Winter highlights included a visit to Wes’s second cousin John & Stephen in their Catskills circular “tree house” complete with pet hedgehog. The second ski trip to the Catskills was less fun… Mitya bumped his head on a ski jump and couldn’t remember whether were on vacation or not. He enjoyed his first ambulance ride and made a full and quick recovery.
Soccer: Both boys play soccer year round (as you can see). Mitya is getting used to bringing home the “hardware” as his STA “Porto” Soccer team took 1st or second place in several tournaments this year, including this one at the Teaneck Armory . When he is not playing soccer, he is in 4th grade at Cedar Hill Elementary and plays the viola in the school orchestra and solves 6th grade math problems on with mom.
Sasha graduated from William Annin Middle School and entered his Freshman year at Ridge High, where he played on the Freshman soccer team (as well as his Club team) in the fall.
Holidays: We enjoyed a Spring Break Tour of the South, including Shenendoah National Park, Monticello, Duke University, Kitty Hawk, and Ocean City.
We appreciated a front row seat for the NYC fireworks on July 4 (thanks to our friends Charles and Eiko).
Paris: In July Iulia and the boys spent a week in London, then joined Wes for a weekend in Paris to watch the final stage of the Tour De France from the Garden Tulieres. We rented “Velibe” bikes the morning of the race and followed the Tour route along the Champs Elysses to the Arc d’Triumphe.
Run/Bike/Swim: Wes, Iulia, Sasha and Mitya completed their first family 5K in July. Iulia completed Eagleman Half Ironman and finished the Philadelphia Marathon for the second time, crushing her previous time by 18 minutes, finishing in 3:56. Wes competed in IronMan Mont Tremblant and several New Jersey road and cross-country races of various distances with the Garden State Track Club. Frustrated by a failure to reach the age group podium in several competitive races, he entered a small local 5K in December and took 1st in his age group, finally learning the importance of race selection at the end of the year. That smart selection moved him to place 15th in age group in NJ for the year. This year Wes trains almost as many hours per week as Iulia ☺ and somehow we manage not to compete for training time. PPS Wes is not signed for anything big for 2016… he maybe up for a surprise… or just sub 3 hours marathon…Next year Iulia wants to take family on Tour de California bike vacation.
Work: Iulia’s Math business continues to thrive. Her students win many state competitions and take high places in nationals. Wes started a new job in March, consulting for private equity investors on technology-related investments and especially enjoys the bike commute from Basking Ridge to Millburn, when the weather cooperates.
Wishing you peace, joy, love, and happiness,
Wes & Iulia