You've probably noticed we've only had one post in over a month.
Besides the normal rapid pace of life, we've also had to deal with Jason's intense travel schedule for work. He has been traveling. Really traveling. As in gone all but 12 days out of the last 40. And he's gone again for the next seven (back to the east coast, then to Reno).
That was part of his deal for his new job: heavy travel now so that he could be home on weekends rather than living on the east coast and seeing the family once a month. This way the kids are able to finish the school year and complete their baseball and softball seasons, go to scout camp, etc. And we are trying to sell a house in Las Vegas and buy a house on the east coast, move across the country, register kids in new schools, etc. It's been tough for all of us, but in the end it will be worth it.
So far Jason has made several trips around the country, including Richland (Wash.), Los Alamos (N.M.), Richmond (Ky.), Seattle, Oak Ridge (Tenn.), and Washington D.C. He even spent a couple days at his office in Frederick, Md. (for all of FOUR days). He's tired, but he's racking up the frequent flier miles and hotel reward points. So I guess he's got that, right?
On one trip to Washington state, he was asked where he lives. His answer: "Hampton Inn."
The people at his table laughed and asked which one. He said, "Most of them."
Monday, June 15, 2009
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Yvonne's quick wit
Jason writes:
I was sitting downstairs watching television several weeks ago, when I heard a loud "boom boom boom" behind me. I turned and realized that Yvonne had slipped and fallen down the stairs, sliding down on her butt and landing on the tile kitchen floor.
I ran over to her and saw she was a little rattled, but ok. Figuring there was was a reason she fell, I asked: "Did you miss a stair?"
"No," she said. "I think I got every one."
We both broke into laughter...
I was sitting downstairs watching television several weeks ago, when I heard a loud "boom boom boom" behind me. I turned and realized that Yvonne had slipped and fallen down the stairs, sliding down on her butt and landing on the tile kitchen floor.
I ran over to her and saw she was a little rattled, but ok. Figuring there was was a reason she fell, I asked: "Did you miss a stair?"
"No," she said. "I think I got every one."
We both broke into laughter...
Sunday, May 3, 2009
The Bomb!
As most you know, our family LOVES baseball. Playing or watching is doesn't really matter, as long as there is a bat, ball, glove and field involved, we are loving it!
The Spring little league baseball season has begun. Colin and Carson are playing on the Indians and Dylan is on the White Sox.
Dylan has had several hits and good plays in the field. In fact, he has won the game ball in two of the five games he's played. He is a stud.
Carson has played well in the field and his bat is coming around. He's had some good hits and RBIs. He bats lefty and several pitchers have a hard time pitching to him so as he squares to bunt, the pitch is wild and the runners advance. He is a stud.
Now the reason for the post.
Last Thursday Colin was batting clean-up (4th) and he produced. His first at bat he had a two RBI double, and the second at bat he hit a bomb! The ball was hit so hard, we knew it was out as soon as it left the bat. This is a first for Colin and was a three run home run. The only disappointment of the night for him was that Jason was in Maryland and Melissa, Dylan and Levi were at Pack Meeting and didn't see the hit. It was a sweet, and late, phone call to Jason so Colin and his coach could tell him about it. Like is brothers, he is a stud.
The Spring little league baseball season has begun. Colin and Carson are playing on the Indians and Dylan is on the White Sox.
Dylan has had several hits and good plays in the field. In fact, he has won the game ball in two of the five games he's played. He is a stud.
Carson has played well in the field and his bat is coming around. He's had some good hits and RBIs. He bats lefty and several pitchers have a hard time pitching to him so as he squares to bunt, the pitch is wild and the runners advance. He is a stud.
Now the reason for the post.
Last Thursday Colin was batting clean-up (4th) and he produced. His first at bat he had a two RBI double, and the second at bat he hit a bomb! The ball was hit so hard, we knew it was out as soon as it left the bat. This is a first for Colin and was a three run home run. The only disappointment of the night for him was that Jason was in Maryland and Melissa, Dylan and Levi were at Pack Meeting and didn't see the hit. It was a sweet, and late, phone call to Jason so Colin and his coach could tell him about it. Like is brothers, he is a stud.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Track Meet
The 5th grade classes at several schools in Las Vegas had a "city-wide" track meet.
Carson participated in the meet and scored. He earned 5th place ribbons for the 400-meter relay and the softball throw, and 2nd place ribbons for the long jump and 200-meter relay.
While doing the softball throw, he threw was 190 feet, and long jumped 8'6".
Way to go Carson, you are the bomb!
Carson participated in the meet and scored. He earned 5th place ribbons for the 400-meter relay and the softball throw, and 2nd place ribbons for the long jump and 200-meter relay.
While doing the softball throw, he threw was 190 feet, and long jumped 8'6".
Way to go Carson, you are the bomb!
Friday, May 1, 2009
How to get an annoying cell phone talker to hang up
Jason writes:
I was sitting in an Alaskan Airlines plane at the gate in Seattle on Thursday, heading home, when the flight attendant made the standard announcement to turn off all portable devices, including cell phones.
About two minutes later, she reminded us about turning off our cell phones and that we couldn't leave the gate until cell phones were off.
About two more minutes later, she made the cell phone announcement again. Turns out there was a guy a couple rows behind me who was ignoring the announcements and continuing to chat away on his phone.
The fourth announcement was different. The flight attendant came on the intercom, looked the offender in the eye, and said very cheerfully: "Sir, we know that phone call is very important to you. If you'll let us know how long you need, we'll talk to the tower and get this flight delayed so you may continue."
The guy sheepishly hung up his phone as everyone else clapped. We landed on time in Las Vegas.
I was sitting in an Alaskan Airlines plane at the gate in Seattle on Thursday, heading home, when the flight attendant made the standard announcement to turn off all portable devices, including cell phones.
About two minutes later, she reminded us about turning off our cell phones and that we couldn't leave the gate until cell phones were off.
About two more minutes later, she made the cell phone announcement again. Turns out there was a guy a couple rows behind me who was ignoring the announcements and continuing to chat away on his phone.
The fourth announcement was different. The flight attendant came on the intercom, looked the offender in the eye, and said very cheerfully: "Sir, we know that phone call is very important to you. If you'll let us know how long you need, we'll talk to the tower and get this flight delayed so you may continue."
The guy sheepishly hung up his phone as everyone else clapped. We landed on time in Las Vegas.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Movin' on up, to a big old penthouse, in the sky
Jason and Yvonne decided to get away for a day a couple weeks ago during spring break. We both felt like we just needed some quiet time alone -- to take a break from the pressures of closing out the last job, starting a new job, travel, shuttling kids to school and ballgames, and a lot of big decisions that are weighing on our minds.
Rather than go out of town, we took advantage of great rates at the Trump Las Vegas -- they called it their "One Suite Deal" -- $89 for a suite on the Strip.
It was too good to pass up, so we went out of town, in town.
Ironically, it was the both time for either of us to stay in a Las Vegas hotel. Yvonne has lived here for 13 years and visited for most of her life. Jason has lived here for 29 years. It was about time.
So we get to our room, a simple studio suite with a view of the city. But when we got to the room, it looked like a hotel the Who had partied in circa 1974. Mattresses were up against the wall, garbage was on the floor...you get the idea. We returned to the front desk, where the clerk was very apologetic. She promised to make it up to us.
Did she ever. We were upgraded to a 56th floor premium suite with south Strip view. It was unbelievable. We were right on top of Treasure Island, with the Wynn, Encore, Palazzo Tower, Caesar's Palace, and the rest all at our feet.
The master bathroom (there were two) was about as big as our first apartment. Everything was marble, glass, big screen plasma televisions, high end appliances...luxury all the way. Since this was a big step up for us, we tried another first: room service. We felt like big shots eating salmon, roast chicken, grilled veggies, and cheesecake while overlooking the Vegas Strip.
Not that our $149 a night room discounted to $89 wouldn't have been fine, but the $500 a night room discounted for $89 was better.
We could get used to the high life. But not too used to it. When we got to our upgraded room, the first thing Jason said was, "If I had known we'd have such a great room, I would have brought the kids. How fun would that be?"
(Bonus points to anyone who recognized this blog entry's headline as a line from the theme song to "The Jeffersons." We were fortunate, and nostalgic.)
Rather than go out of town, we took advantage of great rates at the Trump Las Vegas -- they called it their "One Suite Deal" -- $89 for a suite on the Strip.
It was too good to pass up, so we went out of town, in town.
Ironically, it was the both time for either of us to stay in a Las Vegas hotel. Yvonne has lived here for 13 years and visited for most of her life. Jason has lived here for 29 years. It was about time.
So we get to our room, a simple studio suite with a view of the city. But when we got to the room, it looked like a hotel the Who had partied in circa 1974. Mattresses were up against the wall, garbage was on the floor...you get the idea. We returned to the front desk, where the clerk was very apologetic. She promised to make it up to us.
Did she ever. We were upgraded to a 56th floor premium suite with south Strip view. It was unbelievable. We were right on top of Treasure Island, with the Wynn, Encore, Palazzo Tower, Caesar's Palace, and the rest all at our feet.
The master bathroom (there were two) was about as big as our first apartment. Everything was marble, glass, big screen plasma televisions, high end appliances...luxury all the way. Since this was a big step up for us, we tried another first: room service. We felt like big shots eating salmon, roast chicken, grilled veggies, and cheesecake while overlooking the Vegas Strip.
Not that our $149 a night room discounted to $89 wouldn't have been fine, but the $500 a night room discounted for $89 was better.
We could get used to the high life. But not too used to it. When we got to our upgraded room, the first thing Jason said was, "If I had known we'd have such a great room, I would have brought the kids. How fun would that be?"
(Bonus points to anyone who recognized this blog entry's headline as a line from the theme song to "The Jeffersons." We were fortunate, and nostalgic.)
Monday, April 27, 2009
A dam good Saturday
A few weekends ago we drove to Hoover Dam for a tour (the headline is the only "dam" pun you'll read in this post, although there were about a thousand said during the day).
Touring the dam is on our "bucket list" of things to do before we move. After eight years in Las Vegas, it was time to make our first family trip to one of southern Nevada's most recongnizeable icons.
We've driven across the dam several times, but never gone inside. We finally had a Saturday when we were all in town, had no ball games in the morning, and had nothing but time, so away we went.
Besides our history of living in southern Nevada, we feel a connection to the dam because Bechtel, the company Jason works for, was the lead in Six Companies, the consortium that built the dam. Building the dam helped build the company in which Jason has built his career.
The post-9/11 tour is much more rushed and much less inclusive than the old tours, but it was still fascinating to journey deep into the concrete structure. We saw the turbines that generage megawatts of electricity for the southwest, the diversion tunnels that moved the mighty Colorado River from its ancient bed, the steep canyon walls that daredevil "high-scalers" leapt across to place dynamite, and the incredibly low water levels.
The kids also had fun walking across the dam, going to Arizona and back.
We finished it with burgers at the Boulder City A&W, an old burger joint that Jason used to stop at after Scout outings to the lake. Greasy burgers, fries, and onion rings capped off a fun morning. Good to check that one of the list.
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