Jewel at Middlesex Gymnastics Academy

It's really hard to take a photo of a cartwheel on the balance beam, but it's probably harder to actually do a cartwheel on the beam. The best I could do was to get a still shot of Jewel doing releve walks on the beam. Next class, I'll try to get a video.

Pajama party & movie night

Jewel between two of her friends for Activity Night at the church. They got to wear their PJ's to watch the movie.

Dakota went iceskating with the young men and young women to Roosevelt Park ice skating rink in Metuchen/Edison. It was about 10 degrees with wind chill but they had fun anyway.

Rutgers is back in full swing for the spring semester. Dakota is taking 3 Math classes (one pre graduate level) and an Honors Mathematics seminar. He will get to research a project and has to do an oral presentation with another class member. He is also taking Honors Linguistics which is going to be his minor or possibly his second major along with Math. He will contiunue with University choir and he's waiting to see if a grad student is available for piano lessons this semester.

gratitude thought: Living only 10 minutes away from the Rutgers campus, it sure makes driving back and forth so much better...

East Brunswick YW New Beginnings 2009

Daniel and Patricia, before the New Beginnings program started. Patricia is wearing her Indian 'gold' dress with pants as the new value for the YW will be virtue (represented by the color gold). It was freezing in NJ, as a huge artic storm is traveling across the US this week.
gratitude thoughts: grateful that Jewel's parent teacher conference went well, grateful that Dakota gets a long break between semesters even though he is still studying his Japanese and playing the piano VERY loud. Grateful that Jewel is having a great time on her junior gymnastics team even though her new teacher is 'meaner and more strict' than her past teacher. She can now do things I could only imagine in my dreams on the 4 inch balance beam...cartwheels and hand stands. She seems not to be afraid of anything except her brother =)

New Year's celebration 2009

January 1st 2009, brought in the New Year with our family tradition of bowling, followed by a buffet dinner. We don't eat at buffet joints too often, so having this to look forward to on New Year's Day is a real family treat. January 2nd, we went to NYC to meet an old family friend for dinner. Carolyn and her new husband Bill. Carolyn was kind enough to let Daniel stay with her while he attended grad school in NYC. This use to be called 'Papaya King'. They still offer the best hotdogs and fresh juices for a great price. Dakota had many lunches here after playing in Central Park as a two year old.
Dakota, Carolyn, Bill, Jewel and Daniel at their apartment, after a great dinner.
Jewel did a great job bowling!
So did Dakota...

BUT Mable had the highest score for both games. She bowls in a league in SC.

gratitude thought: For Carolyn and her friendship over the past two decades. She's such a bright, neat lady and we're happy for her wonderful husband Bill. He's just great, funny, smart and a terrific cook. We had the best evening with them.

grateful for simple family traditions that unify our family! And grateful for grandma Mable who makes the Holidays special with her visit with us.