Merry Christmas 2009 from Sam & Wendy

Wishing our Family & Friends all the best of Christmas. May he who's name this season bears find a special place in your hearts now and throughout the coming year.

-with love, Sam & Wendy

2009 was a great year in spite of the challanges the economy has brought

We just love living in Wilsonville where we have tons of great friends and are relatively close (pretty punny) to all our kids. Wendy's in our ward's Relief Society Presidency and for the 4th time Sam's a counselor in the Bishopric. He's served as counselor to 3 great bishops in Albany and now with our wonderful bishop Lee Bird here.

We are in a great empty nesters Home Evening Group where we have really spiritual lessons but play hard together as well. Wendy & Sam are proud to be the reigning badmitton champions but not quite sure how that happened.

What would life be like without our friends and family. We are so blessed!

All of our kids and their dad are in the home inspection business except for Steven who was smart enough to get out about 2 years ago. In spite of the difficult real estate market we still feel very lucky.

In May, Wendy & Sam spent a few days in Idaho & met Wendy's brother Ernie & wife Margie for a fun time.

(Double click on any of the pictures to view full size)

We got to spend a few days on the Oregon Coast & had the treat of a major wind storm that made for great wave watching

In April we went to a Tea Party in Portland with our future Politician, Kylee

Josephine is one special little girl that has become quite a legend among our close friends

Wendy & Sam spent nearly a week in San Diego working at the NAR convention, but got to work in some sightseeing

7 year old's Ashton & Kylee don't have any fun together.
So sad.

Jeff & his family are living a few blocks from the beach in Birch Bay WA just south of the upcoming Olympics.

Jeff learned from his parents not to give up and in Oct 2008 was blessed with another man in the house... look out Josie!

All the cousins get together quite often to have some great times together

Chris & his family live close by in Tigard.

This was a rare birthday party where Janet's skill as a very artistic cake decorator wasn't put to work. Could it be because it was her birthday?

Gillian, 8, is now playing both Soccer & Basketball and is in the top reading group at school.

Ethan, 5, always on the go and wanting grandpa to tickle him, is also playing soccer

Jack, 2 1/2 has become quite the talker and jokester.

Jeff & family came down for Emmett's blessing early this year. What a special time!

Grace. 11, is really enjoying being in choir and recently sang a solo at a Choir Concert.
Josie 4 is now burning up some of that energy playing soccer
Emmett, now 1, is really keeping Susan on her toes, not that she wasn't already there.

Steven & Family still living in Salem. Steven has the pleasure of commuting to NW Portland every day for his job at the Daimler (Freightliner) Truck Factory as a Purchasing Agent. If anyone is interested in buying his beautiful South Salem home he would love to get closer to work.

Tavany is gaining quite the reputation of getting involved in politics. She is our own Sarah Palin and looks just like her with very little work.

Kylee, 7, is a very creative storyteller using her well advanced writing skills. She is also enjoying gymnastics and can do the splits.

Casey and family are living in Carlton.

When not chasing boys, Angela is quite the gormet cook!

Ashton, 7, loves math and is quite the story teller using his superb artistic skills to illustrate them.

Caden, only 2 but looking twice that in size is our gentle giant. He too loves to get tickled and like his cousin Jack makes everyone crack up with his laugh.

Tatem and family living in Olympia with an addition to the crew due in June.

Cruz, 2, our very own Ginger Kid :-) has his own mind and is smart as a wip (as are all our grandkids)

Sam had the opportunity to go on a painting retreat for a few days this summer with fellow members of the Oregon Watercolor Society. He did his first watercolor portrait, one of grandaughter Grace from a favorite photo.

As most of you know Sam's family has had vacation property in remote Northern Maine that goes back to just after the Civil War. We're very blessed to have Beaver Point to share with all of his Aunt's, Uncle's, Cousins and extended family.

This year we were fortunate to again have our dear friends the Wikles and their brother & sister Don & Jane plus a few of their kids come spend a few days with us there. What a fun time we had watching the Beaver & other wildlife along with all the other water activities. We hope more of our friends will join us in the future.

Sam has served as the Camp Manager at Beaver Point for a number of years now. In May this year he joined with 3 sons, some cousins and his very old Uncle Glady for a 4 day "Work Weekend". Boy did we have fun getting a lot done! We hope to make this a regular event.

As the extended family grows we felt it time to expand our Beaver Point Facilities. Through the very generous donations of Sam's Aunt & Uncle we are now well along the way in the construction of Beaver Lodge. It should be ready for Summer 2010 occupancy.

This now will give us two good sized camps so several branches of the family can enjoy camp at the same time. With Lazy Beaver & Beaver Lodge joined by the smaller camps Moose, Loon & Chickadee we can really have a lot of folks enjoying camp together.

Designed and built with 4 season comfort in mind, Beaver Lodge will now bring us the very real ability to use camp at any time of year. We know the summer months will always be the most popular but we hope family and friends will consider using it during Hunting Season, The Fall Color season, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years and beyond. We really look forward to the blessings of getting to know our extended family better through it's use. For more construction pictures go to our Beaver Lodge Blog at http://samandwendy.blogspot.com/

We do rent out camp at reasonable rates to non family as well, so if anyone is interested please let Sam know

Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year to All!