Happy New Year and a look back...

January 1. The new year brings a lot of expectations and resolutions and renewed vigor to accomplish goals or change all those old bad habits! It also always makes me think back on the past year, let's recap 2008...

bunco

fencing

trip to traverse city

poker

scouts

basement floods (again!)

Osto plays charity basketball and almost gets in a fight

my car accident

Brad and Shelly got hitched

Siver goes to Iraq (and comes home)

T-bird gets braces

We get Marley!

Kris has baby Vaughn

baseball and softball

Riverbank Run

new patio

Cedar Point

dance recital

Osto starts his new job

Grand Haven

Dan and Nannie turn 60!

Rau Cottage

Guitar playing

CAMP OSTO!

Dog training

Marshall Run

Two 40th anniversaries!

More Camp Osto fun!

Kids start 4 year preschool, 3rd grade and 5th grade

Safety patrol

Cal starts gymnastics

Trick or Trot

Lots of Birthdays!

Trick or Treat

Hunting and more hunting

new President elected

Chooch plays soccer

The holidays

Of course, there were many more things than these, but these are just some of the highlights. Sadly, the last few months of 2008 brought a lot of loss to our families. My cousin, Michelle, lost her husband Erick to cancer at the age of 39. Papa Hunter died at the age of 87, and Osto's uncle Andre died from an unexpected heart attack at the age of 59 while hiking in Arizona. We'll always remember these people fondly.

So now its on to 2009 - I hope you slay your dragons or whatever and have a great year!