This year I did something new – with Sela’s love of drawing I asked her to draw a festive picture for our annual holiday card. Then I scanned it and using artifact uprising and one of their everyday cards templates – I had cards made! I LOVE how it turned out, so cute and personal. Also, I begged Kiana to write our annual letter since I was in the midst of seven classes – she obliged and I think she did great too. A good family effort. Since this is being posted late – I hope you all enjoyed the holidays, surrounded with those you love. xo.
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With just under half a year left before I graduate, somehow I got stuck writing the Christmas letter this year. How is it that someone as deftly skilled as I at avoiding accountability and circumventing responsibilities, cannot put off this menial and tedious task for just six more months. *Sigh* Let this be my last hoorah. Maybe, just maybe, if this goes well, I’ll obtain forgiveness for the mischievous things my parents know I’ve done as well as those that were done with much better stealth. Speaking of, I’ve had a pretty good run. I went from poster child to my parents screaming, “Can we get some help here!” Back to, “Ah I think she’ll end up okay”. Truth be known, I’ve been the dream child all along, my parents are the ones that had to come full circle to realize that. This year has been a year of firsts for me, ate my first cheeseburger, had a long-term boyfriend (sent said long time boyfriend out to the dessert without a canteen… of sorts), didn’t cause any car accidents within 12 months and worked for someone besides my dad… Wait who am I kidding, I never actually worked at my dad’s office, I just got a paycheck. I could go on and on about my many accolades but the single benefit to writing the Christmas letter is getting to bag on my family. So let’s do what I do best…
Dad turned forty-five this year which makes him only five years away from being half a century old. Truthfully though, I guess my dad is welcoming his new status of being a “grandpa”, quoted by Sela’s American Girl dolls, by no longer dying his hair.
Mom graduates with her Art/Art History degree this year hence for how she justified the trips to the Philippines, Nashville, Italy, Ethiopia, New Zealand, Mexico, San Diego, and San Francisco… but she doesn’t talk about San Francisco… we all laugh over how she got her handbag stolen and for a brief moment transformed into some sort of super woman, chasing down the perps and blocking their car from leaving. Because she has been in school for so long, she believes she fits in with the twenty-something’s crowd and knows everything to know about technology… Until it comes to Snapchat where she’s conspicuously absent and clueless.
Thankfully, Myla’s moodiness and sass is taking some pressure off me from mom and dad. Now if she can just wreck a vehicle, I could rightfully move back into my spot as #1 child. She does get her license at the end of this month so that shouldn’t follow too far behind.
KJ’s gotten very clever… at using Amazon Prime. To all the parents reading this, I’d advise you not to let your kids use your Amazon Prime accounts. What seems to be every other day, KJ gets new gadgets arriving at the house and he subsequently loses privileges ranging from his iPhone to his electric toothbrush. *thank you Amazon Prime.* He continues to dream of drones delivering packages.
Sela is as sweet as ever, cute as ever, and smart as ever… She has brilliantly mastered the ‘puppy dog eyes’, and her pout face is to die for. Her humor has gone up a level, which seemed impossible. Oh, and she’s also become quite the hip-hop dancer. But what really sealed the deal was when she promised mom and dad to take care of them when they’re old. Can you tell she’s the favorite? Well, until Wellesley came along.
Wellesley Baloo is the Australian Labradoodle that joined our family last Christmas. She just celebrated her first birthday and if there’s one good thing about having a family dog its that a dog is the one member who always loves everyone else ALL the time. Lately, however, she’s been a little TOO amorous! 😉 We are hoping she grows out of this phase soon!
Frankly this task hasn’t been too difficult and I don’t mind that in my nearly eighteen years I’ve only been begged to write this letter once. I’m in love with the idea of leaving while ironically a bit sad to go. We’ll see how it goes… maybe you’ll be graced by my second Christmas letter next year as a rent payment in lieu of cash! ☺ But I doubt it… I’m a product of my mom. I’m built to conquer.
This time of year is our family’s favorite time of year; warm sunny beaches, lots of games and laughter and oh yeah… Happy Birthday Jesus!
Love to all… Kiana and family!
All family pictures by Matt Clayton.
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