Merry Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!!!

We just wanted to say a quick hello and Merry Christmas to you all! The New Year is just around the corner and it is a fun time to make predictions for the 365 days ahead :- )

It has been busy around here wrapping up school and training for Emma's 3-day swim meet. All three kids passed into the next grade with flying colors with straight A's. (their extra Spanish tutoring has been very helpful for Emma & Easton, now we just have to get Everett speaking more)

(some of the girls saying their good-byes until next year)

(the kids were ecstatic to BURN their notebooks to say chao to the school year... it was fun, we were just missing marshmallows)





END OF THE YEAR SCHOOL CONCERT!!!
Poor Easton had to miss his concert due to a stomach infection. He was brave on his trip to the hospital for an IV to hydrate him again and antibiotics. This type of infection is common in the tropics and was relatively easy to get rid of. It didn't help that I caught it for 24hours as well as Emma... but all is well here now.

The concert theme was Once Upon A Time in Panama... It showed the history of Panama starting with the trees (Everett's class) then came the butterflies, the Indians (Easton's dance but he missed it) followed by other tribes etc. Emma represented Flamanco Dancing a fun Latin dance. Many other performances followed.

Ev was the cutes tree ever. It was so hard to spot him because all the boys looked the same with their big leaves on their heads. I noticed Ev by his shoes... they were CUTE.

Emma practiced alot of Flamanco dancing to work the moves. She did fantastic and had a lot of fun up there and she could not stop smiling.

(em all glamed up for her performance)

(a beautiful dress made just for Emma... You look beautiful babe)

(You are soooo cute... I love your costume!)

(we really missed Easton this night! I love Panama for the fact they love to party and love to put on shows. The costumes are always tailor made for each child and they make them right)

(I found my tree)

(way to go Em... work it & keep smiling)

(here is a picture of the government building in Panama, I liked the line of Palm trees)




Mothers Day in Panama
Mothers Day in Panama is a national holiday and it is celebrated on December 8th. It is great to be Canadian and to soak it up in December as well. I like how it is a national holiday... they don't mess around with Mama's down here... they are queens.

(em took my picture as we head out to dinner in the shirt she picked out and got her dad to buy me. Great choice honey... you've got the eye babe...)





Christmas EARLY in this house

Since we decided to jet back to the freezing north on Christmas day we celebrated Christmas a week early with the kids so they could have time to enjoy a few presents. My mom & sister sent down some packages (thank you) and the kids had alot of fun getting to business. The kids are excited that Santa will have time to stop by our house before we board the airplane bound again for the sub temperatures of Calgary. People call us crazy... not for traveling on Christmas day but for subjecting ourselves to the drastic 30-50 degree temperature changes. It is fun for the kids to experience wearing jackets and mitts... they will apprecaite their flip flops even more.

(Oh they love their gifts... blessed little munchkins)

(chilling out watching the kids)

(our annual Christmas morning picture and everyone is dressed :- ) 2008 will be an interesting year to reflect on)



Finally the Swim Meet
Emma has been at the pool everyday practicing for this meet so we are very happy it finally came and we can relax a bit. Emma did awesome for her first time out in a big competition like this. We were all very green on what to expect and it was quite intense. We are very proud of you sweets. Our of 20 girls in her heat she came in 8th in one race & 9th in another. Way to go babe.

We board the plane for Canada in a few days and wanted to with you all the best this holiday season and cherish your loved ones.

I am not sure if we are ready to re-enter the freezing north but I know we will have fun doing it.

All our love Jody, Trent, Emma, Easton & Everett