A NEW YEAR

Well folks I would like to apologize for my laziness with the blog. I received a few comments from people over the holidays reminding me that I still have readers. I don't really know where to start with what has been happening in my life so I'll give it a shot. My initial new years resolution was to not have a resolution but I guess I'll make it to put more effort and importance on my blog.

Right now I'm laying on my couch in Chicago after a loooooooooooong Christmas vacation. My last day was December 19th 2007 and I go back to work tomorrow, January 4th. In this break a lot happened. I went home and was able to spend Christmas with the family, including my katie and steves katy. It was the first time we had them included in the official tigchelaar christmas. given it was on december 21st rather than christmas eve and christmas morning, but hey, "the times they are a changing (like that Jeff)." One of my favorite parts of this time was being able to see and spend some time with Charlotte (my neice). the last time I had seen her was when she wasn't walking or talking. This time she was a chatter box that walked everywhere. for the first few days Steve and I were both unca 'teve, but later she learned that I was unca mak.
After the christmas festivities with the newly revamped tigchelaar family, I went out to California to spend some time with katie and her family. I flew out on Christmas day, so most of my Christmas was spend en route. Once I got to Cali I was able to relax and do a lot of hanging out with the future in laws and of course the fiance. On the saturday before the new year we went on the annual snowboarding/skiing trip to Mammoth Mountain. This was my second time going along and I love it. I learned how to snowboard last year and this year I purchased my own board and was able to keep up a lot more. Mammoth Mountain is known as pretty much the biggest ski mountain in the US. When at the top of the mountain you are able to take in some of the best views I can imagine.

This is what we saw from the top of the mountain.

We took in the new year together in the cabin and headed back to Long Beach on New Years Day (after we watched Michigan beat Florida of course).
I began my trip back to Chicago with a 2.5 hour delay in LA. After delays in LA and a bad experience getting my luggage in Chicago I arrived at my lovely apartment at about 4 AM.
It feels weird to be back in Chicago after a vacation like that. I had so much fun with my family, my future family, and of course my lovely fiance.

2008 is going to bring some big things;

1: Katie and I get married
2: Steve and Katy get married
3: My good friend Mark Asma and his fiance Tina get married
4: A new president gets elected
5: Katie finds out what her future is with grad school
6: Stay tuned for something else new in 2008.........................