A Christmas Letter

I was doing Christmas cards the other night and wondered if I really needed to do a whole "Christmas Letter"--you know where you brag about the wonderful things you did this year (or make stuff up so people think your life is perfect). Most of those on my list I stay in touch with through Facebook (and I'm on Facebook a lot) so they're pretty much up to date on the sitcom that is my life.  What more could I possibly have to tell them? But then I felt guilty--I'd gotten the pre-printed cards that already have our names signed to them and only had to address the envelopes.  So, because of pre-printed cards, and a small helping of Catholic guilt, here is my Christmas Letter to you:

Dear (Friend/Family/Person I haven't talked to in 5 years because you've gotten a little creepy since high school),

This year has been a busy one at the Graf household!

Husband is working hard and growing his company. When he started this he hoped someday to be the kind of boss who takes off whenever he wants.  If only our employees would play their role of indentured servants a little more diligently, but they insist on having lives.

Our son is in his last year of high school and will be graduating in June.  I go between being totally freaked out (Surely there's some essential skill we forgot to teach him?) and relieved that I am almost done being personally responsible for lost socks and missing school books.  Mostly I am freaked out (okay, and a tiny bit sad).

Our older daughter started high school this year and is a little disappointed that it's just like middle school, but with bigger kids. I tell her that one day she will be through with all this and off to college--where her classmates will be just like they were in middle school, but drunk.

The baby of our family turned 12 this year.  She now declares that I am no longer her favorite parent.  She went on one hunting trip with her father and decided that he is also no longer her favorite.  I guess she has yet to find a parent that will let her peruse One Direction videos and funny cat pictures on the internet to the wee hours of the morning.

Last March our older dog developed a cancerous tumor on his mouth and, after some creative financing (to the tune of $2,000), had it successfully removed. He is doing fine now, but I'm afraid to let him do so much as cross the street--we have too much invested in him.

The younger dog continues his quest to capture that spot of light reflecting off my watch face. 

Working from home allows me to lead a very full and exciting life. I now have an encyclopedic knowledge of Washington state sales tax laws and have perfected a technique that allows me to silently chastise the children while on hold with customer service. Giving up on my dream of being Rapunzel, I got my hair cut very short and can now pass off full-on bed head as a chic, contemporary hair style.  In my spare time I write blog posts about a bunch of silliness.


Here's hoping your Christmas Season is devoid of any Black Friday fist fights and your New Year is filled with unicorns and rainbows.

Love,

Kristin