Today, our awesome little dude Enzo turns 11 years old. A Wednesday during the school year may not be the ideal birthday for a kid, but at least he gets to spend it with friends, and I am sure they will find a way to celebrate him. Jessica’s classroom is right next door to his, so I would not be surprised if she has something special planned for him.
For our family celebration, we usually go out to dinner on Friday nights, but this week we decided to celebrate on his actual birthday and let him choose the restaurant. Since he loves Asian food, he picked a traditional Japanese ramen spot. The kids have not been to Shokku yet, but Jessica and I love it, and it is right in the heart of the Las Vegas International District, so that is where we will be going. If timing works out, we will hopefully make it home in time to watch the latest episode of our current favorite family show, Beast Games.
Another celebration is coming up this Saturday night. Normally, we would throw a birthday party for Enzo, but this year he chose something different. Instead of a party, all he wanted was to go to a Vegas Golden Knights game against the Seattle Kraken with his best friend Charlie and me. I love that idea, especially since we went to his first Golden Knights game last year for his 10th birthday, and the year before that, I took him to his first UNLV basketball game for his 9th.
Enzo knew there would not be many presents this year because he received a Mac Mini and a computer desk at Christmas, which doubled as a birthday gift. He was completely fine with that, but we still picked up a few small things, including a few books, a pair of shoes, and computer speakers. Over the last month, he has become quite the little computer user. He is taking online typing lessons, and I regularly sit with him to teach new skills and shortcuts. Once he feels more comfortable with the basics, we plan to move into more advanced projects, including coding.
Activity-wise, Enzo had a great time at the annual Track and Field camp in December, and we recently found out they are hosting another one this spring, so we will be signing him up again. He is also about to start playing on a flag football team. This is a big milestone for him since he has never participated in team sports before. Jessica and I have always encouraged him to give it a try, but we did not want to push him. I am excited to see him step into something new and get out on the field.
School continues to go very well for him. He still excels in math, and he earns strong grades across all subjects. He is enjoying his final year of elementary school, but he is understandably a little nervous about moving on to middle school. We keep reminding him that most of his peers feel the same way, and that the transition will get easier after the first day, but I completely understand his hesitation.
The rest of the family is doing well and staying busy. Jessica is entering the final quarter of her master’s program at UNLV and is looking forward to graduating. Ava will be heading to Disneyland next Friday to perform with her school band, and later in the year, Elise will be traveling with her orchestra to Knott’s Berry Farm. Softball season starts in February, so Ava and I have been practicing and getting ready. Elise has also started a new round of figure skating lessons, and I have enjoyed being there to watch a few of her classes.
For me, it has been nice to have a bit more free time now that Cappers has closed. I have been spending a lot of that time playing guitar and cooking with the wood-fired pizza oven I received for Christmas. While it is technically a pizza oven, it works for all kinds of cooking. Lately, I have been using it to roast tomatoes, peppers, garlic, and onions for homemade salsa, which has become one of my favorite things to make. I am also looking forward to the upcoming softball season and feeling optimistic about our chances to repeat as champions, especially with several of our strongest players returning.
We recently booked our flights to Seattle for Aunt Norma’s 100th birthday in June. My mom will be joining us, and everyone is looking forward to the trip. There are so many people we want to see, and the kids are especially determined to visit our old house, so it will be a busy week, but a meaningful one.
That is about all for now. I hope this is a special and memorable birthday for Enzo. I am incredibly proud of the young man he is becoming, and I am really looking forward to our big hockey night out this weekend. Happy 11th birthday, Enzo. We love you.
Ava’s birthday and Thanksgiving came together perfectly this year. Family filled the house, the food was great, and the memories will last well beyond the holiday.
I usually write my birthday posts on the exact day, but this week was packed, and I couldn’t get to it in time. Still, I wouldn’t miss the chance to write about Ava’s fourteenth birthday, even if I’m a few days late. It turned out to be a special day for all of us. Grandma and Grandpa Martin had arrived from Colorado on Sunday, so they were here to celebrate, too. Ava had school on her birthday, but it was the last day of the week, which meant no early bedtime. She said she had a great day and got plenty of birthday wishes from friends, but the real fun started once school was out.
This feels like the year Ava truly discovered fashion. She was never much into clothes or outfits before, but now she’s all about putting together the perfect “fit.” For her birthday, all she wanted was to go shopping, so our first stop Tuesday evening was the Premium Outlet mall near downtown Las Vegas. We ended up in the Dr. Martens store, where she tried on different shoes and boots. She said she wanted a classic pair, so I found the style everyone used to wear in Seattle back in the 90s. She loved them, found her size, and hasn’t stopped wearing them since. She’s had knockoff Docs before, but never the real thing, until now.
Ava also wanted to stop in the Levi’s store since she’s into those classic styles. It felt like we were there forever, but she finally settled on a shirt and two pairs of jeans. Elise found a pair of ripped jeans at another store, and earlier in the fall, I had given Ava a very nice new softball bat as an early birthday gift, so between that, the clothes, and the boots, those were her main presents from Mom and me. She also got some nice drawing supplies from Uncle Jim and Aunt Brenda, a generous amount of cash from all her grandparents, and a thoughtful box of gifts in the mail from our friends, the Palmers.
After shopping, we were all ready for dinner, and Ava requested sushi. I knew exactly where to go: Taru Sushi in Chinatown. We’d been there once before as a family, and it’s also where my buddies from Tennessee and I always end up when they visit Vegas. Dinner was fantastic, as always. We started with appetizers—salt and pepper squid, spicy tuna salad, and crispy Brussels sprouts—then the sushi rolls started arriving. The presentation there is incredible, and we must have ordered about six rolls. The Chu Taru, Sunset, and Over the Rainbow were my personal favorites, though everything was excellent. The kids kept thanking me for taking them somewhere special, but it was entirely my pleasure. We stayed for more than two hours, eating slowly and talking, which is exactly how Jessica and I like to dine. It was a wonderful birthday dinner, topped off with dessert and singing.
In addition to all the birthday fun, it’s been a busy week for us. I took the week off work (my first time off since joining HealthEdge in June) and spent Monday volunteering in Jessica’s classroom. I had a blast working with the kids, and several of them took a real liking to me. One even kept giving me hugs throughout the day. It was great seeing Jessica in her element, running the classroom so naturally. She’s so good at what she does, and I loved getting to experience it firsthand. Since it was the start of Thanksgiving week, we put on a Thanksgiving lunch for all the kids. Amy and Tom came to help serve, and there was plenty of food to go around. Our family brought a big batch of fried chicken, but there were also tacos, mashed potatoes, fruit and veggie trays, and several pies. Enzo joined us, too, and everyone had a great time.
On Wednesday morning, I picked up Kristy, Tito, and Madi from the airport. They were tired from the early flight, but everyone settled right in for a relaxing day at home. With ten people staying in the house, it somehow never felt crowded. I spent a good part of the day making roasted garlic mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving, while everyone else hung out and caught up. The weather was perfect, so most of the afternoon was spent outside in the backyard enjoying the sun. My Mom stopped by with a pan of stuffing and some birthday gifts for Ava, then later, Tito came out to play catch with the kids and me. That evening, we all wound down with a couple of holiday movies.
Thanksgiving was a big day for us and turned out to be the largest gathering we’ve ever hosted at our house. Along with the ten people already staying with us, another ten came over for dinner. My mom stopped by for a while before we ate, and we were joined by Devin, Tiko and Tina with their two daughters, my friend Tony and his son Luca, and Tony’s parents. It was a full house, but somehow it never felt crowded. Tom was a huge help with serving dinner, and Jessica had plenty of support from her mom and Kristy in setting the tables and getting everything organized. Dinner was excellent (I think it might have been the best turkey I’ve ever made), and everyone seemed genuinely happy. Tiko brought four or five pies for dessert, so after dinner we gathered in the living room to watch football and sample them all. It was the perfect holiday and has Jessica and me already thinking about hosting more gatherings like this in the future.
Friday gave most of us a chance to get out of the house, although I stayed home to help Tom with a computer project. Amy and Jessica went Black Friday shopping at the mall, while Kristy, Tito, and Madi headed out for brunch. That evening, Kristy, Tito, and Madi went to see Mat Franco’s magic show at the LINQ, while the rest of us grabbed pizza and played a few rounds of Yahtzee at home. Today, everyone heads back, and honestly, the week has flown by. Amy and Tom left early for their long drive back to Colorado, and I’ll be taking Kristy and her family to the airport this afternoon. It’s been exactly the kind of week I was hoping for, and I’m so grateful for the time we’ve had together with family and friends.
Looking ahead, Elise and Ava are both preparing for their winter music performances at school. Ava recently switched from trumpet to baritone, and Elise has been practicing nonstop for her role as first chair violin in the school’s intermediate orchestra. Her dedication always impresses me, especially with how much she’s improved in just over a year. Lately, we’ve been practicing scales together (her on the violin, me on the guitar), and it’s been a lot of fun. Enzo is excited for another two-week track and field camp in December, and this time, Ava will be joining him. Then, in January, Enzo starts flag football. We’re staying home for Christmas this year, but we’ll all have the last two weeks of the year off together, and I’m really looking forward to it.
That’s about all for now. I’m so glad Ava had such a wonderful fourteenth birthday, and I’m especially grateful for all the time we spent this week with family and friends. It’s been a week we won’t forget, and I truly appreciate everyone who helped make it so special. Happy holidays!
Dropping Ava off at school on her birthday morningHaving fun with arts and craftsDinner at TaruThe first of several desserts at TaruHappy Birthday, Ava
Our summer has been full of adventures, milestones, and memories—and right in the middle of it all, our sweet Elise turned 12. From RV road trips and fireworks to family visits and first flights, it’s been a season to remember. This post is a little snapshot of everything we’ve been up to and a celebration of the amazing young lady Elise is becoming.
Today, our sweet Elise turns 12. It’s hard to believe she’s just one year away from being a teenager. As our busy summer starts to wind down, Elise got to do something on her birthday that I’ve never done—take a flight. She and her siblings spent the weekend in Iowa with Jessica, visiting family and exploring the places where Jessica grew up. I dropped them off at the airport early Friday morning, and since then, they’ve been soaking up time with relatives and learning more about their mom’s hometown. Today, on Elise’s birthday, they flew back home.
It’s been a packed summer for Elise, and the fun isn’t over yet; tomorrow she’s celebrating her birthday at the water park, with a few of her friends. Just last month, she, Ava, and Enzo spent two amazing weeks on an RV trip with Grandma and Grandpa Martin, exploring Utah and Colorado. They visited several national parks in Utah, then stopped back at Grandma and Grandpa’s house in Colorado to pick up their cousin Cole, who was visiting from Houston. From there, the adventure continued with a trip to Colorado Springs and a stop at the Great Sand Dunes (the tallest in the country). It was the longest the kids have ever been away from home, but they had an incredible time. Jessica and I are so grateful they get to make these kinds of special memories with their grandparents.
More recently, our good friends the Palmers came for their annual summer visit from Washington, and as always, it was a blast. We probably did more swimming this year than any year before, and shared some great meals and meaningful conversations. I’m so thankful for their visits; they’ve become a tradition we really look forward to. And this year, we get to see them twice! Jodi and Miles are planning to come back and spend Halloween with us, which we’re all excited about.
The 4th of July was another highlight. We made plans with two other neighborhood families, and everyone chipped in for fireworks. I volunteered to handle the shopping, so Ava, Enzo, and I made the drive out to Pahrump, Nevada, to pick up the good stuff you can’t get in Clark County. Let’s just say it turned into the best neighborhood fireworks show I’ve ever been part of, and I’m officially making it a yearly tradition.
One of the biggest changes for me this summer has been starting a new job as a Principal Engineer at HealthEdge. I’ve been there just over a month now, and I genuinely love it. It’s the most senior role I’ve had in my career so far, and I’m really embracing the leadership and responsibility that comes with it. I report directly to one of our VPs, who’s actually an old friend from my Amazon days, and our CTO was my very first manager at Amazon, so it’s been great to have some familiar faces around.
During my second week, I flew out to Alexandria, Virginia, for an off-site Q3 planning session, which gave me the chance to meet more of my team in person. I’d been to Virginia once before as a middle schooler on a school trip to D.C. and New York, but this was my first time experiencing it as an adult, and I loved it. Our office is in Old Town, right near the Potomac River, and the whole area is full of charm and history. The trip home was less smooth; I got stuck overnight at the Detroit airport thanks to some nasty thunderstorms and ended up sleeping on the floor during my layover. But even with the travel hiccup, the trip was worth it.
All in all, I’m so grateful to be in a role that feels stable, fulfilling, and full of opportunities to grow. I’m excited about what lies ahead and really looking forward to a long future at HealthEdge.
Jessica continues to crush it in her Master’s program at UNLV; she just earned a perfect score in another class. Her dedication and hard work are not only inspiring but also set such a strong example for our kids. On top of school, she’s been pouring her energy into getting her classroom ready for the new school year, which is now less than a month away. She’s definitely feeling a mix of nerves and excitement about her first year leading a classroom, but the amount of effort she’s putting in speaks volumes. I couldn’t be more proud of her. No one sees the sacrifices she’s making more clearly than I do, and I’m so excited to see everything she’s been working toward come to life.
The kids have one more surprise to wrap up their summer; our good friend Avery from the old Mill Creek neighborhood is coming to visit. I think this is her third summer in a row, and the kids are always so excited to see her. It means a lot to me that they’ve stayed so close over the years, even though we don’t live near each other anymore. Once her visit wraps up, we’ll officially be on the countdown to the start of school in early August. The kids might not be completely ready to trade in their summer freedom, but I think we can all agree that this has been one of the best summers yet. From our trip to Mexico, to the RV adventure with Grandma and Grandpa, to all the time spent with friends and family, it’s been full of fun and unforgettable memories.
To wrap things up, I just want to say how proud I am of the young lady Elise is becoming. She’s always been my sweet little girl, and it’s such a joy to watch her grow into such a kind, confident, and thoughtful person. She has a big heart, a strong sense of self, and a bright future ahead. Jessica and I feel incredibly lucky to call her our daughter. Here are a few of my favorite recent photos of Elise.
Monday was Jessica’s birthday, and it worked out perfectly — no work for her and no school for the kids. She spent most of the day hanging out with a couple of close friends from work, but the morning started off with something pretty special. Elise woke up early and surprised her with breakfast in bed: two sunny-side-up eggs, toast, and even a cup of coffee. Not bad for an 11-year-old!
After breakfast, Jessica came downstairs to open her presents. Each of the kids made her a card and wrote her a sweet letter, and then it was time for the big surprise — the gift the kids and I had been quietly working on for almost a month. To explain it, I need to rewind a bit.
A few years ago, Jessica mentioned that she really wanted some nice portraits of the kids taken in the Arts District in Downtown Las Vegas. It was Mother’s Day, and my mom was visiting, so we all went together. Jessica has always loved the colorful murals in that area, so we spent a couple hours wandering around, taking pictures with my Sony vlogging camera. What we didn’t realize until the end — and you can probably see where this is going — was that there was no memory card in the camera. None. Jessica had borrowed it recently and forgot to put the card back in. We didn’t notice until it was too late, and every single photo we took was lost. It was heartbreaking, and we never got around to trying again.
Fast forward to this year — since moving to Vegas, I’ve gotten more and more into photography, and over the past few months, I’ve been diving in deep. I picked up a used Nikon DSLR and a few lenses, and when I heard Jessica was planning a long weekend away with her friends in Tucson, I saw my chance.
While she was off hiking and catching up with friends, the kids and I got dressed up and headed back to the Arts District. We timed the shoot for golden hour — that perfect hour before sunset — and I took hundreds of photos with my new camera. Afterwards, I spent a ton of time going through them all, choosing my favorites, and editing. I ended up editing 50 shots, then narrowed it down to my absolute favorites to print. I had one group shot printed on a big 16×20 board and printed a handful of others in different sizes. On the morning of her birthday, I gave her the prints, a letter explaining everything, and a USB drive with all the edited photos.
Her reaction was everything I’d hoped for. She was shocked — in the best way — and couldn’t believe how many amazing shots we got or how we managed to keep it a secret for so long. Normally, one of the kids would’ve cracked, but they held strong and kept the whole thing under wraps. It was such a fun project to do with them, and I’m really proud of how it turned out. The kids are growing up so fast, and I’d love to start doing this kind of thing more often.
Scroll down to see some of my favorite shots from that day. We’ve got the full set saved in high quality, so we can always print more whenever we want.
In other family news, the end of the school year is sneaking up on us — which means our long-awaited trip to Mexico is almost here! Ava’s softball season is wrapping up soon, and with less than two weeks to go, my first run as head coach is just about in the books. We’ve also got Mother’s Day coming up, so there’s a lot happening all at once.
School officially ends on Friday, May 23, and the very next morning we’re hopping on a plane to Puerto Vallarta for a full week of beaches, adventures, and delicious Mexican food. We’ve booked a couple of excursions for the first two days, but after that, we’re keeping things flexible and just going with the flow. I’m sure I’ll have plenty to write about in next month’s update. It’s been a while since we all flew together — the last time was Disney World in May 2021 — so this trip is way overdue. Everyone is seriously excited.
Not long after we get back, Uncle Jim and Aunt Brenda will be visiting from Washington for the first time, and we can’t wait to see them. Then the kids’ summer adventure continues with two weeks at Grandma and Grandpa Martin’s house, and more visitors coming to town in July. Summer always seems to fly by, but we’re doing our best to keep it full and fun for the kids since I’ll be working and Jessica will be in school.
That’s all for now — I’ll have a full update from Mexico soon. Hope you enjoy the new photos, and Jessica… we love you so much. Hope your birthday was everything you wanted and more.
All about Mr. Enzo’s big 10th birthday! A few other family updates as well.
Today our amazing you man turned a decade old! It’s hard for Jessica and I to believe that our youngest is now in double digits, but we couldn’t be more proud of him, or thankful for everything he brings to our lives. Enzo is smart, funny, caring, and compassionate. He’ll do anything for his friends and family, sticks up for the ones he loves, and is always willing to share. He truly is a great kid in every sense.
Since his birthday fell on a weekday this year, Enzo’s primary birthday celebration was on Sunday with a bunch of his friends at Ninja Kidz. They had a blast bouncing on the trampolines, playing basketball, and eating pizza. Jessica and I did our best to keep up on the trampolines but now her back is sore and my knee keeps feeling like it’s about to give out. Getting old is so fun. Afterward, the kids came back to our house to play outside and enjoy a massive donut from Ronald’s.
On Saturday night, we all went out to dinner with Grandpa Rick and Debbie at a Mexican / Italian fusion restaurant in Las Vegas called Il Toro E La Capra. I’ve pointed it out to Jessica many times since moving here so it was great to finally get to check it out. Dinner was delicious and everyone had a good time. We have a funny picture of Enzo from his first birthday at a Mexican restaurant in Washington where he started crying from having to wear the sombrero. You can see at the end of this video how he makes the same crying face.
Enzo has been keeping busy with a few different activities lately. In December he participated in a 3-week track and field course that met 3 times per week. He got to try every event, figure out which ones he liked the most, and participate in multiple track meets competing in those events. His favorites were the long jump, hurdles, and relay races. He had a lot of fun and our family enjoyed cheering him on during the track meets. More recently, Enzo is back in rock climbing classes at our local rec center every Monday night. He always comes home with a big smile on his face and we’re thinking about signing him up at an actual rock climbing gym if he sticks with it.
Tonight Enzo and I went to his first Vegas Golden Knights game. Not only was it his first NHL game, but it was his first time seeing a top-level professional sporting event in person. He has been to various minor league games before but this was his first time in the big leagues, and he had a blast. Jessica made a sign for him saying it was his first game and his birthday. Consequently, he and his sign made it onto the jumbotron not once, but twice. The people around us were so nice, giving him high fives and wishing him a happy birthday. He must have thanked me a hundred times but it was my pleasure. My thanks goes to him, and to my friend Tiko, who gave us the tickets. He originally invited me to the game with him, but when he remembered it was Enzo’s birthday, he offered both tickets so the two of us could go. Talk about a classy move from a great friend. Even though the Knights lost to the Stars in overtime, it was still a great night that we will never forget.
In other family news, we recently finalized some travel plans for this year. We’ll be spending Spring Break at Grandma and Grandpa Martin’s house in Colorado, just like we did last year. We all love going up there and there’s still plenty of snow in March, so that should be fun. We also just purchased our plane tickets for a week in Puerto Vallarta Mexico this May! We haven’t all been on a plane together since going to Disney World in 2021, and we’ve got a lot to celebrate this year. This Spring, Jessica and I will be celebrating our 15th anniversary, plus Jessica will be finishing up her Master’s program at UNLV, so we thought a nice trip like this was in order.
We thought about staying at a resort outside of town, but after talking it over as a family, everyone’s preference was to stay at a hotel in the city and have a more authentic experience. The plan is to stay in “Zona Romantica”, also known as Old Town, then go on various excursions. The kids get out of school on the Friday before Memorial Day, and we’re flying out the very next morning. We’re all very excited.
There was one bit of bad news that came about today which totally caught me by surprise. The company I’ve been working for over the past two months was purchased, and without notice, my job was gone. I was very upset to hear this because I liked my new job so much. There was zero indication this was coming and I was planning on being there long-term. The fact that it happened on Enzo’s 10th birthday made it even more strange and memorable.
After getting over the shock of this news I immediately started a new job search by posting about my situation on LinkedIn and reaching out to as many recruiters and old co-workers as possible. Unlike my previous experience with this a few months ago, which was right before the holidays and in the middle of a presidential election, things are instantly looking much more promising. I can’t believe how many responses I have received in the past few hours. Searching for a job and going through interview cycles is never fun but hopefully, it won’t be too bad. It’s much easier this time of year and I’m already encouraged by all of the traction I’m getting. It’s certainly humbling though. After working in mega-corporate America for over a decade and never having to think about my employment status, this year has been tough.
On the brighter side, I’m excited to announce that I have accepted the role of head coach of Ava’s softball team. Our previous coach decided to move on and the position was offered to me. I gladly accepted and Ava was thrilled when she got the news. The season doesn’t start for a few more weeks but I’ve got coaches meetings and a draft to prepare for in the near future. We lost about half of our team, so it’s a rebuild, but I’m still very excited for the upcoming season and am already planning out some practices.
Everyone else is doing great, just cruising right along with school and work. We’re all excited about our upcoming trips, and I’m actually glad we made those plans before I got laid off because we probably wouldn’t have made them otherwise, but our family deserves this and everything is going to be fine. More importantly at the moment, we’re all so proud of Enzo and glad to be celebrating him. He’s as good as it gets and I’m lucky to be able to call him my son!
I can’t believe we officially have a teenager in the house! 13 years ago today, our lives changed for the better in so many ways, and it was all thanks to the arrival of Miss Ava Pellegrini. She is such a sweet kid with an outgoing personality, a huge heart, and a level of commitment that you don’t see in many people. While today is her actual birthday, we have been celebrating with her for the past few days. After all, you only become a teenager once.
We held Ava’s first surprise party on Friday night at a local roller skating rink. Several of her softball teammates and their families joined us and Ava had a blast. She had no idea it was coming and was so surprised when she walked in and saw everyone. The following day, one of her friends came over for a sleepover. Jessica dropped them off at the movie theater to see “Red One”, which was a big deal because she had never gone to a movie without an adult before. Yesterday was her softball team’s end-of-season party at a local bowling alley. We hung out with everyone for a couple of hours and had a nice time.
Last night we all watched Grandpa Rick and Debbie’s wedding ceremony on YouTube. We were sorry not to be able to attend it in person but were thankful to be able to watch it online. It looked like a nice event and we’re very happy for both of them.
Today started with Ava opening some presents before school. She wished she didn’t have to go to school on her birthday, but what she didn’t realize was that Jessica had been planning all along to take the day off and pull her out of school early for a special day. I thought about joining them but decided not to because I get a lot more one-on-one time with Ava than Jessica does, so I wanted them to have this memorable time together.
After pulling her out of school, they stopped home for a minute, and as luck would have it, the custom softball glove that we ordered for her a month ago arrived in the mail. The timing couldn’t have been better! She has always used my 40-year-old Little League glove for softball, which is very sweet, but it was time for her to get something bigger and better. The glove was initially designed by her when I showed her the website, but I think she forgot about it. It’s her color scheme with an Italian flag, and it even has her nickname “Lightweight” embroidered on it, which was given to her by her beloved hitting coach, Bill Madlock.
Tonight, we’re all going out with a family friend to see the new movie “Wicked”, then tomorrow Auntie Dana and Uncle Brad will be arriving from San Diego to spend Thanksgiving with us. I have a special meal planned for us on Wednesday night, then we’re all going to decorate the house and Christmas tree afterward. Thursday will be spent at Devin’s house, which is becoming a Thanksgiving tradition for us, and then on Monday, I’ll be starting my new job as a Senior Software Engineer with Old Republic Title! I’m so thankful to have the job search behind me and don’t have to wait until the new year to land something.
As is the case every year, we have so much to be thankful for. Everyone is happy, healthy, and living their best lives. My brief unemployment stint caused a little bump in the road, but we used that as a teachable moment for the kids. Overall, things couldn’t be better, and we’re all excited for the holiday season. Above all, I hope this was an excellent birthday for Ava and that she never forgets it. She brings more joy to everyone than she realizes and we’re so lucky to be able to call her our daughter.
Happy 13th birthday sweetheart. Here are some recent photos and videos celebrating Miss Ava.
Opening presents on the morning of her birthdayShe loves her new bag from Uncle Jim and Aunt BrendaShe loves all things “Demon Slayer”Ready for school
Here she is opening her new softball glove
Getting ready for her first softball game in the 14U age divisionAfter winning her first Defensive MVP awardAfter winning her first Offensive MVP awardShe won Offensive MVP for the championship games because she got on base during every at-bat
This was her first at-bat of the first championship game
Celebrating Elise’s 11th birthday in Phoenix, Arizona! Food, Concerts, Swimming, and more…
Today our sweet Elise turns 11 years old! Although Summer break is winding down, we have been staying quite busy, and as of yesterday, another road trip is in the books. We spent the past few days in Phoenix, Arizona eating delicious foods, hanging out at the pool, and attending a show by one of our favorite bands, AJR! Before I get into the details of our weekend getaway I just want to say how proud Jessica and I are of Elise. She’s growing up fast and will enter middle school in a few short weeks.
Elise has grown up a lot over the past year; she has a great crew of close friends and always seems to be busy with one activity or another. She takes school seriously and enjoys various extracurricular activities like “Girls on the Run,” drama, fundraisers, and more. Like most kids her age, she is nervous about entering middle school, but I’m proud of the way Ava keeps building her up via pep talks. Elise is also our little beauty queen; she loves makeup, skincare, fashion, and painted nails. Although summer break isn’t over yet, she has very much enjoyed her time off this year and is already referring to her birthday weekend in Phoenix as the best present she has ever received. We all love her to the moon and couldn’t be more proud of the young lady she has become!
Phoenix 2024 Road Trip
Our weekend in Phoenix was outstanding and I wouldn’t be surprised if there were more Arizona visits in our future. The trip came about because AJR, one of our favorite bands, was playing Friday night in Phoenix and we knew the kids would love to go. We saw AJR last year at SEMA Fest in Las Vegas and, as far as we were concerned, they stole the show. Once we saw they would be playing nearby on Elise’s birthday weekend we knew we had to make it happen. This meant that Elise would have to forego a traditional birthday party, but she was more than willing to make that consolation.
We drove down on Thursday morning, and now that we’re conditioned to doing 11-hour drives to Grandma’s house in Colorado, the 4.5-hour drive to Phoenix felt like a walk in the park. The kids had never been to Arizona before, other than the sliver of it that we pass through when heading to Colorado, so this was a fun new experience for us. Jessica had also never been to Phoenix, and my only experience there came via a work trip years ago when I was at Amazon, so this was my first time getting to actually enjoy it.
We knew upon arriving in Phoenix that our hotel wouldn’t be ready for check-in, so we drove straight to Pizzeria Bianco. Devin told me that he hadn’t been there, but it was once called the best pizza in the country, so we had to check it out. It’s a traditional Italian Neapolitan pizza, which is our favorite, and we all loved our meal. I won’t go so far as to say it’s the best pizza I’ve ever had, but it was delicious, plus the atmosphere was nice and it was the perfect way to start off our trip. Here we are at their next-door lounge having a drink while we waited for a table.
After lunch, we checked in at our hotel, the Hilton Phoenix Resort at the Peak, and spent the rest of the afternoon at their water park. It was so hot outside that their lazy river was warmer than bath water, but we still had a nice time. Later that evening we went back to downtown Phoenix and had a nice sushi dinner at Harumi Sushi and Sake.
We slept in so late on Friday morning that we missed breakfast, but it worked out for the best because our lunch at the Fry Bread House was the highlight meal of the trip. I came across this place while reading an article about the Phoenix dining scene. While I had never had fry bread before, or dined at a Native American restaurant, the reviews sounded amazing, and once I saw it was a James Beard award winner, I knew we had to go. While it wasn’t a fancy place at all, the way they built burritos out of fry bread, rather than a traditional tortilla, was incredible. We all agreed it was our favorite meal in a long time and will definitely be returning next time we make it to Phoenix. Friday afternoon was spent at our hotel’s water park, and then that evening we had a big pasta meal at Babbo’s Italian Eatery before heading to the Footprint Center, home of the Phoenix Suns, for the AJR concert. The concert itself was so much fun; the kids knew the words to every song and we were so impressed with the entire production. It was so much more than your traditional live show where the band simply comes out and plays their songs. You could tell a lot of time and effort went into creating this show and we loved every minute of it. Here’s the video I made of my favorite songs from that night, as well as a few photos from before the show.
Driving home on Saturday was smooth sailing the entire way. The desert in Arizona is much prettier than what we have in Nevada, mostly because they get much more rain than we do. We loved looking at all the cacti and various other forms of plant life. It was a quick trip but we all enjoyed Arizona and look forward to going back. While the climate isn’t any different from what we’re used to, it definitely has a different vibe to it. While Vegas is fast-paced and glitzy, Arizona is much more laid-back, and I love how they lean into their old Western heritage. Phoenix, in particular, had an excellent dining scene, and that’s always a draw for Jessica and me. We’re now thinking about visiting other Arizona hot spots like the Grand Canyon, Scottsdale, and Tucson.
With our big weekend behind us, the plan for today is to lay low at home. We might do a little swimming later, and Elise has requested homemade fish tacos for dinner, so I’m looking forward to making them for her. Oh, and one more thing, Ava and Elise are both past the 100 consecutive days mark of daily foreign language lessons on DuoLingo! I’m so proud of their dedication that I decided to get back into it and am now doing daily Spanish lessons. I figured nothing could be more useful around here than Spanish and it’s so similar to Italian that I find it rather easy. The three of us are now regularly encouraging Mom and Enzo to get on board so we can all have some type of foreign language influence in our lives.
That’s about it for now. We have friends coming to visit next weekend, then we will be visiting Auntie Dana and Uncle Brad for a long weekend in San Diego next month. Here are a couple more photos from our trip to Phoenix. Happy 11th birthday Elise, we love you to the moon!
Jessica’s birthday weekend, family activities, and a new job for Dad.
Yesterday was Jessica’s birthday and we were able to make a fun weekend out of it. On Saturday morning she ran a 5k with Elise and Enzo as part of the school running club that Elise has been involved in this year. Unfortunately, Ava and I weren’t able to be there to cheer them on because her softball team had a double-header in Pahrump that morning, which is about an hour away, but they had a great time. Here’s a photo from their race.
On Saturday, Jessica wanted to check out a hibachi restaurant near our house. We thought it would be a fun experience and that the kids would enjoy the show. It turned out to be a great time and is something we plan on doing again soon. Elise had been to a hibachi restaurant one time with her friend’s family, but Ava and Enzo had never experienced anything like this before. There was a guy seated across from us who was very friendly and offered Enzo $5 if he could catch a shrimp from the chef in his mouth. He was given three tries and this is how it turned out.
Afterward, the chef gave everyone a chance to catch a piece of shrimp in their mouth. Jessica and I both caught ours on the first try but let’s just say that wasn’t the case for everyone else. Overall it was a fun and new experience with delicious food, and the whole table sang “Happy Birthday” to Jessica.
We slept in on Sunday morning, then later I got to work on a crab cake benedict for her birthday brunch. I had offered to skip my baseball game but she told me not to, so it was important to me that I make her a nice meal. The kids had never eaten eggs benedict before but they all liked it, especially the homemade hollandaise sauce.
After brunch we went to the park to play frisbee for a bit and enjoy the beautiful weather, then I had to get ready for my game. While I was away, Jessica and the kids went out for ice cream, and by the time I got home, everyone was relaxing for the evening. Another exciting thing to come out of Jessica’s birthday was that we finalized our dates for the Colorado trip in June. As it turns out, we’re going to be gone for 11 days, which is more than originally expected but it made the most sense based on everything we want to do with Grandma and Grandpa Martin. I’ll be working for several of those days, but will still be taking a few days off as well. The plan is to leave Nevada on Saturday, June 1st, and return on Tuesday, June 11th. I look forward to writing a big update about it in June!
I hope Jessica had a great birthday, and most importantly, how much we all love and appreciate her!
In addition to Jessica’s birthday, we also recently attended a school awards ceremony at the South Point Hotel and Casino. She was nominated for support staff of the year, and although she didn’t win, it was still a great honor and clear validation that she is doing the right thing. She received an engraved plaque and we enjoyed the ceremony with friends, so it was a fun and memorable night all around.
Softball and Baseball Update
While my baseball season is just getting going, Ava’s softball season is cruising right along toward the playoffs. Her team is 7-1 and we just beat the 1st-place team in both games of a double-header on Saturday. Her improvement this season has been so fun to watch and I’m proud of how committed she is. She never turns down an opportunity to practice and never misses a team event. Sometimes it gets tricky due to other family commitments, and we have had to ask other families for help getting her to or from practice more than once, but it always works out.
It’s been a pleasure for me to help the team this season as an assistant coach and I know Ava loves having me out there. We only have two more weeks until the playoffs begin, so her season will be over before we know it, but we’re doing our best to repeat as league champions, and no matter what, we will definitely be back for the next season this Fall.
On the baseball side, I’m having a blast getting out there with the guys every Sunday. I can handle all the bumps and bruises, as well as waking up sore on Monday mornings because I love the whole experience. I’m making friends, playing better than expected, and best of all, getting to share this experience with Enzo, who is our team’s batboy.
So far, our team has played 4 games and we have a record of 1-3, which isn’t great, but it’s a brand new team and we’re still finding our way. You never know who is going to make it each weekend due to other schedules and conflicts, but it’s always a good time. I currently have a batting average of .500, which is much better than I expected to start off at. I haven’t struck out more than once in a game and yesterday’s game was the first one where I didn’t strike out at all. I’ve had a few really nice hits, including a blast over the center fielder’s head in game 3 that resulted in a standup double. The best part was reaching second base and hearing Enzo yell “Father of the Year!!!”
I have already had a scary moment as well, which was in my first at-bat of the second game. The first pitch I saw was a fastball coming right at my head. I later learned that I should have ducked away but I have never practiced this type of situation before and the ball was coming in very fast, so my natural instinct was to pull back. The ball clipped my left wrist and then hit me right in the face! I could tell no serious damage was done but it was scary for everyone, not just me. I hated the fact that Enzo had to see this happen to me in my first at-bat since he had joined the team, but it was memorable.
As expected, the guys on the team love having Enzo around and it seems clear that Enzo loves it just as much, if not more. Our team’s manager insisted on paying for Enzo’s jersey due to all the help he provides, and as I told him recently, we’re creating memories for a lifetime. Even if he never plays ball himself, he will always remember being the batboy for his dad’s team. I would have loved to do this sort of thing with my own dad but I’m glad to be doing my part to make it happen now. I’m not getting any younger, and am already one of the oldest guys out there, but I love it and want to continue playing as long as possible.
My New Job in the Sports Betting Industry
To close things off, I’m excited to announce that I have accepted a new job as a Senior Software Engineer with Unabated Sports; an industry leader in sports betting analytics! I wasn’t even looking for a new job because my plan was to continue working at my current day job until my own company, Cappers.ai, was successful enough for me to work there full-time, but this opportunity with Unabated popped up and was too good for me not to pursue.
I stumbled upon Unabated on Twitter a few weeks ago and was immediately impressed with their business model. I even sent their link to my partner Devin saying that this is exactly how I would like to see our company evolve. Later on, I noticed on their Twitter feed that they were hiring software engineers and were looking for someone with experience in C# and relational databases. As it just so happens, this is exactly what I used to build the Cappers application, so I figured I had nothing to lose by applying.
I sent them an email with my resume and talked about my experience with Cappers, then about 90 minutes later I had an email from their CEO asking if we could chat. We had a few meetings over the next two weeks and ultimately they made me an offer that I couldn’t refuse. I made sure to verify with them that Cappers wasn’t going to be a conflict of interest and they were fine with it.
I’m so excited to get started two weeks from today. I know I’m going to learn a ton and can’t wait to dive head-first into their platform. I’m particularly proud of this new role because it’s a product of the initiative and hard work that went into building the Cappers site. I built that thing from scratch, have learned a ton along the way, and continue to put countless hours into it. While I haven’t been unhappy working at my current day job, which is in the healthcare industry, having the opportunity to work in the world of sports betting, which is something that I love and am good at, is very exciting. I can’t help but think that my dad would be proud. He always told me when I was a kid not to follow in his footsteps, but to me this feels like the best of both worlds.
Regardless of how things turn out with Cappers, this is a great opportunity with Unabated. Several of their founders were founders of the Action Network, which is the biggest platform out there for sports bettors, and I’m getting in as one of the first 30 employees. They are consistently beating their revenue targets and growing fast. My family has been so supportive throughout this process and I know Jessica is very happy for me to be able to take this on. I look forward to providing more updates about it in the near future.
That’s about it for now. It’s crazy that the school year is about to come to an end, and we’re excited for Elise because she will be giving a speech at her elementary school graduation ceremony, just like Ava did a year ago. We don’t have a whole lot planned in May, but June should be a lot of fun due to our Colorado trip, then Grandpa Rudd will be visiting for the 4th of July. Shortly after that will be our weekend in Phoenix, and then as soon as we get back from that our good friends the Palmers will be coming down for their annual visit.
Here are a few more recent photos. See you next month!
Visiting with old friends from SeattleI got to speak to Elise’s 5th-grade class about being a software engineer for Career DayJessica’s birthday dinnerHeading to the park on Mom’s birthday
Today marks the 9th birthday of our amazing little man! It’s hard for Jessica and me to comprehend that our youngest is just a year away from hitting double digits. Nevertheless, we couldn’t be more thrilled or proud of how things have unfolded. Enzo and his sisters are doing wonderfully, and everyone is thriving down here in the desert. Sometimes I still have to pinch myself just to believe it’s all real.
Although Enzo’s real birthday is today, we decided to have his party yesterday. In the past, we hosted his birthday parties at our house, but this year we opted for a fun morning at an indoor trampoline park with his friends. They enjoyed jumping, laser tag, pizza, and bundt cakes. The night before the party, the kids participated in a four-square tournament at school and then Enzo and Elise each had a friend over for a sleepover. After yesterday’s party, everyone was exhausted and looking forward to a peaceful evening at home.
Enzo started his day by unwrapping gifts and catching up with family over the phone. His presents included a mix of toys, a generous amount of Robux for his beloved Roblox game, tasty snacks, and new clothes. To continue our tradition of attending sporting events on his birthday, this year Enzo and I will be heading to the Celebrity Flag Football game just before the Superbowl, maintaining the excitement from last year’s UNLV basketball game outing. Overall, it was a joyful start to Enzo’s special day!
Enzo absolutely loves sushi, so I’m happy to be able to prepare it for him tonight as part of his birthday celebration. Jessica and I recently took our first sushi-making class, and we had an amazing time. We were taught how to create spicy tuna rolls, California rolls, and vegetable hand rolls. Following the class, the girls and I went on a shopping spree at a Japanese market and gathered all the essential ingredients for making sushi at home. Since then, we’ve indulged in homemade sushi multiple times, and it’s safe to say that we’ve improved with each attempt.
Lately, I’ve been immersing myself in YouTube tutorials to pick up some new sushi-making techniques. However, the best part of this culinary adventure has been sharing it with Jessica. She’s always been my biggest cheerleader in the kitchen, but there’s something extra special about tackling sushi as a team. It takes time and effort, but the satisfaction of working side by side on a new culinary endeavor and then savoring the results together brings me true happiness.
The kids are just as delighted as we are about it. In our family, there are only so many foods that everyone enjoys equally, and sushi is definitely one of them. The kids particularly love California rolls and fried shrimp rolls, while Jessica and I prefer tuna and salmon, but it’s all delicious. We’re thrilled to prepare all of those dishes and then gather for a family meal that we know will be enjoyed by everyone.
I believe that’s all for now. I wanted to dedicate this post entirely to Enzo’s special day. There’s a lot to look forward to, and I’m confident there will be plenty of updates next month. But for now, I’ll conclude by sharing that everyone is doing wonderfully. The kids are thriving at school and growing up quickly, Jessica and I are doing well at work, and we’re keeping busy with activities that make us happy. Here are some recent photos. Happy birthday, buddy!
Enzo and his buddies at his birthday partyOur first time making sushi at homeHomemade sushi, volume two!Fried shrimp rolls – homemade sushi volume three!Happy 9th birthday Enzo!!!
An update on Ava’s 12th birthday, softball, and Thanksgiving 2023.
Today our sweet Miss Ava turns 12 years old! Rather than celebrate her birthday via a traditional party, we decided to switch things up this year by holding a variety of celebrations and events, starting with the SEMA Fest concert and car show at the beginning of the month. While SEMA, which is the largest trade show in the world, has been going on in Las Vegas for a long time, this was the first ever SEMA Fest. Some of our favorite bands were playing so we decided to take the whole family for an evening of cars, motorcycle jumps, BMX tricks, burnouts, and amazing live performances by bands like Walk The Moon, AJR, and Imagine Dragons. It was an unforgettable night and Ava kept saying it was way better than a birthday party anyway.
We also promised Ava that we would take her shopping for her birthday and her request was that we go to the mall on Black Friday, which was yesterday, so again all five of us went out together for a day of crowds and shopping. She got a really cool pair of Air Jordans and enjoyed the time bouncing around from store to store.
Today, which was her actual birthday, was spent at the softball field for an end-of-season tournament. A couple of weeks ago Ava’s team won the championship for the Fall season of the Henderson Girls Softball Association’s 12U division. Before the playoffs began, her team started off by winning their first nine games in a row, then finished with a record of 10-1-1. Our first playoff game was against the only team that had beaten us during the regular season and they jumped out to an early lead.
Ava came to bat in the bottom half of the final inning with the bases loaded and no outs, down by three runs. The count was 2-0 when she drilled one up the middle, just slightly off towards the third base side. The pitcher appeared to make an impressive diving catch, but as she landed on the ground she dropped the ball. Ava got down to first base quickly, but each of her teammates stayed on their base because they all thought the pitcher caught the ball. There was mass confusion but ultimately they were able to throw the ball to each base and finished the game with a triple play.
It was a tough way to lose and Ava felt like it was her fault, but I explained to her that she did her job by getting a hit when it mattered the most. The game can be cruel at times but she had nothing to hang her head about. After that game, however, her team went on a tear by winning five games in a row to take home the championship! The final three games were on the same day, so it was a long one, but luckily Grandma and Grandpa Rudd were out visiting from Iowa that weekend so they got to see it in person.
I was so happy for the entire team and obviously very proud of Ava. The progress she made during this Fall season was incredible and she deserves a lot of credit. Most of these girls have been playing together for the past five or six years and Ava only had minimal experience with softball before this season. It was intimidating for her at first, but I love the fact that she never missed a practice, never missed a batting cage session, never missed a game, and never turned down an opportunity to practice with me at the park. She truly loves the game and has committed to working hard this winter in preparation for the next season, which begins in the Spring.
Our tournament today didn’t go like the regular season went for us, but we couldn’t have expected it to. We were facing all-star teams who had traveled from Hawaii and California to play in this tournament. Our team is not a travel team and we were the only local team even participating in the tournament. Our girls were a bit intimidated by these out-of-towners and had a hard time getting into their groove, but it was still fun. Nana came out and watched her play, plus we made treats for the whole team. Every time Ava came up to bat her teammates sang “Happy Birthday” to her, which was really sweet.
They played three games today, plus we’ll have at least two more games tomorrow, so it’s a long weekend of softball, but that’s it for the season. We already have plans to work regularly with some of Ava’s teammates during the offseason, and I’m personally going to do my best to train her for the upcoming season. It will be good for me as well because I need to get ready for my own baseball season, which begins in March.
I actually got a chance to get out and play in a baseball game last Sunday, which was really fun. I’m joining the Nevada Adult Baseball Association, which has teams in an upper level and a lower level. The guy who runs the team in the upper level is starting a new team in the lower level, but he asked me if I was available to fill in last weekend for the upper-level team because so many people were out of town for Thanksgiving. I said I’d be happy to play and ended up having a blast.
I was a bit intimidated at first because I have never faced pitching this fast before, so it took some time to get the hang of it. Guys are throwing in the 80’s so I struck out on three pitches for both of my first two at-bats. I got a nice base hit in my third plate appearance though, which felt amazing. More importantly, the guys on the team were so friendly and welcoming. Due to all the time I spend at home, I’ve been wanting to get involved in team sports again, and I feel lucky to have found such a great group to join.
One of the players on the team is a professional coach and we connected right away. Tuesday will be my first private lesson with him and I’m excited to transfer everything I learn onto Ava. I have a feeling we’re both going to come into the Spring season prepared and better than ever.
When I was a little boy baseball was by far my favorite sport, so getting back around the game over the past few months has been awesome. I’m so glad Ava is into it because we’re spending a lot of time together again, just like we used to during the hockey days.
A Lot To Be Thankful For
This was our third Thanksgiving in Nevada, but for the first time since moving here, we didn’t host it at our house. We spent the early afternoon at Nana’s place, then went over to my buddy Devin’s house for about 6 hours of food, games, and football. There was so much food I couldn’t believe it. Even though there were 15 people there, we could have easily all sat down for a second Thanksgiving dinner and still had plenty of leftovers to take home.
The weather was nice so the kids spent a lot of time playing outside. Meanwhile, Jessica and I had a great time catching up with friends. By request, I made roasted garlic mashed potatoes and stuffing, while Jessica baked three different kinds of bread and cookies! Devin had two different types of turkey, ham, and our favorite mushroom steaks for those of us non-meat eaters. He also ordered the famous coconut cake that Tom Cruise sends to everyone in Hollywood each holiday season. It came from Los Angeles packed in dry ice the day before Thanksgiving, and while I personally despise dried coconut, I’ll have to admit that the cake itself was lovely.
Before the adults made a dinner toast, I went over to the kids’ table and made sure they knew that every adult in that house was extremely thankful for each of them. We have such a great group of friends and getting to spend that day with all of them was unforgettable.
Holiday Mode
Everyone was exhausted yesterday after our Black Friday shopping mall experience, but later that evening we busted out the Christmas tree and all of our indoor decorations. The house feels very festive now, although we haven’t yet taken on any of the outdoor decorations. I’m sure those will be done soon though. The kids always love hanging their favorite ornaments on the tree and Jessica and I always look forward to the pageantry of the whole thing.
Pretty soon there will be school holiday events to attend, including Ava’s first-ever school band concert. We’ve decided to stay home for Christmas this year, but Grandma and Grandpa Martin will be coming out for a visit during the week between Christmas and New Year.
The kids are very much enjoying this little Thanksgiving break from school, but I think they’re even more looking forward to the upcoming break as we get closer to Christmas. This morning Elise and Enzo finished another session of boxing, which was very exciting for them. Although Jessica and I have encouraged them to try out some team sports, they’re simply not interested, but they enjoy going to their boxing class so we’re cool with that. School has been going well for them and before you know it, Elise will be graduating from elementary school, just like Ava did last year.
Speaking of school, Jessica’s Willy Wonka costume was epic for Halloween this year. Unfortunately, she did not repeat as the winner of the school’s costume contest, but I blame the kids since they’re the ones who did the voting. It’s been a very busy Fall season for us, filled with lots of good times and new friends via Ava’s softball team. Now that the season is over, things are going to slow down a bit, but it’s perfect timing because we’re excited to enjoy the holiday season. The kids haven’t been able to spend much time with Nana lately due to everyone’s busy schedule, but we’re going to make up for that starting now.
I think that’s about it for now. I just wanted to give a quick update, and most importantly, celebrate Ava on her special day. We’re very proud of her and it’s been exciting seeing her getting back into something she loves. To all of our family and friends who read this, we send our love and wish you a happy holiday season! Here are some recent family photos.
Elise’s 5th Grade photoEnzo’s 3rd Grade photoI love how Jessica gets a school photo each year as well. Halloween 2023SEMA Fest 2023Waiting for our favorite bands to take the stageJessica and I never intend to dress alike, but it frequently turns out that way.Thanksgiving morning, 2023Ava opening her birthday giftsAva loves anime and is obsessed with the character Nezuko from a show called Demon Slayer. Big thanks to our friends the Palmer’s for their thoughtful gifts.After her games today, we took Ava to Plant Powered for a vegan burger. The candle was a nice touch by Mom.
