2011 Christmas Letter

Merry Christmas! Another year flew by- can we just slow it down a little bit? The kids keep growing taller and their lives are getting busier.

Dirk played soccer this year (I can finally claim to be a soccer mom) and wants to be on the High School team in the Spring. I can't believe he is a freshman- I still want to pick him up at the middle school! He is a BIG Oregon Ducks fan- hope he chooses to go to college there....

Alex is now sponsored by 2 skate companies- Mad Monkey and Datos (which means he gets free skateboards). He is working at Sahara Pizza, Thompson Hill Winery & Bed & Breakfast, and teaching Lil' Kickers Soccer at LifeQuest. He took the semester off from college, but is returning in Jan. to take business classes. His glass biz is hopping right now during the holidays.www.GlassArtByAlex.blogspot.com

He's on YouTube, also.

Paine is still working at the site, glad to still have his job (lots of lay-offs). Still golfing every Friday and some weekends. He's been busy on Wed. evenings helping serve dinner for the Celebrate Recovery group at church, attending Men's Bible Study, and playing basketball afterwards. Comes home pretty beat up every time.....

I am still working at Tapteil Winery (and have a new title of Tasting Room Manager). While it's closed for the winter, I am teaching craft classes at Hobby Lobby.

My big trip in October this year was to Tennessee, Kentucky & Indiana. I have so many friends living there now- I was able to be there for 9 days! LOVED that!

Paine & I went to his Barrington High School 40th Reunion in Rhode Island this summer. We visited with his little brother, his old school chums, and got to tour his boyhood home.

Mom, Dad, & Willa are well and keeping busy in the Tri-Cities. Nana has discovered Dial A Ride, using it on Thursdays for her prayer group. The three of them play Mexican Train with their neighbors on Wed. nights. Mom is learning to paint watercolors. Dad is still in the woodcarving group and the Mustang Club.

Paine has been flying down to San Francisco monthly to visit his brother Bob. Bob is still in & out of Stanford University Hospital, but hopefully when we see him, he will be in a new facility that will get him back on his feet again. We visited him over Spring Break, but he was still in the ICU. He's sounding better everyday we talk to him. Thank you for all your prayers. He says it's working!

Blessings to you for the new year!

Paine, Gayle, Alex, Dirk, & Hunter