Family Christmas Letter 2025

Merry Christmas from the Nysetvold Family!

Elissa continues to run Rivendell Academy, our homeschooling operation. The reading, writing, and ‘rithmetic continue apace, still with Charlotte Mason and Singapore Math. This year, the curriculum expanded into sewing with the establishment of Cave Slug Sewing School for Marie (named by Dan; ask about franchise opportunities). Elissa also finished her book The Magician’s Metamorphosis. I interviewed her about the book here, but the short version is it’s a YA fantasy story about magic, science, family, fairies, and an epic quest to save the world from a psychotic butterfly wizard. You can preorder the Kindle version now, and a paperback will also be available when it releases January 14! She also wrote some great stuff on Substack; her most-read post was “Why I’ll Let My Kids Watch KPop Demon Hunters (but not Frozen).” Her favorite series of the year was the Elven Alliance by Tara Grayce.

Elanor (2) is a lot of fun. Her personal nirvana would involve watching Bluey, from the swings in the backyard, with a sippy cup of milk. Alas, her parents have never given her more than two of those three things simultaneously, and like other two year olds, she sometimes laments her lack of transcendence. But she’s a pretty happy kid overall. She’s starting to clean up after herself, and she likes saying prayers—mostly saying prayer things when someone else is saying family prayer, not when she is supposed to be saying her own bedtime prayer, but we’ll take it. Her favorite book of the year was probably Shark: Portraits. (For reasons that remain unclear, she has an enduring love of sharks.)

Marie (5) loves sewing with mom, thrifting with mom, making food with mom, and mom in general! She has tons of fun with Elanor, too. Her book of princess-themed recipes from Grandma Nysetvold has gotten a lot of love this year. She backpacked the 27 mile Eagle Rock Loop this fall, carrying her sleeping bag etc. through the Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas for four days. (Dad and Will and some friends came too.) And she enjoys reading Dragon Masters chapter books.

Will (8) was baptized in August! He loves goofing off with his siblings. He finished reading The Book of Mormon for the first time in March, and also read Lord of the Rings this year. And he’s working a year ahead in Singapore Math. He likes hiking with family and friends; favorite hikes this year included Bryce Canyon and the Eagle Rock Loop. On the last day of the loop, he complained about needing thicker shoes because the rocks were sharp, and of course I just told him to keep hiking. On getting home, he realized he’d worn all the way through his shoes—not just the soles, but the insoles. So I guess he’s pretty tough after all.

Dan (10) is the proud owner of his grandpa’s surplus desktop computer, since converted into a Ubuntu rig running a Minecraft server. If you want to enter a dystopian realm with cool structures, a capricious deity, and a collection of giant turkey statues, send us your Minecraft username and we can get you set up. He started learning trombone. Books he’s enjoyed this year include Skunk Works, The Wrong Stuff: How the Soviet Space Program Crashed and Burned, the Bobiverse series, and Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days. He’s gotten pretty good at mowing the lawn, but has taken the last few months off (some excuse about breaking his arm while rollerblading).

I (Tom) continue to enjoy working as Reliability Manager at the Valero Houston Refinery. Great coworkers make it fun. I’m also serving as Ward Mission Leader in the Pearland Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and it has been rewarding to help invite people to come unto Christ. I’m almost done editing my science fiction novel, which ought to make it out into the wild next year, and I had a theological essay on our Heavenly Parents published. The Paradise Loop at Mt. Rainier was probably my favorite hike of the year, and There Is No Antimemetics Division was one of my favorite reads.

My Grandpa Jerry Bennett passed away this year, and I was able to attend his funeral. He brought the family farm to the 100 year mark and served Christ as a church leader, temple worker, and missionary. And he had 5 children, 29 grandchildren (~23 at the funeral!), and 36 great-grandchildren, who are all blessed by his example. This Christmas season, remembering my grandpa reminds me of Christ. Thanks to our Savior’s birth, teaching, atonement, and resurrection, I look forward to seeing Grandpa again. Merry Christmas!