Windsors’ Christmas Trees are Alive and Well
We are Back and Running

Thanks to the help of almost 100 friends and family we are mostly through the renovation after the tornado in 2008:

• House: The glass littered rugs have been replaced with hickory floors. There’s a new tile floor in the kitchen. Add new windows and CLEAN WALLS. A new coat of paint. The house seems new.

• John’s shop: Grandson Arvid, retired Forest Service 5th wheeling friends, family, and others built a 35 ft., two-story addition to the barn as John’s shop.

• Shade House: John and Janice built a new shade house in a new location.

• Wreath/Sales Barn: Jerry, Peg, Paul, Andy, Paula, Josh, Daniel, Melanie John and Janice have been working to give the wreath makers and tree sellers a new barn in a new location.

• Trees: The broken windbreak trees were cleared out, by Jerry, Paul, and many friends. Janice tied up and pruned the damaged Christmas trees, making them look like trees again.

The family scattered for Christmas: John & Janice & Andy & Paula went to Anne & Jon’s; Jerry & Peg went to San Francisco; and Paul & Lori and family went to Valentine, NE. The Seattle visitors were privileged to experience Seattle’s 100-year snow storm. “And no snow shovels in town” said Andy. Tucker gave up on stick chasing and we sadly had to have him put to sleep. We miss him and know you will too.

Family news:

Jerry & Peggy remain faithful helpers on the tree farm. They took many trips to Texas and San Francisco. Visiting grand children Ellie and Noah, and helping Amanda and Jon prepare for their wedding. Sadly, Peggy’s sister died at Christmas in Texas, loosing a battle with cancer.

Audrey & Ned have two lovely children, Ellie 3 & Noah 8 months. Ellie is learning English and Spanish at pre-school. Happy Noah crawls everywhere.

Arvid & Mel & Cody, 2 ½, live in their brand new home they built southeast of Greeley. Arvid loves his new job as mill manager for JBS at their feed lot in Kersey, CO feeding 60,000 cows. Mel studied and was certified as a Medical Transcriber, when she wasn’t out killing rattlesnakes. Cody helped with renovation and entertaining Grandma Peg and Great grandma Janice. His big bud is his grandpa Jerry.

Amanda brought Jon Forst into our family October 10th at the social event of the year in Carmel, CA. After a honeymoon in Hawaii, they are back home in San Francisco with puppy, Cooper. Many of us were blessed with a California vacation, attending their wedding.

Andy & Paula, the adventurers of the family, did a 12 day 450 mile bike ride down the Oregon coast. What powerhouses!! They have opened their home to Josh during the summer, while he is working for the BLM. Free room and board for a young man trying to finance college has been a real blessing for Josh.

It’s probably pretty obvious Paul & Lori are suffering from almost empty-nest syndrome. They now have two in college and no exchange student this year. Traveling to high school ball games seemed big all those years. However, it was peanuts now compared with trips to Madison, SD and Emporia, KS and New York last summer.

Josh is at Dakota State in Madison, SD. He loves playing football. This was his 2nd summer working for the BLM, in Kremmling, Co. He is majoring in computer and is doing quite well.

Sarah is a freshman at Emporia College in Emporia, KS. She is adjusting to the big change. She still enjoys biology and art and hopes to be a marine biologist.

Zach is a junior in Harrison, NE. He contracted Lyme Disease when the family attended the commissioning of his cousin, Phillip, from West Point. He is slowly regaining his strength.

And now for our North West members: Jon and Anne: Jon has been appointed chairman of the Science Dept. at Mariner HS. Anne’s “Your Place After School” is growing. The girls attending are having new successes; with family relations and in school. She is slowly easing out and turning jobs over to volunteers.

Mary, Mary. She loves reading. She is attending an Accelerated Studies school as a 3rd grader. Sister Cindy, 1st grader, is doing very well, in between socializing.

John and Janice made many trips to the Harrison area for ball games. They also had a trip to Mukilteo to see Mary and Cindy. Once a week Cody comes over to entertain great granny. Hosting grandkids and their friends as they pass through from Harrison to Denver keeps Janice and John in touch with their grandkids. Isn’t that how it is supposed to be?

In Sept. we took a 12 day trip with the same Forest Service retiree 5th wheelers to Kootenai Lake/Selkirk mountain area in northern Idaho and British Columbia. So much crystal clear water was everywhere. We saw big lakes, little lakes, rushing streams and rivers and a grove of 13 ft. diameter Western Red Cedars. DJ, our funny 80# labradoodle joined us on the trip, behaving well and loving it.

At the social event of the year John, and Janice for that mater, saw their first redwood trees. Andy and Paula were able to give them a grand tour of the variety of ecosystems that California has to offer. On the 17 mile drive Janice was thrilled to see Pebble Beach golf course and country club where her folk played many years ago.

All in all it was a blessed year for all of us. We hope it was for you too, and we are looking forward to seeing you this year to catch up on all the stories.
John and Janice