Thursday, December 25, 2008

Kids big present this year

I gave the kids 14 clues to try and put it together. The clues were all over the house. I did make some rather obscure and tried to throw them off the "scent". It worked - they had no idea until clue #14. Can you guess what their gift is?

1. On the Wii - It's something we all have to share.

2. On the dryer - We have to get a dog sitter.

3. On the piano - We will be flying.

4. On the fireplace - It will last 8 days.

5. In the linen closet - Pack your swimsuit, our hotel is in the tropics.

6. In the office - It's gonna be tight - all in one room.

7. In the pantry - But don't worry. There's lots of space all day long.

8. Near the DVDs - We will leave in 26 days!

9. In the coat closet - Our days will start early and end late.

10. On the china cabinet - We can watch the fireworks on the beach.

11. On my stereo - We will visit old friends and make new ones.

12. By the front door - We can visit Tom and Becky.

13. In the garage - We can visit Alice and Mary.

14. In Dad's pocket - for us this is the gimme clue if they didn't know it by now - We don't go to have fun. We go to spend lots and lots of money.

Did you guess? K had an idea and then got thrown off by a few clues. She knew we were going somewhere and she didn't care where! At one point dh said that he thought he knew where we were going but now he wasn't so sure.

Let me explain a few clues in case you are lost.
5. Hotel in the tropics - not really but the setting is tropical. We are staying at the Polynesian.
9. Start early, end late - the kids don't really have bedtimes there.
10. You cans ee the fireworks on the beach at the hotel. They pipe in the music. This is important as K is sensitive to noise.
11. Old friends and new - when you know where we are going it makes sense.
12. Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher
13. Alice in Wonderland and Mary Poppins.
14. This is what dh says all the time we are there.

Give up? Or do you know? We are taking the kids to Disney World!

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Merry Christmas 2008! 


For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
– Luke 2:11 (KJV)

This year feels like it has flown by! And with the economy in the state that it’s in, it almost can’t end soon enough… Yet, there’s still much to be thankful for!

Here at Casa K, the kids are growing like weeds. K is now taller than C, and H’s not far behind. M is a fairly distant third, but then, he’s only eight. I’m still the tallest, but I don’t imagine that’ll last long.

K’s just turned 14, and is in 8th grade this year. H’s 11, and in 5th grade. M is 8, and in 3rd. C is homeschooling all three, and all still seem to be enjoying the process. C and the kids participate in the SEEK homeschool co‐op at Colonial once a week, to break things up a bit. The kids are all in music lessons, as well (K on guitar; H and M on piano), and are sounding pretty good, if you ask me. Of course, I’m biased. And if that weren’t enough, all three are taking tennis lessons now, too. Oh, and playing soccer. And football. And basketball. Some of them. Whew.

In our copious spare time, we do quite a bit of volunteer work. C is still active in the children’s ministry at church, and also in the sports ministry at Colonial Baptist. She’s been a soccer coach there for a number of years, and plans to continue in that capacity. I still run sound and play the trumpet at church. In addition, I play guitar for the kids in the Cubbies program at Colonial’s Awana program. K and H volunteer there as well, as regular leaders. Volunteering at Colonial is becoming a family affair!

On a professional level, I’m still at Cisco. In August, I crossed the nine year mark.

On the fun side, we took two big family vacations this year. We spent a week in Williamsburg, mostly at Busch Gardens. It was cold (really cold), but it made for short lines… In the summer, we took a week‐long trip to Hatteras with our friends the Rs. We shared a rental home, and generally had a blast. C and the kids then spent another week with C’s folks, without me, right as fall was kicking in, for the annual Camp NaPa (Nana/Papa).

Well, those are the highlights… We hope you and yours have had a great year! Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!

With love,
The K Clan

(Written by dh, simply copied here)

(I think that's the right picture way up there!)