Dear Family and Friends
2024 has been a wild ride for the McVal clan. A lot of "fly by the seat of our pants" activities that have generated new cherished memories for us. As we approach Christmas, I am reminded of all the holidays that Robb and I hosted and all the busy food prep as well as getting the house ready. With 5 days left, I just have the Christmas tree and Leg Lamp up and THAT'S OK! You will probably get this letter in 2025. and THAT'S OK! I am so thankful to God for sending His son to take away our sins and for the many blessings He's given us this year, a few of which has brought our family even closer together.
And in our NEW (3 year old) tradition, we drew names for writing about each other.
Grandma Val had an amazing year. She's a worker for XXXX (I think). She types code. She likes to sew and we've been watching The Middle together. I think she is most like the character, Axl. This summer we went on a cruise. It seemed like her favorite parts were the dinners and stepping in the ocean. I like it when we get one dollar off slushies at Kwik Star every Thursday. I also liked when she brought my cat, Kevin, to school. One exciting thing that happened was when she caught a wombat in our backyard (she says it was a groundhog). Out of everything she's done in her life, I think she is most proud of having her children. She is the most grandma-iest of grandmas and I love her. written by Leon
Ryan and Jen got married this year in a truly unforgettable way—they eloped at a Creed concert, marking the occasion with music and memories. Outside of the exciting start to their married life, Ryan has been staying busy with his job. When he's not working, he loves spending time with Leon, playing video games, or relaxing at home with Agnes, building blocks and creating little adventures. Ryan’s also been putting his creative side to work, painting miniatures for his Dungeons and Dragons collection. Of course, he still keeps his love for Dune alive, immersing himself in the stories and the world of Arrakis whenever he can. At home, Ryan is a devoted husband to Jen and a loving dad to Leon and Agnes. He cherishes spending time with them, whether it’s watching Leon grow into a young man or marveling at how quickly Agnes is learning and growing every day. written by Meri
Between work and playing and learning with Aggie, Jen has had a busy year. "Time" has flown "Away in Silence" this year. To no "One"-s surprise, but everyone's excitement, Aggie has "Overcome" her days of crawling and speeds around with the urgency to explore. When not being "Torn" between work and Aggie, Jen enjoys working on crafts and art, also trying some embroidery projects. And "What's This Life For" if not to have some fun and excitement? Between trips to visit family, becoming an aunt, and celebrating Aggies first birthday, Jen and Ryan announced ("Are You Ready"?) their marriage!! No need to re-read, you read right the first time! Managing to "Hide" the event for a few weeks, their reveal to everyone was a "Beautiful" surprise. With the help of their friend, Daniel, Jen and Ryan married at a Creed Concert, being announced a married couple as the song "With Arms Wide Open" began to play. written by Ryan H
Leon (12) has had an eventful year! He switched schools and is now enjoying 7th grade in town. Besides computer/video games, he enjoys playing card games with his dad and friends. In November, before it got too cold, he spent an early out with friends, dressed as D&D characters and went on quests around town, ending up at the McDonalds. Because questing can wear a person out and I'm sure the “quickly sewn” robe itched. He and I are in the middle of the Middle series and while I'm laughing at all the antics, because I can identify with almost all of them, he's taking notes. He's very good at impersonating Axl. I love having him here! Written by Val
Agnes (18 months old) is delightfully adorable! We celebrated her birthday a week late in early August and it was announced at her party that her parents got married a couple weeks prior! Her favorite things are her books, puzzles, Bluey cartoon and Grandma's button box. She dumps out the whole box and finds her new favorite button, while watching Bluey. Aggie is starting to talk a bit and can say "bat" pretty clearly, or Da or Mama or MAMA (I haven't decided which one is Grandma yet but I'm hoping the last one) and is pretty insistent with the head motions for yes or no. I would mention her favorite foods at this point, but they change every day. Her favorite place to hide from us is under the Christmas tree WAY back in the corner where she can sit on the lower window sill. Aggie loves the kitties in the house and is very gentle with them if they would just lay STILL and let her use them for a pillow. written by Val
Between family events and keeping up with her many hobbies, Maddy had a busy and enjoyable year. On the family side, Maddy was honored to stand in the weddings of my two sisters. She was also pleasantly surprised when her brother Ryan and his wife Jen eloped at a Creed concert. She loves being an auntie to Leon and Agnes. Being close allowed us to attend one of Leon's band concerts and Agnes's first birthday party! On the hobby side, Maddy is really hitting her stride. She finished a lot of impressive knitting projects, both for herself and as gifts for family. If you're lucky, you might be able to commission something! We've also started attending a local knitting group, which has been a great place to ask questions and commiserate over tricky stitches. She also attended a couple of different local classes, learning how to throw pottery on the wheel and laser engrave objects. It's a wonder there's any time left, but she has also crushed her reading goal for the year (check out her Goodreads account to see some of her faves). She continues to work from home for XXXXX and loves getting to hang out with her puppy pals, Zola and Daisy. Sometimes that Matthew guy is around too; Maddy's comment is "He's okay, I guess." Written by Matthew
After a brief meeting of being astounded by Matthews’s accomplishments of 2024, I have come to the understanding of Matthews’s incredible intellectual abilities. Having conquered another year by not only reading every new book written thus far but by also reading over 900 books that were either written by or about bears. In his spare time, Matthew fronts the majority of all the book clubs in his area leading group discussion and ousting non-readers, while also single handedly making the raw crafting components to his loving wife’s assorted hobbies. When Matthew isn’t taking care of their two dogs, Daisy and Zola, he is diligently running the library that supplies books to its community. In conclusion, His power grows with every book read. We should not only respect Matthew but also fear him in this coming year. Written by Ryan
The four words that best describe Meri’s year are cooking, cruises, creativity, and cats! She continues to enjoy working as the XXXX Daycare’s chef. The kids all love her (and her cooking!) They call her Chef Meri and she even led three cooking classes for the 3-5 year olds. After one particularly tasty dish, one of her cooking students said, “Wow! My mom can’t make anything like this!” Meri went on the Bahama cruise with Mom, Leon, and Ryan H. Her favorite part of the relaxing vacation was the pirate museum they visited. In her free time, Meri has been creating elaborate holiday decorations. If you have the chance, I recommend driving by her home to see her latest festive creations. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, Meri hosted her own Friendsgiving and even baked four delicious pies for ours! Meri is still dating Ryan H and her home is filled with her “fist full” of cats—Panther, Curry, Ranch, Sweet Potato, and Pumpkin– and her sweet dog, Reedus. Written by Maddy
Hopelessly addicted is how Ryan H would describe himself when it comes to Old School Runescape; a game he loves to play while he's not working or hanging out with Meri, his lady of three years this past August. He hit 199 max level in wood chopping in Runescape and has also been cutting up lots of pallets for a maybe future project. He comes over every Tuesday for Tacos and Yahtzee, and most Sundays for lunch along with Meri. Ryan was responsible for a lot of plumbing victories in the McVal households this year: first by installing a bidet at our house, then he fixed the outdated plumbing at Meri's house and then he came over to complete a fix on our washing machine when Val’s fix flooded the room; busy guy. written by Jen
Margaret had a good year until this week when she had to say goodbye to her little dog, Teddi. He had lived 12 pampered years being loved unconditionally. Isn't that what we ALL want from our years? Teddi lived the dream. Meri visits Grandma once a week to set up her meds and chat. Meri and Margaret have their “together” shows and are currently watching The Rookie. I plan to crash their episode tomorrow. Written by Val
We hope you have (had) a wonderful Christmas season and Happy New Year!
Love
Val McVal and family
1 comment:
I like that writing seems to be a part of your family's life. I remember Robb because he was such a good writer, funny, too. I have missed Robb's Christmas letters.
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