First and foremost, from our home to yours, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. We love to get letters from family and friends during the holiday season and get updated on their lives and truly never think that people are bragging or boasting about themselves. So, if you feel that way, we are sorry but only want to share the joys, highlights and wonderful things that mean so much to us, with you!
The last year we wrote an annual Christmas letter was in 2007. As you all know in 2008, we found out about our sweet baby girl Avery Ann, and we just couldn’t write, then in March when she was born, 2009 Christmas just didn’t feel the same for us. We celebrated as normal but something was just missing. We hung a stocking for our special angel, but we were still mourning her presence in our lives. So all in all……we have 3 years of reporting to do in this letter. Stop, don’t the throw it out just yet, we will keep it simple.
Not much new to report in the way of big changes in our lives overall. We are truly grateful for our health, family, friends, jobs and our faith! These simple things often go unnoticed and with the unsettled world right now, we know we are blessed with these things and truly depend on them each and everyday.
Steve is still at Zion’s Bank, not much has changed here, just grateful to have such a wonderful employer today. This fall, Steve and his Dad went out hunting for elk and were unsuccessful, so Steve said, “next year, I am taking a golfing trip instead with all the money and time it took to go hunting!.” Steve coached Colton and Kaden’s baseball team this year and loved it, I am hoping it will become an annual thing; he is so good with children.
Austin, oh my goodness, am I actually writing this?, is a junior in high school. In March he got his drivers’ license and a set of new wheels, new to him that is! He has been swimming and playing baseball for the high school team since his freshman year. This year in baseball, he had a great season with a three run homer one game, then the next game a grand slam home run. The swim team took 2nd in state, two years in a row; they are looking for first this year! Not sure where Austin has gotten his swimming abilities from since no one on my side of the family going back as far as I know, can swim at all. I can doggy paddle on a good day!
Colton is still Colton, only wiser and smarter! His personality is so much like Leah’s that it’s uncanny! They can be the best of friends one moment and at each others throats the next and never holding a grudge. Colton thinks he is one of Austin’s buddies; he wants to do everything that Austin does, not excluding, wearing cologne, listening to the same music, playing all the same sports, dressing like him and sometimes trying to say what he says! Colton has a natural competitive character trait, we hope that he will take this strong will and really put it into sports and school. He is now in 2nd grade and really has shown his strengths already, spelling and math! Whenever there is a reading assignment that is not his game.
Kaden- we are not sure of his age, since he turned four, we told him he couldn’t’ get bigger! He is six years old now and is in Kindergarten. He loves school, tries to make up homework, copies Colton’s and can’t stop reading chapter books! Well, at least there is one reader in the family. He is so precious and we mean that in everything he does. He wants to do the right thing and is very obedient. However, if he does get mad, you better put on some earplugs, cuz its gonna get ugly. The boys have been sharing a room for the last 3 years, and Kaden has since relocated back to his old room, since Colton always wakes him up in the morning. This kid likes to sleep and relax, just like his Daddy!
Lastly, but of course not least, Leah, Leah, Leah or should we say now…..Leah and Colton, just never shut down. Steve thinks that she needs meds to combat her never ending energy and enthusiasm for life, she just needs a vacation every month and all will be happy. The real estate world has surely changed, but, she is still dabbling in managing rentals. Her new professions are bargain shopping and exercising. The kids are in school most of the day, so she has some much needed down time to herself. Our Christmas this year is all paid for by her couponing/rebates and what she acquired at garage sales this year that she sold on ebay.com for over 700% of what she paid for it!
This summer we spent a lot of time camping at Campinland’ and made some great memories with our friends and family. With 3 boys, its inevitable that we are ATVing, hiking, camping, outdoor kinda family. The boys got to ride a friend’s motorcycle this summer and that is all they talk about saving their money for. Kaden has learned to drive the ATV that we bought them, cuz it has gears, all by himself…he shifts, puts it in reverse, and begs to ride it every chance he gets. We let him drive us around all the time; he is so good at it. We wish for you and your family a happy holiday season and prosperous new year.
Love, Steve, Leah, Austin, Colton, and Kaden
