Dearest Family and Friends: Tony's dad always said time goes faster as you get older and we can certainly attest to that! 2009 has flown by and here we are entering the second decade of the new millennium! Fortunately we feel like we are ending it on the upside. Some time after 2006 our move to Tony's bachelor-days townhouse in Reston after 14 years overseas it became obvious that Steven (b. 1995) and Emily (b. 1998) did not enjoy sharing a bedroom anymore. In mid-2008 we moved in to our new home where Steven and Emily are merely neighbors, but it took until mid-2009 to sell the townhouse. Thankfully, we can now report that we are well and happily all moved in to our new home and paying just one mortgage. The kids were able to stay in the same public schools and are doing quite well. Thanks to Tony working mucho overtime at Northrop-Grumman, we have been able to enjoy a few excursions this year. During spring break we took the kids to re-live Tony's Syracuse college days during a week in upstate New York. Cooperstown, Rochester, Syracuse and Corning provided every entertainment from fine arts to farm museums to breweries (hey wait, that was just Cooperstown!), anyway, we had a blast and learned so much about an unheralded part of the country we would recommend to anyone. In the summer we were able to visit Maine with Tony's sister Donna and see Anne's brother Jeff. Donna rents a turn-of-the century cottage for a week on Baily Island with the most peaceful yet interesting view of Casco bay and its lobstermen at work. Jeff and his daughter Claire are thriving in South Freeport, only 40 mins drive from the cottage. In August Anne and the kids spent three weeks with her mom Jean (Tony was able to join us for one week) in San Clemente, CA, including a mini-reunion with her brothers Pete and Chris and their families. We also had the pleasure of hosting Anne's brother Chris, from Orinda, CA, his wife Julia and their two children for Thanksgiving, with the added bonus of Julia's mom, grandmother, aunt and uncle (who all live in our region) for a lovely family Thanksgiving. Funerals and birthdays brought us together with Tony's far-flung family. Tony's sister Donna lost her husband Bill to a sudden heart attack in March. The hundreds of mourners at his wake were a sight to behold and a measure of the esteem in which all held him. In September, a cousin of Tony's mom, John Mangini, was fetted at an 80th birthday where we came together with cousins we hadn't seen in years (and Anne and the kids met for the first time). In December, the death of Tony's late mother's best friend, Lulu Roody, provided another occasion to reconnect with friends and family, including Tony's brother Tom from Plano, Texas, in New York City and, frankly, to spend a few days enjoying the wonderful sights and spectacles (including the Radio City Rockettes) of Christmas in Manhattan. As we prepare to celebrate Christmas in Reston hosting Anne's brother Peter, his wife Janet and their three children plus "Aunt Donna from New York," we are enjoying the biggest snowfall in history. Thankfully the weather is set to be cold and clear through Christmas and school is out for the rest of the year! What more can you ask! Wishing everyone a joyous holiday season and a healthy and prosperous New Year! Tony, Anne, Steven and Emily Barbaro 11592 Newport Cove Lane Reston, VA 20194 tel 703-501-7353 skype 703-879-1845 anne@abarbaro.net tony@abarbaro.net |