As I was thinking about writing our Christmas newsletter for this year, I happened to read the one from last year. Not much has changed. So I could write "ditto". If you really care about what that was, it is still available on Blogspot. God has kept us.

We found these mysterious eggs in a hole in the apple tree in January. They disappeared months later, and we never found out what they were.

The economy continues to affect us slightly. Ruth got about 12 days work before September - and at least 12 since September. Carlton's income dropped slightly also. The good news was that we did get a tenant for the empty side of our duplex in March, and they seem to be doing fine. I had quit advertising, as I didn't like turning out the family I had housesitting to a life of homelessness in the dead of winter. But in mid-January, they sent me an email to let me know that they were praying for a renter for us. Wow! Within a week we had someone asking to see the place, so I showed it. Then I asked them when they wanted to move in. They said March 1 - so I didn't feel so bad about that. The housesitters moved over to a mission in Madras where they were a blessing to others for a couple months.

Ruth did the backyard bird count in late winter. I was playing bird songs on my computer, and both cats came to investigate.

Since work didn't keep Ruth too busy, she enjoyed the regional Bible quiz, mission convention, doing resource monitoring for the park district, a couple ROAM (RV's on a Mission) work projects, accompanying her friend on a weeklong trip to the beach, and backpacking in the Three Sisters Wilderness

Saw this impressive coat at the Glide Wildflower Show in April.

Monitoring resources for the Park District.

Clearing out weeds in the Ampitheater at Kellogg Springs Camp.

We carved our names in the sand to memorialize our visit to Seaside.

Crystal and her friends let me come along on a hike up SilverStar Mountain in Washington. This was June, but it was cold, windy, and foggy. But I thought I had a wonderful time!

We didn't put a new roof on this year (we did that last year), but we did have our huge lombardy poplar cut down. It was over 4 feet in diameter in the lower trunk. Ruth spent a lot of time this summer splitting it and has a huge holzmeite to show for her work. It's not particularly good firewood, but it would have cost $700 to have it hauled off. When was the last time you paid negative $ for a few cords of wood?

<--This is the holzmeite, about half done.

The ROAM team and some of the locals at Canby Nazarene.

Crystal was chosen as employee of the month for Providence Hospital in July, and we got to go to the party. There was an emergency on her floor (she works in cardiac care) and the presenters could not come on time, so we ate the cake first.

Thanks to Derald for counting me in on the backpacking trip. Marie Jean and I spent a beautiful day hiking along Fall Creek up to Green Lakes and back again.

This small holzmeite was made from the remains of the old apple tree. Since apple is slow to cure, we piled it separately.

I got to exercise my "grandparent" privilege at the local swim district and sign Elijah up for swim lessons. At the end of the lesson, here he is getting into the slide.

Yoshimi was valedictorian of her class at Aveda Beauty College. We were proud of her.

This month the Jenkins family went to Japan so Elijah could be spoiled by the Sato family for awhile. Cliff has returned to work, but Yoshimi and Elijah are still there. Leaving my Christmas decorations up until they can come back and unwrap their gifts.

Carlton is well, working, and keeping a consistent routine week to week. He helps teach English as a second language, does hall monitor duty at church on rotation, helps a number of people with their computer difficulties, and throws a pizza party for his friends on Friday evenings.

Wishing you all God's best for you in 2011. We delight in having our lives and times held in His hands, and desire you to know that joy also. Carlton and Ruth Smith