The Hand HeraldThe Hand HeraldHello, friends and family! 2007 has been a fun year for the Hands. In the last half of the year, it feels like we have been constantly on the go. Still, it's the same couple, same house, same kids, same dog, same cars, and same cats--so no major changes.
Katie Rose loves riding horses. She works in the nearby stables a few hours a week, takes lessons once a week, and rides as much as she can. She has ridden in two local horse shows and in the NC state fair horse show, where she stayed overnight on the fairgrounds. She's won several ribbons, including three at the state fair. Considering how cheerfully she'll agree to clean stalls, she clearly adores horses. She is also now working toward her Bronze Award in Junior Girl Scouts and attended a weeklong, sleepover Girl Scout camp this past summer.
Pete enjoyed playing spring soccer and fall baseball. He is very quick in both. He loves to cheer for Jeff Gordon (also very quick) and the UNC Tarheels teams. Pete is working on his wolf badge in Cub Scouts, for which Joey is one of his den leaders. His Cub Scout pack welcomes the whole family on its camping trips, and we all enjoyed last spring's trip to a nearby church camp and this fall's trip to a Boy Scout camp in the mountains.
Both Katie Rose and Pete were on our neighborhood summer swim team. Whether swim team is practicing or not, the neighborhood pool across the street is their favorite place in the summer. Both the kids and Debbie love the social scene there as much as the water. Katie Rose and Pete are also taking piano and love attending FPG Elementary, where they shine, of course. ; )
Joey continues to work at IBM as a systems analyst for its accounting applications. He teaches an adult Sunday school class part-time and is a backup teacher for his new Monday night study group. When the weather is warm, he still loves to ride his bike. He completed four organized rides in North Carolina this year--
- Bikefest, 100 miles - a local century from Hillsborough
- Hilly Hellacious, 100 miles - near Asheville
- Bridge to Bridge Incredible Challenge, 100 miles - starting in Lenoir and finishing atop Grandfather Mountain
- Tour de Pig, 100k (62 miles) - part of the Lexington Barbecue Fesitval
His goal for 2008 is to find that perfect ride that combines biking, the mountains, and North Carolina barbecue.
Debbie finished her 2-year term as PTA co-president last spring. She still helps out here and there but does not miss the PTA pressure. At the VA Hospital, she is no longer working Sundays, allowing her to rejoin the Trinity UMC-Durham handbell choir after several years' absence. Starting clogging lessons this fall fulfills a long-held wish of hers. She continued playing her flute and piccolo in the Chapel Hill Village Band through the early fall but is taking a break for now while starting up clogging and returning to handbells.
We have visited and hosted lots of family this year. In Chapel Hill we've had Joey's parents; his brothers with their families; and for Thanksgiving dinner, Debbie's parents, and her Aunt Kathie and Uncle Bob. Our big trip this year was out to Oregon, where we enjoyed beautiful vistas and got to visit with Debbie's cousin, Maria. Smaller trips have been to SC, and the smallest are to Debbie's parents in the next county. Our parents are doing well and staying busy with work (Herrons), volunteering in retirement (Hands), and spoiling grandchildren (Herrons+Hands).
Merry Christmas and/or Happy Holidays to you and yours!