Smoke Free in Vegas

I never thought that I would look forward to a trip to Las Vegas for its clean, smoke free air.  But that is exactly what I was thinking Friday morning before my flight to Vegas to see Ms. Britney Spears with Joanna and her sister Anita. 

To back things up, it has been a rough few weeks on the national and local front: Vegas just suffered the country’s largest massacre in its history with 55 dead and over hundreds injured, we have an internet troll/bully for a president who handles these situations with no grace, and more importantly and personally, my sister lost her home, and everything they owned, to the Redwood Valley Complex fire, one of the 14 fires blazing through our state currently.  So our pre-planned trip to see Britney before her show ends at Planet Hollywood was both something to look forward to (as a break from reality and the smoke) but also a guilty indulgence that seemed insensitive on many levels. But we were going and we were going to make the most of it.

Similar to my Elton John concert, the three of us landed on Friday afternoon and left the following morning.  The 24 hours were just enough time to remind ourselves we are no longer in our 20s (I blame the $5 happy hour margaritas at Cabo Wabo), Britney is back and better than ever (no spray tan abs needed for her) and like Cinderella’s carriage, I turn back into a pumpkin at the stroke of midnight.

The best decision of the day was getting our make-up done after happy hour and before the show.  In person, I ended up with purple rimmed eyes (somewhat reminiscent of a severe case of the flu and no sleep) and Jo looked like a drag queen (her words, not mine).  But in the photos, all you can see are our ridiculously long, fake eyelashes.

And with that Vegas, I am good for at least another 6 months.  See you again soon.  

We might not be in our 20s, but I think we still got it

Paging Dr. House

These past few months I have been plagued by dizzy spells that come on out of nowhere and without warning, that last a few days, and result in me being bedridden and/or puking in public.  And after a few doctors’ appointments, we still aren’t sure what is causing them.  I have learned a few things in the process though including:

• I have near-perfect hearing, despite what Martin might think or say
• Per the MRI I have a perfectly average brain, despite what I would like to believe (I was expecting "wow, this is the most impressive brain we have ever seen!)
• My heart rate is slower than average (per my doctor, I might have been a runner)
• My heart beat, as measured by the EKG is in line with what is expected (for having a runner’s heart)
• My hormones are not raging (so unfortunately I can’t blame the mood swings or shoe throwing on that)
• And on a whole, I completely healthy.

So as my tests continue, I wish Dr. House from the TV show really did exist and would see me as a patient so I can avoid losing my lunch while shopping on Fifth Avenue in NYC or while on the beach at Chrissy Fields with Oskar and Martin.  If I am going to puke in public, I would prefer it to be the result of a ridiculously fun night out the night before. 

Our Little Sea Turtle

Our goal before Oskar was born was to introduce him to water early and often so he would not be afraid of the ocean, lake, etc. After the week in Cape Cod and subsequent heat wave in San Francisco, I think we have succeeded. And in the process, Oskar has proven to be a cute little sea turtle: instinctively drawn to any large body of water.

Over the past week and a half, Oskar has shown a true love for playing in the sand (burying his toes, legs and body into the sand, throwing it into the air, and eating it unintentionally but without issue) and his even bigger love for the water.  No matter where we were or how far out the tide was, Oskar would instinctively know what direction the water was and would immediately start crawling towards it like a new baby sea turtle making his way home.  It didn’t even matter how cold it was outside (raining and windy on a few occasions in the Cape) or how cold the water was (he loves San Francisco Bay) if there was water nearby, he was heading for it.

Even when it was time for a break, Oskar was only truly happy when sitting in the water. He was even happy sitting in a pool of water at the house when we weren’t able to make it to the beach.

We are going to have our hands full once he starts walking… time to get him officially swimming ASAP!

Windy, sandy, and cold.  It does't matter

Taking a break from the ocean waves

Back in SF at Aquatic Park

Cape Cod!

I have never been to Boston or Massachusetts for that matter.  So when we planned a family vacation to Cape Cod with both sets of grandparents and Taunte Meike, I reached out to my network for recommendations.  And boy did I get a few!  Dinner spots, brunch spots, best places for ice cream and lobster rolls, drive in movie theaters, wine tasting and plenty of beaches to check out.  The options were endless and overwhelming at the same time. 

And while the recommendations in theory factored in the “family” (aka toddler) element I will say this: travelling to new places with a baby is a different type of travelling.  With jet lag and a bedtime routine that was more than slightly off, dinners out were out of the question.  And with a baby that still naps for two hours in the middle of the day, sightseeing and checking out new things was a whole new experience.  Our days were split between the three hours post wake-up and breakfast and the four hours post nap, pre-dinner.  And in a place like Cape Cod where every beach was at least a twenty minute drive and arriving after 11am ensured a queue for parking, the trip was an exercise in coordination and planning.

In between all of the logistics however, we did manage to get in some really fun memories:

The week kicked off on Saturday afternoon with Oskar flirting with the ladies on the beach and embracing his European heritage by running around naked.

 

Naked baby, eating his apple while checking out the ladies.  What more could he ask for?

On Monday, we checked out the Highland Lighthouse where my dad met a local surfer and Oskar and I hung out the porch with Grandpa while the rest of the group completed the tour of the building and tower (Oskar failed to meet the height requirement for the tour).

Family fun at the lighthouse

We spent Tuesday afternoon wandering around Wellfleet, a cute little town north of our home base of Orleans that Martin discovered that morning on his bike ride with his sister and dad.  In town we met the owner of a beautiful Bernese Mountain dog (because Oskar loves dogs and most people love Oskar) who introduced us to the Flying Fish bakery for delicious pie.  I also discovered the hidden gem of Drift, a local home goods store where I bought a retail-therapy, recycled, organic blanket for Timber Cove.  And we rounded out the visit with a large scoop of ice cream which I shared with Oskar. 

Following the recommendation of the local at the lighthouse and her tips for beaches, Grandpa, Oskar and I watched the local surfers on Thursday try to catch a few waves at Nauset Light Beach while the rest of the crew checked out the Nauset Lighthouse and the Three Sisters Lighthouses. 

Martin was able to bike the bike path through the Cape and I was able to enjoy a morning of Yoga (but unfortunately no SUP due to rain). And Oskar had a great time checking out all of the beaches including Nauset Beach and Skaket Beach (his favorite). 

Raining day reading on the couch

Skatet Beach

And even with eating most meals at home, I was able to enjoy a lobster roll from Arnolds, clam chowder and a toasted coconut donut from Hole in One Coffee and a clam and garlic pizza (okay the last one we made at home, but it was still good!)

Three generations of Breuer's at Arnolds.  Oskar didn't like the Lobster Roll so he was kind enough to "share" with Martin.  

As for Boston, well I think I saw two hours’ worth of the city between my breakfast on the pier waiting for the ferry to Provincetown Saturday at the beginning of the trip and a walk through the Back Bay on Friday afternoon at the end of the trip.  

Oskar giving me the stink eye at the local cafe in Boston

Construction Continues and Cousin Shenanigans

Construction is in full force, with the walls up, deck framed and roof overhangs in place!  And man it has been a crazy few weeks.  With a few vacations coming up, and a dwindling number of free weekends left before the rains come, Martin is starting to feel the pressure to get the building weatherproofed as soon as possible.  So the month of July was marked by a family separated.  Martin spent three weekends, up at Timber Cove trying to get everything done and Oskar I spent the time hanging out both at home and at the Lake.

Over the Fourth of July weekend, Oskar and I spent the four day holiday at the Lake with my entire family (e.g. parents, sister and her family and Cody and Brenda) while Martin framed out the deck.  The Lake was a really fun four days, especially seeing Oskar play with his cousins Cassidy and Blake, they in turn playing and engaging with Oskar.  A few of my favorite moments included picking berries by the cabin which consisted of Cassidy and Blake picking berries and giving them to Oskar to eat, watching Cassidy and Blake build the best fort ever on the deck just for Oskar and Oskar splashing around in the water every chance he got whether it was in the Lake with Cody and Brenda, in a bowl of water on the deck with Grandpa, or just putting his hand and arm in Dana’s glass at the table.  What can I say, the kid loves water.

 

Oskar and I spent the last two weekends in July at home, practicing our walking skills (with the help of his radio flyer and our long hallway), using a spoon and signing and saying new words (including thank you, please, again, and bus). We also took the opportunity to build forts each night on the bed before bath time while Martin spent the two weekends framing out the roof and exterior walls for the mechanical room.    Almost the same thing! 

Can’t wait for August and a few weekends together as a family. 

Scaffolding is up and roof is getting into place

The view from our "living room"

National Pride

Until this past weekend, I had never been to Washington DC before and given my love of politics (although that love might be dimming in the recent past), I was excited to check out our nation’s capital.  We arrived Wednesday night and had two full days to enjoy Georgetown (our home base) and the capital before heading up the Potomac for Jason and Lauren’s wedding.

While I loved Georgetown, with its cobblestone streets, cute restaurants and local parks, the overall two days were somewhat jaded due to the current political events compounded by the fact that I am reading "The People’s History of the United States" which doesn’t always paint politics and those in DC in the most favorable light.  Instead of feeling pride when looking at the Washington or Lincoln Memorials, I saw another rich old white dude doing everything within his means to keep and expand his wealth and power.  And when walking past Capital Hill, I thought back to the vicious cycle our government continues to drive us through: the wealthy control everything resulting in social and class unrest; laws are therefore passed to appeal to the crowds (e.g. labor laws and civil rights) however in realty these laws do little to change the problem and are only put in place to avoid mass riots; when these laws fail we go to war and deny people their basic rights such as free speech; once the war is over we target and blame the immigrants and then we repeat the process. Yes, unfortunately unlike Martin who had a strong sense of national pride when in Berlin, I was left feeling empty.

This Little Nugget helped bring some joy to the day!

I did have a moment of awe sitting out front of the Supreme Court where women were given the right to make their own decisions about their bodies and marriage equality was confirmed.  But I suppose even worse was I had a sense of excitement and potential foreshadowing when walking past the Watergate Building. 

Having fun on the steps of the Supreme Court

Politics aside, we also had some fun including exploring the Smithsonian Natural History Museum, some quality time with Grandma and Grandpa, and a really fun wedding, celebrating Jason and Lauren with all of our old friends from Zurich.   

Heading into the Smithsonian

Checking out the BIG elephant

All dressed up!

Family Photo Shoot

I am not very good at taking photos and I am my own worst critic when it comes to photos of myself.  So while I have hundreds of photos of Oskar and Oskar and Martin, there are very few photos of the whole family that I love.  Our first attempt at professional family photos ended with both Oskar and I in tears and our second attempt for family photos resulted in our hungover friend to taking a quick photo for our Christmas card.  In an effort to find a compromise between the overly staged professional photos and the unfinished/amateur photos (sorry John), I turned to my photographer friend and fellow new mom for some help.  And like all good plans, this one was hatched over a few drinks. 

We decided to do a lifestyle shoot!  Nothing staged, nothing unusual, just Heather coming over to our house to capture our night time routine.  Below is the link to her blog and some of the amazing photos from the evening.  They are gorgeous and capture a normal night at the Breuer household… except for maybe the skirt and pearls. 

Breuer Family Photo Shoot

Thank you Heather!! 

Let Construction Begin!!

Almost two and a half years ago we bought our property at Timber Cove and I innocently blogged that we hopped to have the house built by that following fall.  Clearly my expectations were a little out of line with reality.  With 7 months to get the coastal permit, 5 months to get the building permit and Martin working full time; the process took a little longer than I had hoped. 

But that is the past and I am excited to announce that we have broken ground!   

We went up to Timber Cove a few weeks ago to meet with the contractor and things have been moving fast since then.  Excavation began on Wednesday and the foundation should be poured and set in the next two weeks.  And while the exterior walls should be up by early June (thanks to the pre-engineered SIPS panels we opted for), I have learned to tamper my enthusiasm and hedge my expectations on when things will be complete.  I am hoping for early fall...Martin is planning for late November. 

Stay tuned for photos and updates!

Note: Silly me, I should have known by now to hedge my bets.  I originally wrote this post back in April and was yet again, full of excitement.  It is now June and, after a quick trip up there this past weekend, it looks like we might already be behind schedule as the panels have yet to  be installed. However the foundation has been poured!  And I call that progress!

One Year Birthday!

I am not now, nor will I ever be a Pintrest mom… you know the type: the all natural GMO free meals and snacks prepped each day, a carefully curated collection of toys and activities that not only look gorgeous but are guaranteed to help your child excel in life and, the biggest component, elaborate birthday parties with unique and clever themes that appear in every aspect of the party from the invitation through to the decorations, menu and gifts.  Don’t get me wrong, I love these moms!  I just don’t have the patience or attention to detail to know where to begin so if and when Oskar asks for a European vintage car themed party I fully plan to outsource the planning to those better equipped:  my mom, sister and close friend Anjulee. 

So when it came to Oskar’s first birthday, which happened to fall on Memorial Day weekend, the plans were set without much thought.  We would spend the weekend at the Lake and host drinks and appetizers Saturday afternoon at the cabin for the celebration.  No formal invitations (other than a few phone calls), no decorations, no theme, and no stress. 

Oskar opened his presents early in the afternoon surrounded by both sets of grandparents and shared his new toys with his cousins Alton, Cassidy and Blake.  Unwilling to forgo the obligatory cake smash to commemorate his first true taste of sugar and chocolate, I baked him a carrot, zucchini chocolate cake and watched in anticipation as he took his first tentative bit.  While he wasn’t that impressed with the cake either due to my baking skills or the sweetness, thankfully everyone else enjoyed the dessert.

 

The best part of the weekend however was the following day, which we spent out on the boat.  With the weather warm enough, we all got a chance to get in the water to cool off and Oskar was able to prove his status as a Lake Rat.  He had such a fun time splashing around in the water, getting his face wet and laughing at the bubbles.    Seeing him play in the water was such a relief since his previous trip to the Lake wasn’t so promising.  

And while Oskar is ready to enjoy the summer in the water, I am ready for the next few years in my new role as family Sherpa!

Treat Yo Self

In March Martin went to Sweden for his annual family ski holiday for a week.  And even with help from my mom two nights, I quickly came to appreciate that being a single mom is no joke. In the seven days I was fully in charge, Oskar came down with a fever, a rash on his arm, unidentifiable scratches on his legs and slept in bed with me for two nights.  But I survived and so did Oskar and I had three weekend getaways on the books to treat myself (and take a break from all of the craziness my life has been recently.)

The first weekend away was to Sonoma for wine tasting and fancy dinners out.  It was spent with my San Francisco / Colorado girls, a group of six strong women who definitely know how to spoil themselves.  I had to bring my A Game to this weekend and tried my best to look stylish, well rested and carefree.

A few weekends later, I was off to Calistoga for a one night spa momcation with my mom friends of North Beach.  We left San Francisco early Sunday morning and kicked off the trip with Philz coffee to enjoy on the drive up.  The 24 hour trip was a chance for us to enjoy the time away for the kids by doing things unavailable to us in normal life:  facials and massages, reading books by the pool, a relaxing glass of champagne while we took our time getting ready, fancy drinks by the creek downtown, beers at a dive bar and a late night dinner at the Thai joint in town.  We ended the night with all four women in pajamas in one of our king beds watching TV and drinking wine. 

I wrapped up my tour of “me” with a long weekend in NYC with my Zurich Girls: Kim, Petra and Anna.  It was the perfect combination of the two previous weekends: fancy dinners, shopping like we had no budget, a lively piano bar and plenty of time to catch up on life and family.

Not to miss out, I do have one final weekend planned with the SLO girls in June to meet Baby Kelsey!  But in the meantime, I am happy to be home with no other plans but to spend the time with Oskar and Martin. 

The Social Life of a 10 Month Old

Before Oskar joined the family, I prepped myself for a significant change in lifestyle: no more carefree travelling, limited dinners out, our “free time” spent homebound… really I was ready to lose my social life.  And while things have changed, I have to admit, Oskar has quite a busy social life.  Just check out what he did this past month:

Brunch with his friend Vivienne

A prosecco and playdate with his North Beach friends

Warm days spent in the park

An afternoon hike with Papa

A trip to the aquarium on Easter

A night away to Timber Cove

Two birthday parties including one with a ball pit

 And a trip to the beach

Toys vs Tools

Years ago I read an article that noted the average child worldwide has a total of 3 toys as compared to a child in America who receives on average of 70 new toys each year.  This has clearly stuck with me so with Oskar I have tried to make it a point not to buy him toys but rather use everyday things to hold his interest and provide some play.   Case in point, the only "toy" I have bought him is a silicon orange pastry brush to help with his teething... and this was purchased before he was even born.  

That is not to say he doesn't have toys; he has plenty thanks to friends, coworkers, extended family and the Breuer Family, Martin included… He has received so many great toys from his German relatives: a stand up balance bike (which he will be able to use in a few years), a wooden train, finger puppets, bean bags, stuffed animals, wooden rattles, etc.  And to supplement, Martin has purchased a little red push wagon, a sit on wooden bike (that is still too big, but will work before the balance bike) and a wooden xylophone all within the past week.  Oskar's toy box has gone from being just books to overflowing with fun toys. 

To be fair, while Martin is spending his ice cream money on toys, I have been spending mine on gadgets and tools for the little guy.  Behold exhibit A: 

These are the five sippy cups I have bought in the past four months in hopes of finding one that Oskar will be able to figure out... so far none have really worked but here's to hoping that changes soon.  I have also spent money on multiple baby carriers (2 ergo babies and a mobi wrap, which was supplemented by the hiking backpack from Ange) and we now have three strollers (one for everyday use, one for travel and one for biking/skiing).

I suppose between Martin and I, Oskar will be well prepared for life; both the fun side and practical side. 

Vegas with the Rents?

Who wouldn't want to go to Vegas with their parents?! It is clearly the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of Vegas.  Okay, probably not normally, but after our trip there last week it is definitely no longer unheard of or unthinkable.

To back up, last year my dad and I had an epic night at the AC/DC concert in San Francisco.  And after that night we began compiling the concert bucket list for us to check off.  Elton John was at the top of that list and next to take down

So a year and a half later, I landed in Vegas to meet my parents on a Wednesday afternoon for dinner and a show.  After a half day at work and a quick flight down, I met them at Caesar’s Casino and Hotel; our home base for the night.  It was parents first time to Vegas so I was excited to introduce them to the City of Sin and see how they liked it so far: my dad’s the initial reaction: “this place is nuts, I need a nap.”

And nap my dad did while my mom and I took a hot lap through the forum shops and a quick stroll outside for some fresh air. 

I dropped my mom off at her hotel room to get changed and check in on work.  We met up just an hour later for appetizers and drinks before the show.  We spent a few minutes figuring out the game plan and trying to decide where to go among all of the various restaurants in Caesars.  My dad was extra excited about Rao’s, the famous restaurant in New York City that is impossible to get a reservation for, especially since we could get a table for the three of us, no waiting in Vegas… it might have also been because it was 5 pm on a Wednesday night.  However my dad commented that he didn't want to eat there and be full and tired for the show.   But further remarked “man if I come back I would do dinner at a nice restaurant one night and then a concert or show the second night.”

We opted for Mr Chows where we enjoyed the fancy Chinese dumplings and sipped on expensive champagne.

With the show starting at 7:30, we wrapped up our pre-show drinks and made our way over to the Coliseum for Elton John’s Million Dollar Piano show.  We arrived early enough to find our seats, grabs some drinks and take in the fact that the place was packed even though Elton John plays there at least four nights a week and has been for over two years.  We enjoyed the show (me singing along to the few songs I knew) and both me and my dad drinking our massive Vegas sized beers….I was not secretly pregnant like the last concert and neither my dad nor I were afraid to miss a song with a bathroom break.  When leaving the show my dad commented “That show was awesome.  I can see how this place grows on you.” 

After the show we stopped by the Old Homestead Steakhouse for after dinner drinks and dessert.  We talked about the show, the family, and life in general while enjoying our decadent apple crisp and berry tart and 15 year port (or Don Julio tequila for my mom).  It was during this dessert, while talking about Oskar, that my dad started rummaging around in his wallet looking for something.  A few seconds later he pulled out this amazing gem.  It was taken over 33 years ago and he has carried it with him since.

It was also during this time that my dad started making plans on whom would join him and my mom on their next trip to Vegas.  I think they settled on getting the cousins together for a few nights in Sin City. His exact words to my mom “Do you think your cousins would like this place?  We should get a weekend planned with them.” 

We said good night and good bye that night around 11:30.  Unfortunately I had a 6 am flight to catch the next morning to make it to work while my parents had the day to explore some more of the Strip. 

It was less than 24 hours in Vegas but it was perfect.  We had a proper meal, saw a great show and I had some serious bonding time with my parents.

As a side note: I love how my dad's first experience of Vegas went from cold to hot with him not sure about the place at first to planning his next trip before the night was even over.  Conversely my first time went from hot to cold…with me thinking it was the most amazing place in the world to oh man, this place is crazy, followed by I can only manage two nights, and wrapping up with the need for a shower and my own bed and vowing to never return. 

Change of Plans - Part 2

With 10 days off between jobs and Oskar in Daycare (I didn't want to disrupt his routine) I was excited to take advantage with some “me” time.  I was going to work out, get a massage, get a haircut, and clean out my closet and random clutter around the house implementing the newly found KonMari method.  I was going to do lunches with friends, play dates with other stay at home moms, take Oskar to swim class, and maybe even see a movie! It was going to be beautiful.

That is until Oskar came down with a nasty cold that turned into a virus on my first day off.  My grand plans of being a lady of leisure for one week quickly changed into being a stay at home mom with a sick little one.  But to avoid confusion, I am not complaining.  We had four really great days of just the two of us, sleeping in late, snuggling on the couch and him napping in my arms.  And while I could tell he was miserable with his runny nose, persistent cough and slight fever, I was happy to be able to spend the time with him before jumping into my next job.

And with him feeling much better by the following week I was still able to get a day in for just me.

Change in Plans - Part 1

In June 2014, after a really bad week at work I was heading to Chicago for a much needed girls weekend and, while at the airport trolling through LinkedIn job postings, I came across this one:

It immediately caught my eye (obviously since I took a screenshot of it with my phone) and I started the magical "what if” journey of potentially applying.  I was so convinced it was the right move that I told the girls about it that very night over too many bottles of wine on Lyndsey's humidity wrapped roof deck.

However back in the sober cold reality of San Francisco I realized that I had none of the experience (10% at best of the required skills) and actually really loved my job at salesforce.  In the end I decided not to apply.  Therefore it only seemed like fate when 6 weeks later I was contacted by a recruiter I trusted and loved about the very same position and was talked into throwing my name in the hat.  And even crazier, I kept on making it to the next round of interviews all the while being completely honest about my lack of experience.  I told Martin that if they offered me the job I had to take it.  It was the next logical move from a career perspective and I wanted to take a company public.  This role seemed to fit both perfectly. 

And so in September 2014 I left the job and team I loved to become the Corporate Controller of DocuSign.  In the past two plus years I have learned the ins and outs of accounting from processing accounts payable to collecting money from customers.  I rolled out a new payroll system, closed the accounting books 24+ times, went through two year-end audits with full responsibility of the numbers. I learned the various accounting processes and systems and how difficult life can be when those processes and systems are not automated or effective. I learned international tax laws, filed state sales and use tax filings, expanded internationally, acquired two companies and managed a team of 18 remotely in Seattle and 5 in San Francisco.  I spent my time mentoring my staff, building a new team and transitioning those out that weren’t performing.  I built relationships and a huge support network both inside and outside of the company.  It was amazing. 

But I also routinely worked 60+ hours a week, missed too many dinners (with Martin calling me at 8 pm at 8 months pregnant telling me I had to come home and get some rest). I travelled every month to Seattle and felt the brunt of the thankless job that accounting can be.  I was, at various points in time, the AP manager, Payroll manager, Revenue manager, GL manager, AR manager, Tax manager in addition to the corporate controller.  And as such, I was approving all POs, invoices, journal entries, payrolls, and tax filings... And I was burnt out.

And so with a new baby at home and the need for work life flexibility (because let's be honest work life balance is a myth) I decided to change my career plans and head back to salesforce... because while taking a company public would be awesome, it is no longer something I need to do to prove I am a smart, talented or accomplished person.  And while I loved seeing my team grow and develop, I was ready to step back and have a more limited scope of responsibilities.   

It was an amazing opportunity, one where I learned countless new skills (both accounting based as well as soft skills and survival skills).  I built an incredible team and loved everyone I worked with.  But it was time. 

Thank you DocuSign for the adventure, I am truly excited to see what you accomplish as a company in the next few years! And to salesforce, I am coming home! 

Holiday Family Photos

Please enjoy some photos from the holidays... And yes in my eyes the holidays begin with Halloween

Our little Garden Gnome 

Celebrating Halloween at the Trick or Treat Party at our local playground

Eating a sweet potato at Thanksgiving!

Merry Christmas! 

And a Happy New Year