Merry Christmas!

This is the Christmas card I sent out this year. Anson's picture is a couple of years old, but I never got around to getting them all together to take a Christmas photo this year.

This is a letter that I wrote just in case I sent the cards out early.
Everything was last minute, so this letter was never sent, but you can read it here.

Dear family and friends,

A lot happened this year! I’ll start with the kids first.

Anson Jr. turned 13, Ammon 10, and Ashton 7! They sure are growing fast. Especially Anson Jr.!!! He only wears a pair of jeans for a couple of months before I need to go out and buy more. He has already passed me in height and is gaining on his dad. He is still attending the art school and loves it. He is taking American Sign Language this year and wants to take Spanish next year….in HIGH SCHOOL! I still feel like I am high school so how could I possibly have a child that old?!

Ammon is doing awesome in school too, of course. Social Studies and Math are his favorite subjects and he’s very interested in geography, particularly Norway. He recently purchased a phrase book in the Norwegian language and his room is decorated with world globes and travel books.

Ashton is a little smarty too. I was worried at first when we decided to put him in school a year early, but not anymore. He learns quickly, is good at math, spelling and reading. Ammon tells Ashton that he reads better than a lot of kids in his 5th grade class. Ashton also LOVES video games. Ammon and Ashton both got an award at their school assembly last month. We are so proud of all of our boys and thankful they are healthy.

Angela went to back to school for 3 semesters in the 08-09 year and did very well in the art program. She had 2 photographs and 2 drawings selected to be displayed in The Archer Gallery for the student art annual. She also had 3 art pieces selected for the college’s art and literary publication. (You can view her pieces online at: http://www.clarkphoenix.com/gallery/visual/index.html (Go to page 7. Mother, Olympic and Yellow are the titles of her work). Her trictograph, “Yellow” was chosen from that publication to be made into a greeting card by the college. She and Anson also have a screen printing business where they work out of their garage. Most of their business is done for the “Dazzled By Twilight” store in Forks and Port Angeles, Washington.

Anson Sr. still commutes twice a week to Seattle where he attends school. He just recently passed his Comps and is officially a Psy. D (c) (which means he is a candidate to become a Dr. in Psychology. He started his practicum this last fall and is doing therapy and testing in 2 different clinics here in Vancouver. If that wasn’t enough, Anson was able to fly to Utah and play keyboards for the Mitch Hansen Band. While there, they did played events and did radio interviews and television interviews too. AND, the most exciting and recent thing is that Anson published his first book called, “The Littlest Acorn”. http://www.paramountpacificpress.com/Top_Selling_Books.html

Other things that happened this year are that we bought a Thousand Trails membership and an RV which has been very enjoyable. We also had a little girl! Her name is Lucy and she’s a Chihuahua! She’s still a puppy, but she’s very smart and learning quickly. AND we moved…only a couple of miles from where we were, but what a difference! We love it here.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!