Dear Friends,
Here we are again: another year coming to a close, and another Christmas letter attempting to capture a year's worth life imposed on you, our family and friends. This is our seventh year since taking our Christmas letter electronic, and we'll be sticking with it. I recently caught a bit of a press conference in which a postal service spokesperson disparaged the thought of sending e-greetings at Christmas, but then again there was this recent story of a Christmas Card that was recently delivered, 93 years after it was sent. You should receive this e-card within minutes after it was sent, allowing me to wait until the last available minute to send it. It also requires no paper products, and gives you the power, if you so choose, to unsubscribe and never receive another (maybe). All reasons enough for us to stick to this electronic approach to Christmas greetings.
Without question, the biggest milestone of the year was Chris & Jennifer marking their 20th Wedding Anniversary in August. We started that celebration with a trip to Ireland in April. You can read the day-to-day details in Chris' blog if you're interested, or check out the photos here. Highlights included a wonderful dinner with family friends near Dublin, visiting two different Casey's Bars in one day in County Cork, and walking past a 'Beware of Bull' sign to reach a graveyard in County Tipperary where some Casey ancestors are buried. It was a trip worth of the occasion and we look forward to returning someday.
Other travels took us to Kentucky for brother David's wedding in June, and a family trip to New York City in August, to catch 'Wicked' on Broadway, and take in the sights of the city. Also in August, Chris and Jennifer got away for a quick trip to Chicago for an Anniversary Cubs game. The Cubs won, and the familiar Wrigley scoreboard shared our anniversary message (and the Cubs in first place!).
Our kids aren't really kids anymore, they are now the Casey young adults. Here's a rundown on their year...
Katie, now 17, is a junior in high school where she continues in the writing program at our magnet school for fine and performing arts. She is the editor of 'Aesthetics', the program's literary magazine. This summer she was selected from among applicant's across the state to attend Virginia's Governor's School at the University of Richmond. While going to summer school may be anathema to most students, Katie loved going away to college for the month of July. When not armed with a pen, Katie can often be found wielding a sword... or more accurately, a foil. She competed in her first fencing tournaments this year, and always looks forward to the opportunity to stab people for sport.
Will turned 15 this month and is now a freshman in high school. He continues to draw power from his ever-growing golden locks, and has yet to test our warning that a 'C' on his report card will stand for 'Crewcut'. He started the year on the familiar territory of a soccer field, and he continues to work as a referee in soccer, but seeking a change of pace he joined his high school's football team and now always looks forward to the opportunity to hit people, for sport.
Colleen is now 11, and she entered middle school in the sixth grade. Always eager to expand her horizons, Colleen ran on the school's track team, has taken up hip-hop dance, and, thanks to lessons from her Uncle Kevin, plays a wicked game of backgammon. She is always on the lookout for the opportunity to pwn people on a backgammon or scrabble board (or at any other board game for that matter), for sport.
Works is all good. Jennifer continues to teach elementary school special education, and Chris has now been three years as Director of Online Campaigns at NGP Software.
We wish for you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Chris, Jennifer, Katie, Will & Colleen
p.s. Not sure who we are? You're probably a distant cousin whose email I dug up somehow. Check our family tree here.
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The Casey Family |
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From the Flickr Gallery
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Casey Web Surfing |
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