From a work perspective, it was definitely a surprising year. I had no idea until a week before it happened that Gabe was leaving Aplus. He decided to do other stuff with his time. It is the first time in 9 years that I haven’t worked for Gabe. I guess, in 6 months from now, I will have officially lived in the KC area for 10 years. Very hard to believe. I am quite content here, though I often let my mind wander as I think about the places I would love to live. While I want an ocean and sun, the choices for that aren’t really that appealing to me. California is one of the bluest states in the country, and is very expensive to live. Florida… well, it is further from my family, I don’t speak the right languages, and I wouldn’t want to have to board up my house every year hoping the hurricanes don’t take it away. At least here in Kansas, you don’t have a week of prep time and departure every time a tornado is coming! I do know that I could easily live back in Colorado, either in Fort Collins or the Denver area. But with the surprising move of owner Pat Bowlen a few days ago, I don’t know how much longer I will be a Broncos fan! Anyway, I don’t see it in the cards for 2009 to move anywhere, so I guess I should spend my time being more productive instead of thinking about these things. Oh, Christmas Eve proved to me that Casper won’t be my domicile… I can not stand the wind there. I do not miss that in the least bit!

Back to work… I am still the Chief Operating Officer at Aplus.net. I love the company and the people there. But we, just like every other business, are getting hit by the economy a bit. We’ll hope that the new savior Obama gets everything on track like he promised… I won’t be holding my breath!

In 2009, I have a few goals, or resolutions, if you will. The first is to be more fiscally responsible. I have been very fortunate in my life to hold good jobs and make great money. But I started spoiling myself (and now my family) a bit too much. Gonna cut it back a bit and start cutting my debt and trying to plan for the future better. I’m going to attempt to quit buying everything I want, when I want it. May even cut back on the travel… well, we’ll see about that. Dave Matthews Band is still touring, and that calls for me to travel! Plus, it’s always great to get away to Maui, New York, etc etc etc. Another of my 2009 resolutions is to get healthier. I don’t think I am going to join a gym again, but eating better and getting some exercise is definitely on the list to do. The vet said Hoover needs to lose 10 pounds. Well, so do I. I guess he and I will have to get to the dog park or out on walks a bit more. I have a feeling he will lose his 10 before I do… we have cut him back a bit on his meals. That will save us some money, too!

I also want to keep reconnecting with friends from the past. Every since Angie Noonan died, I have been making much more of an effort to reacquaint myself with past connections. I have been pretty successful at it. Facebook.com went from something I never touched to something I spend time on almost daily. And every week, I find at least another friend from the past. Have to keep reconnecting since my 20th high school reunion comes up in 2010. Wow, I am getting old.

I am thankful that in 2008, my family remained in tact! Didn’t lose anyone, which is always a good thing. Grandpa digressed with his Alzheimer’s, and that sucks the big one. He seemed pretty good at Christmas… he loved kissing on Braelyn. I pray they come up with something to cure that hideous disease sometime soon. Grandma is doing well, but always in pain from her arthritis… she’s in her 90’s. I wish I could see her more… I know she loves spending time with people. If she could have it her way, people would be over there all the time. Dad and Stephanie take care of her and help her out with everything, but I know she’s lonely. Mom, dad, sisters, brother-in-laws, nephews and nieces are all good. Big B hopefully had his last surgery, and it went real well. I am so impressed with his strength… he is an idol/role model of mine for sure.

I was thinking about getting back into coaching baseball this year, but I think as long as I have a boat and enjoy going to the lake so much, that will remain on the back burner. Coaching and officiating basketball are definitely two passions of mine which I haven’t had the time to get back into. Someday I will… someday. I also have been thinking about refreshing my pilot’s license. I think it would be awesome to fly down to the lake a time or two, and also to rent a plane next time I am in Maui and do some aerial sight seeing. Definitely would be fun, but doesn’t play into being more fiscally responsible.

Well, I am probably gonna wrap this up for now. I have done absolutely nothing today, aside from play Saints Row 2 on the XBOX 360, and play a bit with Braelyn. She has a cold, poor little girl. She did 3 steps on several occasions today, and she sure does like to talk. Too bad she only knows a couple of words. I swear she’s getting close to saying “love da da” though… still haven’t got her to say ma ma yet. It will come, we keep working on it.

Rebecca just passed out (tired, not drunk!) next to me in bed. We had a pretty good night last night bringing in 2009 at The Melting Pot. Great meal and great company!

Hope you all have a blessed, safe and successful 2009. Happy New Year.

-RE

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Her biggest concern with turning 35 was that when she runs on the treadmill at the healthclub, she now has to select a new age range on the computer! I say, lie! No need to change that dial. She doesn’t look 35, she doesn’t act 35… she’s still young and full of fun. Oh, and I would presume the talking would slow down as she gets older, so it’s crystal clear she isn’t old!

Anyway, Rebecca… Happy Birthday, I love you, and thank you for all the happiness you have brought me.

There, for the one day a year, I was nice. Tomorrow, well, we’ll see what tomorrow brings!

–RE

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A teacher from the Blue Valley School District came by and visited her and Rebecca this morning — I only caught a few minutes as I had a meeting to get to at 9. The teacher felt she is progressing in her development quite well, and she suspects she will clearly be walking by one year-old. Well, with that only a month away, Braelyn will be walking in no time. She is walking around tables and behind her walking toy with ease now. Good news is, at least for awhile, walking may slow her down. Let me tell you, that girl can haul when she’s crawling! From one side of the house to the other, she is there in a jiffy. We test her speed by going and opening the door to let Hoover out — she hears that door open and lickity-split, she is there. Further proof is how fast she gets to the refrigerator when that door is opened.

She had a great time spending a few nights with her Grandma and Grandpa Bradshaw this weekend. With Rebecca out-of-town on a “girls’ weekend” (I guess Brae doesn’t yet qualify for a girls’ weekend), she went to Harrisonville and hung out with the grandparents. They had a blast with her and said she was an angel … except for the 42 minutes and 7 seconds that she was alone with grandpa while grandma went to Sunday Mass.

I definitely missed her this weekend, but what a joy to go pick her up and have her melt in my arms as I woke her from her nap. She is so special. I can’t believe how much joy she brings to my life. And in just one more month, she will have been on this earth for a full year. How exciting.

Before her birthday, though, we get to mix in her first Christmas. As much as she loves getting into things, I have no doubt she will absolutely go nuts opening presents and checking out everything she, and everyone else, gets. It will be nice for her to get to see my side of the family again. I know they are all looking forward to a week of Brae Brae.

Well, Happy 11 Months, Braelyn Grace. A lot of excitement coming up over the next month or so. Are you ready? I’m sure you are.

–RElledge

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Braelyn's First Picture with Santa

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* My grandfather (mom’s dad) has taken a few spills, of late. Alzheimer’s Disease is apparently progressing pretty rapidly of late. Sad to think about how the mind can go. Definitely wish they could come up with a solution for this horrible disease. It’s one thing what it does to the person with it… it’s a whole different thing for those who love the person and those who have to take care of him. I am excited for Christmas when I will get to see grandpa again. I’m sure it will be hard to see him digressing first hand, but I can’t wait to see him anyway. I am so thankful that lil Brae was able to meet grandpa while he was still pretty well with it. It’s sad to know that she will never know him as the wonderful grandpa I know him as. If you haven’t seen them before, I have some really good pictures of Braelyn and grandpa somewhere in my gallery — I think it’s under the Places > Casper section. Grandpa definitely enjoyed meeting her.

* Haven’t heard much about how my grandma (dad’s mom) is doing. I spoke to her right before I went to Maui. I need to call her again. I know she loves catching up. She is over 90 years old and still chugging along. She has arthritis pretty bad (has as long as I can remember) and it really took a toll on her this past year. But, no news is good news (or so I hope) so I presume she is still doing much better. I hate that I “think” I am so busy that I don’t take enough time to keep in better touch with her. She, like grandpa, is a wonderful person. I am so lucky to have a wonderful family.

* Speaking of family… this year we are spending Thanksgiving with Rebecca’s family and we head to Casper for Christmas. Always nice to spend time with both sides. I must admit, I am a bit apprehensive over Thanksgiving this year. Rebecca estimated some 40+ family members there, in some little town or area I’ve never heard of or been to before. I’m all for family but this sounds like a madhouse! Just kidding. My other big fear is that we’re having fried turkey. I have never had fried turkey before. Now, everyone who has tells me it is awesome and really good. But those who know me know that I am a pretty safe, picky eater. And, Thanksgiving dinner is my favorite dinner of the year. So, I find it risky that my turkey is in jeopardy of not something I will like. Oh well, as I told Rebecca, we’ll be stopping at Boston Market on the way back if I don’t like it! Good news is I probably will like the fried turkey. It’s just an unknown for me right now.

* Braelyn is growing up so fast. She is close to walking, close to standing… and she likes to get into everything. It is really fun (for me) to watch her doing the “naughty” things where Rebecca will yell “No, Braelyn…” only to be followed by a much louder and more stern “BRAELYN GRACE, I SAID NO”. This is often followed by a little slap of the hand, a heartbreaking look on Braelyn’s face, then Braelyn going right back to doing it again! It is fun to watch. Rebecca tells me I need to smack her hand. Um, no thanks. I’m gonna be the COOL DAD! My little Princess does no wrong. Some new pictures of her are uploading as I type.

* So, in case you didn’t get the alert last week, my house got toilet-papered pretty good. I thought we were good at TP’ing as a kid…. boy, was I mistaken. Apparently TP’ing has evolved, too. It now comes accompanied with thousands of rubber bands dropped on your sidewalk, driveway, in your lawn, and strapped around your door handles so you can’t open it when you get “Ding Dong Ditched” — those are the words Spencer calls it. I have some pictures of the TP job being uploaded right now in the gallery under Pictures of the House. Check them out… I know Spencer plans on retaliating. I will pretend to know nothing

* We had a little scare this past week with Rebecca. She started having some issues that lead her to believe that she was pregnant and miscarrying. Fortunately, tests by her doctor said that wasn’t the case. It was a pretty scary thought, I can tell you that. I know my good friend Shawn and his wife lost a baby earlier this year… I just can’t imagine. Rebecca is doing much better now, thankfully.

* Work is different than it used to be. Gabe stepped down a few months back as the CEO of Aplus.net. He served a brief stint as our CSO (Chief Strategy Officer), but that didn’t last long. He decided to devote his time to other projects and moved on at the end of last month. Our new CEO is a good guy and I enjoy working with him, but I would be lying if I said things were the same. Oh well, I am surrounded by a bunch of friends and good people at Aplus.net and do, for the most part, enjoy my job.

* I’ve watched with great interest the news post-election. I find it humorous a lot of the appointments that Obama is making. His really strong words about bipartisanship and no lobbyists being allowed in his white house have softened since election. The “new government” with all this change doesn’t really look like it’s going to be taking on much of a “new” look. His first priority (a lot of first priorities were mentioned in the campaign) of getting Gitmo shut down doesn’t look like that’s going to be quite as easy as he “thought” it would be. Caution is being thrown around now by the liberal media about how there are just too many questions as to what to do with the people at Gitmo. Really? Hmmm, sounds like a familiar problem. I do also go back to a much earlier blog post I made about all these people publicly lashing out at the treatment of these prisoners… we all want these people detained, and whatever tactics need to be used to keep us safe and get information should be used. Some are just afraid to say it. I am reminded of Jack Nicholson’s words “You want me on that wall, you need me on that wall” — how true. But, only when the cameras aren’t rolling, right? I suspect the only nutjobs in the US who really do care are the ACLU. Ah, let’s move on….

* Guitar Hero is fun. Spencer wants to get the drums, mic, etc. to add on. I think we probably will. But I do need to be reminded that I need to practice my real guitar. If I would spend the same amount of time on it as I do on Guitar Hero of late, I could probably be a Tim Reynolds in no time. Heh, probably not. Sounded good, though.

Well, I guess that’s good enough for now. Hope all out there are doing well. I’ll catch up more frequently (hope that’s not an empty promise). Until then, catch ya on Twitter and Facebook. Facebook has been nice on reconnecting with friends from the past, which is something I said I really wanted to do this year, especially after learning of Angie Noonan’s untimely death. I do consider my goal to be successful. While a lot of my age crowd isn’t on Facebook, more and more are joining every week. It’s awesome to read about what is going on with them. I think I will make an effort to make my 20th reunion, which is less than 2 years away. Holy cow.

Oh, and one last thing… I can’t end a blog without at least once mentioning by Big Dawg Hoover. He is a bit stinky right now, but I love that dog dearly. He is so fun (and lazy). Today was a day to have our sheets cleaned. Hoover loves those days, cuz he gets to get up on the bed and sleep in with me. Damn dog takes up more of the bed than Rebecca does. Luckily I am trained to only need one point five feet wide section of bed… since that’s all the wife allows me to have. Haven’t ever figured out why we have a huge bed.

Peace,

–Relledge

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That’s all for tonight… just a quickie saying happy 10 months to Brae Brae!

Peace,

–Relledge

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November 7th

Yesterday

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Yesterday

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