As usual, I am slow to update on here. Life just seems to race by so quickly that posting updates falls to the bottom of the priority list. It is New Year's Day and Will is working a basketball game in Tuscaloosa, the weather is cold but sunny and I have just sent the girls outside to play in the sunshine with their bicycles (Olivia's received for Christmas). Eleanor just learned how to ride yesterday--that is an indictment on the parents. We never got around to teaching them to ride before now! I told Eleanor though that Europeans are such bike-riders that if we are able to return next summer, she needs to know how to ride a bike before we go. So, they are all bundled up and outside while I type away. I have to return to school tomorrow and so I am planning on getting some of my work done today so that I don't feel under the gun tomorrow and/or have to work tomorrow night getting ready for students on Thursday morning.
I also thought I'd post our Christmas letter that we "actually" sent out this year...and before Christmas too. That's amazing! The picture was taken for the Church directory this fall and we went ahead and ordered some Christmas cards made at the same time. I also wrote a quick update of our year for friends and family. So, enjoy! Actually, the scanner is working strangely and so I'll post the picture later...here's the letter though!
The Christmas Letter
Seasons Greetings to our Friends and Family
We decided to try something new this year and actually send Christmas cards, not just make them and never get them sent! Of course, as I write this, it is December 21 and the Christmas tree has just gone up and been adorned in the foyer. Every year, I try telling my children that in Germany they don’t put up a tree until Christmas Eve. They are too smart though and have figured out that it isn’t my German ancestry which makes it take us so long to decorate in our household!
Eleanor is in the 8th grade and thriving academically and socially. She was tapped into the Junior National Honor Society this year and we are very proud of her academic achievements and her hard work. She is taking a serious course load as well, with two courses which will gain high school credit-Algebra and French. She is much more seriously involved in ballet, taking between 11-12 hours of ballet per week, plus rehearsals. We have just finished the Nutcracker where she danced a pas de trio to the dance of the Mirlitons, as well as dancing in the waltz of the flowers and the dance of the snowflakes. She is hoping for a high tech Christmas morning and all A honor roll—one out of two won’t be bad!
Amelia began her middle school career this year and we couldn’t be happier with her team of teachers. They are caring and responsive and she is doing well, showing a great deal of responsibility in her school work and looking forward to trying out for the spring play—well, at least her parents are hoping she tries out for the spring play! Trying out for cheerleader is probably more likely though. She is also dancing this year, although not as many hours as her older sister. She danced in the Nutcracker as Clara again this year, with the twist that she danced a pas de deux with the prince, including a swan dive lift…oh my! She hopes for a variety of gifts beneath the tree and is currently into “Vera Bradley” and her cell phone—thank goodness for unlimited texting plans!
Olivia is Olivia. She is in the 4th grade and has decided to follow in her father’s footsteps by getting involved in the daily television production at her elementary school—Tiger TV. She has been working in mostly technical positions this fall (shades of her father), but has also gotten to be on-air talent for the weather report a few times. She is still in the enrichment program and thoroughly enjoys whatever it is they do in there! Olivia is also dancing this year, but I think it may be her last year to dance. Olivia is hoping for an “American Girl” Christmas this year after her visit to American Girl Place in Chicago this summer.
As for Will and Kellye…Will is working for ESPNU quite a lot this year. He is the new owner of a Mac Book Pro, of which he is very proud and pleased. It has helped him tremendously in being able to do his own paperwork on the road, a fact that makes Kellye quite happy! He has discovered that he really loves visiting large cities like NYC and Chicago, but wouldn’t want to shovel snow daily in the winter, so would rather limit his exposure to work visits and not a permanent arrangement. Kellye is working hard this year spinning her wheels. For Christmas, she has asked for replenishment of the Europe fund so that she and Eleanor can return to Europe this summer with the ballet company. Eleanor and Kellye’s visit to Hungary, Serbia and England last summer was so wonderful that they can’t wait to return, no matter where Stevan decides to take them.
Our wish for you—our friends and family is to have a year full of happiness and contentment, joy and blessings. May God bless you and keep you this Christmas season and through the New Year.
I also thought I'd post our Christmas letter that we "actually" sent out this year...and before Christmas too. That's amazing! The picture was taken for the Church directory this fall and we went ahead and ordered some Christmas cards made at the same time. I also wrote a quick update of our year for friends and family. So, enjoy! Actually, the scanner is working strangely and so I'll post the picture later...here's the letter though!
The Christmas Letter
Seasons Greetings to our Friends and Family
We decided to try something new this year and actually send Christmas cards, not just make them and never get them sent! Of course, as I write this, it is December 21 and the Christmas tree has just gone up and been adorned in the foyer. Every year, I try telling my children that in Germany they don’t put up a tree until Christmas Eve. They are too smart though and have figured out that it isn’t my German ancestry which makes it take us so long to decorate in our household!
Eleanor is in the 8th grade and thriving academically and socially. She was tapped into the Junior National Honor Society this year and we are very proud of her academic achievements and her hard work. She is taking a serious course load as well, with two courses which will gain high school credit-Algebra and French. She is much more seriously involved in ballet, taking between 11-12 hours of ballet per week, plus rehearsals. We have just finished the Nutcracker where she danced a pas de trio to the dance of the Mirlitons, as well as dancing in the waltz of the flowers and the dance of the snowflakes. She is hoping for a high tech Christmas morning and all A honor roll—one out of two won’t be bad!
Amelia began her middle school career this year and we couldn’t be happier with her team of teachers. They are caring and responsive and she is doing well, showing a great deal of responsibility in her school work and looking forward to trying out for the spring play—well, at least her parents are hoping she tries out for the spring play! Trying out for cheerleader is probably more likely though. She is also dancing this year, although not as many hours as her older sister. She danced in the Nutcracker as Clara again this year, with the twist that she danced a pas de deux with the prince, including a swan dive lift…oh my! She hopes for a variety of gifts beneath the tree and is currently into “Vera Bradley” and her cell phone—thank goodness for unlimited texting plans!
Olivia is Olivia. She is in the 4th grade and has decided to follow in her father’s footsteps by getting involved in the daily television production at her elementary school—Tiger TV. She has been working in mostly technical positions this fall (shades of her father), but has also gotten to be on-air talent for the weather report a few times. She is still in the enrichment program and thoroughly enjoys whatever it is they do in there! Olivia is also dancing this year, but I think it may be her last year to dance. Olivia is hoping for an “American Girl” Christmas this year after her visit to American Girl Place in Chicago this summer.
As for Will and Kellye…Will is working for ESPNU quite a lot this year. He is the new owner of a Mac Book Pro, of which he is very proud and pleased. It has helped him tremendously in being able to do his own paperwork on the road, a fact that makes Kellye quite happy! He has discovered that he really loves visiting large cities like NYC and Chicago, but wouldn’t want to shovel snow daily in the winter, so would rather limit his exposure to work visits and not a permanent arrangement. Kellye is working hard this year spinning her wheels. For Christmas, she has asked for replenishment of the Europe fund so that she and Eleanor can return to Europe this summer with the ballet company. Eleanor and Kellye’s visit to Hungary, Serbia and England last summer was so wonderful that they can’t wait to return, no matter where Stevan decides to take them.
Our wish for you—our friends and family is to have a year full of happiness and contentment, joy and blessings. May God bless you and keep you this Christmas season and through the New Year.
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