Just like the real thing

I had every intention of mailing Christmas cards this year, but . . . it's December 23rd. Clearly, it's not happening. Here's what you would have gotten in the mail:

Season's greetings to our dear friends and family! 2009 has been a great year of change for the Mangums. We survived another long Utah winter; Sam and I spent four months apart while he searched for jobs in DC; we flew a collective 26 flights; we moved all our belongings across the country; and we survived Blizzard '09 on the East Coast. After all of that, we are excited to spend Christmas together, just the three of us, in our new home in Virginia.

Bria has had a big year. She started walking, turned one in April, and exploded with language. It's hard to believe that just one year ago, she was barely starting to crawl. Bria is one of the best eaters I have ever seen in a toddler. Some of her favorite foods are tomatoes, olives, and black licorice (the latter two I gave her as a joke-- joke's on me!). Bria says new words every day, but the most common word we hear from her is "no." She loves to try to say anything she hears, and is very confident in her abilities. When we ask her if she can say a word, the most common response is an enthusiastic "uh huh!" She constantly dances and sings, and when she walks, she swivels her hips. She is a sweet, happy girl with enough personality to fill a small country.

Sam is currently working as an assistant editor at National Geographic Television. He works in downtown DC-- just a couple blocks from the white house-- and he rides the Metro to work. He is truly having the DC experience. He gets to work on several NatGeo TV shows, and he sees a lot of fascinating footage. He is eating up every minute of this awesome step in his career. He still has time to watch movies, see the DC sites with me and Bria, and watch football with his two brothers who live in the area. He's even taken up reading while riding the Metro to and from work.

I am still working hard as a stay-at-home mom. Most days I feel like I generally have things under control. Bria and I have a lot of fun together, and I finally feel comfortable driving around Virginia, which is quite the accomplishment. It's exciting to explore our new surroundings, which have so much more history than what we are used to in the West. I have also continued to work as a freelance writer from home. I am starting to explore my creative writing capabilities mixed with my love for cooking. I chronicle my journeys at poshganache.blogspot.com.

At the close of this year of change, we are overwhelmed with gratitude for all we have. We are increasingly grateful for you, our friends. Thank you for being a part of our lives! If you are ever in the DC area, let us know! We hope 2010 is a year of joy and peace for you.

Love,
Courtney, Sam, and Bria