Happy New Year from the Recker's

Blazer Game December 2013

3rd Annual Express Christmas 2013

Happy New Year Friends & Family!  We wanted to give you a sampling of some of the highlights from the Christmas season.  There's a few pictures here to show you what we've been up to.

As the Trailblazers got off to a great start this season, we've been faithful, loyal, enthusiastic fans, watching every game we can and going to a few as well.  Mark & Kelley went to a game in early December.  It was a great outing and we were so grateful that Mark was feeling up to going.  We've determined that our grandson, Moses, is the key to the Blazers winning, particularly when the game comes down to the fourth quarter.  He has a red and black hat and Keenan & Becca make sure he's wearing it when the Blazers play.  Since this ritual started the Blazers have not lost a game.  Fellow Blazer fans, you're welcome!  :)

Moses with his lucky Blazers hat.

Cutest Baby Ever, and his parents

One of our family traditions, "Express Christmas", started 3 years ago.  The idea is to do a variety of Christmas related activities in a short period of time.  We decide ahead of time what the categories will be and then pick names out of a hat to determine the teams.  This year Becca, Noah & Kelley had Christmas train set-up and decor, Taylor, Keenan & Lexie (Noah's girlfriend) had dinner prep and Mark & Tyler had Christmas tree set-up and decoration.  We set a time limit, usually 1 1/2 hours to complete each task, then we sit down for a meal together prepared by the Dinner Team.  It's a fun way to kick start the Christmas season and we have a great time working together to pull it off.  After dinner we worked on gingerbread houses together.  It was a great evening and a memory-maker.  Sometimes I think we have the best kids on the planet--always willing, eager and excited to do these silly things their parents come up with.  :)

Please continue to keep Mark in your prayers.  Overall, he is doing well despite ongoing fatigue and headache pain.  He had a minor setback in early January and fractured a vertebrae in his back.  The prescription for healing is rest, ice, heat and time.  We will check back with his Dr. in about 4-6 weeks to have his back x-rayed.  Right now, it is not causing any more than minor discomfort.  Mark is planning to get on his recumbent bike again very soon.  It's hard to keep him down for too long!  Thank you all for your continued words of encouragement, cards, emails, prayers and not least of all, food. We are blessed and can see God's grace and kindness all around us; often it is in the words of encouragement or acts of kindness from friends, family and even strangers.  We hope that you all are experiencing some of that in your lives too.