It's a Wonderful Life, Natch

Merry Christmas from My Family 2009

It’s the end of the aughts and another amazing year watching our daughters grow has come to a close. Laura celebrated her 11th birthday this summer and soon after started middle school. In November, she went to space camp, took a turn in the G-force accelerator and emerged like a butterfly from a chrysalis. She can now sing on-key and make up her bed. Will wonders never cease.

Do you know about friendship bracelets? Laura is a champion friendship bracelet knotter. She represented Team USA at the Senior International Knot-offs in the Double Chain Knot (a.k.a. Twin Ties) category. She won a blue ribbon by making a bracelet in five minutes, not counting the overhand knot and measuring the threads. She is also in great demand on the rubber chicken circuit. She recently delivered a speech to a prominent group of bankers regarding the allocation of TARP funds, “The Green Blankie Financial Plan: Maximizing Parental Output for Personal Gain.“

Lindsey is four fingers and has been tapped for the Iron Chef Pipsqueak edition. We’re looking for child size 10 ½ orange clogs as she’s slated for Team Batali. Lindsey plans to bring her best game to the competition and considers her secret weapons her “special” sculptural biscuits and “anything sous vide.” She’s practicing in the bathtub as I write.

Not long after her birthday, Lindsey took a spill by driving her bike over a wall and tumbling a few feet into a briar patch, just like Brer Rabbit. She didn’t cry, and despite having the bike land on her, she was ok. When asked why she drove over the wall, she said, “Because I wanted to fly like a butterfly.” I see the Bonneville salt flats in her future. And blood pressure medicine for both of her parents.

Lindsey is in preschool and on the edge of reading all by herself. Her breakthrough moment was standing in front of the microwave. “Mom, O-N is on. O-f-f is off.” Not exactly Helen Keller at the pump, but a red letter day in our household nevertheless.

Scott & I just celebrated 19 years of marriage, so I guess we’re teenagers for another year. We’re busy with work and the girls, but Scott finds time for fishing and I try to cook and write when I can. This time of year, I thank God for my family and friends and hold hope in my heart for peace and goodwill. It’s my wish that in 2010, we‘ll have more to go around. May God bless each and every one of you.

Love,

Lucy & Scott & Laura & Lindsey