STEVE FOSTER:

Dear relations:
I'm Steve, the third and youngest biological child of Kelly (1960-2001) through Bonnie (now re-married for nearly two decades to Dave Taylor, who provides us with a younger step-sister). Kelly also has four or five step-children (I get the boys mixed up), slightly older than we, through Lucie, who is from Australia. Lucie accounts for several grand-children that you would need to ask her about. We three on this side remain as individuals in the world, despite the flattering but nonobviously effective encouragement of the occasional concerned on-looker. Oh well.

I couldn't venture to say what future plans exist in the minds of my siblings, with whom I am fortunate to still reside. They seem to be doing their best to be productive. Shanna tries to enjoy her work as a booth troll up the canyon, extracting usage fees for the county. She visited the cabin again this summer. I think Shane still mainly works with the pre-school up the road, which has relied on his labour for a few years now. As for me, after moving back home but then unexpectedly failing to graduate from BYU last April, I attended again by bus this semester, and finally outlasted them just this month (December 2011). Now I spend most of the day staring at all the necessary junk in my room and wondering (1) if I can ever clean it up, and (2) whether it will still be here if I go abroad and come back later, the curiosity arising from my recent application for employment in an English-language classroom in Japan (through the JET placement program), as well as from the gradually increasing likelihood of our outwardly patient parents suddenly moving out from under us. I'll find out on the job maybe next month; a "yes" will bring a departure in either April or July with a contract of at least one year, while a "sorry" will result in a new destination, perhaps Korea.

We expect to see some of you sooner or later. I and Shanna are sometimes on Facebook. We look forward to all of your news on this site, and hope you all have a year filled with gratitude for life's beauties and struggles.
-Steve Foster (2011/12/24)

JOHN AND BECKY BARTHOLOMEW: Hangin in there. John cant travel any longer, cant even drive to the coast so were landlocked just when we finally escaped the Great Basin Desert and could be having some fun. I want to ride the Amtrak down to Powells famous bookstore in Portland, takes up a whole city block with acres of used rare and collectible besides new. Will need to refinance the house so as to drum up some cash before going to such a nirvana.

Still have 7 llamas. We have a small pasture in the back forest, a small cleared pasture in the front yard, and our neighbor lets us use 2 acres of mixed pasture, forest, and steep hill. The llamas love to make the U-shaped trek through those 3 pastures every day. They are perfectly useless except to get us outside working in the rain daily. We may have to dedicate one of them to llamaburger if the recession doesnt clear up pretty soon.

Still have 5 cats. This makes life in Lewis Co., WA interesting as there are 1.3 million pitbulls roaming around this place, which calculates to 21.667 pitbulls per person which seems just about accurate by my observation. I walk our 2.3-mile loop every day and have to take biscuits to throw to the pitbulls.

We have a new dog, Routy, whom some kind soul left on our doorstep for Christmas. He is a terrier/schnauzer/probably pitbull mix, cute little guy, bigger than were used to but loving and quick to learn. And full of h@!#. No new grandchildren.

Nates temporarily in Alabama attending flight PA school. Becky and the children are driving there from Ft. Hood over spring break. Joels back in Tampa from Australia and busy as the dickens again with sinkholes. Kelly works for a photographer and is leader of Rhiannons Girl Scout troop.

So far Ive tried two part-time jobs here, neither of which turned out to be feasible as they couldnt afford to pay me, so Im looking for another disappointment. Hope one comes along soon. We can make it on our pensions but not for the long term. Such as if our 1998 Taurus were to break down... or John were to kick the bucket (or I were to kick his bucket).

Standing invitation to come visit us. Especially those 3 nephews who moved us up here and provided standup/sitdown comedy the whole while. I havent struck it rich yet so cant pay them what they properly earned too bad! Love, Becky

STEVE & TRUDY RUSSELL: Happy Holidays from the Russell family! We hope this finds you all well and blessed. Last year we didnt get greetings sent out for two reasons; 1) Trudy (chief publisher, addresser and mailer) went back to school, and 2) the passing of a longtime friend (Ann Marie Folsom Smith) right in the middle of the holiday season making merriness a bit hard to achieve. We dont want to let two years go by without letting you all know we think of you, hope for you and want to keep up with you.

Our family in a nutshell: Steve is still plugging away at UI Dept of Ophthalmology, co-directing the Retina service, and playing golf when he can. In November he was awarded a named professorship to continue research in macular degeneration. Hopefully none of you will ever need his service in that area.

Chris graduated from law school in 2009 and he and Jen moved with their two little macaroni-and-cheese experts to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They enjoy living in the little village of Whitefish Bay with its great family activities that augment the many attractions of Milwaukee, including being able to live within a mile of beautiful Lake Michigan with its rocky beach.

Jon has finished his first two years of medical school at UC San Francisco and is now in the PHD phase of the joint program. This will last a few years before he goes on with the last two years of medicine and the whole rest of the big, long process. Luckily, Jons addiction to studenthood has never abated, and hes enjoying this long haul. He ran his first marathon this fall, one of the fun new experiences for him in the west.

Dazi graduated from Duke in May, with a degree in English, and moved back to Iowa City where she began law school in the fall. She lives about 1 miles from home, making Sunday dinners with us an enjoyable weekly event. Shes found two choirs to sing in, one of which is at the local prison (!), where they needed community volunteers to augment the inmates bass and tenor voices.

Trudy (this writer) will finish a two-year program in May at the local community college, in Interior Design, and also works part-time in a local design studio. I did this when my two little grandsons moved with their parents to Milwaukee and I knew I needed a major distraction.

We are still three miles south of I-80, for those of you who travel back and forth on it and need a pillow on which to lay your head. Call us and at least stop by! (319)339-4824; Iowa City, Iowa. We wish you a wonderfully prosperous 2011, in mind, body and spirit.

MARALEE & GREG TIFFIN: I have to share a story, not to be so naive when it comes to adventure in the mountains. Mother Nature left me very humble recently, I won't take the possibility of her beautiful dangers lightly again. Greg and I went on a snow-shoeing trip last week with our neighbors. We reserved a spot at one of the 10th Mountain Division Huts, there are 40 of them here in Colorado. It began with layers of mishaps and/or delays causing a later start than we intended. We had beautiful blue skies and very deep, fresh powder. We researched the avalanche danger before going and felt confident to go, as one had already slid down the bowls two days before. But the high temperatures during the day were predicted at only 2 degrees, with lows at -20 and wind chills to -40 to -50. I noticed that Greg's pack was leaking water just as we began. Luckily we were still at the ski resort and emptied his pack. The sleeping bag was still dry, and since this was only an overnighter, decided we were good to go.

One we hit the trail head just out of bounds of the ski resort (and climbing 849 in elevation to get to it, the trail was clear, a good packed trail from back country skis. The other three people with me each had trouble early on with leg cramps that began during the first 1/4 of our trek. So, we stopped far too often for pack adjustment, taking jackets off and then on again, and hydration (my tube froze because I didn't drink my water often enough). But we trudged on like a herd of turtles. I had to stop half way and replace my boot warmers because my toes were so numb that numbness was moving to my arch. I got so cold doing that, my hands numbed up in a matter of two minutes to where I couldn't use them and had to have help getting my gear back on. Sunny skies but brutal wind chill, noticed best when standing still.

A few groups of back country skiers had passed us both directions. They let us know that once we crossed the meadow and started our steeper ascent that we would get our first view of the cabin up on the ridge, just at the tree-line. With the low sun in our eyes, we never saw it when we crossed the meadow, so we were uncertain of time left before reaching the cabin, and the sun was moving quickly behind the peak, any heat lost to that valley with a quarter of the way to go. With only another hour of light and added wind chill, the temperature dropped very quickly. That hike shouldn't have taken more than five hours but had taken us the entire day. I still couldn't feel my toes and noticed that every time we stopped I grew colder. The exercise is enough to keep you warm, but you need to keep moving. And the men kept stopping with leg cramps; I finally lost my patience, saying if we don't keep pushing forward, we're going to all be in serious trouble. I knew I didn't have much more than thirty minutes left in me before collapse, every step felt like my legs were made of lead. Leah and I went ahead, Greg and Curtis not far behind. We arrived at the cabin one at a time, about 150 feet apart. Leah arrived first and when I got there I found her in tears, she couldn't use her hands to get gear off. We had to ask for help from the skiers that had arrived before us, my hands were useless too. They told us they were about to come after us, knowing we were still out there, but none of them wanted to brave the cold again and hoped we would arrive before they needed to go searching! Curtis was pretty sick once he reached the cabin, severe muscle cramps and nausea from the altitude.

Anyhow, no permanent damage done to any of us. I have blisters on my cheeks even though covered with a face mask and and my left toes still have numbness, but no discoloration. My thumbs were numb over the weekend, but back fully now. I never got any muscle cramps as the rest did, I was well prepared with additional potassium, Advil, calcium and magnesium at breakfast, learned from hiking Colorado's 14-ers.

The cabin is at 11,600 feet, in an area undisturbed by anything but back country enthusiasts. The hut is well stocked as only the 10th Mountain Division can do, ingeniously simple methods of comfort. It sleeps twenty, has two indoor odorless composting toilets, solar power, no running water (you have to fill the bin and melt the snow for that), plenty of cooking area and plumbing only for drainage of the kitchen sinks. All you have to haul is your food, sleeping bag in and trash out.

It took us only three hours to get down the mountain the following day, left me nauseated. At any rate, lesson learned. I would not do a hike like that again in subzero temps, and not without a GPS, anywhere. On skis maybe. Moreover, the condo we had reserved to spend the rest of the weekend got flooded the day before from freezing/bursting pipes. Not the weekend we had hoped for so had to come home early to disappoint the kids with our arrival. Oh well, party over.

Ben tells me that extreme temps burn calories at much higher rates, cold or hot. Snacking often required for endurance. Do you remember Dad telling about the dog sled exercises in Alaska? I remember him saying that they ate 5000 calories a day and still lost weight.Maralee (Foster) Tiffin

MARSHA & ROD JAY: Tim and Elisa are in St. George, where Elisa's sister Camarie gave birth to a baby boy on Saturday night, her first baby.

He came early, and lived for only 35 minutes, long enough to endear him forever to his parents and the rest of the family. They named him Graham.

Tim said the Stephenson Family could all use your prayers, as they struggle to find comfort. He said he loves you all. Thanks for your prayers. Love, Marsha

LISA AND RACHEL FOSTER:

Rachael wanted me to let you know that she had a baby. I don't think anyone even knew she was pregnant. Sky was 8lbs 5oz and 22inch long. He was born on Jan 28th. He is so sweet. I enjoyed reading your Christmas letter, thank you for sending it. I hope it is warmer in Reno than it is here. The house looks really nice. Could you please spread the word. Both her and Sky are doing good, she had a cesarean, they will both be coming home today. Her boyfriend is a good guy and has been with her the whole time. Rachael sends her love and says she misses everyone. Lisa

ADRIENNEAND JOHN POTTER: We are enjoying living in Reno, Nevada with it's 90-day stretches of blue sky and sunshine, lack of insects and traffic congestion, and clean air. We have great neighbors and have acquired somenew friends.

John is finding his work at Renown Hospital challenging and interesting and likes being the Ward Finance Clerk. He is amazed at the kind-hearted,generous (and nameless) ward members who donate so much money to help the unemployed.

Adrienne enjoys teaching piano, guitar, and Spanish to children and isone of6 ward organists and avisiting teaching supervisor. She loves living next-door to her chiropractor, Lynelle.

Grace and Jeremy have a letter below that describes their lives way better than I could do.

Charity is still living in Southern California and studying bassoon privately to prepare for her up-coming Senior recital at Chapman U. She visited us for Thanksgiving and returned for Christmas. Her new hobby is knitting and she has created some beautiful scarves for the family. Love, Adrienne (Egg)

GRACE AND JEREMY RINDLISBACHER: Jeremy, Grace and Tayvin moved to Savannah, Georgia at the beginning of the year so Jeremy could start the Physician Assistant Program at South University. The South is a very different animal from Idaho, but we have enjoyed ourselves for the most part. Yes, it is very hot and humid during the summer, and is still humid year round. Thankfully we have had a good ward here where we have been able to serve in several different callings and made a lot of friends. Between the two of us we have had six callings this year, but I think the bishop finally figured out where he wants us. This summer marked our fifth wedding anniversary, but we havent really had time to celebrate. Jeremys uncle was in Atlanta on business the week before and came down to see us, so we all went out to dinner as a belated wedding gift. It was really great to have some family in our home. This past September we also went up to Atlanta and met Paul and Heather Shepherd and their family on a mini family vacation that went through some of Jeremys old mission areas and culminated in a visit to the Atlanta aquarium, with the largest aquariums in the world. Grace and Tavyin loved it, and we think Jeremy enjoyed it, too.

So far Jeremy is enjoying his PA program and working hard in his classes, but not so hard that he doesnt have time to come home and spend time with his family. He starts clinical rotations in April of next year, and will graduate the following April in 2013. Jeremy was originally the Sunday School President, and is now serving as the Ward Mission Leader, which is large calling in a ward with 2 sets of missionaries and over a hundred baptisms a year. There have been a lot of changes in the missions that Savannah is in, and they have all been good. Keep making awesome missionaries!

Grace has been staying at home with Tayvin and getting to know all the young moms and ladies in the ward. There are several children his age and we have a great circle of friends. Several live on the army airfield that is in Savannah, so we learned how to get on and Army base (you need your vehicle registration yeah, I didnt know that. And no, it was not in the car. Ive never been pulled over, so its never been a problem! Plus, we had just re-registered the car.) Grace is also playing bass clarinet in a local community band, the Savannah Winds, and is teaching oboe lessons. She has had four callings, first as a young womens advisor and ward choir director, when a 3^rd counselor in the Primary presidency (basically acting president while everyone was on summer vacation) and is now the primary teacher for the 8-9 year olds, and subbing when needed.

Tayvin turned two this year! He started running when he was eighteen months and has perfected that art, in addition to jumping off of the bed, coffee table, couch, and now jumping on our big trampoline (an early family Christmas present). He started nursery in the early summer and hates it, but is finally getting to where he only cries when Mommy or Daddy drops him off. Tayvin is talking very well and is very opinionated on how things in our house need to be run. He loves the helicopters and airplanes that fly over our house on their way to and from the army airfield and makes sure we know they are there. He does the same thing with all the big trucks that we drive by when we run errands, and our neighbors trucks that are parked on the street. Tayvin hasnt seen any real choo-choos yet, but we are sure he will make sure we know when he does. He also loves movies, just like his grandpa John, and animals, like grandma Adrienne, and loves tractors, which means he must also have some Rindlisbacher in him as well. He is a sweet little snuggly-bunny, so we figure well keep him around.

We miss all of our family and are definitely going to try and come back west once Jeremy is done. The east coast is nice, but we need some real mountains and dry desert air. And if you ever make your way down here, please let us know! We love visitors. Love, Grace, Jeremy and Tayvin

GOGI AND TONEY VAN DUREN:

Am so sorry about the duplicate 2009 letters our family has had in Fosterity 2011...I don't know how to fix it myself or would have done so immediately! Am deeply grateful for all the work Adrienne has put into the Fosterity website, and realize that mistakes are inevitable!...Ideally, however, they wouldn't be such WORDY mistakes as ours have been! (this is Adriennes mistake, not GogisMistake No. 1ha ha)

Its been a good year, with not much changed but looking forward to some big changes next year here on the beautiful Central Coast. Toney is in his final year at the Mission View Health Center in San Luis Obispo and plans to retire next summer when Gogi turns 65. Gogi already retired from teaching school this year but still teaches piano. Toney still plays with the SLO Wind Symphony as well as a clarinet ensemble and occasionally a polka band. Gogi also retired from the Atascadero Community Band (finally!) where she was a percussion player of sorts for the past 10 years, and is enjoying having more time with gardening (i.e., growing trees for the family property) and piano teaching! Her students played a recital for the residents at a nearby senior care center recently. It was great fun. We aksi spent Thanksgiving in Hurricane (near St. George) with Toney's father and his brother's family. Toney's Dad is very frail, but holding on and still able to walk.

As for our family, Nick and Shannon are still in Strasburg, and recently welcomed a new litter of their amazing English mastiffs. Right now they have eight tiny wiggly hungry things keeping them up all night! Theyre enjoying their wide expanses in rural Colorado, including raising flocks of chickens (one flock for eggs and one for meat) in addition to about seven or so very big doggies. Shannon still works at Wells Fargo and is hoping to be able to do more of the work at home. Nick has been painting extensively and has a couple of beautiful portfolios on Facebook, one at Dog Art Rocks and one under Nick Van Duren. Look them up in Facebook if you havent alreadytheyre amazing!

Drew and Robin are still in San Diego where Drew works with a company that develops protective software for the military and industry. Robin works at home for a mail-order company inbetween doing pre-school with Lindsey while Jakob is at school (1st grade). Jakob (7) is a train, plane, and missile enthusiast, loves to fly his remote-controlled helicopter, and enjoys all the crafts and artwork Robin gives the kids. Lindsey (4) likes gymnastics and soccer, is also an avid little artist, and a couple of months ago outgrew her training wheels on her bicycle racing to keep up with Jakey no matter how fast he goes! She is just beginning violin and Jakob is working on cello. Jakey and ZZ have aunts, uncles, cousins, grandmas, and grandpas coming out of their ears (Robin's family)...who are all very close...and who--along with us!--miss very much down there in San Diego!

Lara and Jamey will welcome a new baby daughter to Planet Earth on or about Dec. 10, and lucky Grandma Gogi gets to go up to Wenatchee to play with Maddie while Mommy adjusts to life after pregnancy with two babies instead of one! Toney & Gogi will both be spending Christmas with them. Jamey is still at the chemical factory where he's trying to ween himself away from management toward research and development. Lara still maintains her job started in SLC that they let her take with her to Wenatchee to do at home (she helps corporations set up benefit packages for their employees). She also continues to play her violin with the Wenatchee Symphony. Maddie is a bright, talkative 2-year old handful who is idolized by her mommy and daddy (and grandparents). She spends her mornings next door with a wonderful neighbor while Lara works, and in a few months so will Maddie's new little sister.Below: Madeline and Reese

Toney and I still can't get over that most incredible family reunion this past summer put on by the Shepherds at Kathie's old place, and sure loved seeing so many of you. We are in awe at what the Shepherds have done in refurbishing that beautiful old home. After the reunion, we headed north and got to spend some time up in Wenatchee with little Maddie before heading down to spend time with Becky and John in Onalaska, Washington. Becky and John have some incredibly beautiful acreage there along with their wonderful llamas. What a family those llamas make...we want some, too, (Gogi, not Toney...!) and were blown away by their bit of Paradise.

We also visited Toney's sister Debra near Portland. Debra's health is declining rapidly and we don't expect her to survive beyond Christmas this year.(Im sorry to report that Debra passed away after this was written. Love and condolences to everyone.) Please add her to your prayers, as well as her son, Little Ray, who is now about 30. We know that Debra lived a hard and difficult life, and she certainly complicated Toney's parents' and our lives, but she produced our beautiful little Katie (who died at 13 nearly 4 years ago) and her incredible big sister Shannon, who only lived to the age of 4. Those two precious little lives alone make Debra's life worth lamenting and blessing, and especially worth forgiving for all the heartache she caused knowing in our hearts that she experienced every bit as much heartache within herself, if not more.

All in all, we're all holding up pretty well under economic tough times while tightening our belts and "grinning & bearing it," grateful for too many blessings, and grateful for all of you...wishing we could see more of you. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all. Love, Toney, Gogi, & Clan

WARREN AND KAYE & KIDS: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone from Warren and Kaye Foster and family. We had a good year this year, and the best part was me (Warren) coming home to stay. I had Christmas and New Years off for one of my vacations and I was home with Kaye and Marty and April for Christmas. For New Years we all went to Sarah's home in Idaho, and we had the whole family there. It was a great time. It was sad on New Years Day, when I had to fly out back to Afghanistan.

In March I had another vacation, timed during Marty and April's spring break, and I flew east to Kona Hawaii, from Kabul, via Dubai, Manila, and Honolulu, to meet Kaye, Marty and April in Kona. I got to Honolulu before I left Manila, ha ha. We spent a week there and then went home for my second week. Then I went back to work by way of San Francisco, and Dubai to Kabul. So I went all the way around the world. I guess it really is round. On the way back to work the extra day that I magically gained on my way to Hawaii, magically disappeared.

I quit my job in May and came home. Yay! I was gone for about 16 months total, and I had only planned on going for a year, so I had been gone long enough. Now we're living on my FAA retirement, but our 80 acres at Granite Creek is paid for. In June we went to Utah for 3 weeks and enjoyed seeing most of you at the family reunion at Kathy's old house. Again many thanks to the Shepherd for fixing it up and hosting us.

In late June, Marty and I floated the Gulkana River (a national wild and scenic river in Alaska) for a week with our wards Varisity Scout high adventure. I was the guide, since I've done the trip several times before. We highly reccomend it!

In July we went to southern California and visited Levi and went beach camping with our old ward from Palmdale. Then we went up to Lewiston Idaho and Married off Rachele to John Rhode. It was a beautiful wedding, and John is a very nice Young man. All of our children and their families were there, and two of Kaye's siblings attended.

In October Sarah flew me down to Idaho to babysit her kids while her and her husband Todd went to Chicago to recieve an award his business had been honored with.

This Fall Kaye got two part time jobs, one working at Value Village, and one as a care giver for Brooke Beus, a young woman in our ward, who was put in a near vegatative state by a car accident several years ago. She is the Primary Chorister in our ward. I am the Young Men's President. I don't have a job now, but my days stay pretty busy. There are so many things to do in Alaska, like fishing, hunting, hiking, back packing, hiking, canoeing and kayaking, cross country skiing, as well as other stuff like getting better on guitar, working out, doing some service in the community, and church and all that it makes me wonder how I ever got by when I had a job.

Sarah and Todd are still living in Fruitland, Idaho with their 3 children. They finished the construction of their new home and moved into it in February. They've enjoyed settling in and getting to know neighbors in the surrounding area.

Todd still co-owns and runs Heart 'N Home hospice, which continues to do well. This year they were thrilled to win two special awards; the Better Business Bureau's "Integrity Counts" award, and Modern Healthcare's "Top 100 Places to Work in Healthcare in the Nation" award for which they were able to travel to Chicago and receive it in a special ceramony. Todd has especially enjoyed being outside this year- bringing about a yard and teaching the kids basketball drills. He participated in the Boise Half Ironman race this summer as well as several other smaller races, one of which he took 3rd place overall in! Todd was released from his fifth year of teaching gospel doctrine this Fall and was called into the Stake Young Men's presidency. He loves working with the youth and youth leaders, so even though it is a demanding calling, he has really enjoyed it. In September, Todd and Sarah were able to travel together to Texas and spend a few days in San Antonio where Todd served his mission. His mission president was there- nearing the end of his calling as the San Antonio Temple president. They had a wonderful time together there, and especially loved being able to do a temple session and a temple tour with his president and his wife.

Sarah keeps busy with her children and her calling in the Relief Society presidency. She has enjoyed making their new home feel like home, organizing and decorating. Having gotten into CrossFit the year prior, she took a course and test in March and became a certified CrossFit instructor. She now teaches a CrossFit class for her friends for fun three days a week. She competed in a local Triathlon and took 2nd place in her age group, and placed in a couple other 5K races and CrossFit competitions. She enjoys learning as much as she can about fitness and nutrition.

Brielle (7) is in second grade. She is very sweet and good natured. She loves her teacher and friends. She loves reading and does well at school. She started basketball and piano this year and still participates in the community children's choir. Brielle loves all things artistic. She invents new ways to make crafts from everything around the home. She is very excited to be baptized next Spring as she's seeing friends be baptized one by one now. She's been a great big sister. She occasionally will be found directing her brother and sister in a CrossFit workout which makes her parents' hearts smile. Brielle is also a very nice personal assistant to her mother- reminding her about everything on the calendar numerous times throughout the day and even checking her messages to report them. :)

Ashton (4) is in pre-school. He loves going to school and especially loves Show-And-Tell. He's a hard worker there too and is getting good at reading. At home, Ashton is all about basketball and flexing his muscles. If we could bottle his energy in pill form, we'd be billionairs. :) Ashton also participates in the community children's choir. He shows talent in singing and dancing. He even surprised us all with his break dancing skills this summer at Rachele's wedding.

Lainey (2) is starting to make more sense when she talks. She loves to sing and LOVES dance. She likes to be read to. This was her first Halloween being old enough to be aware of the event. She thought she'd died and gone to Heaven- she got to participate in a mass dress-up event and be given candy by everyone she saw! Lainey makes a great buddy for mom at home when the other children are at their schools. She's *thinking* about potty training soon ;-)

Scott has been living in Murray, Utah, except in the Summer, when he goes to Nome, Alaska. In Utah he is making a living performing with his guitar. He has a permanent gig at the Montage resort in Deer Valley, and also performs for company parties and weddings and that sort of thing. It is working out well for him. He finished recording his new cd, but is still waiting on the art work for the cover before he releases. In the summer he dredges for gold in Nome.

This summer, the same production company that films Deadliest Catch, for the Discover Channel, was in Nome filming him and others dredging gold. They hope the show will air in January or February of 2012.

Devan and Maura had a very busy year. It started with Devan having heart surgery (catheter ablation) in January for atrial fibrillation. He was asymptomatic, and was actually working out every day without a clue that his heart was working off of only 60% capacity, but found out about the condition in a routine physical. The surgery was successful and his heart is excellent shape, and in rhythm. In February he and Maura purchased their first home in West Jordan where they have enjoyed many visits from family and friends alike. Devan still works for USANA Health Sciences in the International Business Development department, where he is currently working on opening new markets in France, Belgium and Thailand. In addition to a heavy workload, he is attending the University of Utah where he is working on an MBA. Just in case that wasn't keeping him busy enough, the Lord saw it fit for him to serve as the Executive Secretary to the Bishop in his ward (the same calling he had in his previous ward, and the reason he claims to have bought a house elsewhere). :)

Maura still works at America First Credit Union where she manages a team of 10 tellers. To avoid feeling like a widow, due to Devan's busy schedule, she is taking night courses at the nearby Salt Lake Community College. She enjoys her calling as a Relief Society Instructor, and is particularly happy that she has managed to avoid a calling in the primary of a ward with over 170 active primary aged children! In her spare time, she enjoys painting and other crafts, and sitting down to read a good book.

Levi and Nicholas are still living in West Hollywood, California. Levi is still working as Assistant Manager at John Varvodos in Beverly Hills and Nicholas just recently completed his study and certification by the state of California to practice acupuncture. He has an office in Beverly Hills.

Rachele and John Rhodes were married on August 7, on the banks of the Clearwater River in Clarkston Washington, just across the Snake River from Lewiston, Idaho, where they live. They are both attending Lewiston State College. John is studying Pharmicology and Rachele is majoring in Elementary Education. Rachele works at a gymn and at a hair salon and John works at a gymn. He has won several weightlifting competitions recently and can bench over 360 pounds.

Marty is a senior at Wasilla High School. He plays the drums in the school band and has recently picked up guitar and base guitar which he plays in the school jazz band. He and some freinds are forming a rock band called Ceasefire. He had the role of Charly Brown in the school play, "You're a Good man Charly Brown. He is the first assistant in the Priest quorum. He is also on the wrestling team at 170 pounds and he ran track in the spring.

April is in 6th grade at Wasilla Middle School. She played Woodstock, in Marty's school play. She plays drums in her school band as is one of only a very few 6th graders who are allowed in the jazz band. She is still very cute, and is very happy to have her Daddy home. She was on the Iditarod Elementary track team in the spring.

In summary, my wife Kaye and our two youngest children, Marty and April and I still live in our old house in Wasilla, Alaska. Sarah and her husband Todd have 3 children, Brielle, Ashton, and Lainey and live in Fruitland, Idaho. Scott lives in Murray, Devan and his wife Maura live in West Jordan, levi and his partner Nicholas live in West Hollywood, Rachele and her husbaand John live in Lewiston. Thats it for the Warren Foster family. love, Warren

CAROL DAVIS: Nicholas was married to Scarlett Trachman on March 6th of 2011 at the Stein Ericson Lodge in Deer Valley, Utah - It was an incredibly beautiful wedding. I am so proud of them both as they have both been serving in the US Coast Guard in Honolulu (rough) the last 2 1/2 years. There next station will be Seattle WA - I am thrilled as I will get to see them more this way. Daniel is doing well at his business at CDI Media as the Plant Manager and even though he lives a mile away - I wish I could see him more. They grew up - nobody told me they would grow up and not need me so much - Boys...... I (Carol) am still network marketing with NuSkin Enterprises - never was patient behind a desk. I traveled to Argentina for a month in June/July to work there and though it was amazing - I am now embarking on learning Spanish. All here are Healthy and Happy and Wish You Love, Light and a Very Merry Christmas.

BUTCH & MIRIAM: Miriam and I saw the Redwoods for the first time last summer. We stayed in Trinidad for a week, just north of Eureka, and drove and hiked through the forests from Humboldt to Crescent City. We joined a crowd of whale watchers at the Klamath River bridge, where a mother and calf (greys) obliged the hundreds of spectators by hanging around for hours.

But the excitement has been in the Middle East. Who would have thought Gadhafi would be overthown? And now on the same day, two complete opposites have died: the North Korean dictator and the Poet of Czechoslovakia. A tyrant and an incarnation of Franklin ("he snatched the lightning from the heavens and the scepter from tyrants"). And one withthe perspicacity to see evangelical climatology for what it is--shades of the Bolsheviks. His equal is not to be had in currentAmerican politics. The Czechs were blessed.

And so are we. The jobless in America are happier than than the workers of the world united. And I still have a job.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good New Year! --from Butch and Miriam