2004 in Review

Hi Gals-

This is our Christmas letter that I did not get out to everyone that I would have liked to. So, please excuse my tardiness and know I hope you all had an incredible holiday and that your resolutions include posting more often!

BRUISES AND BRAGGING RIGHTS

The Edwards Families worst and best of 2004

We have had to say goodbye to lots of visitors this year and it always makes Kristen cry when she wakes up to Blake asking for Grandma, Grandpa, and other aunts, uncles, cousins and friends after they have caught their plane home. Some of the highlights of these visits include: catching crabs in Monterey, camping with two pregnant ladies and two two-year olds in a redwood forest, drinking an awful papaya drink thanks to Cory’s recently returned missionary brother, chasing waves with the Ritchie boys and eating fresh salmon with Kristen’s high-school friends.

We started to fear Blake’s second birthday early in April when he threw his first public temper tantrum at Lori’s Diner. As soon as we were seated Blake spotted a shiny, red, child-sized sports car decorating the booth and he insisted on trying to climb up to it while he screamed, “car-key, car-key.” We just sat and listened. Luckily, the only other major tantrum was him screaming and throwing himself to the ground at the San Francisco Art Museum in early October.

Blake loves to dance and so by early summer we had come to hate his Elmo CD. When you go to bed singing, “la, la, la, la, la, la, Elmo’s song,” you just know that there has to be a change. So, we decided to introduce him to some other less annoying music. Now as soon as the music starts Blake’s eyes light up while he waves his arms wildly and jumps to the rhythm, “a goog (good) one!” he yells. “Come on,” he tells us as he pulls us up by our hands. Blake’s favorites: Abba, REO Speedwagon, Journey, Boston and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Kristen was overwhelmed with the 40 hour plus commitment to the Las Lomas Track Team, but she loved it when the senior boys would play with Blake in the long jump pit and when the team received recognition for being a little better than the year before. Cory has loved working in the Young Men’s program in our ward. He was able to keep cool during the 103 degree temperatures of his high adventure raft trip by cliff jumping 40 feet into the Trinity River below.

Blake loves to beat up on his new baby sister but the smothering, slapping, biting and pinching have slowed down and he does occasionally do things that melt a mother’s heart. He held her hand in the car once when she was crying, woke up one morning asking, “Rachel home?” after baby had been gone the evening before and she is getting tougher. When we went to the doctor for her four month check-up she hardly cried after the four shots. (She weighed an impressive 15lbs 6oz!)

We miss being so far away from family and friends, but we can say that California has its advantages. We are able to make visits to the park in December and occasionally we take Cory with us. You might think that we would go to the park to let Blake play, but really we go to the park to watch Cory play. He likes to teach Blake safe things like how to go head first and backwards down the slide, how to climb over the equipment and how to jump off the swing while it is still moving.

We have endured twenty hours worth of flights this past year, but we always are grateful once we have landed. We were able to be with the entire Edwards family when Cory’s dad was released as Stake President in January and in June Kristen and Blake surprised Mom Barnes on her 50th birthday by showing up in Chicago.

We have also enjoyed three trips to A’s baseball games, wide smiles from a baby girl, jumping in the leaves at the park and watching Rachel perform as baby Jesus at the Oakland Temple. We feel blessed to have such incredible family and friends and are grateful for the Christ child who teaches the proper perspective. We wish you the Merriest Christmas and hope this coming year brings much joy. If you would like to hear more about us, check out our Blog: