Happy New Year!

Good bye 2008.

What a year that was. As I sit here and go through the year of 2008 I shake. Most from the financial meltdown that affects me greatly. I feel very sad about the people I laid off, the people I known that passed away, families that have had to leave their houses. This has really gotten to me.

I come home most days after a 12 hour workday grumpy as hell. I have an extremely hard time to hide my worries about putting food on the table and a roof over our heads. We live nice, we do enjoy a thing here and there but in modesty, no crazy debts, no car or credit card payments. Still, I'm stressed out, I guess a few unrented houses doesn't help ( If you need a place we got one for you).

I did have some great moments this past year which makes me very happy when I think about them. We had a wonderful vacation with my Spanish family, Alex is excelling in school and sports, Fia is the wonderful little Fia as only a little Fia can be, Milu is feeling better and Marta is the best support a husband could ever have. And we are all healthy and we love each other a lot. I'm a blessed man.

So for 2009 I take with me a lot of fear and uncertainty, I swear I will work even harder, look out for people in need. I have a lot of hope for 2009 and I'll try, I'll try so hard that one might not recognize Jonas come 2010.

Who's in my yard

I bought a bigger deer that moves it's head for our Christmas decorations out side. Milu hasn't made up her mind yet whether she can tolerate it or not. If she was a male dog I bet she had shortened the circuits by peeing on it by now.

Skateboard

Alex got, to his mothers delight, a skateboard from his Uncle. He's getting pretty good at it too.

Christmas

It has been very poor blogging here lately and it might be so for awhile.

I've got a lot on my mind and very challenging tasks to deal with that sucks all energy out of me.

It supposed to be the joyous season and who says it better than good old Inga from Sweden.

Merry Christmas to all of you!

Christmas parade

Alex's first parade. He is one of the snowflakes, everybody is unique.

Park party

We had Alex's party at the park this year. I had a great time and I believe that all the kids did as well. They have a pretty great playground and a big open field next to it. We played football and soccer, had cupcakes and drinks. It was cold, really cold even though the sun was out in abundance.

That's the spirit

The way a redneck would appreciate.

Two buddies

We have had a couple of days with some warmer weather. Our two buddies came right out of hibernation, or I guess they hadn't fallen asleep yet this season.

The bird house is almost as tall as I am so I guesstimate the big one to be about 10 feet long, the other one about 7 or so, click on the picture to see better, it's to the right.

And they were both so cute when they were little. We've known them since they were about 2 feet long.

Alex's birthday

I dropped and picked up at school, his biggest concern was if I remembered to bring the cupcakes for his classmates. He got to wear the birthday boy hat, they all sang for him and had cupcakes.













We stopped at the store Teach and Alex got to pick two presents from Mom and I, two puzzles were chosen. We went down town to Rue De Juan for lunch. Alex had shrimp and pasta, Fia grilled cheese sandwich and fries and I had a blue cheese burger. Oh, Marta was not there, birthdays are me and the kids only ( until they don't want to hang with silly Dad).















Then we went to the Children's Museum.















We had the place to ourselves, normally it is packed but on a rainy Wednesday afternoon in December, well it makes up for the annual membership dues.

And after a Pizza dinner with Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle John and Aunt Kim we finally made it back home to lay one of his new puzzles.

Christmas party at the office

This year is looking pretty bleak for the event of a party. I've been to a few both with my job and with Marta's.

I'm relieved that we don't have a party this year but for the ones of you that will I found some good advice for you.