Mason Christmas Letter and Pictures 2011

       Moshi moshi! Meeson Sukaira desu.  (“Hello!   I’m Skylar Mason.” in Japanese.)

Now for the part of the show where Skylar summarizes a year in the Mason family through five paragraphs! 2011 has been particularly eventful.

            Meta got her “big girl bike”, a Kawasaki Vulcan, late last December. She named it T’Kahr (Vulcan for “teacher”), and enjoys riding it or Stella with Dad and the scooter club. They took their motorcycles on a road trip to Colorado and back, exploring new sights and making new friends, in June. We bought her a Volkswagen Beetle—a cute little blue car named Dory—for her birthday, and she enjoys the change to a stick shift. In October she started teaching full-time at Painted Sky, after a fourth-grade teacher left on maternity leave. Her class takes up most of her time, but she loves every second of it!

T'Kahr prepares to leave Albuquerque for the cold drive back to Tucson... Meta bundled up!

           



tackling the teeter totter at the scooter rally in May



            Karl couldn’t keep up with Meta and T’Kahr on his little Buddy scooter, so he bought a BMW motorcycle and named it Scotty (the ultimate Beamer. Get it?) in January. They had a wonderful time on their Colorado trip. When they returned, he got a promotion as a Chief Engineer at Honeywell. It’s a position that allows him to manage several programs, and he enjoys it a lot.

Karl and Scotty on our grand adventure up to Colorado.... no itinerary...just pack and go. 



Karl with his new Fat Tire cruiser he won in a contest.  He still bikes hard core mountain too....





Lil Anthony's before the Gaslight Theater with our small group



             I (Skylar) am 15 and now a freshman at Ironwood Ridge. My classes are hard but a lot of fun, and I’ve met some great new friends. I’m still riding my horse, Aloha, and blogging every day for fun. Recently I’ve taken up anime-style art and photography. At school, I’m learning Spanish and Japanese, which are both challenging but immensely rewarding. Next summer I’m getting my permit (fore! Everyone off the roads!), which should be an interesting experience. J I’m hoping to help Mom and Dad out with the carpooling once I get my license.






Skylar is thrilled she made it through the reading of her Confirmation Essay in church! 





Aloha comes back to Tucson after being evacuated from Hereford during the June fire. 



            Hannah’s 13 now and active in both school (7^th grade) and 4-H. She’s in the Coronado chorus, and enjoys singing at concerts and festivals. She also shows Hope, her King Charles Spaniel, at 4-H shows and the county fair. In her spare time, she loves to hang out with friends, watch anime, and cuddle with her puppy.



Hannah after Christmas concert



Hannah and Hope at the Pima County Fair



            Kody is 7 ¾ (don’t dare call him 7 ½!), and a second grader at Painted Sky. He loves video games, hanging out with his friends, and playing with Legos—in fact, he’s in the Lego Club at school. He also enjoys riding his bike with Dad, and every McDonalds run is a treat.   Kody started Taekwondo earlier this year and is already a green belt.  He also broke his arm rollerblading the week before we went to Disneyland and had Mickey and Buzz sign his cast. 



Kody earns yellow....then green.  Next stop, blue. 

  

            We’re thankful for so many things this year.  God has blessed us with a new cousin named Baylee, a new pastor at Grace, new ways to get around, new schools and new jobs.  We’ve enjoyed epic times with our family and friends.  We’re thankful for the peace, hope, and joy that comes from knowing Jesus Christ.   We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a safe, fun, Christ-centered holiday season! Know that you’re in our prayers and we look forward to another great year in 2012.  Merīkurisumasu to shin'nen akemashiteomedetōgozaimasu!  (Merry Christmas and a  Happy New Year J







Masons take on Disneyland over Spring Break





then the Grand Canyon over Thanksgiving Break....