Yes, it is over a month since Christmas, we did send these out a couple weeks before Christmas. But since traditionally I also post it to my blog, here you go....
I wish to say that 2008 was even better then 2007, but unfortunately that was not the case in the Pickert Household.
We started out the year with a huge loss. Melissa’s father, Ken, died from Multiple Myeloma (cancer). Losing another parent has been devastating and we really miss him. For those that never had a chance to meet Ken, he was such a wonderful man whose favorite things were his Grandchildren and good conversation.
Unfortunately, a couple months later we also loss our little dog Maggie when she was hit by a car. She was an awesome dog and Nick and Melissa miss her sleeping between their heads at night.
And in the “death comes in three” categories, Melissa’s Grandma also died in September from Dementia.
We did bring a new life into the house. In March we did get a new Shih Poo, Lucy. And while she will never live up to her older sister, Maggie, she is a pretty good dog, especially around Carter.
Nick was busy with work again. Pepperberry Gardens even was part of a booth with Stonepocket at the Midwest Fall Home & Garden Show and even won “best landscape booth”. You may have even seen him on WCCO-TV talking about it. At church, Nick started his term as Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus and safely installed a 48,000 pound boulder outside in the front of Our Lady of the Lake Church.
Melissa has been enjoying staying at home but recently did take a temporary job. She is still active in MOMS club and her quest to visit every site on the internet!
Jeffrey is an active first grader who loves math and music and is not such a fan of writing in school. He recently joined Cub Scouts. He still loves to do anything outside, and even is our household’s snow shoveler.
Samantha is enjoying her last year of preschool and loves to color and write words. She started dance this year and is our little social butterfly.
Carter turned one on Halloween and is really giving us a run for the money. He walked and got his first teeth before he turned one (before his brother and sister did) and gets into everything. He loves being with his family and getting all the attention. He is starting to make sounds and we swear he can say mama, dada and up!
Ole Scooter the Chihuahua is still trying to be our guard dog. And Max got to enjoy a hunting trip to South Dakota (with Nick and Jeffrey).
We are hoping 2009 is filled with adventure and good fortune.
Merry Christmas Love,
Happy Hannukah Nick, Melissa, Jeffrey, Samantha & Carter,
Happy New Year Max, Lucy & Scooter
.. and Nick and I are sitting here on each of our laptops watching Dick Clark's special. As you can see I never did the choose joy challenge. It has been hard to choose joy this holiday season. Though some special and some anon people did help Christmas be better for the kids and us.
Even so, I am in a funk. Thirteen days from now it will be one year since my father left this world and it is really effecting me. In one way I am so upset to be getting close to that "anniversary" but in another way I am happy to be 20 min away from being out of 2008 and all the misery it has brought to my life. We need a good 2009.
I do still need to post my Christmas letter and card... will do that sometime... I have been rather tired with working and all.
For those of you out there, Happy New Year.
C-Ya!
Hey all and Happy New Year!!!
It is now 2008, yea! Time for new beginnings. I tell you I have some things I would love to start fresh on!!
I was thinking to myself what goals I have for this year. Goals sound so much better then resolutions. Of course I want to lose the baby weight from being pregnant with Carter. I did it with the other two, I should be able to with him. And I would love to find a way to earn more money for the family. It has been hard with being a sahm and not contributing financially (though Nick and I know that I do contribute in other ways). This is the time of year that it would work out for me to work and who can't use more money. I would like to stay off the computer more, because we all know how much I love it. And I do think that is something that has gotten easier to do since having the baby. And there is always that procrastination issue I have. I should probably take some baby steps and get better at doing things right away.
As for 2007, I did complete some goals (at least from my "things I want to do" thing in my sidebar). We did have another baby. And of course we all love Carter so much. We all got passports. Though in this day and age it is almost a need if you ever want to go anywhere. We did go some place tropical and that was NICE. And I did get a laptop, which is making life a lot easier. I mean this is getting to be an anti-destop computer world. (Of course this makes it easier to be on the computer).
So who knows what 2008 will hold for me and my family. Of course I hope for only good things. My biggest prayer is that my Dad gets healthy and stays that way and we can celebrate many a new year together.So, raise a glass to you and yours this new year.C-Ya!!
