Xmas Letter 2006

Welcome to the 2006 equivalent to the Traveling Roths' Microsoft Word Update Letter. (thanks to Snide for the term). If you're following the link on the Christmas Card, and this is your first visit to travelingroths.com, welcome. We hope you'll check back regularly, and maybe even subscribe to the feed.

It's been a year for us, so we'll give you the summary in words and pictures. All pictures are hosted on Zooomr. Check out these and others there when you get the chance.

January
Not much going on. Did a weekend trip to Hanging Rock State Park.

Hanging Rock Hosted on Zooomr

Hanging Rock State Park Hosted on Zooomr

Both kids won the "Music Student of the Quarter" awards for their respective Kindergarten (Zoe) and First Grade (Tristan) classes.

In February, Zoe celebrated her Sixth Birthday with a party.

It's a Small Birthday After All Hosted on Zooomr

Unfortunately, the day of the party we had Mebane's heaviest snowfall of the year.

Despite the frightful weather, all the invitees attended.

In March, Jennifer and the kids spent some of Spring Break at the North Carolina coast.

Emerald Isle Portrait Hosted on Zooomr

And whenever they're at the ocean, even in winter, Tristan and Zoe are going to get wet.

North Atlantic Winter Hosted on Zooomr

Tristan took Third Place in the Chapel Hill School District in a spoken French language competition

French Student T Hosted on Zooomr

While Zoe scored her second "Terrific Kid" award.

Teriffic Z Hosted on Zooomr

March was also the start of the spring soccer season. Zoe played for the U6 Sharks

Opa, Zoe, and Oma Hosted on Zooomr

And Tristan played for the U8 Strikers

Opa, Tristan, and Oma Hosted on Zooomr

As you can see, Oma, Opa, and their RV were in town on their way back from a month-long trip to the south.

With April's warmer weather and longer days, we had more opportunity to play outside, and take more pictures in the evening sun.

Zoe Spring Hosted on Zooomr

Tristan Spring Hosted on Zooomr

I got to play Jesus in a reenactment of "The Last Supper"

Playing Jesus Hosted on Zooomr

And Easter was on a beautiful spring day

Easter Family Hosted on Zooomr

May would turn out to be a very busy, and very fun month. In early May, I got to spend a few days at a conference in beautiful Greenville, South Carolina. Read about that adventure here.

In the middle of the month we took our first big vacation in a long time out to Jennifer's brother Jonas' college graduation in Nevada. Check out the May archive for the details, but we had loads of fun. Here are the best couple of pictures from the 272 we took in five days.

Tahoe Pano Hosted on Zooomr

PICT2942 Hosted on Zooomr

Then as if the month wasn't busy enough, over Memorial Day Weekend we had a Pig Pickin'!

Barbecue By the Book Hosted on Zooomr

along with a few more Traveling Roths, namely Andy, Shelly, Alex, and Ella

May Cousins Hosted on Zooomr

In June, Tristan became Napoleon Dynamite for the Glenwood talent show.

Tristan Dynamite Hosted on Zooomr

I took a trip to PA for my friend Buick (Matt Kozsuch's) wedding

Buick/Diamond Hosted on Zooomr

July was crazy. It started with a trip to NYC

Riding on the Metro Hosted on Zooomr

Then a week in Pennsylvania, with a couple more Traveling Roths (in this case Julia, and Laura)

Here Comes the Parade Hosted on Zooomr

From there Jennifer was off to Bennington College for grad school for three weeks, while the kids were on vacation in PA and NJ with Oma and Opa and their cousins, and Rabin and I were back to North Carolina.

crazy Hosted on Zooomr

I got a short trip to NYC in, and got to see Truck, Jerry, Debbie, and Mary.

In August, things started returning to normal. Everyone returned to North Carolina, Soccer practice started again, and I had a great weekend in New England seeing my friend Greg, and going to the wedding of Truck and Debbie.

Truck Jerry Diamond Hosted on Zooomr

School started once again. First Grade for Zoe and Second Grade for Tristan.

ZR 1st Grade Hosted on Zooomr

TR 2nd Grade Hosted on Zooomr

September. More soccer, the last beach trip of the year,

FudgeTown Boardwalk Hosted on Zooomr

and the capital campaign kickoff at Mebane Presbyterian.

October. More soccer. The North Carolina State Fair.

Pure Joy Hosted on Zooomr

Tristan's Birthday

Partners in Crime Hosted on Zooomr

Presbyterian Camping

Pano Grandfather Mountain Hosted on Zooomr

and Halloween

Halloween 2006 Hosted on Zooomr

November. The calmest month of all, I think.
Thanksgiving

Holiday Family Hosted on Zooomr

and Christmas preparation

Zoe on the Farm Hosted on Zooomr

December. I got to play timpani in the Mebane Community Chorus' presentation of The Messiah, followed by performing with the "Mebane Presbyterian Church Orchestra" the next weekend. Then on Sunday the 17th, Tristan and Zoe performed in the church's Christmas Play.

PrePlay Hosted on Zooomr

Zoe even had a solo!


So that's the bulk of it. From the 20th through the 31st we'll be in SE Pennsylvania, then New York City, then NE PA, then SE PA again, then back to North Carolina.

So Happy Hanukkah, Happy Festivus, Merry Christmas, (Happy Birthday to Me), and Happy New Year.

See you right here in 2007

The Traveling Roths