I am currently on a Leave of Absence from work.
It started July 27th at the request of my employer. I made a concerted effort in the past 7 months to ask for help in my job with my responsibilities. I was managing all the roadway design projects in Nevada (plus one in California). During May, June, and early July, we consistently faced multiple deadlines weekly, sometimes two in the same day. We were successful. I saw my primary care physician July 2 and she suggested a new medication (Clonidine to lower blood pressure) and a more frequest dose of Seroquel, in addition to the Celexa I take at night. I had a panic attack that weekend, the first that I can remember, but I kept giving the medication(s) a chance. I had a client basically tell me I wasn't doing my job to my face July 7. I asked my boss that the situation be addressed. Same client sent an email with similar allegations July 23. I asked that all further communications go through my boss and my group leader, essentially removing myself from project communications. My employer questioned my professional judgment and asked me to take leave.
That was enough to push me to get the help I need.
My primary physician referred me to a Behavioral Health Program for assessment as well as medication management by a psychiatrist.
We are working through the insurance hoops.
I just finished my third week of 5 weeks of an intensive outpatient treatment program. For 5 days a week, I'm there from 9 am to noon. We have an hour instruction on lifeskills, and almost two hours of group therapy. In addition, I see a case worker once a week and a psychiatrist once a week. I've all ready had a couple med changes; no more Clonidine, upped my dose of Celexa, we replaced Seroquel with Vistaril, and we are working on that dosage. We also added Mirtazapine, which I don't think does squat.
I have a major depressive disorder (severe) and anxiety disorder. The depression is familiar as I have been battling that for a good 30 years. The anxiety disorder is new. I've learned that stress elevates levels of Dopamine. My work stress has been removed (mostly), but I'm stuck. My glass is still half full, so any additional stress still puts me over the the brim. So I can be very irritable, shakey, confused.
Another new emotion I am feeling is anger. I learned that anger is defined by violated expectations, and woo boy, do I have a list!
I've told Punkin and Peanut that I'm going to school for my head.
I've told Paw Paw I've entered this program. He calls what I am going through as "some psychiatric episode".
Like I said, it is not new, but it is different. It is disappointing to succumb, again.
I want to know the physical aspects ... like what chemical(s) am i missing? (I was told I could get a brain scan in California ... not really an option financially as insurance isn't covering some of my treatment).
And my greatest fear remains that I have passed this down to Punkin and Peanut.
One of the rules in group is not to give advice, so I ask that you please respect that. "This works for me."
I don't want pity, and I don't want pressure.
I know things will change.
I have filed for short-term disability, and leave under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
It helps me to write about it.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Thursday, August 12, 2010
what you missed in '09
Well, it’s our Fifth Annual Holiday letter, and we just started composing it New Year’s Day (2010). As we had to file for an extension on our 2008 income taxes, we are asking for the same grace period from you.January: The New Year began with well-checks for the kids (who are growing like weeds and blessedly well). El Jefe made four day trips to Las Vegas and one overnighter, and i had one overnighter, and somehow at least one of us was home with the kids while we worked weekends, too … but chaos is bound to happen as the photo shows. We went to Red Robin for Punkin’s fourth birthday, same as last year. Punkin’s former teacher, Ms. R, babysat when El Jefe and i went to the heartbreaking funeral for the husband of our friend and El Jefe’s coworker. Peanut got her lower right canine tooth. We think she has all her baby teeth by now, but apparently that is the last one we kept track of. Yes sang with the Naval Academy Glee Club at the Inaugural Celebration “We Are One” … an experience of a lifetime, but only her uncle was able to identify her on the stage as we all assumed she would be in the front row due to her height. And finally Punkin got to be the Birthday Star at Chuck E. Cheese. Fortunately the parent/child ratio was extremely high as we lost Peanut on more than one occasion.
February: The month started with John’s, Punkin’s classmate, birthday party at Ballocity, where parents and kids alike climb and slide and pelt each other with very soft spongy balls via cannon, machine gun, etc. El Jefe gave an inordinate number of presentations at Nevada Department of Transportation’s (NDOT’s) Resident Engineer (RE) Academy, including three in one day. He made three day trips to Las Vegas and one overnighter, i had one overnighter, and on that occasion we nearly passed each other in the airport to hand off the kids. We celebrated our eleventh anniversary with a wonderful dinner at the Rapscallion Seafood House, same as last year, while Ms. R held down the fort with the kids. We definitely proved that the cost of living has increased by ordering the exact same meal and drinks for $20.00 more (approximately a 20% increase for you analyticals). Peanut pee’d on the potty for the first time, and my dad, Paw Paw, came for a long weekend visit at the end of the month.
March: Paw Paw left early in the month, but within ten days El Jefe’s mom, Grandma, visited us from Wisconsin via San Diego. We all went to the Wilbur D. May museum here in Reno, which in addition to some great kids exhibits features an unbelievable collection of dead animals (far beyond lions and tigers and bears, oh my!). El Jefe made five day trips to Las Vegas and i had one two-nighter. We all went to the Shrine Circus where the kids found the clowns kind of scary, but the cotton candy terrific. Peanut roared at the tigers, Punkin was fired up by the motorcycles in the “sphere of death”, and Pam and El Jefe enjoyed the best Budweiser EVER. i turned forty-four without taking a break, realizing i have spent half of my life as an engineer and half of my career with one company.
April: El Jefe did one two-nighter and four day trips to Las Vegas this month. Peanut pooped in the potty! Punkin started sleeping in underwear! By this point, i was averaging one day off a month (including Saturdays and Sundays), so i jumped at the chance to spend a couple nights in Mesquite for the Nevada Chapter of the American Association of Public Works (APWA) Spring Conference, even if she had to give a presentation (“Q is for Quality”). It is no surprise in my frame of mind i lost her bifocals. We filed for that extension on our 2008 income taxes, and Punkin and Peanut helped me make Sponge Bob and Patrick cupcakes (Punkin’s idea) for El Jefe’s forty-eighth birthday.
May: Punkin read “Big and Little” to Peanut, and two days later both kids played sick to stay home from day care. It’s official; they are starting to gang up on us. Peanut’s tricycle was stolen allegedly by some hoodlum kids. El Jefe only made one day trip to Las Vegas this month, but we made up for it with an eight-day Midwestern journey to scatter Nonna’s (my mom’s) ashes. We all flew into Louisville, KY, and drove the next day to meet Paw Paw in Evansville, IN. We went to Nonna’s hometown of Vincennes, IN, and also saw the early sprouts in my Aunt Pat’s infamous garden. She is the one who instructed me in the art of canning tomatoes. From there we caravanned with Paw Paw through pouring rain (a novelty for our kids) to Gibson City, IL, home of my Aunt Gayle and Uncle Doug. Punkin and Peanut most enjoyed playing in the basement (also a novelty for our kids). Uncle Doug gave us all a tour of Foster’s Woods, home of his tale of “The Little People”, which he was encouraged to tell no less than seven times in two days. We split off from Paw Paw and continued north to Arena, WI, to visit with Grandma and Grandpa Paul, El Jefe’s aunt and uncle and cousin. We went on a horse-drawn wagon ride, toured a reconstructed blacksmith shop, and visited with El Jefe’s cousin, who had spent the day with his sister planting literally pallets of tomato and pepper plants. We squeezed in a day with El Jefe’s dad and his family, who got some terrific snuggle time with Peanut. In the end, we drove south to fly home via Midway. We used all that inspiration to plant our own little garden (10 ft x 10 ft), a rare but typical home improvement involving multiple trips to Home Depot for irrigation system parts. Paw Paw made his way back to the North, logging in over 7,500 miles, and Peanut got her first haircut. El Jefe and i went to a terrific retirement party barbeque for El Jefe’s boss, sans all the kids (including Paw Paw), as Ms. R once again held down the fort. And despite Paw Paw’s dog, Gabby, destroying the first effort at the cake, we all celebrated Peanut’s second birthday at our home in the North.
June: El Jefe did two two-nighters and one day trip to Las Vegas this month, while i went to Washington State for five days, participating as a Quality Auditor in our Bellevue and Burlington offices. Peanut said “I miss you” on the phone, and graduated to a big girl bed to discourage Punkin from pulling her out of her crib and onto her head. Yes turned nineteen. El Jefe was treated to Father’s Day gifts related to the ravenous birds in our backyard: binoculars, a bird book, and birdhouses crafted by Punkin and Peanut. El Jefe got the promotion to the Chief of Construction position at NDOT! We ate radishes out of our garden, and went to a backyard water party for Sophia’s (a former classmate of Peanut’s) second birthday. Punkin and her sister, Emily are best of friends … a budding romance at age four.
July: Yes did some time at sea as part of her second summer at the Naval Academy in Annapolis. Paw Paw came for visit, and we all stayed up past our bedtimes to enjoy 4th of July fireworks at Star Spangled Sparks. El Jefe made one overnighter and four day trips to Las Vegas, including one via Ely. i spent two nights in Denver, CO for Federal Program Management training, including a side trip to my Mecca, the New Belgium Brewery in Ft. Collins, CO. Punkin and Peanut started Saturday swimming lessons, and Peanut finally mastered riding her replacement tricycle (no parental push handle). We all went to the NDOT Family Summer Bash, followed the next day by Emily’s birthday party at Ballocity (busy social calendar, eh?). With a ton of help from friends and coworkers, i was able to pull off a surprise celebration for El Jefe’s promotion to Chief of Construction. i flew in over 20 pounds of brats and wieners from Wisconsin (Usinger’s), and arranged for a keg of Icky (Ichthyosaur Pale Ale, from local brewery Great Basin).
August: El Jefe and Punkin had some male bonding time at Logan’s birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. El Jefe represented Nevada at the American Association of State and Highway Transportation Official’s (AASHTO’s) Construction Conference in downtown Chicago, so i and the kids tagged along to goof off, only occasionally paying $20.00 a day for hotel internet. Grandma took the Van Gilder from Wisconsin to join us. Punkin and i participated in the Skyscraper Challenge at the Children’s Museum; Punkin and Peanut dressed up and slid like penguins at the Shedd Aquarium; the kids played in the fountains at Millenium Park; and Grandma and i struggled to figure out parking garage fees. We most enjoyed Wednesday night fireworks off Navy Pier (because we could walk from our hotel). At the conclusion of the conference, we all drove up to Arena, WI for El Jefe’s 30th River Valley High School class reunion. El Jefe made lots of promises to update his Facebook page. We celebrated his Dad’s birthday at their home in Belleville with a pool party, when Peanut was convinced she could swim alone (not really). El Jefe made two overnighters and one day trip to Las Vegas; i made a day trip, too. Paw Paw came up for a long weekend, highlighted by our company picnic at Zephyr Cove (Lake Tahoe), Punkin’s first of many rounds of mini golf at Magic Carpet, and we adopted Elsie, a feisty black and white medium hair cat who coincidentally carries the same name as my maternal grandmother. Our garden kicked into production mode (except for our pathetic sweet corn) and we started canning salsa and baking bread from our harvests. The month concluded with a visit to the Nevada State Fair, where Punkin got a $40.00 Nemo, Peanut turned green on the giant spinning strawberry ride, and we all were mesmerized by the Splash Dogs, who can leap nearly 20 feet from a dock into a tub of water.
September: El Jefe continued to carry the responsibilities of both the Assistant Chief and Chief of Construction jobs for the third month with one overnighter and two day trips to Las Vegas. We went to the Best of the West Rib Cook-Off (twice!) and amazingly filed our 2008 incomes taxes just after Labor Day. Ms. R babysat again while El Jefe and i went to a barbeque up at Lake Tahoe. We all went to the Great Reno Balloon Race, including the Glow Show, Dawn Patrol, mass ascension, pancake breakfast, and this year fifteen minutes in the bounce house and inflatables to make sure Punkin and Peanut were sufficiently exhausted. Obviously not, as Punkin successfully rode his bicycle without training wheels later that day. Paw Paw visited the following weekend, but we never made it to the Air Races. i attended the APWA Fall Conference up at Lake Tahoe, and Peanut pee’d on the potty three times at day care in one day!
October: For Peanut’s third and Punkin’s sixth time, we all participated in Race for the Cure, then the Walk for Juvenile Diabetes the following weekend. El Jefe had one overnight trip in Elko, NV, returned North via Las Vegas, and turned the reins over to one of his Assistant Chiefs. After nearly three years, we finally returned to Kauai, spending two weeks on the island with Paw Paw. Punkin and Peanut swam with water wings like little fish, both in the condo pool and the ocean where we got up close to a real tide pool and a couple green sea turtles. i got stung by a bee, Punkin took a header that required three band-aids, and Peanut got car sick. We all took a helicopter ride which Paw Paw deemed “uneventful”, and a sunset cruise when both Peanut and i got seasick (“eventful”?). We got the opportunity to see our house, and El Jefe and i independently considered chucking it all and staying on paradise, where the cruel irony is internet is free. Paw Paw stayed in Hawaii another three weeks while we returned home via LAX, spending 8 hours in the airport after a red-eye which just seemed like another three weeks. We arrived home in time for the kids to enjoy their Halloween Parties and a night of Trick-or-Treating.
April: El Jefe did one two-nighter and four day trips to Las Vegas this month. Peanut pooped in the potty! Punkin started sleeping in underwear! By this point, i was averaging one day off a month (including Saturdays and Sundays), so i jumped at the chance to spend a couple nights in Mesquite for the Nevada Chapter of the American Association of Public Works (APWA) Spring Conference, even if she had to give a presentation (“Q is for Quality”). It is no surprise in my frame of mind i lost her bifocals. We filed for that extension on our 2008 income taxes, and Punkin and Peanut helped me make Sponge Bob and Patrick cupcakes (Punkin’s idea) for El Jefe’s forty-eighth birthday.
May: Punkin read “Big and Little” to Peanut, and two days later both kids played sick to stay home from day care. It’s official; they are starting to gang up on us. Peanut’s tricycle was stolen allegedly by some hoodlum kids. El Jefe only made one day trip to Las Vegas this month, but we made up for it with an eight-day Midwestern journey to scatter Nonna’s (my mom’s) ashes. We all flew into Louisville, KY, and drove the next day to meet Paw Paw in Evansville, IN. We went to Nonna’s hometown of Vincennes, IN, and also saw the early sprouts in my Aunt Pat’s infamous garden. She is the one who instructed me in the art of canning tomatoes. From there we caravanned with Paw Paw through pouring rain (a novelty for our kids) to Gibson City, IL, home of my Aunt Gayle and Uncle Doug. Punkin and Peanut most enjoyed playing in the basement (also a novelty for our kids). Uncle Doug gave us all a tour of Foster’s Woods, home of his tale of “The Little People”, which he was encouraged to tell no less than seven times in two days. We split off from Paw Paw and continued north to Arena, WI, to visit with Grandma and Grandpa Paul, El Jefe’s aunt and uncle and cousin. We went on a horse-drawn wagon ride, toured a reconstructed blacksmith shop, and visited with El Jefe’s cousin, who had spent the day with his sister planting literally pallets of tomato and pepper plants. We squeezed in a day with El Jefe’s dad and his family, who got some terrific snuggle time with Peanut. In the end, we drove south to fly home via Midway. We used all that inspiration to plant our own little garden (10 ft x 10 ft), a rare but typical home improvement involving multiple trips to Home Depot for irrigation system parts. Paw Paw made his way back to the North, logging in over 7,500 miles, and Peanut got her first haircut. El Jefe and i went to a terrific retirement party barbeque for El Jefe’s boss, sans all the kids (including Paw Paw), as Ms. R once again held down the fort. And despite Paw Paw’s dog, Gabby, destroying the first effort at the cake, we all celebrated Peanut’s second birthday at our home in the North.
June: El Jefe did two two-nighters and one day trip to Las Vegas this month, while i went to Washington State for five days, participating as a Quality Auditor in our Bellevue and Burlington offices. Peanut said “I miss you” on the phone, and graduated to a big girl bed to discourage Punkin from pulling her out of her crib and onto her head. Yes turned nineteen. El Jefe was treated to Father’s Day gifts related to the ravenous birds in our backyard: binoculars, a bird book, and birdhouses crafted by Punkin and Peanut. El Jefe got the promotion to the Chief of Construction position at NDOT! We ate radishes out of our garden, and went to a backyard water party for Sophia’s (a former classmate of Peanut’s) second birthday. Punkin and her sister, Emily are best of friends … a budding romance at age four.
July: Yes did some time at sea as part of her second summer at the Naval Academy in Annapolis. Paw Paw came for visit, and we all stayed up past our bedtimes to enjoy 4th of July fireworks at Star Spangled Sparks. El Jefe made one overnighter and four day trips to Las Vegas, including one via Ely. i spent two nights in Denver, CO for Federal Program Management training, including a side trip to my Mecca, the New Belgium Brewery in Ft. Collins, CO. Punkin and Peanut started Saturday swimming lessons, and Peanut finally mastered riding her replacement tricycle (no parental push handle). We all went to the NDOT Family Summer Bash, followed the next day by Emily’s birthday party at Ballocity (busy social calendar, eh?). With a ton of help from friends and coworkers, i was able to pull off a surprise celebration for El Jefe’s promotion to Chief of Construction. i flew in over 20 pounds of brats and wieners from Wisconsin (Usinger’s), and arranged for a keg of Icky (Ichthyosaur Pale Ale, from local brewery Great Basin).
August: El Jefe and Punkin had some male bonding time at Logan’s birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. El Jefe represented Nevada at the American Association of State and Highway Transportation Official’s (AASHTO’s) Construction Conference in downtown Chicago, so i and the kids tagged along to goof off, only occasionally paying $20.00 a day for hotel internet. Grandma took the Van Gilder from Wisconsin to join us. Punkin and i participated in the Skyscraper Challenge at the Children’s Museum; Punkin and Peanut dressed up and slid like penguins at the Shedd Aquarium; the kids played in the fountains at Millenium Park; and Grandma and i struggled to figure out parking garage fees. We most enjoyed Wednesday night fireworks off Navy Pier (because we could walk from our hotel). At the conclusion of the conference, we all drove up to Arena, WI for El Jefe’s 30th River Valley High School class reunion. El Jefe made lots of promises to update his Facebook page. We celebrated his Dad’s birthday at their home in Belleville with a pool party, when Peanut was convinced she could swim alone (not really). El Jefe made two overnighters and one day trip to Las Vegas; i made a day trip, too. Paw Paw came up for a long weekend, highlighted by our company picnic at Zephyr Cove (Lake Tahoe), Punkin’s first of many rounds of mini golf at Magic Carpet, and we adopted Elsie, a feisty black and white medium hair cat who coincidentally carries the same name as my maternal grandmother. Our garden kicked into production mode (except for our pathetic sweet corn) and we started canning salsa and baking bread from our harvests. The month concluded with a visit to the Nevada State Fair, where Punkin got a $40.00 Nemo, Peanut turned green on the giant spinning strawberry ride, and we all were mesmerized by the Splash Dogs, who can leap nearly 20 feet from a dock into a tub of water.
September: El Jefe continued to carry the responsibilities of both the Assistant Chief and Chief of Construction jobs for the third month with one overnighter and two day trips to Las Vegas. We went to the Best of the West Rib Cook-Off (twice!) and amazingly filed our 2008 incomes taxes just after Labor Day. Ms. R babysat again while El Jefe and i went to a barbeque up at Lake Tahoe. We all went to the Great Reno Balloon Race, including the Glow Show, Dawn Patrol, mass ascension, pancake breakfast, and this year fifteen minutes in the bounce house and inflatables to make sure Punkin and Peanut were sufficiently exhausted. Obviously not, as Punkin successfully rode his bicycle without training wheels later that day. Paw Paw visited the following weekend, but we never made it to the Air Races. i attended the APWA Fall Conference up at Lake Tahoe, and Peanut pee’d on the potty three times at day care in one day!
October: For Peanut’s third and Punkin’s sixth time, we all participated in Race for the Cure, then the Walk for Juvenile Diabetes the following weekend. El Jefe had one overnight trip in Elko, NV, returned North via Las Vegas, and turned the reins over to one of his Assistant Chiefs. After nearly three years, we finally returned to Kauai, spending two weeks on the island with Paw Paw. Punkin and Peanut swam with water wings like little fish, both in the condo pool and the ocean where we got up close to a real tide pool and a couple green sea turtles. i got stung by a bee, Punkin took a header that required three band-aids, and Peanut got car sick. We all took a helicopter ride which Paw Paw deemed “uneventful”, and a sunset cruise when both Peanut and i got seasick (“eventful”?). We got the opportunity to see our house, and El Jefe and i independently considered chucking it all and staying on paradise, where the cruel irony is internet is free. Paw Paw stayed in Hawaii another three weeks while we returned home via LAX, spending 8 hours in the airport after a red-eye which just seemed like another three weeks. We arrived home in time for the kids to enjoy their Halloween Parties and a night of Trick-or-Treating.
November: Honestly El Jefe was sick most of the month and only made one day trip to Las Vegas, while i did one overnighter. i took Punkin and Peanut to play the 28-hole back course at Magic Carpet where Punkin got a hole-in-one, and i came home with Barney, a 13-week-old Border Collie/Lab mix. We went to a party for El Jefe’s new Assistant Chief; i took the kids to Tanisha’s third birthday party; and we all made a jet-set 24-hour trip to Las Vegas for our friend Mike’s surprise 40th birthday party. Three days later, we drove to Las Vegas with both dogs (Jenny and Barney) to spend Thanksgiving with Paw Paw (and Gabby) and my middle sister and her family. Besides an amazingly civilized Thanksgiving dinner, we all completely enjoyed a day at the Springs Preserve.
December: El Jefe had one day trip to Las Vegas and two nights for training in Sacramento, CA. Punkin and Peanut rode their bicycles the day before it snowed over a foot, the Tumblebus arrived with chains (for the wheels, not the kids), and we saw a herd of a dozen wild horses including three colts strolling down the street on our way to day care. Our social calendar was jam-packed with the NDOT Construction Christmas party in Gardnerville, a family Christmas party at the NDOT Deputy Director’s home, and my company’s Holiday party. Ms. R of course had the baby-sitting gigs! Paw Paw and Yes both arrived on the 22nd to spend Christmas with us; we had not seen Yes in a year and a half, and this was her first visit to the North. We had a very special visit from Santa Christmas Eve, played by my coworker, although Punkin was convinced he was El Jefe’s coworker Steve. “Santa Steve” delivered, so there were no complaints. Peanut had two days in Tinker Bell underwear but has since regressed. We all went ice skating at the Rink on the River, skiing at Mt. Rose (Peanut cried all three times down the bunny hill), and went to see “The Princess and The Frog” (Peanut’s first movie in a theater; mine and El Jefe’s first in 4½ years). My middle sister and her family came “over the hill” on Sunday and joined us for another day of skiing at Mt. Rose where Peanut made four more runs (without crying!), Punkin took his first chair lift ride and repeated the feat no less than six times, and my sister and i skied/snow-boarded together for the first time in over 25 years. All of our visitors left on the 30th and we closed 2009 by celebrating Eastern time zone New Year’s Eve with hot dogs and macaroni and cheese at home.
El Jefe takes one furlough day a month, i logged in over 500 unpaid hours (not including this letter), and through it all the most rewarding time is that we share with our family and dear friends. With that, it’s time for a Fat Tire. We send you all our love and wishes for a prosperous new decade.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
what you missed in '08
Well, it’s our Fourth Annual Holiday letter. The year has been filled with challenges, growth, and travel (mostly for work so don’t get your hopes up for a travelogue). And at this rate, this letter may be commemorating the President’s Day holiday.
January: Santa made a very special visit to our home in the North New Year’s Eve, as we were just returning from an extended week-long visit to Wisconsin. Along with all the other ridiculous amounts of loot, Santa brought Punkin a fire truck and Peanut a doll. Less than two weeks later, Punkin celebrated his third birthday at Red Robin. Each year his birthday seems closer and closer to Christmas. Here he is sporting two of his favorite gifts: his own umbrella (poor kid doesn’t realize we only get 7.5 inches of rain a year), and an annual registration for the Tumblebus. It’s an old school bus with some limited gymnastic equipment on-board that comes to day care once a week. The kids are all excited to wear their Tumblebus shirts … like a little gang of pre-schoolers. Peanut’s menu expanded to include carrots, pear, asparagus, potato, peas (yuck!), yogurt (yum!) and green beans, and with all that energy she finally crawled! El Jefe traveled once or twice a week to Las Vegas, and added a fun-filled overnight in Ely. i shoveled snow on the weekends with her helper, Punkin, as her only form of exercise.
February: Looking back, we only took 8 photos this month. El Jefe got the flu, and was so miserable he actually went to the doctor who told him, “Yep, you’ve got the flu.” It slowed him down to the point where he only made two trips to Las Vegas the entire month! We celebrated our tenth anniversary one day late (El Jefe was over-nighting in Las Vegas, but made up for it) with a wonderful dinner at the Rapscallion Seafood House while Punkin’s teacher Ms. R held down the fort with the kids. El Jefe’s mom came up for a visit, bum knee and all, while i went to Tucson, AZ for a couple days for my final year of participation in the Pathfinders Awards of Excellence Program (as a National Committee member, not a recipient). When i returned, i got the flu, too. It was debilitating, and thankfully neither of the kids got it. Punkin got a flu shot (“in his knee” as he tells the story) at his three year well-check. Our pediatrician was out of infant vaccine, but thankfully Peanut never succumbed. She showed Grandma that she could hold her own bottle and pulled herself up this month.
March: Grandma left early in the month, but inspired us to actually enjoy the trails surrounding our neighborhood with Peanut in the stroller and Punkin on a tricycle. El Jefe did two overnights and four day trips to Las Vegas this month. i did one day trip to present Pathfinder Awards to the Southern staff. Peanut ate peaches, broccoli, cauliflower, and mango, while she experienced hot dogs at school. i turned 43 on the day our (former) property manager started eviction processes on the tenant in our home in the South. After several starts at eviction in less than six months of being in our home, this one was final. i cried when i saw the inspection report. There were no holes in the walls, but the house had essentially become a three bedroom kennel. Peanut got her first shoes this month, and we were able to enjoy coloring eggs and an Easter egg hunt in our North home.
April: El Jefe did two overnights and seven day trips to Las Vegas this month. Punkin dressed himself, and Peanut gained five new teeth this month. Despite all the misery of so many new teeth, she was able to concentrate hard enough to learn to climb up the stairs. We all traveled to the South to check on the house, hire a new property manager, and spend a little time with my parents, Paw Paw and Nonna. On April 24th, we experienced our first earthquake. El Jefe was experienced from his days of living in California, but every time there was an earthquake in the South, we had been out of town. Two days later, El Jefe turned 47.
May: El Jefe did one overnight and five day trips to Las Vegas this month, while i did one overnight in Phoenix, AZ for the Quality Summit. After one day of practice, Punkin learned to ride his “big boy bike” (with training wheels) ... the bad part about our neighborhood trail system is there are lots of kids, including the ones who questioned why Punkin was on a tricycle. Talk about peer pressure. Both Punkin and Peanut “graduated” to the next room at day care (mind you, tuition is based on age, so there were no financial benefits). Punkin participated in the Hop-a-Thon for MDA, hopped 92 times in two minutes, and raised a total of $259.00. i and El Jefe opted for the “per hop” pledge … what were we thinking? Within an eight day period, El Jefe’s daughter Yes graduated from Arch-Bishop Spalding High School in Maryland and El Jefe’s daughter Peanut turned one year old. We all ventured out to Maryland, including El Jefe’s Dad and wife, and El Jefe’s Mom and husbandl, to celebrate Yes’s graduation and hang out with El Jefe’s brother, wife, and their daughter in Baltimore. Punkin’s quote of the month was, “The bone in your head is called a knuckle-head.” My parents, Paw Paw and Nonna, joined us in the North to celebrate Peanut’s first birthday. Peanut took her first steps to Paw Paw the day after. We got a new tenant in our home in the South just in time for Memorial Day.
June: El Jefe made five day trips to Las Vegas including one where he returned the rented hospital-grade pump (my ball and chain) on the State plane. He also did one over-nighter. i went to Southern California for four days, participating as a Quality Auditor in our Irvine and San Diego offices. Peanut walked alone, and we discovered she had an ear infection at her one-year well-check … we never knew as she is such a good sleeper. Appalled by the price of gas, i purchased a bicycle trailer to haul the kids to daycare (five miles one way) and another half-mile to my office. Like the January snow shoveling, it was my only form of exercise. At the end of the month, we all went to Punkin’s flip-flop buddy, Josie’s 3 ½ year birthday party at Jump Man Jump. Peanut was overwhelmed by sinking in the corral of balls, i got a floor burn on her elbow, El Jefe got one on his knee, and Punkin had a blast!
July: Yes started, and eventually survived Plebe Summer at the Naval Academy in Annapolis. We are so proud of her for being able to live without her cell phone and having 9 pm curfew (seriously, we are very proud of her). We landscaped our back yard the old fashioned way (we hired someone to do it) and our basic installation was complete by the 4th of July. We all stayed up past our bedtimes to enjoy fireworks at Star Spangled Sparks. We then continued our work in progress by planting a lilac bush and frequented Moana Nursery on the weekends as we vowed to do all the trees and bushes ourselves. The month featured some record-breaking poor air quality from the hundreds of fires in California, but i sucked it up (literally) and biked to work with the kids in tow a day or two a week. Punkin went to his first movie in the theater (Kung Fu Panda) as a field trip, and Ms. R babysat while Pam and El Jefe enjoyed dinner at a local brew pub (my only criteria for choice of restaurant was lack of a kid’s menu.) El Jefe made nine day trips to Las Vegas this month. Nonna and Paw Paw stopped in for a couple days on their way to Oregon. It was very special as we were all together to celebrate Nonna’s 73rd birthday at our home in the North.
August: Paw Paw and Nonna spent the weekend with us on their way back home from their Oregon timeshare adventure. Peanut got three molars this month. Just like her mom, she tends to grow teeth in bulk. El Jefe did an overnighter and four day trips to Las Vegas while i did two. Peanut had her first of four Parent and Me swimming lessons, so we all went to practice the next day at Sparks Marina. Swimming lessons are so popular that we could not get both kids into classes until October. Punkin started treatment for a Planter’s wart, which he called his Planet blister, consisting of DuoFilm and duct tape. We ended the month by attending the Best of the West Rib Cook-off. Just like her dad, Peanut loves beans!
September: It took fourteen months, but i finally realized i liked living in the North. We all went to the Great Reno Balloon Race, including the Glow Show and Dawn Patrol. This required getting the kids up at 4 am and layering sweatshirts over their pajamas. Once the sun came up, we watched the mass ascension as balloons filled the sky and enjoyed a pancake breakfast. Peanut fell asleep on the way to her swimming lesson. El Jefe did two over-nighters in Las Vegas and three day trips, while i spent nearly a week in our Folsom office for their Quality Audit. We had our first non-family visitor since we moved to Reno, our friend Cathy who we have known since the South, who was working in our North office and got stranded as hurricane Ike caused havoc to her home and family in the Houston area. Punkin painted his toenails (unsupervised) a lovely shade of pink, and we adopted Putty, a 1½ year-old medium-hair tabby from the Humane Society. She is an awesome cat, very social with all of our family, incredibly tolerant of the kids, and holds her own with our dog, Jenny.
October: Both Punkin and Peanut had Saturday swimming lessons this month. Since I am a Pisces, this is mandatory. We all participated in Race for the Cure; it was Peanut’s second and Punkin’s fifth events, which is amazing when you consider their ages are just 1½ and 3 at the time of this letter. The following weekend, we all participated in the Walk for Juvenile Diabetes. Peanut got her face painted, and Punkin most enjoyed the picnic lunch of Qdoba burritos after the walk. El Jefe had four day trips to Las Vegas and one overnighter, while i spent four days in Las Vegas for their Quality Audit. Amazingly enough, i also had a day trip to Las Vegas that wasn’t for work! i attended a baby shower for my friend Amy. The month was filled with all things Halloween, especially pumpkins and Jack-O-Lanterns. My parents, Paw Paw and Nonna, visited just in time for Halloween, and Nonna accompanied both Punkin and Peanut on their first adventure of Trick-or-Treating.
November: With Nonna and Paw Paw still visiting, we all enjoyed our first Nevada Day parade in Carson City, especially Paw Paw who stayed warm and dry in the car. The following day we all discovered the Animal Ark, a sanctuary just north of town for native and not so native wildlife including cheetahs, and tigers, and bears (oh my!). El Jefe made two day trips to Las Vegas, i had two overnighters in Las Vegas, and El Jefe made a day trip (looong day trip) to Elko. On Election Day, El Jefe encountered some black ice on his early morning commute to Carson City (not flying that day); crash-tested both the guardrail and concrete barrier rail, experienced air-bag deployments first-hand, and totaled his 2001 Jeep Cherokee. He was miraculously unscathed, and the only thing wounded was his pride. Four days later, we bought a Subaru Outback, so now we really look like Northerners. The next evening, we all had dinner at the home of John and Linda Narigon, North transplants from Iowa, and met with Sandra, Donna, Barb, Manu, what’s her name, and Tammy, totaling ten current or former engineers with the Iowa DOT. (Only Sandra’s kids have any hope at a different career path, as her husband is the only non-engineer among us). On the morning of November 17th, my mom, Nonna, died very suddenly and unexpectedly, having suffered two heart attacks in a few short hours. My middle sister and i flew to Las Vegas that afternoon. El Jefe, Punkin, and Peanut joined us the following day, making the drive from the North, while my eldest sister flew in from Atlanta. My dad, Paw Paw, is holding up remarkably well after losing the love of his life after 51 years of marriage. He gained 4 pounds in the short week we were there, so we know we at least supplied some comfort food. Paw Paw spent Thanksgiving in Los Angeles with my middle sister and her family. We had a quiet Thanksgiving, just the four of us, at our home in the North. Punkin finally got the pumpkin pie he has been talking about since October.
December: El Jefe had two day trips and an overnighter in Las Vegas, while i had three overnight trips to Las Vegas. We’ve stayed with Paw Paw, although he rarely sees us because we work such ridiculous hours. One trip, the only evidence of El Jefe was an empty Foster’s left in the kitchen. i had a bender with some of my co-workers, while El Jefe braved Applebee’s alone with both Punkin and Peanut. Ms. R babysat for my Christmas party, memorable as we actually stayed out (and awake) until 2 am. i was very proud of the fuzzy handcuffs i got as a white elephant gift; Punkin seems to be enjoying them, too. Peanut has transitioned to Suite 200, and because she is 18 months old, we finally got a tuition break! Ms. R babysat again for the NDOT Construction Christmas party, held at Nevada’s oldest hotel, the Gold Hill Hotel in Virginia City. For the first time since January 8, 2005, El Jefe and I spent an entire night alone together without the kids (Thank you, Ms. R!). We got a silver tip variety of Christmas tree (half price! because we waited until the 19th); it is very reminiscent of the ones El Jefe’s family would cut down in the woods in Wisconsin. For the first time ever, we were able to use a Christmas tree skirt Nonna had made because the trunk was narrow enough to fit through the hole. It is very sweet, featuring a teddy bear family of four. How did she know that is how our immediate family would be comprised? Paw Paw drove up North with his dog, Gabby, on the 21st; El Jefe took a week off because he was in a “use it or lose it” situation with his vacation time at work; and my middle sister and her family came over the hill on the 23rd so we could all spend Christmas together in our home here in the North. While i slaved away at work, everyone enjoyed a day of ice skating at the Rink on the River. Actually, Peanut was not too thrilled, completed only one lap, and then refused to allow her skates to be removed (she’s all about shoes, and ice skates are very special shoes!). Santa brought Punkin an electric train, but Punkin was most excited by the candy canes being hauled in one of the freight cars. We also discovered Peanut is a candy cane junkie (it must be genetic), and are looking for a toddler detox program for her habit. We had a beautiful Christmas snow, opened gifts from those near, and far, and even passed, and enjoyed the madness of five kids (one of which is 84 and doesn’t believe in Santa), four very hard-working adults, two dogs, and a cat. El Jefe and Punkin had a two-hour “Parent teach your child to ski” lesson at North Star, while my middle sister and her family snowboarded and skied in the best conditions the Sierras have seen in many, many years. Peanut accompanied me at work to complete a submittal due the 26th. Peanut left plenty of evidence of her day at work between goldfish and cheerios ground into the carpet, and a veritable rainbow of highlighters on every surface that was not covered by piles of papers. We all went sledding on Saturday, and i drove back to Las Vegas with Paw Paw and Gabby on Sunday for two days of work down South. New Year’s Eve was spent here in the North, in our home, and the four of us were asleep by 9 pm.
It has been a very trying year, with lots of travel, schedule juggling (i typically works Saturdays and El Jefe works Sundays), and the gamut of challenges we face at work due to the economic meltdown we are all experiencing. We are working harder than ever, and are so grateful to remain employed. But in the end, the greatest gift of all is the love we share with our dear friends and family.
With that, it’s time for a Foster’s. We send you all our love and wishes for a prosperous new year.
January: Santa made a very special visit to our home in the North New Year’s Eve, as we were just returning from an extended week-long visit to Wisconsin. Along with all the other ridiculous amounts of loot, Santa brought Punkin a fire truck and Peanut a doll. Less than two weeks later, Punkin celebrated his third birthday at Red Robin. Each year his birthday seems closer and closer to Christmas. Here he is sporting two of his favorite gifts: his own umbrella (poor kid doesn’t realize we only get 7.5 inches of rain a year), and an annual registration for the Tumblebus. It’s an old school bus with some limited gymnastic equipment on-board that comes to day care once a week. The kids are all excited to wear their Tumblebus shirts … like a little gang of pre-schoolers. Peanut’s menu expanded to include carrots, pear, asparagus, potato, peas (yuck!), yogurt (yum!) and green beans, and with all that energy she finally crawled! El Jefe traveled once or twice a week to Las Vegas, and added a fun-filled overnight in Ely. i shoveled snow on the weekends with her helper, Punkin, as her only form of exercise.
February: Looking back, we only took 8 photos this month. El Jefe got the flu, and was so miserable he actually went to the doctor who told him, “Yep, you’ve got the flu.” It slowed him down to the point where he only made two trips to Las Vegas the entire month! We celebrated our tenth anniversary one day late (El Jefe was over-nighting in Las Vegas, but made up for it) with a wonderful dinner at the Rapscallion Seafood House while Punkin’s teacher Ms. R held down the fort with the kids. El Jefe’s mom came up for a visit, bum knee and all, while i went to Tucson, AZ for a couple days for my final year of participation in the Pathfinders Awards of Excellence Program (as a National Committee member, not a recipient). When i returned, i got the flu, too. It was debilitating, and thankfully neither of the kids got it. Punkin got a flu shot (“in his knee” as he tells the story) at his three year well-check. Our pediatrician was out of infant vaccine, but thankfully Peanut never succumbed. She showed Grandma that she could hold her own bottle and pulled herself up this month.
March: Grandma left early in the month, but inspired us to actually enjoy the trails surrounding our neighborhood with Peanut in the stroller and Punkin on a tricycle. El Jefe did two overnights and four day trips to Las Vegas this month. i did one day trip to present Pathfinder Awards to the Southern staff. Peanut ate peaches, broccoli, cauliflower, and mango, while she experienced hot dogs at school. i turned 43 on the day our (former) property manager started eviction processes on the tenant in our home in the South. After several starts at eviction in less than six months of being in our home, this one was final. i cried when i saw the inspection report. There were no holes in the walls, but the house had essentially become a three bedroom kennel. Peanut got her first shoes this month, and we were able to enjoy coloring eggs and an Easter egg hunt in our North home.
April: El Jefe did two overnights and seven day trips to Las Vegas this month. Punkin dressed himself, and Peanut gained five new teeth this month. Despite all the misery of so many new teeth, she was able to concentrate hard enough to learn to climb up the stairs. We all traveled to the South to check on the house, hire a new property manager, and spend a little time with my parents, Paw Paw and Nonna. On April 24th, we experienced our first earthquake. El Jefe was experienced from his days of living in California, but every time there was an earthquake in the South, we had been out of town. Two days later, El Jefe turned 47.
May: El Jefe did one overnight and five day trips to Las Vegas this month, while i did one overnight in Phoenix, AZ for the Quality Summit. After one day of practice, Punkin learned to ride his “big boy bike” (with training wheels) ... the bad part about our neighborhood trail system is there are lots of kids, including the ones who questioned why Punkin was on a tricycle. Talk about peer pressure. Both Punkin and Peanut “graduated” to the next room at day care (mind you, tuition is based on age, so there were no financial benefits). Punkin participated in the Hop-a-Thon for MDA, hopped 92 times in two minutes, and raised a total of $259.00. i and El Jefe opted for the “per hop” pledge … what were we thinking? Within an eight day period, El Jefe’s daughter Yes graduated from Arch-Bishop Spalding High School in Maryland and El Jefe’s daughter Peanut turned one year old. We all ventured out to Maryland, including El Jefe’s Dad and wife, and El Jefe’s Mom and husbandl, to celebrate Yes’s graduation and hang out with El Jefe’s brother, wife, and their daughter in Baltimore. Punkin’s quote of the month was, “The bone in your head is called a knuckle-head.” My parents, Paw Paw and Nonna, joined us in the North to celebrate Peanut’s first birthday. Peanut took her first steps to Paw Paw the day after. We got a new tenant in our home in the South just in time for Memorial Day.
June: El Jefe made five day trips to Las Vegas including one where he returned the rented hospital-grade pump (my ball and chain) on the State plane. He also did one over-nighter. i went to Southern California for four days, participating as a Quality Auditor in our Irvine and San Diego offices. Peanut walked alone, and we discovered she had an ear infection at her one-year well-check … we never knew as she is such a good sleeper. Appalled by the price of gas, i purchased a bicycle trailer to haul the kids to daycare (five miles one way) and another half-mile to my office. Like the January snow shoveling, it was my only form of exercise. At the end of the month, we all went to Punkin’s flip-flop buddy, Josie’s 3 ½ year birthday party at Jump Man Jump. Peanut was overwhelmed by sinking in the corral of balls, i got a floor burn on her elbow, El Jefe got one on his knee, and Punkin had a blast!
July: Yes started, and eventually survived Plebe Summer at the Naval Academy in Annapolis. We are so proud of her for being able to live without her cell phone and having 9 pm curfew (seriously, we are very proud of her). We landscaped our back yard the old fashioned way (we hired someone to do it) and our basic installation was complete by the 4th of July. We all stayed up past our bedtimes to enjoy fireworks at Star Spangled Sparks. We then continued our work in progress by planting a lilac bush and frequented Moana Nursery on the weekends as we vowed to do all the trees and bushes ourselves. The month featured some record-breaking poor air quality from the hundreds of fires in California, but i sucked it up (literally) and biked to work with the kids in tow a day or two a week. Punkin went to his first movie in the theater (Kung Fu Panda) as a field trip, and Ms. R babysat while Pam and El Jefe enjoyed dinner at a local brew pub (my only criteria for choice of restaurant was lack of a kid’s menu.) El Jefe made nine day trips to Las Vegas this month. Nonna and Paw Paw stopped in for a couple days on their way to Oregon. It was very special as we were all together to celebrate Nonna’s 73rd birthday at our home in the North.
August: Paw Paw and Nonna spent the weekend with us on their way back home from their Oregon timeshare adventure. Peanut got three molars this month. Just like her mom, she tends to grow teeth in bulk. El Jefe did an overnighter and four day trips to Las Vegas while i did two. Peanut had her first of four Parent and Me swimming lessons, so we all went to practice the next day at Sparks Marina. Swimming lessons are so popular that we could not get both kids into classes until October. Punkin started treatment for a Planter’s wart, which he called his Planet blister, consisting of DuoFilm and duct tape. We ended the month by attending the Best of the West Rib Cook-off. Just like her dad, Peanut loves beans!
September: It took fourteen months, but i finally realized i liked living in the North. We all went to the Great Reno Balloon Race, including the Glow Show and Dawn Patrol. This required getting the kids up at 4 am and layering sweatshirts over their pajamas. Once the sun came up, we watched the mass ascension as balloons filled the sky and enjoyed a pancake breakfast. Peanut fell asleep on the way to her swimming lesson. El Jefe did two over-nighters in Las Vegas and three day trips, while i spent nearly a week in our Folsom office for their Quality Audit. We had our first non-family visitor since we moved to Reno, our friend Cathy who we have known since the South, who was working in our North office and got stranded as hurricane Ike caused havoc to her home and family in the Houston area. Punkin painted his toenails (unsupervised) a lovely shade of pink, and we adopted Putty, a 1½ year-old medium-hair tabby from the Humane Society. She is an awesome cat, very social with all of our family, incredibly tolerant of the kids, and holds her own with our dog, Jenny.
October: Both Punkin and Peanut had Saturday swimming lessons this month. Since I am a Pisces, this is mandatory. We all participated in Race for the Cure; it was Peanut’s second and Punkin’s fifth events, which is amazing when you consider their ages are just 1½ and 3 at the time of this letter. The following weekend, we all participated in the Walk for Juvenile Diabetes. Peanut got her face painted, and Punkin most enjoyed the picnic lunch of Qdoba burritos after the walk. El Jefe had four day trips to Las Vegas and one overnighter, while i spent four days in Las Vegas for their Quality Audit. Amazingly enough, i also had a day trip to Las Vegas that wasn’t for work! i attended a baby shower for my friend Amy. The month was filled with all things Halloween, especially pumpkins and Jack-O-Lanterns. My parents, Paw Paw and Nonna, visited just in time for Halloween, and Nonna accompanied both Punkin and Peanut on their first adventure of Trick-or-Treating.
November: With Nonna and Paw Paw still visiting, we all enjoyed our first Nevada Day parade in Carson City, especially Paw Paw who stayed warm and dry in the car. The following day we all discovered the Animal Ark, a sanctuary just north of town for native and not so native wildlife including cheetahs, and tigers, and bears (oh my!). El Jefe made two day trips to Las Vegas, i had two overnighters in Las Vegas, and El Jefe made a day trip (looong day trip) to Elko. On Election Day, El Jefe encountered some black ice on his early morning commute to Carson City (not flying that day); crash-tested both the guardrail and concrete barrier rail, experienced air-bag deployments first-hand, and totaled his 2001 Jeep Cherokee. He was miraculously unscathed, and the only thing wounded was his pride. Four days later, we bought a Subaru Outback, so now we really look like Northerners. The next evening, we all had dinner at the home of John and Linda Narigon, North transplants from Iowa, and met with Sandra, Donna, Barb, Manu, what’s her name, and Tammy, totaling ten current or former engineers with the Iowa DOT. (Only Sandra’s kids have any hope at a different career path, as her husband is the only non-engineer among us). On the morning of November 17th, my mom, Nonna, died very suddenly and unexpectedly, having suffered two heart attacks in a few short hours. My middle sister and i flew to Las Vegas that afternoon. El Jefe, Punkin, and Peanut joined us the following day, making the drive from the North, while my eldest sister flew in from Atlanta. My dad, Paw Paw, is holding up remarkably well after losing the love of his life after 51 years of marriage. He gained 4 pounds in the short week we were there, so we know we at least supplied some comfort food. Paw Paw spent Thanksgiving in Los Angeles with my middle sister and her family. We had a quiet Thanksgiving, just the four of us, at our home in the North. Punkin finally got the pumpkin pie he has been talking about since October.
December: El Jefe had two day trips and an overnighter in Las Vegas, while i had three overnight trips to Las Vegas. We’ve stayed with Paw Paw, although he rarely sees us because we work such ridiculous hours. One trip, the only evidence of El Jefe was an empty Foster’s left in the kitchen. i had a bender with some of my co-workers, while El Jefe braved Applebee’s alone with both Punkin and Peanut. Ms. R babysat for my Christmas party, memorable as we actually stayed out (and awake) until 2 am. i was very proud of the fuzzy handcuffs i got as a white elephant gift; Punkin seems to be enjoying them, too. Peanut has transitioned to Suite 200, and because she is 18 months old, we finally got a tuition break! Ms. R babysat again for the NDOT Construction Christmas party, held at Nevada’s oldest hotel, the Gold Hill Hotel in Virginia City. For the first time since January 8, 2005, El Jefe and I spent an entire night alone together without the kids (Thank you, Ms. R!). We got a silver tip variety of Christmas tree (half price! because we waited until the 19th); it is very reminiscent of the ones El Jefe’s family would cut down in the woods in Wisconsin. For the first time ever, we were able to use a Christmas tree skirt Nonna had made because the trunk was narrow enough to fit through the hole. It is very sweet, featuring a teddy bear family of four. How did she know that is how our immediate family would be comprised? Paw Paw drove up North with his dog, Gabby, on the 21st; El Jefe took a week off because he was in a “use it or lose it” situation with his vacation time at work; and my middle sister and her family came over the hill on the 23rd so we could all spend Christmas together in our home here in the North. While i slaved away at work, everyone enjoyed a day of ice skating at the Rink on the River. Actually, Peanut was not too thrilled, completed only one lap, and then refused to allow her skates to be removed (she’s all about shoes, and ice skates are very special shoes!). Santa brought Punkin an electric train, but Punkin was most excited by the candy canes being hauled in one of the freight cars. We also discovered Peanut is a candy cane junkie (it must be genetic), and are looking for a toddler detox program for her habit. We had a beautiful Christmas snow, opened gifts from those near, and far, and even passed, and enjoyed the madness of five kids (one of which is 84 and doesn’t believe in Santa), four very hard-working adults, two dogs, and a cat. El Jefe and Punkin had a two-hour “Parent teach your child to ski” lesson at North Star, while my middle sister and her family snowboarded and skied in the best conditions the Sierras have seen in many, many years. Peanut accompanied me at work to complete a submittal due the 26th. Peanut left plenty of evidence of her day at work between goldfish and cheerios ground into the carpet, and a veritable rainbow of highlighters on every surface that was not covered by piles of papers. We all went sledding on Saturday, and i drove back to Las Vegas with Paw Paw and Gabby on Sunday for two days of work down South. New Year’s Eve was spent here in the North, in our home, and the four of us were asleep by 9 pm.
It has been a very trying year, with lots of travel, schedule juggling (i typically works Saturdays and El Jefe works Sundays), and the gamut of challenges we face at work due to the economic meltdown we are all experiencing. We are working harder than ever, and are so grateful to remain employed. But in the end, the greatest gift of all is the love we share with our dear friends and family.
With that, it’s time for a Foster’s. We send you all our love and wishes for a prosperous new year.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)