Happy Holidays everyone! I hope that this letter finds all of you in good health and happiness.
2008 has been an interesting year for Zac and I. Right before Christmas last year, when we were driving back from visiting family in Michigan, we hit a deer with the Volvo in Iowa. Somehow the car kept running (thanks to Zac’s amazing ability to keep “junk” running) and we were able to make it back to Colorado safely… it just took a bit more time as we could only drive during daylight. When we got back to Colorado we began a search for a replacement vehicle. We found a 1993 Subaru Legacy on Craig’s List and were a bit hasty in buying it. As a result, we ended up with a car that didn’t have a working “reverse” and needed a new radiator. The girl wouldn’t take the car back and give us our money back. :-( So… I took the major plunge and decided to lease a car since, at least that way, I could be sure that I’d have a vehicle that was 100% reliable. I got a 2008 Subaru Outback. So far, so good. The rest of the winter and spring were pretty uneventful. Zac and I still haven’t taken “the plunge” and gotten married. Hopefully that happens soon. :-)
Zac spent the year working construction near our home in Fairplay. He had the opportunity to build his first log home which he really enjoyed. Now, maybe one day, he can build us one. It turned out really well and he’s very proud of it. I continued to work at Wells Fargo bank in Breckenridge and part-time at Bahnhof Sport until August when the bank was starting to change some things and I didn’t like what they were doing so I gave my notice. I decided to go back to working full time at the Bahnhof in Breckenridge. I am pleased with this decision as it is much less stressful than the bank and more fun. The pay is better too. :-)
In June/July, I had the opportunity to take 2 weeks of paid vacation and visit my family and some of Zac’s family in Michigan. It was nice to have that time off and to enjoy the Great Lakes. I miss the water, living in Colorado. I spent most of the time relaxing and hanging out with my parents at Bay Harbor since Dad is working for Walstrom’s Marina there. It was just really good to see everyone and enjoy some “down” time.
In the spring, the New Kids on the Block announced that they were reuniting and releasing a new album. Yeah!!! They’ve been my favorite singing group since I was 11 years old. Not long after announcing the reunion (by appearing on The Today Show), they announced that they would be doing a tour as well. This announcement took the cake since I didn’t get to see them in concert back in the 80’s and early 90’s. They came to Denver on November 14, 2008 and performed at the Broomfield Event Center. In addition to being able to see them in concert, I also got to meet them through a meet and greet opportunity. I was in heaven!! If you want to read about the entire experience, check out below.
Another major thing that has happened this year is that I have become a CASA volunteer. If you don’t know what CASA is, check out this website: http://www.nationalcasa.org/. Basically, I volunteer about 20 hours a month and my “job” is to get to know a family that is involved in a dependency and neglect case. Then I write a report for the judge for each court hearing that follows. The cool thing is that I get to have an impact on a family and I get to be the kids’ voice to the judge. You spend approximately 1 to 1 ½ years on a single case. When that case is closed, you are released as the CASA and take on another case. It’s cool because, lots of the time, the family and the kids see all kinds of different people in that time and the CASA is the only person that is guaranteed to remain on the case from beginning to end. It’s something that is constant in their changing lives. I love having such an impact on children’s lives.
Well, I think that about covers our year. Not too crazy… just enough. :-)
2008 has been an interesting year for Zac and I. Right before Christmas last year, when we were driving back from visiting family in Michigan, we hit a deer with the Volvo in Iowa. Somehow the car kept running (thanks to Zac’s amazing ability to keep “junk” running) and we were able to make it back to Colorado safely… it just took a bit more time as we could only drive during daylight. When we got back to Colorado we began a search for a replacement vehicle. We found a 1993 Subaru Legacy on Craig’s List and were a bit hasty in buying it. As a result, we ended up with a car that didn’t have a working “reverse” and needed a new radiator. The girl wouldn’t take the car back and give us our money back. :-( So… I took the major plunge and decided to lease a car since, at least that way, I could be sure that I’d have a vehicle that was 100% reliable. I got a 2008 Subaru Outback. So far, so good. The rest of the winter and spring were pretty uneventful. Zac and I still haven’t taken “the plunge” and gotten married. Hopefully that happens soon. :-)
Zac spent the year working construction near our home in Fairplay. He had the opportunity to build his first log home which he really enjoyed. Now, maybe one day, he can build us one. It turned out really well and he’s very proud of it. I continued to work at Wells Fargo bank in Breckenridge and part-time at Bahnhof Sport until August when the bank was starting to change some things and I didn’t like what they were doing so I gave my notice. I decided to go back to working full time at the Bahnhof in Breckenridge. I am pleased with this decision as it is much less stressful than the bank and more fun. The pay is better too. :-)
In June/July, I had the opportunity to take 2 weeks of paid vacation and visit my family and some of Zac’s family in Michigan. It was nice to have that time off and to enjoy the Great Lakes. I miss the water, living in Colorado. I spent most of the time relaxing and hanging out with my parents at Bay Harbor since Dad is working for Walstrom’s Marina there. It was just really good to see everyone and enjoy some “down” time.
In the spring, the New Kids on the Block announced that they were reuniting and releasing a new album. Yeah!!! They’ve been my favorite singing group since I was 11 years old. Not long after announcing the reunion (by appearing on The Today Show), they announced that they would be doing a tour as well. This announcement took the cake since I didn’t get to see them in concert back in the 80’s and early 90’s. They came to Denver on November 14, 2008 and performed at the Broomfield Event Center. In addition to being able to see them in concert, I also got to meet them through a meet and greet opportunity. I was in heaven!! If you want to read about the entire experience, check out below.
Another major thing that has happened this year is that I have become a CASA volunteer. If you don’t know what CASA is, check out this website: http://www.nationalcasa.org/. Basically, I volunteer about 20 hours a month and my “job” is to get to know a family that is involved in a dependency and neglect case. Then I write a report for the judge for each court hearing that follows. The cool thing is that I get to have an impact on a family and I get to be the kids’ voice to the judge. You spend approximately 1 to 1 ½ years on a single case. When that case is closed, you are released as the CASA and take on another case. It’s cool because, lots of the time, the family and the kids see all kinds of different people in that time and the CASA is the only person that is guaranteed to remain on the case from beginning to end. It’s something that is constant in their changing lives. I love having such an impact on children’s lives.
Well, I think that about covers our year. Not too crazy… just enough. :-)
