Merry Christmas 2010 -- The Handy Family Christmas Card

We have had a wonderful year. The highlight has been having our fifth baby, Owen. He has truly made our home a magical place. All the kids love being around him, holding him, and helping out. His smiles light up the room.

Owen, 10 weeks, is concentrating on the things he knows best-- eating, eating, and eating. He is growing fast (and so is his hair -- which is like the softest little buzz cut right now). He loves the sound of running water (thank you iphone app) and loves bathtime. If these trends hold, Owen may someday win food eating contests.

Adam, 4 years old is such a good boy. He entertains himself when he has to, loves playing cars and airplanes, and loves to do math. He always has a math problem to test his mom. "Mom, what is 7 plus 5?" If Mom gets it wrong, Adam loves to correct her. If mom gets it right . . . Adam seems a little disappointed. Adam may very well grow up to be a mathematician.

Madelyn, 6 years old, first grade has lost her first teeth this year. She played soccer, started piano, loves to read, and thinks that Owen is her baby. She can barely carry him (as he has gotten so big already), but that doesn't stop her. Her future career better have great flex time arrangements so she can carry her babies all around.

Catherine, 8 years old, third grade has new glasses, new braces, but still the same love of life attitude. She continues piano (on occasion) and has started the violin. But mostly she loves to create. Arts and crafts are her forte in life. Her mother is convinced the ideal career for her would be a cartoonist -- the combo of her fabulous drawings and brilliant sense of humor.

Julianne, 10 years old, fifth grade (middle school) is growing, growing, growing. She may overtake her mother's height this year. Julianne is playing the flute and had a part in the school musical. She is super helpful. Right now her ideal career would be make-up artist. She is constantly putting on make-up (and then taking it off because her mom won't let her wear it out of the house) (thank you-- facial wipes).

Jamie, another year older, fifth grade (ha ha -- but I do get to "help" with a lot of homework) is trying to shrink after having baby Owen. She knows every street in the town and is convinced that she probably could carpool to the moon and back every week no problem. Always pursuing a new hobby, this year she jumped into the world of professional photography with her good friend Lillian. (www.theportraitparties.com) It has been a fun and exciting challenge. Maybe she will grow up to be a photographer!

Trent, another year older, also surviving fifth grade, is enjoying being a fellow at the FASB (financial accounting standards board). He is loving the short commute and the new challenges. He has started running again and now just wishes it were not so dark and cold so that he could run through the neighborhood instead of in the basement on a treadmill. He hears about all his kids upcoming careers and just wonders how all the college bills will get paid!

We love receiving each and every Christmas card (whether they be print or digital) and give thanks for the friendships we have. It truly is a highlight of the holiday season to catch up with so many friends and see how they and their families have changed each year.

Love, the Handy's

Merry Christmas 2009!

Another year has come and gone. It seems like I just wrote last year's Christmas Greeting!  Enjoy these recent photos of our family.  The short
story is that we are healthy and happy and hope you have these same blessings in your life!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Love, The Handys!

P.S.  the long story is below the pictures

We had a fun year.  We have now done all the "big" New York things: broadway shows, statue of liberty, Macy's thanksgiving day parade, Christmastime in Manhattan, Wall street, central park, the museums, the food, the shopping.  We have also done lots of fun things in Connecticut: going to the beaches, apple picking, playing in the snow, and watching the seasons change.  We have also learned some new things -- like did you know that New Canaan, CT where we live averages 49.7 inches of rainfall each year.  (for comparison Seattle--37.2  Houston-- 51.1  Salt Lake City -- 16.2)  We are pretty sure we are well above our average for rainfall this year.  It was hard to know if we had spring or summer because of all the rain. When we finally left for our summer vacation to California (Disneyland) and Utah at the end of June we had not even worn shorts yet because it had been so cold and rainy.  In fact, we never even turned on the AC until July 17!!  (Coming from Houston, this was quite the shock!!!)

Julianne (9 years- 4th grade) is just growing up right in front of our eyes.  She seems so mature and responsible.  She loves school, being social, playing soccer, and playing the piano.  Currently she has had a basketball in her hands as much as her mom will let her.  She loves reading and recently got into the Harry Potter series.  She is halfway through book 5 and fully immersed in the wizarding world!

Catherine (7 years- 2nd grade) is still all fun and giggles.  Her sense of humor is unparalleled.  She loves reading and hates to turn out the light on her books each night.  She loves school, soccer, piano and playdates!  She hates having loose teeth. 

Madelyn (5 years- Kindergarten) is so sweet.  She loves getting on the bus with her 2 big sisters each school day.  The world of reading is opening up to her and it is really a fun thing to watch her experience.  She wants to play soccer and play piano just like her sisters!  She prays for loose teeth (she hasn't lost any yet).  She learned how to ride her bike with no training wheels!

Adam (3 years) just makes you smile.  He teases his sisters, loves his Mommy and Daddy and is happy all the time.  His big talent is puzzles.  He loves his "Joy school" days with his friends. 

Jamie and Trent are just running along chasing after the kids.  Jamie also did a lot of other running while training to run the New England Ragnar Relay (a 12 person 200 mile relay race from New Haven, CT to Boston, MA).  Trent does a lot of running racing from Times Square to Grand Central to catch those trains home!  Often he calls from the train quite out of breath due to the sprinting involved. 

We love to hear from all of you, so give us a call, leave a comment, or send an email our way.  And if you are ever in the NYC area -- give us a call!

The Eleventh Post of Christmas

Well, I don't know how on earth I will be able to control my kids behavior after tomorrow. Today, all I have to do is say, "Santa is watching. I am sure he wouldn't mind if his sleigh were a little emptier." They pretty much immediately conform. It is a nice little perk for parents this time of year.

We had a big family party last night with another family we all grew up with. It was a lot of fun. I asked everyone to submit their favorite memories from years past. We played charades acting them out. It was pretty funny for all of us (except the married into's). They did not know any of them. Here are a few of the favorites.

1. When playing Balderdash, my brother defined one of the words, "the stuff that comes out of Sister Talbot's nose." (needless to say, nobody picked his definition)

2. My Dad's homemade editing on Top Gun. He personally removed all offensive words and replaced them with his own (shoot, drat, and the favorite . . . CRIMINEY)

3. When Amber flushed down Minnie Mouse at the Talbot's home.

4. When Shad strategically broke a ketchup bottle in such a precise way that it went everywhere (and I do mean everywhere!)

5. When we went to a beach house with both families and started to play Scattergories. Carrie then puked all over the table and game. The game has since then been called ScatterDINNER.

The tenth post of Christmas

We went to a party last night. Trent and I won the "newlywed game"

Here are our Questions and Answers . . .

Questions asked to jamie

1. What is your favorite family tradition?
(jamie's answer) -- Pizza and a movie (trent's answer) -- "we don't have any traditions!"

2. What is your spouse's favorite Christmas movie?
(jamie's answer) -- Christmas Vacation (trent's answer) -- Christmas vacation

3. What is the most annoying thing about your husbands family at the holidays?
(jamie's answer) -- I love being with his family, but I hate the possessive term his mom uses -- as in "it's MY Christmas this year" (trent's answer) -- when my mom calls it HER christmas

4. What is the worst gift your spouse ever got you?
(jamie's answer) -- nothing (trent's answer)-- Socks

5. True or False "I am better at picking out a gift for my husband than he is picking out a gift for me."
(jamie's answer) -- false (trent's answer) -- false

So for that portion we got 3 right!!!!!



Trent's questions
1. What would you be doing if you weren't here at the Richard's lame party? (that is an exact quote of what York said -- for the record - the party was not lame)
(trent's answer) -- watching BYU football (jamie's answer) -- watching BYU football

2. What is your wife's favorite Christmas song?
(trent's answer) -- anything but Jingle bell Rock (jamie's answer) -- NOT Jingle bell Rock

3. What is your favorite Christmas memory?
(trent's answer) -- Disney trips with Grandparents (jamie's answer) -- Disney trips

4. What do you hate the most about the Christmas season?
(trent's answer) -- Shopping, the crowds (jamie's answer) -- wrapping presents

5. True or False. I am more in touch with what my kids' want for Christmas than my wife.
(trent's answer) -- false (jamie's answer) -- false

Then we got 4 right on his section for 7 correct answers total!!! Yeah!!!!

I guess after 11 1/2 years of marriage we know a few things right -- or we at least know what would be the most likely response the other would say so that we could win.

Christmas Greetings

I sent out my Christmas cards today. Yes, I know it is only December 11. I am impressed too. But, I cheated. I emailed them. Yes, it is lame. Yes, I know many, many of you will be sad not to have a "real" one to post on your wall/fridge. But I gotta tell ya. . .

It totally rocks to do it this way.

1. The ease of mailing. You click send.
2. The affordability. It is free.
3. You can send it to everyone (translation -- you don't have to be one of my closest and most personal friends to warrant a card -- I just have to know your email)
4. The response. Many many of you hit reply and let me know what you are up to. I get a personal note in return.
5. The fact that I can include 25 photos since I am incapable of narrowing it down to 1.

I am telling you. . . You gotta try it. . . You will never be the same.

And for those of you whose email I don't have, leave a comment and I will send a "personal" one to you. Or you can click on this link and see it for yourself.

Christmas Memories

In getting ready for our annual Christmas Card/Newsletter/webpage/email hybrid. I got a little nostalgic and found all of our previous year's ones and posted them. (all that is except for 2003, which is MIA). Have a look . . . or not. . .
http://jamie.handy.googlepages.com/christmas

Snow, Sandals, and Santa

Our neighborhood has the cutest tradition. The Winter Festival. They bring in snow; hot chocolate, cookies, chips, lemonade, and water; and crafts (beads and pipe cleaners). They have Santa arrive on a fire truck with sirens blaring.

But best of all . . . it was 75 degrees outside and we were all in sandals and shorts. The kids kept saying, "The snow is cold."

Uh, yeah . . . it's SNOW.

They were all so cute.





Can you spot Julianne and Catherine?

Telling Santa all their wish lists. Madelyn asked for "lots of toys". I did not hear what Julianne and Catherine asked for, and as for me and Trent. . . well Santa came a little early with a new Honda odyssey for us.