Sunday, June 29, 2008
Father's Day 2008
Father's Day for us was a great day. I've been wanting a group picture of the family for a long time and we never seem to set the time aside to do it. Well, as a surprise to me, Cathy set up a time for us to go get a family portrait. The pictures came out well.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
2008 Update
Wow, what a change from the last posting. 2008 has been an awful year so far and it hit rock bottom when the builder of our home decided to liquidate assets since the bank has decided to discontinue funding their business. In addition to Kendall's diagnosis and a few other mishaps, we can't wait until 2008 comes to an end.
The latest hit we took was when our builder's attorney sent an email to me saying that the bank will most likely have to foreclose on our 1/2 built house and we may or may not get it after it forecloses. We have been thinking through a strategy to get the house, but at a lesser price than we would have paid for in the first place. There are so many moving parts to this situation and it will take some time for us to see what happens. The fact that the real estate market is so bad right now plays in our favor. We have a few options and are putting together a plan to take to the bank. Worse case scenario is that we are out our down payment which we saved up over the past few years. This whole thing has been a disaster.
Work continues to go well for me and for Cathy. It's been a serious struggle handling Kendall at home and trying to perform our jobs at the highest level. We are ending up working in the evenings and on weekends to make up for lost time.
We are optimistic for the remainder of the year and we have good reason to based on what the fortune teller told me when I was in New Orleans about a month ago.
The latest hit we took was when our builder's attorney sent an email to me saying that the bank will most likely have to foreclose on our 1/2 built house and we may or may not get it after it forecloses. We have been thinking through a strategy to get the house, but at a lesser price than we would have paid for in the first place. There are so many moving parts to this situation and it will take some time for us to see what happens. The fact that the real estate market is so bad right now plays in our favor. We have a few options and are putting together a plan to take to the bank. Worse case scenario is that we are out our down payment which we saved up over the past few years. This whole thing has been a disaster.
Work continues to go well for me and for Cathy. It's been a serious struggle handling Kendall at home and trying to perform our jobs at the highest level. We are ending up working in the evenings and on weekends to make up for lost time.
We are optimistic for the remainder of the year and we have good reason to based on what the fortune teller told me when I was in New Orleans about a month ago.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
2008
Wow... This year has been non stop for me and Cathy. Our lives have been consumed with kids, planning a move and eveything else life has to offer. This has been one of the busiest times of our lives and it seems to be getting busier as each day passes.
Out of the gate, we were in the hospital with my mom finding a tumor in her stomach. Thank goodness it was quickly taken care of and she continues to do well in her recovery. The type of tumor she had is one that has a small chance of returning and she should be fine moving forward. A small hiccup, but a very positive outlook.
We have also been spending a lot of time on planning for a new home. Due to the poor schools in the Streamwood area, we decided to make a move. Even though the time to sell a house is horrible, we made the decision based on the great climate for buying a house. We found a builder that we really like and have been working with them on a dream house for us and the kids. We plan on retiring in this home and have put significant thought into the details of each corner of this house. Things are going to be tight for us, but we are committed to making it work. The upside is great, the community is going to be very kid friendly and we plan on having some great memories here. The brand new gradeschool 3 blocks away and the clubhouse (with pool, water park and fitness center) will give the kids a great environment to grow up within. It is very similar to what Cathy and I had as children and we are very excited to give to them some of the luxuries that we had growing up. Our move in date is early June of 2008.
On the job front, things are going very well. My job provides significant opportunity and challenges. The people I work with are bright and fun to work with. There are always good challenges and although the work load is always heavy, the stress is more positive than negative.
Cathy's job is also very demanding. She has been traveling more, making it tough for us to coordinate work and kid schedules. Her company has been very generous to her, giving her tons of flexibility to address doctor visits and the needs that Kendall has on a weekly basis. As long as she continues to deliver what is expected of her, she has a long leash to work with. Overall, we are swamped with our jobs, but manage to balance the needs of the kids and the requirements of our work. It's not uncommon for us to take time in the evening to catch up on work that may have slipped during the day.
Family and friends have been so helpful during this busy time, especially Sue, my sister. She comes over one day a week to hang out with Carsen and to help run a few errands. She has been an unbelievable addition to our week and Carsen loves her to death. Adding her to our routine has been a blessing and we can't be thankful enough for her being a part of our lives.
We talk often about getting a chance to take a vacation and hope to do that some time in the fall. We need it so badly...
Out of the gate, we were in the hospital with my mom finding a tumor in her stomach. Thank goodness it was quickly taken care of and she continues to do well in her recovery. The type of tumor she had is one that has a small chance of returning and she should be fine moving forward. A small hiccup, but a very positive outlook.
We have also been spending a lot of time on planning for a new home. Due to the poor schools in the Streamwood area, we decided to make a move. Even though the time to sell a house is horrible, we made the decision based on the great climate for buying a house. We found a builder that we really like and have been working with them on a dream house for us and the kids. We plan on retiring in this home and have put significant thought into the details of each corner of this house. Things are going to be tight for us, but we are committed to making it work. The upside is great, the community is going to be very kid friendly and we plan on having some great memories here. The brand new gradeschool 3 blocks away and the clubhouse (with pool, water park and fitness center) will give the kids a great environment to grow up within. It is very similar to what Cathy and I had as children and we are very excited to give to them some of the luxuries that we had growing up. Our move in date is early June of 2008.
On the job front, things are going very well. My job provides significant opportunity and challenges. The people I work with are bright and fun to work with. There are always good challenges and although the work load is always heavy, the stress is more positive than negative.
Cathy's job is also very demanding. She has been traveling more, making it tough for us to coordinate work and kid schedules. Her company has been very generous to her, giving her tons of flexibility to address doctor visits and the needs that Kendall has on a weekly basis. As long as she continues to deliver what is expected of her, she has a long leash to work with. Overall, we are swamped with our jobs, but manage to balance the needs of the kids and the requirements of our work. It's not uncommon for us to take time in the evening to catch up on work that may have slipped during the day.
Family and friends have been so helpful during this busy time, especially Sue, my sister. She comes over one day a week to hang out with Carsen and to help run a few errands. She has been an unbelievable addition to our week and Carsen loves her to death. Adding her to our routine has been a blessing and we can't be thankful enough for her being a part of our lives.
We talk often about getting a chance to take a vacation and hope to do that some time in the fall. We need it so badly...
Friday, November 02, 2007
Happy Times
Things with Cathy and I are going great. Having the 2 little kids around keeps us on our toes and moving at all times.
The job front has been going very well for both of us this year. In September, I took a COO position with one of my customers (RiverStar Software)and it's been keeping me very busy. So far, it's working out very well. I am really enjoying my work with RiverStar and the people and the upside is great.
Cathy went back to work about a month ago and it's good to see her working again. The work/kid balance is good fer her and she needs to feel that she is giving back to the workforce. Her job is also going very well, only having to travel on occasion which makes things pretty tough all around.
We also decided to build a new home. Yes, we just moved a few years ago, but this time it will be for good. We have been toying around with buying land and have been keeping our eyes open for that right situation as it comes past us. Well, about 4 months ago, we were driving home from my sister Sue's house and ran into a new development on the far west edge of Elgin. After looking into the development and the amenities it offers, we decided to take the leap. We took the opportunity of living in a great community over having land because we wanted the kids to have a childhood that they will thrive within. This community has a grade school within 2 blocks of where we will be building and a sports complex that we will be members of. The community is quite large and gives us everything we have been looking for except a 1+ acre lot. There are just too many things here for us that outweigh the extra land. Other pluses include being closer to Sue and in a much better school district. The house will be our design and we are very excited about what we have been designing with our builder.
Outside of our kids taking up almost all of our free time, we have been trying to fit in some exercise and some tome for ourselves. It's been very hectic, but life is good. We keep talking about a vacation and hope that maybe we could get away in the next year or so. Cathy and I have some catching up to do as husband and wife.
No recent pictures, so I decided to add one of my favorites of Cathy and me when we were in Costa Rica in 2001. We miss the traveling...
The job front has been going very well for both of us this year. In September, I took a COO position with one of my customers (RiverStar Software)and it's been keeping me very busy. So far, it's working out very well. I am really enjoying my work with RiverStar and the people and the upside is great.
Cathy went back to work about a month ago and it's good to see her working again. The work/kid balance is good fer her and she needs to feel that she is giving back to the workforce. Her job is also going very well, only having to travel on occasion which makes things pretty tough all around.
We also decided to build a new home. Yes, we just moved a few years ago, but this time it will be for good. We have been toying around with buying land and have been keeping our eyes open for that right situation as it comes past us. Well, about 4 months ago, we were driving home from my sister Sue's house and ran into a new development on the far west edge of Elgin. After looking into the development and the amenities it offers, we decided to take the leap. We took the opportunity of living in a great community over having land because we wanted the kids to have a childhood that they will thrive within. This community has a grade school within 2 blocks of where we will be building and a sports complex that we will be members of. The community is quite large and gives us everything we have been looking for except a 1+ acre lot. There are just too many things here for us that outweigh the extra land. Other pluses include being closer to Sue and in a much better school district. The house will be our design and we are very excited about what we have been designing with our builder.
Outside of our kids taking up almost all of our free time, we have been trying to fit in some exercise and some tome for ourselves. It's been very hectic, but life is good. We keep talking about a vacation and hope that maybe we could get away in the next year or so. Cathy and I have some catching up to do as husband and wife.
No recent pictures, so I decided to add one of my favorites of Cathy and me when we were in Costa Rica in 2001. We miss the traveling...
Friday, August 31, 2007
Kevin turns 40
Well, I am now 40. I don't feel any different, other than I am now in the years that precede 50. Maybe when I have more time, I'll expand on my thoughts about this whole age thing. In the meantime, I feel a little younger with all of these kids around...
Monday, August 13, 2007
Reminiscing
Well it has been a very busy couple of years. We have been busy creating our family, with the addition of Carsen last June and his sister Kendall just this past July. We've been focused almost exclusively on being full time parents, and many of our previous interests have taken a back seat to the family. It's been a wonderful time, with our priorities shifting almost exclusively to our son and daughter. We've been blessed with a wonderful family, but still try to find time for ourselves when we can. I was looking through some old photos and thinking back to how different things were just a few years ago, before children entered the picture! Here are a few shots from our recent past.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
2006 for the O'Brien's
As 2006 is winding to an end, I've been able to look back at the year and reminisce about the great things that happened in our life this year. As always, adding a new addition to our family is the highlight, with many others following on the list. Cathy's job has been going great as her company was extremely supportive of her time off to bring Carsen into the world. My job has been treating me well and my clients have been very supportive of my family life requirements.
One of the best parts of this year has been the result of coping with the challenges of day care and the struggles around dropping Carsen off at a place other than his home. After deciding that it was just not working at the current day care provider, we opted to keep him home with us, sharing the time required to take care of him during the day. For the past 30 days or so, we've had the pleasure of keeping him around the house every day and seeing him change before our eyes. Both Cathy and I have been able to manage our workloads, including conference calls, phone calls and an occasional webinar. In fact, I have decided to schedule my activities around days other than Monday so that Carsen and I can hang out and make it a weekly boys day. Either way, he's been able to stay at home and take advantage of frequent 'pajama days'!
If it continues to pan out, we will be able to keep our careers in tact and raise him with the absence of day care.
One of the best parts of this year has been the result of coping with the challenges of day care and the struggles around dropping Carsen off at a place other than his home. After deciding that it was just not working at the current day care provider, we opted to keep him home with us, sharing the time required to take care of him during the day. For the past 30 days or so, we've had the pleasure of keeping him around the house every day and seeing him change before our eyes. Both Cathy and I have been able to manage our workloads, including conference calls, phone calls and an occasional webinar. In fact, I have decided to schedule my activities around days other than Monday so that Carsen and I can hang out and make it a weekly boys day. Either way, he's been able to stay at home and take advantage of frequent 'pajama days'!
If it continues to pan out, we will be able to keep our careers in tact and raise him with the absence of day care.
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Cathy's Family History
Recently, Cathy's grandmother (Ann) has fallen ill. Cathy calculated that her grandmother (from her father's side) is going to be 90 years old in 2007. Ann has had the fortune of living a long life and hopefully she will pass this stage of illness and live on to see 100.
This picture is something that I felt compelled to post. My family history is not as deep as Cathy's and to my knowledge, we don't have pictures like this one. I find these old photographs facsinating, as they make me think about the times that these people lived in and how different life was during these unique periods. This photo is dated between 1919 and 1920. Cathy's grandmother, who is turning 90 next year is the youngest of the group and is sitting on her Mother's lap. My guess is that she is about 2 years old at the shooting of this picture. Her 11 brothers and sisters are also pictured in this photo, a clear display of the unique family sizes that existed during this period.
There is so much to think about when looking at a photo such as this one. I can look at these pictures for hours and felt that it was something worth sharing.
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Angel Falls, Venezuela- October 2005
Visiting VE was a great experience. Cathy and I had lots of fun and were able to see South America for the first time. Here, we enjoy the icy cold pool at the bottom of Angel Falls. This area resembled a prehistoric landscape, virtually untouched by humans for billions of years.
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