Here’s what’s new with us…

Hey everyone, it’s been awhile since my last post, but we’ve been busy–which is a good thing.

Here’s what’s new with us:

• Sam and I rode in the 2011 bike MS: Pedal Los Pueblos charity ride.  It was exciting and lots of fun.  Thank you to everyone who donated and helped us help the fundraiser surpass it’s $125,ooo goal (last I checked, they were close to collecting $150,000!)
• I started my own photography business and have shot a few homes in the Albuquerque area and one in Durango–you can see some of my latest work here.
• I started a new job, working very part-time as a transaction manager for a local real estate agent
• Sam spoke in this years’ Albuquerque Wordcamp conference as a panelist and did an excellent job. It was a great opportunity to meet other web people in our area and I think he made some great contacts. He had so much fun that he is thinking about speaking at other conferences nationally and possibly internationally
• I got accepted to UNM, and am finally going to finish my degree. Go Lobos!
• There is talk of my brother and his wife moving to Albuquerque at some point in the near future–this would be wonderful and we are very much looking forward to them being closer

That’s about it for now.  We are heading into Fall and are looking forward to the weather being cooler for awhile. We enjoyed spending this Summer with our niece and nephews and miss them now that they are back in school!

We are planning a trip to Rockford in November for Thanksgiving, and we’re really excited about seeing everyone there. We will be in town for about 5 days, so let me know if anyone wants to get together!

Staying in Albuquerque

Well folks, we’ve decided to stay in Albuquerque for a few more years.  We’ve moved out of the apartment, which has improved my impression of the Land of Enchantment quite a bit. It was no secret that I hated the apartment and it was extremely hot, and there was no yard for the dogs.  Our new house has a yard, and A/C, and we’re quite comfortable here.  I’m starting my own photography business and hope to be busy with that very soon.  You can check out my website at http://hotchkissphoto.com/.  Let me know what you think, I’d love some feedback!  Anyways, below are some pics of the new house.  If you need our new address, email us!

Balloon ride & Santa Fe

Thanks to Livingsocial.com and Groupon.com, we were able to get a great deal on a hot air balloon ride and a night in Santa Fe.  We had a blast, check out the pics below.  Everyone should enjoy a balloon ride at least once in their life.

What we’ve been up to

This past weekend, my mom came to visit, and we had a great time shopping and hanging around on Saturday while Sam went and played laser tag with Jason, Rachel, Austin and the kids for David’s birthday. Laser tag sounded like a lot of fun, for sure. I think we’re going to try and go next weekend with Silas and Theo. I’ll take pics and let you know how it goes! Since today is Valentine’s Day, this past weekend there was also a free balloon rally, which my mom, Sam and I attended. It was pretty cold that early in the morning, but it was well worth it to see my mom see 100 hot air balloons take off into the bluebird sky.

Last week, Sam took me to see the musical ‘Wicked’. I read the book years ago (I looooved the book, it’s one of my all time favorites) and have been waiting to see the musical since about 2004, so it was a dream to finally get to see it. It was a touring production playing at Popejoy Hall at the University of New Mexico. It was an amazing night, we had so much fun. The musical is quite a bit different than the book, but as its own entity, the musical was perfect. Sam enjoyed it as well, which made it a fun night for both of us.

We’re getting geared up to take a trip to Savannah to see my brother and meet his wife, Melissa, and I can’t wait! March 16-21 we’ll be traveling and busy visiting with them, and we’ll hopefully get to see Suki in Charleston while we are there, too.

Sam and I have been on a diet as some of you know. We’re using a website to track our calories and exercise, and it’s actually been working–I’ve lost almost 10 pounds in the last 3 weeks, and Sam’s lost weight too! We’ve been pretty dedicated to living healthier lives and I’m proud of us for sticking with it for as long as we have.

St. Valentine's Day

We’re also planning a mini-vacation to Santa Fe on March 3rd, where we will shop and dine and visit art galleries and just relax.  Prior to heading to Santa Fe, we’ll be taking a hot air balloon ride in Albuquerque–pictures to come!

Also, we had a great night tonight for Valentine’s Day–dinner at Garduno’s and relaxing at home.

I don’t know that anyone reads this blog other than my mom, but I would love to hear what everyone else has been up to.

Doing the right thing…..?

As some of you may know, since living in Albuquerque we have endured (enjoyed?) living above one of the strangest people I’ve ever encountered. To say she’s been difficult would be putting it mildly. To say that she is mentally unhinged would not begin to describe her personality. Since moving into the apartment on Antigua in April, we’ve had a number of run-ins with this woman. Our very first encounter happened while we were unloading the U-Haul on our very first day in Albuquerque. To be more exact, she made her first appearance while Sam attempted to back the U-Haul into a parking spot near our stairs. What unfolded from there was as follows: the whole run down on how awful the complex that we hadn’t even finished moving into yet was, her complete medical history and her self-proclaimed pathetically small and ever dwindling family tree. And she was currently being audited. Oh, and at some point in there we met her suicidal cat, George Burns (whom she chases around the parking lot- he, dodging sprays and her overall wrath by sprinting underneath the parked cars, her, with a spray bottle and screaming “you get back in there, George Burns, you get back in that house right now!”). Why she takes her cat with her to Costco is beyond my comprehension. Why she believes that if she just opens the car door, he’ll run towards her apartment is just silly.

We had multiple run-ins with her from this point on. Some good, some bad. Some really really bad. She made various complaints to the management that we “lived too loudly”, followed by a request to not walk in our bedroom during the day because we make too much noise. She threatened to call the police over the Summer because a friend’s swimsuit top that had been drying in the sun on the balcony had blown off and fallen to the rocks below her bedroom window and Sam was trying to retrieve it as carefully and quickly as possible. We’ve since learned that she is on a great deal of medication and depending on when she last took this medication, she could be really nasty or really nice. At first, I took great offense to her attacks since I had always considered myself to be a kind, considerate neighbor who can get along with just about anyone. It made me pretty angry and hurt. And nervous since I didn’t know what was coming next and if it would somehow reflect badly on our rental history. I didn’t like that the Tierra Antigua Management staff always reprimanded us for stuff we were NOT doing without asking us if any of her accusations were true. She even went so far as to say that we (two non-smokers) had somehow thrown a cigarette butt down into her covered patio and burned her furniture….?? And all of this happened while we were in Boston. A nasty letter from management was waiting for us when we returned from our trip, exhausted from travel, reprimanding our carelessness and reminding us of the dangers of smoking and correct cigarette disposal. Gee, thanks, that will surely come in handy.

One rainy day in October, Sam and I returned from the gym to find our dog, Izzy, on the landing. Soaking wet and barking at our neighbor, who was to her credit, frantically trying to catch Izzy by enticing her with a milk bone. She saw that we were pulling up and said that she tried to make Izzy safe. Izzy had jumped through our second story window, survived the fall and had been prowling around making mischief for at least an hour and a half. That night really made me think. I have since realized that we are dealing with a mentally unstable woman who is basically alone and very lonely. I’ve really tried to make amends with her, understanding that it’s important to just play along with a crazy person who has no real grip on reality. I began treading lightly when seeing her in passing, and trying to make friendly small talk with her while still escaping to the safety of our second story apartment. She often offered our dogs treats when we would return from a nice walk. One day, to really cement the peace that I thought might be growing, I accepted her offer of treats for the dogs. I waited while she excitedly ran into her apartment and returned with two big milk bones, one for each pup. She made them sit, gave them the treats and then showered them with a lot of love. An animal lover–finally, something we have in common.

Now when I see her, I don’t dread it as much. I still get a little nervous because you don’t know what kind of day it’s been for her. I let her see the dogs and chat with her for a minute, and Sam usually knows to fabricate an excuse to get me up the stairs and away from being stuck there too long. I try to commiserate with her about the crappy maintenance & management at Tierra Antigua. I think it’s just better to agree than fight a pointless battle with someone who can’t understand. The next time she feels we’ve been too loud, I’m sure I’ll just apologize. In this situation, I have to understand that I have the intellectual upper hand, and it’s my duty to extend patience and kindness to her–someone who has not lived the privileged and pretty great life I have led with a wonderful family surrounding me.

This morning before leaving for work, at her doorstep I dropped a tin of cookies I made last night and a Christmas card. Hopefully she won’t think we’re trying to poison her and will feel included and thought of during the holidays which can be pretty lonely for someone who has no one. And I really hope she’s not allergic to peanuts!

Happy Holidays, everyone! Please give someone who needs it a little love this year. It could be the best gift you ever give yourself.

Becky

Jingle Wedding Bells!

It’s about a week until Christmas and I just had to post some very exciting news— my brother, David, got married yesterday! I’m so extremely happy for him and Melissa. I haven’t met her yet, but I can’t wait to get to know her. Congratulations you guys, we love you! We wish you the very best!

Our Christmas Tree this year!

We’re just about set for Christmas this year. We picked out our Christmas jammies this evening, and my mom will be joining us on Christmas Eve. It will be a quiet Christmas at our little apartment here, and then we’ll spend some time with Rachel and her family as well later in the day on Christmas. We’ll be sending out our annual holiday letter soon, so keep your eyes peeled!

Getting to be that time of year….

I usually love the holidays, and this year will be no exception. On top of spending a nice, quiet Thanksgiving with Sam, my mom and her dog Buddy (Buddy had knee surgery, so he couldn’t play, poor guy), we were given some pretty exciting news as well. David, my brother, is getting married and having a baby! David lives in Port Wentworth, GA (near Hilton Head) and I’ve not yet had the chance to meet Melissa Lee, his fiance, but I can’t wait! I’m going to have another sister-in-law, and another niece or nephew! I’m trying to figure out how to make a trip to Savannah to see them soon, to have a chance to get to know Melissa. If David loves her, I’m sure she’s wonderful.

Christmas this year is going to be a quiet one. We decided to spend it at home in Albuquerque, just the four of us (me, Sam,  Barkley & Izzy). We selected a tree last night at Mike’s Tree Farm on Paseo Del Norte, brought her home and gussied her all up. She looks magnificent! There’s just something about having a tree with lights, covered in childhood memories (ornaments, etc). I have really been enjoying our fireplace, and now even more so with the tree there.

WHAT ARE ALL OF YOU DOING FOR CHRISTMAS????

Check out this funny video that I made starring me, Sam & my brother. It’s a hoot!! Tee Hee~!

Sam’s grandfather, Joseph Hotchkiss, passed away on Nov. 27. He passed at home in Connecticut with his loving family around him, comfortable and hopefully at peace. He was a good man that I know Sam admired greatly. He will be missed, to be certain. We are sending all of our love to Granny & Anne, Polly, Jody & Hannah, and family. There will be a memorial service in the Spring, and we will be there.

Anyways, not much else new on this front…. Hope everyone is doing great!

2010 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

This was quite easily one of the most beautiful and amazing events I’ve ever attended in my entire lifetime. Completely worth getting up before 5 am to see. Balloonists come from all around the globe to participate in this event. Enjoy the pictures! If you want to learn more about the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, click here!

Going on a roadtrip…

Next week, we’ll be packing up the car and heading out onto the open road. We’re driving from Albuquerque to Rockford, IL to visit with family (it’s my grandparent’s wedding anniversary in November, and since some people can’t make the trip in November, we’re all going in October instead) and also to have a face-to-face with a client in Chicago. We’re both really excited for the road trip. Every time we get on 40 to drive to work, Sam says something along the lines of “I’d really like to go on a road trip”, so…now….on Oct. 7, when we get on 40, we’re going to keep going! I’m excited because we’ll be driving through two states I’ve never been to (Texas & Oklahoma), and since I really have no desire to actually visit either of those states, it will be fun to “see” them as we pass through. Our friend Adam recommends a stop at the Cadillac Ranch outside of Amarillo–where you can spray paint onto cadillacs that have been half buried in the ground. We’ll see… Sam didn’t sound too excited about it. It won’t be a great time to stop, since we want to get where we are going as fast as possible, but maybe I can negotiate at least one stupid tourist trap…we’ll see.

Let’s see–what else has been going on around here…..

we’re finally getting a break from the seemingly relentless heat. Work is busy as usual. We’re planning to go see the Balloon Fiesta this coming week, which should make for some great photos. I haven’t been too inspired to take any photos as of late, and I’m really hoping that the fiesta combined with our road trip will revive my love of photography. I’ve dusted off my camera that I haven’t used since shooting a friend’s wedding in May in Durango.

Last week, we had some nice rains. The only problem with the rain is that it was over too quickly. We came home one evening from the gym to find Izzy standing in the pouring rain, barking at our downstairs neighbor. As most of you know, we live on the second story of our apartment building. So yeah, she jumped. Out the window. Of our second story apartment. And she’s fine. She’s such a handful– we adopted her from the shelter, where we learned that she used to be owned by a homeless person, so I’m sure she’s learned a lot of survival skills. And apparently, one of them is jumping from tall heights and surviving. Geez. It was a bit confusing at first, but really we’re just glad that she’s ok.

In other news, about 3 weeks ago, Sam accidentally hit me very hard with his racquetball racket during a particularly  competitive game. Long story short, after 2 ER visits, 2 black eyes, 1 cat scan that revealed a concussion, countless radiating headaches and pains–I’m just starting to get back to normal activities, with some minor concentration & focus issues, and some remaining pain in my forehead where impact occurred. We’re getting back to playing the game again, but I’m still a little skittish. It was a scare, for sure. The moral of this story is: take every safety precaution available to you when partaking in potentially hazardous activities!

We’re planning a move sometime in the coming year. We’ll keep our office open here in Albuquerque, but this isn’t really the place we want to land for too long. And we’re anxious to buy a house, a fixer-upper maybe, and become part of a community. The places currently in the running are (in this order):

Wilson Harbor, NY (on Lake Ontario)
Chicago, IL
Bay Area, CA
Boston, MA

We really like the idea of Wilson because it’s a small town near Buffalo, on a beautiful lake, with SCREAMING real estate deals right now on houses ON the lake. So we could buy a project, fix it up, and be pretty content I believe. The Buffalo area offers minor league baseball, boating, and the Bills–all things that we really consider pretty important. All of the places we’re considering have pros and cons, so it will probably essentially boil down to fate, I’m sure.

I’ll post some balloon photos once I take them!

Oh yeah, also be sure to check out my new photography website–it’s still under construction, but will be coming soon!

Settling In

It’s been two weeks since we opened our office and things are looking good. We are able to draw a clearly defined line between work and home, which is a new thing. It’s a great thing. So far, we’ve taken our two weekends off to catch up on sleep, since we’ve been so busy working on getting set up. I think it will only get easier as time goes on. Sadly, we don’t visit the pool as often as we had been, but now it’s a treat to be able to go on the weekends. But I’ll trade pool time for the chance to stop the phones from ringing and to unchain Sam from his computer anytime. Our clients are adjusting (some are proving to be less adaptable, shall we say?), and I am confident that after another couple of weeks, they will realize that this is our schedule now. So, no, we will not be answering your calls at 11pm on a Sunday. Clearly. Actually, we fired the one client who did this on a regular basis and are now working with all pretty darn good people. We will be redoing the consulting website, as Sam designed a new logo for our business cards. I’m looking forward to building a brand that will become recognizable with our name.

In other news, Sam turned 26 this past Saturday. We had a great day of relaxing, good food and a great baseball game with Rachel, Austin & the kids. The Isotopes played a great game which was followed up by a spectacular fireworks show.  Oh, and I made a carrot cake for Sam–and while it’s true the frosting did sort of melt off in the heat, it still tasted pretty good. There are no pictures of that cake to post on purpose. It was nice to spend some time with family. I think it’s too easy to get wrapped up in our own little lives and we forget to make time for things like that.

We are busy trying to flesh out our trip to Rockford in the Fall. My friend, Elaine, had her first baby and I can’t wait to meet him, and see her too, of course. I’ll see my Dad & Stepmom, my grandparents and various friends, and I’m excited. We will be driving, as we learned recently that driving will only cost us roughly $150 in gas (in our Pruis) as opposed to several hundred dollars in airfare and renting a car. And don’t worry–for Sam’s birthday, I bought him extender rails for his seat in the Prius, so he can drive comfortably.

That’s all from us right now. Hope everyone who reads this is enjoying life!