Happy New Year in 2011 from the Harlands!

If you don't know what's been going on with us lately, and are interested, below is a short update. 

Jakob, a junior/senior at UC Santa Cruz, spent last winter/spring studying in Rome, Italy, and traveled around Europe.  He changed majors and is now a music major, studying guitar and electronic music.  He sets up a DJ station when he is home. He turned 21 last June, so John and I met him shortly after midnight at an Encinitas bar where believe it or not, I got carded.  They would not let me in until I went back to the car for my I.D.!  So now I can say the last time I got carded was on my son's 21st birthday!

Ian is 19 and in his second year at San Diego State.  He is a jazz studies music major, and is living in a garage in a house full of international students.  The garage is big enough for his drum set, a couch, and other musical instruments, and he likes hanging out with his roommates.  He plays/studies music most of every day.  It's great he lives close enough for us to drive to campus to see him perform, and go out for lunch or dinner later.

Kira is sweet 16, takes flute lessons, is in two flute choirs and plays flute in the Temple band. She's also volunteering at the Humane Society playing with kittens, and is busy with some tough high school classes.  She's been dating Roberto for over a year.  We double date with them all the time!

John is working full time as a math professor at Pierce College in Woodland Hills. He loves everything about it except that it's so far from home! He leaves super early Monday morning, and usually gets home Thursday nights.  The plus for Kira is she gets to sleep in our king bed with me when he's gone. The other plus is he gets almost all his work and working out done while in L.A.

As usual, I'm teaching math and dancing a lot.  I organize links to my home movies and free youtube math videos at yourmathgal.com.  Spread the word if you know anyone needing help with math.

Our cats Tabetha and Fuzzy are doing great.  They like to be with us a lot, follow me around, and like how often I work at home.  They have no intention of giving me my space, and are the pickiest eaters on the planet!

Love,

Julie--the Harland Camp organizer of lots of high school/college kids hanging out here every vacation, summer, and winter break!

P.S. A Bit More Family news: My mom Barbara is doing great. Her cancer is in remission, and she had a stent put in an artery so her heart is now fine too.  John's dad Myron fell off the roof last August, and is very slowly recovering. He is in rehab now, doing P.T., etc.  He was in the hospital over 100 days, and Judy has been with him all day every day since the accident.  Please don't get on the roof!!!!  John's mom Annette is doing well.  The advantage about John working in L.A. is that he sees her every week, and usually gets to see his sister Vicki and nephews Leif and Eric too (both of whom lived with us 8th-10th grade).