1999-12-24: Merry Christmas & Happy New Year 2000
The Thoeny family wishes all of you a Merry Christmas and a lot of success and love for the Year 2000!
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Message from Peter
We are now back in my home town
Schuders for winter vacation. It is nice to be back for a relaxing holiday in the village where I grew up. But ... I am not used to the cold weather anymore, at night we have like -15 degree Celsius (Americans please figure out how much it is in Fahrenheit, but let me tell you it is cold!).
Ladina and Alexis had their first experience of snow. Of course we made a snowman, made snow balls and went sledding. Ladina enjoys the wooden sled very much, "faster, faster!" she said. Ladina, now 4 1/2, also went to the local school to make a candle with the other kids (currently 10). There is just one teacher and one room for all primary school grades. Alexis, now almost 3, has a very curious nature. He is discovering new things every day. He looks cute with his curly long hairs, everybody thinks he is a girl! Nani (grandmother) should cut his hair, but he does not want to. He has a strong mind (Shona said he has that from papa, I think it is the opposite...
Tonight on Christmas Eve we will go to the small chapel of Schuders. Children from the local school prepared a play of Jesus. I participated myself when I was small. Natsukashii...
A word about our home in the Silicon Valley. In a way it was a big change moving over from Japan, but then, on the other hand it was not so different from Japan after all, believe it or not! Everybody is involved in work and working, making money and talking about stocks. It is also a very expensive place to live, especially for housing and schools. But there are also many nice things. There are many immigrants from India, China, Hong Kong, Russia, Mexico, and also from European countries. That means, there is a good variety of restaurants and shops. For example, we can buy life cat fish or bbq-pork like in Hong Kong, and it is inexpensive.
The Silicon Valley is a nice place for kids. There are many parks where you can go almost all year round because of the nice climate. Ladina and Alexis like to go to the
Children's Discovery Museum almost every weekend. Ladina is currently going to the
Challenger Pre-School. This school has a nice balance of learning, playing and sharing. Next year Alexis will join too, and Ladina will be in Kindergarten.
I wish to meet you someday! Have a great year 2000! (not yet new millennium, as you probably already know, it doesn't start until 2001)
Message from Shona
merry christmas n a happy 2000 year!
finally, alexis let mami cut his hair today n now he should look more like boy. i like here in switzerland so much. but as a chinese u hv to follow the husband wherever he is. the first few days when peter was in salzburg, i went with ladina n alexis to take the train n tram in zurich city. they enjoyed it very very much especially alexis. there has one thing that they are not used to walk so much because in the states there is almost no chance for them to take the public transportation. next year alexis will also go to school but he has to do the potty train first.
we will stay in switzerland till january 6, 2000. wishing u all to have a greatest year 2000!
Message from Ladina Renata HoiWing
Snowman Happy for Christmas and happy for you. Snow is coming down and you are the happy ever for my friend.
I went to Vyoma's party with Yenshou. I ate a birthday cake and Vyoma blow the candles. And Yenshou came with to Hoaimyee's party. And there was a big barbie with a small barbie on the birthday cake. Hoaimyee had two birthday cakes.
We will go on the sled and slide down the mountain. No I don't want to tell any more.
Message from Alexis Jonas HoiChun
I don't want to tell anything. I want to color a happy face!
