Wow!! What a year!! I don't know what it was, but January 1st 2012 I sat down to do up my little "Do, See , Go" list for the year and I just had a feeling it was going to be a great year!! What was on my list? Some simple things like go to the aquarium and get out to Gillette's Castle, I wanted to get out to New York City and the Southwick Zoo, and on the back of my list, just because I wanted to go someday, Chicago. As of the 1st I only had a couple things planned for the year like my trip to Las Vegas and I had tickets to see Cirque du Soleil's Michael Jackson Immortal World Tour. I had no idea what was in store for me!!
ON THE LIST!!
Gillette's Castle was the only thing on last years list that I never got around to. This year I made the trip twice. Once in the spring to walk some of the trails around the property and a second time in the fall to tour the inside. 1 thing off my list!!
I also made it to the
aquarium and
Southwick zoo twice each!! Check and check!!
CIRQUE!!
Like I said at the beginning of the year I knew I was going to a couple Cirque shows. I already had tickets to see Michael Jackson Immortal and I always wanted to see "O" if I ever went to Vegas, well I was going so I got myself a ticket. 2 Cirque shows in 3 months! It was going to be incredible!! Well it's now December and I've managed to fit in 5 different Cirque shows PLUS the new 3D movie (twice), just this year!! That is unheard of!!
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| 2-2-2012 Beatles LOVE |
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| 2-2-2012 "O" |
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| 5-2-2012 Michael Jackson Immortal |
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| 6-13-2012 Dralion |
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| 8-22-2012 Zarkana |
I doubt I'll ever see that many at once again, but I sure enjoyed the opportunity!!
TRAVEL!!
I love traveling and was so fortunate this year!! I ended 2011 with a great trip down to Texas, got to see Dallas Cowboy Stadium, watch some amazing gymnastics, and support some of my boys who competed down there.
This year I had the opportunity to fly out to
Las Vegas with our boys team. It's a place I've always wanted to go just to see it, and the boys meet went along with the men's
Winter Cup competition that I've been wanting to go to for years.
Vegas was so much fun!! I hardly stopping the whole time and got to see so many things out there, yet I still have a list of things I want to do next time I go.
The Venetian was probably my favorite resort, I would love to go back and ride the gondolas. The city at night was also pretty amazing.
The competition was great too. It was a learning experience for the boys and we got to see some future Olympians starting their competitive season.
When I got home I figured that would be the only trip I would get to take all year, since it didn't look like I would be able to go to California for the gymnastics Olympic Trials. To my surprise the opportunity to travel again came up just a few weeks later. That trip to Chicago I wanted to take "someday", well "someday" was going to be in July!!
Another place on my list to go again, I had so much fun!! Kev and I turned the city upside down at every opportunity making for some very cool memories. I really don't know when I'll be able to do a handstand 103 stories over a city again!!
We took in some sights and museums including the Mythbusters exhibit at the Museum Of Science And Industry were we got to test a few myths ourselves.
Like I said earlier New York was on my list of things to do. There were quite a few things I wanted to do there and honestly wasn't expecting to have the chance to do any of them. I wanted to take a shopping day, go up to the Empire State Building, see Central Park, and maybe get down to Ground Zero.
I consider myself very lucky to be able to work for/with someone who is also a close friend who I enjoy being able to spend time with. I'm sure if I told most people I took the day off to spend with my boss they'd think I was nuts, but Shari and I always have fun together and spent a very enjoyable day shopping in Times Square, catching a show at Radio City Music Hall (Zarkana), and then taking a little bike tour through Central Park. It was such a fun day :)
WORK!
The gym has had a crazy year!! It was an Olympic year this year and Team USA did well in London. We had our own little Olympics that week with classes. I think everyone enjoyed it :) We've been busy ever since. I took on a few more responsibilities and was given a promotion of sorts so it was a good year :)
The really exciting part is still in progress!! Ever since Shari bought the business 7 and a half years ago she's talked about finding a place to really be home. We moved across town to our current location a little over 4 and a half years ago and the whole time Shari's still been looking for something of her own. Well this year all the pieces have fallen into place perfectly!!
Back in May we found a property that would hopefully fit our needs. May 18th we had to have some test holes dug to check for ledge on the property. If we ran into any we'd be back to the drawing board.
The tests came back good and we were on to the next step of the project!
It took basically the whole summer to have things tested by the town, to have plans approved, to have the town approve the whole thing, and finally at the end of September we could begin!!
October 1st:
It was the first time I stopped by after Coit started breaking ground. It looked like a completely different lot!! The trees were all gone and they had already started cutting into the hill that was going to have to get leveled .
October 14th:
I felt the need to do the honorary first handstand at the new gym . . . or soon to be new gym
November 5th:
Most of October and November was spent moving dirt and rocks getting the property ready to build.
November 25th:
Forms for the footings are finally in!! Over the next week concrete was poured and the foundation prepared!!
December 6th:
The original day to deliver the building had to get pushed back but the day finally arrived!! The pieces to our new home were finally here!!
December 7th:
I happened to be in the area with my sister when Shari called me saying the walls were going up!! They had just been delivered yesterday and by 10am the building was off the ground!!
December 8th:
2 days after being delivered it's already taking shape!!
December 20th:
2 weeks since it was delivered and it appears to be completely framed in and they started putting up a wall!! I realize at this point the place is completely open on 3 and half sides and the roof is still open, but the fact that we had a door got me really excited!!
Work is still going on, I try to stop by on a weekly basis to take pictures and put them up on the gym's
Facebook page to keep everyone up to date :) It's going to be an exciting couple of months!!
MY YEAR!!
Well, those were a lot of the highlights, here are a few pictures to sum up everything else . . . if that's possible!!
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2012 was an amazing year!! It's nice to look back at the memories and I look forward to the new adventures that 2013 has in store!!
Have a Happy New Year everyone!!
