Guest Post from Tigger the Cat

Greetings from the (Sub)urban ranch!
I've heard through the grapevine that many people are disappointed that  did not write a Christmas letter this year...let me assure you that I am alive and well...just banned from the computer temporarily.  Mrs. Ranch says if I stop yacking up hairballs on her desk chair, she might consider letting me back on the computer. In the meantime she is letting me dictate this letter to her.
Mr Ranch's law practice continues to do well.  He keeps busy with work and as a team captain for the Team in Training for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  He was able to take some time off last summer to go camping with the rest of the family.  Mr Ranch and the other dads set up a zip line, archery range, shooting range, fishing, hiking, and a bunch of other activities.
Mrs. Ranch started her 11th year at her current high school and her 21st year of teaching this year...meaning she has spent more than half her teaching career in one place--crazy.  She finds herself spending more and more time chauffeuring the children from place to place, but still makes time to read and even cross stitched a Christmas stocking for Liberty to match everyone else's this year.  I guess Liberty complained that her stocking last year was labeled with a sticky note.
The Girl is a 7th grader this year.  The people are starting to feel the pressure to choose a high school.  I don't know what this is all about...The Girl still enjoys drum lessons (most of the time).  She spent two weeks last summer participating in a rock band camp at the local music school.  She had a good time and wants to do it again, but with a gig in a real place, like a coffee shop or bar instead of at the music school.  The Girl was a big help to Mrs Ranch last spring when they helped with a virtual baby shower for Mrs Pretzel (Mr Ranch's sister).  The Girl and the Boy and both looking forward to meeting their new cousin sometime next spring.  The Girl participated in volleyball last spring and cross country this fall--enjoyed both.  She also participates in youth group at church and yearbook at school.  I'm sure I'm forgetting something she does, but I'm an elderly cat...so whatever.
The Boy is a 3rd grader this year.  He loves telling us stories about school, his classmates, and his teacher's kids.  He has allowed Mrs. Ranch topics for several blogs about "Boy-isms".  He still enjoys Cub Scouts, rose to the rank of Wolf this year (I think that is right) and is working to become a Weeblo next year. He states that he no longer enjoys the Pack meetings though, because, "those other kids just run around and stuff".  According to Mrs Ranch this is ironic, because he doesn't really sit much himself, but she's not complaining about having one less activity. The Boy started guitar lessons this year and is well on his way to learning every Beatles song ever written. He celebrated his birthday at home this year with a screening of Despicable Me 2 and some friends.  It was a very calm party...very different from some of his previous parties.
The people tell me that I'll be 16 in the spring, but that I can't get my driver's license because I'm a cat.  I'm ok with that...I pretty much sleep either on the chair in the kitchen or in Mrs. Ranch's closet.  I do like to sing "the song of my people" at 5 am if Mrs. Ranch doesn't get up to give me fresh water.  She threw her pillow at me last weekend...I told her it wasn't very nice by moving a little further away and singing louder.  Alice the Cat is 5 in the spring.  She is not slowing down, but is getting a bit tubby from eating my geriatric cat food.  She still doesn't like the dogs (which is weird, since they are afraid of her) and quite often will hide if the family has overnight house guests, leading people to say things like "she doesn't seem that bad".  Indy Dog will be 14 in February.  She is slowing down a little, has learned to turn on the tv, and gets grumpy if the youngsters want to play and she is sleeping.  However, she is not above chasing Alice or smacking Liberty so they will entertain her.  The youngest family member, Liberty, is probably about 3 this year.  She continues to prove all stereotypes about Saint Bernards wrong, by leaping through the house at a fast rate of speed and running from me, even when I'm sleeping.
The people's extended families are all well, Mrs Ranch's parents are busier in retirement than they were before they retired.  Her younger brother and his family keep busy, her nephew will be four in the spring and provides the Ranch with lots of videos and photos to make us laugh.  Mr. Ranch's dad will spend Christmas at the Ranch before returning home to attend a bowl game.  His traveling companion, Maggie the Dog, is a lot of fun for Indy and Liberty but is way too interested in me for my comfort.  Mr. Ranch's mom will spend Christmas day with his sister, brother-in-law, and nephew in the Seattle area.
We hope this letter finds you all well and wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from our (Sub)urban Ranch!