Thankful for missionaries...

During this holiday time we are really missing our missionaries...Christian and Emily.   They are both working hard and doing wonderfully.   Christian has already completed 6 months!   Wow, that has actually gone pretty fast.   Here are a few pictures from in the MTC with best buds Kent and Peter...traveling with a group of 9 to Mozambique...life in Africa has been fascinating--interesting people, hot hot Tete, hippos, monkeys and crocodile meat, making friends with the locals and helping friend Geronimo build a house of mud and bricks.   What amazing experiences he is having and he is growing and learning so much.  We are proud of him. 

 Emily will be home February 1st...we are so excited.  She has spent most of her time on Temple square and now is enjoying the culture of the Atlanta Georgia area, UGA football, had a baptism of a wonderful couple, baked pies for Thanksgiving and visited a local farm.  She is also learning and growing so much and we look forward to talking to her on Christmas and seeing her very soon.

Congrats Kate

 We were really proud of Katie last night at the Girls Swim Banquet and Award night.   She received two major awards which she fully deserved due to her commitment and hard work during the season--Coaches award and Iron Woman award.   Way to go Katie.  

Junior girls

We are so excited for the new Curtis Aquatic Center which just opened.   After two seasons of being bussed all over Tacoma to different pools we now have the nicest High School pool in Washington State.  With 8 lanes,  a full Water polo court, underwater speakers and seating for 500, I'm sure there will be lots of swim meets and tournaments here.   So exciting!

Happy Turkey Day

A few fun shots of our Thanksgiving thanks to Rachel :)   Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Sports: Swim, Soccer and Soccer

Fall 2011 has been full of attending sporting events....

 Katie has had a fantastic swim season and dramatically improved her times in every event.   She made it to the League meet in the 500 freestyle ( 20 laps!)    We are so excited for the new Curtis swim pool to be completed for spring water polo and her Senior year swim season...(ugh I hate to even think she will be a senior next year.)

 Katie and Alissa have had a great time together on the swim team.  

 Hannahs soccer team has turned hard core this year...even changing their name from the Ladybugs to VENOM!   Sounds fierce doesn't it?!  haha  She does a great job playing defender and works hard to keep the ball from getting near the goal.  

 Preston and Hannah getting ready for their games...

our Saturdays have been soccer...and more soccer.  

 This is Preston's first year playing outdoor soccer and it has been a learning year.  He and Braden are on the same team along with best buddy Jacob.   Each game the boys seem to get a little better.  

 So glad to have healthy active kids!

Good times in November

Katie's team for a Laurel/Priest cooking contest!   

 Katie and Sarah Van having fun at mutual activity night.

 We have Jacob for a Friday night while his parents are away.  He and Preston 

enjoy a sleep over in the tent set up in the music room.  

 Hannah gets to play the electric cello in the Star Spangled Banner string quartet at the Veteran's Day assembly at her school.   Great job Hannah!

 Bethany and Sean visit for a quick weekend while Sean interviews for Optometry school in Portland.   It was great fun to spend the weekend with them.   

Bethany cooked several things for us, including this yummy, Apple Crepe Cake by Julia Childs.  

  Hannah performed in 7 performances of our Multi stake production of
 "Savior of the World".  

We loved attending this!    It was a beautiful production with wonderful music

 and touching scenes depicting the Savior's life.   Here she is with our friend 

Lucie who's parents played the parts of Mary and Joseph.