The Ayres Family Christmas Mug Shot

Last blog of 2010! Hard to believe it’s the end of another year & decade as well. Below is the annual Christmas letter I wrote, and thought maybe some of  my Facebook/Twitter/Blog friends might enjoy it. The following sums up my year pretty well:) Happy New Year!

Dear

1. Family
2. Friends

 Here we are at the end of another 365 days. Hope you enjoy our 2010 Christmas letter over a steaming cup of hot cocoa! I’m still in teacher mode so see how well you know the Ayres family with a multiple choice quiz.

 Dan:

1. was mistaken for Goofy, Captain Jack, & the Beast on our Disney Wonder Cruise in January
2. dragged us to Disney’s Star Wars weekend in May, & used ‘the force’ to transform us into Jedi fans (on Halloween, the girls even dressed up as Ahsoka and Amidala)
3. served as last minute, last resort, stand-in groomsmen in my step-sister’s wedding in N. Carolina this July, once again receiving the honor of walking me down the aisle (thankfully, minus the fluorescent green tennis ball shoes this time)
4. joined the circus in November

 Jamie:

1. is in my tenth year of teaching (seriously, where does the time go!?!)
2. revised, revised, revised my never ending novel and will pitch to 3 agents in January (shameless plug: visit http://www.JamieAyres.com to learn moreJ)
3. read an average of a novel a week this year (Facebook me if you need young adult book suggestions-I read what I write. . . The Hunger Games trilogy my fav so far)
4. saddened to discover on our first trip to Savannah that all the sweet locals saying, “Well bless your little heart” weren’t really hospitable, but mocking me (but after being married to Dan for 12 yrs, I’m quite used to that, lol)

 Kaylee:

1. participated in the Battle of the Books competition for school, is currently on the Odyssey of the Mind team, & earned straight A’s the whole year in 4^th grade
2. stood in line for six hours on her 10^th birthday to get into opening day of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Islands of Adventure (well worth the wait!)
3. is in her last year of elementary school (which is why I cry every time I hear Taylor Swift’s song “Never Grow Up”)
4. speaking of Taylor, KK memorized every single word to all her songs

 Ashley:

 1.   lost more teeth than any 6-yr-old I know (which is really saying    something)

2. is cut off from buying any more Webkinz (Dad’s orders) after she purchased #41 (though she bypassed his rule by asking Santa for a reindeer one)

3. became even more obsessed with fashion when she discovered Justice

4. ran her first 5k & did such a great job, I’m hiring her as my personal trainer

 In closing, the Ayres family:

1. Wishes you a Merry Christmas
2. Prays for you to be happy, healthy, and safe in 2011
3. Swears all of the above answers are true (okay, maybe Dan only went to the circus, but what’d you expect? I’m a writer, I make stuff up). ~Cheers, hugs, & God bless!!!