In the spring, Evan helped coach the Zionsville high school rugby team again...this year taking them to a 9-3 record and within a game of the Finals. Evan also directed an expansion at VS Engineering handling the computer data system, telephone system, and security system.
Left: Erika's graduation picture
Katie is still managing the Research & Development department for National Dentex Corporation...producing their R&D Newsletter every two months updating the 45 dental laboratories on new industry trends.
Summer started out quickly for the kids...both were instructors at our sailing club's summer youth camp with Erika running the 2-week event. They also participated in the youth sailing regatta series again with trips to the Lake Erie area almost every weekend. They didn't always invite Katie nor Evan!!
For the Indianapolis 500 this year, we were host to our Dutch friends Peter and Margaret Jaspers. They came last year with Margaret's father Bart for the Moto GP. Bart was host to Katie 25 years ago when she lived in Holland for a semester.
Later in the summer, EJ attended a Laser sailing clinic at North Cape (Lake Erie) led by Anna Tunnicliffe - Olympic Gold Medalist in the Laser. This led to the prestigious week-long national quarter-final regatta at Put-In-Bay in which EJ finished well enough in the Laser to qualify for the national semi-final regatta hosted in Sandusky where he finished 4th. Although Erika also placed quite well at Bay Week, her division (Laser Radial) doesn't compete nationally.
Erika finished out the summer with a 2-week trip to England with her high school friend Charlotte. Then, off to Bloomington she went...living in McNutt Quad in a new business school program called the Living Learning Center there at McNutt. She's now going through sorority rush...thanks everyone for your letters of recommendations. Erika was able to visit lots of sororities before formal rush started to see what they were like!!
Left: Erika on her Laser
We don't see much of Erika anymore, she seems as happy as a clam down in Bloomington! But hey, we do like making the trip down there for visits...the Wroblewski's just might rename their guest bedroom after us.
EJ is finishing 2009 as a junior at Zionsville High School...with fall activities of Royalaires, managing the girl's volleyball team, technical director (lighting) for the play Beauty & the Beast, and fall rugby. He's also getting quite proficient with his DJ business doing multiple school and other social events. Katie & Evan just finished repainting the basement after a Halloween dance party EJ hosted there. Although the basement could have used a painting before the party, it definitely needed painting afterwards. EJ's friend, Josh, helped organize a surprise 17th birthday party for EJ in September. "Best birthday ever" was heard coming from the birthday boy!
For fall break, EJ visited both Purdue and IU. The visit to IU went very well with a great tour of IU's cyclotron by our friend Will, followed up with a good tour of IU's new chemistry building (Simon Hall)...all in a cool rain. :(
Unfortunately, the tour at Purdue was absolutely exceptional...in warm sunshine! EJ ran across numerous older friends currently attending Purdue, and was highly instrumental in showing his high school's electric-powered go-cart (that was bequeathed to him this year by now Purdue freshman Grant who built the go-cart). Turns out Purdue organized a group to determine the specs for electric go-carts to compete in a race just like the current gas-powered Grand Prix. EJ and Grant were the hit of an open-house for electric go-carting held in Purdue's new Armstrong Building coincidentally timed while EJ was there for our tour!
Fall for Evan was quite eventful...starting with a gathering of friends to mourn his 60th birthday! Then in early September, Evan headed off to Bloomington for a huge Old Boys Rugby weekend at IU. He also got to see some of the old high school players he coached at the first annual Zionsville High School Old Boys game in November.
Left: EJ in his electric-powered go-cart
Evan and Katie celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary this fall. Meeting up with friends in Brown County for the weekend, a good time was had...along with enjoying the changing of the leaves and shopping in the quaint town of Nashville (not to mention the wine tasting and dancing that followed).
2009 will finish strong. We will all head to Michigan for the annual Christmas Eve gathering of Katie's family. Then on Christmas morning, we will all get back into the car and head to Miami (stopping by Zionsville to pickup Josh and EJ's sailboat) for a huge youth sailing regatta in Coconut Grove called the Orange Bowl Regatta. EJ will be sailing this regatta with another 200 of his closest friends!! After dropping off EJ and Josh, Katie, Erika, and Evan will be heading to South Beach to take in some rays!!
Ah yes...New Year's at Miami's South Beach!!!
Hopefully, the Williams family will make it back and start 2010 with a good tan base!
We hope you and your family enjoy the Christmas season and most of all, be sure to enjoy New Year's Eve...Evan's favorite holiday!!
Our year started out as the last semester both EJ & Erika spent together in high school. Being her senior year, Erika was given her choice of where to go for her last Spring Break. Off to Grand Cayman we went!! As a bonus, we ran across friends who were also staying in the same Marriott in Grand Cayman...including their two teenage daughters! Another bonus was our tour of Mark Cuban's summer home on the island.
Erika ended her high school career with the Prom and graduation with honors. After giving Purdue a strong consideration (Engineering), she ended up choosing Indiana University as a direct admit into the Kelley School of Business. EJ finished his last sophomore semester keeping quite active with Royalaires (show choir), rugby, and keeping up with his scholastically demanding schedule.
 Erika at Sting Ray City |  EJ at Sting Ray City |
 With our Dutch friends |  In Brown County for our 25th |
 EJ's Royalaires pin |  EJ doing his Royalaires (Show Choir) |
 Erika with Charlotte in England |  Erika with helper EJ in her senior Asassins game |
 EJ & Erika with Elaina & Kelsea in Grand Cayman |  Erika with her new favorite pet |
 Katie at the Helm on our 25 |  Evan, EJ, & Erika with Anna Tunnicliffe |
 Erika with her gang for the Prom |  Erika with her Prom gals |
 EJ with buddy Miss America Katie Stam |  EJ with his Prom date Alyssa |
 Katie with her two Prom kids |  EJ & Erika with their Bay Week trophies |
 Evan with Bruce & Jay at his 60th |  Evan at the VS Engineering picnic |
 EJ with his 1st place medal at Vermillion |  Erika with all her "stuff" for her dorm room |
 EJ showing his rugby prowess |  EJ & Josh cheering on the girls volleyball team |
 Grand Cayman at Rum Point Beach |  Coach Evan at a rugby game |
 Evan at his IU Old Boys Rugby Weekend (front row on the left) |
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