2009 Christmas Letter

Eric went the entire year of 2009 without his Jeep breaking down, even though he began changing his own oil...to the detriment of the garage floor. That little incident with the angry tree in Pike National Forest didn't seem to matter, either.
Next year's Christmas wish list:
a functioning clutch and air conditioner.

In June we survived yet another stormy trip to Denver's Elitch Gardens amusement park. This time we were nearly struck by lightning while waiting in line for the Ferris wheel. However, we discovered the best way to inoculate ourselves against a drenching rainstorm is to get soaking wet by foolishly standing on the walkway above the log ride first.Next year's Christmas wish list:
waterproof shorts and a pair of ponchos.

Eric celebrated his 40th birthday with a fake surprise party. A search and rescue mission botched the real surprise, but he got home just in time and put on a great shocked face for all those under six years of age in attendance.
Next year's Christmas wish list:
more happy surprises.

Our writing business has flourished thanks to Kelly's hard-working devotion and in spite of Eric's obsessive compulsive distractions with our website. We are so busy we recently have begun to farm out writing jobs to other freelancers! It's hard for Kelly to let go and let other people do the writing, but she is learning. We start the year 2010 with plenty of contracts to keep us busy.
Next year's Christmas wish list:
a year's supply of Pepto Bismol for Kelly.

We're thankful we were not locked up in federal prison after trying to breach Fort Carson in Colorado Springs last March looking for the only Godfather's Pizza restaurant in the state of Colorado. Why it is located on an army base, we'll never know. Kelly said for Eric's next birthday, we are eating pizza-flavored Hot Pockets instead.
Next year's Christmas wish list:
a Level III military security clearance.

Sales of our first book, We Met at Starbucks, continue to do very well, although we really have no idea how many copies we've sold.Next year's Christmas wish list:
a publisher who knows how to calculate a royalty check.

Eric learned from the experts (niece and nephew Jessie and Grady) how to build his first gingerbread house. Kelly and Eric's sister, Sarah, picked up the pieces. Next year's Christmas wish list:
Super Glue icing.

Eric took part in a lot of missions with Douglas County Search and Rescue and walked away unscathed from each one. Kelly was only slightly scarred when she stayed up and watched soap operas all night until he got home. Next year's Christmas wish list:
more ropes and carabiners...and better late-night TV.

We are happy to say that we still have four cats, no matter how hard we tried to give one away with the treats on Halloween.
Next year's Christmas wish list:
fewer hairballs.

We celebrated our first wedding anniversary by taking Amtrak's California Zephyr to Glenwood Springs, Colorado. We stayed in the famous Hotel Colorado: Teddy Roosevelt's "Western White House."
Next year's Christmas wish list:
a hotel with a bed that doesn't squeak.

We were thrilled to see the publication of the coolest book we wrote this year (that we can talk about openly). See www.SecondChanceStory.com for more information on this inspirational story. Next year's Christmas wish list:
more clients like Kip.

We are even more excited that we actually came up with our own new book idea this year and hope to see it in print soon. See www.more-than-me.com for details. Next year's Christmas wish list:
a better publisher.