Instead of sending out paper copies of a Christmas Letter with our Christmas cards, we thought we could share our yearly happenings through this Farm Notes: Christmas Edition 2014! Enjoy....
Holiday Greetings, Family and Friends!
Each year seems to bring exciting changes and adventures especially with our kiddos. This fall, Gavin and Layla were both in the same pre-school class and LOVED being in school part of the week. Gavin says he wants to be a farmer when he grows up (and enjoys farming with Daddy, Gramps, and Papa) and Layla wants to be a princess or teacher depending on the day! They bring home stories of new friends, songs, and crafts. Days are spent singing songs together in the backseat of the car and dancing to Frozen and Peter Pan in the living room (oh, and chasing each other around the house and wrestling). Gavin asked Santa for Tonka trucks, Thomas trains, and Legos. Layla’s wish list includes dolls, princesses, and ponies.
Kristen also started a new journey this fall in ISU’s English Studies PhD program in hopes of someday teaching future English educators. She is currently on sabbatical from her high school teaching position and spent the semester taking graduate courses and teaching English 101 to ISU freshmen. She loves her new schedule of being a student, teacher, and stay-at-home mom for part of the week.
Grant and the farmers had successful and safe planting and harvest seasons. We spent time visiting Daddy in the field and bringing the guys “field-meals”. He has won yet another trip through the Illinois Farm Bureau, and we will soon be spending a long weekend in Nashville.
As always, this past year we traveled near and far. Last winter, it got so cold in Illinois that Grant needed to get to warmer weather so we booked a last minute trip to Florida to visit Kristen’s aunt and uncle and enjoyed the sunshine. Over the summer, we flew to California for a Strom family wedding and trips to Disneyland and the beach. Gavin and Layla also proved to be the perfect ring bearer and flower girl! Kristen took her high school students on a study abroad trip for the second year: Italy, Switzerland, and France were on the itinerary. Family weekend trips included St. Louis Cardinals games, Michigan lake house visits, and Lake Forest family time. Our backyard also received a much needed makeover complete with a beautiful patio and fire pit for wiener roasts and s’mores; we can now travel by foot to relax with family and friends.
We are so grateful for the blessings in our lives, and we wish you a Christmas season full of love and joy! Toasting to a healthy, beautiful, and adventurous 2015!
-Grant, Kristen, Gavin and Layla
