Christmas Letter 2007

This year started out with us living in Newport, Oregon. We enjoyed a fabulous trip to Las Vegas in June for Jenn and Brian's wedding, Kay-Lynn's graduation and Brian's baptism. The hot desert sun was nice and Michelle really enjoyed swimming and getting a tan. Family reunions are the best!! Then we decided that it was time to expand our family and Michelle looked into getting pregnant. After many doctor appts., blood work, and ultrasounds, she finally got pregnant. The baby will be born around June 10, 2008. We don't know yet if it is a girl or a boy or even twins. As soon as we know, we will be spreading the news. We moved to Reno in October and are living in a small and cozy house. We decided on no more apartment living. We have a pretty quiet neighborhood and no one bothers us. Michelle can't wait until spring so she can plant flowers or even a garden in the yard.

Barry, 42, is working for the company CLP here in Reno. He does construction work like he did in Newport. He loves his red truck and we depend on it as Michelle's car exploded during our first trip to Reno. He loves to watch sports on TV and hang out with his brother Tony, who is staying with us. Tony is working for Amazon.com as a supervisor. He works many hours and we don't see him much. He also watches a lot of sports on TV. Barry lately has been watching all the Christmas movies on TV at night. It drives Tony crazy because he doesn't like to watch Christmas specials for hours at a time. Michelle loves it because it is not sports!!

Michelle, 36, works as a Kindergarten teacher at Robert Mitchell E.S. It keeps her very busy with lesson planning and teaching 25 wild kids. She enjoys updating her blog and sending family and friends e-mails and pictures. She is almost 4 months pregnant now. The morning sickness is still there but nothing too bad. She loves to eat ice cream at night and craves sweet and dill pickles. Her favorite dish to make is a relish tray with lots of yummy veggies and ranch dressing. She dreams that her baby is a girl, but knows not to get her hopes up. Even if it is a boy, he will be loved very much. But she really wants a little girl to play dress up with.

It is hard to be so far from our family and friends. We definately miss all of you and can't wait for next year to visit. We wish all of our family and friends a very Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year!!

I put some fun pictures of the past year to go with the letter. Enjoy!!

May 2007. Newport Bay had two of the ships used in "The Pirates of the Carribean" movies. It was fun to see the ships up close.

August 2007, Tony flying his kite on the beach in Newport. It's harder than it looks to get it up in the air. It was funny to watch.
Barry, hiding his adult beverage under his shirt.

Barry, next to the famous Reno sign.
September 2007, our first trip to Reno. Me trying to be funny for the picture.

Another view of the sign.

November 2007, Barry is cooking the side dishes.

Tony made us a delicious turkey and stuffing.

Two Lee brothers cooking away. They didn't want their pictures taken, but, I usually get my way.

My contribution to our Thanksgiving meal. Yummy veggie tray!!!

School Christmas Party for the teachers.

Barry and I went to a nice party for all the teachers at my school. We brought veggies trays and dips. The other teachers signed up for all kinds of side dishes and desserts. The social committee purchased the turkey and ham. There were about 30 people who came, 15 teachers and their spouses. We talked and ate and then played the present exchange. Barry and I brought two white elephant gifts from our house. We ended up with a calendar and body lotion and one of those singing fish that is mounted on a plaque. We had fun and the teacher's house was gorgeous. It had a three car garage, 4 bedrooms, and 3 bathrooms. Also, a huge kitchen with an island and separate formal dining room, living room, and family room. They said it took them about 14 years to save up for the house. They only have one child and she is in high school. I only took a few pictures of the present exchange.

The family's tree at the house where the christmas party was held.

I brought the singing santa. It was pretty funny.
Another teacher opening up a gift. It was a candle in an apple jar.

3 month pregnant belly pictures.

OK, everyone wants to know what I look like at 3 months pregnant. Here are some photos of me by our little christmas tree and outside in the snow. No laughing!!


I look totally huge in this shirt. Usually, I can hold in my stomache better at school. Pretty soon I will have to start telling people that I'm pregnant. I'm too chicken to tell my principal first. One of these days I will have to break the news to her. Maybe after Christmas break and my doctor's appt.
I decorated the front porch and railing. Some of the decorations melted and the red dye stained the wood. Oops!! Barry said he would sand it or stain it in the spring. See the couple of inches of snow that we got?!


Me, freezing in the snow for more pics.Barry doesn't like his picture taken. I can usually talk him into playing along with me. Say, "snow"!!

Kids making Christmas gifts.

When I first started teaching here in Reno, I got to go to a free teacher store in a warehouse. Companies donate all kinds of things for teachers to use in their classrooms. I took carpet squares for the kids to sit on, free kids books, some stationary and boxes of glass jars. I knew that I could think of some kind of craft to use the jars for. My class cut or ripped tissue paper and glued it to the jars. I'm going to fill them up with candy and the kids get to take them home as a gift to their mom or dad or grandparents. I'm also giving each child a bookmark, an ornament and some homemade peanut butter cookies at their party this Thursday. They will also take home their paperchains, and santa pictures that they made with their hands. We also attempted to make snow flakes out of coffee filters but kindergartners get frustrated when they can't cut out little shapes and make a pretty snowflake. I always try this project and it is good for some of them to learn how to control the scissors and follow directions. My aide and I made plenty for the kids to take home and show their parents. I also ran out of time but wanted to take their pictures with reindeer antlers on and then make picture frames out of craft sticks and put a funny picture inside as another gift to give.
The kid's expressions crack me up. Some look totally happy and others look kind of sad or hide behind the jars.