Must be Santa

The kiddos visited Santa today!  Now they're all tucked in their slumber party dreaming of him visiting them!

Christmas Letter 2019

Merry Christmas Family and Friends!

We can't believe 2019 is quickly coming to an end. Is it just us, or is time speeding up these days? We wanted to share a few highlights from our year with you.

Leonard got to travel to Austria in the spring and Poland in the fall for his work with the OSCE. He keeps checking countries off his bucket list, and the rest of us keep wanting to catch up with him.

Jennifer's dream of moving into a new home came true in October. She still wants to live on every continent, but she also never wants to move again.

Kaleb auditioned for his high school production, and landed a part in Disaster! a musical comedy filled with earthquakes, tidal waves, infernos, and the songs of the '70s.

Noé made her high school cheer team again and is excited to participate in competitions in their new uniforms.

Gavin is our first to go to middle school and he's started playing the electric bass guitar in his band class.

Teague was thrilled this year when his tenth birthday fell on his favorite holiday, Easter- the first time since 1957.

Hiram turned eight and was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He also received his first set of scriptures and is enjoying reading the New Testament with his family.

Ali is in senior kindergarten and is becoming quite the little artist. She is always drawing or coloring her darling creations.

Macy is getting stronger and can now sit completely on her own and claps her hands with pride. She is also a champ at army crawling. And- she loves to bounce, we swear she has a spring in her bum!

One of our favorite highlights every year is receiving your Christmas cards, letters, and photos. Thank you for remembering us! If we're not on your Christmas card list, please add us- we'd love to hear from you!

We hope you will receive all the love and beauty this magnificent time of year has to offer as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. We also hope you have much health and happiness in 2020!

All our love,

Leonard, Jennifer, Kaleb, Noé, Gavin, Teague, Hiram, Ali, and Macy Reil

The Christ Child

A beautiful new telling of the story that's 2019 years old.  Watch it HERE.

Come Worship With Us!

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is inviting the whole world to come to church with us today!  Click HERE to find a chapel near you!

Christmas Card Lane

This year after we decorated our Christmas tree (the Saturday after American Thanksgiving), Kaleb said, "That might have been the last time Noé and I help decorate the Christmas tree."  That simple statement broke my heart.  Even though they are both hoping to go away for university next fall, of course they will come home for Christmas (and for every year after for as long as they want!), so his statement caught me completely off guard.  But, he's probably right.  As much as I want them to be here next year when we decorate our tree again, it is our tradition to do it early in the season to enjoy it for as long as possible, and I don't think their break from school will be that long  :).  

I wanted to take a walk down Memory Lane, or Christmas Card Lane, if you will, to remember our Christmases with Kaleb and Noé.  I think I will do this post again as each little birdie is getting ready to leave the nest.  And even though I want them to soar, man it's going to be hard to watch them fly off and leave me behind.  Luckily, they will always be my babies and our home will always be their home!  ALWAYS!!

I hope we will have a family reunion every year complete with a family photo as children-in-law, and grandchildren, and great-grandchildren... join our crew.  And I hope I send out our recent photo every year with our Christmas card!