Put your feet up, poor yourself a cup of hot cocoa, prop those eye lids open with a couple of tooth picks and let's goooooooooo ...
(Note: During the holiday season each year we share zany family newsletters with friends and family. The following are excerpts from letters beginning in 2002.)
SPIKES … By now you know that running is one of
SKY HIGH … Ashley graduated from elementary with honors and was accepted into all of the enriched classes in junior high (math, English, reading) she adores the myriad of opportunities, friends and activities available … She enjoys being a member of the Reach Out service club, Pep Club, having been selected for chorus and named Female Art Student of the month and a math hustler … Also, the boys keep getting better looking every day and Coach I is her math teacher … Does it get any better than this for a tween?! …
FOLLOW THE LEADER … Awarded “Outstanding Male Runner Of The Year” and senior captain of a 50+ member cross country team
LIFE BITES! … Pain and suffering, torment and turmoil … Ashley’s new “Hannibal Lector” look (braces) took some getting used to but her new contact lens are a go! … The removal of
HIRED HELP … Jon excitedly transferred back to the corporate offices in down town (or duntun as locals say) … Changes and challenges are good for the soul! …Now parking his new truck only to hop public transportation, once again, provides him time to indulge in one of his distinct pleasures - reading … AND he gets to meet the most quirky underbelly of society! … Cross dressers, thugs, conversation monopolizers, crack addicts and politician wannabes (Too harsh?! Perhaps a tad over the top but you’d be surprised at his bizarre experiences!) …He also enjoys spending millions of dollars $$$$$$ of the companies money …Too bad it’s on ferro alloys rather than Carnival cruises,
JET LAG … The host state of this years spectacular winter Olympic Games found us flying overhead, in various family member combinations, on four different trips from April thru August … Enjoying the view of the magnificent granite cliffs below we were, thereby, ushered into our beloved home state of Utah for Jon’s fathers funeral, vacation and college tours, running camp and visits with family and friends … The Fackrell, Christeson and Hansen cousins made our trip a joy!! … And dining at favorite haunts like Mkt. Street Broiler near the U of U, Brick Oven by BYU, and Club Rodeo (yeah right?!) at USU … Oh, I remember now … USU where Jon and I cracked the books, pulled sorority pranks and cut classes to go to the UB is the only college with a football field that turns into a stock yard for cattle shows and students throw tortillas at you during half time! ... Just kidding USU alums! … But by golly I shur do miss that row-day-o club!
BUMBLE BEES … And I thought spelling bees appealed only to kids who found memorizing the dictionary fascinating?! … Articulate, veracious reading Ashley was named building champion of her school going on to the district bee at the University of Pittsburgh where she then made it into the Western Pennsylvania finals! … Spell otorhinolarynologist Ash - or do not pass
go, do not collect $200!
HEART STRINGS … On the home front my family has cheerfully and unselfishly gone beyond the call of duty in attempting to help me regain my health! …It is profoundly humbling being the recipient of such an inordinate amount of service! … With Jon tending to all of the grocery shopping for the past two years, and divvying up the laundry and other miscellaneous chores with Cam, while Ashley plays Cinderella moping floors and cleaning bathrooms I have benefited greatly from the tender loving care which is bestowed on me daily by my family! … My heart weeps as well as sings and I never take for granted the precious bonds enjoyed by a family who attempts to provide Christ like service for one another without fan fare or reward! … Of course that is minus a few well deserved gripes and groans from the labor force! … They’re only human you know!
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STAR LIGHT, STAR BRIGHT … Cam flew solo for the first time cross country to attend a high altitude running camp, outside of Evanston, Wyoming, at Big Muddy, with recruits and team members from the University of Utah track team … Sleeping near the camp fire under the stars was a breathtaking experience! … If you’ve never been out west and seen the heavens at night away from city lights you ain’t lived pardner! … Having difficulty inhaling oxygen while running at such a high altitude was daunting … Receiving training by a coach who has vast experience coaching
CATS LEAVE PAW PRINTS ON YOUR HEART! … Unless you’re the mom who ca-choos, snorts, hacks and endures the misery of cat dander and intensely dislikes the sneaky, emotionally distant little critters and secretly wishes them ALL ill will or better yet a date with the glue factory! (Yikes – did I really DARE fess up to that?! Ash will make me pay BIG time!) … However, the Broadway musical “Cats” was once again spectacular! … And Ashley’s 12th
WHAT A WASTE OF A GOOD MAKEUP DAY! … Not! … Christeson & Associates experienced a terrific year! … I secured many delightful contracts wherein I facilitated various corporate management training and employee development workshops for diverse businesses and industries … Using pop rocks, play doh and monkey masks to illustrate serious concepts wrapped in fun gets them every time! .. I have been very fortunate to have met many incredible people from all work levels who have blessed my life as I learn as much from them as they do from me … Accolades to friends Alex and Sue! … My giant cardboard take along friends; the Three Stooges, Wicked Witch of the West and ELVIS also thank you, thank ya very much!
GET AROUND, GET AROUND, I GET AROUND … Ashley enjoyed a three day trip with all her school friends to our state capital in Harrisburg, a historic tour of Gettysburg including a ghost walk at dusk by candle light throughout the town while being told of startling accounts of Civil War soldiers who continue to linger amid the ruins of the battlefield … Also, Hershey’s Chocolate World tour looked and smelled pretty delicious! …She enjoyed attending her first Pittsburgh North Stake Young Women’s girls camp (housed in cabins in a setting much like that featured in the old Disney movie Parent Trap) while cultivating diverse skills, hiking and swimming in the lake, enjoying crafts, participating in riotous antics and embracing spiritually uplifting moments … Also, her trip to the Washington DC temple with our wards Young Men and Young Woman’s group was a delightful experience! … Another 1st included a stake YM/YW festive fall activity including a hay ride, games, activities and fun with friends! …Getting older sure has its perks!
SERVICE WITH A SMILE … Cam currently serves as 1st assistant in his Priest’s Quorum and is soon to become a 4th year seminary graduate … It has been such a privilege and a pleasure to serve as one of Cam’s seminary teachers! … He continues to work toward earning his Duty To God award and attests to having enjoyed one of the most spiritually edifying stake YM/YW temple trips and testimony meetings ever! … Jon continues to serve on the High Council now assigned as the liaison for the Pittsburgh Fourth Ward … He also oversees the stake Public Affairs committee wherein he worked on an interesting bi-stake project helping to promote the LDS church’s release of the 1880 US & 1881 Canadian census for all people throughout the world who want to trace their genealogy no matter what their religious affiliation … I was recently released as the stake Activities Director, a calling I thoroughly enjoyed! Planning diverse activities, food and entertainment for hundreds of members and guests was a creative thrill bar none! … Jon, Jim & Kate L. and John & Ginny F along with a host of others helped me create magic!
ROAD TRIPS … What a life for a teen! … Trips to Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, Ohio with dear friends Ryan and Chris (who recently left to serve their missions for the church) … They met up with LDS girl friends from Cleveland and had the time of their lives! …The three musketeers later planned a wild river rafting trip into West Virginia with 15 more of their friends, the focus being on GIRLS … And Jon, Mr. Good Dad, drove Cam, Ashley and friends to Six Flags/Sea World to meet up with a ga-zillion LDS friends again for another day of merriment and mayhem! … In October Jon once again drove
BUG BITES … She still has the fever - for music that is! … Ashley has benefited greatly from studying private voice and continuing with her piano lessons … She was selected to sing a solo in her schools spring choral concert and variety show but experienced her greatest excitement when auditioning for our community musical revue! … She sang her unusual, upbeat version of “Over the Rainbow” and knocked their socks off! … Needless to say the audience went wild over the diverse vocal and instrumental numbers … Having our dear friends and next door neighbors, Jimmy & Grace S., attend was icing on the cake!
CHAUFFEURED LIMOUSINE … Well not quite … But after the van bit the dust I’ve enjoyed buzzing around in my little bright red, look at me don’t I think I’m cool, (nope) spit fire on wheels … And as Cam always says “Stop signs are st-optional” … Yeah right … Tell that to a cop who’s chomping at the bit to write up a ticket! … Ash and I enjoy many fun girls outings! … And
CHIP DIP … What fun we’ve had with many dear friends throughout the year! … A few highlights included; hanging out at track meets and XC invitationals … BBQ’s on the deck with flaming snowballs and making pioneer babies in a cradle (hankies) … Laughing over college adventures, dates and former friends we’ve had in common and didn’t know it until 27 years later! … Farewells and luncheons … Labor Day picnic and hike in the woods with our brood of kids … Parties, brunches, lunches and it appears that everything revolves around food! …Hooking up with our Rocky Mountain Denver friends and
SKY SCRAPERS … Jon and Cam spent three days in NYC for a father-son outing prior to sending Cam off to college as Jon put it (that’s why we girls weren’t invited! Humph!) …
NCAA REGULATIONS …
THE BIG PICTURE … Well, I missed my slow boat to China … Publishers Clearing House got lost in the mail … A New York cabbie stole my Emmy … The Steelers snatched back my retired jersey … That actor, what’s his name, keeps taking credit for MY line “Dy-no-mite!” and Jon thinks he married Britney Spears by mistake while in a foggy Las Vegas haze! … What’s next … Emotional detox?! … A ration on those card board tasting tacos at Ling Chows take out?! … A make over gone bad with Botox?! … Well, as I’ve always said … “LIFE is an EXTRAORDINARY adventure!” … And hey Bubba we’ve had a grand ride this year- no regrets! … Life’s twists and turns keep us humble and eagerly anticipating what’s around the next corner! ... Did I hear diamond mines in our future? … A home in the
We wish each of you a magical Christmas season and a thriving personal relationship with God our eternal Father and with His son Jesus Christ, our savior and elder brother. May you also enjoy continued love and success throughout the New Year!
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