The Barnett Family Update 2009

Barnett Family Update 2009

Welcome to the 9th year of our Holiday web updates! This will hopefully be the last year of the "old" look and feel of the website, I'm trying to update the site to run on Wordpress, but didn't get all the work done in time for the holiday card. In any case, at least you'll recognize the page!

The big news of the year was Aliza's Bat Mitzvah - the picture was taken at the party which was an absolute blast! Most of you know how proud we are of Aliza - she worked so incredibly hard to get ready for her special day, and it really showed. The entire weekend was magical, and we're still living on the fumes of all the excitement and fun. The party was incredible, everybody had such a wonderful time, the food/music were fabulous, and it was so great to celebrate with our family and friends.

The kids are as busy as ever, and the Bat Mitzvah was just the tip of the iceberg in terms of activities. Naomi was busy finishing up her freshman year of High School and is now a Sophomore. She made the varsity swim team and junior varsity track team as a freshman and showed great promise and enormous improvement in both sports. Aliza wrapped up 7th grade and started 8th grade - her last year at the Middle School before starting High School herself! She was very busy with soccer and the school play, and this fall was consumed with Bat Mitzvah studies as well as applying for the Contemporary Global Issues High School in Freehold. Vacations were a little light this since Naomi was at Camp Ramah for the entire summer and Aliza was there for 4 weeks after participating on the swim team for the first 4 weeks of the summer. Andrea wound up taking another cruise with her girlfriends (same as last year), and when the kids came back we had a small family vacation up to Syracuse to visit Nanny and Poppy and go to the State Fair, as well as celebrate Scott's birthday.

The big news for Naomi was her finishing her freshman year and starting her sophomore year in High School. She is just loving her school, has made fantastic friends and has blossomed into a beautiful, intelligent and confident young woman. She is in Year 2 of the Humanities program at Howell High School, one of the 6 high schools that are part of our regional school district. Naomi got a varsity letter for swim as a freshman and has made the team again as a sophomore - she also tried out (and made) the swim team at a new YMCA that opened one town north of us - so she is swimming practically all the time now between the two teams, I think she is growing gills! She also played Rec Soccer when she could this Fall, joined a few clubs at school (because she has so much free time!) and continues with Hebrew High School once a week. Naomi had to give up dance to make room for all the other activities. She was recently nominated by her Social Studies teacher (who is also the chair of the Humanities program) for a program in Washington DC which she will attend next Spring. That was a great honor and she's very excited. She also babysits when she can and tries to help out around the house when we badger her enough!

Aliza is now in 8th grade and has been blossoming herself. Her effort preparing and performing her Bat Mitzvah was quite impressive and made Mom and Dad very proud. We are still getting comments from people about what an amazing job she did - and it was so nice that the entire family got involved, it really made the entire weekend special. As part of her Bat Mitzvah, she setup has own website which is really impressive - if you haven't been there yet, check out http://www.leezaslinks.com. Of course, the minute the Bat Mitzvah ended, Aliza had to keep working, as the essay for the CGI (Contemporary Global Issues) program was due, and she just recently took the entrance exam, so we're waiting to hear if she'll make it. Aliza is also quite busy with both Show Choir and the school play (Seussical, which we're all getting quite sick of - there have been so many local performances over the past 2 years!!). The Show Choir is going to a performance this Spring in Florida, so Aliza is quite excited about that. Aliza also played on the same Rec Soccer team as Naomi, and it's a pleasure having just one team to worry about for Scott to coach! Aliza is now in Hebrew High as well, so that's down to one day a week, and she gave up Girl Scouts to make room for Tennis lessons. She's also still playing piano.

Andrea is in her 6th year at Solomon Schechter as the Middle School Science teacher. She's still teaching the enrichment program and is enjoying her new classroom and lab. She has does an enrichment program for the elementary school kids now which has gone very well. It's still a challenge doing taxi duty along with all the work - it seems like we're constantly shuttling Naomi and Aliza daily from one event to another! If Aliza gets into Freehold it will only get worse, but it's a curse we'll enjoy! Taking another cruise with her girlfriends was a cherished memory that is now in its second year, and it looks like may become a regular thing. We continue to host family get together's over the holidays and Andrea makes amazing meals for all. She made beautiful kippot for the women at Aliza's Bat Mitzvah and got rave reviews for her planning and execution of the event.

Many of you were probably wondering when Scott was going to pop up with a new company - after nearly 4 years with Bluenog, he recently left and will be starting a new venture, hopefully in early 2010. Many have joked that it was just too long with one company! It's been a busy year with work and play - Scott continues to coach the girls soccer team and still volunteers with the First Aid Squad on an active basis - and is really looking forward to Naomi joining the squad next year when she turns 16. Scott is still running regularly and may even consider a half marathon in 2010 - which he has not done yet, his longest organized run has been a 10K.

On the extended family front, the cousins continue to be a source of joy when we get together - Alison also celebrated her Bat Mitzvah this year and we had a great time at her party! Cameryn is as cute as ever and really growing up - although she doesn't want the title of "next Bat Mitzvah" kid quite yet. We just got to see Kaitlyn and Zachary Barnett twice - once at Aliza's Bat Mitzvah and then again over Thanksgiving and had a great time at Nanny and Poppy's house. Scott is going skiing next February in Montana with his buddies in February, and Andrea will likely schedule another girlfriend trip in August. We also got to welcome a new cousin (Emma Charlotte Thaler) and see our "little" sister Arianne start her first "real" job after grauduating from college. Zayde and Jani have kept busy as usual and it's always great to see them at holidays and family get togethers. Grandma Tina has settled into Monroe very nicely and it's great to have her around with us more often. Nanny and Poppy continue to cruise and have more exciting trips planned for 2010.

It's obviously been a tough time economically in 2008 and 2009, but we have been so fortunate to be blessed with health and lots of happiness. We are sure 2010 will be better for everyone and we look forward to hearing good news from all of you as well as the country as a whole. Our door is always open, please come by and spend some time with us next year!

Love,

Andrea, Scott, Naomi and Aliza

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Barnett Family Update 2009