Christmas Letter 2014

Christmas Letter 2014

So another year … updates, I’m sure, of how all of us are doing. Wonderment of where all the time went. As best as I can tell the average year has about 8,400 hours in it and when you try to look back can one account for all of those hours? And why is it, at the beginning of the year we all think there is all this time and new beginnings and time for change, but at the end of the year we wonder what happened!

Anyway, 2014 has been another successful year at the Krapes house. The kids did try but were not successful in driving each other crazy… Mom and dad on the other hand, might be a different story. We traveled some, in January we went to Kauai with my family. As always Kauai is an amazing place and full of lots of fun sites as well as a ton of relaxation. We also went on a road trip to Wisconsin Dells over the summer which boasted tons of things for all of us to see. We spent a night in Snowmass when Lou and I completed the Tough Mudder. And I made a quick trip to Vegas for a work ‘meeting / training’ with my dad.  Unfortunately, other than those trips our lives have kept us close to home.

Tyler … continues to keep us on our toes. Anytime we think we have an easy street he finds a way to find another challenge for us. Tyler played soccer in both the spring and the fall… Lou continues to coach the team. I think it is a good thing. Much to my dismay Tyler loves to play goalie, and Lou doesn’t mind putting him there. It is just so stressful to watch. He does pretty well and it is only mom that complains, so perhaps I need to learn to keep my mouth shut.  Tyler had a great second grade year, still is looking for someone to give him a little extra push instead of letting him just ‘skate’ by. Tyler also has continued to be our sport guru of the house.  We do get to follow the sport of the season, which lucky for me is football right now. Lou and I have learned an enormous amount about baseball, basketball and hockey, not sure I love those spots as much as Tyler does. He is currently running a few fantasy football leagues. In the one that counts (apparently there is money on the line) he has made it to the playoffs, however Peyton Manning had a few slow games so he lost. I’m a little worried that we may create a habit of gambling. Tyler also loves to “help out” with the chores, Lou has had him mowing the grass (some) and papa has him helping at work, when has time to make it there. Any time there is a tractor involved Tyler is always there.

Brooke … continues her dancing adventure. Coming from a mom that doesn’t know much, I can see definite improvement.  This was the first year that she performed a ‘solo’ which is amazing to me that she will get up and dance in front of hundreds of people all alone. Her first competition she did forget some of the choreography but made up for it very well, only the teacher and I knew.  Brooke scored very well and placed in the top 10 often and even earned first place a few times. Brooke just loves life when she is at the studio. I’m not sure how many problems an 11 year old can have, but she says that can forget them all when she is dancing. We all need something like that right? We did have a few struggles when some choreographers came to town and Brooke was not picked for the dance. Eventually, after conversing with everyone, it turns out she wasn’t picked because of her body type (super skinny and short) and not based on ability. Those were some interesting talks about confidence and being able to accept yourself for you who you are. Some days I feel like I’m still trying to learn the lessons that I’m trying to teach Brooke. Aside from dance, Brooke plays the piano as well as being very involved at school. This year, being the last year in elementary school, she is on the weekly broadcast team, as well as helping students who are struggling. Brooke has also run a few 5k’s this year, with some of her friends.  I’m not too sure I’m ready to have Brooke head to the big world of middle school but I guess life is going to come weather I like it or not.

Louis … He continues to be super involved with work, the school PTA, the second job, dance dad and of course keeping the house and yard in great shape. Good thing there is never a dull moment.  Lou took on the Vice President of the PTA and although there have been some difference of opinions the PTA seems to be doing so much better than when Lou started. Work has gone well for Lou this year and the second job did slow down a little bit, which has actually been alright for our time crunch.

As for me … we have had many changes at work which has forced me to learn many new aspects. We have partnered with Arctic Cat (snowmobiles, ATV’s and side by sides) to bring Denver the only full service dealership in Denver. There were many hurdles that had to be jumped through to get the dealership off the ground but so far things have been fantastic. I’m overwhelmed and excited all at the same time. Along with all of those learning curves, I have also taken on a coaching position with Girls on The Run, a great organization that teaches young girls confidence and self-esteem through running and exercise. I continue to organize runs and races with the Arvada Running Club and although I didn’t get the time to race as often as I would have liked I have enjoyed all the running adventures with the ladies of the club. Finally, I have taken on teaching a stretch and strength class to girls 10-18 at the dance studio, not only to help the dancers with their stamina but also to give kids in the Arvada area. Some days I think the kids teach me as much as I am teaching them.

So yes, my Christmas letter is incredibly late, my pictures are lacking and probably my sentence structure could have been so much better, but like the rest of my life, I’m feeling rushed and very guilty that it is New Year’s Day and I still haven’t published this. So hopefully our 2015 Lou and I will figure out a way to slow down a little, maybe not take on so many projects and try and enjoy things just a little bit more. Wishing everyone a happy and prosperous year filled with tons of joy!

 

PS ... I will update on the running streak of 2014 soon...