23 December 2010

Letters To Santa 2010

As they did in 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 the kids are making their cases to the man up north. This year they did their own typing.

Dear Santa.
For Christmas I would like a stuff dog and a barby doll. Could you please get mind flex for me and my borther Alex. Can you get me a pack of fake finger nails. Also can you get me a nekalas for chirstmas. This is why I should get any presents this year. I was a good girl in ALASkA even though some of it was very boring. I got a wonderful report card at school. I got hamsters and I am taking very good care of them. Most peaple think they are just going to die. But not in my house. I love animals so much that I went to the carnival and won a gold fish in June and yet she is still alive P.S. It is a girl! From Ella!


12\17\10
Dear Santa,
For Christmas I would like Minatourus lego game, Mind flex, ipet and an interesting book. I deseve all this becuase A: I've been very helpful this year.
B: I've behaved around other adults.And C:I've gotten along with other kids.
(Apart from my sister.)


From,
Alex

20 December 2010

2010 Christmas Letter

Cane Able

It was midnight and the sun was shining when I thought to myself 'This would make a great opening sentence for the Christmas letter'. It's not every year that I start working on the letter in July or in Alaska, but then 2010 was not just any old year.

Sure it started out calmly enough with New Year's Day finding us sharing our house with 20 of our closest friends. The resounding quiet after they left lasted into February when we got all the snow that we could ever want, then got it all again a week later.

It only took a few weeks to dig out, then Shelley and I made a long weekend visit to New Orleans. We got to meet my favorite trumpet player, Leroy Jones, and learn how to make gumbo and jambalyaya. We got back in time to take the kids to Great Wolf Lodge in Pennsylvania in May for Alex's eighth birthday.

Our big adventure of the year was a cruise and tour through the Pacific Northwest with 13 Roths, courtesy of my dad (thanks, Dad!). We traveled by ship from Vancouver to Skagaway, then on a variety of trains, busses, and assorted watercraft through the Yukon and Alaska. This was such a once in a 39-year experience (for me at least). You can read about it in more detail and see  pictures here.

In August Alex (3rd grade) and Ella (1st grade) started at a new school. They both adjusted well and enjoy their new situations. Sadly, Shelley has not adjusted as well nor does she enjoy the new minivan that carpooling to the new school necessitates.

Not sure if it is because of some latent migratory instinct, but when Ella turned seven in October, back to Pennsylvania we went - this time to make some bears and other assorted creatures in Gettysburg. Luckily in November, my friend Joe brought his football team to Maryland to save us from going to PA one more time.

Along with these events, the year contained the regular ebbs and flows of life in the 21st century. Shelley continues to work at Westat, and will be going back to full time in January. Though she is not yet ready to give up her day job, she has become a recording artist and you can listen to some of her stylings here. Meanwhile, I continue with GetGlue where things have been going well and normal people have started hearing about us.

You can take a look at the virtual version of our 2010 photobook, or better yet, come visit us, see it in person, and maybe even make into the 2011 version.

Best wishes to all of our dear family and friends for the holidays and in the coming year!