Season's greetings and other politically acceptable salutations to you! It's been an exciting 2008 for the Smith household (even if it was the dullest year on record do you really think I'd fess up to that in a Christmas letter?).
Late last year we increased the size of our clan by about 33.3%. If this is news to you we really should talk more often! Isabella's first year has flown by like an espresso addled tornado. It turns out she sleeps just about as well as her brother did when he was busy making sure that we remained in a constant state of sleep deprived insanity. Other than that small issue she has been a great baby: happy, healthy, hungry, and gassy (gets that from her mom). She has learned to recognize quite a few words like "food" and "hat", but unfortunately she thinks her name is "No no bad baby". Not walking yet, but she is standing unsupported for brief spells. Her only word is Mama, which she says continuously. I'm okay with that, she'll say Dada one of these days. Maybe. I hope. But really it doesn't bother me, doesn't bother me.
Kindergarten has been great for Cialeo. He loves his teacher, Mrs. Sparks, who is making sure that he stays challenged. After school he really enjoys beating the pants off of mom and dad playing games, especially chess and cards (blackjack and Uno are his favorites). This summer he made the jump to two wheel freedom, deriding training wheels as "those are just for kids". As a big brother he's stellar, teaching Izzy all the important life skills like picking one's nose and burping at the table. Aren't kids just precious!
Small town living was initially a bit of a change for Sarah, due to the lack of night clubs and Gucci stores. After a bit of a settling in period and much soul searching she has embraced this new lifestyle by joining the modern Quaker movement. Modern Quakers are essentially folks that live very simply (AKA cheaply) and stockpile literally tons of food. As of late her speech has become altered as well. Why ere brekfast this morn she asked me: "Wilt thou feccen some hardtack and salt pork from the barels in the celer?". It's no coincidence that we've been reading the Little House books lately too. Juxtaposed to this new Quaker Sarah is Facebook Sarah. She has become rather addicted to this online social phenom.
I will resist speaking of myself in the third person, even though I'm nearly as addicted to Facebook as Sarah. In addition to my stay-at-home-dad duties I've been developing The Freewheeling Tony Smith which just had it's one year anniversary and is doing better than expected. I had 60 guns in this year despite my 2007/2008 advertising expenditure of $89. Motor work has been good as well. I'd tell you about the really cool old motor I built for land speed racing (the one that got the world record) but you've probably already seen/heard enough about it. If not, let me know as I'm more than happy to blather on and on about it to anyone that will listen. Hunting was great, as usual. I filled the freezers (Quakers require more than one freezer) and had a nice time with my dad, Cialeo, and a bevy of friends that came up for the season. Grand total was three antelope, one calf elk, one deer, and one destroyed wheel barrel/game cart. Sorry Sarah.
Enjoy the holidays and the coming new year! -The Smiths.