We are the Garretts!

Monday, January 5, 2009

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to All! I hope everyone had a fabulous holiday. The Garrett's had a wonderful holiday. We all had a couple of weeks off and enjoyed each others company although I could tell Christian was getting a little bored with his list of chores or as he says "honey dos". He did paint a couple of rooms for me, help clean and watch Belly in between surfing the net for engine parts and playing with his new toy (a Chevrolet Blazer) that he has totally dismantled and will start rebuilding the engine this week.

I, in addition to painting, hand scrubbed all the tile and grout in my house and cleaned out Roar's room-which is like cleaning out a good will store (never ending), rearranged furniture and just enjoyed my time off. I will be ending my job at Region IV Jan. 23 and beginning my student teaching Jan. 28. I am excited to start something new but sure will miss my friends at Reg. IV. I will teach for 12 weeks then be at home with my girls. Christian bought us a weeks stay at a Mexico resort for Christmas so we will be traveling to Mexico in addition to our trip back to Disney in Orlando. So much to look forward too, I know 2009 will be a great year. Lots of exciting times ahead.

Belly is talking up a storm, she speaks in sentences now and can dress AND undress herself, put her own shoes on and everything to her is "MINE" or "Me". That means back off, it's mine and "Me" means I'll do it myself, I do not need your help. She is very sassy but oh so adorable. She got a new kitchen from Santa and loves to cook and sing. She is such a blessing!

Roar got an overhead from Santa so all she does is give presentations and plays teacher everyday. I loaded up at the teacher supply store with charts and transparencies so she is set to teach. Standing at 5 ft. tall and 10 years old she is quite the giant but a very cute giant. With her long legs and sparkly eyes we are already having to intercept calls from boys. Poor daddy goes nutso when they call, I have to be the mediator so he doesn't bite the poor kids head off. Oh the drama of a 4th grade beauty queen (or so she thinks).

As for Glo, she has moved to Chicago to help out another family. She will be back to visit us in February. We sure miss her but we know that she is needed in Chicago and will do very well helping out another family.

I pray 2009 will be a great year for all. Please email us or keep us updated on your family. We would love to hear from everyone. I will post Holiday pics later this week. Happy New Year!

~D and the Gang

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Santa Barbara Trip

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Finally an update on the Garretts

Happy Holidays to all! Can NOT believe Thanksgiving has past and Christmas is around the corner. Of course we had a very nontraditional Thanksgiving since Christian was in California and Roar was in Dallas, it was just me and Bella. We shared a baked potato for dinner. All I could think about was all the deserts we were missing out on. LOL! And I really did miss my family. It's funny how you can spend everyday of the year together but on a holiday if everyone isn't together it can be the loneliest time. I truly am blessed to have friends and family it's just a shame that none leave anywhere near us. I did get to go on a fabulous trip to Santa Barbara, California for 5 days with Christian. He flew me up on Sunday, then he got stuck on the rig so I was there two days by myself. I did alot of soul searching in two days which included: the day spa in the hotel and shopping downtown Santa Barbara. And it is well with my soul...I did go running one day on the beach and hiking up the mountains on another. Talk about rejuvenating. I could totally live there in Cali...I would be very broke, but I could do it. ;-)When Christian did finally get back to land we had an amazing time just the two of us.

Christian finally made it home after three weeks there in Santa Barbara. We are now getting ready for Christmas, we won't be going back home this year so it will be another very nontraditional holiday. So if anyone has any cool ideas on things that you do with your family on Christmas please feel free to share. This will be a fun year with Bella since she is old enough to unwrap her own gifts. As for Roar, she is just adding to that mile long list daily. Wants just about anything and everything as does every 10yr. old. As the days go by and the weather gets colder and the holiday music plays, I am really starting to get into the spirit.

I have good news about my TExES/EXCET test...I passed! Woohoo! I will start student teaching in January which means I will be leaving my job at Region 4 which I really do love. I am sad to leave but excited for this new adventure. Roar has been begging me to be a teacher for years so for my kids I will go for it. And for summers off and my sanity I will sacrifice the corporate world. LOL! (What a major sacrifice.) That's pretty much all that's going on in the Garrett world. Other than that Roar is standing tall at 5' begging to wear shoes out of my closest daily and Smelly Brooke is talking talking talking. She is such the MiniME it's scary, but oh so fun. Life is good and we are healthy and happy. WE are truly Blessed!

I hope you all have a Fabulous Holiday! WE take family pics this Saturday so Christmas cards may be New Year's cards from the Garretts.

Love to all and miss you all so so much!

~Dee