Emily in her new clothes
Xmas Lunch
Becky in her new clothes
Last year we spent Christmas and New Year at home. Emily and Becky got some
new clothes and we had roast turkey and homemade rolls for Xmas lunch :
|
Emily in her new clothes |
Xmas Lunch |
Becky in her new clothes |
Thanks to the help of a good friend in New Orleans, Marian got an electric guitar and Roland VG-8 in time for Christmas last year. In January, the girls got cheerleader costumes for the Austrian carnival season. In February, we all went to Lachtal, Austria, for a skiing holiday, but the weather was so bad, and the slopes so windy and icy, that the girls spent most of their time sledging, while John read thriller novels and Marian played her new guitar :
Marian's new guitar and VG-8! |
Cheerleaders! |
Sledging in the snow |
In March, Becky's teacher asked her to play the leading role in her class play
"Rumpelstiltskin" when the original actress suddenly became ill. Becky learned all
the lines (and there were many!) in just a few days and gave an outstanding performance.
In April, Emily sang in a concert with the Junior Choir and was one of the children
interviewed for the introductory segment of the choir video. In the spring, we added
three new family members, Baby, Ellie, and Zoey :
Becky as Rumpelstiltskin |
Emily at the Spring Concert |
Our birds - Baby, Ellie, and Zoey |
In June, the girls took part in the sports day at school and Emily played in a piano recital :
Emily with her teacher, Mr Kevin |
Becky running across a bench |
Emily playing the piano |
In July, Ellie Kirby, the daughter of one of John's friends from university, came over from
England to look after the girls. They really enjoyed spending time with her and we
appreciated her help very much. In August, it was extremely hot so we bought a heavy-duty
plastic swimming pool and the girls spent many hours splashing around in it. Emily and Becky
celebrated their birthdays at the beginning of September and invited six of their friends
for a sleepover party :
The new swimming pool |
Birthday cake |
The sleepover party |
Early in September, we went to the wedding of some friends, Richard and Sandra.
Also in September, John's parents visited for two weeks. As always, we really enjoyed
their company and wished they could have stayed longer. They were here to celebrate
John's 50th birthday and got to ride around in his new car (a Passat Variant) which
arrived on Marian's birthday. It was John's 50th birthday present, replacing
his 13-year-old Saab which had to be scrapped :
Sandra and the girls |
John's birthday apple pie |
The new car! |
Alexander, the cat, is like a lion in his dreams! The girls made a pumpkin lantern and dressed up as witches for Halloween. Marian's generous friend, Donna, sent the girls a fabulous collection of beanie babies :
Alexander and the lion |
Halloween |
Beanie baby collection |
At the end of November, John received a gold pin for his 25 years of service at the International Atomic Energy Agency. On 16 December, Becky competed in a gymnastics event and won a medal. We think she might have inherited a few genes from her great-grandfather, John Howard Thomas, who was a gymnast for Wales in the Commonwealth Games :
25 years gold pin |
Becky on the balance beam |
Becky and her friend Amy with their medals |
| The Russells |
Home phone +43-2215-3178
|
| Propst Wittola-Strasse 28a |
Mobile +43-664-415-4225 or +43-664-526-1837
|
| 2301 Probstdorf |
Work +43-1-2600-22934 or +43-1-2600-26289
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| Austria |
e-mail johnedwardrussell@hotmail.com or
marian@jmdl.com
|
| Europe |
