Merry Christmas 2010
2010 has been a nonstop extra hot great thrill fest, just like Clash of the Titans but in 100% 3D, not a cheap looking after thought.
Finally, this will be the last year Gunnar will be lazing around the house – he is finally a senior and has done just enough (he is the goldilocks of school effort) to ensure some college, somewhere, will accept him. Yeah for BYU Idaho and its 97% acceptance rate!! Gunnar rocks the tuba (though he did learn that it isn’t really heavy metal), sings bass in the choir and Austinaires (think Glee without the budget), and holds office in several organizations (Knowledge Bowl team, Physic’s club, Drama club, and DECA) and he has the Obama to swear he isn’t a nerd. He had the lead in the High School musical (Once upon a mattress), a lead in the local community play (Hormel Girls), and a large part (with song solo) in the community theatre performance of Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat. He also managed to win the County fair talent contest singing Live Like You Are Dying (Tim McGraw). His greatest accomplishment of the year was learning that 2 cups of peanut butter is not the same thing as two jars.
Qatar finally made it high school this year. He decided to try cross country this year and it all went fine until the weather got cold. After seeing him practically collapse on the course we learned (Yeah Mayo Clinic) that he has Asthma and several allergies. We hope to have that all under control by next year. On the plus side he is finally starting to grow taller among other things (yelling at the dinner table “I’ll show you who has got hair” and then exposing his underarms to everyone – priceless and lucky, could have gone a whole different direction). Qatar was also in the same two musicals that Gunnar was, the highlight being the lead actress ripping his pants off in one scene. He also plays tenor sax, in the drama club, and participates in the choir.
Ezekiel made it to middle school and is obsessed with his grades. That is our reward for the other boys. Unfortunately his GPA has been tarnished by one class he just can’t study for – PE (Zeke doesn’t deny he is a nerd – he owns it) He plays percussion in the band and piano in the school jazz band. He was in the kid’s choir for Joseph and played wolf #1 in the middle school production of Jungle Book. His Math Masters team won second place in regions and he loves seeing his name on the plaque, hanging at school. At the rate he is going I fully expect Zeke to be 6 foot tall by this time next year!
Cenneidigh is in the 5th grade (think Mean Girls: The Early Years). She’s a member of the Banfield choir, student counsel, chess club, lego club and plays flute in the band. She’s still taking piano lessons and getting better every day. She performed in several musicals this year and loves to be with her friends, talking, shopping and making crafts. She came in second in the geography bee at Banfield this month by virtue of the fact she knew where the Aleutian Islands are. Here cranky diva-ness comes out more and more everyday – I am sure that she will be over that by the time she hits high school J That is our Karma for the 4 boys.
JT’s in 3rd grade and he is a handful, in every sense of the word. There is a certain joy and pride to be found in a child with quickest wit I have seen in a long time, but we also have to live with it, so call it even. He has also started piano, but adamantly refused to be in any musicals (he figures he will just hang out until high school and just walk on to Austinaires – just like Uncle Steven did. He bowls every Saturday and now wants his own bowling ball (next he will start drinking root beer). He also joined in the dinner table/hair discussion by ripping off his shirt and running his fingers through his chest hair saying, “You can’t see it because it’s blond.”
Lisa is working as a substitute teacher again (cue the Van Halen) and as your local H&R Block tax preparer. She attempted to beat David in the annual books read totals, but failed miserable with only a measly 150 read, some of them didn’t involve sexy vampires. Lisa celebrated her 40th birthday by jumping out of a plane (it only took her a year to do it). Loved it so much it will become an annual event for those of you who care to join in. On the downside we all get to hear how she just can’t gain weight even though she really tries – tragic. She also generously supported the local music program all by herself – because she is a giver, unlike David who is a stingy (child without a known father).
David’s work group got transferred to the corporate law department so he’s practically a lawyer now (without all that book learning or school debt). Actually having a good job in a large law department is better than 67% of all law school grads. Met his goal of reading more books than Lisa, and started a book review blog with Lisa ( www.bookhimdanno.blogspot.com.) So far we have received 7 free books from publishers to review in the last two months – so ulterior motive accomplished.
Parker the Poodle is 3% less annoying this year, and at least one time Rick came over and he DIDN’T pee himself.
Love the Peters – David, Lisa, Gunnar, Qatar, Zeke, Cenny, JT, and Parker
1 comment:
You guys ARE adorable. Miss ya.
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