2011

So, Happy Holidays from the Mulholland family.  Now that the holidays are over, it’s time to send out the holiday message, right?

 

2011 was a great year.  Lots of good things happening for us and all around us – except the economy.  I guess that we can’t have it all…

 

Number 1 on the list for this past year is that Muir graduated from Madison East High School in June.  And, likely even more important to him, he is now a freshman at the school that was his first choice – American University in Washington, DC.  There, he’s studying political science.  During the fall semester, Muir had an internship in the office of US Congressman Ron Kind, who represents the region around LaCrosse, Wisconsin.  Muir seems to have a good work ethic, enjoys school and seems to be making the most of his opportunity.

 

The other “graduation” was Julija’s.  She moved on from Woods Hollow Childcare Center and is now in Kindergarten at Stoner Prairie Elementary School, here in Fitchburg.  She joins Aras there, and he’s now in second grade.  Both Aras & Julija seem to be doing quite well at Stoner Prairie.  Aras is settling into the routine of school and coming home to do homework, and then play with his Legos.  Julija is already reading quite well, and she continues to be the social butterfly.

 

Asta continues with her practice through Madison Anesthesiology Consultants at Meriter Hospital in Madison.  She’s been working a little harder this past year, and she’s also playing hard.  Asta has been taking good care of herself at the gym when she’s not at work.  She also continues to take care of the flower gardens in the summer and continue in her avocation of family travel consultant.  If there’s a trip in the offing, she has it planned three months in advance…

 

And then, there’s me – Tim.  I continue to hold down the fort at home, which is easier now that there’s less driving of the kids to various schools.  And, yes, I spend a reasonable amount of time at my home away from home – the gym.  The photography business continues to be up and down.  The gallery in which I’m currently exhibiting – Robert Rae Gallery in Stoughton – is slated to close this spring.  On the other hand, I’ve been selling a bit more of my work, and my wedding and portraiture work has been slowly increasing.  So, I’m feeling better about my work and the long-term prospects.

 

And, of course, we continue to travel.  Early in the year, there was a trip to Lithuania to see Asta’s family, with a side trip to Tenerife with Asta’s sister, Lina, and her nephew, Vladas.  It was a pleasant trip, with lots of lounging around.  In August, we all (including Lina & Vladas) went for a long trip in an RV to Yellowstone and Glacier National Park.  This was our first time with an RV and it worked out pretty well.  Yes, it was a lot of long days of driving, but there was lots with which to keep the kids busy inside while we were driving, as well as it was great to be able to arrive some place and easily set up camp and start fixing meals.  But, we’re not planning on buying an RV, as we’re still mostly a tent camping family.  Visiting Yellowstone was OK, as there’s all of the really neat geothermal features and wildlife, along with the bumper-to-bumper traffic in many places gawking at the wildlife.  Glacier was much more to our liking – fewer people and beautiful vistas.  After Glacier, we split up, and Asta took Lina & Vladas to visit San Francisco, while Aras, Julija and Dad trudged home in the RV.  Lastly, Tim spent about a week in southern Utah and northern Arizona, off in the back country, just him and his camera – nirvana!

 

Finally, our big news is that we’re expecting…                  to move!  OK, it’s only for a year, and then we’ll return to Fitchburg.  Since Asta was in her residency, she has wanted to work in New Zealand.  We were thinking about waiting another year or two to do this, but the stars are aligning for us now.  Asta has submitted her application to consider the opportunities there, but we won’t really hear anything ’til later this spring.  But, we’re hoping that she’ll find an opportunity in the South Island – possibly in Dunedin or Christchurch.  It seems that everywhere we turn these past few months, we have friends telling us about their wonderful trip to New Zealand, or how some friend/relative of their’s recently returned from  an extended time there.  So, a year from now, we should be soaking up the cool sun, rather than the Wisconsin snow.  When we were talking with Aras & Julija about the likelihood of moving to New Zealand this past summer, Asta asked them what they thought about wearing uniforms to school…  Julija got very excited and said “Oh boy!  Unicorns in school!”   She took it pretty well when we had to let her down…  ;)

 

So, that’s about it for us.  We hope that you and yours are doing well, that you all are healthy, and that there’s a silver lining showing up in the economy for everyone.  We hope that you’ll consider coming to visit us in New Zealand while we’re there – we’re already hearing from several friends and family who are telling us to make a bed for them.

 

Life is good,

 

Julija, Aras, Muir, Asta & Tim