Merry Christmas!

I can never seem to find the time and energy this time of year to prepare and send out Christmas cards in the mail! Please consider this a decent substitute! We are so grateful for the year that we have had. Our kids are healthy and happy. They are always teaching us patience, love, and most of all with these three boys, laughter!

Brian is still working at Kirby Nagelhout Construction as a Project Manager. He is always working on a few different projects at a time. He definitely stays busy which at this place in time is a blessing! He has had a bit of a rough year just with some sports/recreation injuries. Santa brought him a new ligament for Christmas! He actually recieved it a day early on the 24th. The doctor called the day before to find out if he wanted the opening that they just discovered they had. He has been recovering over the holiday from knee surgery for a new ACL in his right knee. He likes to have his fun...He cut his leg open last January on a snow mobile (but it didn't hurt him enough for him to even know he did it so don't feel too bad for him). After that he has kind of been hurting his right knee over and over until about a month ago he finished it off on his dirt bike and the bummer is he wasn't even doing "anything cool" he says. He is excited to get fixed up so he can resume some of his(/our) favorite things; skiing, waterskiing, softball and riding his dirt bike. Oh, and he loves to spend time with the boys too!

As usual we had a great summer down at Lake Billy Chinook because it is only 30 minutes from our house. We love it there. Brandon learned to waterski at the age of 3 and Tyler continued waterskiing again as well. I was excited to be able to ski this year because I was not pregnant! (And still am not FYI). I have kept very busy with the boys and the various other jobs that I do. I teach fitness classes 4 days a week for an hour in the morining still and I enjoy that. I also sell Vinyl Lettering and on the side do a little selling of some really cool non-stick bakeware called Demarle.

Tyler is 6 now and started Kindergarten this year and he really likes it. He is coming along really well with his reading and writing so that is a lot of fun for us to watch. He is a very sweet boy and happy too. He loves to make gifts for people and wrap them. We had numerous handmade gifts for us under the tree from him for each of us. He stays busy also playing outside with all his neighborhood buddies, riding bikes, playing hide and seek and jumping on the trampoline.

Brandon is usually right behind him. He learned how to ride his bike back in May when he was still 3! My boys learn early, maybe it's the cul-de-sac we live on I don't know. Anyway, he was really proud of himself and even more proud now that he has turned 4. He reminds us often of the things that he can NOW do BETTER that he is 4. He is such a funny boy. I could literally go on and on about all the funny things he does and says in one whole day. And then I could start over again the next day.

Ethan is 16 months now and always right behind Brandon! He is definitely just another one of the boys now. He wants to be with them and play what they are playing for sure. He is starting to talk more and more and he knows what we are saying to him which makes things easier sometimes! One of his favorite things to do is dance, he is quite the little twinkle toes.

We are having fun raising these little guys here in Central Oregon around with lots family close by and great friends. We are grateful for the love of our Father in Heaven and our Savior. This time of year is such a great opportunity to teach our kids the importance of Christ and the meaning of his life for us. We are grateful for all of you and for the friendships that we have made over the years and all the family that we seem to keep aquiring with marriages and babies. We love you and hope you have a happy and safe holiday. Love, the Powells