Sunday was Madeline's birthday. We had a small get together in her honor over at Grandma's house on Monday night, here are just a few pictures:

Cake by Grandma



Maddoh preparing to think about blowing out her two candles.


Frog Maddoh loves presents!


Noah acting interested.


Madeline likes this novel okay, but really prefers the Russian translation.

So yesterday it was Madeline's birthday!!! Yay, we get to celebrate it tonight at Grandma Beaver's house with Aunt Sheryl and Jennifer!Don't worry, we'll take pictures and post them too, but this post is really about, you guessed it, the things those cutie patuties say.

Luke: Lewy, how old are you?
Lewy: (She held up her fingers and said,) Two old.

So today we were all enjoying playdoh time when Noah asked what lions do. I replied that they Rrroarrr and they chase animals.
"Do they bite?" he asked.
"Yes, they do."
A few moments later...
"Sometimes they don't bite," he declared.
"Like when, Noah?"
"On Tuesdays."

The Fiction 101 results for the 2009 contest have been published. The judges had exceptionally poor choice this year and did not pick either Dani's story or Luke's for 1st or 2nd place. Or even 3rd.

In fact, the only story that we submitted that did get published was titled In Tongues, and was written by Luke. It snagged one of the two honorable mention prizes as well as $75 bucks.

It is reprinted here:

In Tongues

Inside Foursquare Pentecostal, our mother paces aisles, swallows hot coffee, and waits her turn to be knocked down by Jesus.

My kid brother spins this yarn about his birth: says the nurse on duty swears on a stack of bibles she's never seen a baby flail so much. Says she nearly fumbled the catch. He signs this story with whipping, exaggerated arm motions. He's mute, see? That's part of the joke.

Soon, we'll line up between pews with Mom. She'll stand, singing, raising her arms toward God. My brother will mouth silent hymns, praying, waiting his turn to be born again.

**
ARTICLE LINK.

Surely, you readers out there, know I won't be out done, not even by my hubby to be. So this is my recap of 2008 and my predictions of 2009.

2008
1. I fell in love for the second time with my first love.
2. We couldn't stand being apart so we found an apartment in Nampa and moved in.
3. I became a Danimum.
4. I bought my first sewing machine.
5. I wrote in a blog for the first time.
6. Out of desperation for adult interaction, I started watching Dr. Phil and Oprah.
7. We said "No More" to the smell and the commute. We found an apartment in Boise and moved in.
8. I found myself on Youtube. Singing lessons were suggested.
9. I discovered the fun in cheering for Bronco football.
10. The man I've wanted to be with since I was 16 asked me to marry him!!!!

2009
1. I'll finally exhibit my craftiness on Etsy.
2. Someone will pay me great sums of money for a pair of unique homemade earrings.
3. I'll get addicted to exercising instead of carbs.
4. I'll stay stress free while planning the most beautiful and creative wedding the world has ever seen.
5. Madeline and I will work together to get her potty trained.
6. I'll forgive myself for my shortcomings.
7. I'll enjoy more, fret less.
8. I'll bake more.
9. I'll become an official wife and Danimum.
10. I'll solve for world peace. Instead of war, how about a game of checkers? Anyone?

After winning the Boise Weekly's Fiction 101 contest in early January of 2008, I boldly proclaimed 2008 as the year of Luke. How could it be anything else? Momentum was on my side; I was free from a bad marriage, I had just won the most prestigious literary contest in the state (just follow me here), and I had a whole new year in front of me. The world, as they say, was my oyster. I would be famous, I was sure, in just 12 months. I would meet the woman of my dreams, publish the great American novel, and settle into my vacation home in Maui to drink virgin margaritas for the rest of my stress-free days. Well, one of these things worked out for me, and I have yet to try a margarita.

In the year 2008, here is what I actually accomplished:

1. Finalized my divorce.
2. Re-met and proposed to my first love.
3. Moved back to Boise.
4. Got much better at Pictionary.
5. Met two, count em', two new friends.
6. Started a writing blog that is sparsely populated and infrequently visited by anyone.

An array of accomplishments, sure, but hardly enough to justify the renaming of an entire year.

However, this morning, while sulking in my own gloom, I came across a reassuring sign:



I was mistaken! 2009 is the year of Luke! NOT 2008! How could I have been more wrong?!

So this year, it is officially my new year's resolution to get published in a major literary outlet. This means Tin House. It means Ploughshares. It means Zoetrope. It does NOT mean the Boise Weekly. I know, I know, watch your step, you don't want to slip and fall in all that overflowing ambition.

Non-literarily, but just as (and probably more) importantly, these are my goals for 2009:

1. Meet my goal weight (yeah, right, me and the rest of the country).
2. Become a better father to two amazing toddlers.
3. Plan and execute the most beautiful and unique wedding the world has ever seen.
4. Learn to be an amazing husband and provider to my new wife, Dani.
5. Write a more entertaining end of year blog post for 2010.

Happy New Year, readers!

I will try to encourage Dani to write one of these annual recaps for you as well.