Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I decided to take a departure from the traditional Holiday-letter-in-a-card report this year. Let's save a few trees and spread some cheer, shall we?

If this is your first visit to my cottage blog, welcome!

It's a slow time of year with not much to report about the cottage and lake. We bought the cottage in the fall of 2009 and promptly shut it up for the winter. The spring and summer of 2010 were packed full of renovations, learning, and home cottage improvements. I invite you to troll through past posts here on the blog to bring yourself up to speed about all the happenings that happened. There's a handy navigation tool over there on the right that should help you work your way through the posts.

In family news, Our red-head (names reserved to ensure web anonymity) is now 10 and in Grade 5. He has his first male teacher this year, and he's thriving. It probably helps that this is the first year since grade 2 that he hasn't had a revolving door of supply teachers all year long. His grades have noticeably improved and he's happy to go to school each day.

He absolutely loves playing hockey and is in the Atom division with the local Minor Hockey League in addition to taking Hockey Skills practices on Wednesdays. He just passed his Level 6 for swimming after repeated attempts (very thrilled), and he's taking Hip Hop dance classes on the sly at his sister's dance studio. He's embarrassed to admit it, but he's a pretty good dancer. He's still enamoured with Lego, would watch cartoons all-day everyday if I let him, and is saving his pennies to buy himself an iPod Touch. Really.

The wee princess is 8 and in Grade 3 at the same school. We just learned that her teacher since September is only a supply teacher, and she'll be getting a new one in January. (Arg! with the supply teachers already!!) Fortunately she's a very strong student and adapts quickly to change. She's still dancing up a storm. We switched to a new studio in September and it has been a great decision so far. She's getting much better instruction, longer classes, more emphasis on technique, and a great group of friends in the bargain. As with last year, she's participating in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop, and Acro, and for the first time she's been awarded a solo (ballet). Needless to say, I spend an inordinate amount of time and money at the dance studio. 

Something new for her this year is tumbling class. It is intended to supplement her instruction for Acro dance class, but she's loving it and has mastered several new tricks this fall, including front and back walkovers. I don't know about you, but I'm impressed! (if the video doesn't work, try opening this page in a different browser). She too, was in Level 6 for swimming this year, but she didn't receive her badge. Many tears were shed. She's also saving her pennies, but she's saving "for college". Cutie. I'm not biased though. No sir.

My dear spouse (known around the blog here as "The Captain") is still working for AMD as a Continuation Engineer. It's been a busy and sometimes stressful year for him, but he still really enjoys his work. He grew a ridiculous mustache during November to raise awareness and funds for the fight against prostate cancer. Actually, he cheated a little and carved the mustache out of his beard, but it served its purpose; both funds and awareness were raised.
He's playing shinny hockey once a week on Tuesday nights, and then spends much of Wednesday complaining about how sore and tired he is. He doesn't find a lot of sympathy from me. During the summer he worked extremely hard on the cottage - we both did - and he learned many new and useful skills like installing a dock, installing plumbing, demolishing walls, driving a boat, installing electrical fixtures, and many many more. The sense of satisfaction and accomplishment is something you just can't buy. I know he's looking forward to kicking up his heels and enjoying the fruit of his hard work next summer.

I'm still working at Alcatel-Lucent in their customer documentation department. It has been a year of few challenges and little reward, but I continue to enjoy the benefit of working at home and have adjusted my schedule to accommodate my other job: full-time child herder. When I'm not at work, I'm running one of the kids to their many extra-curricular activities. Many of my other activities have taken a back seat to this insane schedule, but I'm going to try harder in the new year to carve out some time to have a little bit of fun. Maybe I'll start running again, rediscover my craft room, take a photography class... who knows! Certainly I'll be burning a few brain cells planning the next improvements to the cottage. Tops on my list are the ceiling in the living room/kitchen, and finishing the bathroom. Oh, to have unlimited time and unlimited budget for repairs. Maybe Santa will bring me some power tools.

I hope this missive find you and your family healthy, happy, and wise. Feel free to check in on us here on the blog from time to time. Things will likely remain quiet for a few months yet, but I hope to begin posting again in earnest in the Spring.

All the best for 2011,

Corrie