To dear friends and family a very Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas to all of you our dear family and friends and welcome to our annual Christmas letter. We hope you've had a wonderful year as we have! We hit some milestones, enjoyed cherished moments together and kept close even when distances divided us. As life marches forward we have been blessed in so many ways and are grateful for the Holiday season that's given time to ponder those blessings! Our posts below and the kid's own blogs, linked at the right, have detailed those blessings and milestones. As I think back right now one event this summer stands out but didn't get posted. The bustle of the summer led right into the busyness of fall and I never found time to post about it. In mid July we were able to share our cabin and property with the youth (ages 12 - 18) of our ward (congregation). First, the young women spent an amazing weekend there reading the whole Book of Mormon cover to cover and then the young men arrived for their scouting high adventure, spending 4 days playing at the cabin and hiking in Zion National park. It was really an experience that must be mentioned! We had amazing times with each group and were touched to be able to share our beautiful property and cabin! Those days combined with the wonderful moments we spent with family there this year now fill the cabin, trails and meadows of the property with cherished memories. Doug and I are happily looking forward to the year ahead which promises to bring challenges and exciting changes just as the past one has. In this season of life there will always be a wedding, a sweet baby's birth, a beloved missionary's return, or other amazing family event on the horizon. We look forward to them with awe and with gratitude! We hope you'll come back often to share each experience with us!! We wish you a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year! With love . . .