Looking back: a note for 2012

To the year 2012,

For all your haste in arriving, you’ve really been in a hurry to leave. You really should have settled in, gotten comfortable. A cold beverage might have helped (particularly in August). Don’t get us wrong—we’ve seen many years come and go (some of us more than others), and each of you have your own personality quirks. Quite frankly, we couldn’t wait for some of your colleagues to go away. We are looking forward to the arrival of 2013—it has a lot of potential, like you did—but 2012, we appreciate that despite all your faults you were fairly good to us.

After previous years that treated us with the snowpocalypse and an earthquake, there was a concerted effort by 2012 to stand out. After a mild winter and spring, late June brought a super derecho—a string of violent thunderstorms and prolonged high winds that uprooted trees across the region. Then July brought excessive heat warnings as the combination of temperature and miserable humidity took heat indexes above 110 degrees—next time you microwave a burrito, we can tell you what it feels like inside the wrapper. Hurricane Sandy passed through in October—while we spent a nervous night with no power and high winds, in the end we were extremely lucky compared to those farther northeast.

Games by flashlight after Hurricane Sandy knocked out the power.

 

We did find some great weather this year—when DC-area is good, it tends to be unbelievably good. We enjoyed many nights at ballparks, in our backyard, and at other local attractions. We also made our way to Erie, Pa., for a baseball tournament for DJ. A short drive from the ballpark was Lake Erie, and we loved it—warm freshwater, gorgeous beaches, and minimal crowds. We also made the short drive from there to Cleveland, where we spent a day at the Rock ‘N’Roll Hall of Fame, and then a gorgeous night at Jacobs Field (or whatever they call it nowdays) watching baseball.

Above: Lake Erie--who knew? Below: Cleveland rocks!

 

 

Nights at the ballpark continue to be a staple in our house. While the Red Sox had a rotten year—2012 will NOT be receiving any thank you notes from Sox fans—we all caught a bad case of Natitude as the Washington Nationals had a great year and were fun on-and-off the field. We were able to attend a couple games, both followed by on-field concerts (The Wallflowers on a cold, rainy July evening, and Dierks Bentley on a gorgeous September afternoon). Jason and Yvonne managed to get tickets to Washington’s first home playoff baseball game since 1933, and then played hooky from work when the game was moved to mid-day. Even though the Nats lost, it was awesome to be part of the excitement.

 

Colin played for the high school’s JV team and a local Babe Ruth team, mostly at catcher. He learned the meaning of “tired” after once catching 15 innings over three games in two days—and then pitching the last two innings in relief. He loves catching—it’s the right mix for him: He controls the game on defense, and he gets a lot of contact. He continues to improve there. This winter he decided to wrestle for the first time in his life, and is wrestling varsity at 126 pounds even though he’s having a hard time keeping weight on (you can imagine how much we feel for him).

 

 

 

We heard tales of Melissa’s slow-pitch exploits while at Idaho State for school. The game is in her heart, and she loves to be on the field when it fits into her school schedule. While home during the summer she helped Jason coach Levi’s team, and we all headed to the park several times to play catch or hit whiffle balls. That’s just what we do.

Levi played machine pitch this year again, on the same team with many of his friends from the neighborhood. His lefty swing seemed to be most dangerous when it really mattered. During one critical late inning at-bat, Yvonne heard some older kids point at Levi as he walked to the plate and say “watch this kid, he is CLUTCH.” He plays hard, but a smile is never far away. He’s been to his siblings’ games since he was born, so his familiarity with the inner workings of the game is not only obvious, but understandable. He also played a second year of soccer, which he enjoyed. He scored a few goals, but really just enjoyed competing with his friends.

 

Dylan played majors again this year, working hard to earn the positions he wants to play: Catcher and third base. He remained mostly in the outfield, where he worked hard to contribute. It paid off during a critical three-game series at the end of the year, when he made several spectacular catches in the outfield as his team won two of three to seal the league championship, then went on to win the city championship. One catch in particularly will remain legendary (even if it’s just in our house)—a second-to-last inning, two-out, bases-loaded missile hit over his head while his team clung to a two-run lead. Everyone knew it was gone…except DJ, who read it perfectly, spun and sprinted toward the fence, then leaped at the last minute to make the catch.  He’s also playing basketball this year, again. He’s fun to watch.

Above: "The Catch"
Below: Levi acted as batboy for the DJ's all-star team. DJ wasn't the only one to get a high-five on the way to the plate.



Carson also played Babe Ruth, on the same team as Colin. We loved watching them in the field together. Carson simply plays the game right, and is capable of playing anywhere on the field—a trait his coaches appreciate. He also helped Jason coach Levi’s team—he understands the fundamentals very well and is a good teacher for the young players.

Carson made another impact on our community baseball diamond this year when he planned, organized, and conducted his Eagle Scout project in April. It was a great match for Carson’s love of baseball, and for his handyman skills. Under his direction, a large group of people tore out and replaced crumbling spectator stands and dugout benches, painted faded utility buildings, and improved spectator viewing areas. Levi’s team was the first to play on the newly renovated field, so it was cool for all of us to be there when people showed up and were stunned by the improvements.

Above: part of the crew preparing the area for new spectator bleachers. Below: Levi, our friend Will Ortiz, Carson, and DJ (in the wheelbarrow) ready to go home after the project.

 

 

Colin completed his Eagle project, too, planting trees and shrubs in mid-June at the Monocacy National Battlefield just south of our town. We learned about the battlefield (where the “battle that saved Washington” occurred) and were honored to work where union soldiers held their final line of defense. Under Colin’s direction, with mostly volunteers from our ward and oversight from the National Park Service, more than 200 plants were placed in the ground.

 

We drove back to view the plants--and a lot more--in August when our great friend from Las Vegas, Alex Piet, came to visit for the week. It was a blast showing off the area to someone who had never visited. We packed a lot into a few days. Jason, Carson, and Alex spent a full day of sightseeing in D.C., and we all went to Hershey Park for a fun day of roller coasters and chocolate.

 

 

We love having guests, although it doesn’t happen very frequently. If you’re thinking of being in the area, give us a holler…

Melissa is in her junior year at Idaho State and has a new major, Mass Communications. Along with a minor in English, she is strengthening her writing skills and developing new talents in photography and graphic design. In February she served an internship at Simplot Games—working for Jason. Carson also joined them, volunteering at the Games and hanging out with Olympians.

We all went to visit Melissa in May because Jason received a professional achievement award from Idaho State, his alma mater. We were all together—along with Jason’s parents, Jason’s sister, and Yvonne’s parents—as he was honored at an outdoor reception (Idaho being Idaho, it rained part way through, but that didn’t dampen the experience). He also wore a cap and gown as he led graduates from the College of Arts and Letters into graduation. It was a great and rewarding weekend for us all.

 

Music continues to play a large role in our family. Yvonne has been in great demand to play piano and to accompany choirs and individual singers. Besides playing for the church choir and assorted soloists and groups, she also played for the Yellow Springs Elementary School Choir. When the Yellow Springs singers nailed their holiday concert, it was Yvonne at the keyboard.

Carson and Levi are both taking piano lessons. Carson continues to improve, and early in the year he accompanied a hymn at a church meeting attended by about 400 people. Levi loves playing the piano so much that many times we have to ask him to stop playing. In June he played a song from memory in his school’s talent show (wearing top hat and bow tie), and just last weekend he accompanied the Primary on a song he had been practicing.

 

Dylan plays drums in his middle school band—and as you might expect for a kid named “DJ”, he has great rhythm.

Jason’s travel schedule continues to be demanding, and his office moved from Frederick to Reston, Va., adding 40 miles to his commute—making long days longer. He saw a lot of neat things, and in April Yvonne was able join him for a trip to New York City. They enjoyed the escape.

 

He and Melissa also took a road-trip together, with Jason joining Melissa on the drive back to school in Idaho—he went as far as Denver. They had a blast together. They loved lunch in Effingham, Ill.—partly because it was a ButterBurger at Culver's, and partly because they could joke about getting effing hamburgers (and effing ham and eggs, effing ham sandwiches--you know they couldn't let it go). The also enjoyed barbecue in Kansas City, a driving rainstorm in Wheeling, W.Va., and frozen custard in Salina, Kansas, along with seeing so much of this great country. Their favorite stop was with Jason’s sister and her family near St. Louis.



Melissa driving West, into a beautiful Indiana sunset.

While Jason and Melissa crossed the plains in her car, Colin and Carson participated in a pioneer trek with church through two days of cold rain and mud. Despite the challenges, it was a good experience for them.

 

Levi was baptized this year, Dylan became a deacon, and Colin became a priest. Carson serves in the teachers' quorum presidency. Melissa teaches in Primary. Yvonne continues serving in the Primary presidency, and Jason teaches Sunday School.

And when we can, we rest…

So those are some highlights of what we’ll remember from 2012, in a very large nutshell (it’s what happens when you don’t blog in nearly a year, too—something we’ll correct in 2013…in theory, anyway).

We are all healthy and doing our best to stay out of trouble. We’re thankful for the times we’ve been able to interact with friends and family in person, by email, Facebook, telephone, and Skype.

It’s still hard being on the East Coast and away from so many loved ones, but we’ve also made good friends here and appreciate the experience at this time in our lives. Hopefully 2013 will give us many rich new experiences, along with many opportunities to see and interact with family and friends.

Our best to 2012 for all it brought us, and our best to all of you,

The Bohnes  

Our annual Christmas letter (in March)

Yeah, ok. It’s March already. March 2012. The time is ripe to sum up 2011. Needless to say, when the annual Christmas letter is posted just shy of St. Patrick’s Day, it was another busy year (+ three months).

We are all doing well here. Jason continues to travel around the country, but makes it a point to be home as much as he can. Yvonne started a new job in June that she loves, and she enjoys working with the 3-11-year-olds at church. Melissa is in her sophomore year at Idaho State, knocking out her general ed classes and sharpening her writing skills. Colin is a freshman at Gov. Thomas Johnson H.S. ("TJ"), and looking forward to turning 16 in September. Carson is in 8th grade at Monocacy Middle School, enjoying his year at the top of the school. So is Dylan, our 5th grader at Yellow Springs Elementary, the same school as Levi, who is in 1st grade.

Dylan and Jason took a trip to Idaho last February for Simplot Games, where Jason directed the media team (as a volunteer), getting to work and spend time with Melissa. And Dylan enjoyed the flight; the time with Jason, Melissa, and Yvonne's family; and his chance to hang out with Olympians.

In April, Jason and Yvonne spent a few days in Boston for a Red Sox game and some sites. As a lifelong Sox fan, Jason’s pilgrimage to Fenway was long overdue. Despite cold and rain, it was awesome both at the game and around town. Singing "Sweet Caroline" was never sweeter. Oh oh oh.

Our spring was typically crazy, with four boys playing baseball on four different teams. All four boys had excellent coaches and played very well. Jason coached Levi (yeah, excellent coach), and the older boys came and helped when they could – as did Melissa, once she was home from school; the Rebels had a great year, and Levi was awesome.

Colin’s coach nicknamed him “Smoke” (we got a kick out of hearing the low growl from the dugout: “C’mon Smoke!”); Colin pitched, caught, and was typically disruptive on the base paths. Carson emerged as a leader on his team, playing a reliable center field, hitting for power when he had pitches to hit, and walking (a lot) when he didn’t (we liked the disdain with which Carson tossed his bat after another walk). Dylan (“DJ” to his coaches and teammates) played his first year in the Majors; it was a big step up, but he played well and was the coach’s go-to pinch runner.

In July, Jason's parents drove out for a visit. It was a treat for us to spend time together and show off some of our favorite places in DC and the surrounding area. We also enjoyed an evening Elvis tribute concert outdoors -- when it was 90 degrees and 90 percent humidity. We all missed "dry heat," but enjoyed snow cones.

 

After working a couple crummy jobs since we moved, Yvonne’s patience was rewarded when she was hired as the HR/Finance manager for a physicians’ management company. As the company has grown, so has Yvonne’s role. She works for really great people and loves the challenge that the job presents.

Melissa worked as a waitress at a local Italian restaurant over the summer. A highlight for Jason and Yvonne was a summer evening dinner outdoors with Melissa as our server. The food was great, and the service was friendly and impeccable. We left a really big tip.

In August we all ventured West for our annual summer vacation. Upon stepping off the plane into Vegas’s 103 degree dry heat, we all thought, “Ahhhh.” Our timing was perfect, as we were able to attend the baptism of our eight-year-old friend Julia before heading to southern Utah to visit with Jason’s parents and extended family for a couple days. We learned how to make survival bracelets from Jason’s cousin – and mostly laughed a lot as we caught up with family we see far too seldom.

While in southern Utah, we spent a day in one of our favorite places on earth, Zion National Park – lots of hiking, lots of laughing, and lots of pictures. Truly a good day.

Back in Las Vegas, we were able to connect with many of the friends we just don’t to see as much as we’d like. Each of us was able to catch up with the friends we went to church with, coached or played ball with, barbecued with, went to school with, dreamed with, complained with, and simply enjoyed being with. It was really a treat to share frozen yogurt, flower-shaped sugar cookies, French toast, and lots of other familiar treats with dear friends. And, after two years, it was interesting for the adults to size up the much taller kids.

Before flying home, we spent a day with friends at Lake Mead for a great day of jet skiing – including a close-up view of the back side of Hoover Dam that none of us had seen before. Other than Jason taking Melissa’s camera for a swim after flipping his jet ski, it was a spectacular day – and a fitting way to cap a fantastic trip. It was tough to go home, because we felt at home.

In the fall, Colin and Carson played on the same baseball team for the first time in a few years. Besides the simplicity of having them on the same team, it was really fun to watch them play together. Colin played a lot of catcher and shortstop and pitched occasionally, while Carson held down second base, center field, and one stint as a long reliever.

Colin’s season was interrupted for a few weeks when his appendix rejected him. We knew something was wrong when he said his stomach hurt too much to play baseball on a Saturday morning in October. On Sunday he had it removed in a procedure that lasted less than 30 minutes. Let’s just say that talking with him while he was under anesthesia was…hilarious. Because it hadn’t burst or leaked, he was able to return to normal activity in just two weeks. His coach wasn’t happy when Colin kept diving to make plays…but that’s how he plays (the photo is three weeks after surgery).

We told the two younger boys that they should play something besides baseball in the fall. So Levi chose soccer, which caused some funny looks for people who know our baseball-loving family. But he had a blast playing, and we enjoyed watching. He scored a few goals, but despite his brothers' best efforts his goal-scoring celebration was a little weak (although him smiling is pretty good).

Dylan chose to play basketball. He loves to play in the driveway, but hasn't played organized ball for a few years. No worries, as Dylan quickly learned the plays and loved being coached in the fundamentals. He played very hard (that boy knows how to hustle); one parent said the Dylan was "faster than a jackrabbit in hot frying pan." His team was a lot of fun, and Dylan had a great time.

We drove to Annapolis on a chilly October Saturday to tour the Naval Academy and watch the Midshipmen play Troy (which led to a hilarious conversation with Dylan explaining to Levi that the entire U.S. Navy wasn’t playing some guy named Troy). We enjoyed the tradition that the Navy presents, and Colin’s desire to attend the Academy only increased. Incidentally, on our drive to Annapolis we learned that when Levi says, “I think I have to throw up,” what he really means is “I will puke in 30 seconds.” That made for an interesting start to the trip, but didn’t diminish the day.

For Thanksgiving, Yvonne flew home to spend the holiday with her family and with Melissa in Idaho -- so Jason and the boys fended for themselves. After joking about having pizza, the boys decided they wanted a real Thanksgiving dinner, so the guys enjoyed playing football in the morning and then cooking together for a feast of turkey, potatoes, stuffing, rolls, and homemade ice cream. While Yvonne and Melissa enjoyed time with extended family, Jason and boys enjoyed their time alone.

In December, Carson was invited to act in his school’s performance of “A Christmas Carol.” He had performed in plays before and enjoys being on the stage. As Young Mister Scrooge, Carson had several lines, danced, and sang. He did a great job and is looking forward to trying more in high school.

So, in short-ish letter, that's what we've been up to (although a lot more happened). 2012 has already started out as busy as 2011 -- but we're having a good time together and making things up as we go. We hope our belated message finds you well.

The Bohnes