December 2000

Dear Friends and Family,

The ball dropped. The computers didn’t crash. The electricity kept flowing. The airplanes kept flying. The missiles didn’t launch. And the reactors did not explode. What was all the fuss?! The year 2000 flew by for us, just like many other years. We have had a healthy and happy year and we are grateful for it. Here is what we have been up to in the first year of the new millennium, or the last year of the old one depending on who you talk to:

Alysoun (11) started middle school this year. She now has 8 classes to keep track of and seems to be handling it quite well. She is in the chorus at school and started taking piano this past spring. Alysoun also started taking dance classes. She is becoming quite the performer. She has continued to help with Tyler and is starting to try out a little babysitting for us.

David (8) is still growing like a weed. He would tell you his greatest achievement this year is growing to be the same height as Alysoun and having bigger feet than her. He continues to excel in sports and has added basketball to the mix. David started piano lessons this fall and works diligently at learning to play. He also loves to play on the computer. If we’re not careful, he’ll disappear into the office for hours.

Kara (5) started kindergarten this year. She loves her teacher and all of the new friends she has made. Her imagination still brings smiles to everyone’s faces. She started taking dance again this fall. Kara is an amazing interpretive dancer and choreographer. It is scary at times how quickly she picks up and modifies the latest “moves.” She also enjoys being a Daisy Girl Scout. Kara is also very excited about playing T-ball this spring.

Tyler (2) is still a human tornado. He rarely slows down. He climbs. He jumps. He runs. All with a smile on his face. He is talking up a storm as well. He loves to tell us what he is getting out of the refrigerator or where he found the “gumble gum”. Tyler got his first real haircut when he turned 2 in August. The blonde curls have been replaced with short, thick auburn hair. Tyler loves to play outside. He loves summer the best and playing in the water.

Laurie is still busy. She drives the kids here and there. She volunteers for everything. She helps out up at the school and in Kara’s classroom. She helps with Tyler’s playgroup. She helps plan and run Kara’s Girl Scout meetings. Then there’s all the forced volunteer work for swimming, baseball, soccer, basketball, softball, etc., etc., etc. After the kids go to bed and things finally slow down you can find her practicing the piano. So far, she’s been able to keep up with Alysoun and David in her self-taught program.

Michael started a new job in June. He now works for DigitalThink in San Francisco and has added an hour to his commute each way on top the long hours that he works. He enjoys his new company and the challenges of building a sales team. As if that isn’t enough, he is also trying his hand at real estate investments building an Internet business, and is looking into a franchise.

We had the opportunity for many wonderful vacations this year. Michael and Laurie traveled to Costa Rica for 10 days in February. It was a fantastic experience. It is a beautiful country with beautiful people. The family also did a few camping trips this summer. Michael and Laurie had forgotten how much they loved the outdoors. The kids enjoyed sleeping in the tent, swimming in the rivers and lakes, playing in the ocean, and walking through the giant redwoods trees. The week before Thanksgiving, we spent a few days in Lake Tahoe. Not ready to brave the cold, we stayed in a hotel. The kids loved the snow, especially Tyler, who went down the hill by himself on the saucer and cried when we had to leave.

So, that is our brief 2000 in review. We hope your year has been healthy, happy, and prosperous for you as well. We send our love and best wishes for the coming year.

MERRY CHRISTMAS & Happy New Year

With Love,

The Ludlows