Merry Christmas and Happy 2009!

I wasn't able to get Christmas cards out this year and I'm feeling quite guilty about it as it is the 1st year in over 10 years that I've not sent cards out. I'm finding that such simple tasks are not so simple with a 2 year old demanding my attention, so I gave up this year. This blog will have to be the substitution for a piece of snail mail.








Love these two pics. The anticipation of a snow ball and the snow ball in action. Tristan, like the rest of the Salem area kids, had a fun time exploring the snow.




A countdown of a handful or two of important, fun and interesting things for the Baskett household in 2008:

1) Mike fullfilled a life-long dream and fished the Bass Master Classic in February. The Super Bowl of competitive bass fishing. If you've been reading our blog long you've read all about it.


2) We headed to Sunriver to share 4 days of fun with our friends the Harrington's (Elyse and Tiff went to high school together and have been great friends ever since!). This was a first for our families and we agree that it hopefully won't be a last trip. What took us so long to go on vacation together?


3) Tristan completed two weeks of swimming lessons in Grants Pass. What makes this so special is his instructor was Tiffany's childhood swim instructor (along with the majority of other children from Tiffany's family and the Grants Pass area!). We hope to return this next summer.


4) Tiff and Mike took their first Tristan-free trip together in October to Maui for a week!



5) Tristan went pee-pee in the the potty for the first time ever like the big boy he's turning into!


6) We got the news that a brother or sister for Tristan will be joining the ranks next year!


7) Tiff took her first "Mommies Weekend" for herself and met up with her friend Elyse in Eugene. Kiddos stayed with daddies. We did nothing but shop, eat, veg and watch chick flicks. It was rather odd doing whatever WE wanted all weekend long!


8) Tristan developed a major fetish for tractors. He eats, breaths and dreams tractors. He has such a large toy tractor collection that it puts the John Deer sales parking lot to shame. The boy is addicted.


9) Tristan turned 2!


10) We celebrated Jesus' birthday - and Tristan recognizes and can say "Baby Jesus".




We believe 2009 will be a good one, full of many more surprises and adventures. Hopefully your families share the same joys. As we leave 2008 in the dust we look back with awe at how our lives have changed so much in only one year, and how our baby is no longer a baby but a little boy. 2009 is going to be a great year!


Merry Christmas to you, and may your 2009 be blessed!

(This is what a tractor can do to a birthday cake)

Part of the collection...
~ Mike, Tiffany and Tristan