Christmas 2005

Merry Christmas!  We hope this holiday season finds all well with you and yours.

            We started the year with our family vacation, this year - San Diego, California.  It rained like a tropical monsoon the entire time we were there but we still managed to have a great time.  Spenser swam in the hotel pool in the rain and we splashed and sloshed around Southern California. We are such tourists. 

            Spenser, who is now 11 and in middle school, has had a busy year.  He spent another wonderful summer traveling with his grandparents and went back to many of the states that he had visited the year before, along with a trip to Washington, DC.  He, along with his mom, went to Schlitterbahn for his birthday. Yes, I spelled it correctly. It is the world’s largest water park, in the middle of Texas.  Went on the only water roller coasters in the United States (Yippee, I was so thrilled).  We also went caving and checked out the Alamo.  He also spent two weeks at Horse camp learning not only how to ride but also how to care for the horses.  He started a new school this fall and has been busy making the transition over; he also started confirmation classes at our church.  Keep up with Spenser’s travels at http://home.adelphia.net/~seanittner 

             Sean has been busy with autocrossing, won a championship in Alabama and got his dad out to drive in a couple of events.  Checkout http://www.motorpride.com/SIRacing.  Still at Siemens, Sean works mostly out of the house these days; however he has had several trips to Germany and Seattle.  Early in December, he took his parents on a trip to Germany.  It was their first trip out of the country.  They had a wonderful time roaming around the country, checking out the castles, cars and helping the German economy at the Christmas Markets.   With the places in Bavaria and a day trip to Prague they had a wonderful European vacation. 

             Boss and Emily are both fine, Emily is mostly gray and moves pretty slow these days.  Boss is also slowing down.  He spends most of his day lying on Spenser’s bed, which is on the second floor facing the street, barking at anything he sees. Or thinks he sees. Or just barking for the pure joy of making noise. Emily will often join in for a rousing chorus.  The delivery and mail people just love us.  There is nothing like driving into the driveway and seeing this giant figure rise from the second story window like a dragon from old, barking and bouncing on the bed.  It is amazing that he has not yet either gone through the window or fallen off and hurt himself. 

             I have been busy with my beading, chasing the child and work.  As mentioned earlier I took Spenser to Texas for his birthday, all other friends and relatives vanished at the mere mention of the trip.  I also took a mommy sabbatical this fall and drove myself across to Arizona to visit Sean’s uncle for three days in Tucson stopping at 52 bead shops in route. I drove 5,000 miles in those two weeks, with stops at the Grand Canyon, Graceland and a wonderful hike through the Saguaro national park.  I had a marvelous time.  I have started planning my trip for next year.  It is nice to get out on my own once in a while.

             Have a wonderful holiday season and we hope that the New Year brings you the best.

Sean  Carin  Spenser  Boss  Emily