This year was a whirlwind for us. We finally are all back together in our new home in Escondido. After a year of commuting, we bit the bullet and moved. We still have the house in Brea. It is rented out, hopefully it will stay that way. Update on the kids, Kristyn is doing great. We are super proud! Although she constantly complains about being poor, she will walk the stage in June with a double major from UCSB in English and Psychology. TJ was just elected the president of his Fraternity, so fathers hide your daughters. Actually, he is turning in to quite the young man. We never see him, but people tell us he is a nice guy and he has not been arrested yet, so, we are going to go with the nice guy thing till we hear different (: Danielle, well she is doing just fine, She is a great sister to her brother and she is turning in to a great young girl. She is her teachers favorite and is doing super with her grades. She has taken up the Saxophone (ask grandpa) and though I kid her I was amazed at how quickly she picked it up. She is getting ready to start softball again and I am sure that she will be the girl everyone is talking about. She has gotten really good the last couple of years (I may be partial). Max, well he is my hero! He has learned sooo much and he is a constant source of entertainment for us all. He loves everyone and lites up every room. His ability to talk is coming around slowly but surely. He is in a great class and has an excellent teacher. He just finished his first season playing soccer he had some fun and he actually scored a goal so that was super exciting. It was of course the only game I missed because I had to work. Probably better that I missed it if I saw it I would have cried and made a fool of myself but Nita and all the parents told me that he did it just like we practiced. He got a little trophy which we promptly placed on the mantle for all to see. Nita well you all know Nita, busy all the time she has started selling Mary Kay and is sure that she is going to get the pink Cadillac soon enough, (dad please send money someone stole all my cash to buy make-up I can give you cleanser and eye shadow for collateral :)). She has made some new friends and has some projects going but mostly she just keeps us from rollerskating down the hall with scissors in our hands, unless of course we wear helmets and goggles. We made it through the fires we had flames within 100 yards on two sides of the house I never thought I would see that happen it was truly scary and we are blessed to have our home in-tact so many people have lost everything. Everyday I drive to work and see the devastation its really sad but most everyone made it out alive and today on the news they showed the first completely re-built home in Ranch Bernardo. It was completed in eight weeks so things are moving along but you can see homes that are burned to the ground from the freeway it is like the tornado thing you see a few in a row that survived then one devastated then more that are fine then another gone really humbling site to see. I did talk to Corbin during the fires he was pretty close to one of them but seemed to be in a safe spot. I wish he would come visit us but he seems to be really busy Cortney as well maybe they will get the time to stop by before they graduate I told them that the food was always free but no takers yet. I hope that everyone has a great Christmas we love you all and wish you the best please come visit us we have room at the Barton Inn!
