Happy Holidays from our new abode in west Olathe.  Sorry we missed getting a letter out last year but check our return address for the new dig’s digits.  Along with the move we’ve been graduatin’ and a movin’ and a shakin’!  Let’s get to it.

Our padre is wrapping 7 moons with Vantrust, a real-estate developer down here. They keep him hopping from OH to FL to Dallas to Denver to Las Vegas, and Arizona (and that’s just on MONDAYS!)  Our great white hunter bagged his first Elk last year bringing home the bull (but doesn’t he always).  He also remains afield for pheasant, duck and deer with the boys and friends, something they all enjoy. Bret suffered through the Nebraska football season with the rest of us and enjoys heading to the Lake of the Ozarks in the summer.  Sometimes he takes the rest of us!

Mi madre “retired” from the school district graduating with honors.  It was a beautiful and touching ceremony.  She’s adjusting to a mostly empty nest as Zach is still at home even though he’s hit and miss.  She’s a smidge busy volunteering in the community and at church. Oh yeah, she also started a book club and they even read the books!

Taylor graduated from KSU in May 2016 with a degree in Business Management and HR. He works at CBIZ on a team that does recruiting. Not to date her, but our madre used to babysit his boss. He keeps busy hanging out with friends, playing softball, hunting and going to KSU football games all while visiting his longtime girlfriend, Kerrigan.  He lives in a house in KC with 3 other fraternity brothers.  Of course Zach has his own room there.

Zach graduated from KSU in May of 2017 with a degree in Construction Science. He works at McCown-Gordon as a Project engineer and his office mate’s last name is Zach so that makes life fun. He works long hours but still finds time to play softball, hunt, hang out with his brother and fraternity brothers, and go to the lake with his family and his second family-The Plankers and spends most of his time with his long time love, Madi.

Rylie graduated from Olathe South High School in May of 2017 also (see item, 1st paragraph). She graduated with an endorsement in PCA, and excelled in her studies (She gets this from her dad). She is a freshman at KU and pledged Alpha Chi Omega where she was elected Risk Manager recently.  She joined the Occupational Therapy Club as that is her intended field of work. In her free time (on Tuesdays) she likes to hang out with friends, take Penny for car rides, exercise and spend most of her time with her boyfriend Lucas.

With everyone going different directions we started Sunday Night dinners with the family. Nicole tries to cook and as Zach says, “It’s when we come together, to pick on mom.”  We like to go to the lake and attend Nebraska and KSU football games when possible. We also like going to Destin, FL whenever we can to enjoy some beach time.

We’re all more and more aware of the precious nature of time these days.  Time in a regular week, time having the family around the table and time at the holidays come to mind.  We hope that this season you’ll enjoy time with the ones you cherish and appreciate the gift of love bestowed upon us both from above and by our family and friends around us here.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, The Sheffields – Bret, Nicole, Zach, Taylor, Rylie and Penny too