Welcome to the Connell Family
Christmas / New Year 2005 web page
Katie: I have had an awesome year!!! Miss Jones was the nicest 4th grade teacher ever. I was taking jazz and tap dance classes. The recital went great. On my 10th birthday I got my ears pierced!!! Over the summer we went to Maine. I went swimming, to the beach, and out for the best ice cream sundaes I ever had. I got Mrs. Lerra for 5th grade. She is great. I really like being the oldest one in the school. I am taking travel soccer. My team was called the Blast. We only lost two games the whole season. Now the season is over. I am taking jazz and tap classes again, but also I am taking hip- hop classes too. In school I am taking French, flute and chorus. My new favorite books are the Beacon Street Girls. As you can see I have had a great 2005!!!
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Elizabeth: I had a fantastic year!!! I love spending time with my family. Over the summer I went to Wedgewood Swimming Pool and I love eating slush there. On 4th birthday I got lots of trains. I loved the pumpkin bread on Thanksgiving!!! I made snow angels in the first snow. When we went to cut the Christmas tree I played tag in the snow with Mom. I just got my new big-girl bed. I loved it because it is so cozy!!! In the first picture below I am doing "dress up" with Katie's clothes. In the second, I am standing in front of Thomas the Tank Engine, after having a ride on him at Edaville Railroad. I had an awesome year. (Dictated by Liz, with help from Katie and Dad.)
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Janet and Chuck: We had a good year, with three kids all at very different ages -- high school, elementary, and pre-school! We are a lucky family to have such great children, all happy and healthy. Some of our favorite activities continue to be family vacations, because we are able to spend so much time together. This year we spent four days in Montreal in April. We highly recommend this city. Especially interesting were the underground sidewalks/malls that allow you to navigate much of the city indoors. We had several long walks in a chilly rain, before we figured out we could have walked all the way indoors to our destinations. We spent our summer vacation in Ogunquit again, which we are becoming attached to as "our place" -- even though we don't own anything there. Chuck's business continues to go well, since Lotus Notes is making a comeback after some lean years, and he still pursues bicycling as a hobby. Janet is involved with Girl Scouts, keeping a busy household running smoothly, and has started to take Elizabeth to Chinese classes. Ni Hao!
In the pictures below, we are taking a winter walk at a wildlife sanctuary on Cape Cod, camping in NH, and looking formal in our Easter clothes (with Janet's mother and sister).
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Charles: Charles had a good year, graduating from middle school and starting high school. The highlight of middle school was the traditional week-long trip to Washington D.C., which included being free of the parents for five days! All the kids had a great time, but came home very tired, since sleeping did not seem to be on the agenda. Charles is quite involved with the tech crew for school plays, especially the computerized lighting controls. He continues to play the piano, with a new teacher who is helping him refine his technique. Charles's favorite activities are still anything related to computers. He even figured out all the technical details of making and launching a podcast, which is not easy to do.
The first picture below shows Charles and Janet having a vicious pillow fight in a hotel in Montreal. Charles won, but no blood was spilled. The second shows his awesome Halloween costume. (Hint: keep your mouth shut when it is nearby.) In the third, he is "rug surfing" in our front hall, while holding a drum for extra weight to get a longer ride.
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Happy New Year Everyone!
We hope your coming year is filled with joy and good memories!