Our Holiday Letter, By Jenna Hartman

Sorry that it's taken so long to make a post, but I hope this long one makes up for it! So, I wrote our family's Christmas letter and typed it all up but by the time it was done it was already 3 days before Christmas Eve so Mom thought we should put it on the blog! So here it is and also a few pictures from throughout the year.

             Merry Christmas!

It’s that time of year again, and I’m (Jenna) in charge of my family’s Christmas letter. This Christmas letter is a school project but I’m having fun!

OK, so now I’m going to tell you a little about each person in my family (including me).

Dad

I’ll start with my awesome, super-duper Dad!

Dad’s Interview

Personal highlights from the past year:

Beginning running/Getting in shape. Running a few 5-K’s. Geocaching with my kids. Family vacation to the ocean. Visiting Gettysburg with Esther.

Something you’ve learned in the past year:

I’ve been challenged that its important to continually stop and consider the purpose and value of the work or activities in which I’m involved in, and to be sure that I’m pursuing something of real significance.  

Most exciting thing that happened in the past year:

Coaching “Plants and Pillars” basketball and soccer teams.

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So, this past year Dad has really wanted to get a kayak. And one day we ended up with a big box in our kitchen, Dad had bought an inflatable kayak! One day me and Dad went down to Brady’s Run lake to kayak out to a little island in the middle, but right when we got the kayak ready we realized that we had forgotten the oars and it was to late to go home and get them so we ended up rowing out with two big, long sticks!

Mom

Now we’re on to Mom. Mom is a great teacher and also a super-duper parent!

Mom’s Interview

Personal Highlights from the past year:

Co-op Musical. Homeschool basketball and soccer. Trip to Kansas. Trip to Erie with Dad. Having a new niece and a new nephew. Homeschooling.

Most exciting thing that has happened in the past year:

Watching my family do things they have a passion for.

Something that you have learned in the past year:

That God’s world and word never, ever cease to amaze me.

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Mom, in school, helps Peter with his workbooks, Esther with her math, Kaelyn with her handwriting, and me with writing projects (like this).  Mom is a great and awesome mom!!  Mom teaches science at co-op and she is doing botany this year.!!

Esther

Ok, let’s move on to Esther.  Esther is 12 years old and the best big sister ever!!

Esther’s Interview

Personal Highlights from the past year:

Going to Gettysburg with dad, Homeschool sports, co-op, “Around the World Birthday Party Sleepover,” learning photography, canvassing, and writing a novel

Most Exciting thing from past year:

Starting to teach preschool for Peter and my cousin Ella

Something I’ve learned in the past year:

Don’t get grumpy, even when things don’t go your way.

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Esther has been planning for almost 2 years for her “Around the World Sleepover Birthday Party.”  She had her friends over for it and I was the tour guide and the entertainer on the pretend airplane.  Kaelyn was the flight attendant.  We pretended to visit different countries and talk to people there.  It was fun.  She also had a “Mall, Around the World Scavenger Hunt Party.”

Kaelyn

Now we’re on to Kaelyn, my little seven-year-old sister. 

Kaelyn’s Interview

Personal Highlights from the past year:

Getting 2 new cousins, going to a Pirate’s game with Dad, learning how to ride a bike with 2 wheels, and having Pete over

Most exciting thing from past year:

Going to the Garvin’s house

Something I’ve learned in the past year:

How to read and write

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Sometimes Kaelyn hates geocaching, and one day while we were at Cici’s Pizza, Kaelyn said, “If Dad goes geocaching and I don’t like it I’ll blame Mom because she got the GPS for Dad.”  And we all cracked up laughing.

Peter

Now we’re on to Peter, my 4-year-old little brother.

Peter’s Interview

Personal Highlights from the last year:

Playing Wii, playing with toys, playing Star Wars with Kaelyn and Jenna, my “Weapons Birthday Party,” preschool with Esther and Ella

Most Exciting thing from past year:

Going to the ocean and playing in the sand with my little brother Caedmon

Something I’ve learned in the past year:

I did my school books and I learned how to write my own name.

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One time Peter was sitting in the bathroom and he was talking to himself and he said, “Daddy said that I can’t play Wii today.  And Mommy said I can’t play Wii for the rest of my life.  But I have to play it for the rest of my life or else Anakin can’t finish all the levels.

Caedmon

Now we are on to my one-year-old little brother Caedmon.

Caedmon’s “Interview” (what he would say if he knew any words!)

Personal Highlights from the past year:

Playing with brother and sisters, playing at the new playground, getting into and messing up CD’s/DVD’s, cuddling with Mommy and Daddy

Most exciting thing from past year:

Getting my brothers and sisters to laugh at me

Something I’ve learned in the past year:

To walk

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This year Caedmon has been very interested in a game called Rack-O.  It has a card rack with cards to put in it..  He puts the cards in one-by-one.  When he puts a card in he has a very serious look on his face, but when he gets it in he claps for himself.  And if someone else doesn’t clap for him then he starts tapping them or whining at them until they clap.

Jenna

Now the last person in our family (not the youngest), ME!

My Interview

Personal Highlights from the past year:

Dance class, getting 2 new cousins, finishing some knitting projects, getting into writing letters, starting sewing class with Wawi, going to the cabin and the ocean, getting to be able to babysit one of my new cousins (Aleta), sleeping in a tent in the backyard with Dad, and playing basketball.

Most Exciting thing from past year:

Getting to see 2 of my pen pals in Washington DC, and sleeping over at Papa Paul and Grandma Janet’s house.

Something I’ve learned in the past year:

Almost a full split in dance class!

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Well, I thought that I would never want to play basketball but when I was still in 3rd grade Dad needed extra players for the 4-6 grade basketball team so he made me play on the team. Once I played my first game I totally loved it! And now I’m in 4th grade and I still loooove playing basketball.

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We also went on several trips this year.  Our first trip was to Kansas for my great-grandma’s funeral . . . our friend Mrs. Agnew traveled along with us to help mom with the driving.  Dad had a tournament that weekend so couldn’t come.

Then we went to Splash Lagoon to celebrate Kaelyn’s birthday.  I went on all the water slides there.

Then we all went to the ocean in Emerald Isle, NC, with Dad’s side of the family.

Then dad and Esther went on a trip to Gettysburg.

Then mom and all of us kids went to Aunt Tesha’s house together.

Then Mom and Dad went to Erie together.

Then we went to Washington DC for my mom’s cousin’s wedding and I got to see 2 of my pen pals (soooo fun!).

Then last, but totally not least, we went to a cabin in Deep Creek, Maryland with my dad’s side of the family.

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I hope you enjoyed the interview and the summary of our trips and everything else.  I sure loved writing it.

Love,

The Hartman Family

Nate, Kara, Esther, Jenna, Kaelyn, Peter, and Caedmon.

Pictures:

Caedmon at Phipps Conservatory during the winter
lights show (He loved the light up glass balls).

 Mom and Dad at Phipps Conservatory in front
of the many Christmas trees.

 Me and Kaelyn drawing Fort Necessity.

 Me and Peter walking back to the playground at Fort Necessity.

 Me at the history fair with my project "Fashions Of the Middle Ages".

 Kaelyn at the history fair with her project "Medieval
Castle".

Esther at the History Fair with her project, "Medieval Weapons."

Peter at Splash Lagoon at the bottom of a slide.

By Jenna Hartman.