Merry Christmas!

Hello all! Yes, it has been a long time. I haven't been a very good blogger this year. Only my second, as a matter of fact, the last one? January! I'll try to be a little better in 2013. In the meantime, I will inflict another Christmas letter on you. Have a great 2013!

Merry Christmas everyone! Didn't we just do this? Seems the years continue to go by faster and faster. We hope this season finds you all healthy and happy.
We are all still employed in the same vocations as the last time we talked. Mark's place of employment recently went through a rebranding, with the name of the company changing from enXco to EDF Renewable Services. The bad news, however, is that his office is getting moved from Chandler to San Diego. Since we don't really have any desire to be Californians, he will be looking for a job at some point next year. Scary stuff for a 40-year-old, so you would have to assume a soon-to-be 55-year-old is shaking in his size 13 boots.

On a happier note, Lindsay got great news on the work front. After a couple of years of working at Miller Legal Strategic Planning Centers in Tyler, last week she accepted an offer to work at Aerotek in Bloomington. We are very happy for her. We'll be very happy for US when she can afford a big enough home to store all of her clothes. We'll have enough room that we could maybe have a couple more kids.
Some of our highlights this year included a couple of family weddings. Kathy's nephew Ben married Amanda in May in New Ulm, and Mark's nephew Ryan married Emily in June in Cloquet. Both were beautiful and memorable weddings! Congratulations to both couples.
Kathy and Lindsay each were off to Lake Michigan in June for a mandatory "team building" fishing trip. They each had the pleasure of experiencing bumpy boat rides while reeling in their catches. Lindsay earned the nickname "Pail Burper" on the trip. Um...you'll have to ask her about it.
Mark spent more time at the Lake Benton Opera House, directing three shows. He took the fall play off this year for the first time in years. It was a nice respite. Kathy joined him in April as she appeared in "Sylvia," and both Kathy and Lindsay appeared with Mark in the Opera House Christmas Show in December.
Another highlight for Kathy was trading in her dinosaur...I mean collector vehicle for a relatively new Chevy Cruze. The Grand Am had nearly every inch of life squeezed out of it before she finally found a car that she liked!
Oh yeah, and she also got to see her first Twins game at Target Field this summer, leaving Mark as the only member of the family who hasn't been there yet. Maybe 2013?
'Til next year, may your bells be jingling and your pudding be figgy!
All our best!

Mark,
Kathy
and
Lindsay...

Our 2012 Highlights
January
Kathy attends TwinsFest with the Denney's.
March
Mark's family meets at Clay and Linda's home in New Hope for the
21st Annual Wilmes Family Board Game Weekend.
April
Kathy acted in and Mark directed "Sylvia" at the
Lake Benton Opera House.
May
Kathy and the "Thomsen Women" spent
their traditional Mother's Day Weekend Getaway
in Rochester visiting wineries and brunching with relatives.
Lindsay travels to Arkansas to participate in

Torii checks out the birds during our first snowstorm!

her friend Jessie's wedding.
June
Kathy and Lindsay are off on an MLSPC "team building" fishing
retreat to Algoma, Wisconsin.
Mark and Kathy make their first trip to Grandview Valley Winery near Belview. The owners are friends of the family. It was our first of several trips.
July
Mark, Kathy and Lindsay participate in Lincoln County
Relay For Life in Ivanhoe.
Aebleskiver Days in Tyler, as well as Tyler's 125th celebration.
Kathy attends her 35th Class Reunion and Lindsay gets to spend some time in Tyler with her dad and Jensen relatives.
July-August
Mark directs "Seussical" at the Lake Benton Opera House.
August
Kathy travels to see "Fiddler on the Roof" in Brookings with the Denney's
Kathy takes in a weekend pool party with her sisters in New Ulm.
Kathy attends the annual "Princess Weekend" with the Wilmes
women at a Maple Lake cabin.
Lindsay spends a long weekend camping with friends
and relatives at the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior.
Kathy and Mark make trips to see our friend Jeff Downs with the Johnny Holm Band in August and September.
September
Kathy attends her first Twins game at Target Field
Lindsay hits the Renaissance Festival and a Twins game with friends.
October
Kathy and Lindsay make a trip to see Dave and Karen and attend
Middle Eastern Night as well as do some Halloween partying.
Lindsay participates in her first Zombie Pub Crawl in the Twin Cities.
November
Celebrate Thanksgiving with the Wilmes family the weekend before and on the day of at Kathy's brother Mike and Jennifer's home in Lynd, after which Kathy and Lindsay headed to Mankato for Black Friday shopping.
December
Mark, Kathy and Lindsay participate in the Opera House Christmas Show.
Lindsay fights off the season's first blizzard to spend time with friends in Rochester and the Twin Cities and take in a Vikings win over the
Bears at the Metrodome.
Lindsay accepts a job offer from Aerotek in Bloomington.