Sara
Now a whooping 7 and halfway thru 1st grade. She’s one of four 1st graders in a 2nd grade class. For her, it mostly means she gets double field trips and double class parties. She loves reading. It’s fun to see her learn in new ways throughout the year.
We started the Narnia series this year. She continues to love horses and even got a chance to ride. She tolerates my biking habit. We try to ride or walk to school when time and weather cooperate. We did swim lessons this summer and occasionally during the winter. We’re going to try for an art class. Sara has enough passion to create on her own, but might enjoy more structure.
Laura
Tall for her age at 4. She continues preschool at her same school. She’s learning letters, but is partial to The letters in her name. She has passionate opinions and loves having fun. She follows her sister and also loves horses. She likes making forts and painting.
Karen
I continue to work at the VA as a rehab doctor. I do a mix of outpatient work with spine, electromyography, and MS. The part-time schedule lets me spend time with the girls.
I’ve had my biking habit for over a year now. It provides a fun way to exercise and get the girls to school. I continue to enjoy blogging as a way of archiving our lives. It brings together so many things I enjoy, writing, photography, journaling, storytelling, my kids, and staying connected with my more global community. I started with a book club thru my church that has been fun. I love that we mix a little classic scifi with the thoughtful fiction.
Wayne
Still at Pixar. Enjoying working on RenderMan. Wayne got nominated for a technical Oscar. He continues to keep our house running technically and repair wise. He keeps playing with photography. Mostly, he’s busy building forts with the girls.
Family
We’re getting to catch up with family on both sides this Christmas. My parents, Chris and Jim, continue to move into the role of a retired couple. They rented a house in our neighborhood for almost 4 months this summer. The girls got a taste of what it was like to have grandparents around the corner. My brother, David, continues working around Atlanta and raising Justin, Skylar, and Lindyn.
John and Shirley are outside of Nashville with Doug and Karen nearby. We got to see all the nephews, Matthew, Alan, and Landon.
Travels
We continue to punctuate our lives with travels. These are the biggies.
Vancouver, BC in Feb.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wootenpics/sets/72157623711842973/
Kihei, Maui, Hawaii April
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wootenpics/sets/72157624058560738/
Glacier National Park, Montana August
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wootenpics/sets/72157624802535762/
The minutiae of our lives can always be found at wootens.net. There’s often new pictures at the flickr link on the right hand side under photography. Wayne frequents twitter and I hang out on Facebook.
Wishing y’all a Merry Christmas on the day Jesus was born.