Christmas Eve

It was a Kiowa Christmas eve this year. Headed out to church there and over to Tracie's for party food. We clean up pretty good I think. Zeb was home sick unfortunately. The girls weren't feeling great but managed to still go.

 

Cookie Day

Cookie day at last. Girls had to work so were only there a few hours. Caroline buzzed by but Mark was on a mission to get her a picture with Santa (which didn't work out). Lynn and I reduced the amount of cookies this year. Had some things turn out great and some not so great but that is typical.  Fun was had by all.

 

Gingerbread house decorating contest

Zeb and I against Kailei and Keara. Zeb wasn't feeling great so we struggled. Kailei did one side of the house and Keara did the other (can you guess which one is Kailei's). We pretty much said that if the elfs didn't make their quota in the clubhouse they would be sent to the sweat shop.  :)

 

Kailei-ism's

 

Family Date

Got ourselves dressed up and headed to The Melting Pot for a nice dinner. Turned out to be an expensive, nice dinner but it was good and everyone enjoyed it. 

This was the day we were expecting a huge cold spell so when we left the restaurant it was 19 degrees. We arrived at the Gaylord and it was -1 degree and blowing snow.

At the Gayload we saw a show called The Spirit of Christmas". I neglected to tell the girls that it was a cirque show so they told me they thought the spirit of christmas was acrobats.  It was an interesting show. Not the best cirque show I've ever seen but entertaining.

After the show we walked around the Gayload, took some pictures and enjoyed some hot choocate.

The drive home was not fun. Even colder and the snow was blowing like crazy.  The girls were holding their breath the whole time Zeb was driving. 

Made a memory for sure. 

 

Christmas Card and Letter

 

Dear Friends, Family, and anyone else who comes across this letter,

Oh, what a year (oh what a year)! Late December now we trim the tree… what a very special time for me… uh, oh right.  Christmas letter.  Well, 2022 was quite a year - school endings and beginning; dogs, old and new; cars, old and new; jobs, you got it - old and new; but also surgeries, trips, parties and big announcements!

On an island in the sun / We’ll be playing and having fun… A high point of the year was our vacation in the Dominican.  We spent a week in Punta Cana, enjoying the sun and sea! We lounged by the pool, went snorkeling, sailed, ate well, and just enjoyed the beautiful resort.  It was a very relaxing, if hot, holiday.

I see skies of blue, and clouds of white / The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night / And I think to myself, what a wonderful world… Later in the year, when it was time to be thankful, we were lucky enough to be able to join Phyllis and a lot of our clan down in Walsh for the first time since before the pandemic started.  It was wonderful to restart that tradition and gather round the Thanksgiving table together!

But there were low points. We lost Christine’s grandmother in February.  Nana was 104!  She lived through pandemics, wars, and tough times, but never let it slow her down.  She attacked life with perseverance and faith and love.  She will be missed.

On the other end of the spectrum, Caroline and Mark discovered they are going to be parents!  We hosted the baby shower just a couple weeks ago! Hopefully, little Sherman/Shermanita has some of Nana’s toughness to handle that name!

Kailei has had an eventful year - her final year at Cherokee Trail HS ended with a choir trip to New York City and a performance in Carnegie Hall!  (They say the neon lights are bright... on Broadway...).  She graduated high school in June and was accepted into the Cherry Creek ASCENT program, which is essentially a scholarship covering tuition for her first year of college.  She enrolled in Metro State College of Denver in the fall and has been riding light rail downtown during the week, while still working at the post office on the weekend.  While she loved CTHS with choir and unified sports and all her friends, she's enjoying the college experience! 

I am unwritten / Can't read my mind / I'm undefined… Hard to believe, but Keara turned 21 this year!  She just wrapped up her associate of arts degree from Arapahoe Community College, where she's been on the President's List for academic achievement.  In addition to a full load at school, she works at the post office with Kailei (they talk shop way too much at the dinner table) and takes care of the dogs.  She's always creating something, whether it's a drawing, crocheting, making stuffed animals, or something simple like writing and illustrating a book...!  It’s going to be exciting to see what this talented young woman does next!

Chris enjoyed retirement for almost eight months before she broke down and got a part time job.  She lasted pretty long before getting bored.  I'm not sure why she needed a job - between dogs and miniatures (she has sold a couple that she completed!) and making sure her kids are doing their homework (actually not true), she's quite busy.  Maybe she needed spending cash for her trips.  Or maybe her surgery – she’s been complaining about knee issues for years and finally went to the doctor.  They fixed her up and she recovered in no time – quick enough to be back on her feet for the trip to Vegas with her mom, Caroline, and Aunt Judy!

Workin' for a livin', livin' and workin' / I'm taking what they're giving 'cause I'm workin' for a livin'… Zeb finally got a job!  Or, in other words, he waited until the perfect moment to seize the best possible job for him and his family!  Either way, he’s gainfully employed doing work only he could find exciting, for a really great company.  Before the job, he managed to hit a few mountains, shop for cars more than once (ugh), and play a little golf up in the mountains at his cousin’s wedding (congrats, Paula and Joe – the ceremony was beautiful!).

As the year winds down, we look back on an eventful year and forward to brighter days ahead!  We’re thankful that you all are in our lives, and we hope the best for you in the coming year!

Love,

Zeb, Chris, Keara, & Kailei

Keara Graduated!

Keara officially completed her Associate of Arts from Arapahoe Community College. She did it all online. I know college isn't for everyone but I've asked the girls to get an associates at a minimum. She did it! So proud of her. She can do anything she wants to. She is smart and talented. We will see were the next path takes her.

As was with high school, she did not want to walk at graduation but she did concede to a family party. We opted to do a graduation/Davison xmas party to help alleviate stress for those who travel. Zeb went down and brought Phyllis up which was great.  

Appreciated all those that celebrated with us and sent cards.