Meldrum Family Christmas Letter

Meldrum Family Secret Recipe for 2008
Ingredients
2 Kids, one girl and one boy
2 Parents, one Mommy and one Daddy
1 Cat named Caesar
1 single van to get around in
3 Bedroom Apartment
½ as much time in a day as we'd like
A pinch of the unexpected
Heaping tablespoons of love and affection
Sprinkled with supportive family and friends
Directions
Take a new 3 bedroom apartment, preheat to 67° F (This may take some extra firewood this winter). Paint boy's room orange and decorate with “the Backyardigan's”. Give girl's room a flower theme. Move in boxes and furniture. Add parents then, while stirring, add kids (this will keep the mixture from setting). Add cat for garnish. Yields 1 happy home.
In the summer, take 1 airplane to Walt Disney World, roast kids and parents in the high 90's, making sure to baste them in occasional thunderstorms. (Don't worry they'll still have fun.) Dress little girl as Cinderella at the Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boutique. Stand in long lines to meet all their favorite Disney characters. Employ 1 babysitter to let parents go on some faster rides. Be sure to get lots of pictures and souvenirs.
In the fall, send girl to preschool four days a week. She will make friends, play games, and learn lots of new things (she'll tell you all about it when she gets off the bus). Her communication skills will improve. She will learn to use a computer and to read books with her Daddy each night before bed. The little boy will be learning to talk all this time, his favorite words being things like “Car!” and “Cookie!” and “Vroom, vroom!”. He will perfect his Cookie Monster impression, jamming pretend cookies into his mouth. With proper care, the kids will grow faster than you can buy larger size clothes.
With all the time spent on the kids, don't leave the Mommy and Daddy on the back burner. Mommy will support Daddy as he continues school, taking classes and teaching workshops. Daddy will also need to support Mommy with her Apartment Management job and her volunteering at Pierce County Juvenile Court. Both will need to work together in rearing the two kids into the wonderful adults they will become. For presentation, try to get the kids to brush their teeth, put on outfits that match, and hold still long enough to brush their hair. Bath time will be fun, but bedtime will be a challenge. The kids will use gratitude sparingly, but when they say “I love you!” on their own, your hearts will melt.
During the whole process, be sure to add heaping tablespoons of love and patience. Sprinkle in fun and games, using every opportunity that comes up to teach life lessons.
Warning! Making this recipe results in a messy kitchen (and messy living room and bedrooms, etc.) but when your done, everyone will tell you what a beautiful family you have!
Love,
Emma, Bryce, Christina and Donnie