Holiday e-news Year in Review

2005 was a very eventful year highlighted by our relocation from Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin to Mankato, MN. Laura "Side Track" has taken an executive marketing position with the Wedding Division of The Occasions Group (a privately held subsidiary of the Taylor Corporation – no relation). Alex "Buzz Daddy" has returned to corporate America to help IRG, a Taylor owned start-up organization with business development strategies and execution. As he puts it, the pay is better than he paid himself and the hours are much more predictable.

Sadly we left a wonderful community, terrific schools and dear friends and neighbors. The only hiccup was when we lost our fish in a car accident that totaled our Van in Rochester, MN during the move. So now we have a new van and new fish. Other than that, it was a pretty uneventful move.

One major positive is our proximity to the Becks, (Laura’s sister’s family). It’s great to get the cousins together and watch the kids play.

Ellie "The Belly Bean" has migrated to Garfield Middle School, Addy "Boots" and Maggie "The Chalupa" (4th and 3rd grade respectively) to Jefferson Elementary and Ike "BD" spends most of his days at Techni-Kids, Day Care sponsored by one of the local colleges. And when they are at home they are carefully watched by Ashley Hoehn, who rules with an IRON FIST. She’s the BEST!

Our summer vacation took us to Beaver Creek, CO to stay with family friends (the Dorfman’s), then up to Jackson, Wyoming to stay visit the Chidsey’s (Taylor family friends and Alex’s Godfather). We managed to squeeze in Yellowstone and Mt. Rushmore on our way back to Minnesota. All in all it was an amazing trip, and the kids were terrific.

We also managed to get up to the cabin to visit Laura’s folks (Pat and Harlin) which is always a fun time of boating, swimming, eating and goofing off. Unfortunately this fall, Pat was diagnosed with early stages of Alzheimer’s. So we are hopeful and prayerful things work out and our spirits remain high. We are all learning as much as we can so that we can help and make all of our transitions/adjustments as smooth as possible.

However, one thing is constant in our lives. and that’s chaos. Ellie plays softball, guitar, piano, swims, acts and dances Jazz. Addy plays volleyball, violin, swims and does gymnastics and theater. Maggie plays softball, guitar, swims, theater and gymnastics. Oh and Ike… he simply plays. As you can imagine, there is lots of running around and activity all the time.

Tootsie still chews stuff like a puppy and Alex swears she is getting better, meanwhile Laura simply swears. Koko, is our grand old dame and lumbers around the house looking for comfortable places to nap. Truman (the cat), generally minds his own business and doesn’t seem traumatized by our chaotic lives.

Laura swims regularly to stay in shape, and Alex continues to run long and far. This fall, he managed to run 3 marathons in 5 weeks: starting with Crazy Pete and his sister in the Twin Cities Marathon, then with Crazy Pete again in the Mason City Marathon and concluding in the New York City Marathon. Alex took Ellie with him to New York and stayed with the Dorfman’s (again!) both in Manhattan and the Hamptons. What a great family. Alex and Ellie had a marvelous time.

Laura graciously gave Alex hall passes to attend two Hawkeye football games: one with his old pal Mark Koepke and the other with Brian (his brother in-law). During both trips Alex stayed with his Godmother, JoAnn. She is such a patient person with him and his antics. Anyway, Go Hawks in the Outback Bowl on Jan. 2nd.

In sad news Alex’s Aunt Sally passed away just before Thanksgiving. Alex and his sister Emily went to California for the funeral. Along with cousins Erica, Kim, Tim and Steve it was a nice funeral with and a glorious send-off befitting of Sally and her sense of family and fun. It should also be mentioned that Alex’s cousin “Taylor” Vernon also passed. He will be remembered as a very kind and gentle man.

On a lighter note, we’d like to thank our many guests and friends who have visited or will soon visit: This year the Pellecia’s from Menomonee Falls stopped by and toured the area, it was a lot of fun to see them.

Of course many family members have stopped by to see the new digs. And for the holidays, JoAnn (Alex’s Godmother) and Uncle Brinz (Laura’s brother) will visit. Shortly after their visit, our neighbors from Menomonee Falls, (Tami, Adam and Lindsay Menting) will come up on their way to the Maul of America. They will return later in the Spring for a Badger hockey match against the local Minnesota State Mavericks.

And the crazy year will end and New Year will start appropriately. Crazy Pete and his dork kids will be here for December 31, NIDDE (New Insane Dumbass Diver’s Eve). The following morning, to start off the New Year, Crazy and Alex will submerse themselves (sans wet suits) in Lake Minnetonka. Should be a bracingly dumb way to launch more adventures to come in 2006 -what a pair of idiots, it's no wonder they haven't institutionalized.

Anyway, that should do it for now. Happy Holidays and warm regards for a terrific New Year with many friends, family, adventures and good times.