Season's Greetings 2008

From our (play)house to yours, we hope this finds you all doing well. We have managed to survive another year in the (small) Rhoades house! In an effort to be more planet-friendly, I have decided just to publish our letter on the web. I know it's not tradition, but it might just be the start of a new one for us. Without further delay, here is the Rundown of the Rhoades family...

In this photo, you are looking at what would have been our vacation. That said, the boys have already gotten more out of this thing than any vacation would have done! It was designed and built from the bottom up by Adam and Margie, and includes a staircase, rock wall, and a bucket on a pulley system that we predict will have Simon riding in it before the end of next summer! It also has a solar light courtesy of Adam (who knew the kids needed to play in the dark???). Daisy, fat as she is, likes to lounge in the sandbox on the bottom.

Simon is now nearly 22 months old - how time flies! He is definately his own person - independent, a bit defiant, and ready to have it HIS way. He is starting to talk more all the time, loves trains, tractors, and firetrucks, and his signature trademark is that he sucks his index finger. He is quite a character who keeps us going!

Jackson started Kindergarten this year and will be 6 in a couple short weeks! We are confident that pretty soon he will (think) he knows more than we do. He is loving school and learning so much it really is hard to keep up. He was on his first baseball team this summer, and started taking piano lessons. Yes, he is still obsessed with firefighting and no, we haven't made him that way!

The brothers- they do love each other, but they also like to fight. Nice to know we have normal kids. :)

Margie is about to begin her last - and probably most difficult - semester in her Master's degree program at WIU. She will be ready to be done, but yet is thinking about beginning another Master's in May...we'll keep you posted. She continues to teach special education at MRJHS, and is waaaaayyyy into photography now - all of the pictures on the blog she has taken.

Adam continues to work for MFD, Illinois Fire Service Institute, the Red Cross, and advising the Explorers. Adam is waaaayyyy into his new snowblower that he just HAD to have to make sure the van (yes, you read that right, we now own a VAN) doesn't get stuck.

So, those are the "official" happenings of the last year, but when we think back, it's the "unofficial" happenings that really shape our lives. It's not very glamorous, but it's us! So, here's to another year full of craziness, being busy, and living every minute of our normal lives (whatever that may mean) to the fullest! You can keep up with our happenings here on the Blog - feel free to look over past entries for events and pictures. May you all have a blessed holiday season, and may the new year hold the best for you and yours!

Adam, Margie, Jackson, Simon & Daisy Rhoades