Happy New Year 2014 from Pam & Robert

Robert and I drove into the parking lot of the Albion River Inn, here in Mendocino, Monday, saying it felt like just "yesterday" that we were here (last year). We counted 18 years of celebrating the new year together here, and more recently have made it my custom of writing my holiday letter with this view of the ocean right outside our room.

So 2013 started as the last 18 New Year's Day have . . . returning home from Mendocino, recapturing some semblance of pre-holiday waistlines and planning out another year together.

FitBit Stats

In February, Robert went on his annual pilgrimage seeking out the best food and wines in Spain, and discovering the world of Spanish sherry  . . . guess what we've been sipping ever since? He and his friends started in Madrid, followed by Sevilla, Jerez, Malaga and then Barcelona. I stayed home this year, strengthening my foot after surgery, with my friend, Ruth from Austin, and climbed the beautiful hills of San Francisco together with our FitBits! My annual Spanish immersion trip came early this year in April, going to Mérida in the Yucatan over my Spring Break. 

The change up in traveling this year was our trip to Hawaii-- Robert's first and my first time in almost 25  years. We went in May, celebrating Krystal and Jonathan's wedding, staying in Kailua Beach on Oahu. That Island sun pulled me back for some real R&R in July. Alisha hung with me the first week with me and Ruth joined me for the 2nd. Now that I have a taste of a vacation-y vacation I'm in a quandary as to how to continue my love for Mexico and Spanish classes and finding another lounge chair under the Hawaiian sun. I know, not a bad quandary to be in, right? 

While Robert and I travel our separate ways each year, we also build in time together. After my trip to Kailua, we squeezed in a jaunt to Oregon in August before I returned to work, discovering Portland and of course the wines of the Willamette Valley. 

We seem to mark each year, looking back at our travel experiences and now life with our grandkids-- 7 of them! Justin turned 21 this year, Hailey 9, Logan 7, Bobby (RJ), 4, Carter 2 and Dylan 2. You can imagine what our weekends look like! We do our best creating a balance between time with them, time with each other and then time with family and friends-- we could use a couple more days in the month to fit it all in! 

21st Annual Jasso-Common
 Pre-Thanksgiving Dinner

Missing Eric & Justin 

Robert and I are like the Brady Bunch squared-- with 3 kids each, almost all married with kids. Our annual Jasso-Common Pre-Thanksgiving dinner counted 18 of us at the table this year. Only Justin and Eric were missing this year. Justin was working, and Eric was in Kansas, just starting his doctoral program this year at the University of Kansas, but he did make it home for Thanksgiving and then again for Christmas break!

The three little grandsons- great friends!
Dylan, Carter and Bobby (RJ)

Justin (in 2012)

Eric leaving
UNC, Chapel Hill

 Hailey & Paige

"Unc" and his niece & nephews

Carter Sleep Overs

Pam & her Girls (Shauna & Alisha)

Mom & Eric

Logan at the piano, Carter looking dapper with tie,
and Hailey's 4th Grade School Pic

BaPa, Dylan and Bobby

I think writing these holiday letters is more for us to recount and reminisce the year together, but it is fun sharing it too. Most of you know I, especially, am a creature of habit- I love repeating the things I enjoy most, returning to places that have captured my heart, (like Mendo for 18 years on New Years!) and studying Spanish in the historical, colonial cities of Mexico. I try to jump on Robert's trek to Spain or France every other year (after saving my miles) and now Kailua. . . . I feel overwhelmingly blessed. We are blessed to have our friends and family, jobs that we still love to get up for each day, our good health and the ability to travel and learn and experience. 
We hope this letter finds you enjoying the opening of 2014.
We wish you and yours a very happy new year!
Love,
Pam & Robert
P.S.
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