CORVETTE UPDATE:
The Le Mans Blue Corvette will be 3 years old in February 2009 and currently has 42,000 miles on the odometer. The miles have accumulated through all the activities and road trips that we have participated in with the Las Vegas Corvettes Association (LVCA) and on our family trips. With LVCA this year, we have gone to Slap Bottom Harbor, CA for the Annual President's Run; drove in the St. Patrick's Day Parade; attended a Las Vegas Wrangler Ice Hockey game; cruised to a LVCA Wine and Cheese Tasting Party; drove to Antelope Valley, CA for the Annual Poppy Run; helped with the Nevada Open Road Challenge out of Ely, NV; helped with the Annual Corvette Roulette Weekend in Las Vegas; went on the Labor Day Get-A-Way to UT and ID; attended the Broadway in the Desert production of Les Miserables in St, George, UT; helped with the Silver State Open Road Challenge from Ely, NV; and took a trip across country to visit the National Corvette Museum and GM Corvette Plant in Bowling Green, KY. On the way we stopped in Winslow , AZ "to stand on the corner"; stayed in Espanola, NM and toured the areas around Los Alamos and Santa Fe; stopped in Amarillo, TX to see the Cadillac Ranch and ate at the Big Texan Steak Ranch (where a 72 ounce steak is free if you can eat the meal in 1 hour!); stayed in Little Rock, AR and attended a meeting of Central Arkansas Corvette Club; and stopped in Memphis, TN to eat at Neely's BBQ and tour Graceland. The real thrill of the trip was touring the GM Bowling Green Plant and watching Corvettes being "born"! The tour of the production line was the highlight of the trip for us. Pat also won another Clean Car Award this year in May. Pat is the webmaster for the Las Vegas Corvettes Association (www.vegasvettes.com) and Nita helps with the Corvette Roulette Committee.

FAMILY NEWS:
Our oldest Son, Jim, and his Family have lived in Tempe, AZ over 10 years. Jim and Michelle just celebrated their 16th Wedding Anniversary. Sons Joe and Steve will be celebrating their 13th and 7th Birthdays respectively this December. Daughter Katie will turn 11 in January 2009. They all keep busy with school, Scouts and sports activities. While Joe went back East on a Scout Trip in July, and Katie was at Girl Scout Camp in AZ, Grandson Steve came to Las Vegas to visit with Grandpa Pat, Grandma Nita and Aunt Kathy. It was a lot of fun swimming, watching movies, learning to play Aunt Kathy's Nintendo DS and playing with Grandma Nita's extensive Legos collection. The week went by too quickly.

We visited in San Ramon, CA with Son Andy, Wife Spon and Daughter Naomi in April. In May Andy and Spon celebrated their 7th Anniversary and Naomi's 1st Birthday. They came to Las Vegas in August to attend Grandpa Leon's (Spon's Dad) Wedding. We were very happy that they stayed with us a week. On August 8th Naomi decided to start walking! It was such fun watching her explore.

This past July Daughter Kathy had to move back home to Las Vegas. The reason for her return was due to a slip and fall accident ( June 23rd) that occurred during our visit with her in Palm Springs, CA. Long story short, on July 8th, Kathy had surgery to her left knee to replace and repair ligaments. Nita remained with Kathy from June 23rd until July 18th, when Pat came and helped move Kathy and Nita back to Vegas. She has had therapy and continues to improve. After a 6th month break in work, Kathy will start nursing again at St Rose Dominican-San Martin Campus here in Vegas. We are very thankful that Kathy has returned to good health!

Pat and Nita had fun visiting family friends at Mt Home AFB, ID in September. Mt. Home was Pat's 1st assignment after Tech School in March 1969. After 40 years, there were some changes--all new housing, some new administration buildings, new schools, BUT some of the buildings were the same--the same Visiting Officers Quarters where Pat stayed in 1969, hangers from WWII, and a street with housing from the 50's. On September 30th, Pat and Nita headed to Colorado Springs, CO and the Air Force Academy for Pat's 40th Reunion. 68 STILL GREAT! The Reunion Committee did an outstanding job planning the get-together. Attendees went to a FAC Memorial dedication, Class of 68 Memorial Service, Classmate's Funeral Service, State of the Academy Briefing, Lunch with the Cadet Wing, the Navy vs Air Force Football game with Tailgate Party, Golf Tournament and AWESOME Social Gatherings. Pat was recognized and given a plaque for "Webmaster Extraordinare" for building and maintaining www.usafa68.org which he continues to update.

The end of 2008 finds us preparing for family visiting. Nita's niece, Cheyenne, is getting married December 22nd, and all the "Kids" are coming home for the occasion. The Jim Russell's will return to Tempe, AZ for Christmas, But the Andy Russell's will stay in Vegas and then visit with Grandma Marlene (Spon's Mom) in Desert Hot Springs, CA. We will also celebrate Steve, Pat and Andy's Birthdays while we are together. Pat's Mom, Marybelle (86 y/o), will be with us, But Nita's Mom, Ethel (82 y/o), will be in Iowa this year. Pat and Nita visited Mom Britton in Iowa in June before Ethel came out to spend the summer in Henderson, NV. We have had a full and exciting year. We hope that all our Family and Friends have had the same. God Bless!

Merry Christmas and A Very Happy New Year!


From left to right: Pat, Son Jim, Daughter-in-law Michelle,Grandson Joe, Granddaughter Katie, Daughter Kathy, Grandson Steve, Nita, Granddaughter Naomi, Son Andy and Daughter-in-law Spon

Pat and Nita