Christmas letter 2011

(Addy's baptism September 2011)

Christmas 2011

The Simons Family

It has been a few years since we’ve done a Christmas letter. This year we’ve decided to just post it on our blog. We are doing it this way because we’re about to move our family back across the world again, from Sweden to Utah. We have been living in Sweden for the last 2 ½ years with our four kids, Ethan, Addyson (Addy), Elizabeth (Izzy) and Alayna. If we could sum up these years in a few words, we’d say they have been exciting, hard, spiritually strengthening, missionary oriented, and filled with new friendships. We have been able to take our kids to see some of Europe’s most beautiful countries. During our time in Sweden, we’ve experience many trials which have brought us closer as a family and closer to our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ. We have been blessed with a wonderful “ward family” in the Helsingborg Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We’ve made many wonderful lifelong friends, and we will miss them dearly.

Mike has been working as a plant manager at an international company called SWEP in Landskrona, Sweden. He has traveled quite a bit with his job, to several European countries and to parts of Asia. I have even been able to go with him a few times without the kids. Mike has recently accepted a job offer in Utah County at Tahitian Noni and will start in January 2012. He is very excited for the next career adventure in his life.

Lindsay has been staying very busy with the four kids—sometimes she thinks she is a taxi driver, maid, tutor, and chef who doesn’t ever get paid. (Okay, she does get paid in blessings!) She loves being a stay-at-home mom because it brings her joy, even if there are days she wants pull out all of her hair.

Ethan, 10 ½, loves to read and enjoys trying to figure out how things are made and how they work. This year he has been playing on a basketball team (which is coached completely in Swedish). He has also been swimming once a week in swim school, where he has pretty much learned how to swim like a fish.

Addy, 8 ½, is our little social butterfly. She enjoys spending time with her friends and playing with her little sisters. She has taken ice skating lessons, dance lesson, and has also been in swim school once a week. In October she was baptized and confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We are very proud of her decision to be baptized.

Izzy, 4 ½, has been going to preschool for the last two years and loves it. When I pick her up from school, she always asks me if she can stay longer. Her teachers tell me that she is very kind to everyone and goes out of her way to help her classmates. She absolutely loves her big sister Addy and wants to be just like her. She has also been in swim school once a week and is learning to swim pretty well.

Alayna, 2, is our little firecracker! She is very strong willed and wants to do EVERYTHING herself. Her favorite saying is “I DO IT!” She keeps us on our toes, never letting us have a dull moment or any peace and quiet.

We are very grateful for this time of year because we are reminded of the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. May we truly remember Him this holiday season.

We are wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Love,

The Simons Family