Christmas Celebrations 2012

Another memorable Christmas....so nice to have Emily home this year after being gone 2 years at holiday time....fun with cousins....family pictures....cousin pictures....The Nativity acted out by the kids and read by Bryce...yummy dinner with birthday cake for Jesus...family togetherness....can't you just feel the excitement in Preston's face?!

 After the big gathering with all the families we have a quiet little Danish celebration with rice pudding and the marzipan pig and dancing around the tree.   Fun traditions, fun memories.

CHRISTMAS MORNING BRUNCH

Happy kids...fun toys...family love...yummy food!

 Charlie and Alec with homemade dressup handmade by mom Brittney :)

 Christian and Caleb love our Pogo sticks!

A walk downtown Tacoma enjoying Katie's new umbrella which she got from Braden.  

Your gift was a hit Braden!

Christmas prep

Traditional Christmas Concert at Curtis High School...Valhalla's Christmas set and Fruitcake was a hit as usual and Katie enjoyed every minute on stage.   

(what a difference from last years choir experience when she could hardly crack a smile on stage!)

Such fun to watch and enjoy the spirit of the season.  

Fruit-caking Dad! 

Katie with besties Karmella, Maddy and Alissa and Leah.   

40th Street Cafe is put on by the music kids at Curtis and Katie performed in a few numbers with friends.   She even surprised us singing a duet with her friend Lucas at the last minute.   Below she is on the piano with  Adam, Karmella, and Jesse...they sounded great!  

We LOVED making cookies this year and did it quite frequently...

my experiment making my own blue sugar sprinkles worked quite well!

Family night visiting the Fantasy Lights at Spanaway Lake was a fun adventure.

 The Coats concert is becoming a tradition for us.  This is our third time seeing this wonderful group at Benaroya Hall in Seattle.  This time Grandma, Ben and Rachel and kids joined us too and we all loved it.  

 Familiar site...Hannah is enjoying some cozy pjs and watching the Michael Buble Christmas special.

A Mozambique Christmas

Christian celebrated with President and Sister Kretly at a zone conference/party.   

All the Elders received red ties for Christmas.   

Below, he taught them to do the traditional pyramid picture.  

 One his best friends and co zone leader, Elder Keck.

He will be home in just a few short months, approx May 20.    We love getting his letters each week and can feel how he is working so hard to help others come to Christ and serve them.   Below is a Mozambique sunrise and Elder Bateman with one of his friends from Beira.   We talked to him on Christmas Eve and he sounded happy and wonderful.