2010 Christmas Letter

Merry Christmas to Family and Friends, 2010

It is winter in Alaska again and that means Christmas is near. We are excited because the family will be flying north “over the rivers to grandmothers’ house” soon. Winter has been good – two big snows with a week of rain in between that made all the lakes great for skating for several days. Below are some events from 2010.

We were sad in April when granddaughter Emery moved to Tacoma, but Facebook and Skype kept us closer in spite of the distance. (Too bad we didn’t have this kind of communication 30 years ago for our kids and the grandparents.) John works with Operation Christmas Child for AK, WA, OR, ID and MT. Also, he’s been doing some writing lately for Christian Examiner. We are really looking forward to next April which is the due date of grandson Leeland! Grandkids are so much fun: )

July/August we had a great vacation down to Washington; along with a side-trip to see many Minnesotans for a week in the middle. Heidi and John’s apartment is in a good location, a block from a nice park and about a mile from downtown. So Heidi has a great place to take Emery for some fun and exercise every day.

Holly is making coffees up in Anacortes. She does a little rock climbing and sailing in her free time. She’s about 3 or 4 hours away from Heidi and they get together quite often.

Christoffer is an electrician working all around the oil and gas fields of the inlet and peninsula. He likes all motorized toys in his spare time.

Lois Ann is working half days at the elementary school and has become quite a painter at the lake house we are finishing. I am still retired and have been building and helping some friends a little on their buildings when not playing hockey or golf.

God Bless Everyone this Christmas and in the coming year!!! mstyns@gmail.com

Christmas Letter 2009

Dear Family and Friends,

Christmas and New Year is a great time to re-connect with everyone. Hope you all had a fine Christmas. About a week ago, every single tree branch was coated white with fresh frost and snow, but it didn’t quite stick until Christmas because of some warm wind and weather.

Thankfully we have had a very good first year of retirement in spite of the uncertain economy. Lois Ann is still working half days at the elementary school and she enjoys it. I have been finishing up some decades old projects at home, and putting in a lot of time working at the lake house making it more comfortable for John, Heidi and Emery. (Golf and hockey still take quite a slice of time.)

We took a fun road trip over the Alaska Highway to Washington in June. Heidi and John took us along as adult guests to Young Life camp Malibu, north of Vancouver, Canada. We had a very good time. We spent some more time in Anacortes and visited with Holly. On the way home we went over to Spokane and stayed with Vivian and Micheal Norris, and the next day stopped by Bruce and Susie Stinsman’s in Idaho. On the way north we went through Banff / Jasper parks in Canada and did some hiking. The Alaska Highway is way better than it was 20-30 years ago, no dust or gravel.

In July John, Heidi, and Emery moved up here. They are helping Young Life grow on the Kenai Peninsula, and also working with a local Christian college. It is sure fun having Emery close by.

Holly is living in Anacortes and making coffees for a living. She travelled to Alaska a few times this year, and India!

Christoffer lives about 9 miles away and has kept busy all year as an electrician. We get to do a little hiking, golf and hockey together.

We hope and pray everyone has a good 2010. These are interesting times and changes we are living through. (New Year resolutions: do more blog and facebook photos and entries.)

God Bless Everyone,

Christmas Letter 2008