May the blessings of Christmas be with you now and throughout the New Year! It’s been quite a year, and although it’s a cliché it’s still true that we’re not quite sure where it’s all gone. A few of the highlights are below. Please leave a reply below to let us know you’ve been by!

Photos and more news can be found in Carolyn’s blog Ordinary Moments, and the kids’ blog Two Adventurers. (Keith also has a blog – Gurunoia – and we both have Twitter accounts: @kw217 and @viokaps).

Christmas 2013 Mince Pie

Last January Keith was just back from New Zealand. His mum’s operation went really well and it’s fantastic to see her doing all of her usual things again – and his dad freed up so much too. It was great for Keith to get a bit of sunshine while everyone else was having snow, and to get two Christmases in a row!

In the first part of the year we got to Inverness to see Carolyn’s sister and her family – a true delight!; to Dundee for a weekend break just before the hotel closed forever; to Forres for our annual weekend away with Keith’s work colleagues; to Aviemore for our annual weekend with Carolyn’s family; and several trips to catch up with friends.

Summer was just as busy – Solas Festival, Woolfest, a camping holiday in Seahouses with the bikes, camping holidays on opposite sides of the country (Port Ban and East Lothian) with friends.

This last term has included a trip for Keith to Bangkok with work, where unbelievably he happened to bump into two friends who happened to be attending different conferences there at the same time! It’s been a busy time for Keith at work – he has a new role involving a bit more travel and a lot more responsibility. He’s loving it. Carolyn has a lot more responsibility too – she is now chair of the Parents’ Association, which although voluntary has been pretty much a half-time job this term. It’s being well organised, and the recent Christmas Fayre raised a substantial sum for school development.

This school year Aidan is in P6 and Megan is in P4. Hard to believe Aidan is in his penultimate year at primary school! Aidan has continued to enjoy cycling club, and this year Megan has joined him. She went from being unable to ride to racing and joining in a cycling holiday in about two weeks! She’s still swimming, as well as showing her natural talent in ballet and jazz dance. Aidan has moved from Cubs to Scouts and is flourishing there, and in Boys Brigade his team won the Spiritual Challenge against several other companies. Megan is a representative on the Pupil Council, and Aidan is a Rotakid.

A highlight was when we went away for a night in October to see the beautiful Enchanted Forest and enjoy time away together (in a “hobbit hole“!). God’s creation is so beautiful, and this was an encouragement to really see it with fresh eyes.

It was a big birthday for Carolyn, and she celebrated in style with no less than 68 friends – thanks to so many of you for coming and being part of it! It will be hard act to follow this year when Keith hits the same milestone. In total contrast we got away (just the two of us) for a weekend break beside Loch Earn for our anniversary, celebrating in the stillness and beauty of the highlands.

It’s been a full and wonderful year for all of us. We hope your year has been the same, and we look forward to catching up with you in the New Year and sharing some of it with you.

With love and hugs,

Keith, Carolyn, Aidan, and Megan xx