Warning: The following document is a low quality newsletter.  The absence of substance and creativity is inexcusable, as I am no longer working. It consists of numerous boring articles like every other family newsletter, about how we went here and there, and did this and that. We recommend you just update our contact information in your address book, and just look at the pictures.  I would also like to point out that we received one holiday newsletter worse than ours this year!  Our good friend Sandy Staab devoted 2 of his 9 pages to unpleasant stories of a particular contractor's work that did not meet Sandy's expectations.  Judge for yourself - http://spaces.msn.com/members/sanfords/

Hawaii: Willy and Deanna went to Hawaii for a weekend in February, stayed in Waikiki, and visited with our dear friends the Keizers. Mexico:  Deanna went on a short cruise in January to Ensenada Mexico with her sister’s family.

Kansas City: In May, Deanna and her mother went to Kansas City for a big family reunion. Her brother Rock owns the machine pictured here. On a tougher trip in September Deanna returned to Kansas City to be with her dad for his surgery for lung cancer.  Bob is undergoing chemo and is doing well but of course could really use your prayers.

The Family Farm:  During a discussion of how to beautify their home, Deanna absolutely forbid Willy to plant corn in the front yard.  It turned out to be too late, as Willy had already purchased the seeds and left them on the kitchen counter.  To his amazement, Willy returned from running errands to discover the boys had found the seeds.  Along with the help of Jeff Sato, Kirk had planted three rows of corn in our front yard flower boxes.  We successfully harvested a crop a few months later.

Camping:  Willy and Deanna camped for a week in June, at Hume Lake in Sequoia National Park.  We were there with several other families, comprising a group of about 70 people.  We toured a cave, played games, swam and ate frog legs.  We were with the Gleason, Lokkart, McKinley, Mutz, Sparrow, and Wais families. Copies of the picture of Dave Gleason's feet are available on request.

4th of July:  Deanna helped organize the music for the 4th of July Nazarene church picnic.  On the evening of the 4th, Willy went down to the Pismo Pier to the war zone.  The pier is his favorite place to be on the 4th, because there is a big crowd, and many people are setting off their own fireworks.  There were exciting things happening everywhere you looked.

Jiu-Jitsu:  Two girls that started with Willy’s Women’s Jiu-Jitsu Academy have had competition successes this year.  Katie Weilbacker went to Rio de Janeiro Brazil, and won the blue belt division at the World Championships.  There are unconfirmed rumors that Blair Fross is a Virginia State Jiu-Jitsu Champion.

Willy helped administer the academy final exam for the Atascadero State Hospital Officers.  A group of cadets tested their groundfighting skills against Willy.  Following the exam, Willy put on a 2 hour seminar.  Jiu-Jitsu student Amy George is pictured at graduation.

Frank Sainburg, a longtime student of Willy’s received his blue belt from Ricardo Miller.

On one of his trips to Texas, Willy had the chance to meet and train with Carlos Machado.  Willy also met Kathy Brothers at the Machado academy.  Kathy Brothers is one of the few female black belts in the world.

Willy put on a self defense seminar arranged by Melissa Watkins for the local Keller Williams real estate office.

Willy was did not compete this year as a result of a knee surgery in March.

Texas:  Willy traveled to Texas 4 times this year.  Willy visited his brother Larry and family.   He visited with Bob and Susan Cochran on the Wycliff campus.  The Cochrans are now in Indonesia.  In November, Joseph Nguyen, our Texas Realtor came here to Pismo Beach with his wife and kids, sister and Matt and assistant Amy.  They put on a wonderful dinner at the Spyglass Inn for us, along with twenty of our friends.

Family Gathering:  Once again there was a big holiday invasion on the central coast by the Davis family.  Family came from Texas, Maryland, Illinois, and Arizona.  To accommodate travel schedules, 2 turkeys were cooked, and served on different days.  Parts of the group made the usual trips to the Dunes, climbed Bishop’s peak, and surfed. A man named Tony who was starting a local Segway business, allowed us to ride Segway machines at the Pismo Pier.  He took pictures of us for his brochures. That's Chad and Nancy flying over the dunes. Willy also stopped in Phoenix for a few hours on the way back from a trip back east. Willy had lunch with his parents at Furr's, where they often eat.

NYC:  Deanna made two trips to New York City this year, one in April and one in December. She went with Mary Cullen, Pilar Robinson and met Mary's aunt Carol there.  The lights were beautiful at Rockefeller Plaza.  They stayed in Times Square and on Long Island.  They saw shows, watched hockey games, and visited the TWA 800 memorial.  They are all grateful to Mary's brother Paul, (coach/trainer for the Colorado Avalanche Hockey Team) for getting event tickets.

The Boys:  Chad and Kirk were not in school the full year this year.  At one point in time both of them worked at Brad’s restaurant.  Chad started teaching at Central Coast Gymnastics in San Luis Obispo.  Kirk had an internship with Casimir Capital in downtown New York City.   Kirk also worked as a counselor at a wrestling camp near Seattle. Chad will return to Cal Poly to continue in Aero - Engineering, and Kirk will return to Columbia in January to study Economics. They have two years of school remaining. Kirk also went on a short trip to Las Vegas to watch the Chuck Liddell vs. Jeremy Horn Ultimate Fighting Championship fight.

New Zealand:  Christmas day we went on what may have been our favorite family trip.  We flew to Auckland, New Zealand for 3.5 days.  The highlight for the four of us was a 3 hour guided Waitomo cave tour called the Black Abyss tour.  It started with a 110ft rappel into a glowworm cave.  We were in wet suits and miner’s hats.  We walked, swam, jumped, tubed and climbed for three hours.  Some parts of the cave we journeyed were large, and others Willy would not have fit through if he were wearing a backpack.  The most exciting part was scaling a waterfall that had a heavy flow coming through a small opening.

On another day, Willy and the boys Zorbed near the city of Rotorua.  The Zorb is a giant human hamster ball, partially filled with water, that you get inside and roll down a hill.  Rather than just sit and slide, Willy, Chad and Kirk got in the ball at the same time and attempted to cartwheel and tumble like three cats in a dryer.  We wanted the maximum experience. Only Kirk was uninjured.  We recommend Zorb.  It is as safe as you are.  Later we all explored many geothermal areas, including a 100˚F hot creek named Kerosene creek, with a waterfall (pictured), hot lakes, and boiling mud pits.

Health:  Deanna's dad and step dad have been battling cancer this year.  They are both doing well after surgery and chemo, and would appreciate your prayers.  Our family is so blessed to have these great men in our lives.  Deanna's mom and step mom are doing well as are Willy's parents.

As we stop and think of so many of you, we have many fond memories of our times together and are thankful for your love and friendship.  We ask your prayers that we will not get caught up in the business of life and miss the special moments with our Lord when he calls on each of us to spend a little time with just him.  It is so easy to do.  Happy 2006 to one and all!