Dear Friends and Family,
Happy Holidays!!
We hope this holiday season finds you and your family in good health and with much happiness in your lives.
Your year has probably been busier than ours.... as ours has been more low key than in year past.
We are FINALLY finding times where we actually fell "retired." We like it.
Nick, Nicole, Mat and Katie are all working and challenged by their jobs.
Colton is in his second year of preschool and continues to be excited about everything.
While in Portland we work on our home and yard and attend medical appointments.
While in Seattle/Bellevue we are focused on what we can do to help.
The year has flown by.
Happy Holidays!!
We hope this holiday season finds you and your family in good health and with much happiness in your lives.
Your year has probably been busier than ours.... as ours has been more low key than in year past.
We are FINALLY finding times where we actually fell "retired." We like it.
Nick, Nicole, Mat and Katie are all working and challenged by their jobs.
Colton is in his second year of preschool and continues to be excited about everything.
While in Portland we work on our home and yard and attend medical appointments.
While in Seattle/Bellevue we are focused on what we can do to help.
The year has flown by.
Matt has really increased his airline miles and hotel points thanks to Amazon.
While very challenged as a member of many teams and projects in Logistics, he has traveled mainly to LA and Phoenix.
Katie holds down their "new" 1920 Ballard bungalow while working full time at Callison Architecture Firm.
Within two months of moving in, their home was amazingly refreshed and decorated.
"Wrigley" is happy as long as he is with Katie and/or Matt, so he has adjusted well to their new home.
He and his cousin Nash love to run, wrestle, chase balls, swim and play together.
Wrigley has even beaten Nash swimming in Lake Washington (a new first).
While very challenged as a member of many teams and projects in Logistics, he has traveled mainly to LA and Phoenix.
Katie holds down their "new" 1920 Ballard bungalow while working full time at Callison Architecture Firm.
Within two months of moving in, their home was amazingly refreshed and decorated.
"Wrigley" is happy as long as he is with Katie and/or Matt, so he has adjusted well to their new home.
He and his cousin Nash love to run, wrestle, chase balls, swim and play together.
Wrigley has even beaten Nash swimming in Lake Washington (a new first).
Colton's 4th Birthday Disneyland Halloween Colton's Reptile Birthday
Halloween and Matt's Birthday
Nick is still enjoying the continuous challenges of Oracle.
He is still traveling and working long hours (luckily many at home).
Being the Seattle Sports meister that he is, Nick went to the Seahawks Football playoff in New Jersey.
A true highlight for him and family. So of course Colton had to experience the parade...
Quite the year.
Nicole started at Brenthaven (www.brenthaven.com) where she is working with all their marketing aspects.
We love how excited, challenged and happy she is with her job. She negotiated to keep her same schedule.
So she has her Friday with Colton, however she is in constant contact with her work on Fridays.
Nick is still enjoying the continuous challenges of Oracle.
He is still traveling and working long hours (luckily many at home).
Being the Seattle Sports meister that he is, Nick went to the Seahawks Football playoff in New Jersey.
A true highlight for him and family. So of course Colton had to experience the parade...
Quite the year.
Nicole started at Brenthaven (www.brenthaven.com) where she is working with all their marketing aspects.
We love how excited, challenged and happy she is with her job. She negotiated to keep her same schedule.
So she has her Friday with Colton, however she is in constant contact with her work on Fridays.
QB Russell Wilson N&C @ Space Needle N&C viewing Wilson The 12th Man 9 hr drive back to Pdx
Colton is in school 4 days a week and his scheduled "activities" have started.
He is in swimming, soccer, baseball and tennis, however PLAYING is still his top priority.
His imagination and teasing gets out of hand frequently.
We have spent wonderful hours in the Seattle Zoo, Aquarium, Science Center, Parks and @ their home.
We are focused on puzzles and Common Core (which we are liking more and more).
He is in swimming, soccer, baseball and tennis, however PLAYING is still his top priority.
His imagination and teasing gets out of hand frequently.
We have spent wonderful hours in the Seattle Zoo, Aquarium, Science Center, Parks and @ their home.
We are focused on puzzles and Common Core (which we are liking more and more).
We are still organizing and finishing projects in our home, but the intensity has lessened. (YEA!)
In April we had a new roof put on so everything had to come out of the attic, so that was completely gone through.
The garage and shed are at the top of the list for 2015 projects.
In june Heiko Kramer (Bill's German coworker's son who lived with us for 3 months in 2000)
came to US and proposed to his girlfriend Bettina at the Grand Canyon.
They did the usual German US trip...
Grand Canyon, Las Vegas,LA, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle and NY in less than 2 weeks...
We tried to show them as much of our area as time allowed.
We were able to hit Portland City Grill, downtown Pdx, our waterfront, The Pearl, Lizzie Borden Play,
Seaside, Cannon Beach, Otter Crest, Timberline, Multnomah Falls and Seattle.
Katie and Matt took over in Seattle and had a BarBQ along with a visit to a Ballard Garage Brewery....
Very fun to have them here....
In April we had a new roof put on so everything had to come out of the attic, so that was completely gone through.
The garage and shed are at the top of the list for 2015 projects.
In june Heiko Kramer (Bill's German coworker's son who lived with us for 3 months in 2000)
came to US and proposed to his girlfriend Bettina at the Grand Canyon.
They did the usual German US trip...
Grand Canyon, Las Vegas,LA, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle and NY in less than 2 weeks...
We tried to show them as much of our area as time allowed.
We were able to hit Portland City Grill, downtown Pdx, our waterfront, The Pearl, Lizzie Borden Play,
Seaside, Cannon Beach, Otter Crest, Timberline, Multnomah Falls and Seattle.
Katie and Matt took over in Seattle and had a BarBQ along with a visit to a Ballard Garage Brewery....
Very fun to have them here....
Newly engaged Heiko and Bettina with Bill @ Otter Crest
Timberline @ Mt Hood Cycle Saloon in Seattle Ballard Garage Brewery
We lost both of our cats this year. Tiko in March and Meko in August.
There were 21 years old and the sweetest cats ever. A little spoiled maybe....
but during so many difficult times, their purring was priceless.
We lost both of our cats this year. Tiko in March and Meko in August.
There were 21 years old and the sweetest cats ever. A little spoiled maybe....
but during so many difficult times, their purring was priceless.
Dealing with Bill's Parkinson continues.
More falling has been occurring but he continues to work around the house and yard, bike, hike a little and hit tennis balls.
Another incident resulting in more broken ribs happened the end of June.
He is truly defiant in his determination.
Once again his doctors/medical team have gone over and above.
They have thought outside of the box and added 3-4 more people to help Bill deal with PD.
They have been great and Bill appears to be determined to do what needs to be done.
We are sooooo THANKFUL that Kaiser is providing "Health Care Designed for Your Life".
Bill just needs to follow through.
More falling has been occurring but he continues to work around the house and yard, bike, hike a little and hit tennis balls.
Another incident resulting in more broken ribs happened the end of June.
He is truly defiant in his determination.
Once again his doctors/medical team have gone over and above.
They have thought outside of the box and added 3-4 more people to help Bill deal with PD.
They have been great and Bill appears to be determined to do what needs to be done.
We are sooooo THANKFUL that Kaiser is providing "Health Care Designed for Your Life".
Bill just needs to follow through.