2010 Christmas Letter

Top Reasons to LOVE and to LOVE-TO-SAY-GOODBYE to 2010:

LATHAN: 7.5 years
*started and stopped karate in the first half of the year, which was a time-sucking activity, so I am so very happy for the next item...
*found his love for swimming and swim team.
*found out that Sierra slopes ROCK and is a die-hard ski fan.
*excelled in 1st grade and enjoying 2nd, while sneaking in the Percy Jackson series for his "down time" (sneaking because it is not 2nd grade material).
*loves hanging with his best friend, Weston.
*found out that he LOVES his cousins after visiting with them during our family vacation this year and realized they would totally be BFFs if we lived closer (but at least we are now only driving distance!)
*just returned from visiting his ol' best friend from Michigan (Steven) and had a blast remembering why we were always inside while we lived there!
*competed in his first triathlon, thanks to his swim team training and did VERY well.
*is loving to learn playing the piano and eagerly searches out the hymns to play them.
*gave a wonderful "talk" at church for his primary program about how he is looking forward to getting baptized this next year (ALREADY?!?!?!?)
*somehow got into a situation while we were out of the country where he was "jumped on" by some "friends" and received a bloody nose of a lifetime and had to be a key subject in getting some "friends" suspended from school. BTW, Lathan stood up for Weston and then Weston totally had his back, too. Way to go dudes.
*Continued on year-round swim team and is toughing out the cold entry and exit in the outdoor pool.

KAELAN: 5.5 years
*was the instigator of finally giving up on karate (thank you!)
*found his love for swimming, but NOT swim lessons.
*found his niche in mathematics at school and realized he was REALLY good at it!
*started in public school for Kindergarten, but switched to the charter Montessori nearby because of the over-crowded class and unmotivated teacher.
*is SO old-man in his soul, but has so much silliness and light to share that he has officially become our comic relief.
*LOVES skiing and asks to go skiing in the summer while he asks to go swimming in the winter.
*still my black sheep that doesn't care for carbs, LOVES fruits and veggies, and fatty meats like steak, meatballs, and bacon.
*started reading really well this year and is now onto the real scriptures just like his big brother.
*has decided to let Mom know that her short hair is not liked by him.
*Found his love for Star Wars and is very knowledgeable in all thing Star Wars.
*Always helping out around the house without being asked.
*A little bit clumsy with his growing limbs, but A TOTAL SWEETHEART.

Jeydan (J.J.): 3.5 years
*J.J found his love for swimming and developed the ability to swim any length of any pool.
*J.J. found his love for gymnastics and all things aerial.
*Is such a quick learner because of all the time he has to observe such great older brothers.
*Is still just as cuddly and loving as when he was an infant. He still finds comfort in grabbing a handful of hair and his "manta."
*A big boy with a big heart that wants to "kill" everyone around him because he is a "bad guy" with a light-saber.
*Is just as obsessed with Star Wars as his older brothers. What can I say? At least it's not Star Trek.
*He constantly jokes and makes light of any situation looking for a laugh - a lot of times to his detriment.
*Is anxious to join the swim team and even got in the water with the 7-8 year-old group during the trial week to see if he was up for it. He failed to realize that swim team is laps and not just messing around. We will try again over the summer.
*Visited with his BFF Trevor in Michigan and really can't get them out of his mind and says how he's so grateful to have visited them in his prayers everyday.

Haefan: 1.5 years
*Haefan found his love for the water, but swimming is still a relatively uneasy sensation for him.
*Was our darkest-haired boy, then after vacation on the beach is our most fair-headed of the bunch. Crazy California sun. We have pictures to prove it.
*He is the most clingy of all our boys. He has Mom or Dad days, but I'm finding there are more Dad days than Mom days.
*He LOVES his pacifier and "manta" so much that he looks forward to bedtime and nap time (since they are only allowed in the crib) and gets really excited when we bring it up.
*Has the BIGGEST appetite of all of us and has the most petite build, so we sometimes wonder where it all goes...and then we change his diaper an hour later.
*Has the most advanced development at his age; I'm guessing because of all the surrounding stimuli and examples that surround him. He has crazy coordination and crazy vocabulary; and boy, does he have some spirit!

FOZZIE BEAR: 1 year-old Labradoodle
*Has learned how the Skeehan household pecking order works and has relinquished any thoughts of being top-dog. Because of that, he is the MOST cuddly and loving and PATIENT dog of all time.
*He loves his brothers and misses them when they are not around.
*Loves to explore, so we put an invisible fence around our 1-acre property, only to still get calls from neighbors that they have him. I have made a decision that we need to bring the zap up to electrocution status because that dog knows what's coming and still bolts out.
*His new nickname is Fozzie Burr because of his backyard antics and all the weeds and stuff he brings back with him in that fuzz ball of hair he has for a coat.
*Funniest feature is that he sleeps on his back at night with his hind legs up in the air. It's really quite precious.

GRISELDA (Mom):
*Learned that I can multitask and juggle many balls at once with the extracurricular activities for the kids; but decided that it's not great for others to pinch hit. I have stepped back from the craziness - a little.
*Ran an 8-mile trail race to support David in his long trail run. It's really the only running I've done both racing and training. When it's trails, it's so lovely that my body hardly seems to notice the distance or work (if I'm not aiming for a time).
*Became a swim instructor/coach at yet another swim/country club.
*Found my love and some time for tennis again and many nice senior ladies to play doubles with during the week.
*Enjoyed a wonderful vacation to welcome back our Nana and Pops from their 18-month mission.
*Stung by the pussy-cat of the sea (stingray) at said vacation. Treated by Baywatch-worthy lifeguard, saved by hero husband, and left with a 1/2 inch gaping hole, a puncture wound 2 to 2 1/2 inches deep, LOTS of pain, an infection from an open wound, and nerve sensitivity for a lifetime. Priceless. Oh ya and PTSD for beach entry swimming.
*On a happier note, I finally can feel a clean conscience that I now am ACTUALLY the weight on my driver's license, 27 lbs later. Yikes! Bye, bye baby weight!
*Accompanied Lathan during his triathlon and was his escort at a stranger's house while he emptied his bowels during the running portion. Their house was quite beautiful!
*Love my friends! I also LOVE that my friends are getting married in fun and exotic places like
**Monterey, CA, where Davey and I got a quick couples getaway for a night while the kids were left with Auntie and Uncle.
**Madeira (a Portuguese island in the Atlantic, between Africa and the Iberian Peninsula), where Davey and I took the opportunity to go a few days early to tour Barcelona, Lisbon, then Madeira for a rare 11 days away while the kiddos stayed with Nana and Pops and had a fab time. We even ran into my Dad in Barcelona without ANY previous arrangement. Crazy!!!
*Started a new business thanks to many friends. We are going full-speed ahead with a dance studio, tumbling, music/voice/musical theater, and child-watch business. I'm hoping and praying for miracles and patience as we go through the launch phase of this venture.

DAVID (Dad):
*Has been working SO hard at his job and has been rewarded handsomely with respect and referrals.
*Made partner with his group and is officially on track to be fully vested in a year or so.
*Ran a 50k race (actually it was 34 miles - a bit more than 50k) on trails and did very well coming in under 8 hours. He now has it in his mind that he should do 100-mile races. I think he has recently rethought that and now is shooting for Kona. I will support him either way, but I'm thinking HAWAII all the way!!!!
*Decided it was time to let the minivan go since we committed to the Sierra commute by buying Northstar at Tahoe ski passes for the family. Between just the cargo and people, we couldn't have supported that trip with the van. Then adding snow? No way. So we have moved our family into "the Beast" (a black Yukon Denali). It was just perfect for our first go this past weekend.
*Swims during his lunch break at the club most days to get some exercise time in. He looks good and says he feels even better getting out and moving after so many years of being confined indoors for days at a time.

We remember the reason for the season and wish you a very Merry Christmas. We know that the Lord is our Savior and that his birth marks a special time in the Plan of Salvation. We remember all He has done for us and we use that knowledge to strengthen our foundation as a family. We hope you also find comfort in Him. Where there is comfort, there also, you will find peace.

We have had a fabulous year and hope for only great things for you and your family.

Dave's Update

Ok, so here is my weekly update.....

2 weeks in my pseudo weight loss period and now my weight is.....

Dec. 12, 2010 - 202 lbs.

Still a far way off from my 185 but headed in the right direction.

So Griselda had been gone for four days and just got back with the boys yesterday. We ended up watching a movie after Griselda changed into her pajamas. So as we are laying there I start to smell something so enticing, desirable.......yep that's right, BACON!!!! Little did grisleda know that she reaked of bacon after cooking bacon for breakfast with the boys. What a nice suprise. mmmmmmmmmm bacon mmmmmmmm.

Dave