Christmas Letter

I have tried to get Howard to write here on this blog, but he has shown no interest in doing so. For the past two years he has found a creative way to write a "Christmas Letter" to go out with our photo Christmas card. Many of you will be receiving these in the mail probably today or tomorrow, but for those who do not, I wanted to share this year's gem with you! I wish I could send ALL of you a Christmas greeting, but this will have to do! I hope you all have a wonderful holiday! We love you all!

12/21/08

DEAR FRIENDS,
HO! HO! HO! MERRY MISSMAS! 2008, WHAT A YEAR... I TURNED 2. EVERYONE SAYS IT’S TERRIBLE, BUT I THINK IT’s BEEN PRETTY COOL. I’VE BEEN LEARNING MY SHAPES, LIKE CIRLCE, SQUARE, OVAL, HEART... I THINK I MUST BE BEST AT THE HEARTS, BECAUSE MY MOM IS ALWAYS SAYING HOW I’M GONNA GIVE HER A HEART ATTACK ONE OF THESE DAYS.

I’M ALSO LEARNING MY COLORS. MOMMY LIKES ORANGE; DAD LIKES GREEN; LUKE LIKES BLUE AND I LIKE RED... RED CARS, RED CANDY, RED POPSICLES, RED, RED RED. IT MATCHES MY HAIR YOU KNOW. I LIKE RED SO MUCH I CHOMPED A RED CHRISTMAS LIGHT YESTERDAY – RIGHT OFF THE STRING. I MEAN, IT WASN’T LIT UP OR ANYTHING SO WHO WOULD MISS IT RIGHT? THAT MUST HAVE BEEN QUITE AN ACCOMPLISHMENT; MY MOM WENT NUTS WHEN I TOLD HER WHAT I WAS CRUNCHING. IN FACT SHE CALLED MY DAD IN TO SEE. HE WAS SO EXCITED HE WANTED TO SEE IT IN MY MOUTH. MOM EVEN CALLED THE DOCTOR AND HE THOUGHT IT WAS SO GREAT THAT HE WANTED ME TO GO SHOW THE PEOPLE AT THE HOSPITAL. THE WHOLE WAY THERE MOM AND DAD COULDN’T STOP TALKING ABOUT IT. I MUST BE WAY COOLER THAN LUKE, ‘CAUSE THEY SAID HE NEVER DID ANYTHING LIKE THAT, AND I’VE BEEN TO THE DOCTOR MORE THAN ANY KID THEY KNOW. THE HOSPITAL WAS SO IMPRESSED THEY TOOK PICTURES OF MY BELLY TO SEE IT. I WONDER IF THAT’S HOW RUDOLPH GOT HIS RED NOSE.

MAN, I AM GETTING BIGGER AND BIGGER EVERYDAY. I’M EVEN GONNA BE A BIG BROTHER AGAIN. “JUST IMAGINE WHAT IT WILL BE LIKE IF THIS BABY IS JUST LIKE ME” THAT’S WHAT MOMMY KEEPS SAYING, BUT I’M HOPING FOR A SISTER. I ALREADY HAVE TO SHARE EVERY SINGLE THING WITH LUKE. TOYS – SHARE! CLOTHES – SHARE! I EVEN HAVE TO SHARE A ROOM NOW. SERIOUSLY, CAN’T A GUY GET SOME SPACE AROUND HERE?

I SAW ON TV THAT ANIMALS PEE ON THINGS TO MARK THEIR TERRITORY, SO A COUPLE WEEKS AGO I FOUND MY OPPORTUNITY. MOMMY WAS SO HELPFUL, SHE LET ME WEAR UNDIES INSTEAD OF A DIAPER AND SAID (NO MORE PEEING IN THE DIAPER) SO I LOOKED FOR SOMETHING TO MARK AND I FOUND MY TOY TRACTOR AND WAGON IN MY CLOSET THAT LUKE KEEPS TAKING FROM ME, SO I FILLED THAT THING TO THE RIM WITH BRIM... IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.

WELL IF 2009 IS HALF AS ENTERTAINING AS THIS YEAR, THEN... UH... UM... WELL I AM ONLY 2! AND 3 SHOULD BE A BLAST, YOU REALLY OUGHT TO STOP BY AND GET IN ON SOME OF THIS FUN. I’M PLANNING ON GOING TO THE BAR SOME MORE. HOW MANY TODDLERS GET TO DO THAT? WE HAVE CHURCH THERE EVERY SUNDAY NIGHT. I HOPE WE SING (THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE) SOON, NOW IT HOLDS A WHOLE NEW MEANING. SO, FROM MY FAMILY TO YOURS, MERRY MisSMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR. I’M GONNA LET IT SHINE, AND YOU SHOULD TOO!

Benjamin Bolte

(I just love Howard! He really does have the best sense of humor. If you know him, you know he is a man of few words. He is a quiet type, but when he does speak it is worth listening! :-) )