Review of 2013

This year instead of sending a family letter with our Christmas cards, we have sent out a card with the link to my blog.  We hope our family and friends have found their way here.

Christmas 2013

As the blog gives an update throughout the year, we thought it was a better way to let everyone know what we had been up to.  So here is a summary of our activities this year.

Jacob
Has continued to develop his tennis and is coaching the younger members of the Academy.  One of the children he hits with even played at Wimbledon this year.  Jacob moved up to Explorers this year and has been appointed Head Boy at school.
Jacob's exciting news is that he has been selected as part of the Wiltshire unit for the 2015 World Scout Jamboree in Japan!! He will be setting up a blog of his own to journal his preparations, fund raising efforts and the trip itself - watch this space for more details.

Josh
Started College this summer and has settled into the very different routine that this entails, with late starts and full days.
He gained both the Chief Scouts Platinum and Diamond awards this year through Explorers and has continued to help at Beavers.  He returned to Scandinavia again this summer, attending the Norwegian National Scout camp.  He has also joined the youth team at the regional scout camp site, Youlbury.

Chief Scouts Award Evening

Jo
This year, I stepped down as Chair of governors, having completed nearly ten years and having appointed two head teachers and starting a second build project.  It has been a great honour to serve the school but with Josh entering his exams and Jacob having left two years earlier, it was time to hand over the reigns.
Together with Josh, I led holiday club this summer, taking the children to the laboratory of a mad Robot scientist, with Razzamatazz Robots.
I have continued crafting, baking and getting organised and sharing all of these developments here on my blog.

Andy
Is still working on our grand plan to make over the house and garden.  Having built a patio, BBQ decking area and larger vegetable patch, he has moved back inside the house and finished the lounge and hall decorating, just in time for Christmas.

Sporting events
We have continued the excitement 2012 brought through sport last year into this year and we have been to several events, although fewer with it being an exam year for Josh.  Wimbledon, Welsh Rugby and Swindon Town have given us great days out.

We are looking forward to 2014 and the challenges and excitement it will bring.  We are particularly excited about "Le Grand Depart" for the Tour de France and the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this summer.

With God's blessing from our family to yours this Christmas and for the year ahead,

Jo x