The Christmas Letter

Here is the Christmas letter I wrote to send out this year. So -- if you want to know what's going on around here, read this. If you don't want to know - stop reading now.

Hello!

I thought I’d fill you in on our family life this year. Since there is so much to tell and I’m too lazy to write it all down in each and every Christmas card with a pen, you’re getting this note.

#1 is now 18 and is a high school senior.   How time flies!  And no, I’m not old enough to have a high school senior.  #1’s hard work in school has paid off! He has received a 4-year Army ROTC Scholarship to his first choice school, Virginia Military Institute. He got one to Virginia Tech, as well. (He would really prefer to serve with the Navy or the Air Force, so he is waiting to hear from them in early 2011 about their ROTC Scholarships. Keep your fingers crossed!) He has also been accepted to The Citadel and to Norwich – complete with scholarship monies.  It’s really fun to open a letter from a college and discover that 1 – they want you and 2 – they are giving you money.

#1 was one of two saxophones selected for The Music Educators National Conference Honor Band in June.  He spent a week under the direction of nationally recognized conductors and he met a lot of really great and talented kids from across the nation. The week culminated with a performance at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC.  It was a phenomenal experience.

#1 continues to play in the Marching Band at school and is the Woodwind Captain again this year. He is also involved in the Jazz Band, Percussion Ensemble, Sax Ensemble, and more.  I suspect that #1 will continue to play his Sax in college.  There are jazz bands and marching bands at every school he is interested in attending. 

LLB is 15 and is a sophomore. How do they grow up so fast?! LLB continues to play the trumpet. She is in Marching Band, Jazz Band, Pep Band, Percussion Ensemble, Brass Ensemble, the Pit Orchestra, and more. She was one of 3 students and the only freshman from our high school to make the District Band last spring – this is quite an accomplishment. This coming January she will be playing at the Shepherd University Honor Ensemble at Shepherd in West Virginia.

Trumpet is not LLB’s only instrument. She learned how to play the marimba – a xylophone-like instrument – last winter. She really enjoys it and will continue to play it in Percussion Ensemble this year.  LLB also continues to ring handbells. She rings 4 in hand like a pro and can switch to the bass line in the blink of an eye.  Ahhh – youth!

LLB is also doing very well in school. Her favorite classes are Math and Music Theory. She has doubled up on the Math this year and loves it.  (I find that a bit scary, myself.) LLB continues to be a voracious reader. She and her friends swap books like we used to trade lunches.

We all like to ski and this year we discovered that our county has a ski club. Who knew?! #1 and LLB enjoy their time on the slopes even though the vertical here in Virginia does not compare to the vertical in New England.  In late March, Mr insisted that they hit the slopes on a beautiful 75^o day.  Spring skiing is not something we get much of here, and they just had to take advantage of the day.  There were a few bloody knees thanks to tumbles in the pebble-textured snow, but it was a great time!!

There is so much more to tell, but I’m running out of space…

Mr is still at his long time company doing whatever it is he does there. He enjoys sawing fallen trees with his chain saw and mowing our acreage with his tractor in his spare time.  Once a month, he plays bass guitar in the Church Folk and Gospel band.  I direct a handbell choir at a local church and do some substitute teaching at the local middle school.  Mr and I are involved in our Band Parents Organization as well as the Parent Advisory Council and a half dozen other volunteer committees. Basically, we keep busy.   

If you’re ever in the DC area, shoot us an email. ladybugxing at gmail.com. We’d love to see you.  You can also find me on Facebook - LadyBug Crossing.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!