This last year has been pretty difficult for me employment-wise. I work for Ameron Global, Inc. and we were approached about a year ago by a company interested in purchasing the business. For the last year it has been especially stressful working to get the company sold knowing that the sale would most likely result in my employment being terminated. Being a CFO, a buyer would most likely already have top accounting personnel and I would not be needed. Also, there would not be a realistic position for me with what was going to be left with Ameron. With negotiations going on, and constant bickering by the buyer, the deal died this last week. I can breathe again knowing I still have my job. Of course the question can be asked, if the owners were trying to sell the company then, would they try to find another buyer now? I don't really know, but the airline industry is not doing well and companies are not selling for what they did a year ago. At least I get some sort of reprieve. Now the lawsuit phase commences.
Anyway, to celebrate our life being taken off hold, we booked an Alaskan cruise for our anniversary in August. We leave August 9th for a week round-trip out of Seattle. We took an Alaskan cruise 4 years ago to celebrate our 25th anniversary. That was our first cruise ever and now we are hooked. Steven will be at home to take care of the house and the dog. The great thing is the crusie is only about 6 weeks away so we don;t have to look forward to it for 6+ months like our previous cruises. Because of the late booking we got a very good price as the cruise line tries to fill the unsold rooms. As fate would have it, we are on the same ship as we took to Mexico for Brenda's wedding.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Fun Stuff
So I am convinced that I have some of the best kids ever. We have discovered that as the children get older it becomes more difficult to celebrate holidays and just get together. With Katy and Brenda married, they now have to schedule things around their husband's family also. Case in point, Father's Day. Brenda and Mike are away this Father's Day weekend so we celebrated a week early. The three kids planned a family outing and did a great job keeping it a surprise for me. Katy somehow found someone in her apartment with connections and we all went to the Magic Castle in Hollywood for dinner and the shows. The food was okay, but really too expensive for what we got. The shows were pretty good. We liked the close-up magician the best. Steven met a older couple sitting next to them at one of the shows. By the end of the night they seemed as if best friends, exchanging emails and home addresses. In all, it was a great time and so thoughtful of my great children.
Sue and I bought ourselves a Wii a few weeks ago. Brenda bought one and we liked it so much we bought ourselves one and seem to play it almost every night. I saw the sooooooo many commercials on TV and thought it really looked stupid, but it is a lot of fun. It is probably so much better for us than just sitting around all night watching tv. We get some exercise bowling, playing golf, and tennis. As evidenced by the picture below, I think I have mastered the bowling game.
I finished the game before this with 6 straight strikes, then a 300-perfect game of 12 more strikes. I am afraid to play again to ruin my 18-strike streak.
For those who have been concerned about how our garden is doing, be at ease. It is doing very well. We have been feasting on radishes, lettuce, and zucchini (Sue only of course). We have tomatoes that are starting to grow and our corn will be ready for consumption in a week or two.
Yesterday I was showing Rebekah the garden and to my surprise, she pointed at the apples on the tree and said "apple" clear as day. She is getting cuter as she gets older. Last week while visiting I left the room and she came running after me saying gampa gampa.
This last week I finished CERT training, Community Emergency Response Team. It was a seven-week course teaching me how to be a responder for an emergency situation. We learned first aid, search and rescue, emegency preparedness and some other things. At the conclusion we were all given a nifty CERT backpack with our green helmet, green vest, and some other supplies.
One last note, Sue visited someone the other day and she made a comment about me that made me think. She said she could tell how much I adored my wife. At first I thought, that was strange. Then the more I thought about it, the better I felt. I am glad people can tell how much I love my wife, and I do more than they can realize. We have heard of soul companions, but I think Sue and I go beyond that. I hope Katy, Brenda, and Steven realize how much their parents are still in love and how they and their families make us complete.
Sue and I bought ourselves a Wii a few weeks ago. Brenda bought one and we liked it so much we bought ourselves one and seem to play it almost every night. I saw the sooooooo many commercials on TV and thought it really looked stupid, but it is a lot of fun. It is probably so much better for us than just sitting around all night watching tv. We get some exercise bowling, playing golf, and tennis. As evidenced by the picture below, I think I have mastered the bowling game.
I finished the game before this with 6 straight strikes, then a 300-perfect game of 12 more strikes. I am afraid to play again to ruin my 18-strike streak.
For those who have been concerned about how our garden is doing, be at ease. It is doing very well. We have been feasting on radishes, lettuce, and zucchini (Sue only of course). We have tomatoes that are starting to grow and our corn will be ready for consumption in a week or two.
Yesterday I was showing Rebekah the garden and to my surprise, she pointed at the apples on the tree and said "apple" clear as day. She is getting cuter as she gets older. Last week while visiting I left the room and she came running after me saying gampa gampa.
This last week I finished CERT training, Community Emergency Response Team. It was a seven-week course teaching me how to be a responder for an emergency situation. We learned first aid, search and rescue, emegency preparedness and some other things. At the conclusion we were all given a nifty CERT backpack with our green helmet, green vest, and some other supplies.
One last note, Sue visited someone the other day and she made a comment about me that made me think. She said she could tell how much I adored my wife. At first I thought, that was strange. Then the more I thought about it, the better I felt. I am glad people can tell how much I love my wife, and I do more than they can realize. We have heard of soul companions, but I think Sue and I go beyond that. I hope Katy, Brenda, and Steven realize how much their parents are still in love and how they and their families make us complete.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Katy
Today is Katy's birthday. It seems like just yesterday she was a little infant in our arms.
Katy was a great child. Her mom and dad lost Katy's older sister, Robin, during childbirth and so looked forward to this little baby girl born June 1, 1981 in Northridge. When her mom was pregnant she had gall stones and had to suffer a few months before she was far along in her pregnancy that she could have surgery to remove her gall bladder. Then when Katy was born, after one week she became deathly ill. She was admitted to Children's Hospital in Hollywood for a week being treated for Sepsis, a blood infection. As a young child Katy always loved aninmals. A bit of trivia, her nickname came from her dad calling her KD for her initials and it developed into Katy.
Katy always loved music. As a child she would sing at home and in church. In Junior High she learned the Clarinet and played in band. She also took her dad's old saxaphone and played it for a while. She continued on into high school and was in marching band and concert band. Hard to believe with her mom as a piano teacher, that Katy taught herself how to play. In high school she was the accompianist for the school's top singing group. She still plays for church and teaches a few students. Katy graduated from El Camino and went on to CSUN. She worked with her father for a few years at Pacific Theatres, worked at Waterpic, and at Sierra Canyon School.
On March 12, 2007, Katy and Danior were blessed with their own baby girl, Rebekah Louise. We always knew what a great mother Katy would be and she has proven us right. Katy, we love you very much. You make us proud.
Katy was a great child. Her mom and dad lost Katy's older sister, Robin, during childbirth and so looked forward to this little baby girl born June 1, 1981 in Northridge. When her mom was pregnant she had gall stones and had to suffer a few months before she was far along in her pregnancy that she could have surgery to remove her gall bladder. Then when Katy was born, after one week she became deathly ill. She was admitted to Children's Hospital in Hollywood for a week being treated for Sepsis, a blood infection. As a young child Katy always loved aninmals. A bit of trivia, her nickname came from her dad calling her KD for her initials and it developed into Katy.
Katy always did exceptional in school, never a problem. As a young girl she was a Daisy, a Brownie and Girl Scout. She loved (and still does) to draw and paint. No one knows where she got her artistic talent from as both her mom and dad have very little of it. She has always been very kind and loving, except for teaming up with her sister to pick on Steven. She was very good at math and science during school (and she still is). She is the Jeopardy queen of such subjects.
Katy always loved music. As a child she would sing at home and in church. In Junior High she learned the Clarinet and played in band. She also took her dad's old saxaphone and played it for a while. She continued on into high school and was in marching band and concert band. Hard to believe with her mom as a piano teacher, that Katy taught herself how to play. In high school she was the accompianist for the school's top singing group. She still plays for church and teaches a few students. Katy graduated from El Camino and went on to CSUN. She worked with her father for a few years at Pacific Theatres, worked at Waterpic, and at Sierra Canyon School.
Katy met Danior at the LDS institute at CSUN. She had bike trouble and Danior was kind enough to assist her. They dated for a while and were sealed in the Los Angeles temple May 28, 2005. Danior currently works for an accounting firm and Katy works at home managing their apartment complex.
On March 12, 2007, Katy and Danior were blessed with their own baby girl, Rebekah Louise. We always knew what a great mother Katy would be and she has proven us right. Katy, we love you very much. You make us proud.
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