2008 Christmas Letter

Here is the letter from last year.....

Dearest Loved Ones, this has been a fantastic year of blessings and growth. Our blessings are simple and extraordinary at the same time. I feel that it is a blessing that things have not changed too much for us. Bob continues his work at Kaiser Permanente as the NW Director of IT. Our children have grown in so many ways. And I am lucky enough to stay at home so I can be with the kids as much as possible.

-Christmas last year was an exciting one because Santa brought us a dog. We love our chocolate Labradoodle Iva. She was 8 weeks old when she was delivered via sleigh to our house and was an instant hit. We can not recommend this breed more highly. She is smart, calm and DOESN’T SHED! She is a wonderful dog and a terrific addition to our family.

-We spent our Spring Break on the beach baby. Yeah, just like all the collage kids. Only….well…. it was a little different then Daytona. We were in Manzanita on the Oregon Coast where it was snowing. I swear there was snow on the beach. And our crazy kids were out there bare foot running in the surf! We are raising REAL northwest babies. No wimps here.

-We were lucky enough to do some traveling around the NW this year. First we took a trip to Spokane to celebrate a friend’s 40th. Great fun. Next the Mounseys invited us to their fabulous cabin on Whidbey Island. All I can say is WOW the view. The Olympics are to your right, Cascades to your left and Seattle straight ahead, all from 300 feet atop a bluff. The Mounseys have one kid, Mathew, and we have three. Ahhh, Mathew was in shock to say the least but not in enough shock to stay away. The Mounseys later joined us in early July at Mom and Ed’s house. Mom and Ed were gracious enough to let us use their house while they were away on vacation. It’s the nicest vacation house I have ever stayed in. We were there for a week of good weather, food, friends and family. During that trip we spent the 4th of July with Dad, Sally and a host of others. We watched fireworks from their roof top garden. Spectacular for sure.

-And of course, our annual trip to Decatur Island in the San Juans. The weather was fabulous all week and we had our usual slow paced life where kids roam free and we stuff our selves with fresh crab. Seriously, our life moves so slowly there that one day I think the only “work” I did was make a flower arrangement. That’s a great day. Still one bathroom and 15 people and not a single complaint. We love this tradition / vacation. Our babysitters realized that with the passage of time they may not be needed in the same capacity. They schemed all week thinking that maybe they should learn to cook. They have as much fun as the kids. It was as wonderful as ever and is still the highlight of our summer.

-Bob’s job required some travel this year, 4 or 5 trips. Blah, blah, blah…..business. My job also required some travel. I took a great trip to visit Ellen in California and another to Spokane for a girls retreat. Who knows what’s next. I can’t help that my job is so demanding travel wise. The kids like it when they have daddy to themselves and the menus and rules are relaxed. He runs a different ship then I do. I think it’s the good ship “Lollipop” or something like that. And the kids even required some travel. Uncle Rex and Aunt Tina took them to the beach for a weekend. Rex and Tina ran them ragged. At the end of each day the kids would fall into bed practically in a coma. I think they jammed a weeks worth of activities into 2 and a half days.

-This fall we had a Buchanan / Clark family reunion in Steilacoom with all the blended family together for the first time in years. It was a belated 70th birthday for my dad since they were in Europe on the actual day. My cousins Wendy and Robyne were there and we hadn’t seen each other for at least 20 years! There were a lot of people and a lot of chaos but it was really fun.

-We just returned from a Buchanan / Weber reunion in Puerto Vallarta. The weather was perfect, the kids all played nicely together and so did the adults. Most of our time was spent in the pool or at the beach though we did manage a couple of activities. Sophia and I did a zip line around the jungle canopy and then the lot of us made a day trip to a small village down the coast. It was a very successful trip on all fronts.

-Our kids are all doing well. Kees started school this year and not a moment too soon for his taste. Some kids cry on the first day. Kees essentially pushed me out of the room. He’s seen everyone else go to school his whole life, now it’s his turn. He is finally potty trained so that means no more diapers in our house. When he finally decided to go in the potty he reported to me that, “You don’t have any more babies in this house, only big boys.” He is right and while it’s a bit sad I am glad to be moving forward. He is starting to say funny things. On the plane to Mexico Bob had put the head phones on the boys and tuned them to the pilots. After about 30 minutes Kees took off his head set and told us, “I like listening to the pirates.” He is smart, funny and honestly a bit 3 right now if you know what I mean.

-Coulter is in his 3rd year of preschool and still loves it. He has the teacher Sophia had when she was there so he really feels like a big kid. He is cleaver, loves to laugh, is affectionate and very charming. He makes friends with everyone. He learned to ride a bike this year, in 30 seconds. Honestly, 30 seconds! Bob held him up and was trying to explain what to do. He said, “Dad, let go.” So Bob did and off he went like a BMX bike rider. Amazing! Some of his quotes from this year… “What is Portland’s last name?” “Mom, I fall awake at night and so I CAN’T go to sleep.” One night when he did fall asleep, or so I thought, I walked in to give him a kiss on the cheek. He rolled over, wiped the kiss off and put his hand on his chest. I whispered, “Why did you wipe it off?” To which he said, “I take them and put them in the treasure chest in my heart.” Then he smiled, rolled over and fell asleep. That is one of the sweetest things I have ever heard. He can be dramatic and frustrating at times but mostly he is lovely and a joy.

-Sophia is in 2nd grade and doing all the stuff she should be. Reading has become a favorite pastime. She just finished a 200 page book in a day and a half and was quite proud. When she finished she came downstairs to report, “Yeah, I finished that one. I put it to bed.” She can climb with the best of them, is a prolific artist and is a very good student. There is a funny streak in there and she can be very silly. And she is getting to be a bit “tween” ish so that is a bit scary. Sophia is wise beyond her years and sometimes I wonder if she was my mom in past lives because she guides me and keeps me grounded. She is considerate of others and wonderful with her brothers.

-It’s been an interesting year for us all. Portland is all a twitter about our new president. How anyone can get us moving out of the mess we’re in is beyond me but I am hopeful. We all need to pray for his wisdom and strength. Financially we’re all a bit poorer but do not give up hope. As a matter of fact, give more to your community it may be the best investment you make. We need to support each other.

-I hope you are all well. Remember Christ’s birth this holiday season and all the promise that means. Please keep in touch and if you need to catch up on our goings on you can check out my blog www.realityofkids.blogspot.com or of course call 503-460-9191, email – theleeks@yahoo.com, write 2414 NE 36th Ave, PDX 97212 or just show up. We love having our friends here.

Merry Christmas to all and to all…… Blessings and prosperous New Year. Love, THE LEEKS