A little swell arrived on 12/26 to allow all the beach groms to check out their new Christmas boardsTuesday, December 29, 2009
Dylan's new Christmas board gets a workout
A little swell arrived on 12/26 to allow all the beach groms to check out their new Christmas boards
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Wishing you a Merry Christmas
.jpg)
Hello family & friends,
December 2009
We hope you are enjoying this Holiday season to its fullest! It certainly is a “wonderful” time of the year. I always enjoy writing this letter and looking back at our year and realizing that we are truly blessed.
Our year was filled with travel. The children are now at an age where our travels are not just “trips” but actual vacations! We did some spring skiing in Park City, Utah. Then, we took a couple of summer trips-one to Panama and the other to New Hampshire. We used our travel benefits for quick trips to visit friends and family in Denver and Maryland. Our most recent trip was meeting Geoff on a layover in Philadelphia. We had a few hours to visit Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. Geoff & I took two “couple” getaways, both to Panama. The first trip was in March in which we paddled in the 3-day ocean to ocean Cayuco Race through the Panama Canal. The other was an October trip that we spent in a beach house reading, surfing, and relaxing.
Our children, Dylan(12), Ryan(9) and Rachel(8), are our pride, joy and occasionally frustration. Really, every year of parenting gives me a new appreciation and love for my own parents! The taste of pre-teen-dom that we are getting from Dylan makes us shudder for the teen years! But our kids are happy and healthy and we feel lucky to have these years to “get through.”
Dylan still hates school, but makes the grades. He is looking forward to finishing up at our elementary school and going to the Jr./Sr. high school next year. Dylan’s passion is playing the guitar and music. He said he either wants to be a rock star or a doctor when he gets older, the rock star coming first. I recommended a doctor who is also a rock star. I’m continually amazed at his talent. It is fun to hear him get into the music from his parents generation like Journey and Led Zepplin.
Ryan is into paintballing this year. He loves school and is our ace student. He was on the Robotics team this year and really developed his love for figuring out how to make things work and invent things. He is the one I find in the garage using daddy’s tools and supplies creating some toy or invention. After years of playing soccer, and a little lacrosse, Ryan will play flag football in January. Ryan loves reading books about the military and says he is in training to become a Navy Seal.
Rachel continues to be the person really in charge in this family! She enjoys the social aspect of school but needs a little extra help with the academic side. When asked what she is good at, she says “I’m good at communicating.” She always has a lot to say! I get a kick out of her stories of the injustices at school and how she thinks the teacher should have handled the situations. Rachel does a little of everything…Brownies, various sports and community theatre. But her true joy is playing with her friends and cousins.
When he is not working, Geoff is into his fitness pursuits. He completed his 2nd triathlon this fall. He is now training for his first half marathon in February. If there is no surf, you’ll see him running, biking or swimming. He loves to have lunch at school with the kids when he is home. Geoff is still doing a little real estate investing on the side. However, we are really evaluating the benefits of that this year with the entrance of the IRS into our lives. Not sure the time and effort equals the gains.
I am in my off-season from Survival Swimming instruction. I stay busy volunteering at school and church. I am also always in the process of trying to get our home organized and thus have new projects on which I’m working. And, I’m trying to stay healthy with running and my new fitness thing, Bikram yoga. It is this time of the year when I realize how lucky I am to have a husband who takes such good care of his family, enabling me to work just part-time in my own business; and children who teach me everyday about frustration and patience; but mostly happiness and true love!
We hope you have a wonderful Christmas season finding joy and peace in all you do. We wish you an amazing 2010!
Love, Geoff & Rebecca
Dylan, Ryan & Rachel
December 2009
We hope you are enjoying this Holiday season to its fullest! It certainly is a “wonderful” time of the year. I always enjoy writing this letter and looking back at our year and realizing that we are truly blessed.
Our year was filled with travel. The children are now at an age where our travels are not just “trips” but actual vacations! We did some spring skiing in Park City, Utah. Then, we took a couple of summer trips-one to Panama and the other to New Hampshire. We used our travel benefits for quick trips to visit friends and family in Denver and Maryland. Our most recent trip was meeting Geoff on a layover in Philadelphia. We had a few hours to visit Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. Geoff & I took two “couple” getaways, both to Panama. The first trip was in March in which we paddled in the 3-day ocean to ocean Cayuco Race through the Panama Canal. The other was an October trip that we spent in a beach house reading, surfing, and relaxing.
Our children, Dylan(12), Ryan(9) and Rachel(8), are our pride, joy and occasionally frustration. Really, every year of parenting gives me a new appreciation and love for my own parents! The taste of pre-teen-dom that we are getting from Dylan makes us shudder for the teen years! But our kids are happy and healthy and we feel lucky to have these years to “get through.”
Dylan still hates school, but makes the grades. He is looking forward to finishing up at our elementary school and going to the Jr./Sr. high school next year. Dylan’s passion is playing the guitar and music. He said he either wants to be a rock star or a doctor when he gets older, the rock star coming first. I recommended a doctor who is also a rock star. I’m continually amazed at his talent. It is fun to hear him get into the music from his parents generation like Journey and Led Zepplin.
Ryan is into paintballing this year. He loves school and is our ace student. He was on the Robotics team this year and really developed his love for figuring out how to make things work and invent things. He is the one I find in the garage using daddy’s tools and supplies creating some toy or invention. After years of playing soccer, and a little lacrosse, Ryan will play flag football in January. Ryan loves reading books about the military and says he is in training to become a Navy Seal.
Rachel continues to be the person really in charge in this family! She enjoys the social aspect of school but needs a little extra help with the academic side. When asked what she is good at, she says “I’m good at communicating.” She always has a lot to say! I get a kick out of her stories of the injustices at school and how she thinks the teacher should have handled the situations. Rachel does a little of everything…Brownies, various sports and community theatre. But her true joy is playing with her friends and cousins.
When he is not working, Geoff is into his fitness pursuits. He completed his 2nd triathlon this fall. He is now training for his first half marathon in February. If there is no surf, you’ll see him running, biking or swimming. He loves to have lunch at school with the kids when he is home. Geoff is still doing a little real estate investing on the side. However, we are really evaluating the benefits of that this year with the entrance of the IRS into our lives. Not sure the time and effort equals the gains.
I am in my off-season from Survival Swimming instruction. I stay busy volunteering at school and church. I am also always in the process of trying to get our home organized and thus have new projects on which I’m working. And, I’m trying to stay healthy with running and my new fitness thing, Bikram yoga. It is this time of the year when I realize how lucky I am to have a husband who takes such good care of his family, enabling me to work just part-time in my own business; and children who teach me everyday about frustration and patience; but mostly happiness and true love!
We hope you have a wonderful Christmas season finding joy and peace in all you do. We wish you an amazing 2010!
Love, Geoff & Rebecca
Dylan, Ryan & Rachel
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Ryan brings in a strong "Reindeer" finish placing 2nd in age group
12/12/09 marks the date of the season's highlighted activities. We start the morning out with the 5k reindeer run, followed by Breakfast with Santa, followed by float preparation and the Cocoa Beach Christmas parade, followed by the Cocoa Beach Boat parade. It is a fun filled day, and the kickoff to the joyous Christmas season here in Central Florida
Some young runners
Breanne, Ryan, Allison, Rachel and Dylan are all participants in this year's Reindeer run.
Xmas float ready to roll 12/12/09
A definite highlight of the season is the Cocoa Beach Christmas Parade. A home town parade with all the kids participating. The Indian guides float is shown here ready to take to the streets!! The Mardi Gras beads are a huge hit throughout town.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
The Liberty Bell is a hit for the family
The family met me on a Philly layover this weekend. Rebecca and the kids flew a direct MCO-PHL and braved the year's busiest travel weekend as non-revenue passengers. They preceeded me to the layover hotel at the Embassy Suites. Rebecca had the kids walking all across town in pursuit of the best Philly cheese steaks, which were not to be had. Instead, they paid a transient street dweller to show them the way to the Little Italy restaurant where I finally met them. It was then off to tourist land viewing the Independence hall and Liberty Bell, Rachel and Ryan both earning their Junior Ranger badges. Rachel impressed the ranger on duty as she answered one of his questions using her previous knowledge gained from touring the Virginia state house in Williamsburg.
A full table for thanks
What a bountiful day to be thankful for. The day started with a family run at the local "Turkey Trot" with all family members participating. Following the run Dad and Dylan met Uncle Matthew (Tio Ocho) at Perkins for a sweet Thanksgiving surf sesh. Northwest winds, clean faces and chest high top to bottom surf is certainly to be thankful for. After returning home for some final preparation of the home, the guests began to arrive. We had dinner for 32 family members. In the later hours of this fine celebration, the men's team eeked out another Trivial Pursuit victory after coming from behind
Aunt Barb and Bob join us for Thanksgiving
A special visit from Barb and Bob, in from Vero Beach make this celebration of Thanksgiving even more meaningful 
Cutting the bird 2009
Two turkeys were prepared for this year's feast for 32+ family members, 18# and 12#
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)