Happy Holidays 2011

Dear Friends and Family,

I hope that this year has been a good one for all of you. It seems that every year comes faster and faster. Enjoy checking out our family blog. It is the most comprehensive way to communicate to you what we have been up to in the past year. There are photos and short videos of all that has been going on in our lives. If you want to be a follower of the blog, click down at the bottom and you will get updates throughout the year and/or you can comment where it says to do so. (October was quite an active month so you will have to click on the individual titles of the posts to see them all).

A little breakdown of this year involves a house move. Last year at this time, we put our house on the market. The house search was quite the process as we put offers on three different properties. Our house sold quickly after the holidays but we didn't move until the middle of spring. We bought a log house with 2.5 acres. It has been quite the transition but a positive one. The girls have already made friends in the neighborhood and still go to the same school. Town is a little further away but we just have to make sure we plan things better so we don't have to drive as much.

Work has been busy for both Todd and I and we cherish our time off. We try to do as much with the girls as we can. We bought a family membership to the aquarium and have gone quite a few times. We went to the Oregon Coast this summer and camped. We also took a couple days to enjoy the fun of Great Wolf Lodge in Washington. We always take the time to be a tourist in our own town as well.

Vanessa started Kindergarten this fall and is enjoying the new routine and the new language (French). Heather is now in Grade 3, an avid reader (finishing the last book of the Harry Potter series) and loves to draw. She is still busy with Highland dance and both of them have started horse riding lessons.

Jigs is now almost two years old and is quite the character. He is enjoying his yard and his scent has been keeping the bears and deer away for the most part this year. Meeko, the cat, has had a few adjustments this year. He moved in with Grandma and Grandpa while we were selling the house and got very comfortable there. He finally moved back when we moved in and has been adjusting well but has no desire to go outside anymore after he got chased by Jigs and the neighbor's dog around the yard.

We are higher in elevation here. We seem to have more rain but we have also had two snowfalls as well with more to come I am sure. Looking forward to hearing from all of you over the holidays and if you are passing through, make sure to stop by and visit.

Wishing you all the best this holiday season and a fantastic 2012.
Cheers,
Belinda, Todd, Heather and Vanessa