If you did it's a miracle since I didn't send any.
Again.
I will next year, since it's pretty likely that we'll have a new address. Although I say that and I think only 5 people bother sending us cards this year. Maybe I'll just send those people a card in October with the new address. Assuming we have one by then. If I send it before Halloween can it count as a seriously delinquent and rather early card?
But since so many others do a year in review letter with their cards, maybe I'll do that here.
So let's see....
2013
We did some memorable things. On the homestead front we went to a Rabbit raising and butchering class. Then we bought the cages to raise said rabbits.
And then I had a healthy smack to the head from reality and we never did get the rabbits. I sold half the cages, but I still have 1/2 of them left, for a really good price, if anyone would like them.
The healthy smack from reality came from the 2013 great quail massacre. I'll spare you the gory details, but they were very gory. And my dear sweet husband was away that month. So upon his arrival I informed him that there will be no further quail and no further talk of rabbit. I'm not sure he completely believed me because he moved and kept the quail cages, but they are unoccupied.
We still have a few chickens. I'm not sure if we are really terrible chicken owners or if they just aren't meant to live that long, but between selling 3 and nature we're down to 5 chickens. And a rabbit and a cat.
The cat was a recent addition this spring. We'd had 2 cats in the previous year disappear, so a free kitten to make child k stop crying about wanting a new kitten to replace the previously disappeared 2 seemed like a short lived solution to the problem. Previous attempts at feline domestication here lasted 2 months at most. This cat is going on a year. And I'm pretty sure the second I put down the chunk of change to get her fixed, she too will disappear, so I need to time this right that we're not going to be moving a cat across country with us. But I'm jumping ahead of myself.
We had my parents visit and threw a joint JM/Kayla party at that time. I'm in the midst of trying to plan 2 parties 2 weeks apart and realizing that as much as they don't like the whole "share our birthday party" thing it was at least on my end, somewhat easier. But as it is, we're aiming for 2 separate but slightly equal parties.
The kids survived school and I've never had such a breath of relief when Joey promoted out of his class last year. I'm still stunned that she's still employed but we all know nepotism is alive and well. At the risk of sounding like an overbearing whiny difficult parent I still think about writing a letter to the principal and superintendent about what I think they really should address. Although it's not my battle anymore. But heaven knows I do like writing to people to try to right wrongs. Or at least write about the writing I want to write is probably more accurate.
We went to Texas to become Texas residents and crash at my brother's home and pretend like we'd be able to move there in the next decade.
We went to Colorado to meet my family for a first in a long time family reunion. While I may not have appreciated the rustic bedding, cold and rainy temperatures and terrible food my kids reported that it was the absolute best vacation. ever. based on the horse back riding, zip lining, dodgeballing and craft hall. And the cousins. I think you could take the cousins to a landfill and they'd have fun. And the boys would probably try to out boy the others. We've added 4 more national parks to our travels and pictures. THIS year I promise myself I'm going to actually make photobooks.
This starting school year, 2013-2014 in historical fashion, of all the teachers there was one "anyone but Ms X" that I don't even remember speaking aloud that we got as a teacher. But what doesn't kill us will make us stronger and will make a psychiatrist rich in the future... I might have filed myself as a private school with the state so that I could remove him from his public school and into my private school when I've totally had enough. Of course this won't be compatible with my attempt to work school hours. And this may well be our option next year. More on next year(this year) later.
Kayla's class had a play, an environmental play. (I am beginning to think this is the only kind of play an elementary school puts on, having now sat through 4 kids in 4 plays all of them having an environmental theme.) She was the "moderately good witch" and did a good job of it. I have video I haven't tried to get off the camera yet. We don't use the video camera. I don't know why, I don't. But I busted it out for this only to realize that the memory card that I use in my normal camera didn't fit. So assuming the video camera has internal memory (I assume this, since I do remember taping something once) taping shows my age. I mean RECORDING something and uploading it with some complicated online program. Anyway, as the moderately good witch's mom, I got to costume said child and she totally rocked the old bridesmaid dress that had the bottom hemmed irregularly. Glad my mom had that hanging around.
2013 was our "disney" year where we purchased southern California annual passes and went on every non blocked out school holiday and one non school holiday we played hookey to hang out with my cousin visiting from Washington. While I still think Disney is kinda magical, having raised our kids on less Disney than I think I was raised on, it seems less overall magical to the kids, I think. And maybe they just overdosed on it because the last time we went they were little complain-y about it and really wanted to go swimming instead. So much for magic.
We did a farewell tour of New England this October. My parents have been trying to sell their house so they can either live in a RV (not likely) or move in next to my brother in Texas (more likely) because winter, retirement, golf taxes, grandchildren, etc... Although it appears that while many people want to move, few of them want to move into a large house on a pond in Connecticut. especially in winter. So they left CT in Nov and are doing the southern US grandchildren tour. We got them first and had company for Thanksgiving and Christmas, which is about a rare as unicorn sightings at the zoo. They have recently moved on to Texas and will follow that tour with a trip to Florida. Some of us learned that winter and New England is better to visit than live through yearly. Not that Larry and I have a whole lot of say in the matter as long as he's in the Navy.
And that elephant in the room is that in all likelihood we will be moving this summer. It was definite that we'll be moving to Camp Lejeune, NC but there's still a very slim chance we'll be staying here. Unicorn slim. And to that end I'm going through the stuff we've accumulated and doing the "will it survive another military move?" and starting to sell stuff and plan on selling it. Including cars, furniture, etc. And this means the house is getting finished. Because it takes MOVING from it for it to every be 100% done. So the unfinished part particle board mantle was finally painted, tile for the fireplace surround was bought and a back splash is going to happen in the kitchen. Finally. Although it needs a new paint job and that's on the list for this week/month also.
To accomplish this move we've decided we're going to get an RV. We've 90% of the way done buying it, we're waiting to hear the repairs are done and then we'll go pick it up later this month. I'm sure it will be fodder for stories. And in addition to selling every vehicle we currently own, we're looking for one that seats all of us that weighs less than 5000 lbs and is towable. I'm planning our trip in vague details we have a few national parks we haven't yet gotten to experience and there are 4 or 5 states I haven't been in as an adult, so I'm thinking we'll have to hit those, too. besides driving through the southern US desert in the summer is just so 2013. I think 2014 will have to include Mount Rushmore, Badlands, and perhaps Niagra falls and Quebec. We're probably going to spend the amount of some small country's GNP in gas to pull this off, but hey, this is why we're a Navy family - see the world and all that stuff. Of course we are very very grateful that the world we're seeing is the continental US/Canada. We weren't super exited at the prospects of Japan and Korea all all places hanging out on the other side of the Pacific Ocean. Maybe next time.
2014 brings Joey's enrollment into First Tee. My dad should be happy but it's a program that helps kids learn golf. He did orientation on Saturday and his first golf lesson is wednesday. Sadly there isn't one of these programs in Lajeune, but we'll enjoy it while he can, I guess. He's super excited he can earn enough points to "buy" new gold clubs through the program, and I'm excited that his parents' lack of any golf skills and knowledge won't inhibit his chances at the PGA.
So tomorrow brings the return to drudgery of work and school and getting up and packing lunches. Some things change. Some things don't.
