Merry Belated Christmas and Happy New Year

What’s up folks?  Mommy put me, Blake, in charge of the Christmas Letter. Be prepared for one bumpy and chaotic ride.  I’m not exactly a focused child, except when it comes to watching He-man.

Let’s see.  We started out the year being buried under snow.  Owen and I thought it was pretty stinkin’ cool.  We made a huge slide in the front yard for all the kids in the neighborhood to play on.  It was taller than all of us combined.  Madison and Mommy preferred to stay inside; their loss.  Daddy taught us how to shovel, which was super cool.  Bottom line: we like snow.

After we dug out, like in May, Nana and Papa came up and built a ginormous fort in the backyard.  Too bad they took off with us before we could break it in.  Mommy and Daddy had almost an entire week without us.  It’s the least we could do for them.  We like them.  Then Mommy came down, after a pit stop to see her old friends, Jo and Ang.  She picked us up and whisked us away to Grandma’s house in Florida.  Guess what? She lives at the beach.  We all liked playing in  the sand, but there was no way I was going in the water.  That’s just silly.  Grandma drove back with us and we arrived just in time for my third birthday party.  All my friends came over to play on our new fort and they brought me tons of presents.  I really like presents. 

During the summer, we headed to Ocean City with our friends Betsy and Paul.  It’s the first time we’ve been to a Maryland beach.  It looked the same as the one at Grandmas and I still didn’t go near the water.  Mommy and Betsy spent a lot of time talking about some business thingy.  When we got back, they started it up.  It’s called Strategic Victory Consulting and they help out small businesses and political organizations (whatever those are).  Mommy calls herself a work-at-home mom now, which is weird because we thought she already was, what with her mom’s group and neighborhood association.  Oh and let’s not forget her politicking on the Whisler campaign (he lost, by the way).  She was also elected to the Republican Central Committee.  Again, it’s all Greek to me, but it makes her happy. 

Daddy stays busy as well.  He actually got to go kayaking more this year, not as much as he wanted to, but enough.  Owen and I actually got to go with him once.  It was awesome.  I see a future there. Daddy also took us camping for the first time ever, leaving Mommy and Madison to fend for themselves.  You know, seeing how Mommy used to practically live outdoors, she’s become quite the home body.  We’ll break her out of it sooner or later.  Daddy, on the other hand, really is an outdoorsman.  I want to be like him when I grow up. 

As fall approached, it was time for school.  Owen started Kindergarten.  It’s weird not having him around all the    time.  However, I got to go to preschool this year with Mrs. Gail.  I’ve made tons of new friends and finally got over my fear of swimming.  Now I jump in all by myself.  Madison doesn’t get to go to school yet.  She’s too little, but she does get to hang out with Mommy all by herself.  I’m a wee bit jealous, but I’ll get over it.
Now we’ve come full circle.  We’re cuddled up on the couch, sipping hot cocoa and watching the snow fall once again.  It’s almost Christmas and Santa will be coming soon, but that’s not the most important part.  Christmas is all about baby Jesus who came to be my friend and live in my heart.  Santa brings presents to me just like those wise men brought presents to Jesus.  If I were Jesus, I’d rather have a Tonka truck than gold, incense and myrrh, but that’s just because I don’t know what those things are.  Maybe Jesus liked to play with them.

 From All of Us to All of You, Merry Christmas.  See you in 2011.

The Pennington’s