Welcome to our 2002 annual holiday newsletter!

It's been a pretty eventful year for the Aveni family, highlighted by moving from our Rahway home of 12 years to a townhouse in East Windsor. (Exit 8 off the Turnpike.)

The new home is closer to Kathy's new job. In May, she began working at the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services in Trenton. Her new position is Research Scientist, working with the universal newborn hearing screening program.

John continues to work full time in the Writing Program at Rutgers while he tries to find time to finish his PhD.

Katie is now in 3rd grade, and she's enjoying her new school, Perry L. Drew Elementary. Timothy is in pre-school at the East Windsor YMCA, and is also adjusting well to his new surroundings. The kids are both pleased to have their own bedrooms now, and we are all thrilled to have 2 ½ bathrooms after a dozen years with only one!

Our development, Twin Rivers, is a planned unit development (http://www.twinrivers-nj.com). The kids enjoyed the 4 swimming pools in the development (though we only had time to try 2 before the summer ended), and they really like that the library is within walking distance from our house.

We didn't take our usual beach trip to Kitty Hawk this summer since we were busy with house hunting, packing and moving. However, we did get a long weekend at Ocean City Maryland with Kathy's parents.

Fall has been very busy with several trips to Virginia. In early November, there was a 40th anniversary party for Kathy's parents. We were back again 3 weeks later for Thanksgiving at John's parents' house. Three weeks later, we're visiting Fred and Judy for an early Christmas celebration, after which we'll bring Rita and Dave back to New Jersey to celebrate Christmas in our new home.

Stay tuned in early 2003 for pictures of the kids' first trip to Disney World, where we will be headed in early January.

Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!

Love,

Kathy, John, Katie, and Timothy

East Windsor New Jersey
December, 2002