Happy Holidays 2008

Here it is, the second annual Bear family blog posting [instead of a Christmas letter]. As luck would have it I really don't need to write a summary letter since I've been pretty good this year posting blog entries for the majority of our major life events (at least those that I was smart enough to remember to capture in photos).
Since I'm sure you got the Christmas card already, here are a few "outtake" photos on the same day. The story of the photo was that grandma came through at the last minute with the beautiful dresses (with matching doll dress) and we took the opportunity to take another photo. I was actually set to go with a "backup plan" from our Disney trip. We took a break to get some breakfast and came back to find the fedex shipment of dresses on our doorstep. Instead of troubling ourselves with baths we decided that the dirty bodies would be hidden under the dresses so we did a quick hair fix-up and headed out back for a quick photo.
It is actually very hard to get a good photo of both girls together. They both take good photographs easily, just not together! The process of getting them both looking at the camera with a good expression takes a LOT of tries. I honestly don't know how anyone did that before a digital camera.
In thinking back through the year with this blog, I realize I haven't been as good at capturing the generally interesting things that happen (or that the girls say and/or do). I seem to mostly capture the places we go and holidays since those seem logical to take a photo and that is what prompts me to blog.
So in the new year I'll attempt to blog a few "hey this is what cool things they can do now" posts even if they didn't go anywhere interesting or have a cute photo to accompany the topic (I'm SURE I'll have some file footage to dig up to cover for the photo part). So there you have it, a news years goal for the blog. I suggest you check back and keep me honest on that one.

Otherwise, I must say that we are fortunate to be moving right along with our family. Bob has been successfully self-employed for most of the year and I'm still at ORCL doing more blogging and general work stuff there. Time is marching on quickly and we are blessed every day with our great family.

For all of our family and friends who are stopping by the blog for the first time we are hopeful that you have a wonderful holiday season and we are looking forward to all the photos, letters and updates from you as well. And for those of my friends who still use the telephone and call on occasion, I know I am not worthy of you and yet I am really grateful you don't give up on me!

Love to all this holiday season. We wish you health and joy (and a safe passage through the recession) in 2009.

Bob, Meg, Ashton and Jacqueline Bear