Season's Greetings to All! Our 14th Christmas newsletter follows:We finished 2016 with EJ's annual Christmas party in Zionsville then driving to Detroit to spend Christmas Eve with Katie's family. This year, EJ won the annual Barbone family Coo Coo game which sports a 30+ year trophy and plenty of intra-family fame. Rachel graduated from Purdue in December and moved to Dallas to join EJ down there as a registered nurse at the UT Southwestern Emergency Room.
Katie and Evan flew to Denver to spend New Year's in Vail with Wayne & Madonna. Also, in late 2016, both EJ and Erika bought their first cars (Honda Pilot & Ford Escape)!
Left: Beth, Katie, Madonna, & Evan in Beaver Creek
In early January, Katie & Evan went to Grand Cayman for two weeks in Disco's villa there with the Doyles, Schubachs, and Raczeks. Come March, we again took our spring break in Orlando along with Mona (and her family) and Tracy & Beth.
Less than two weeks later, Erika and friend Kate took off for a two-week tour of Vietnam! Meanwhile, we decided to retire our 20 year old red Sunfire convertible and picked up a new red Camaro convertible. Yeah - perfect for summer when we don't travel quite as much. Katie also decided we needed a new look for our back patio…including now a firepit.
Katie and Evan decided to start a new sport this summer…golf! We're now looking for lessons. Erika also managed to find sailing, even in Denver, where she volunteered throughout the summer to teach adults in a social learn-to-sail league. We did also manage to use the sailboat quite a bit this summer.
Left: Erika moving to Denver.
Meanwhile, EJ finished designing the MOOV hoverboard and successfully launched it on Kickstarter in June. We got to watch EJ featured on Indy’s Channel 6 News. Now that the hoverboard is complete, EJ is on to his next venture and plans to return to Indy with Rachel early next year (after Rachel completes a full year at her hospital). Currently, EJ seems to balance between being a freelance engineer for startups, a development advisor for Purdue’s evGrand Prix, and will eventually start working under Rachel’s dad to learn their family business in franchising.
September brought Katie back to Denver…this time to help Erika get ready to move into a condo. Yes, Erika is now a homeowner! EJ, Rachel, and Landon flew to Denver in October to help Erika move in while Katie & Evan were in Aruba with Mona.
Left: Landon, EJ, & Rachel "helping" Erika move into her new condo.
Later for Thanksgiving weekend, Evan and Katie drove to Denver to help renovate Erika's new condo. Of course, we then just had to spend a week in the Avon/Vail area hiking & skiing since we were so close (once again seeing Wayne & Madonna).
Overall in 2017, Evan is on his 14th year managing IT part time for VS Engineering. Katie started working at Vida Aventura also part time. Evan took on Prez of Zionsville's Pathways Committee again and also helped once again with the high school After-Prom Committee. Erika is moving farther away (Chicago to Denver) while EJ is moving back to Indy.
Finishing 2017 will once again bring EJ's Christmas party, then back to the Detroit area for Christmas with Katie's mom & family.
Left: Bobby, Tito, Rachel, EJ, & Landon in their Christmas card pic.
Note: To view EJ's Christmas site,
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Below is a pictorial of many of the events throughout this last year.
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!!
Come April, we drove to Chicago and packed up our van with almost all of Erika's belongings…then the next week, we drove to Denver and helped Erika move into an apartment. She negotiated an opportunity to work remotely to stay with Avant Credit…continuing into her 3rd year of employment there.
In late summer, Evan once again toured Cuba…this time in the more prosperous Varadero area. On return, Evan took off to Monroe Reservoir for the annual guy's weekend with Jack & the Daves…then right back to Bloomington for Evan's 50th high school class reunion (yes…you read that right) and then 55th IU Rugby alumni weekend. He's been a busy traveler this year.
Evan snowshoeing in the Vail area
Katie snowshoeing in the Vail area
Katie, & Evan, & Beth shoeshoeing
Katie & Evan at the Arrowhead Ski Lodge
EJ & Erika skiing in Park City
Rachel, Erika, & EJ skiing in Park City
Erika at the Columbia Yacht Club
Mona & Katie on eagle Creek
Skipper Katie at the tiller
Our roof gets a new do this year
Evan splitting wood from the woods
Evan in Grand Cayman
Katie in Grand Cayman
Steve, Bonnie, Katie, & Evan in Grand Cayman
Steve & Bonnie and Katie & Evan
Katie & Evan at the Cayman Island Brewery
Katie & Evan in Grand Cayman
Orlando with Carolyn, Janet, Mona, Donna, ??, Beth, Katie, & Dani
Katie & Beth in Orlando
Evan & Katie at the Lebanon Brewfest
Our backyard garden of hops (3rd year)
Drew, Megan, Katie, & Evan at the Plainfield Brewfest
Drew, Megan, & Evan at the Gnawbrew Beerfest
Evan drove straight to Deviate from the dealership
In the Miss Indiana parade
Erika & Katie going for a cruise
The Sunfire being moved to its new home in Ohio
EJ, Rachel, & ?? on a promo shoot
EJ on a promo shoot for the MOOV
Erika just bought her new condo in Denver
Erika with Maria on her first "14er"
EJ and his MOOV team
Collage for Erika
Katie in Constance's studio for the Stutz Open House
Evan in Constance's studio for the Stutz Open House
EJ living on his own in Dallas now doing his own shopping
Erika attending one of the many weddings this summer
Landon & EJ on the deck of Boston Consulting in Dallas
Rachel & EJ
EJ & Rachel with Harry's owners Mary & Hershel
Evan at Purdue's Homecoming
Evan & EJ at Purdue's Homecoming
The Fishbowel at Harry's for Maggie's graduation
The crew at Mona's birthday gathering
Debbie & Katie at Scarlet Lane Brewery
The gals at wine & music in Fishers
The golf crew for the 55th IU Rugby Alumni reunion
Evan on the mic announcing the IU Rugby game
Katie & Disco at the Alumni weekend
Disco & Evan at Nick's
Evan with his IU football tailgating buds
The whole gang at the 55th IU Rugby Alumni Weekend
Evan with Katie & Mona in Aruba
Evan with Katie & Mona in Aruba
Evan & Katie on a booze cruize in Aruba
Mona, Annette, & Katie caught in the nets
Evan, Katie, Mona, Jim, & Annette at Baby Beach in Aruba
Evan on a beach in Varadero, Cuba
The Varadero beaches in Cuba are indeed beautiful
Evan's Bloomington High School 50th Class Reunion
EJ beat Rachel to win the 31st annual Coo Coo Christmas family game
Uncle Ed Barbone on EJ's MOOV
EJ & Rachel dressed up for something
EJ & Rachel in Vegas
Evan & Katie out on the Town
Evan & Katie on the beach
Evan, Claire, Chris, & Katie in Nashville
Evan & Katie with Bill & Julia at Zoobilation
Super Bowl pary at Pac's
Katie & Lynn with full bins of blueberries
Katie, Evan, & Erika in Denver
Rich, Lisa, Evan, Katie, & Mona at Carb Day
Evan & Katie watching the solar eclipse
Coop & Evan lounging in Eagle Creek
Evan & Katie at the new Urban Vines Winery
EJ's whole MOOV group in a Dallas St. Paddy's Day parade
EJ & Rachel in LA
EJ & Rachel at the Red Rock Amphitheater outside Denver
Using our new firepit for a neighbor gathering for James' 50th birthday
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