Xmas Letter 2012

Merry Christmas to all my family and friends. My New Year started with a spring-like winter. Spent days off babysitting and working on my novel. Few more chapters and I will be done with the trilogy for my nieces. We finally saw a snowstorm called thunder snow when lightening occupancies snow (rare event). There is always a snowstorm during the basketball tournament you know. My retail store needed to get rid of coats and boots. Precious and Frodo celebrated their 6th birthdays (about 40 in cat years). Farmers planted early and battled spring frosts. I tried to grow flower seeds this year. We had a stifling drought during the Dog Days of Summer. My poor flower leaves were scorched black in the heat. Watered them every night to turn them back to green. Did manage to get a few flower blossoms, but learned to plant grown flowers next time. Took niece and nephew to see The Lorax, Egypt exhibit, bowling, and local mall’s Family Fun Nights. One night Tinkerbell was there and took Niece’s picture with her. Any time I give to my sister to clean her house or run errands without kids around is time well spent. Hosted Easter dinner with egg hunt in apartment courtyard. Took Mom and sister to visit Dad’s tombstone and to the Dexter cemetery (Mom’s side). Two nieces had their dance recitals on the same day. Got off work just in time to go to local niece’s that performed Giselle where she played the dawn and later her tap dance. Took Niece and Nephew to my apartment pool and splashed them good (they started it). Figured out a new computer system at work without instructions and then taught others the system. One look at the new screen sent coworkers screaming for help. Watched the Urbandale 4th of July parade and fireworks. Took faraway niece, local niece, and nephew to the amusement and water park. Celebrated Nephew’s 8th birthday at a pizza place and played games with the kids. Saw a pioneer wedding at a living history museum with niece and visited Women in Baseball exhibit explaining women played sports in dresses before grandma was born. Niece’s favorite part was when a pig shook mud onto my hand. Took sister and niece to a Star Party in a park to see a meteor shower, but too cloudy to see so just watched Spaceballs on an outdoor screen until niece got tired. Walked the Iowa State Fair with brother-in-law, niece, and nephew. Cousins gave us a new family addition, Henry Campbell. Took niece and nephew to the zoo to ride the new carousel and see the new sea lion pool. Niece decided to quit dance and start gymnastics after watching the Olympics. We had a family reunion at Mom’s cousin’s house in Dexter. I started a tax preparer class at a company in hope of making extra money next year. Found out I got the job just as my computer broke down. Start my training this month. Now I have 2 jobs like everyone else. Celebrated Niece’s 9th birthday at home with family. I played the Beatles Birthday song for her. When guests were leaving we took the kids to see Santa, ride the train, and see the Chocolate Moose we couldn’t find at the Iowa State Fair. Here it was decorated for Christmas at the mall. Went to sister’s house for Thanksgiving and took a nap to prepare for my Black Friday midnight shift. While I slept, the kids helped put up lights on the house and I saw the finished work. My shift wasn’t that bad, but then I wasn’t standing in line. Will be having a family Christmas (Mom’s side) at Mom’s retirement home again. People like those large gathering rooms with kitchenettes. Have a Merry Christmas and Happy Meow Year Love Always Jordan Precious Frodo