2016 In Review
[Edit note: This post is actually done extremely late in July. But I'm post-dating it so I can find it in the future.]
Work:
Brian obtained his New York license to practice architecture, and began his own architecture firm as well as an integrated construction company with his firm partner, Kristen. He hired Karissa as project manager/personal assistant, and took on Matt as a designer for a bit (but Matt left for a bigger firm), and now Melissa as an interior designer/architectural designer. It is long hours and hard work and a lot of bills left unpaid, but this has been his dream to pursue, so we are just holding our breaths for the time being. As for me, I'm in my 11th year as a high school teacher, still teaching Environmental Science to 12th graders and Marine Biology to 9th graders. I'm the co-advisor of the Marine and Environmental Science Club, which primarily involves doing a lot of camping, some competitions, and a lot of environmentally-friendly things like building rain gardens, working on increasing our sustainability, and attending student summits. I won a $1000 grant from the NJ Audubon Society for Sustainable Schools and Eco-Resiliency, as we have plans to restore dunes on Sandy Hook in our coastal communities to increase storm resilience.
Health:
We were all generally healthy with no major illnesses!
Pets:
Our Border Collie Kade turned 12 years old. Kelly turned 2 years old. Shrek (a green anole purchased in November 2012) finally passed away. We have two freshwater fish tanks, one in the dining room and one in the den, featuring primarily tetras.
Family:
Amelia started attending a new daycare called Teddy Bear Learning Center. Amelia turned two on March 22nd, and we invited her godparents and just close family. Erika turned six on April 10th and held it at her ballet dance school with 10 friends in attendance. Cousin Anjelina came to visit in May. Brian and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary on June 12th. We went out to dinner, as a family of four, to Pazzo, an Italian restaurant for pasta and pizza. My last remaining grandparent, my maternal grandmother who lived in Singapore, passed away in July at the age of 95 years old, and we attended her cremation. My father moved from the 4-bedroom home he had shared with my deceased mother, into a 2-bedroom apartment complex. Packing and moving was quite the undertaking. Cousin John flew back with us to USA and stayed with us for two months. In the fall, Erika started 1st Grade and joined a band of girls to perform at the annual Variety Show. Erika dyed her hair for the first time in November. We bought a tear-down condemned house in Browns Mill and we are hoping to renovate and fix-it-up and flip it.
Vacation:
Erika, Amelia, and I spent six weeks in Malaysia/Singapore (staying with my father and other extended relatives) in July-August, with Brian joining us for two weeks and my sister Carol joining us for the last two weeks. We went to Tiomann Island and Erika learned how to snorkel. We also went to Port Dickson in August. We took a 4 day/3 night vacation to Williamsburg, Virginia the second week of November. For Christmas break, the four of us joined another family of four in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, for 5 days/4 nights.
Entertainment:
I read 12 books in 2016. I enjoyed The Baker's Daughter by Sarah McCoy and Reconstructing Amelia: A Novel by Kimberly McCreight. At the movies, I saw Captain America: Civil War (while chaperoning students at Envirothon), X-Men Apocalypse and Central Intelligence (with friends), and Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (with Brian).
That's my recap of my 2016. Wishing all of you and your loved ones joy, love, and contentment, and may the pursuit of your dreams in 2017 be fruitful.
Work:
Brian obtained his New York license to practice architecture, and began his own architecture firm as well as an integrated construction company with his firm partner, Kristen. He hired Karissa as project manager/personal assistant, and took on Matt as a designer for a bit (but Matt left for a bigger firm), and now Melissa as an interior designer/architectural designer. It is long hours and hard work and a lot of bills left unpaid, but this has been his dream to pursue, so we are just holding our breaths for the time being. As for me, I'm in my 11th year as a high school teacher, still teaching Environmental Science to 12th graders and Marine Biology to 9th graders. I'm the co-advisor of the Marine and Environmental Science Club, which primarily involves doing a lot of camping, some competitions, and a lot of environmentally-friendly things like building rain gardens, working on increasing our sustainability, and attending student summits. I won a $1000 grant from the NJ Audubon Society for Sustainable Schools and Eco-Resiliency, as we have plans to restore dunes on Sandy Hook in our coastal communities to increase storm resilience.
Health:
We were all generally healthy with no major illnesses!
Pets:
Our Border Collie Kade turned 12 years old. Kelly turned 2 years old. Shrek (a green anole purchased in November 2012) finally passed away. We have two freshwater fish tanks, one in the dining room and one in the den, featuring primarily tetras.
Family:
Amelia started attending a new daycare called Teddy Bear Learning Center. Amelia turned two on March 22nd, and we invited her godparents and just close family. Erika turned six on April 10th and held it at her ballet dance school with 10 friends in attendance. Cousin Anjelina came to visit in May. Brian and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary on June 12th. We went out to dinner, as a family of four, to Pazzo, an Italian restaurant for pasta and pizza. My last remaining grandparent, my maternal grandmother who lived in Singapore, passed away in July at the age of 95 years old, and we attended her cremation. My father moved from the 4-bedroom home he had shared with my deceased mother, into a 2-bedroom apartment complex. Packing and moving was quite the undertaking. Cousin John flew back with us to USA and stayed with us for two months. In the fall, Erika started 1st Grade and joined a band of girls to perform at the annual Variety Show. Erika dyed her hair for the first time in November. We bought a tear-down condemned house in Browns Mill and we are hoping to renovate and fix-it-up and flip it.
Vacation:
Erika, Amelia, and I spent six weeks in Malaysia/Singapore (staying with my father and other extended relatives) in July-August, with Brian joining us for two weeks and my sister Carol joining us for the last two weeks. We went to Tiomann Island and Erika learned how to snorkel. We also went to Port Dickson in August. We took a 4 day/3 night vacation to Williamsburg, Virginia the second week of November. For Christmas break, the four of us joined another family of four in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, for 5 days/4 nights.
Entertainment:
I read 12 books in 2016. I enjoyed The Baker's Daughter by Sarah McCoy and Reconstructing Amelia: A Novel by Kimberly McCreight. At the movies, I saw Captain America: Civil War (while chaperoning students at Envirothon), X-Men Apocalypse and Central Intelligence (with friends), and Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (with Brian).
That's my recap of my 2016. Wishing all of you and your loved ones joy, love, and contentment, and may the pursuit of your dreams in 2017 be fruitful.