2013 in Review

It's time for another end-of-the-year video. Here's ..... 2013!

The Sex Talk

It was my intention to wait until the kids were ten before having the sex talk with them, but that only happened with Erik; and he already knew most of it thanks to his friend Jack Chaffe. Peter got it early because he wouldn't stop asking me what the "F" word meant. Kurt got it early (a couple days ago), because his Mom thought it best. Had different reactions with each. Peter was in shock and quite silent. Erik laughed and wasn't embarrassed at all. Kurt asked about a million questions, and was incredibly mature about it.

Mom's birthday song

Brother John performing a happy 70th birthday song for Mom:

Peter outgrows his Mom!

It took almost 13 years. I'm probably next.

Federal Debt/Healthcare

Mr. Durban, please vote YES on the congressional budget that defunds Obamacare.

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Dear Mr. JethroMania,

Thank you for contacting me in support of repealing health reform. I appreciate knowing your thoughts on this issue.

Health reform is making a difference in the lives of people in Illinois and across our nation. This historic bill extends affordable and stable health insurance coverage to more than 30 million uninsured Americans. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), this legislation is estimated to reduce the federal budget deficit by $143 billion in its first 10 years and $1.3 trillion in the second 10 years. The CBO also estimates that the growth of private health insurance premiums will slow by 8 percent over the next decade. Those savings go directly to individuals and small businesses.

Health reform has provided 144,000 small businesses across Illinois access to a small business tax credit to make insurance premiums more affordable. Seniors are now given the peace of mind of knowing we have begun to close the donut hole in the Medicare Part D prescription drug program.

Health care reform protects consumers from arbitrary rate hikes and denials of coverage by insurance companies. As broad insurance reforms are implemented, it will extend the solvency of the Medicare program by nearly ten years and strengthen the Medicaid program. Health insurance plans also are prohibited from imposing lifetime and annual limits on the coverage they provide.

The law allows children up to the age of 26 to remain on their parent’s health insurance plan if they do not have access to employer-provided coverage on their own. More than 2.5 million children have gained health insurance through their parents’ plans as a result of health reform, including more than 100,000 young adults in Illinois.

Health reform also moderates the cost of coverage and protects people from insurance industry abuse. Insurance companies are required to put more of your premium dollars into actual benefits rather than using those dollars to supplement overhead costs and profit. Companies must publicly disclose the percentage of premiums applied to overhead costs. If a company spends more than 20 percent of its premium dollars on overhead and profit, it is required to provide a rebate to the consumer. Last year, nine million Americans received up to nearly $1.5 billion in rebates.

The new health reform law gives working families and the middle class a greater assurance that they can find and keep affordable coverage. Tax credits are provided to small businesses to help them cover employees, and starting next year, the law will give tax credits to working class Americans who cannot afford their insurance policies.

A repeal of the health reform law would be a step backwards for our nation. It would remove consumer protections that prevent insurance industry abuse and would cause millions of Americans to lose health care coverage. Additionally, repealing health reform would increase the federal deficit by $230 billion dollars over the next decade – a task both Republicans and Democrats have promised not to do.

The new law is not perfect; however, the law makes great strides in providing quality coverage to Americans and reducing the federal deficit. I stand by my support for health reform and will continue to work towards its implementation.

I recognize that we disagree on this issue, but I appreciate knowing your thoughts on it and I hope you continue to contact me on matters of importance to you.

Sincerely,
Richard J. Durbin
United States Senator

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Mr. Durbin,

Obamacare only provides health insurance to 30 million uninsured American's by forcing them to buy it, or by having the government pay for it through subsidies. That's not historic. You are living in la-la land if you think Obamacare is going to shave money from the federal budget deficit. We need to stop this out of control spending that is putting our country (our kids) in severe debt. Please reconsider, and ask Mr. Reid to put the congressional bill to a vote, and please vote YES to that bill. Then go back, and give us real health reform that does not center around health insurance, but centers around consumerism. Health insurance should be used for catastrophic health problems, not the occasional doctor visit. Health costs will continue to spiral upwards until the consumer is involved in paying for it directly. In other words, expand and encourage health savings accounts, and focus on making catastrophic health insurance more available and more affordable for the consumer.

Thank you,
JethroMania

Tower Climber

This is an insane video. Being a tower light bulb changer is clearly not a job for me (click picture for video):

Erik Learning to Drive

In a mini-van, at the farm ...

Letter to the Teacher

August 17, 2013

Dear Mrs. Tollefsen,

I am looking forward to being in your class this year. I am mostly excited about math I feel this way because I am better at math. I am least looking forward to reading.

I think you are a good teacher because Erik told me a lot about you. He told me that you are the best teacher in the world. You are very kind because you gave Erik a present in the hospitial when he was having surgery. You didn’t give him homework while he was in the hospitial either. I also think you are kind to the other 4th grade teachers because I can feel it in my guts. Next I think you are kind because you say nice things to every student in the classroom I think because Erik wanted to go to school more after the semester was over.

Next I think you are a good teacher because you are generous because sometimes you don’t give out homework on the first day of school because you want to meet us and know a lot about me and the rest of the students. I also think you are generous to the other teachers because I think if a teacher needs the computers you would give it to them. I also think you will let us sit where ever we want to sit on the first day to see our friends in class and talk for a bit. I know I will like this year because Erik liked it and I think I will too.

Your student,

Kurt Schnaubelt

First Day of School

Peter 7th Grade

Kurt 4th, Erik 5th

Tahoe Vacation - 2013

At the start of this vacation, Annie and Kurt flew to Reno and spent time with the Morris families in Carson City and Gardnerville, then Annie attended her 25th high school reunion. Jeff, Peter, and Erik flew into Las Vegas, stayed at the Stratosphere, then visited the Pawn Stars shop and met the old man. Then it was off to Death Valley, Lone Pine, June Lake, and then Tahoe. Kurt and Frannie did Camp Skylandia, and the Schnaubelt and Gramanz boys did sailing camp. Music in the video is "Dreams" by the Cranberries.

Summer Fun

Summer just zipped by. The kids are back to school today, and I can't believe how fast it all went. Summer got kicked off by flying Popper's new Pacer back from Fitchburg Massachusetts in May. Then Peter and I checked an item off our bucket list by riding the tandem bicycle to the farm. We tried raising chickens, and got reunited with cousin Angela as she recovered from cancer treatment. A new sailboat, a couple triathlons, and great vacations to Grand Haven and Lake Tahoe.

Erik my Hero

I know it wasn't easy Erik, but I am so proud of you. You handled the surgery like a champ, and you're battling the pain with braveness and politeness. I love you so much it hurts. Love, Dad

Bike Trip to Farm

Peter and I are planning a tandem bike and ride from our house to the farm. We just finished mapping it out, and it's 45 miles... mostly back roads and bike trails. We figured it'll take us a total of 6 hours. 4 hours biking, and 2 hours for breaks. Here's a link to our route, which is tentatively planned for April 27th: BIKE ROUTE

Swim Times to Beat in 2013

50 free... 42.2
50 back... 49.2
50 breast... 56.2

Full Service

I love it that Peter's grandpa taught him how to "fill er up", especially when there is freezing rain in Chicago.

New American Airlines

I liked the old shiny jet paint job a lot, but the new composite airplanes AA is getting don't have an aluminum exterior. Couple that with a fresh start out of bankruptcy, and a possible merger, and you have the "New American Airlines". Lots of complaints when they rolled this out yesterday, but I kinda like it.

Erik's Fabulous Christmas Break

Erik got to spend Christmas break with his Uncle Tom. They spent some time in Lake Tahoe, and then took a big VW Campervan roadtrip to southern CA to see Wisconsin and Stanford play in the Rose Bowl. Many big thanks to brother Tom!