Merry Christmas and a Happy Year!

Well, life continues to speed by at a break-neck pace. I hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas! I love Christmas. Everything about it. The decorations, the candy, the food, the parties, the lights, and of course, all of those remind me of Christ. What an amazing celebration commemorating Christ's birth. People talk of the commercialization of Christmas and I say bring it on. The bigger it gets the bigger and better we celebrate Christ. It's all because of HIM. So... Merry Christmas!
Jessica has been busy with friends, piano, and the school play. She won the lead role this year and is thrilled. It actually has two lead roles, and she and one of her friends got them. They are having a lot of fun! Jessica is fully into being a teenager and "doesn't want us to touch her", no hugs and "ugh, I can't believe I have to tell you all the time where I am". Well, tough break for her because we still sneak in hugs every chance we get and we come looking for her when she should have been home or she doesn't answer a text! Poor thing has parents that care! She doesn't believe she'll make it through with such embarrassing parents!
Jane is full of surprises. Of course, she still loves karate and goes twice a week. She is now a red belt for the third time. She is chomping at the bit to finally become a black belt. She hopes we stay here long enough for her to accomplish this goal she has had "forever"! She is taking one class a week in gymnastics to spend more time with me. She misses me! aaaaah... (More on that in a minute) She also shocked Rod and I when she announced, "I want to join the orchestra and play the viola." What???? I had NO IDEA! None. Apparently, it's been a dream since 2nd grade and people from the Houston Symphony came to her classroom with their instruments and talked about them. The violist (is that a word) well the person who played the viola, said that viola players get scholarships to college, because they need more, there are too many violin players, so it's hard to get a scholarship. So, here we are listening to jingle bells by Jane on her viola! Viola scholarship is her back up plan. She has about 7 back up plans for scholarships and paying for college. Yay!
Gracie is loving her new gym! Olympus Gymnastics in Sandy, UT. Yes, Sandy and yes it's 50 minutes away from our house! And yes, I was taking her and staying the 4 hours everyday. When I had a brilliant idea. I might as well work there if I'm already there! So, I am officially a part-time gymnastics coach trading my time for Gracie tuition and other gym expenses. Gracie continues to love gymnastics and recently said, "Mom, going to gymnastics is more fun than playing with my friends!" She tears up anytime she can't go to gymnastics and occasionally it deteriorates into a full blown hysterical fit. She really likes her school and especially the fact that she gets to leave everyday at 1pm.
As for me, I am now a working mom. Well, a part-time working mom. I didn't realize how much I was going to like coaching. I coach tots, level 1, 2 and 3 on the recreational side of gymnastics. Finally, my tumbling and cheering all those years is coming into play--HA!! to all those skeptics who said I'd never use my cheer after college! The problem with my schedule is that it's Monday-Thursday. So, Gracie and I leave for the gym and Jessica and Jane are left to fend for themselves until Rod gets home. Jessica was reveling in the freedom but Jane was sad. So on Mondays Jane comes with us and Jane and I get to spend several hours together. One hour in class, she's taking one of my level 2 classes and then while we wait for Gracie, Jane and I can read or go shopping or whatever we want. It's been an adjustment for everyone. Rod, Jessica and Jane are now the official dinner makers and they are doing a fantastic job! Food always tastes better when someone else makes it! Rod now understands why I'd call him and say that he needed to pick something up for dinner every now and then and can't believe I didn't have him pick up take out more.
Well, that's all for now. We hope all is well with you and yours!! Have a fabulous week before the new year begins and we all have to hunker down and start our new year's resolutions!

Finally....

Well, here goes nothing. It's taken me long enough to update this. I never sent out Christmas cards...you can say it...LOSER!!! I know--super lame.

Rod is liking his job. He started school last week along with the girls. (Apparently one master's degree is not enough) He started a master's program in Accountancy--or Taxation or something like that. He has a few leveling classes. Most were waived because of his MBA.

Jessica after much deliberation finally decided to go to the regular jr high and not the charter school she was accepted to. The clincher was that the regular jr high offered 8 classes a semester instead of just 7--I have weird kids--who wants MORE classes?? She's still taking piano and liking it.

Jane is a genius!! (or is now that we moved here) :) She was accepted into the gifted and talented full time program. That just means that I have to drive her and she doesn't go to the school that is a block away from our house. :( She is back in full swing with her karate training and loving it.

Gracie is going to a charter school--much to my relief--I thought I was going to have to home school her. Can you imagine me doing that?? I can't and I was freaking out--but this charter school will let her out as early as 1pm each day she has gymnastics!!! Hip Hip Hooray!!!! Her gymnastics schedule is now Tuesday-Friday 4:30-8:30. As if that isn't bad enough her gym is 50 minutes away--yes that's right 50.

On that note we traded in our V6 engine car for 2 nice little Mazda 2s. Can you say 35mpg?? YAY! Yep, Rod and I now drive little bitty cars. Rod makes it look a bit like a clown car! Oh well, he thinks our next car should be a Nissan z and he will most magnanimously give his to Jessica when she starts driving in a couple of years.

Gracie's last check-up showed that she is still cancer-free! She can now move to annual check ups. She still has some of the chemo-chemicals in her blood but they should continue to decrease. She's at 3 years cancer-free! I didn't realize the chemo stayed in her system for soooo long.

We miss our Texas pals...and all our friends stroon about the world! We think of you often and are so grateful you've crossed our path...until next time