The annual Christmas Letter

BELOW IS A COPY OF MY ANNUAL XMAS LETTER. IT SOUNDS CHEERY ENOUGH,BACUSE FRANKLY, NO ONE EXCEPT VERY FEW IN OUR LIVES REALLY WNAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE SHITTY PARTS.

Friends and Family- December 3, 2007
The annual update:
January - On New Years Eve my Mom, celebrates her B-day. She is strikingly young looking for being over 80. She is still living with us and is a big help here at home. A group of incredible women and I formed the Special Education PTA of Deadwood City (SEPTAD) and I am elected president. Ki gets a beta fish for her b-day and names him Jack-Jack.
February - Aj leaves the following note under his pillow. Dear Tooth Fairy,
I lost my tooth. It is in my tummy because I swallowed it. I tried to get it out but I could not get it out. And my tummy really hurts. I hope I still get my money. Love, Aj
Pops continues work as a PT & manager at Physicall Health. He enjoys working a schedule of 4 ten-hour days. I continue to expand my speech therapy pratice. I feel grateful to have a career that I enjoy so much.
March - Aj plays little league and Ki plays t-ball. We continue to grow our family zoo with the addition of Java, a chocolate lab. At six months and 45 pounds, she is a bundle of untrained, unbridled, pure joy. On her 1st evening she jumps in the bath with the kids & later jumps in our bed and attempts to curl up and sleep on my head.
April - Pop’s father treats the four of us to a 3 day trip to Disney land. We go during spring break with 9 million of our closest friends. Even with the crowds, it is still a magical place. Although, admittedly it did lose some of the magic when we got stuck in It’s a Small World and were tortured by “that song”.
May - I attend a CA state PTA conference in Sacramento. My friend and I are both in denial that we have grown up to drive mini-vans and attend PTA conferences.
June - Ki gets bounced too hard in a jump house and convinces my physical therapist husband that her arm is broken. Once at the ER I rationalize, “Well she hasn’t had the obligatory every-kid-goes-to-the-ER-at-least-once.” Shortly after that Pops & I realize she is doing arm push ups in the waiting room chair. She’ll have to get that visit in another time.
July - I question why I bathe the kids when the days are: M pool, W lake, F pool, S lake.
August - We visit Arnold, CA & Kurt & I long to buy a home there. Aj starts 3rd grade and enjoys his new classroom aide, Patty. Ki starts 1st grade and loves school. September - A beta fish, whom Kianna names Dash, replaces the previously deceased Beta, Jack-Jack. Pops and I celebrate our 11th anniversary.
October - Pops, his brother & Dad go goose hunting in Canada. For Halloween Ki is a SWAT officer or SCOTT as she calls it. Aj is Darth Vader. He’s never seen Star Wars, but you can’t beat a light saber as part of a costume. Java jumps the fence & enjoys me chasing her up the street while wearing my head-to-toe Winnie the Pooh costume. Or at least the neighbors seem to enjoy it.
November - Java keeps me busy. One day in the car she bites a Pepsi can & sets off a sugary geyser. Two weeks later she sours the car after biting the lid off a gallon of milk.
December - My Dad & his wife, begin the process of selling the home I grew up in, in order to move to the Northwest. Two of my dear friends successfully publish a book, allowing me to call myself a “published writer.”
Can I Sit With You? Is a collection of stories about schoolyard social experiences, both good and bad. All proceeds from the sale of Can I Sit With You? go directly to SEPTAR.
You can check out and purchase the book and at: http://www.lulu.com/content/1466612

Peace on Earth,
Pops (40 something), Me (40 something), Aj (9), Ki (6), Granny (80 something), Bear the cat (13), Sierra the lab (11), Sammy the guinea pig (6 ish),
Buddy the guinea pig (3 ish), Java the lab (1), Dash the Beta fish (6 months)