The Holidays

We had great intentions at the beginning of December to send out this comprehensive, snazzy Christmas newsletter. By mid-December it had turned into this great idea of just ordering something online and trying to get that sent out. THEN, by Christmas Day, it turned into this great idea of sending out a New Year's letter. When none of that happened, we were left with the bright idea of a blog post that covers all the recent holidays. We have been all over the country in the past couple months...surprised? We bear the name "Lutz" meaning "always busy and adventurous."

Thanksgiving was spent in Boise, Idaho, with my (Erin) cousins and aunt. They were our last stop on the move out here and since they are our only family within a day's drive, we decided to spend our first Thanksgiving married with them. Daniel was in much need of the vacation and we spent the entire weekend watching movies, sleeping, Christmas shopping, eating, eating some more, and playing pranks (along with my four younger cousins) on my Aunt Suzanne. Since it was too much to fly to either home for both holidays, it was special to still spend it with extended family.

Somehow the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas Break flew by. Daniel finished up his semester with mostly A's. He is adjusting well to the school shedule and really enjoying the program. Before we left for Christmas my friend Christie (whose husband is also doing the same Naval graduate program as Daniel) and I threw a Christmas Party for the guys and their families. We made a homemade dinner, decorated cookies and had a cookie exchange. It was a very fun night and great celebration of the completion of the first semester.

We flew out mid-December to Tennessee to spend Christmas with my (Erin) family. The first weekend we were there, however, we did a whirlwind trip to Virginia for a friend's wedding and then to Virginia Beach to visit our friends there. My friend Stephanie who got married was my roomate and friend while living in Honduras. This picture is from the reception...Stephanie, the bride, me, the Noonan family (minus Bill, also missionaries from Honduras), and Cesia (our Honduran friend who flew to the US for the wedding). We had a great time with them and then after the wedding, we drove to Virginia Beach to catch a Sunday morning service at New Covenant (where we were married) and lunch with many of our close friends. It was great to visit with everyone because we have missed them so much. After that quick visit, we were back on the road again and on our way back to Tennessee stopped for the night at Daniel's college buddy's house, Matt Cashatt. Matt was a groomsmen in our wedding and he and his wife have two of the cutest little girls (as you can see in the picture). Our visit with them was again short, but very fun. After that, we were on the road again and this time ready to stay put for awhile.

We spent the next 10 days in Tennessee with my family. It was very restful and fun. We got to visit with a lot of my friends who were unable to attend the wedding or who had never met Daniel before. A few days before Christmas, the company arrived...my cousin Donnie and his wife Tara and two daughters (our flower girls) came up from Jacksonville. My cousin Amanda, from Atlanta, also came up to spend Christmas with us. We had a wonderful first Christmas as a married couple. We went ice skating, hiking, and did lots of running and playing games. Somehow the time with family always seems to fly by. We left a couple days after Christmas to return home.

Daniel and I spent New Year's here in Corvallis. The weekend was relatively quiet. We went on a hike with our friends (Grady, Christie, and Dorothy) to Mary's Peak...well we got as far as the car could get through the snow and then stopped. We also had a few friends over for New Year's Eve. It was fun to bring in the New Year with new friends we've made since moving here.

On January 2nd, the party was still

not over! My three younger sisters and younger brother flew in from Tennessee to redeem their Christmas present...a ski trip in Oregon! We headed out for an adventurous few days in Bend, Oregon, to snowshoe and ski at Mt. Bachelor. Besides it being really windy and super cold, we had a blast and no broken bones. My brother had to fly back early for school, but the girls stayed and we toured coastal Oregon and hung out here in Corvallis. It was so much fun to have a full house and all be together again.

So, we have only recently gotten back into the swing of things and a normal schedule. Daniel started classes last week and is already into the grind. I have a feeling I will not see him very much this semester. But, I am making myself busy too. I am taking a Spanish class at the community college and also have just gotten involved with a non-profit organization reaching out to the Hispanics in Corvallis. I am helping teach English and computer classes and also attending some Spanish conversation groups to improve my skills. Daniel, Christie and I are also putting in the miles as our marathon is soon approaching. We'll be running the Napa Valley Marathon in Napa, CA, on March 2nd. I think I'll definitely be taking a break from running after all this! But, then Daniel says triathlon season starts so I guess I'd better get used to it:-) He says I'm a "Lutz" now!

Overall, we're really enjoying life out here! At times it's very quiet, but I've come to welcome those times and spend it reading or trying out new recipes. We are so glad to be married and thankful to have the opportunity to spend our first year exploring things out here.