2009 Christmas Card

I sent our Christmas cards out last week. I know that everyone hasn't gotten them yet but I wanted to post our greeting today. Sorry if you've already read this and you're bored, and sorry if you haven't and I've just spoiled your Christmas card from us! Hope you all had a Merry Christmas today!

FitzSimmons Family 2009
As we sit here and think about 2009
I thought that we’d try it again, with a rhyme.
We’ve had several big changes this year, as you’ll see
And to tell all of you, Len’s left it to me.

We started the year off with quite a surprise
We even told Len’s mom and dad a few lies.
They had no idea, no one leaked out a word
Len applied for a new job, and in March finally heard.

They wanted him NOW, he accepted right quick
Then he moved to Coeur d’Alene, lickety-split!
He went by himself and the rest of us stayed
To finish the school year, while he got paid.

It was June when the rest of us came along
But August before our house was long gone (SOLD!)
We’re living with Grandma and Grandpa Fitz
While trying to protect their house from three kids!

Len likes his new job, and I got one too
We now are both nurses, we like what we do.
Len shot a big elk with his bow, no surprise
While I stayed at home and continued our lives.

Kaydra started third grade and its easy to tell
She makes friends quite quickly with simply a yell
She still loves to read every book in plain sight
And plays with Miranda nearly each night.

Kanyon’s in kindergarten now, don’t you know
I’m starting to wonder, where’d all the time go?
He’s happy and healthy and got a new cat
And Grandpa says he’s got the best smile on the flats.
(We live on Mica Flats now, just outside of Coeur d’Alene)

Miranda will be two in February, so soon!
She smiles and she laughs and shines like the moon.
Except when she yells, and she does it quite loud
We wish we could throw her up in a cloud!

Our dream this year, a log house we will build
Lots of room for company, we hope it will yield
We’ll work really hard, so you’ll see in the end
A new address we’ll have in two-thousand and ten.

My rhyming is weak, and my stories are told
I hope that you all don’t think this is old
We send love to you all, and holiday cheer
Merry Christmas and joy in the upcoming year!

With Love,

Leonard, Brooke, Kaydra, Kanyon, and Miranda

Merry Christmas!

We were able to put up and decorate the tree this past week! I have my Christmas cards almost ready to go! It is finally feeling like Christmas - except there's no snow! Len found a beautiful tree that he cut down in the woods. It smells so good and it is so pretty. We wondered if we would be able to fit it into the living room but we moved stuff around and it looks great! We decorated it for Family Night last week. Even Miranda got into it and did quite well. She also (surprisingly) leaves it alone for the most part! The kids are now out of school and we are going to the North Pole tonight on a cruise! Lake Coeur d'Alene is where the boat will be and they take us around the lake to look at all the awesome lights and then across the lake to a place that they call the North Pole (it's not the real North Pole, is it? -- Kanyon asks me almost every day!) where Santa and Mrs Claus are waiting to call out the kids names and say hello! It's great and we are excited to go! Maybe some pictures tomorrow! In the mean time here are several pictures from our tree decorating this past week!

For Kelly

Uncle Kelly has a tradition at Grandma's house. When he finishes his supper he leans back and tosses his napkin into one of several baskets that she has hanging on the beam that goes across the kitchen. Since we moved here my kids think this is a good tradition to continue. We have had to limit the attempts to one. If you don't get it in on the first try, you have to throw the napkin away in the garbage until you can try again at the next dinner. The kids think its great and have actually made it in a time or two.
Miranda has had a difficult time lately because she knows what she wants but we don't always know what that is. She cries and yells until we figure it out and then she cries some more if it's something we won't let her do. There's a lot of yelling going on here lately! Yesterday, after dinner she was standing by the sink, reaching up, crying and yelling. We offered her a spoon, her cup, a washcloth, and several other objects, all to which she screamed "NO!" Finally, her dad said, "I think she wants this," and handed her a crumpled up napkin. That's right -- she immediately stopped yelling, turned around and tossed it into the air, aiming for the baskets. I have to say, we were all quite stunned. Who would have thought a little girl could pay so much attention to things going on around her. I think she's pretty amazing --- and loud!

Ice Skating

It has been so cold here the past couple of weeks. Last week Leonard went out to check the pond and declared it safe to skate on. We found some skates in Grandma's basement to fit each kid and bundled them up and sent them out the door - we went too, of course. Miranda just went in her new boots. We (and by that, I mean Leonard) had to shovel the snow off first. They had a great time and I'm sure they will try again soon. The pond is just the right size and the ice is just about perfect right now. We are expecting rain and snow this weekend so it may not be as good next time we skate, but it was just right to learn on. I learned that I can't remember how to ice skate and that I'm not good at all. Kanyon seemed to have a pretty good grasp of it by the end and Kaydra started out great but her ankles were giving out easily as she got tired. She must have inherited her mother's weak ankles! It's fun to have an activity that the kids can do so close to home - If only Harley (the horse) would leave us alone when we were skating! He tried to step out on the pond while we were out there and almost fell. As soon as we step off the ice, he is right there in our face. Crazy horse! This post is really rambling - I think I better stop and put in some pictures!

Pictures

So tonight we were sitting in the living room and Miranda picked up a Book of Mormon and started acting like she was reading it. It was so cute I had to take a picture. Then the kids went crazy for the camera -- so I thought I would share a few pictures. Enjoy!

Kanyonism

Kanyon has been trying our patience a lot lately. He wants to know why he has to do anything (get dressed, brush your teeth, put your stuff away) and it has to be a reason that he thinks is a good one or else he refuses. However, he somehow always manages to tickle my funny bone. Today when I dropped him off at the bus stop for school we were early and the bus wasn't there yet. I had some jelly beans in the car so we shared a couple while we waited. When the bus arrived I said, "Did you eat all your jelly beans?" He said yes, but I knew that he hadn't. I said show me your pockets. He said "You're right, I didn't." (they aren't allowed to have food on the bus) I told him to show me what he had. He pulled out four jelly beans, a rock, a bead, a hat, a little rubber stamp and a ziploc bag full of water.

"What's this for?" I asked about the bag of water.

He said, "It's a bag of ice in case I get hurt on the playground and I need to use it to make me feel better!"

I told him next time he got hurt, he could ask for a new bag of ice.