!).

Doug is thriving in Colorado. He was recently promoted which has meant longer hours but since we were really spoiled before I shouldn’t complain. He loves his job and enjoys his co-workers. He recently tried snowboarding when there wasn’t enough snow for the black runs to be open (therefore lacking challenge…) After an unfortunate accident involving a novice 13-year old boarder who slammed into him and knocked out six of his bottom teeth (the kid’s teeth), Doug plans to stick to skiing in the future.

This is one of my favorite times of the year—the music, lights, baking, decorations and traditions. We are blessed to have you as our friends and family and we hope you are enjoying the best this Season has to offer.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!