Woohoo! We did it! We made it to the end of 2020! I don’t know about you but this house needs a spa day and for me, that looks like a good carpet shampoo and deep tissue cleaning!

Merry Christmas from the Salls! In case you forgot, I am Big Green, the beautiful, deep forest green house that the Salls call home in Loveland, Colorado and I have been given the great responsibility of summing up their year and wishing you Christmas cheer! I don’t think any of us were prepared for 2020, from the COVID crisis and lockdowns, fires that raged in our region of Colorado to the election, this year has been fraught with hardship, tension and angst. In the midst of this difficult year, the Salls have been blessed with many great moments and memories!

Let’s get to everyone’s favorite first, little Phoebe Christine is 20 months old and in every way, lights up their world and every room of mine! As her home and given this year, a place where the family spent even more time, I got a front row seat to this little sweetheart going from crawling, to taking her first steps, to all out running! She loves to talk and knows all kinds of words, the favorites being “Momma, Dada and I love you” and she says “turtle” in the cutest way possible! She loves hats, necklaces and shoes... all things accessories and she will fall asleep wearing her shoes at night and one of the first things she wants when she wakes up are... shoes! She gets a kick out of playing with my light switches, loves to be in water from the hot tub to the bathtub and her favorite place in the whole house is my garage, she has all kinds of toys and tools to explore and play with! Brett and Brittany are amazed everyday that they have been blessed with this little girl!

When she is not in my loving four walls, Phoebe loves to ride in her special seat on Brett’s bike, go over to Mia and Papa’s house (Brittany’s folks), play with her cousins, Aunt and Uncle and Asher (Phoebe’s 7 year-old cousin) in particular is Phoebe’s best friend. Brett and Brittany love to take Phoebe to Foundations Church where the amazing worship is her favorite part! You will see her dancing in the aisles with her pigtails and a big smile! This 4th of July, the Sall family went back to Nebraska to Brett’s folks and brother’s place in the country. From the chickens, to the ducks and goats, Phoebe had the best time exploring the farm and playing with her Nebraska cousins. She was able to ride her first horse, Lightning, which just happens to be Brett’s childhood horse who is still alive and kicking to delight the next generation.

Brett and Brittany love to take Phoebe hiking in the mountains and they also braved a long road trip to Ouray, Colorado this November to show Phoebe their favorite spot in all of Colorado, the San Juan Mountains. On this family trip, God blessed their socks (or in my case, shutters) off again… another Sall Baby is baking in Brittany’s oven and due July 2021! Yay! Yay! Yay! After six years of trying for Phoebe, this incredible baby is another miracle and testament to God’s faithfulness!

Brett and Brittany continue to make me proud by helping their great clients find and sell amazing homes, like myself! :) In a world where many small businesses have been crushed by the COVID lockdowns, the Salls are very grateful for their business and ability to keep my roof over their head. The main source of business for The Sall Team is word of mouth and referrals from past clients, friends and family and to that—we say THANK YOU for supporting the family business. I would like to think that I taught them everything they know, but they were the ones who actually built me so… I’ll just say that they know their stuff!

Brett and Brittany took on a new venture this year, purchasing their first home back as an investment property and turning it into an adorable Airbnb. I must admit, I was a little jealous at first. This little house, aptly named, “Lil’ Blue,” was getting all their attention, a new paint job inside and out, fresh landscaping, new HVAC system… I mean, I was lucky to get my filter changed at the time. And all they would talk about is “How cute is Lil’ Blue… I love that Lil’ house SO MUCH!” After some time, I calmed down and realized when trim came to wall, they needed my square footage and bedroom space WAY more than that tiny little house! Especially with another baby on the way! Lil’ Blue is a great place to stay in Colorado and we welcome you all to book a stay there which you can do at www.stayatlilblue.com.

The Sall Family also picked up a new hobby of pickleball! This super fun game is a mix of tennis and ping pong. The whole family plays together frequently at the nearby park just a short walk from me!

Homes have their own way of sensing the world around them, even as they stand still and this year has been a hard one. Seeing small business suffer, church doors closed, many people and families struggling with COVID, schools closed, suicide rates and drug and alcohol abuse through the roof… This hit close to home as the Salls lost a friend this fall from suicide, a friend who was a vibrant and beautiful young woman who is missed by so many. The effects of this year have been felt by every person and in a world where it seems like we can’t agree on anything, we hope that you know that we are here for you. If you receive this letter, it is because we care about you. You always have a friend in our family and my door is always open.

Like a refining fire, this year’s painful difficulties have refined life’s most important elements… faith, family and community. Our only sustaining hope is our trust and faith in Jesus Christ. We are so grateful for our family and friends, our community through church, Crossfit Loveland and our real estate community that has brought such joy and a sense of togetherness in a year so rife with isolation.

As we look to 2021, I think the whole world will sigh a collective sigh of relief to see a new year on the horizon, a fresh slate full of opportunity! If there is anything that we can be specifically praying for you or your family for this new year, please let us know!

Thanks for taking the time to peer into the “window” of this home’s happenings in 2020! From this home to yours, may it be filled with warmth and joy this Christmas season and coming year!

P.S. I was about to print this letter when I almost forgot to mention the fifth and only four-legged member of the family, Uncle Gary. He’s still alive and kicking and as soft as ever! He enjoys pat-pats and tickles from Phoebe and he never misses an opportunity to eat scraps dropped by the cute toddler. I could do without the excess dog hair everywhere but what he adds in cleaning duties he makes up in cuteness and companionship.