**Season’s Greetings Family and Friends**

The Williams Family had a happy year in 2009. We enjoyed hiking in many places of South Central Utah, had a bountiful garden, went on many bike rides together, and overall had a jolly good time as a family.

Our little-man Brandt turned eight years old and was baptized in May. He is still very active and plays all sports, loves building Lego ships, has the “Lord of the Rings” movies memorized and keeps us all entertained with his funny musings. He is a Star Wars expert and also earned his orange belt in karate, so we call him our mini-lethal weapon.

Raina is 11 and counting the days until she turns 12 in order for her to enter the Young Women’s program. She is taking piano lessons from a Suzuki instructor and her skills have improved markedly over the past year. She loves singing, music, reading, writing poetry, and is an aficionado of fashion---as much as she can be at a baby-sitting earners wage however.

Fourteen year old Aubree is eagerly anticipating getting her learner’s permit this coming summer. (Yikes!) She has become an expert at baking and we enjoy her culinary skills. She delights us with yummy bread, cookies, pretzels, pies, and scrumptious dinners. I have basically retired from the kitchen, except acting as the scullery maid at times. When Aubree is not baking, she is reading, working on art projects, or spending time with her goat-Nellie, cat-Simon, dog-Ramadi, or pet chickens. She is still our nature girl and is always barefoot.

Talon finally received his driver’s license after months of procrastination, due to the fact that he was required to finish up his Eagle Scout before we allowed him to be an official motor-vehicle-operator. (For any other cruel and unusual parenting techniques, just email me and I’ll send you my list.) He participated in the cross-country team and had some awesome races, plus he advanced to a purple belt in karate…so we have another lethal weapon in the family. Talon is tall, handsome, and receives many compliments on his adorable dimples…from old-ladies and little girls, but never-the-less, a compliment is a compliment.

Chad had another awesome marathon…his third year in a row. He also had time to build a patio in our backyard, become a Major in the Army National Guard, and traveled to Germany this summer.

While Chad was in Germany, I travelled to Gunnison. Not for any reason, but just to say that I got out of Sevier County for a little while. But other than my major travels, I have been busy with mentoring children’s clubs, reading great literature, gardening, and having fun with my new hobby of raising worms. It true… I’m now a vermiculture expert. Red worms do wonders for garden soil and I expect my produce production to go so high that I will be canning food for weeks on end.

Warmest wishes to you all! We send you our love during this holiday season and throughout the New Year.