The 2025 Ultimate Christmas Letter

2025…We Didn’t Go Through 2025…WE GREW THROUGH 2025.

I may have stolen that slogan from Hobby Lobby.

Thank you for taking the time to read our Christmas Letter, and for those of you who used the QR Code from our Christmas card, thank you, for being an overachiever. If our family sounds greater than yours, then I’ve achieved my goal…

Not really. I thank you for reading, and I hope and pray all of you reading this have a blessed Christmas and a wonderful 2026!

Christmas Card pictures

Featured on our card is a great family picture of our vacation to the Canadian Rockies to celebrate Katie’s parents’ 50^th Wedding Anniversary! It was an amazing trip and a wonderful way to celebrate this incredible milestone. Our card also highlighted a few other family trips—a visit with my parents in Florida, a ski trip to Utah, and our annual vacay to San Diego as our last hurrah of the summer.

The Family Run Down.

Bogie

Bogie is our rebound. Buster passed away in 2024, and to soften the pain, we adopted a new dog. Bogie is the most beautiful, ugly, homeless-looking pet I’ve ever seen. He was raised in a backyard in South Central Los Angeles. His owner never gave him shelter, a haircut, or even a walk, and his meals were scraps thrown at him. For the first couple of weeks, he would hide in the bushes in our backyard and was sometimes too afraid to come inside. After many months of love, he’s now Katie’s shadow and barks at anything that seems to be a threat to her well-being (even Christmas blow-up decorations).

Jules Rules

When asked why 2025 was a banner year, her response was, “It’s that I didn’t throw up at any of Maddie’s theater performances”. Apparently, Jules doesn’t do well with dairy, and I took her out for milkshakes before one of Maddie’s musical theater performances. Keep in mind that her mother had politely asked me not to take her out for a milkshake. Jules may have thrown up during the opening scene (I’m still not convinced it was the milkshake).

Jules’ heart and faith have been growing. Our family hosts a weekly Life Group through our church, Mariners. While the parents meet in our living room, the kids will play together upstairs. One evening, Jules asked if she could lead the other children in a “God connection”. She now comes up with a different activity for the kids each week so that they can share what they’re thankful for. It’s been awesome to see her growth.

On the sports side she scored her first touchdown this fall! Keep reading for our flag football team’s comeback glory!

Maddie

Maddie is 10 years old, going on 35. She’s very responsible and is wise beyond her years. She completed the Jr. Leadership program at church and enjoys serving with the preschool ministry. She loves routine, getting her chores done, and spending as much time as possible reading. However, musical theater has taken over as her #1 activity of choice. This year she performed in Fiddler on the Roof (a great play for 10-year-olds), Cinderella, Into the Woods, Peter Pan, and soon to be Singing in the Rain. Not only is it a blessing to see Maddie perform, it’s also a blessing to pay for tickets to all of these shows (not to mention the milkshakes beforehand). All joking aside, we are so appreciative of all the family and friends who have come to watch her perform! It is special to watch her do something she really loves.

Maddie has also discovered a new love, “Hamilton”. She can often be heard singing to the soundtrack or listening to the instrumental version as she concentrates on homework.

Maddie and Jules continue to get along great, whether it’s building Legos, coming up with elaborate stories, or making videos. They still think each other is cool (let’s keep that train rolling)!

Peter and Katie

We celebrated 17 years of wedded bliss in September and got to spend the weekend away in Cabo! We’re so grateful for these years and our family.

Since our girls abandoned the sport of soccer, Katie’s no longer coaching, and I took on that role. I coached Jules’ flag football team to an astonishing 1-7 record (every team makes the playoffs and the playoff divisions are seeded by your record). To no one’s surprise, we won both our playoff games, taking our record to 3-9, and our team earned a Tustin Friday Night Lights championship ring. It took a solid 48 hours for me to remove that signifier of victory.

On a down side, I discovered my wife’s been lying to me for the past 18 months or so. On a recent business trip, while using the airplane bathroom (think double-sided mirrors), I noticed the lack of hair on the back of my head. It hit me: I’m going bald and Katie has kept this from me. When I landed, I called Katie, not to yell at her, but to ask her what else she has been hiding (I think my stomach size is next).

All is forgiven as Katie introduced me to a new store: Kohl’s. Kohl’s has everything I need, from middle-aged dad shirts that make me look like I’ve given up to luggage to gadgets you never knew you needed!  We’re most likely hosting my birthday in March at Kohl’s and letting everyone pick out an article of clothing. Don’t worry, we’ll have enough Kohl’s cash to cover everyone.

In closing, I’ll end with a personal victory (which unfortunately was somewhat of a loss for Katie). Jules was at a birthday party and fell off a 4- person teeter totter, which led to a visit to urgent care where a well-intentioned doctor gave her crutches… for a contusion. So, get this, during the visit, Katie spent 3 hours with Jules in the waiting room. I show up with Maddie, and we’re ushered into x-rays. As we enter, the doctor says, “Sorry, only one parent allowed.” Without hesitation, Jules looks up at me and shouts, “Dad”. Katie turned around, walked past me, and said, “Congratulations, they’re your kids, I’m going home. You figure it out, and while you’re at it, you can figure out dinner.”

A big shout out to the following books which have inspired our family and added to our nightly conversations once the kids are in bed: “Praying for your Elephant” , “Heaven in Business”, and “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership”.

Merry Christmas everyone! Thanks for reading, and may 2026 be filled with love, joy, hope, and peace!

Vaya Con Dios