Hello from Vermont! We hope this year's newsletter finds you all healthy, well, and happy.
Get right to the Pix!
It's been a good year for us. Steve is still working at Dartmouth, but has moved to their Interactive Media Lab, where he is writing scripts for counter-terrorism training programs. This job has also involved some travel, but not too much. He was also able to take some time this summer to spend with the kids and do some writing of his own. I'm still to working on a freelance basis as a web designer, creating and maintaining sites for about 16 clients. The business has really skyrocketed this year, and it's all I can do to keep up with demand! I do still miss the herbs and the personal contact with people, but the computer is much more forgiving than a finicky greenhouse full of tender plants, and much less likely to collapse during a snowstorm!
The kids are doing great. Ian's big milestone this year was Kindergarten! He absolutely loves it, and has really taken off with his reading and writing. He can't get enough, and comes home every day WANTING to do some homework! Virginia has become a total little princess - constantly playing dress-up in her Cinderella costume (or anything frilly and pink) she can get her cute little hands on! You should see her dancing with her teddy bear to Barbie ballet videos…
My parents had a relatively quiet year, after my Dad's heart surgery last year. He recovered very quickly and has been very active doing the special heart exercises the hospital recommends. Although he is still on oxygen at night, you'd never know what he went through last year. Mom has joined the local "Red Hat Society" and has thoroughly enjoyed participating in the various events they do, including several parades! After all those years of watching me in parades with my high school band, now it's finally HER turn! And she doesn't even have to march!
Steve's parents are well, and enjoying their retirement years. We spent a week with them at Topsail Island after spending a week with my parents in Burlington in August. Steve's brother David has moved to Raleigh, where there's more work than in rural Eastern NC, but he's still able to spend time with his 5 year-old- daughter Vivian. Steve's sister Elizabeth is taking some time off from her professor duties at UNC-Asheville, and is planning to move on from there in the coming year, but as yet details aren't finalized. Steve's younger brother Brion is still living in NYC, writing music, working in production, and playing as much music as he can. His publishing company helped him produce a great CD of his music to help him get a recording contract - we wish him lots of luck!
We had a little milestone of our own on December 2; our 15-year anniversary! It's hard to believe how quickly the years have gone by! What a wonderful time we've had, with hopefully much more fun to come.
This year Christmas was spent in Vermont with the Snyders. We'd hoped for a white one this year, but it wasn't meant to be. The kids are in a total holiday frenzy, and had a blast tearing through one present after another on Christmas morning!
Well, that’s about it, 2004 in a nutshell. It was so nice to have a reasonably quiet year for a change! Ok, "quiet" is a relative term in a house with a 3 and 5 year old! This year more than ever, we appreciate beautiful, blue Vermont, and love living here, although now that we have children we do wish we were closer to family – or vice versa!
We miss all our friends near and far, and think of you often. Our email address is: melissa@barleywinegraphics.com. We’d love to hear from you! And check out our family pictures website at http://www.barleywinegraphics.com/family. I don't update it as frequently as I'd like, but at least there's something there. We hope that all of you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Love, Melissa, Steve, Ian, and Virginia Snyder
Click on an image for larger view
Ice slide at winter carnival |
Who-ville snow sculpture |
The Cat in the Hat |
Cute nap 1 |
Cute nap 2 |
Melissa's 40! |
coloring Easter eggs |
beautiful girl |
flower kids |
beautiful girl 2 |
what a poser! |
Camel Ride |
beautiful girl 3 |
basket of fun |
Big Apple Circus |
Sir Ian of Greenbush |
Ian's birthday party |
Ian's birthday party (VT) |
Ian's birthday with the Carpenters |
Mimi with Ginny |
Mimi with Ian |
Ginny with Katie |
Mabry Mill, Blue Ridge Parkway |
With Betty Sue, Ricky and Dad |
the obligatory front porch picture |
playing ball with Grandad Jim |
Ian's NC birthday |
birthday with Doll and Jim |
brave knight with Damsel |
playing with grandad |
playing with grandad 2 |
last day at Doll and Jims.JPG |
pool at beach.JPG |
Vivian Ian Ginny.JPG |
Topsail Beach.JPG |
kids on balcony.JPG |
Grandma and Grandpa Snyder.JPG |
with Pocahontas.JPG |
Indian village at Jamestown.JPG |
ship at Jamestown.JPG |
on the ship.JPG |
Ians first haircut.JPG |
first haircut 2.JPG |
first day of kindergarten |
circle time with Ms McGee.JPG |
first time on bus.JPG |
beautiful girl 3 |
friendly neighborhood spiderman.JPG |
fall outing.JPG |
fall outing2.JPG |
feeding the calf.JPG |
feeding the calf2.JPG |
pumpkin harvest.JPG |
Ian at School.JPG |
beautiful fall day.JPG |
robot princess.JPG |
dinosaur.JPG |
scary pumpkins.JPG |
beautiful girl (halloween) |
school party.JPG |
spooks.JPG |
the loot.JPG |
computer princess.JPG |
monster princess.JPG |
Ginny birthday.JPG |
cake! |
Ginny birthday 2 |
with best friend Isabelle |
Jonesport Maine |
Ian & Mary with huge lobster claw |
grilling lobster the hard way- in the dark, in the rain, in the back of a pickup truck! |
A Classic Bruce Thanksgiving! |
the kidz |
the Fiene Wheelers.JPG |
Ian xmas concert1.JPG |
Ian xmas concert2.JPG |
bruces 40th birthday.JPG |
Ians class picture |
Cinderella! |
Christmas Eve.JPG |
with Margie.JPG |
with Charles.JPG |
with Aunt Beth.JPG |
with Mommy and Daddy |
my present! |
skating on frozen puddle.JPG |
hansel and gretel |