Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas!

We hope you are all well this holiday season.  We thought it would be fun to post the kids' thoughts from our Christmas letter this year.  Enjoy and stay in touch!

Love,
The Pringle

http://youtu.be/RMGxUNDrAoA

We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

2012 has been a wonderful year for the Pringle family.  We have enjoyed watching the kids grow.  For a change this year, we asked the kids to write about their own highlights for the year.  Here is what they have to say:

Sarah, 10:  I am in 5th grade . I love to read and dance.  I am in full-time Aiming High and I do not like math.  I danced in Coppelia and the Nutcracker with Northwest Ballet this year.  Later in 2013 I will be dancing in Cinderella (I hope).  I have been playing the violin for two years now, and recently began playing with my elementary school orchestra.

Ryan, 16:  Sophomore.  Went to Districts for track, and placed 5th at Sub districts in the 100M dash and 3rd in the 200M.  He plans to go to State this year and started training in September.  He continues to pursue his true love: Theatre, and recently finished performances of "A Christmas Carol".  He was also cast as the male lead (Link Larkin) in Ferndale High School's production of "Hairspray", as well as the shepherd Amon in "The Savior of the World" production.  He has been taking voice lessons for 3/4 of a year, and is in FHS concert choir and the Talons (a guys-only singing group).  He plays the drums, as well as the Ukulele.  He also discovered that he has a talent for art (why are all of his skills not useful?!) and did a painting of Mt. Baker.  Ryan began his third year of skiing, and enjoys skiing switch to skiing while facing the right way.  (In regards to any of you skiers from Utah, Mt. Baker has the most snow... IN THE WORLD!!!  Take that).  Ryan's favorite TV show is Top Gear (UK), because he wishes he was British.  He likes drinking milk.

Nathan, 12: I am in seventh grade.  I like to play the piano and to read books. I was recently playing soccer, and want to play wrestle for Vista Middle School. I have bought Minecraft and enjoy playing whenever possible.  I like to draw Jedi and Darth Maul. I also like to watch the TV show "The Clone Wars".  I am the boy Ezra in "The Savior of the World" production. I enjoy Christmas.

Katie, 14: This year I am a freshman at Ferndale High School and I love it (sort ofish)! It has been fantabulous to go to school with my friends who went to the other middle school in lil ol Ferndale, as well as Rihan. This year, my life has consisted of four things: Church, music, theatre, and food.  As always, I have been busy with Church activities, as well as our stake's production of "The Savior of the World" (a portrayal of the events surrounding the life and death of Christ). It will be an absolutely beautiful show when we perform. I am also on my third year of voice lessons, and my ninth year of piano. Both take a lot of practice and commitment, but I love it anyway. I have been able to learn so much from my teachers just in this last year. Theatre. What can I say. This year has been a whirlwind of shows: The Music Man (I played Marian :) ), High School Musical, and a Christmas Carol.  I have just started Hairspray at FHS, and in the spring I am hoping to do Peter Pan at Northwest Theatre Group. This summer I also hope to scurry down to Utah and participate in BYU's Theatre camp. And finally, food. What is there to say, other than I have found my soul mate in the kitchen? (just kidding :0). Have a Merry Christmas and a great 2013!

Collin,4 (almost 5!):  (OK.  I am going to write for Collin.)  Collin is the cutest tornado on the planet.  He is in preschool and is VERY excited about Kindergarten next year.  Collin loves everything that his older brothers love.  He especially loves spending time with his friends and sitting on daddy's head during family scripture study.

Rachel and Don:  We are doing the best we can to keep up with the kids.  It is scary to think that we will have three teenagers in the house next year.  Rachel has had some amazing opportunities to use her talents in choreographing, costuming, and assistant-directing a number of productions this year.  Don, for his part, is learning to be supportive of her and the kids while balancing work and Church responsibilities. 

We are so grateful for our good friends and family and feel bad that we do not connect with you often enough.  Know that you are in our thoughts and prayers.  We wish you a very Merry Christmas.  May the Lord bless you in 2013.

Happy New Year!!!

Dear Family and Friends,

Well... It has been awhile since we have updated the ol' blog. We sincerely apologize to the one or to people who occasionally read it. We are still going strong up here in Ferndale. The kids continue to consume food and grow. We officially have two teenagers in the house now and life is generally good. We are currently "snowed in" and have been enjoying a surprise week off from school. Rachel and I are looking forward to getting the kids back into the school routine as they have just about had their fill of being home. It's been great to have them around and together though.

For your reading pleasure, I will paste our annual family newsletter below. Enjoy!

Sincerely,
Don

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Merry Christmas to All!

We are all doing well here in rainy but green Ferndale, Washington. Life is definitely very full with good things- a little too full at times- and challenging and rewarding in turn.

Ryan (15) started high school this fall- played freshman football and is now beginning rehearsals for the school production of "West Side Story" with plans to run track in the Spring. He looks forward to getting his driver's permit and taking driver's ed later this year. His favorite class at school this year is French. He discovered skiing and drumming last year and has added both to his hobbies.

Katie (13, 8th grade) has grown about 4 inches this year. She's now a couple of inches taller than Mom. She is taking challenging classes at school is doing a great job of managing the work load and balancing it with her other interests (piano, singing, and theater). She has a great group of friends that she loves to be with. The highlights of the year for her have been the plays she has been in and she looks forward to the next one this spring.

Nathan (11, 6th grade) has the opportunity this year to participate in a full-time highly capable class, and he is loving it. Always a bit quirky that way, he is particularly fond of lots of homework and big projects, so he thinks he's in heaven. He's still playing soccer, though he often has to be dragged away from his book to go to practice. He prides himself on being a bit geeky. We are grateful that he is very self-motivated academically but encourage him to have some balance, though we think video game time shouldn't count.

Sarah (9) loves her ballet classes, playing the violin, and the Tuesday highly capable class she gets to go to with her favorite school friends, but she does not love math. Unfortunately, her teacher is very fond of it, so they do lots. She loves to be at home reading and loves to draw. She just danced in her first Nutcracker, in the party scene and as an angel, and truly enjoyed the magic of it all.

Collin (almost 4) is a whirlwind, but cuddly and cuter than cute, too. His favorite day of the week is Tuesday, because that's the day he gets to go to the moms' co-op preschool with his favorite friend, Ben. He gives mom a run for the money. He is known for having interesting conversations with people who call on phone, that Mom doesn't know anything about until later...when they call back and tell her the funny things he said to them.

Don keeps busy with his church calling (overseeing congregations in our county), responsibilities at work, and the zany family. He's definitely a hands-on dad, and we are so grateful for that. The highlight of his year was visiting with his former mission president, Elder Anderson, at an area training meeting.

Rachel continues to put her fingers in too many pies, but loves supporting the productions the kids are in by helping with costuming, choreographing, assisting directors, and whatever else is needed. Plenty of chauffeuring and juggling of schedules are always in the mix as well. She loves teaching the Young Women's group at church.

We feel so blessed, especially at this time of year, for family and friends, for having what we need, for opportunities to grow, and especially for having the Gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives.

May His peace be with you now and always,

With love from The Pringle Family