Merry Christmas from the Savats

Christmas is almost here and I couldn’t be happier about it -- I have been especially in the Christmas spirit this year! There’s one thing I didn’t do, though, and that’s write my annual Christmas letter. I just couldn’t get motivated to do it in time to send it out with my cards. So here it goes: here is my 2008 Christmas letter to the Internet!

Christmas 2008
This year, more than ever, I am very aware of all the blessings I have in my life. 2008 will be remembered for the collapsing markets and record job losses, but life in our household has been fairly stable. Sure our retirement accounts have taken a hit, but we still have our jobs, home, family and each other. I am truly grateful!

During the first half of the year we traveled a lot. In January we ditched cold St. Louis for the beaches of Punta Cana. In August we drove up to Wisconsin to visit our good friends Mark and Chris Keller and their adorable daughter Katie (who has become my pen pal). And this fall we took a long-weekend trip to Branson for a little R&R.

The best trip by far, though, was our anniversary trip to Napa Valley. We stayed in this fabulously quaint bed and breakfast on a small vineyard in Calistoga and had a great time winery hopping through Napa and Sonoma. If you ever get a chance to visit Napa, make sure to stop by the mountain-top Sterling winery and the castle winery, which were worth the trip alone. We also loved Hess winery, and the scenic drive through a red wood forest to get there.

This fall we tackled the biggest house project yet – the kitchen. I’m happy to report that we survived and now have a beautiful, modern, and most importantly, WORKING kitchen! Check out the before and after pictures. The difference is amazing.

On the family front, everyone seems to be doing well. Here's a brief update on everyone:

• We’re looking forward to Dereck and Jennifer’s wedding on June 20, 2009 (we’re both in the wedding).
• Erin’s starting cosmetology school in January.
• There’s been a mini baby boom on Allen’s side of the family – both Tina and Dusty are pregnant and expecting this spring/early summer.
• Mike and Stephanie bought a house recently that's less than five miles away (which will make it easy for us to spoil Ella as she gets older!)
• And most importantly, our parents and grandparents and everyone else is healthy and happy.

This year we will be spending Christmas with my family and then heading down to Cape on the 26th. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and a 2009 that's filled with hope, joy and love.

Love,

Sara and Allen Savat