12-16-13 It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

At the risk of ruining your enjoyment of our big Christmas letter (har-dee-har) I am going to post our Christmas letter here. Some people are offended by the form Christmas letters, but I so much prefer that to just a signed Christmas card with no information or picture!!

Merry Christmas 2013!!

What DID we do all year??? We travelled this year. A lot:

• Estonia (a former Soviet Republic,

• south of Finland, east of Russia)

• Huddersfield, England

• Flagler Beach (Florida) 

• Phoenix/Flagstaff

• North Captiva Island (Florida) • Arkansas/Oklahoma

• Sioux Falls (many times)

Lex and Corey (and their two dogs, Chelsea and Roxie) now live in Elkhorn, Nebraska, where Lex is an actuary for Coventry Health. She has passed 4 of the 10 actuary tests (a really big deal!!!) and they just moved into a beautiful brand new home. With two moves in the past year (first to a rental, then their new house) Corey has been busy packing and unpacking and packing and unpacking.

Grant, Angela, Payton, and KD, the goldendoodle, still live in Sioux Falls where Grant is the Head Cross Country Coach (taking his men’s team to the NCAA Division II National Meet) and Assistant Indoor and Outdoor Track Coach for the University of Sioux Falls. Angela is a terrific mama to Payton—and sometimes to Grant! We are thrilled that Angela is pregnant again and a new baby boy will join our clan in January.

Payton continues to excel in her cuteness and we love our frequent video-chats. She toddles all around and loves to play with food and doggies and toys. And food.

Logan is the Controller for Clear Creek Landscaping in Omaha, and is setting up an accounting services business. Jenna teaches 4th grade at West Dodge Station Elementary in Elkhorn. When she's not molding the future of America, she’s molding the style of America, working part-time at Ann T aylor Loft. In addition to their maltipoo, Lucy, they adopted Rosie, a 9-year-old rescue Pomeranian.

Paul is working on his MBA at the University of Sioux Falls and is enjoying a graduate assistantship in their Sports Information Department, tracking stats and writing stories.

Luke comes to visit us every other weekend and those are highlight weekends for us. He is in 2nd grade at Sheridan Elementary. Talking, playing superheroes, playing football or basketball, playing with his dogs, talking, reading, talking are a few of his pastimes.

We run to the mailbox each day, hoping to hear from you!! Your updates are a very fun part of the season for us!

Hope this Christmas brings you loads of joy!! 

Love, Loy and Kitt.

12-17-13 How to Raise a Low Media...Husband

I was reading on facebook--a terrible media-type addiction I have--about how to raise a low media child.

Child-Schmild. I want a low-media husband!!!

In the effort of fairness and to give credit where it is due, here is the original website for this probably great article. I didn't read anything but the headings. http://mamanatural.com/how-to-raise-a-low-media-child/

The Trick:

1. Encourage Self-Directed Play. Hmmm. I need to get little things for Loy to play with. He isn't a fix-it man or I could go the route of having little things that are broken laying (lying?) around the house. He reads on his ipad only, so reading won't work. I could leave crayons and paper around...have the Legos sitting on the table...a jigsaw puzzle out.

2. Turn off the TV. Yeah, right. In the midst of football season, just turn off the TV. In what universe???

3. Make the home a safe and encouraging environment. That one might have some merit, but not sure if it'll make him less electronically connected. But, I could sure work on the tone of my voice, the eye contact, the "Go Get "Em, Tigers!" If I danced around in a skimpy negligee, he might think that was encouraging!! :)   (I can't believe I just said that!!! My kids are now trying to get that mental image out of their heads while screaming!!!) Meet him at the door with his slippers and pipe? Oh, yeah, he doesn't smoke a pipe.

4. Choose toys wisely. Convertible. Boat. Firepit. Those kinds of toys???

I think we're doomed to being plugged in.

Just a few thoughts from me today...

Kitt.