Each year I write our family holiday letter, this is the one being sent out this year. Enjoy.

I didn’t write a letter last year, I posted it on my blog.  No one read it.  Welcome to the life of an HR blogger.  So, now I’m spending a small portion of my kids’ college savings to tell you what we did this past year, because apparently you don’t have Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.  #WinkyFace 🙂 (If you’re over 40 you’ll have to look up “#WinkyFace” on a thing called The Google)

Keaton (16) – Had ACL surgery on December 12, 2012 – which consumed most of his 2013 with rehab.  Ended up starting on varsity baseball after only 5 months of rehab as a sophomore, hit over .400, selected to participate in the USA baseball 16U National Team trials in Cary, NC.  So, apparently you only have to have one good leg to hit!  He’s driving. It scares us.  He’s working. We like that.  He has a girlfriend. She’s in college. He’s playing varsity basketball and he likes to say “you know how Texas A&M has the 12^th man, well DeWitt now has the 13^th man!” Since there are 13 players on the team, and he feels he’s #13. 

Cameron (15) –  Cam had his first varsity swim season and got honorable mention all-conference as a freshman.  As a sophomore, this year, he tried out and made the top choir in DeWitt High – The Chamber Choir. He also got a major part in the school musical Avenue Q, and continues to swim way too many hours each week.  We aren’t sure what keeps him going! He’s the tallest in the family, which in our family is like being the tallest of the seven dwarfs.  He’s competing in Business Professionals of America. And he has decided to make me work until death, as he wants to attend Duke University.

Cooper (10) – Somewhere along the way Coop has found my sense of humor, which I know scares his Mom to death!  He still is a gamer.  Early riser.  Loves his Mom.  Hates to fail at anything.  Ultra-competitive.  Found out he loves Volleyball, like Mom and Dad.  Still plays baseball, because Dad makes him. Would rather be climbing trees and running around outside with the neighborhood tribe. 

Coop Quotes:

·         “Now I’m Ready!” Taking off his shirt, and throwing it to the side mid-match playing tennis against Dad. Then Dad did the same, it wasn’t as cute!

·         “It would be much easier if the candy came to me.” Oct. 30^th when asked if he was ready to go Trick or Treating

·         “Shouldn’t you know this as my guardian?” to Dad when he didn’t know how many vitamins to give him in the morning and Mom had to leave early to work

·         “Let me know if you need help.” To Kim as she parented Cameron, after she told Cooper she can handle it.

·         “If you touch these lottery tickets, I will cut you!” Coop to the entire family at the Martin family Christmas party white elephant gift exchange. He’s fascinated with scratch and win tickets.  He’s good at math, but hasn’t figured out what odds are yet!

 Scout (7 in dog years) –  Yep, we got another dog.  He’s a Mini-Australian Labradoodle, and we got him in August at 9 months old. Long-story-short, a family with 5 young kids couldn’t handle a new puppy.  We got him.  He’s my dog, but Kim is slowly trying to win him over, it won’t work.  He’s dumb, but he’s really cute, so it’s okay. Besides Scout he also goes by Sugar Bear Bear, Chub Chubs, Scouterbout, and Stink.

Kim and I are about the same, maybe a few more gray hairs.  She still works part time as a Physical Therapist and full time as a Mom. I still work full time as a President of a company, and part time as Dad. We spend way too much time taking boys to events, and we are starting to realize that soon this will be over.  College scares us, more than high school, primarily because it cost way too much!   

From our family to yours we wish you all the success and happiness in 2014! Go Green!