From All of Us 2009

Dear Friends and Family,

Another year is coming to a close. What a wonderful year it has been! We have been so blessed.
This year Grant and Tiffany went to the Oregon coast and had an enjoyable time at Depot Bay. Grandma and Grandpa Fastabend watched the kids for that week... What a long week it was for both Tiffany and Deleice. Tiffany was missing her kids, Gunnar only being five months old, and Deleice was ready to have us back after a long week, need we say more...??..
While at Depot Bay we saw the whales and sea lions outside our balcony. We fell asleep each night to the peaceful sound of the ocean. Grant went deep sea fishing. He caught his limit of sea bass, and while out on the water they also did crabbing. He came home with 7 dungenous crab as well. This has been one of our favorite vacation spots so far.
This year was a first for Tiffany to fly in an airplane. Not one of her favorite things to do. Grant and Tiffany flew to Las Vegas. Grandma and Grandpa Fastabend again watched the kids for them. They were a little older, and not so taxing the second time... How fortunate we are to have such a great family!
We also made a trip to Cardston, Alberta this summer. This was Gunnar's first big road trip. He did very well. We got all of our passports in order to go to Canada and see Tiffany's family. It was Tiffany's 10 year High School reunion. It was nice for her to be able to catch up with friends from school. We had a great time visiting with Tiffany's brothers and sisters, and the kids getting to know their cousins.
Tiffany has quite the story to share from our trip to Canada. We left Idaho Falls around 8pm to head to Canada. We figured the kids might sleep most of the way, making the travel easier for all of us. Tiffany stopped in Helena, Montana for a quick bathroom break and to pick something up at Walmart that she had forgot to pack. Grant and the kids were asleep in the car. Tiffany had woke Grant up enough to let him know where they were and that she was running inside. She turned off the car, took the keys and locked the car with the remote on the keychain. Tiffany found what she was looking for, then ran to the restroom. She put the keys in her pocket, and long story short, with Walmart's automatic flushing toilets, lost the keys from her pocket and into the toilet bowl... What to do at 2am in Montana... AHHHH! Never in her wildest dreams did she think she would stick her hand in a toiletbowl, let alone a Walmart (public) one. EEWWWW! Well, she ran out to tell Grant, but without keys had to bang on the car door. Grant woke and opened the door, setting off the car alarm. No keys, couldn't turn the alarm off... With all this noise we had alerted a Walmart employee. He asked if we needed any help. When Tiffany had explained what had happened, thinking that NOTHING could be done, he took her inside and called the night maintenance crew. The crew was AWESOME!!!! They turned off the auto flush sensor to the toilet and removed the toilet from the wall. Tipping it on its side and dumping water all over the floor, they were fortunate to have found the keys caught in part of the toilet bowl trap. So happy and relieved to have the keys back, one of the associates disinfected the keys and handed them back to Tiffany. Tiffany thanked them muchly and ran out to the car where Grant was sitting with both kids awake by that time. Tiffany handed Grant the keys, then everyone got out and stretched their legs in Walmart for a while before we got back on the road... What amazing associates the Helena Walmart has! So greatful for their help, and "straight faces" during the whole ordeal.
This Fall we began yard renovations. We started with a new fence which encloses the side of our yard and gives a much larger play area for the kids. It will be great next year once the weather warms up and the kids can get out and play in it. Also, a new deck went underway. It is not completed yet, since the snow arrived and slowed progress. Grant and Tiffany also put up rain gutters when hanging their Christmas lights. Only the front of the house has the gutters up, but the back can be done next year.
Tiffany's parents came down and spent Thanksgiving with them, and tended the kids while Grant and Tiffany worked the CRAZY Black Friday sales at their stores. Tiffany had to be to work at midnight, and Grant at 3am. We always love it when family comes to visit us!

Grant is still at the Idaho Falls Sam's Club as the Grocery/Produce Assistant Manager. He is also responsible for the Demo Team. He enjoys his job and has made good friends. He has been at Sam's Club for a little over two years now. He is thankful to work close to home and not have to commute like before.

Tiffany is still managing the Garden Center/Seasonal Department at the Ammon Walmart. It is always stressful this time of year, and she has spent the month of December on graveyard shift. That is very trying for her, and the rest of the family. Her store went through a remodel this past Summer, and are glad to have it overwith. The store has a whole new look, and looks great! Most of the customers are getting used to the new layout, and majority are liking the change.

Kaedynce has pottytrained this year and does great! Seldom has an accident. She has grown up so much and is such a little helper to her Mom and Dad. She loves to be a part of everything, and takes such great care of her little brother. Kaedynce turns 3 the end of this month.

Gunnar has celebrated his first birthday this year, in Boise with family around. He learned to walk by his first birthday and now keeps up with everyone. He loves his Dad and gets so excited when Grant walks in the door. Gunnar loves to be a part of the action and mimics everything anyone does. He keeps up with his sister and before too long will be pushing her down and defending his own!! Gunnar has 6 teeth and weighed in at a whopping 21 lbs. at his 12 month check up. That is only three pounds less then his bigger sister.

We have had a very rewarding 2009 and look forward to what 2010 may have in store for our family. We wish you well at this time, and hope this posting finds you all in good health.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year,

Love, The Fastabend family
Grant, Tiffany, Kaedynce-Faith, and Gunnar