Family christmas letter

Merry Christmas from the Allen family! 2008 has flown by so fast even Jake and Zac have felt it. We had a nice snow year. I x-country skied many times with a friend. We went up Pole Canyon probably 20 times. Each day it looked different depending on the light and of course how icy it was which affected the speed of descent and work of ascent. We also went up Moose Creek a couple of times, so quiet and still. The top of Pine Creek pass had a spectacular view also. Memorie and I were up there one day when a big storm was coming in…it was creepy as we tried to get back to the car before the storm overtook us. Nature is so powerful and beautiful. Awe-inspiring every time you take the time to look. For spring break in March we took the family that was at home (David, Mem, Ben, Jake, Zac and Carl and I) and had a boat trip down Hell’s Canyon. What a rush, and also very informative. We learned about river varnish -- it makes those shiny slick rocks. We revisited the World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise which has grown up and changed dramatically since our visit years and years ago, and went to the Science Center (Zac enjoyed it so much he wants to go back). We stopped past the City of Rocks National Monument in south central Idaho and were impressed even though we could only see a small portion of it because of the snow. The boys were determined to return sometime in the summer and climb on all those rocks some more. Carl and I took a trip with my sister Barb and her husband Gordon in early April. We went down to the National Parks in southern Utah and stopped to see a lot of other awesome sights. It was really a fun time for us all. We hiked or walked all over the place: Zion, Bryce, Capital Reef national parks and also a fun state park outside of St. George as well as a petrified rock park and an Anasazi museum. Interesting scenery and beautiful views. The geology is so different than anything we have around here, it was way cool. The little boys and I had several camping trips. We went to City of Rocks and Craters of the Moon the first week in June with a friend and one of her sons. We had fun but it rained us out early as we finally had nothing dry left to wear. Mem and I took them camping at Rigby Lake in July where they played in rubber rafts and made sand castles. We went camping at Yellowstone National Park twice (Carl wasn’t done with irrigating the first time and so we had to return because the boys discovered the fun of Firehole River.) Gas was too expensive at $4+/gallon, to return to the ocean like the boys wanted.
Skyler graduated with his master’s degree in civil engineering in May. He has a job in Pocatello which he loves. He and Lacey had their second red-headed baby girl this morning. She is 19 ¼ “ and weighs 6 lb 9 oz. Her name is Emmalyn. I am playing with Abigail while Lacey is in the hospital. We have had lots of fun so far this morning. Hoping it stays lots of fun and she doesn’t become too sad without her Mommy.
David lived with us all year. Worked at MD nursery thru’ the summer, worked some evenings repairing things at an apartment complex in town, and helped on the farm. He is currently in Texas with Dani and Hal doing some repairs on their home. His little brothers have sure enjoyed having him around and getting to know him better.
Dani & Hal are in the process of moving to Houston. Hal got a new job which he hopes to enjoy, and Dani after finally getting a full-time job will have to leave it behind and begin the search anew. They have 3 ferrets, a turtle, and who knows what other wildlife (she’s always collecting something). They are coming up for Christmas and New Years so we are looking forward to seeing them.
Memorie passed her boards and is an RN. She worked at the Driggs hospital for a few months then went back to school full time. She will have her Bachelor’s degree in April. By summer she’ll be settled somewhere and busy working.
Ben cut a tendon in his hand clear through this time and had to have a surgical repair. He was out of commission for the farm from early August thru’ October. He almost has full extension of that right ring finger now. It was the same tendon he cut before, the repair involved removal of some scar tissue on the tendon leaving it a little short. He has worked hard to get range of motion back so he can wrestle. He started the cross-country running season wearing a splint which looked like he was carrying a garden hoe and messed up his rhythm and gait. His wrestling season has begun. He was the baker in the play “Into the Woods” this fall and is busy, busy, busy. He’ll graduate in early June from high school. Currently he is thinking about college, but has only applied to one school and talked to the cross-country coach at another.
Jacob earned his arrow of light in Cub Scouts and graduated to Boy Scouts, he is working on his Citizenship in the Community merit badge. He has completed 6.5 of the 8 hours of service required. He put up the Christmas lights in front of the library and helped set up for the book sale. He is in 5th grade, has braces on his teeth, rode his bike to school each day til the weather got too cold, and is looking forward to snowboarding for winter sports this year. Jake is becoming a pretty good cook & can cook a lot of things for his age.
Zac is in 3rd grade, in the Bear den at Cub Scouts and I think feeling left out of some things. He enjoys going with his Dad and helping. I’m his den leader at scouts which is very fun for me. Zac is planning to downhill ski for winter sports.
Carl is getting pretty thin on top of his head. So now we are both jealous of Memorie’s thick stand of hair. He keeps busy with farm work, his knees creek and are stiff if he doesn’t keep moving. He’s a hoot after sitting through a church meeting as he tries to get his legs moving again. He started growing a beard this fall, boy is he distinguished- looking with all the white in his beard and gray around the head.
Susan is looking wrinkled and gray herself, and is starting to be the source of heat for the cold feet in bed at night. She is still working at the hospital and keeping busy in the community with the Red Cross blood drives and Friends of the Library.
We are hoping this Christmas season brings great joy to you and yours. I love the music, lights and especially the spirit of love found in abundance this time of year. Please remember our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ as you celebrate His birth. We are thankful you are a part of our lives.
God Bless and Merry Christmas, The Allen family: Carl, Susan, and kids