Hopefully this holiday greeting finds you all happy and healthy.
Our year started with several hockey weekends around Wyoming and Colorado, with Nolan getting to finish his second year of hockey, and his first here in Cheyenne. Barrett started his first year of mini-mites and got to play in a few games at our Cheyenne Jamboree in February and had a great time. In March, Barrett played with Nolan at a Billings tournament. It was pretty overwhelming competition for him, but he did touch the puck a few times and had an absolute blast earning his first trophy! We all had a great MT visit, spending time with many friends during the brief times we were not at the ice rink.
We’ve continued to enjoy our proximity to Rocky Mtn NP and Estes Park for numerous day trips, which this year included a few with family and friends. We also continue to love being just 1 ½ hrs from Denver for Rockies and Avs games. In April, we met friends there for the Frozen Four weekend festivities. Scott also met friends for the Avs vs. Red Wings game in mid-February, and enjoyed the Red Wings 4-0 win!!!
Over the summer, we enjoyed visits from friends and family during Cheyenne Frontier Days. We continue to greatly enjoy this western celebration and this year was extra special. After a weekend of Rascal Flatts concerts (Kelly went twice, once with Scott and once with the older boys), Nolan even tried muttonbustin’ (sheep riding)! He did so well that not only did he win, but his ride was also shown on Good Morning America the following Sunday during a nice story about CFD (Thanks so much to Julie Rees for noticing this on tv, or we may have never known!). Nolan won a buckle, a trophy and a new pair of Justin boots for his efforts. As it turns out, the GMA video story also had a split-second of our family and Kelly’s parents watching one of the CFD parades! He even tried mutton bustin’ again at the County Fair a few weeks later, and Barrett was also part of the stick-horse barrel racing competition at the Fair! Please let us know if you would like to visit during Frontier Days for the rodeos, concerts, or our favorite part when the USAF Thunderbirds are performing right over our house! We would love to have you!
TRAVIS' TRIBUNE
Travis is continuing to develop very well. He is not quite walking yet and talking some, but he is learning a lot being the youngest of 3 boys. He continues to be content spending a lot of time at the ice rink, with several other parents there referring to him as “the team baby.” We can’t imagine it will be long after he starts walking before he is trying to keep up skating (Kelly already bought him some tiny skates!). Travis will get tubes in his ears and adenoids removed Dec. 23rd, but he will feel much better and hopefully be done with his recurring ear infections from the past year.
We recently confirmed that he has Neurofibromatosis 1 so he’ll be monitored for that. It does not affect him or need any treatment, but instead is just good to know in case any significant symptoms may show up later in life.
BARRETT'S BAZOO
Barrett’s biggest accomplishments this year have been starting pre-school 3 mornings a week, and learning a ton at several sessions of swimming lessons. Now almost 5 years old, he is really swimming well and does not need a float belt anymore! Barrett was very excited to be able to beat Nolan in several swimming races during one of our recent hotel stays! After his 1st morning of preschool, Kelly surprised him with a quick trip down to Denver for some quality time with just Mom and an afternoon Rockies game! He will turn 5 in January and will start Kindergarten in fall 2009. Barrett also continued playing hockey in the fall and has been learning a lot.
Barrett also “graduated” from his vision therapy in March! He still has his glasses, but his hard work with Dr. Cotton and at home has really improved his vision and the world has opened up before him!
NOLAN'S NEWS
Nolan just turned 7 and started 1st grade in the Trailblazer program in the fall, and is continuing to do a great job at school. He continues to be very active in addition to school, hockey and his Frontier Days fun, with this year’s activities also including music/piano classes, Sunday School, baseball, and a couple sessions of swimming lessons. Hockey is where his heart is though, and he spent a week in Denver over the summer at hockey camp at the Univ of Denver. He made the team of top skilled group of 8 and Under kids in the fall. Almost all of the kids on his team are 8, and Nolan is the youngest on the team by 8 months! This means he has to work extra hard to keep up, but he is doing great and learning a lot now that the kids are playing full-ice games. Instead of getting presents from his friends at his “golden birthday” (turning 7 on the 7th) party, he decided to donate money to help the sea otters at Monterey Bay Aquarium. Kelly created a great party with one of her signature cakes for the occasion and the kids had a great time!
SCOTT AND KELLY HAVE BEEN MARRIED 10 YEARS!
We will celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary on December 30th, and thanks to Kelly’s parents babysitting in late October we were able to take a week long trip to northern California to celebrate. While there we saw Jimmy Buffett in concert for the first time, spent time driving along the beautiful coast, including an afternoon in Monterey, and even a day in wine country for some tasting room visits. On our final day, we toured the Jelly Belly factory before spending another day driving along the coast. We realized how much we miss the Pacific !
KELLY'S KORNER
Kelly’s year has been filled with “hockey mom” fun and frustration (mostly fun). She even drove through some wicked winter weather to get Nolan and friends home from a jamboree in Pueblo, CO.
She had surgery in April, but recovered very quickly and now thankfully does not have to deal with the recurring excruciating pains that have affected her for the past several years. Her quality of life has increased significantly this year, and we are very thankful for that.
The boys continue to keep her very busy with activities and just day to day life with Scott’s rotating work schedule keeping us all on our toes.
Kelly took a few belly-dancing classes taught by one of our friends this year.
She has been extra busy this fall taking on the role of managing two of our 8 and under hockey teams, and helping with numerous other hockey-related issues.
SCOTT'S STORY
Scott continues to work for the National Weather Service here in Cheyenne. It continues to be a challenge, but is also a great learning experience. He was chosen to be the new Incident Meteorologist (IMET) for the Cheyenne office which will bring potential dispatches to wildfire camps, or hazardous materials incidents to provide weather support.
Scott has increased his involvement with the local hockey association. He was elected to the board of directors in the spring, and continues to also run the web-site for the association. In addition, he was asked to be the overall coordinator of our 8 and under hockey division, and helps coach three of the four skill levels in the 8 and under when his job allows. Friends through coaching convinced him to try to play “Old Puckers” hockey on Sunday evenings, which is great exercise and a lot of fun with the players ranging from senior citizens to high school kids.
Although he and Nolan did not reach their goal of hiking Flattop Mtn in RMNP this summer, the family did enjoy numerous hkes in CO and WY. Next year, Flattop Mtn!
Other than that, he is trying to figure out why more people did not vote for him for President, now that he is eligible!
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009!
We’ll be along the Front Range for the holidays, and Scott will finish up a set of midnight shifts Christmas morning. We plan to head to the mountains with friends for a snow-shoeing adventure before school starts up again. 2009 will continue to be very active with kids activities, Travis becoming more mobile, much training for Scott as he takes on the IMET duties, and Barrett starting Kindergarten in the fall.
We wish you and your family a happy and healthy 2009!
