Yes, we're still here

Yes, Brett and I are still alive! We haven't posted anything for a long time. It hasn't that we've been terribly busy, but we should be updating people on what's been going on.

Brett is working hard. He's raking in the hours of flight time, and it looks like he might be upgrading to a captain sometime this summer. He really loves his job, though just last week he was stuck in Buffalo, New York with a bunch of snow and an airplane with no heat.

Give Brett the credit for our black and white portrait above. He's so handy! I don't know how many pictures we took before we got this good one!





I'm still looking for that perfect graphic design job, which apparently is really hard to find in Albany. There are prospects, but people aren't too quick at getting back to you around here. Yesterday, I presented an advertising campaign for a company called Top Gear Accesories. They are the primary distributor of an audio communications product from the UK. The Autocom communication system is made for touring motorcycle enthusiasts and let's riders communication between bikes, with their passengers, talk on their cell phone, listen to their iPod, etc. The freelancer that gets the contract for the ad campaign will also get the bid for their brochures, website, and more. Today, I also had an interview for a graphic design position at Trans World Entertainment. They are the company that owns and operates the F.Y.E and Suncoast entertainment stores, among others. Their corporate headquarters is in Albany. The interview went well, and I think I may actually get a call back for this one. The corporate environment is sadly sterile though. Rows and rows of cubicals. But, it would be a job.



Good news is that Brett and I have officially (and legally) started our own graphic and web design business. We've been doing several freelance jobs. Our biggest was a restaurant website. Check it out: www.nimbusrestaurant.com. This is a great site, and we've been taking care of their mailings and newspaper ads too.

All of the Christmas shopping is finished, and there are presents underneath our little four-foot tall Christmas tree. It hasn't even snowed in Albany yet, so we're hoping for at least a dusting by Christmas. Luckily we will be able to make it back home, if only for a few days, over the holidays. We'll only be in Indiana long enough to catch Christmas mass and eat dinner with the family. I'm hoping to catch a few friends while we're home. We're headed to Greenville, SC on Christmas day to meet up with Brett's parents, his brother and his wife. Then it's back to Albany after two days. Lots of flying, but we're thankful that we get to see everyone.

Life has been rough here in Albany, and when things start looking bad, something good always shows itself. It's our reminder that, even though times are tough right now, things will be better in the future. I know I'm just thankful that Brett and I can finally be together. We'll be celebrating our one-year anniversary at the end of the month. That's the best present in the world. So when the holidays make you stress out, remember something small and important in your life. Refocus and remember what really matters during this season of giving. Remember to say "thank you" and "I love you." We wish all of our friends and family the best this Christmas. Happy Holidays!

Pet Squirrel, Apples and Raspberries

Our resident squirrel has been back to visit us several times. After discovering he had made a home in our petunia flower pot, we decided to set out a bowl of old nuts to see if we could coax him to our back porch. He quickly discovered the bowl and stuffed his cheeks with nuts. It took him several trips to get all the nuts back to his home, but he got it done! We set out a few peanuts now and then and see him come back. He'll probably be the largest ground squirrel on the block come spring!

Brett and I went to a small orchard in Castleton, New York today. It's only about a half hour's drive away from our apartment. We went to pick apples, and came back home with a half bushel of Macintosh apples and over a pound of raspberries. Since I forgot to bring the camera, I took a picure of the raspberry pie I made this evening. Looks gooooood! We had so much fun at the orchard! I know we will be back when different apple varieties are ready for picking.

Life is going well for Brett and I. Brett is still plugging away at Colgan Air. He just finished his yearly recurrent training in Manansas, Virginia, and he is over the halfway point as far as upgrading to a captain on his aircraft. My job hunting is still going on. The job at the University at Albany didn't pan out. They called me about two weeks after I sent in my resume and asked me to send in another for a web designer opening that they had. I didn't hear anything about either the art director or web job. I currently have resumes in for a graphic design position at the design and printing office at the State University of New York and a graphic design position for id29, a graphic design firm in Troy, New York. I hope to hear something soon.

In the meantime, Brett and I have been doing research on how to register MusickDesigns as a small business. I'm hoping to meet with some people at the small business services office at the University at Albany. They offer free counselling for start up small businesses in New York. Once we get all of the legalities lined up, I hope to start advertising a bit. Brett and I are currently working on a website for Nimbus Restaurant in Bellingham, NY and may have another gig with a local farmer's market there. I'm planning on sending out some advertising for website design to local businesses, especially restaurants and bed and breakfasts. We hope to get some more business...and some more paychecks!

We're heading down to Charleston, South Carolina this weekend for Brett's brother, Chad's, wedding. More pictures to some soon!

Old jobs, New jobs and a road trip

Our trip to Salt Lake City for Brett's interview with SkyWest Airlines went very well. They offered Brett a job the day after his interview, but unfortunately it was as a first officer in the smallest plane that the company flies. The job would be a step down from what he has right now with Colgan Air, so we decided to stick around Albany, NY and see what happens over the next few years. Good news is that he will upgrade to a captain faster at Colgan than he would anywhere else, so the road to the major airlines and the bigger planes has become shorter.
I have been looking for a job in graphic design for a while now and had become very frustrated with the lack of opportunities here in Albany. The day after we returned from Salt Lake City, I found a job posting on the internet for an Art Director in the Marketing department at the University of Albany. This is exactly the job I want, so I'm beefing up my resume and portfolio with the hope that I will get an interview. Here's hoping!
Brett and I took a road trip yesterday and went to Lake George, which is a lake just north of us. There is a scenic byway you can drive, so we drove along the shores of the lake and wished we could jump in it if just for a moment. It was a beautiful day!

finished mural

The mural is finished! Carla wanted me to design and paint a mural for the St. Philomena Center at St. Boniface. The room is used for preschool and kindergarten CCD and babysitting, so we created a "Jesus and the little Children" mural for the walls in a corner playspace. We also added a quote above the fireplace, which reads, "Let the little children come to me." It is in both English and Spanish, since there are many bi-lingual children at the church.

Thank you, thank you to all the people who helped with this project! I could not have painted this mural in a week without their help. Many thanks to Mom and Dad, Carla, and Brett! I hope all the little children at St. Boniface enjoy it!

Mice, Squirrel, Mural and an Interview

Our ground squirrel.


Brett's new plane...maybe.

Quick update on other things that have been going on here in Albany.

We successfully killed two mice that apparently moved in to our apartment when we were gone in Seattle. We have a cute little ground squirrel who has made a home in our pot of yellow petunias.

I'm headed back to Lafayette July 8–16 to help Carla paint a mural in the children's room at St. Boniface's St. Philomena Center. Brett is heading to Salt Lake City on July 28 for an interview with SkyWest Airlines. If all goes well, we will be moving again in the next few months!

Back from Seattle

Evan and Abby on the beach.


Evan, Isaac and Laurie at the beach.


"Captain Brett" in the cockpit of a SR-71 Blackbird spy plane.


Sara walks on the moon.


Abby beneath a Boeing 747.


We're aware that this post is kind of late. We got back from Seattle almost two weeks ago, but we still want to tell everyone about the great time we had there.

Brett commented that he thought it rained in Seattle, but apparently we didn't get to see any of that! The weather was pretty much gorgeous. Aaron and Laurie were gracious hosts, and we had a blast with the kids.

All of us "adults" took some time to go downtown and eat at the Crab Pot. If you are ever in Seattle, you must got to this place. With a bib around your neck and a hammer in your hand, you can eat crab legs, shrimp, and clams to your hearts content. And what can be better than eating with your fingers?

After going to church on Sunday, we loaded everyone in the car and headed to the beach. Evan and Abby proceded to bury themselves in sand, and Laurie had some time to catch some zzzzz's while Isaac slept. There were sailboats everywhere along with a handful of kites. Isaac enjoyed laying on his belly while both feeling and eating sand.

Aaron had the day off of work on Monday. We split up, and the ladies went for a pedicure while the gents went to the driving range. We met up later in the afternoon and went to the Museum of Flight at Boeing Field. I don't know who had more fun, Brett or the kids. Many, many, many airplanes later, we all headed home for brats on the grill.

It was a great trip, and Mom and Dad are headed out to the Seattle area on July 4. Let's hope they have just as good a time as we did! Many thanks to Aaron, Laurie and the kids for making our trip wonderful.

Goin' to Seattle

On June 17, we are heading to Seattle. We both have a few days off from our jobs, and, in the quest to visit all 50 states, we are going to visit Aaron and his family in the Seattle area. Brett has never been there before, so it will be exciting to show him all the sites. Aaron is trying to get Brett a tour of the Boeing facilities, but since 9/11, security has been tightened and floor tours are few. There is talk of some golfing, some Ivar's fish, and some fun at the Crab Pot, and I would love to make another trip down to Pike Place Market if just to purchase some fresh flowers. There's the sea to the west and the mountains to the east. We'll see how much we can fit in. With the three kids, some sites may not be possible. And, Brett and I are taking off on June 20. Just a short visit, but I'm sure it will be wonderful. It will be great to see Aaron and Laurie and the kids. We're really looking forward to it. For now, it's back to work!

Sara

Let the blogging begin

Today starts the beginning of the Musick blog. Here, we hope to keep people updated on life events and post all the wonderful images we shoot. It's going to take a little bit more work, of course. So let us gather the images and the news, and we will be back soon.