Heading North!

A lot of you have asked and it's official now...we will be moving to Charles City, IA.

Here is the official Hy-Vee announcement that came out today!

Brian Wilken, store director at Albany, has been selected as the new store director for our Charles City store. Brian has been store director at the Albany store since 2010.
Brian began his Hy-Vee career in 1989 at Cedar Rapids #4 as a part-time courtesy clerk and checker/stocker. He moved to full-time at Cedar Rapids #5 in 1995 and filled a variety of roles while at this store. Brian was an assistant shift manager (1995), shift manager (1997), wine and spirits manager (1997), 2nd assistant manager (1998), manager general merchandise (1999) and manager store operations (1999) while at the Cedar Rapids store. In 2005 he moved to Waterloo #2 as manager, perishables and also filled the role of manager, store operations (2008) while at that store. 2010 found Brian earning his first store director assignment at Albany, his current location.
Brian graduated from Regis High School in Cedar Rapids and went on to earn degrees at Kirkwood Community College (A.A. Liberal Arts) and Mt. Mercy College (B.A. Administration Management). He is also a Hy-Vee University graduate having earned his operations degree. Brian is married to Wendy and they have two children; Tyler (10) and Kendra (5). He loves to be outside and when not involved in family activities, his favorite pastimes include fishing, hunting, playing golf and following the Green Bay Packers and Iowa Hawkeye sporting events.
As Brian prepares for his transition to the Charles City store, he had the following to say about his time at Albany along with being selected for the Charles City store. “Words alone are not enough to thank the crew at the Albany store for their hard work and dedication over the last three and a half years. We will truly miss our Albany Hy-Vee family and the many lifelong friends we believe we have gained from our time in this community. Although we are sad in leaving Albany, my family and I are truly excited to meet our new Hy-Vee family in Charles City and to be able to become part of a community with such a deep Hy-Vee tradition.”
We are proud to have Brian take the reins at Charles City. He has done a great job in leading Albany for the past three years, allowing him to hone his management skills. Brian is known as a great merchandiser and for running a tight buttoned up operation. We are confident that with Brian’s leadership we will continue to see Charles City grow.
Please join me in congratulating Brian and wishing him and his family good luck as they make the
move from Albany to Charles City.
Sincerely,
Ron Taylor
RT/jw

Brian will start his job on 2/4.  Other details will be available as soon as I know those details!  HA HA!  Lots of planning will be taking place in the next few weeks.  We are excited, but with that excitement comes a little nervousness!

Today's project

Nothing like a day of knitting for yourself,  especially this beautiful and cozy yarn.

My Family Christmas!

We had a great time for Christmas this year!   It started with Mass at St. Peter's.  The kiddos were involved and I had a very handsome St. Gabriel and a sweet villager!

We came home and opened a few presents...

They were both so excited to see the gift that the purchased open!

On the menu was snacks....lots of high calorie goodness!!!   To top off the night was a family movie night watching The Polar Express! 

Momma had to sleep with Kendra so she didn't discover that Santa arrived in the middle of the night.  (She only woke up 3 times from 11-630!!!!)

She was sure to find these babies....hard to wrap a bike!

Christmas day was all about relaxing and enjoying family and a great bowl of Chicken Enchilada soup!

The kids (i.e. Brian) were dying to play in the snow and the day was perfect for it!  

I so loved this time spent with my family!   Made me appreciate it more without all the hustle and bustle.  I think the kids enjoyed it too!

Merry Christmas with New Traditions

As you all know, we decided to keep our holidays low key this year.  We have traveled and traveled and had chaotic Christmas celebrations for years.  This year we are staying home to start our own traditions!   

The best part is the traditions.   We had the grandparents come to visit to help us with these traditions.   We have had both sets of Wisconsin grandparents come down and will continue with the Iowa grandparents in January!  (over a month of Christmas celebration!  what kid wouldn't love that?)

What fun we have had!  Creating memories that will last a life time!

Here is wishing you all a very Merry Christmas.  

Changes

OH my....this is what I lived with for 3 years.   I had thought I could make it better by taking the wallpaper down and painting, but then realized I was in over my head and it needed a heck of a lot more than that!!!  See the water damage by the shower???   Pain can't fix that!

After having my contractor over for dinner and a discussion about stuff that I might want and or like....he went with it and this is what happened!!!  Oh what a mess!   The only shower in the house is gone!  We all got to know the bathtub (in the other bathroom, that needs work too!)

It's beautiful....take a look at the counter!  I am in love.  I have seriously thought about staying in there for awhile!  

The counter top is concrete, with a vessel sink.  A 1/2 round shower in the corner where the window was...a place for towels!   Yep, change is good!

61 days...

Yep....61 days.  2 months (or so)...that's all we have until Christmas.

The holiday has come up a lot for us in the last couple of days as we try to plan what we will do this holiday season.  We are 4-8 hours from family.  With kids in school and 2 full-time jobs for us parents, those distances translate into a LOT of travelling.   That being said, we made a decision...we will be staying home this holiday season.   That makes me relieved and sad at the same time.   Sad that I won't be spending Christmas back home in Wisconsin (or anytime close to Christmas) and sad that I won't get to enjoy all the family traditions.   The relief???  I don't have to travel.  I don't have to lose sleep about how Santa will come to see my kids while we're on the road.  We can make our own traditions here at home.For this I'm excited.



Now with all that being said.



WE ONLY HAVE 61 DAYS LEFT!!!!



I have gifts to buy, gifts to knit and shipping deadlines to meet.  Yep...LOVE the holiday season!

Sunday