{"id":17385,"date":"2017-01-29T06:25:46","date_gmt":"2017-01-29T12:25:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.flandersfamily.info\/web\/?page_id=17385"},"modified":"2022-12-07T12:21:45","modified_gmt":"2022-12-07T18:21:45","slug":"christmas-2016","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.flandersfamily.info\/web\/about-us\/our-christmas-letters\/christmas-2016\/","title":{"rendered":"The 2016 Flanders Family Christmas Letter"},"content":{"rendered":"

What follows is another yearly installment in our family’s complete history told via the 2016 Flanders Family Christmas Update. To see a full listing, see Our Christmas Letters<\/a>. For tips on writing your own family history in this fashion, follow this link<\/a>. In the meantime, enjoy!<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

The Flanders Family Update: 2016<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n

December 2015 Happenings<\/h3>\n

\"Hans
Ben and Mikayla as Hans and Leia<\/figcaption><\/figure>Benjamin started dating his lab partner from Plant Morphology last December. <\/p>\n

He\u2019d been telling us about her all semester, but purposefully waited until the class was over before asking her out, to avoid any potential awkwardness should she turn him down.<\/p>\n

She didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

We knew Mikayla was a keeper when she let us dress her up as Princess Leia (opposite Ben\u2019s Hans Solo) for the opening of The Force Awakens, despite the fact she\u2019d never seen any of the previous six Star Wars movies.<\/p>\n

\"2016
Our family turned out to see THE FORCE AWAKENS in style. \ud83d\ude42<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Our family spent a wonderful week in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, shortly before Christmas.<\/p>\n

\"Our
The Aquarium of the Smokies was amazing!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Doug had to stay behind for some emergency business meetings, but flew out to meet us in time for a pre-scheduled interview with Al Jazeera\u2019s America Tonight. They were doing a documentary on large families and wanted to follow ours around with a camera crew while we were on vacation.<\/p>\n

\"With
Doug talks with producer Melissa May before shooting starts.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"With
Cameraman Andy Dean adjusts the sound and lighting for our scheduled interview.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Ice
Reporter Adam May (back row) got in on a lot of Flanders family fun!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We had a blast and felt pretty good about our time together, but sent up lots of prayers for the folks who\u2019d be editing the footage, as we knew going in that they could make us look much crazier than we really are, if that were their goal.<\/p>\n

\"2016
Bex (far right) looks a little blue in this photo. I think her friends rubbed off on her. Ha!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Thankfully, it wasn\u2019t, and we were pleased (and relieved) when the special report finally aired and we saw our segment<\/a> of it for the first time.<\/p>\n