Christmas Cards

I picked up our photos at the photo studio yesterday and now the Christmas cards are officially in the mail and on their way! The photo's turned out amazing and I am hoping to get my MIL to scan them so I can post them soon.

This is our 2008 Christmas letter:

Merry Christmas Everyone!

The last 2 years have been a busy one for Duane and myself. In September 2006 we moved into our first purchased home, 2 days later we went to Disneyland where we got engaged, November 2008 had us in the Dominican Republic saying I do in front of our immediate family and a few close friends. December 1st we celebrated our marriage with family and friends. And just a few weeks later we found out we were going to have a baby! Devon Lyle (after his Papa) Brolund was born via c-section July 29, 2008 at 4:15 pm. 10 lbs 4.½ oz & 21 inches long.

The last 4 months has had us learning to be a family of 3 and we are enjoying being parents to such a sweet and good natured (most of the time anyway) boy. He is such a blessing and Duane and I embrace parenthood each and everyday and know how lucky we are to have a healthy baby boy to call our very own! Duane is a wonderful Dad and I am so thankful for such a great husband!!! Just last year we celebrated our first Christmas as a married couple and this year we celebrate it as a family!

The year has brought several other changes as well. Duane left his job in the aerospace field and joined my company (AI Industries ~ Specializing in Structural Steel mostly in the US Market) as a machinist. This change was unexpected but has turned out to be a very positive one for us. I am currently on maternity leave until July 2008 and am enjoying my time as a stay at home mom. We also bought a new “mommy mobile” (A Suzuki XL7 SUV) when I found out I was pregnant, and it is wonderful to have AWD on those trips to Kelowna to see Lyle and Nicole (Nana & Papa). The extra room has also proven beneficial with a baby! Duane is also driving a different vehicle after a unfortunate hit and run accident in January, thankfully no one was hurt, just our car J .

We have also renovated our apartment a little, Duane did a wonderful job installing laminate flooring throughout, and now that I know he is such a handyman I am looking forward to him installing some track lighting in the kitchen, a ceiling fan in the dining room, a backsplash in the kitchen and possibly new counter tops. This should all be completed by the time we need to move into a larger space and sell.

I have started a blog to share our lives with you all on a more regular basis, I also post photos and videos of our little Devon. Feel free to visit, read and leave me a comment. http://jessicaandduane.blogspot.com/ Although being a new mom has kept me from updating on a regular basis I hope to get Devon on more of a schedule and post more regularly soon!
After such a whirlwind past few years, Duane and I are looking forward to sitting back and enjoying out life as a little family and adapting to all these wonderful things.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Duane, Jessica and Devon Brolund

And that is basically our life in the last year in a nut shell!