Christmas tree with its decorations, waiting we get started, Never has it been so green – and never has it been so late in the day before we got it downloaded. It was dim, mildly dark, and at the last minute before the boys scouts went home, we found our tree using a forehead light and its cones from our truck. And so we remember our life in 2016. Always at the last minute with everything…
I really hope we can slow down a little more in the new year!

Once again we were able to host our annual Danish Christmas party for 22 adults and 17 children and young people of our American neighbors and friends. We hold now pack play in 3 age categories: Children, Teenagers, and adults!
And there will be rolled dice as never before, and “stolen” packages and fought for packets from each other, and there being drunk snaps, and Danish Carlsberg, and eaten herring m. Homemade curry salad, American ham with roasted potatoes and green long kåls sauce and rice pudding (Generation sushi rice) – all food and drink as a matter of course in Denmark and the Danish culture, but with us is a special indulgence for our senses and sometimes a challenge to improvise for the products that we can not buy because it is Danish, and a beautiful reminder of our Danish roots and Danish traditions.

The girls have this year each started a new era in their teenage life:
Trine am working on her second last year at High School, as this school year where her school characters come to dominate her choice of college opportunities. We spent every weekend in late October and November at the College visits, in the attempt of, To get an impression of what the College has the courses she needs compared to enter and study medicine at university. By next year in December, she will have already received answers from some of the colleges she will be applying to in November, whether she is admitted to school this year 2018-2019!

Mette is a Freshman in high school, and just think it is “Totally Cool”
She has been part of a team for the first time, and got blood on the teeth with the Cross Country sport, and didn't think she would survive the first convention! And imagine, now she runs indoor sprints and distance, and has also tried his hand at hurdles. Best of all; Trine and Mette are on the same team, but practice different disciplines.
In addition, Mette is preparing for her confirmation! And, it should actually have been last year, but we couldn't get it to fit, but we can now! She must be confirmed on it 9. April 2017 in the Danish Sailor's Church in New York. And then we hold a party for her at home the following weekend. Her teaching takes place online, with 2 mandatory confirmand weekends in the church. Sarah and I took her up there in October, and what a wonderful experience for her, to meet other girls and boys of the same age with Danish roots and the opportunity to speak Danish with others! Even Sarah and I made new Danish friendships!

Sarah is also starting a completely new and different school year: she is a 6th grade middle schooler with a newfound passion for her homework! She has discovered, that she herself is responsible for her grades, and can keep an eye on them online on her school portal. Funnily enough, boys have also become a hot topic of conversation between her and her friends…:)) teachers have become friends and look forward to seeing each morning…! (Who would have thought it?)
Color guard I am minder om “tattoo” i England, is Sarah's new sport and to her own surprise, she's actually pretty crazy about it. In addition, she has now reached the final stages of achieving her black belt in karate, and expects to be able to test in the spring. It has been a long journey, and she has been ready to quit many times, but Torben has managed to get her to continue, so she can also be proud of the wear.

New job, new work environment, new meeting times and a completely new Torben with a fantastic surplus and newfound energy.
2016 was the year when Torben relented to the security and predictability and addressed the new challenges in the new company, and found out, how nice it is to work from home, and still come out in real life, and see and talk to customers. He is very fond of his work at Beumer, and has already received more powers form of his per 1 December took over responsibility for the project management team in the service department.
He looks forward to many new and exciting challenges with Beumer in the new year.

I myself just trying to keep the family in due course with planning activities, driving etc.. Especially when Torben is out of town. I have gained more foothold in my assistant working at the 4 dentists, and thrive well in my work field.
Exercise is still on our table, though it can be challenging to find the time with all the other activities the girls are involved in. Torben and I go our tours on weekends, trying to reach twice weekly in gym center, and 2 karate evenings. And, I also do not it what it is we become thick of ..? :))

Now our mother tired and now she trakteres…
Merry Christmas to you all, with the desire for an inspiring and exciting New Year.