I love this time of year, although it goes by too quickly. I am not done shopping or wrapping and time is running out.  It feels like a race to Christmas Eve and I run and run and run and then on Christmas Eve I admit defeat and throw in the towel.  So here is the quick view of the Mallory’s in 2010.

Gary is a senior and going to graduate this year. He is taking culinary arts and is a very good cook. He plans on going to Utah to go to college.  He has received his acceptance letter from Utah Valley University and won't be leaving until summer, however, I am already missing him.

Parker is in 6th grade and needs his own personal assistant. He is playing basketball, taking karate lessons, in an advanced math class that meets before school, doing DI with a the same team from last year, and practicing his trumpet everyday. He is a perfectionist and at 10:00 last night he remembered he had a paragraph to type and turn in today.  He was in a full panic attack.  I gave him 15 min to write it and told him we could type it in the morning.  Problem solved.  (He is so very careful about doing his school work and so very hard on himself if he messes something up.)

Jenessa is my social butterfly and in 3rd grade. She has an incredible amount of friends and is always making new ones. She is taking dance classes and karate lessons.  This girl is in a BIG hurry to grow up.  Her Christmas list included a cell phone, a tv for her room, high heels, and make up; all of which I told her she would not be getting.  The second list included a barbie, squinkies, a jump rope and clothes, and maybe a phone so I will always be able to get a hold of her. (Again No to the Phone.)
Gavin is in 1st grade and loves it. Last year, he hated that the big kids went to school without him and he had to go to the babysitter. Now, he is big and gets to walk to and from school with Parker and Jenessa.   He does ask everyday," Is this a school day?" and grumbles about getting up, but he gets up and dresses himself and heads to the kitchen to get his own breakfast.  He keeps me in stitches with his sense of humor.

The last thing I am going to share today is this, we are cat people.  This is news to us.  We always thought that we were dog people and so this is a surprise to all of us.  We went to the humane society to find a dog, and after two visits, we just could not find a dog that we all liked.  But on a visit to Taft to see Mema, we found a stray kitten that the kids played with and fed. When it was time to come home, the poor sick little kitty came with us.  After two visits to the vet and two rounds of antibiotics, and two treatments for ear mites, we have a cat.  We all love Ninja and are entertained by his antics, and apparently we are all very trainable.  As the saying goes, Dogs have Masters, Cats have Servants.

We continue working on our house, (and it needs so much work), working at our jobs, and raising our kids. Life is good here on the central coast and we welcome any visitors.  We have the beach to relax at, mountains to climb, an outlet mall to shop, and for April we have a brand new In and Out.  We thank Momo and Pop, April and Kids, Conder and Kids, Josh and Amy and kids, and Pete, and Bruce and Judy and their grand daughter, and Cori and Danny and their wonderful boys,  for coming to see us this year and the welcome mat is always out.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!