This is what we're sending out for our holiday card

[pegkerr]

Some of you may not get a mailed card with a picture this year since we're cutting our list for budgetary reasons, but after immense struggle on my part, here's our holiday letter:

• wizard rock • orthodontia • Jane Austen • Twilight • handmade jewelry • can you run me to Michael's? • HP Alternity • sparring • where's your bo? • I lost the game • I'm going to sing the Doom Song! • ramen • earning her Black Belt, First Degree, Ms. Delia! • Livejournal • Twitter • Facebook • By God, I am a Prefect! • cutting the lawn • Yahoo • Google • crescent moon • can you take me to the Bead Hive? • it's out of radiator fluid • blown water heater • Casa Hogar Elim, Nuevo Laredo, Mexico • take your shoes off at the back door • whose turn is it to cut the lawn? • Honey, Ultimate Electronics is letting me go • peanut butter on bagels • dark chocolate • iPods! • podcasts • it's your turn to take out the garbage • Buffy the Vampire Slayer • Bones • Dr. Horrible Sing-Along Blog • medication • cake decorating lessons • knitting • crocheting • sewing • bread-making machine • truffles • fanfiction • soul collage • Obama! • thank goodness for air bags • balsamic vinegar • not kale! • Laptop Lunchbox • International Baccalaureate • Birchwood Cafe • cooking for ingrates • onions MUST be cooked separately • the Tree Project • spiritual retreat • tell me what I'm doing right • Portus • slow kicks • marching basics • kamas! • Shiny! • two thumbs up • cross necklaces • confirmation • haircuts • electric blankets • yellow tomatoes • homemade pesto • homemade apple butter • truffle honey with brie • bookstores • May Day parade • The Tree of Life ceremony • solstice drums • light a candle • church • hot baths • coffee shops • taking pictures at the belt tests • lime jello marshmallow cottage cheese surprise • earning her Brown Belt, Ms. Peg! • History Day • lilacs • lussekatter on St. Lucia's day • cheekbones • you are in soooooo much trouble • Minicon • bathing suits • Slip 'n Slide • take that straw out of your mouth • picnic under the apple blossoms • Tales of Beadle the Bard • out of bed, Daddy! • shoveling • cinnamon • candied ginger • kisses • the love chant • belly bump • tumbling like wolf cubs • Severus Snape • Northern Cheyenne Reservation, Montana • get your wands up, going out tonight, everybody, dance time • The Pretender • The Skirt • The Druscilla Dress • arms crossed • You're scaring all the white belts • chocolate chip cookies again. And again. And again. • I'm still alive • Don't wanna be a Deatheater • mopping the dojo floor • up and pivot • up and rotate • sinking into the floor • guided meditation • yoga • Stone Arch Bridge • tai chi • Powderhorn Art Festival • shawls • I made a tree! • I solemnly swear that I am up to no good • leather couches • We don't NEED any more books! • You can never have too many books! • you can't be serious! • Fiona, stop hitting your head on the furniture • put the book DOWN • sarongs • totally unauthorized pain • Veronica Mars • Ironman • Riverview Theater • Do you want to be a Pepper too? • feeling fragile • vulnerabunny • we'll get through this • today sucks • the bus was late AGAIN • SparkPeople.com • weighing my food • Feed My Starving Children • T-shirts • paint • flip flops • digital watches • digital camera • thank goodness for unemployment • light in dark places • Fiona, finish your milk • Can I have Fiona's milk? • NO! • love • cheddar cheese • crumbs on the floor • coffee • I need to set the VCR • no orchestra this year? • theater is amazing! • take your hat! • check the oil • I just need to check my email • Just let me finish this chapter! • Library run • Noodles & Company • book club • Robotics • Old Country Buffet • Ya think? • taxes • phone calls • you NEED a cell phone! • concerts at Lake Harriet • APUSH notes • We've got to save Ginny Weasley from the Basilisk • Oh look, we're scaring people • cream tea at Cafe Latte • Minicon • Minn-stf • win Twins • jack o'lanterns • fangs • that knife must be peace-bonded • but it's not even sharp! • pumpkin waffles • Cooking Light • When the Prairie Sun Climbs Out of the Hay • snuggled together in bed • kick ass resume • conventions • yes •

• this is our life • this is what we say
• this is what we do • this is how we love •

Here's our annual family portrait:

Family portrait 2008

Here are the two girls together:

Fiona and Delia 2008

Comments

[aome.livejournal.com]

This has to be the most creative and interesting holiday letter I've ever seen. And you thought it was awful? I love it! It's got a rhythm and poetry, it shows all the major and minor events in your life, lets us wonder about the stories behind them (who scared the white belts? what's your apple butter recipe? why is Fiona banging her head on the furniture? :D) and smile and laugh and sigh at the more obvious references. This is a bubble of joy to read, even if not all the events referenced are joyful.

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

Oh, the first draft was the one I was unhappy with, and that was a much more standard one. I had sent out one very similar to the one in this post in 2001, ending with the same line, and it's just about the favorite of all the ones I've ever done. I was reluctant to do it "again," but then I figured, hey, it really is a good format, it avoids the pitfalls of most holiday letters that people joke about--it isn't too boastful or boring or give TOO much information. And yes, it really does give you a good flavor of our lives. So I'm pleased with this one.