Dutch’s 2018 Christmas Letter
Ho, Ho, Ho, Merry Christmas! I hope this letter finds you all happy, healthy and with a basket full of treats! I know it has been a couple years since you have gotten one of my letters. I have written them but Mom was having a hard time with being sad and didn’t want to send them. (Mom has put them on our website www.dutchcreekcreations.com if you would like to read them)
They say (Dad always asks Mom who “they” are to get her going, it’s so funny!) that life changes can cause stress. Boy have we had some life changes the last two years; cancer, surgeries, high risk pregnancy, new baby, bought a house, moved, death, and sold a house. The one thing that I have learned is that if you have faith, the love of family and friends, and lots of treats you can get through anything. So I want to start my letter this year by saying “Thank You” to all of our family and friends for helping us through all of our trials and tribulations. It’s your love and support along with our faith that have brought us through it all.
At the end of 2017, we sold our Bay City house to the sugar beet factory! They were happy to get the land and we were happy to be able to move on. They knocked down all the buildings and house and that was kinda sad but Mom said it was ok because she didn’t want anyone else living in our house and now no one will ever find all the bones I buried in the yard. She sure does know how to make it better!
Dad, Elliot and I got a new barn in the beginning of the year. Now we have a place to store all of our toys and someplace to hang out when the girls are being crazy. I love to spend time with my Dad and smell all the smells that are out by the barn. He says no treats in the barn though because it will bring too many mice. Mom’s beloved rhubarb patch is out behind so I make sure to stay away from that! I helped Dad and Mom plant 24 fruit trees, an asparagus patch, 2 more rhubarb plants, and 4 blueberry bushes in our back yard. Dad told me he did it because he knows Mom loves getting “gifts” from our yard. I know he did it so that Mom will always have fruit to make us pies and jelly, he doesn’t fool me he likes treats just as much as I do! (You didn’t forget that I like treats, right?)
Lydia turned 4 this year! I still remember how I didn’t know if I wanted her to show up or not. Boy how things change! She likes to holler at me sometimes when I lay on her blanket but I know she still loves me the most because she sneaks me treats all the time. She also started going to preschool and I get to ride along when Mom takes her to school and when she picks her up. Her teacher saw me in the car and asked to give me some love. Wow, no wonder Lydia likes to go to school every day! I would like to spend every day with Mrs. Smith too! Lydia says she wants to be a fairy when she grows up. Her favorite things are fairies, unicorns and rainbows. She is so girly and boring! I really don’t like to play dress up but she tries.
Elliot turned 2 and likes to do anything that Dad and I do. He loves tractors, matchbox cars, big bucks, fishing, playing outside, camo, Daniel tiger, his baby and to
tease me with my treats. He holds onto them forever! Mom says he is all boy with a
little soft side, just like Daddy. Every day after we drop Lydia off at school Elliot wants
to go someplace; Papa’s house, Gramma Juie’s (that’s how he says Grandma Judy) house, Uncle Bubba’s, Donald’s (he likes treats too) and when Mom has said no to all
of those then he wants to go looking for deer. Mom takes him around the block and he is happy.
We went camping a lot this year! Dad found a campground near our favorite fishing lake so we put the camper there and left it there ALL summer! We have a really nice lot on the back loop. It’s not a busy road so when Elliot plays in the mud puddles in the road we don’t have to worry too much about cars just Mom getting mad. We have met some nice people but the dogs are not as nice. Mom says they are just jealous of how strong, smart and handsome I am, I think she is right. Hopefully next summer I can make better friends with them and find some people who will give me treats. We are going to be there next year too so if you are up near Lupton, call Mom or Dad and come see us! Oh, and bring me treats!
Dad got Mom more chickens this year and Mom calls them her “Happy Kluckers”. We now have 24 chickens and Mom sells the eggs to whoever she can. I helped Dad build the new coop and make them a large fenced in area (cause it makes Mom happy). They are nice and safe with their radio still playing too. They are out in the yard almost every day so I have to make sure to mark all the trees so that the critters know I am here protecting them. I still love chicken but settle for Lydia and Elliot sneaking me their extra chicken nuggets and for the eggs with cracks. I think the chickens like me so much they break some on purpose just to give me a treat.
My fur sister Sissy went to heaven this past spring and we buried her under the lilacs. She used to share my bed with me in the living room, sometimes taking the whole bed. I say hi to her every time I scratch my back on the lilac bushes. Mom didn’t want to get another cat. She said if one came to us then we would take it in. Papa Al has been feeding a few of the neighbor barn cats for a while and there was this little one that he always called Lucky. We were at Papa’s house and Lucky came to the door and let Mom pet her. Mom said she looked like a cat they used to have named Bear (it was Papa Skip’s cat). The day Lucky met Mom and let her hold her was also Papa Skip’s birthday. Fate, a sign, or just coincidence; doesn’t matter cause now we have a new cat named Lucky. She is nice enough to both Sam and I but she better stop taking my treats!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
I hope to smell; I mean see you all in the New Year!
Don’t forget the treats if you come to visit!
Dutch’s 2017 Christmas Letter
Merry Christmas everyone! Dutch here again! I know you never got the letter I wrote in 2016, Mom couldn’t read it without crying and she said that she didn’t want to send out a letter that would make people cry. She is just a big cry baby, but she is Mom and I love her so I do what she tells me to cause then she gives me treats. So here is our letter for this year!
We celebrated the New Year in our new house and we love it! It was so fun to see what the yard gave us as we went through the seasons (I still think the ditch is the best part!) We found out that we have rhubarb plants, stinky flowers, and picky roses, lilac bushes that are GREAT for scratching my back on, funny looking little mushrooms that Mom took pictures of and sent them to Dad and Uncle Bubba and a plum tree. I still don’t know why Mom got so mad at me when I peed on the rhubarb but I make sure to not go in that direction again because then she doesn’t give me treats.
We got a new baby sitter this year too. Her name is Trish (dad’s cousin) and we love her! (I know she loves me the best too) At first, I didn’t think I was going to like having to stay home more, but it has been great! She takes us outside almost every day the weather is good, she plays with us, gives me treats (remember how much I like treats?) and rubs my neck. I feel so proud because she says that I make her feel safe. She also helped teach Lydia how to start going potty on the big girl toilet. I don’t get it, I go potty where I’m supposed to and nobody says a thing, but one pee on the rhubarb and Mom gave me that look and says I’m in trouble. We still go to Grandma Mary and Papa Al’s house and Grandma Judy comes to our house and they all give me treats!
When Elliot started crawling, I thought I was not going to like that! Turns out I was wrong, he was able to crawl over to me and cuddle with me while he drank his milk. He is my buddy and Dad says I’m his best friend. He does like to play with my lips and I’m not too happy with that I know he is still learning (that is what Mom tells me anyway). I now have someone else who gives me treats! Then, before we had his birthday party, he started walking! He is a fast mover, good thing because he has to keep up with me!
Lydia started going to gymnastics classes but I couldn’t go with her cause dogs can’t go in the building. She really liked the classes and started doing some funny things on her head at home. They were weird but she was happy doing them so that made me happy too.
We finally got our new chicks! They are so cute and they smell so good! (Don’t worry I remembered that I can’t eat them!) We only got six and halfway through the summer something got into the coop and got three of them so we ended up with just a few left. Dad did the smartest thing! He put a radio out by the coop and it kept the critters away. He said that I was still doing a good job protecting the chickens but that it was a bigger yard with new critters so I just needed a little help. I make sure to pee on all the trees and bushes around the edge of the yard to make sure they know I’m here and when I come in from doing my job I get two treats!
We did some camping, tried a few new places and finally went back to my favorite place! (Tawas) The dog beach was even better this year because my Dad went swimming with us too! Some of the camping I didn’t go to because it was just too hot which was fine cause I stayed at Grandma Judy’s house and went swimming in her pool and she takes me to get an ice cream cone. We also went fishing a lot. Lydia went with us for the first time and she did great! We went to George Lake (Mom and Dad’s favorite) and caught some blue gill.
My Papa Skip went to heaven and it was sad, still is. My Mom has been sad, she tries to not show it most of time. I know how she is feeling without her having to say it, so I just stay close to her (plus she gives me treats). She started to be a little less sad when the holidays came because she said Papa Skip wouldn’t want her to be sad. He was such a good guy, I miss him he always had treats in his pockets for me.
Mom says that even though we have had some battles, some loses and some wins these last couple of years, we are blessed that our love and faith have grown stronger with each one. She says it’s because we stick together and take care of each other with treats.
Please stop by so that I can show you my ditches and around my yard (we just have to stay away from the rhubarb and don’t forget the treats). I hope to smell; I mean see you all in the New Year!
Dutch’s Christmas Letter 2016
It’s hard to believe another year has passed! We had so much happen this year, it has been a roller coaster of emotions for our whole family. We are very lucky to have such wonderful family and friends! God has truly blessed us in so many ways!
We started the New Year with some surprising and exciting news that we were getting another baby! It seemed like forever until Elliot George was born on August 27th! I was so excited, Liddy not so much. She didn’t know what to think of our new baby when we found out because she still wanted to be the baby. Now she loves to help mom take care of him. I can’t wait until he starts eating because then I will get treats from him too!
In February, my dad found out he needed to have surgery to remove an enlarged thyroid. They found out it was cancer and he had to have a second surgery to remove the rest and then radiation therapy to make sure it was all gone. I knew he was sick before anyone else and kind of drove him crazy because I wouldn’t leave him alone. I keep a close eye on him now (it still drives him crazy but he gives me treats anyway) but I am not taking any chances!
My Papa Skip was doing well for most of the year but had to have surgery again in September and was in rehab for 3 months. It made me sad because I didn’t get to see him the whole time. Every time I went to their house I would take the newspaper down to his bedroom to check and see if he was there and then finally one day he was home! I was so happy he was there so that I could give him the newspaper and he gave me a treat.
I still get to go to “day care” at both my grandparents’ houses with Liddy and Elliot. I am such a lucky boy because they all give me treats! When I go to Papa Al’s he takes me done the lane so I can smell everything and do my job. He gives me a treat when I come back fast. I ride with him to go to the bank to help keep him safe and the girls at the bank give me treats because I’m so handsome.
We went camping twice this year. We went with Mom’s family once and Dad’s family the other time. Mom and Dad were not much fun this year camping because Dad still didn’t feel well and Mom was just too pregnant with Elliot George. My Dad promises that we will have more fun next summer and spend more time outside. I am going to hold him to it because I want to go to my favorite campground again. I love to go to Tawas because they have a dog beach that isn’t yucky for Mom and Liddy to swim with me. If you want to come and swim with me, call my mom! Don’t forget the treats!
We don’t have our chickens anymore. I tried to catch the weasel that was getting in the coop but he was so sneaky! That little bugger got the last two chickens a week before we moved. I wish I would’ve caught him, I bet he would have tasted like chicken. I LOVE chicken! Mom said maybe when Elliot gets a litter older we can get chickens again. I really like helping take care of them because I treat. I promised mom I would do a better job keeping them safe but she said it wasn’t my fault, and that I am a big strong boy and I do a good job and gives me a treat. Have I told you how much I like treats?
Just when I didn’t think our year could get any more exciting, we moved! We have a beautiful yard with a swing set, lots of birds and the best ditches that I get to swim in. I’ve already gone swimming a couple times this month! I don’t think mom knows because I didn’t get in trouble and I still got a treat when I came in. The smells in our yard are amazing, I love it! We are still settling in but come see us anyway. I would love to smell, I mean see you in 2017!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Dutch’s Christmas Letter 2015
Hi Everyone! It’s Dutch here and I can tell you that you probably aren’t reading this until AFTER Christmas. I didn’t know for sure if I wanted to write a letter this year. I have been a little sad with everything we have had happen but I decided that we had way more happy than sad so here it is!
We started out the year with a 1st birthday party for Lydia. I have decided that I like cake almost as much as I like chicken! We celebrated Uncle J’s birthday too cause you know they share a birthday. (I know he still likes me best though) The party was fun and all of our family couldn’t come but it sure was good to see everyone who did come! I really love my sister Lydia. She gives me all kinds of goodies from the table (I still can’t believe she doesn’t like chicken! That’s ok, more for me!) Our Dad takes us to play outside or in the woodshop all the time and we have so much fun!
In the Spring, we found out that Uncle Matt and Aunt Deniege were going to have a baby sometime around Thanksgiving. It was very exciting because Liddy and I were going to get a new cousin! She was born November 29th and her name is Anna Sophia. She is beautiful!!!
I lost another one of my furry sisters (Mandy) in the spring; she had the same kind of cancer that my other fur sister Lucy died from last fall. I miss her because she was the nicest and she loved to give everyone kisses.
We had so much fun camping this year! We went someplace different almost every month; Hewey Lake, Harrison, Brighton, Big Bend Campground, and then Bay City for trick or treating. We didn’t get a chance to go to my favorite (Tawas) but we did get to camp with so much of our family this year that it was great! I love to go camping!
My best friend Gauge went over the rainbow bridge this year. I miss him very, very much. My mom says that now he can run and play and not ever hurt again and that he gets as much chicken as he wants. All I know is that it must be a good place if it is called the rainbow bridge because if you know the Revord guys they always have fun and good food at the rainbow.
My Pa (Skip) has had trouble with a sore on his ankle and in October, he went to rehab and I liked that because I got to go see him there. Hopefully, if things go according to plan he will be home by the time you are reading this letter. My mom was crying last week when Pa told her that he might be home for Christmas. I don’t understand why she was crying, it’s a good thing. Dad says that it’s ok you just can’t understand girls sometimes.
That is all until next year! Hope to smell, I mean see you all soon!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
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My name is Dutch Revord and I have so much to tell you this year!
In the beginning of 2014, my Mom was so pregnant she couldn’t do anything fun with me. The doctor said she had to take it easy two whole weeks before my sister got here, so no going to work. This meant that I didn’t get to go to Bamma and Pappy’s house every day either. I was stuck in the house with mom all day long until Dad came home. (Mom was very boring!) She couldn’t go out to the chicken coop, mail box or anywhere fun; only to the doctor’s office. My Dad was a nervous nelly making sure Mom was ok so he wasn’t any fun either! Then one day she went for an appointment and didn’t come home for 3 days! It was ok with me because I went and had a sleepover at my grandparents’ house. Then when Mom and Dad came to get me they had my new sister, Lydia Marie with them. (I guess she finally decided to show up on Uncle Jason’s birthday but I know he still likes me better) She was so small! I didn’t know about her at first but she is growing on me, she drops a lot of snacks on the floor and gives me her cookies. (I love treats!) It’s great cause when she goes to “day care” (both my Grandparent’s houses or they come to our house) I get to go too! Lydia and I have great “babysitters”! Everyone makes a big fuss over Lydia, but I think they just do that to make her feel better. I know they still like me best.
Finally, the snow melted and we got to go camping! Mom and Dad got a “new” camper. I love it because I have my own bed right under the table. My favorite part is the swimming, smelling trees, going for walks, campfires, and cook outs; it’s hard to pick one favorite. I love camping! I think my favorite campground is Tawas because Mom and Dad will swim with me on their dog beach because it’s so sandy.
The fall started out great! Uncle Matt and Aunt Deniege got married. (Now she is officially part of the family and we are keeping her forever!) I didn’t get to go to the wedding. Mom and Dad said it was for humans only, no dogs. It was ok, they brought me a cheeseburger when they came home.
We had a little sadness this fall. My fur sister Lucy had cancer and had to be put to sleep. It was sad, she always slapped my nose and tried to scratch me but I still miss her. We lost 4 chickens to some critter that got into the coop. (Dad says he thinks it was a weasel) I helped Dad secure the coop and we haven’t had any trouble since. Mom says it’s because I am such a good helper and because the weasel is afraid of me. I make sure to pee on the bushes around the chicken coop just so that he knows I’m still here. I will eat him if I ever catch him (Dad says it would taste like chicken and you know I love chicken!)
I think the best thing that happened for me this year is that my Dad got a new job here in town! He is only 20 minutes from home. He goes to work at the same time as before but gets home 2 ½ hrs. earlier at night. I love having him home more! You can tell he is happier too. I think it’s because he gets to spend more time with me (well Mom and Lydia too) That is all until next year! I hope to smell, I mean see you all soon!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
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Merry Christmas Everyone! My name is Dutch Revord and I have been put in charge of writing our Christmas letter again this year. I was hoping they would have one of my siblings do it but they said that I did such a good job last year that I should do it again, so here it goes.
We have had a lot going on this year. In the spring we got another batch of chickens to add to our flock. We now have 20 hens and 2 roosters. Dad keeps saying we need to eat some of them (I love chicken!) but Mom just gets mad and says we can’t. I helped Dad make a fenced in area for the chickens out of free pallets that mom got. Dad says she gets crazy ideas sometimes, but he likes to make her happy. The chickens tell me that they love being able to go out whenever they want, just call me the chicken whisperer.
In the summer mom and dad went on a few vacations and I got to go too! We went camping a couple times and we went fishing in the UP too. I had never been over the Mighty Mac before, I was kinda scared but it was so worth it! We went and stayed at a little cabin on the lake. I got to play in the water whenever I wanted, went fishing in Dad’s boat, and my best friend Gauge was there too. We also went fishing on the bay a few times. I really like anything that involves water; fishing in dad’s boat, swimming in the pool or walking in the water at the lakes.
Well I guess the biggest news we have this year is that I am going to get a sister. Mom and Dad say she will be here sometime around Valentine’s Day but can’t really say for sure because she will come when she feels like it and is ready. It sounds like trouble to me because I come when Mom and Dad tell me to, I don’t know why she gets to come when she wants to. Anyway, I haven’t decided if I am going to like her or not but Mom and Dad tell me that I am going to love her and that I have to help to keep her safe too. I didn’t used to think I would like living with cats but they turned out to be ok so maybe she will too.
I guess that is all for now. We will keep you posted as to when my new sister decides to get here and hopefully you can come and see us.
Until then…Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Dutch’s Christmas Letter 2012 |
Merry Christmas Everyone! My name is Dutch Revord. My mom and dad said that I needed to write a letter to put in the Christmas cards this year and let everyone know what we have been up to, so here it goes.
We have been in our house in Bay City for a little over a year now and it really feels like home. We have made a lot of changes to the house and the yard, it seems like my dad is always working on something and mom is his helper. I get to lay on the floor and watch, oh and get treats. (I LOVE treats!) I have one brother and three sisters; Sam, Lucy, Sissy and Mandy. Sammy is really cool, Sissy and Mandy are ok, but Lucy can be really mean. She slaps at me and scratches my nose with her claws. Mom says she is scared of me, but I think she is just a meanie. I go out with them in the fenced part of the yard and keep them safe from other stray cats. Mom says that I am such a good boy (I love it when she tells me that). I used to think it was weird to have cats for family but they are ok.
Dad and mom kept saying we were going to get chickens, but it seemed like they were never going to get here! Finally they brought them home in March and then the fun started. They looked so delicious but I was told I couldn’t eat them (I love chicken!). Turns out it has been really fun having the chickens, I get to help keep them in the yard and keep them safe. We have a hawk that likes to come in the yard but it gets scared and flies away when I am out there because I am a big strong boy (mom says so).
I have such a great family! Dad, Mom, Sammy, Sissy, Mandy, Lucy, Bamma, Pappy, Grampy, Grammy, Uncle Bubba and Aunt Karen, Uncle Jason, Uncle Slimmie and his girlfriend Deniege (I think she is a keeper!), and Gauge.
When mom has to go and work with the flowers, I get to spend the day with my Bamma. Some days my pappy is home, he likes to get woke up with my cold wet nose (hehehe). When I am at Bamma and Pappy’s house I get to go visit a lot of people too, like Uncle Bubba (he gives me treats), the girls at McDonalds (they give me treats) and the nice ladies at the credit union (they give me treats too!). Everyday my girlfriend Miley walks past Bamma’s house with her lady Pat, some days I get to go out and see her. She is so pretty, we play chase in the yard and she lets me smell her butt once (only once cause she is a lady). It’s so fun!
It’s really fun when my dad is home; we get to do “boy” stuff as mom calls it (we usually work in dad’s wood shop). We go and see my Granny and Grampy Revord on Saturday mornings; I really love to see them too! My best friend Gauge lives there, we have so much fun running in the yard and checking out all the smells together. Then when we come in the house we get treats (did I tell you I LOVE treats?). Uncle Jason is really fun to play with; he plays chase with us in the yard and throws stuff for us to catch.
The best of all is when I am home with both mom and dad. I don’t really know what else to say…
Stop over anytime and see us! I promise not to smell your butt!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Dutch Creek Creations 