This year we are going to attempt to start a new Christmas tradition: the Christmas blog post. As I write this, the snow is streaming down outside and the lovely Jakki is busy gluing things to other things for our entries in an Unfortunate Holiday Sweater contest. Without further ado, here's what we did in 2010:
After much review of Facebook and Twitter, it appears that 2010 started off with head colds for everyone, and braces for Jakki's teeth. The early part of the year contained much internet browsing and watching of TV. Such is life in the Inland Northwest in the first quarter.
After thawing out, March came along and brought a fabulous gig for the band I'm with: [Fairmount Chase](http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Fairmount-Chase/198724234772). St. Patrick's Day tends to bring out our most loyal and hardcore fans. Fortunately, the more they drink, the better we sound.
As temperatures began to rise, camping became possible and we scooted up to [Farragut State Park](http://parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/parks/farragut.aspx) along Lake Pend Oreille to celebrate Jakki's birthday. In attendance were our friends Chuck and Leann and some of her family. After raining on the way up, the weather cooperated until we left.
In July, Lake Sullivan in the extreme northeast corner of Washington became our camping destination. Bocephus (our Dodge truck) got a new canopy and was able to keep our gear dry despite rainy weather.
To celebrate our anniversary in August, we returned to Packwood, Mt. Rainier and [Mount St. Helens](http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/mshnvm/); the site of our wedding five years prior. We found the tree we were married in front of in the [Ohanapecosh](http://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/ohanapecosh.htm) camp ground (not surprising, since that tree is probably 700 years old).
The last part of the summer was punctuated with two quick gigs for the band, one outdoors at a neighborhood block party in North Spokane, and one at O'Doherty's; a staple in Fairmount Chase's venue menu.
In early fall, we took a trip over to Seattle to visit Grandma Flo, Bob & Linda, Jim & Phyllis and Kelsey, and take in a Seahawks game at Quest Field with our friends Chuck & Leann. The family visit was wonderful, but the performance of the Seahawks left a lot to be desired (they lost 41-7 to the NY Giants). We also managed to see some old friends: Charlotte, and His Holiness Gary (the padre who presided over our wedding), and Georgie & Roger and their son Brian.
During fall, after much excitement with broken garage door springs, Jakki and I managed to get two new garage doors installed on the house. This was fortunate, as the first snowfall of the season set an all-time record for the area in November. Which, of course, brought out the Snow Robots.
This year has been heavily dosed with visits with family and friends, completely lacking in stays in the hospital, and fueled with music and good cheer-- and we couldn't be happier. May the holiday season bring you and yours peace and happiness in the coming year!
-Much Love, Kelly & Jakki (and Tigger & Cleo)
Today is Jakki's first day of school in the Spokane Community College nursing program. With the Jetta running, it will be a lot easier for her to go to school and pick up some shifts at her new job at Sacred Heart Medical Center as an Emergency Room Receptionist. She has classes Monday through Wednesday and clinical on Thursday at the St. Joseph Care Center (located at SHMC). We finally got her uniform including new cool nursing shoes, so she looks cute and official :)
