Christmas 2011

We hope this letter finds all of you doing well and looking forward to a New Year as we are. It seems like the older I get, the quicker time seems to go by. I can’t believe 2011 will be ending soon. As I sit here reminiscing over our many adventures this year the main one for us will be the closure of the Girl Scout Camp Whispering Oaks. We tried so hard this year to convince the council how much this camp was needed for our area and the memories it held for so many of us. The decision was made and it closed its gates on October 29th. Elise’s troop conducted the closing and last ceremony for it. I still get teary eyed just thinking about it. Just to show how old I am and the many memories I had of it, I remember a group of us leaders on our way to a retreat there on October 16, 1987. We had a small black and white TV in the car and were watching them rescue Jessica McClure out of a well in Midland. We were so excited that one of us had a portable TV back then. Now days I can just watch the current events on my iPhone. I guess we wouldn’t be where we are today without change. I just wish it didn’t hurt so bad to lose the things that have meant so much to you during your life. I guess that is why God gives us memories. Anyone notice how big a tree can grow in 24 years?

After being a Brownie for 4 years (long story) and going through 1 vest and 3 sashes Elise finally bridged to a Junior in May. Here we go again. She already has the back of her new vest half full. 2011 will be remembered as the year of Hatsune Miku. We keep expecting her to start speaking Japanese any day now. It was fun having to order birthday presents and Halloween costumes from Japan. It’s just not something you can run out to the local Walmart and pick up.

My neighbors probably wondered what the heck I was doing when I had 20 bales of hay delivered and put it in my back yard this past winter. It was for my Straw Bale Garden. It didn’t do much with the extreme heat we got this summer. Maybe I’ll have better luck with a winter garden. Elise and her Daddy now have a hobby they share......Bowling Even Even with our crazy schedules we managed to go to a Halloween Party together. We went as Michael Myers fans. Jayden had his third and hopefully last open heart surgery this summer. He still amazes me. Jaxon started Kindergarten this fall. They're both growing up so fast. We want to wish each of you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Russ, Judy, Elise, Raleigh, Lulu, and Sissy