Howdy!  It's me, Spinner Regan Patterson!

How was your Christmas?  Was Santa Claus good to you?  He sure was to me:  I got a brand new digital camera (complete with tripod), so I could take pictures of storm clouds, I got some DVDs about storm chasers, and I got some books about weather.  I guess you could say I had a very weathericious Christmas! :)

My brother Carston Stryker got brand new shoes, new crutches (his old ones are falling apart; they're old), new clothes, and some toys (mainly race cars, some trucks).  My sister, Maeli, meanwhile, got a new dolly, a baby buggy, a puppy (she named him "Trooper"; he's a Jack Russell Terrier), and some ribbons, clips, hair bands for her hair.  She absolutely loves to look pretty; she's a girlie-girl!

Mama and Daddy, they got a new van.  It was a surprise.  Don't know who got it for them, but on Christmas morning, there it was, sitting in our driveway.  A big, red bow was tied to the antenna.  When mama saw it, she screamed, then fainted in daddy's arms.  Daddy, he just cried; he could not believe it.

The van is burgundy, and it has a wheelchair lift for Carston, so he can get in/out easier.  It holds ten people; it's nice!

Uncle Twister and his wife, Stormi, came down from Oklahoma City to spend Christmas with us.  We went to the park, where we went ice skating.  I had a lot of fun, or did until a big kid ran into me, bloodied my nose.  I mean, he ran me over like a freight train:  didn't see him coming.

Now I have a bruised up face; it looked like I got beat up.  I did, by the ice.  OW!

In just a few days it will be a new year. Two-thousand-and-oh-nine.  I don't know what it will bring, but I hope it brings me some good storms that I can chase, or at least take pictures of!  I love spring; it's only a few months away!  I cannot wait!!

Mama and daddy hope their jobs are safe.  The ecomony [Spinner meant economy] is not good: lots of places are closing, people are losing money, even their homes.  The only people who are doing good are the rich cats who have more money than they know what to do with.  Daddy, he's always gripin' 'bout the fat rich cats in Warshington DC.

Mama also hopes that my little brother doesn't have to have another hospital stay for a long time.  He had surgery in October, and he was down for a while.  He had surgery on his bladder and on his legs.  He was awful' sick; but he got better, thank God!  :)

I am having fun, playing with my new toys, and with my new camera.  We had some storms come in the other day, tried to take pictues, but my stupid little sister kept poking me in the arm, making me mess up.  I was so mad at her I could have pulled her head off!!  GRRR! I HATE it when she does that!!

I watched a cool video on YouTube:  this person called StormSpinner1 taped a scary looking roll/shelf cloud that passed over her area of Texas; it was really neat!  I've only seen one roll/shelf cloud in my life, and I was about four then; but I remember it clearly.  It scared me; I thought we were going to get a tornado out of it; but we didn't.  I was happy about that!  :)

Well, I am going to go:  Maeli wants to play with me again, so I am going to run along now.  Carston also wants to join in the fun.  Think we are going to watch a movie; I just hope it isn't "Brother Bear" again!  I am getting sick and tired of that movie!!  I'd much rather watch "Shrek 2"!!

Bye for now!  Will write again soon!

Happy New Year!!  Maybe this time mama and daddy'll let me stay up late; I wonder what a new year looks like; I've never seen one. :)

~Love, your storm-crazy friend, Spinner Regan Patterson, aged 8.  :D