Failed attempts at taking the 2010 Christmas picture...
 |
| yes, Sam is asleep |
 |
| then all hell breaks loose |
 |
| seriously... I just need one picture... without weapons. Is that too much to ask? |
and the keeper...
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
We hope this holiday greeting finds you all happy, healthy and enjoying the holiday season. This year, I implored my boys (officially renamed Button Pusher, Naughty, Instigator and Enabler) to help me write the Family Christmas letter.
They are all very good at supplying me with plenty of material...even that being the case you will notice the new slimmer version of our 2010 re-cap. In the past, condensing our year into a Reader’s Digest version of our lives has
meant stretching the margins to their breaking point, using a ridiculously small font and printing on both sides the paper. So in an attempt to cram it all in, some may cite my writing style as an example of horror vacui (go on...Google
it...you know you want to). However, now with everyone (except Patrick) on Facebook or blogging, it has become increasingly easier to keep up throughout the year... somewhat negating the need for an epic Christmas letter. So in
the spirit of all good and enjoyable, I bring you the abridged version of what was previously known as the OMG... It’s 2 Pages...Collins Family Christmas Letter.
Button Pusher is now 9 and in 3rd grade. Between soccer, Tae Kwan Do, religious education classes, cub scouts and everything else that comes with being an incredibly curious kid, Andrew is just growing up so fast... right before our
eyes. Recently Andrew asked me...“Mom, when you were pregnant with me did you have a cat?” ME: “Yes.” ANDREW: “And did that cat sleep on your stomach when you were pregnant with me?” ME: “Yes.” ANDREW: “Ahhh...so that must be where I get my cat-like reflexes.” (And he was completely serious!) ROFL... I love the way this kid thinks...LOL. And as for his contribution to this letter, I asked him to tell me what he was thankful for and his response was... “Life. Home. Liberty. Justice. World... and that is it Moooooom!” Seriously, you can’t just make this stuff up.
Mr. Naughty is now 8 and in 2nd grade. He attends a special school and he loves going everyday. His amazing medical team and incredible educational team have helped us keep him healthy, progressing and doing all naughty things a little boy should. He has a promising career as a movie critic as he moonlights as an escape artist. Mr. Naughty never ceases to amaze and constantly reminds us that everything is possible... the impossible just takes a little longer. Just
when you think you are ahead of the learning curve, Sam will rock your world and dare you to keep up with him. Sam helped with the Christmas letter too... he deleted it off my computer... twice! So in his own way, Sam is forcing me to
learn more about computer science and recovering lost files than I would have learned on my own. That’s our Sam... pushing us all to be better.
The Instigator is 3. Three is an amazingly insightful age that makes you ponder the brilliance of duct-taping your child to the couch (or any stationary object for that matter) and while you ponder that idea and kick yourself for not realizing
the sheer genius of it sooner... your child orders 28 apps on your iphone. Yes, I said 28! When I asked Sean what his favorite things are... he said... “I like cars and cars racers (Wii Mario Cart) and speed racers... for all my life!” Yup... that
about sums it up. He is a master at accessing the streaming videos on Netflix via the Wii and as a result Sean knows more about animal rescues; the antics of a whinny, bald, five year old and the life of a Phylum Porifera living in a
pineapple under the sea than any sane parent would be proud to admit to. It’s when you get caught humming an obnoxious theme song while folding the laundry that you too will know my pain (2 bonus points if you added gestures or
facial expressions). And just incase you currently don’t have a song stuck in your head... “Hotdog. Hotdog. Hot-Diggity Dog...” Only a Mouseketool can save you now!
When asked for his help with the Christmas letter... Patrick, now answering to Enabler, contributed an eye-roll and an are-you-serious??? look. Do you feel the love streaming to you through this letter? Go ahead... sit back and soak it
all in. Please know that he put a lot of thought and effort into this and he truly desires to share all his warm and fuzzy Holiday wishes with all of you. And in doing so his heart grew three sizes this day!
I wish that I could report that I won the lottery or solved the energy crisis or discovered a way to get more than 6 hours of sleep each night... I guess these things will just have to be added to my 2011 to-do list. In the mean time I
am nearly finished with my 2009 to-do list! Whooo hoooo!
This Christmas season we remember all our loved ones who are not with us and we send up a special holiday wish to our guardian angels, thankful for their protection. So now it is time to wrap things up...so with much love in our
hearts we wish you the warmest blessings as you ring in the New Year.
Warmly and with much love... Patrick, RaeAnn, Andrew, Sam & Sean (Cooper and Kitty 2 too)
3 comments:
All the pictures are great and the letter,in true Rae fashion,hysterical.
And the boys,are they something,or what?Amazing.Each and everyone of them.
And my naughty little boyfriend.Well,what can I say that I haven't said a thousand time over the last almost 3 years?Cuz yes my friend,come February,that is how long it has been since your beautiful boy became by beacon during such a dark time.Today,I see him flourishing and growing and being naughty and I hold out and on to the hope that Zoey one day will find her way.I don't mind telling you,on some days,I wonder and then I see Sam and I am rallied and renewed and I pray that one day she'll be naughty as well.
Happy New Year Rae and you may or may not remember,my future son in law and his family are from Illinois and one day I just might come knocking.How great would that be?In fact,Jess is on her way back from the Windy City after a 2 week stay,as we speak.So it could happen.Fair warning.
Looks like you had some fun holidays. All the best in 2011. Hope we can get our families together this year if you're in the area.
Mike
me also to miss my childhood days. and Christmas one of the most my favorite festival. every time i remember the time with my family in Christmas.
Post a Comment