December 2003

Dear Family and Friends,

As we write this, the installation guy for our new satellite dish is just leaving. After receiving notice of yet another price hike in our digital cable, we decided to try something different. Around this time last year we enjoyed a nice holiday.  Trey sang a solo in church last Christmas Eve that people are still complimenting him on.  Christmas Day was great. Both kids got rollerblades, among other things, which have been used all year.

Trey is 10 ½ (fifth grade) right now.  He’s busy with Cub Scouts and preparing to become a Boy Scout in February. He loves reading biographies, playing with Zoids, singing in choir at church, and riding his bike.  On the family campouts we attended with his Cub Scout pack, he got to practice fishing, another love.  This summer he was busy with zoo camp, Cub Scout Twilight camp, 2 tennis camps, science camp, vacation bible school, and going to Score!, a learning center that reinforces his school work with computer-based tutoring.  He decided to try learning to play the trombone this year at school.  Trey’s as tall as Terri’s chin and lost 4 teeth this year.

Kelsey, a first grader, is now 7 years old.  For her birthday, we hosted a beaded-jewelry-making party with pals from her Indian Princess tribe.  Kelsey really enjoys drawing and writing in her journal.  She writes short stories, poems, song lyrics, and cheers. Her writing paid off when she won first prize in a literature contest sponsored by the school PTA. This year she lost two teeth, became a great reader, learned to ride a bicycle without training wheels, to jump off a diving board, and to tie her own shoes.  Over the summer were her dance recital, zoo camp, and vacation bible school.  Her 6-year molars came in and she passed the 4-foot mark in height.  She’s been involved this fall with Brownies and looks forward to an upcoming cheerleading class that begins in January.

Allen’s time continues to be divided among his job at SMU, being sound tech at his church, PTA Dad’s Club, trolley driving, being active in our neighborhood association, Indian Princesses, Cub Scouts, being Room Dad for Kelsey’s class, and the ever-present net activism.  In August, our local newspaper ran a 2-page feature on him, highlighting his involvement in publicly exposing unethical politicians.  This fall, the two of us spent a fulfilling Saturday morning helping to deliver new computers to needy families through our school district’s Technology Outreach Program.

Terri served as Room Mom for Kelsey’s class last year and continues to be active in UMW, two handbell choirs, maintaining three websites (including one at the ethics center where she works), Finance Committee at church, the 50^th anniversary committee for her church, and the new task of being Kelsey’s Brownie troop leader. The two of us went to Nashville in May to attend Terri’s 20^th high school reunion.  Terri had an especially good time catching up with old friends.

Aside from the Nashville trip, our travel consisted of a summer vacation to Branson, Missouri.  Country music is not our scene, but with golf, an amusement park, a tour of the town in a WW2 amphibious “Duck,” an outlet mall, and a butterfly museum, there was something for everyone to enjoy. It was a lot of fun.

Well, 2003 was a good year for us. We feel blessed every day and we really enjoy watching the kids (and each other) mature. We hope your holidays are a time of peace and comfort. May you find many reasons to praise God during this holy season.

With love,

Terri, Allen, Trey and Kelsey Gwinn (and Oliver the cat)