The Christmas letter we never sent...

I had big plans this year for Christmas. I was going to get started early on shopping, making treats, and creating cute Christmas cards and a clever letter to go along with them. I was going to decorate my house and create a festive atmosphere for my family to enjoy. Well, Strep throat thwarted most of my Christmas dreams. I spent 4 days flat on my back and two full weeks trying to regain all of my energy. It has been a long time since I have been that sick. Needless to say, I quickly sent one family picture to Costco and had some not so cute cards made. We mailed them out, without any kind of letter, and I have been sad about it ever since.

Although not clever, I thought I would still post some of the years highlights with our family pictures.

Russ- spent two weeks fly-fishing in the Seychelles, traveled to Mexico with the family, continued to serve as scout master/ Deacon’s quorum advisor, still worked as the service manager at Alsco, continued to live in the “most fishless area of the nation”, hunted for deer and dove, and coached Grant’s basketball team.

Kori- traveled to New York with Garrett’s baseball team and LOVED the “Big Apple”, went to Mexico with the family, was finally released from the Primary Presidency after 4 ½ years, still worked as an exercise physiologist at the hospital, ran very little, gained at least 5 pounds.

Garrett (almost 14)- played football, basketball and baseball, won the football championship, watched The Yankees play at Yankee Stadium, went to the top of the Empire State building, competed in a baseball tournament in New York, went to Mexico, shot his first dove and deer, grew 3 inches, is back in braces for phase II, started junior high, learned to drive, ate us out of house and home.

Grant (11 ½)- played football, basketball, and baseball, won championships in baseball and football, began gymnastics and has spent the 2^nd half of the year upside down on his hands, started 6^th grade at the intermediate school, had his 1^st phase of braces removed, started scouts, visited the Mayan ruins at Tulum, is now eating almost as much as his brother.

Gracie (8)- was baptized by her dad, started 3^rd grade, continued in gymnastics, lost her first tooth (then had 3 more pulled to make room in her mouth), learned to write in cursive, sang in the school choir- Sunset Express, became the proud owner of Pippa the hamster, loved to have her nails painted, still talks too much to eat.