Dear friends and family,
2019 has been a very full year for our family. We have enjoyed good health, opportunities to spend time with family and friends, and lots of new adventures.
This summer, our big family vacation was a trip to California (with a short detour to Reno) where we spent a couple weeks with family and then drove up the California and Oregon coasts, camping all along the way. Some of our stops on the California coast included visiting Bodega Bay, Russian Gulch State Park, and Arcata. On the Oregon coast, we visited the Oregon Caves, Humbug Mountain State Park, and Honeyman State Park (where we tried out sandboarding). In August, we also camped again for weekends at Lost Lake Resort and Sunset Falls. We are also looking forward to a family trip to Disneyworld and Universal Studios in Florida in two weeks.
We did not tackle and major house projects this year, but did paint our kitchen, hallways, and Mary’s room. Ben and Nathaniel moved into rooms downstairs this summer and we converted their previous upstairs room into an office (and photo/video studio for Toby’s marketing of his business).
Toby is now in his 12th year of teaching orchestra. Most recently he has also been designing, patenting, and now starting to sell his new invention (Weston’s Fantastic Finger Guide), which helps beginning string players know where to place their fingers on their instrument. If you have the chance, check out his website at www.fantasticfingerguides.com.
Juliette began a new position working as a halftime learning specialist for West-Linn Wilsonville School District this year (the same district that our kids attend). She works at the high school level now, in the district’s smaller, alternative high school. There has been a learning curve to adjust to working with older students and to the culture of high school, but she has enjoyed the challenge. Juliette also continues teaching online classes for Ashford University. At church, Juliette continues to serve as primary president. This year Juliette joined the early morning swim team that Toby has swam with for many years. She still runs with friends twice a week but did not run any races this year.
Ben is now in 8th grade. He enjoys many different hobbies including collecting and reading comic books, playing Dungeons and Dragons with his friends, participating in Science Bowl, walking everywhere, and doing Aikido. Ben plays the upright bass now and this year is playing it in band and early morning jazz band. Ben continues to enjoy boy scouts and is currently working on his Eagle Scout project, which he hopes to finish by next spring. Ben is also joining the school’s wrestling team in January.
Nathaniel is in 7th grade. He is the most overscheduled of our kids. Nathaniel’s physical activities include aikido and indoor climbing (as well as joining track last spring). Nathaniel plays the violin and enjoys participating in one of the orchestras in the Metropolitan Youth Symphony on Saturdays. He also plays piano (with an emphasis on jazz music) and enjoys playing it for jazz band, while he plays percussion for regular band. After school, Nathaniel enjoys participating in Science Bowl (and is looking forward to going to the regional competition this winter). Nathaniel is also going to continue with boy scouts this next year.
Mary is in 5th grade, her last year at the elementary school level. She loves reading, making Rainbow Loom bracelets, playing soccer, and having playdates with friends. Mary is also part of a girl scout troop (which Juliette leads). At home, she loves hanging out with her birds. She has five now -- three parakeets, one lovebird, and one sun conure. Mary continues playing violin (with an emphasis on fiddling). She completed in two fiddle competitions this past year. She also continues taking piano lessons. At school, Mary enjoys being in yearbook club and enrichment choir.
This fall Juliette and Toby became travel agents. We now have access to discounted rates for travel agents on all sorts of different travel packages. We are already planning out lots of exciting vacations for next year - including a cross-country road trip to the East Coast next summer. If any of you want to book your travel through us, please let us know!
We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May you find joy and peace throughout the coming year -- and may you enjoy good health and happiness.
Love,
The Westons
Toby, Juliette, Ben, Nathaniel, and Mary
We did not tackle and major house projects this year, but did paint our kitchen, hallways, and Mary’s room. Ben and Nathaniel moved into rooms downstairs this summer and we converted their previous upstairs room into an office (and photo/video studio for Toby’s marketing of his business).
Toby is now in his 12th year of teaching orchestra. Most recently he has also been designing, patenting, and now starting to sell his new invention (Weston’s Fantastic Finger Guide), which helps beginning string players know where to place their fingers on their instrument. If you have the chance, check out his website at www.fantasticfingerguides.com.
Juliette began a new position working as a halftime learning specialist for West-Linn Wilsonville School District this year (the same district that our kids attend). She works at the high school level now, in the district’s smaller, alternative high school. There has been a learning curve to adjust to working with older students and to the culture of high school, but she has enjoyed the challenge. Juliette also continues teaching online classes for Ashford University. At church, Juliette continues to serve as primary president. This year Juliette joined the early morning swim team that Toby has swam with for many years. She still runs with friends twice a week but did not run any races this year.
Ben is now in 8th grade. He enjoys many different hobbies including collecting and reading comic books, playing Dungeons and Dragons with his friends, participating in Science Bowl, walking everywhere, and doing Aikido. Ben plays the upright bass now and this year is playing it in band and early morning jazz band. Ben continues to enjoy boy scouts and is currently working on his Eagle Scout project, which he hopes to finish by next spring. Ben is also joining the school’s wrestling team in January.
Nathaniel is in 7th grade. He is the most overscheduled of our kids. Nathaniel’s physical activities include aikido and indoor climbing (as well as joining track last spring). Nathaniel plays the violin and enjoys participating in one of the orchestras in the Metropolitan Youth Symphony on Saturdays. He also plays piano (with an emphasis on jazz music) and enjoys playing it for jazz band, while he plays percussion for regular band. After school, Nathaniel enjoys participating in Science Bowl (and is looking forward to going to the regional competition this winter). Nathaniel is also going to continue with boy scouts this next year.
Mary is in 5th grade, her last year at the elementary school level. She loves reading, making Rainbow Loom bracelets, playing soccer, and having playdates with friends. Mary is also part of a girl scout troop (which Juliette leads). At home, she loves hanging out with her birds. She has five now -- three parakeets, one lovebird, and one sun conure. Mary continues playing violin (with an emphasis on fiddling). She completed in two fiddle competitions this past year. She also continues taking piano lessons. At school, Mary enjoys being in yearbook club and enrichment choir.
This fall Juliette and Toby became travel agents. We now have access to discounted rates for travel agents on all sorts of different travel packages. We are already planning out lots of exciting vacations for next year - including a cross-country road trip to the East Coast next summer. If any of you want to book your travel through us, please let us know!
We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May you find joy and peace throughout the coming year -- and may you enjoy good health and happiness.
Love,
The Westons
Toby, Juliette, Ben, Nathaniel, and Mary
