Electronic Christmas Greetings

'Tis the season for Christmas cards and fun letters about the events of the past year. I used to be one of those people that mailed out cards and letters in envelopes addressed by hand.  And now I am not.  I used to feel guilty about letting that annual tradition slip.  And now I do not.  I think I'm finally embracing the unique blessings of being over 40.  Here is what brought me and my people joy this year...

Nick is doing the happy dance over the new shop that we built in our backyard this year.  For the past 10 years, we've managed to squeeze all of his welding equipment, woodworking tools, the many pieces of the 1955 Ford pickup, and my car, into our 2-car garage. The clutter very important tools were starting to multiply and we finally decided to expand.  Nothing in financing, permitting or construction ever goes according to plan, so this seemingly simple garage (literally 4 walls and a roof) took about a year to complete from start to finish. And now Nick has plenty of room to work and store all of his toys.  And I can park in the garage and walk into the house without risking a multitude of tripping hazards. This is what we call a win-win.

Bella turned 20(!) this year, is living with her grandma and plugging away at her general ed courses at Shasta College.  We are happy to announce she finally embraced the convenience of modern transportation and got her driver's license. After some time off from school, Bella seems to have found her groove this year and has her sights set on becoming a high school science teacher. As it tends to go with kids her age, communicating with her parents isn't her first priority so the details of this paragraph may or may not be accurate.  Love you Bella.  Call us sometime. (-;

Clara is 9 years old and her favorites are learning Mandarin, American Girl dolls, Jr. Giants baseball, Girl Scouts, and making pancakes (not necessarily in that order).  She has inherited her mother's love for San Francisco and we were able to make three trips to the City this year for the Chinese New Year parade, the Exploratorium, and a Giants game. This girl, who refused to wear anything but dresses for the first 6 years of her life, has now officially declared that she is "allergic" to fancy. In spite of this, she returned to ballet this fall, which was super fun until she fractured her foot and had to sit out for 4 weeks. Her favorite part of that experience (that she reminds us of regularly) 
was the doctor recommending ice cream as a good source of calcium to prevent future fractures. Her current career ambition is something that allows her to get dirty every day because mud/dirt/sand is her favorite.  So, as much as kids change as they grow up, it is comforting that some things stay the same. 

Thomas is six and if you looked up "Six Year Old Boy" in the dictionary....you would probably find his picture.  Burps, farts, trucks, Legos, and anything fast are the things that bring him joy these days.  After much anticipation, he finally lost his first tooth this year, and he gained enough confidence in the pool to swim without a life jacket. He is loving his small, nature-focused school and loves to educate the rest of the family about the scientific names for native wildflowers, or the mysteries of the solar system and how the planets move to make day and night. He also ran on the cross country team this fall, which was a great outlet for his love of speed.  Next up, BMX racing and snowboard lessons. As a kid with many interests, he has a hard time pinning down career goals, but last time I checked it was a crane operator, race car driver, or dump truck driver.  Only time will tell.




I have been busy finding my place this year.  After three years, my contract with the Shasta Early Literacy Partnership ended and I found myself without a steady source of income (other than our steady sugar daddy, Nick).  As luck would have it, an unsuccessful job interview and some personal connections led me to a few consulting gigs that have kept me afloat and out of trouble.  I'm helping one of my current clients with a $4 million capital campaign, so things are certainly not boring. I've enjoyed volunteering at the kids' schools, becoming a regular at the Power Class at my gym, and running an occasional race (one 5k and one 5-mile this year).  Being a mom continues to be my main occupation and my greatest joy.

Although we're sending this via the internet and not US Mail, the warm thoughts and wishes for holiday happiness are just as sincere.  As we anticipate the miracle of Christmas, we pray that
you find the time to celebrate joy in your life, in all its various forms.

Merry Christmas!

Love,
The Cavalleri Family