Bickett Holiday Letter Archive - The RC Bickett Gang

So, as we sit down each year and decide what makes the recap letter for our Christmas cards each year I always think, “Man, wouldn’t it be nice to have all of these in one place other than stored in a box”….and **ta~da**…. Now we can post our letters and have a spot to archive them. It’s great to reread and remember the highlights of each year. If you are currently not on our holiday mailing list and would like to be, just send us a self addressed envelope. =]

2023

2022

2021

2020

Click to enlarge and read letter on back side.

2019

Download to read letter.

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

A letter didn’t make it out in our cards this year, but if it had, it would have went a little something like this…

In 2014 we went to Disneyland and had a baby.
Merry Christmas to you!
Love — Brian, Nicole, Ellie & Jackson

Of course after a little bit more thought, we remembered a few other exciting events from 2014. Here is a quick list of our notable memories (in chronological order of course):

Nicole’s sewing room and office found its final resting place
We enjoyed every minute of Ellie’s excitement at Disneyland
Ellie turned 4 and Jackson was born – all in the same day!
We watched Ellie’s first dance recital and she learned how to ride a bike
Jackson has grown in leaps and bounds — we’ll be needing the baby gate soon
Brian continues to follow his dream and launched Iron Mountain Financial Services
It was a tad late in the season, but we made it to camp for a week in the Big Horns
We soaked up the sun, friends and family as much as we could

We truly feel blessed and continue to be very grateful for God’s grace that shines down on us more and more every year.

2013

2012

*The professional photo above was taken by Lena Miller Photography & Design.

2011

to say the least, we were able to be a bit more adventurous this year.

of course ellie is growing like a weed. she made her maiden voyage to arizona this spring, her first birthday was fabulous, and we are now in swim lessons. next thing you know she will be ridding her first dirt bike in the field south of the house. she is no longer in day-care so now we all three spend the entire day together.

nicole was handed down her grandmother’s sewing machine which has escalated her hobby of sewing along with her newly discovered love of vintage, retro and handmade things. she juggles her work in when ellie is sleeping. so far it is working quite well.

brian finally got a bit of riding in on a bike trip to red lodge with is brother, steve. he is found hiding out in the office with the door closed during the day and on the floor playing with ellie in the evenings.

we were pointed to the perfect camper sometime this summer and were crazy enough to take it on a two week workamping trip to idaho at the end of august. we loved being able to slow down a bit to explore the beauty of a place we haven’t ever been before. we plan to do some more workamping again but no matter where we go, or how long we are gone for we are always glad to come back home. hopefully by the end of the winter our basement will be nice and cozy with a ceiling and flooring.

that pretty much sums it up. you can fill in the gaps by reading a bit of our family blog, bnbickett.com.
we wish everyone a wonderful end to 2011 and bright beginnings for 2012.
love,
brian, nicole and ellie

2010

Welcome to the time warp. Seems like years ago that we were in the hospital for the birth of our sweet little girl but we still found a bit of time to recap our 2010.

Of course we would have to say the biggest news we have this year is welcoming our daughter, Ellie Marie, into the world on June 14th. We knew it would change us but it is amazing how well we fill the part of being parents. Brian and I make a pretty good team and we truly feel blessed. Ellie is growing into her little britches quite well and has a silly personality that matches her smile. Next on the list is to baby-proof the house as she is becoming more mobile and aware of her surroundings.

And that is about it….the rest seems so minor compared to that. Brian did a fantastic job and was able to finish the basement walls this spring and now that the snow is flying again we plan to put up doors and closets this winter. He is still working from home and recently shot his first deer in the Black Hills. Nicole continues to stay busy as a small business owner and the president of the local advertising club. In her free time (laugh) she has taken up the hobby of sewing.

It is a little sad to say that we hardly rode the bikes this summer and we are uncertain of when and where our next travels will be, but we are pretty sure there is no slowing down next year either.

Wishing you and yours the very best Holiday Season and a Happy New Year!

— Brian, Nicole and Ellie Bickett —

See more pictures on our website www.bnbickett.com

2009

Well it hardly feels like that time of year again considering the temperatures here were still in the 50’s the first week of December. It is really hard to believe that is has almost been a year since we were vacationing in Mexico. We had a great time south of the border with our amigos, Rick & Steph. Of course we loved the Mexican food and have already decided we should go back and stay on the west coast of Mexico, maybe somewhere around Mazatlán, Puerto Vallarta or Acapulco.

This summer went by in a flash. Even though we decided against riding to the Grand Canyon, we were able to put a few miles on the bikes as we headed to North Dakota for an Evenson family reunion. It was wonderful to share a laugh with everyone.

This fall and winter has been anything but dull and included the great lefse weekend that ended in a kitchen full of flour and 18 dozen lefse…which quickly disappeared. We have also continued to work on finishing our basement as it seems we have a bit of a deadline and need to move the spare bedroom downstairs to make room for another addition that will be arriving the beginning of June. By this time next year, our family portrait will look a little bit different. Until then, take care and we will keep you all updated on how things turn out next summer.

Peace be with you!
Brian & Nicole Bickett

2008

It is hard to believe that this year is close to an end. Looking back we are very grateful for the wonderful year that we had. Brian started the year off right by finishing his second motorcycle, the FXR and in March we spent a weekend in Cleveland, OH taking in a Cavaliers game and The Christmas Story Museum. Nicole won a few awards for her design work in the local ad awards. She also became a board member of the local Advertising Club in Rapid City and was voted Vice President. In May we decided that traveling every week was for the birds. Now Brian is home 75% of the year and we both work from the same home office. It took a little adjusting but we sure enjoy having a little more free time together. The summer was the busiest time of the year for us.

We welcomed our nephew Justin and our cousin Stephanie in to our home and quickly found out what it was like to have an instant family. Justin was able to reclaim his education and Steph had just finished college looking for her start. We also finished our back yard including custom gates that Brian fabricated himself and we replaced the dirt in the ditch with rock and sod one wheel borrow at a time. Now Kip can run freely. Maybe next year we will add some shrubs or even a tree. On a rainy day in June we stumbled upon our new car, the Malibu, and decided it was time to retire the Grand Am.

The most amazing part of our summer was our cruise to Alaska with Brian’s family. Alaska is some of the most beautiful country ever and we enjoyed the zip-line, rock climbing, sport fishing and shopping, not to mention the ship and its 24-hour buffet. We both came home 8lbs. heavier. More recently we were able to gather with our friends and family to enjoy our first Thanksgiving. It was quite the task but we loved the company and we are still eating the left-overs.

We already have our first vacation planned for next year; a trip to Mexico in January. We are also looking forward to getting back in the saddle for another week long motorcycle trip next summer, possibly to the Grand Canyon. Other then that we are not certain what else might come along next year. All we do know is that we are very glad that we chose to live in Rapid City and we enjoy every minute of it.

Take Care & Peace Be With You!
Brian & Nicole Bickett
See more pictures on our website www.bnbickett.com

2007

As you can tell by the enclosed picture, it has been another busy year. Our travels started this year with a quick trip to Peoria, Illinois to visit Steve. This summer we loaded both our bikes and headed out on our annual week long trip, which took us to Red Lodge, Montana for the Beartooth Rally, up through the beautiful Glacier National Park and for a quick stop in Yellowstone on our way back home. The entire trip put about 2000 miles on each of our bikes with Kip in tow on his trailer from here to Upton and back.

At the end of September we rendezvoused in the San Francisco Bay area and spent a day riding the trolleys, eating lunch in China Town, walking the hilly streets and admiring the Golden Gate Bridge. The next day we indulged in a wine tasting tour that took us to five different wineries around Napa Valley. Next year we are looking forward and are very excited to be joining the Bickett family on a cruise to Alaska.

Brian has spent a majority of this year traveling back and forth to Elko, Nevada which gave us a steady schedule to follow and me plenty of time to work on becoming a small business owner. It has been interesting learning the ropes but I must say the first year has gone very well and the forecast for next year looks great as well.

We are slowly tackling the numerous tasks involved in being a new homeowner. This summer we had sprinklers installed and laid sod in both the front and the back. A fence is in the works for next year so that Kip will enjoy the freedom of being ropeless and can spend more time outside on warm, sunny days.

We hope that this holiday card finds you all well and would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Brian & Nicole Bickett

2006

It seems like 2006 has gone by in a flash with all sorts of exciting and new beginnings. Earlier this year, we decided that Gillette was not the place for us to be and debated between Rapid City or Phoenix. After conquering the tasks of renovating and selling the town house in Gillette, we learned quickly that remodeling was not our favorite thing to do. Neither was moving, and we vowed to do as little as possible of them both once we were settled. Since we have moved to Rapid life has been great, busy, but great; almost like vacation when Brian is home. We are very glad we chose to live closer to our families and we get to see them often.

There was one day this summer that we will remember the rest of our lives; July 7th — our wedding day. It was very exciting to spend such a spectacular day with so many of our family and friends. We truly feel blessed. The following week we were off and touring the beautiful country side of Tennessee on a motorcycle and loving every minute of it. Other then the honeymoon we haven’t had much time for riding the two wheels. We are hoping that isn’t the case next year.

Shortly after we returned we were looking for a home and decided to build from the ground up. It looks like we will be moving in right after Christmas, which will make for an interesting holiday season with all the packing, shopping, visiting, eating, moving, and unpacking. We keep wondering when our lives will slow down and like to think it will once we get moved in. We made sure to build a guest bedroom and welcome all of you to stop by or stay any time.

Best Wishes for a Happy Holiday Season!
Brian & Nicole Bickett

2005

Time stands still for no man…nor for us either. Sometimes it is hard to believe it is December, but the weather here does a great job at sending very frigid reminders. This spring brought many new things, as spring should, including new jobs and motorcycles.

I finally found a job that I love as a Marketing Director handling all of the design and advertising for a small company here in town. Brian accepted a position as a consultant with a mining software company out of Nevada, which requires him to fly to and from the job site every week. It took some getting use to but we have learned to appreciate the time we have together.

Last fall Brian decided he needed another motorcycle and after a long debate, I finally bought one too. The only difference is that mine has close to 4,000 miles already due to a few trips to the Black Hills and a biker chick’s weekend to Red Lodge, Montana, and Brian’s is still in the “tinkering” stage, but it should prove to be another great build for him.

Summer came and went and fall brought a few downs. Brian and I were on the edge of losing the rental we have been in since last year but we snatched it before it even had the chance to hit the housing market. Now we are discovering the wonderful joys of being the homeowners of what I like to call “a fixer-upper”. After getting off that roller coaster we needed a vacation and headed to Las Vegas to see the sites and party like a rock star.

Now for the most exciting part…Brian proposed in November and we are getting married! I know many of you are thinking, “It’s about time”, but you have to give the guy some credit…he is building another motorcycle. We haven’t had much time to discuss when and where this grand event will take place, but we will keep you all posted once we have made a decision.

Have A Wonderful Christmas!
Nicole & Brian

2004

Wow how the time flies when you are having fun. I guess I have found myself staying in Gillette longer then originally planed but it has all worked out well. From the beginning, this year has been full of laughter and memories. I cherish every moment I spend with my family and friends. There is also this boy named Brian who has left a mark on my heart, (I really like this one), and he is the cause of many of my smiles.

I did finally find a design job here in town, but work is still work, as usual. Motorcycles have become a large part of my free time, weather permitting. I actually experienced the annual Sturgis Bike Rally for the first time this year, proceeded to get my license shortly after, and am now saving for a bike of my own. After a quick trip to Arizona, Brian and I found a place to rent in town and began to unpack mountains of boxes; a task that has yet to be finished. Next thing you know the ball will be falling on 2005.

Happy Holidays!
Nicole

“Love doesn’t make the world go round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.” — Franklin P. Jones

2003

Another year has passed and it has been the greatest among many. My numerous good times included everything from a trip down the river to floating in a hot air balloon, not to mention the conquering of another degree. Sure feels great to be done.

As of now I am stationed out of Gillette, and have yet to begin searching for my next direction. It is hard to tell yet where next year will take me, whether it be north, south, east, or west. All I know is that I am excited the path I take will lead me to a home of my very own for Kipper and I.

I hope that the holidays have been full of cheer and the next year brings nothing but smiles.