Christmas 2005

ThomasKids.com Christmas 2005 Letter

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2005

Dear Family and Friends,

I hope this year’s letter finds everyone healthy and happy. We are all surviving a few colds and flu bugs, but nothing too serious! It’s hard to believe that it is Christmas time again, but if my kids’ countdown to the big day is correct, I only have 6 more days!

We have once again had a busy year, with everyone trying something new! Danny started out the year (February) with a shift in jobs. He transitioned from his job with an independent telecom consulting firm and signed on with MPower Communications as a full time employee – with benefits!!! He has enjoyed learning the ins and outs of “outside” sales this year, and is really starting to see some payback. It meant a big change in hours (leaving EARLY, home LATE!), but I think he has found a good niche. He has also joined the Torrance Chamber of Commerce, the Parishioners Federal Credit Union Board, and continues to serve on the St. Lawrence Parish Council. Needless to say, he is a busy man.

Guess how old I am now? 40!!! And it’s not bad. I think it is going to be a great decade! I also tried something new this year - at St. Lawrence School. I chaired our “Taste of the Bay” fundraiser in May, and it went extremely well. I have never been in charge of anything with a scope like this, and I have to say that all my committee chair people were so phenomenal. Together we raised $140,000 for the school and guess what? I’m doing it again this year! So mark you calendars for May 20, 2006. Besides this, which took up most of my time, I am still serving on the Parent Board at the school, and started having a little more time to work at school this fall in the library and in Colleen’s classroom at Seaside Elementary. I also found time to continue sailing this year, but it seems less and less!

Shannon’s (now 10 years old!) newest adventure this year was sailing. She and her cousin Shane took the summer sailing program at King Harbor Yacht Club. She really seemed to take to it (as she seems to do with most things!). She has continued with her Irish Dance and has moved up in all her solo dances to the Novice level (basically Level 3). She started altar serving this fall at Church, also. This in addition to her year-round sports – basketball, softball, volleyball, soccer. Her soccer team this fall has made it into the area playoffs. They finished the season in first place. Shannon continued with Girl Scouts this year and had her “bridging ceremony” from Brownies to Juniors in the spring. Her troop went on an overnight adventure at Sea World this summer. I think I had a harder time with her spending the night 100 miles away than she did! All this and she made honor roll in 4th grade this fall!

Steven is your typical 7-year-old boy. He is in 1st grade at St. Lawrence and really seems to enjoy school. If he could have a “buddy” over every day to play, he would be in heaven! He is still a Lego maniac and amazes us with his building abilities. He played basketball for the first time this year, then T-ball again in the spring, and soccer this fall. His newest thing is Cub Scouts this year. He and his Dad are enjoying this together! Steven also got a taste of the stage this year with two of his buddies - Jack and K.J. - at the St. Lawrence Halloween Fair. They lip-synched “Who Let The Dogs Out” with some pretty awesome dance moves. They got 1st place in their age category!

Colleen is 5 years old now and started Kindergarten this fall. She is loving it and doing very well. She took a few classes this year, including a Superkids tumbling class and a “Singing and Movement” class. She is still our most musical child, singing on key and memorizing songs in the blink of an eye. I am looking around for a children’s choir for her to join. She continues to challenge her mother and father every waking moment, but is a very sweet and loving child. She seems to have a lot of compassion for others and has even taken a little girl under her wing in her class who is from India and learning English. Colleen’s teacher was very impressed with her kindness.

I went on my usual trip to Chicago in February for our CFM National Board Meeting. Danny and I were sworn in as Secretary, so we are now Officers on the Board. We went as a family to Chicago in July for our summer Board Meeting and National Conference. The kids enjoyed the trip immensely though the humidity was pretty awful! We took our annual pilgrimage to Palm Desert in August. We do love that trip; it is so relaxing. We went to Disneyland in September for Shannon’s 10th and Colleen’s 5th birthdays. Colleen and Steven have never been to Disneyland before, and it was quite a day. Colleen started the day out on Space Mountain and never let up! She definitely knows how to keep up with big brother and sister!

Our families are all doing well. Danny’s mom and dad moved Telemobile Inc. into a smaller building this year, and closer to their place in Long Beach. Danny’s brother Jimmy and wife Shelle added baby Ryan to our family in August! He is a cutie. My Dad and wife Jane are just winding up their year as Commodore at King Harbor Yacht Club. It has been quite and adventure and I think they are looking forward to a second “retirement”!

I hope everyone has a blessed and happy New Year 2006. Please continue to pray for peace in this mad, mad world we live in.

God bless you all and God bless America.

Noreen, Danny, Shannon, Steven and Colleen