Monday, December 20, 2010

Happy Holidays!

Well, well, Christmas is almost here and I have fallen behind on blogging once again.

We sent out our annual Christmas cards sans update letter this year for want of extra time and energy. So here it is, our Christmas letter family update. Enjoy!


Happy Holidays to all our friends and family! Here is all the crazy stuff that's been going on in our busy lives...

Gavin (3) started preschool this fall at a small christian preschool and he loved it from the start. Unfortunately, we had to make the hard decision to pull him out after finding that it just wasn't a good fit for our little guy. He's back home full time with me and we are keeping busy playing at the library, spending time with friends, and learning the alphabet. He is an avid artist, his favorite medium being crayons and coloring pages:) If he's not coloring, he's building cars or trucks out of legos. Now if only John Deere would make legos, all would be perfect in his world:) He is active in our local Awana group and he's proud to be a "cubbie." This summer he mastered riding a two wheeler, sans training wheels, and I've been running after him ever since:)

Kyla (7) started 2nd grade in the fall and has thrived with her teacher and classmates. Reading and math seem to come rather easily to her and you can find her often helping her classmates sound out words or taking notes for Ms. Morton. Back in February, our sweet girl asked Jesus into heart and we all celebrated as she joined the family of Christ! Kyla has been in two sessions of Young Friends Singers and has started taking gymnastics at a local gym. Her confidence and her coordination has greatly improved and it's been fun to watch her enjoy testing her wings as she tries new things. Her week seems to revolve around Awana, where she is memorizing bible verses at a fast clip as a "Spark."

My title has grown to family chef, chauffeur, chicken rancher, gardener, teacher, homework enforcer, family coordinator, and housekeeper. Throw in a bit of baking, sewing and crafting, and painting and you've got a pretty good snapshot of my year. I updated our entry and bathroom during the summer. A lot of painting, some bead board and a couple of new pieces for the bathroom and a load of elbow grease and we have a beautiful view as you walk into the house. I volunteer in Kyla's classroom a couple of times a month and sing at church as part of the worship team. I keep pretty busy but love almost every second of it.

We have continued to be blessed with Chad having a wonderful job as a consultant for Soft Source Consulting. He is currently assigned to NWEA where he is the lead developer. I couldn't be prouder of all the hard work he does! He keeps busy working on our never ending project (our lovely home), building creations out of Legos with Gavin, creating Android games, and loving on his kiddos. He even built a chicken tractor for me and our bunch of little ladies. What a handy guy he is:)

As a family we've taken a trip to Indiana for a family wedding and ventured out into nature for our annual camping trip. Chad and I were blessed in February to be able to take a two week trip to Hawaii. Our mom's watched the kiddos while we frolicked in the waves:) Kyla and I took a trip to Northern Canada to visit my friend and her family in August. We rode on trains, planes and automobiles, what a trip!

One momentous step was made this year in March. We became debt free!! (Except the house) Almost three years ago we took our first Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University class and finally accomplished step two our the master plan...pay off all revolving debt. We are in the process of saving for a new car and our dream house in the country. Nothing like dreaming big:)

We hope that all our family and friends are blessed this holiday season with a warm home, plenty of food, and the courage to enjoy life to the fullest.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Luke 2:11-14


The Riddle Family - 2010