Christmas card

We hope you all have had a wonderful year and can look back on it with fond memories, able to see your own growth through challenges experienced. Life's greatest joys always seem to follow our greatest struggles. I suppose anything worth having is worth working hard for.
We are all looking forward to Christmas this year. The children are counting down the days, several times a day :) It has been a real joy to hear the children share with each other the true meaning of Christmas. In our last Family Home Evening lesson we sang a song that summed it up perfectly:
"How could the Father tell the world of love and tenderness?
He sent his Son a newborn babe, with peace and holiness.
How could the Father show the world the pathway we should go?
He sent his Son to walk with men on earth, that we may know"
(Children’s Songbook, 35)
We are all very busy around here - as usual - as I’m sure you are.
Chris has been busy this past year tiling bathroom and kitchen floors with some excellent help from the men of his family. They look beautiful. Thanks guys. He has also developed a passion for skiing which he shared with Kaatlin and Nathanael.
Mandy stays busy - too busy - with the kids, playing teacher, chauffeur, drill sergeant, nurse, counselor, cook, maid and, above all, mom.
Kaatlin (11) has had a full year with schooling, dance (they performed in Disneyland in November), swim team, soccer, piano, and I’m sure there is more I am forgetting. She has made some real progress in school and is always so happy with the hard work she does. Chris and I are really proud of the wonderful daughter we have.
Nathanael (8) has been loving all his activities: Cub Scouts, piano, swimming (he’s a little fish), soccer, and an all boys dance class he’s started of late. He is always so helpful and desires to please. He is also a great reader and loves to read.
Seth (5) has been excited to start formal schooling this year and is beginning to read, quite wonderfully. We’re so impressed. Seth has enjoyed swimming, soccer, his new dance class with Nathanael, Science lessons, and torturing his little sister.
Laurel (3) is our little spit fire and could never be ignored. She is the perfect blend of sweet, angel princess and tough-as-nails tomboy (Pray you never meet her fists of fury!). She loves dancing princesses (Cinderella), playing doll house, swinging, and story time.
Benjamin (15 mo) is our spunky little guy. He is always running around, looking to destroy or tinker with anything he can get his hands on. He especially loves to open and close the CD-ROM drive on the computer - to his father’s horror. He is talking a bit, which is so fun to listen to, and loves to wrestle with anyone who won’t run away (mostly Nathanael and Gigi, our little black dog).
Well that’s a little about us. We would love to hear from you all. Please stay in touch