Merry Christmas!

This year we opted against sending out Christmas cards but hope that next year we return to this tradition.

Our Year in Review

We bought a house! 
We feel very, very blessed that we've had this opportunity to invest in our first home.  We absolutely love our neighborhood, our town, and our ward.  If you are ever in the vicinity, we would love to play host!  There's a guest room waiting for any of our family and friends!

My brother got married! 
We were very excited to welcome Cat into our family in May.  It was a beautiful wedding and we had a blast having most of the family stay in our new home.

Buhler Family Reunion in Nauvoo!  
Or as some of my nieces and nephew say, Naboo!  We really enjoyed the vacation not only learning about church history but being able to play with all the nieces and nephews!

Madsen Family Reunion at Lake Powell! 
What a relaxing and beautiful vacation.  Last family vacation before Sean's little brother went off to college.  Next will be the mission!

Our work!
Sean is still working at Warner Bros. and enjoys the job.  He works on the studio lot which means he's seen famous people out and about.  Some of his celebrity sightings include Leonardo DiCaprio, Chris Nolan, Ellen DeGeneres and some of the cast from Big Bang Theory.  I am going two years working at the Southwest Museum on a large scale preservation project.  I don't see celebrities but I did make page 2 in the Los Angeles Times when they did an article on the museum.

Our callings!
Sean was called as the assistant ward mission leader and it has him very involved with both missionaries serving from our ward and missionaries serving in our ward.  He's been readily available to cart missionaries to transfers and other appointments and heads up a monthly newsletter highlighting our own missionaries in the far off fields.  I was placed back into Young Women's as the Mia Maid Personal Progress leader.  I also am a part of our ward choir. 

Life has been wonderful for us and we feel deeply blessed.  Over the past year, Sean and I have tried to jump in and serve whenever an opportunity arose.  Ending a year of service at Christmas time is poignant when we can reflect on the greatest service done to mankind, the atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ.  How grateful I am for a season that we can constantly think of Him and the love He shares for all.  Merry Christmas and we'll see you in the new year!