This Holiday marks our second year together as a couple… and there are many more to come! With life speeding up this year and heading into overdrive, we've decided to send a letter. Here is our year end summary. ;-)
What a busy year we had! December 30th of last year saw us packing up Jana's belongings in Hermosa Beach, CA and schlepping it all in a U-Haul to Fabulous Las Vegas, NV where we were going to try our hand at living together for our first time. So far, so good! After spending the month of January with our brother, Mikey V, we found a cute little one bedroom flat that overlooked a pool and was walking distance to a park. Nice!
BYE BYE HERMOSA, HELLO LAS VEGAS
One of Jana's New Years resolutions was to do more photography and less assisting and production this year. So Jana poked around the local advertising industry, made some great connections to do her photography work and boy did she get it - along with creating some of the best work she's ever done! Jana spent some time renting a small office in the downtown 'Arts District' of Las Vegas until she decided to branch out and move across the street to a bigger and better location that has become S P A C E - a gallery/studio/office set up for creative thinkers, movers and shakers. With the First Friday and Swap Party events, it is becoming a real hub of activity. Jana's photography is expanding and with an influx of assignments from NY and, at the turn of the year, official representation out of LA, she is going to have a busy 2010.
Aeon worked for a short time for the 2010 US Census and, in June, landed a full time job that is helping pay the bills. He continues to work on his business plan and is planning on attending the annual CWA (Climbing Wall Association) conference in Boulder, CO in May to make more contacts in the indoor climbing industry. He is constantly moving towards his goal of being his own boss with the end END goal of owning/running "Higher Ground" - Las Vegas' preeminent indoor climbing center.
Together we have made many, many steps towards our future in the furiously-paced past 12 months. We made our most memorable and adorable purchase in the spring from the Lied Animal Shelter - for the best $150 either of us has ever spent we brought home, on the 24th of April, the cutest addition to our young family; our Schnoodle, Walter. He continues to be a most wonderful and adorable companion, is sharp as a tack and we have pretty much run out of tricks to teach him because he learns them so fast and so well. We are constantly receiving praise for how well behaved he is (thank you Nat Geo for that Dog Whisperer show) and comments on how cute he is.
In May we traveled up through Utah into Wyoming to help Aeon's dad and his girlfriend, Monte, on their newly purchased ranch. We spent a week doing work where a year isn't enough time to get done what needs doing. It was great fun, hard work and a beautiful place where Jana and I shared some truly memorable experiences. It was also our second major road trip together proving, yet again, that we are able to travel together. Very important for that 'next step'.
Early August was our birthday celebrations in the wonderful climbing park of Crawdad Canyon near Veyo, UT. Aeon's parents and many friends from the Vegas climbing community, and even Jana's friend, Janis, were there to help us celebrate.
The end of August found us playing and creating on the Playa of northern Nevada at the Burning Man Festival. For those of you who don't know what buring man is: It is a spiritual, artistic week spent in the company of 50,000 other spiritual creative individuals. Full of art, workshops, parties, music and pure fun. Jana and I shared some deeply meaningful energy there and we are planning on going back in 2010.
In October we made our second most memorable purchase. With the help of our friend, Sarah, we purchased our first home together. YAYY!!!!. We 'closed' in early October and have been working hard to have it move-in ready by Christmas. Both of our families have pitched in to help us get it livable and we have made MUCHO progress on it since closing. BIG thanks to Ron, Audra, Mikey V., Wade, Bobbie, Phyllis and Barry for taking time out of your schedules to put in some long, sometimes backbreaking hours getting this place t
This new house is quickly becoming a home, as we start to make memories there. On November 22, Aeon asked Jana to be his wife. It was a surprise as she had no idea. She actually thought he wanted her to come to the house to help work on it before their surprise trip back east for Thanksgiving. Instead, when she got there, she he had a surprise waiting for her. A pool full of tea light candles and Aeon on one knee. She said YES !!!! (there's video to prove it) and we double surprised her family back in Pennsylvania with an unannounced visit for Thanksgiving dinner and the news that we were officially engaged. Everyone seems very happy for us. Most importantly we are happy, we are excited and we are deeply in love!
Some Highlights – Jana did her first lead climb at NEW JACK City in March; She looks forward to hitting the rock again when we get moved into the house and has a little more time for climbing. We went on a huge canyoning trip in Zion NP and had an absolute blast with friends. Aeon had a small epic on a climb here in Red Rocks with his friend Erik. After several frantic calls to search and rescue, Jana was waiting at the end of the trail with Gatorade and much needed H2o. There were tons of BBQ's and pool parties to attend over the summer living here in Las Vegas... There is never a dull moment!
Forgive us for not sending more than this letter this holiday season. This year the house got the money! It is a really nice house now that we've spent nearly all of the last three months working on it. A decent sized 3/2 with a garage and a pool in southwest Vegas is where we'll be calling home for the next few years. You are welcome to come and visit anytime.
We wish you happy holidays and hope you are surrounded by close friends and family and an abundant new year full of positivity and love!
With Love,
Aeon, Jana & Walter
where it is today! And thanks to Ray for all the tools that have proven so very useful.
Our love story is an adventure, we met through the Lonely Planet Travel Guide's User Forum. I put a post up asking if anyone knew of places in New Zealand I had to see to photograph. Aeon replied and shared his insights. From there our love of travel & photography brought us together. After over 5 years of being pen-pal's we actually had the opportunity to meet in person. What happened after that is history. We've decided not to create a traditional registry for our wedding & instead ask those who are wishing to gift to couple to consider a donation to our adventures and travels after our commitment ceremony Sept 10, 2011. Our dream is to travel to Patagonia together for a few months. Down through Chile to Patagoina National Park. We're looking into volunteer opportunities that will take up the first part of our trip and then the second part of our trip we will be our personal trekking adventures. Lots of details to sort out, money to save and the exact departure date is still un-decided. However we're working towards taking this 2-3month trip in DEC of 2012. With your generous contribution we will take time off to travel, help SEND US ON OUR WAY together as husband and wife, as we create new memories and have new experiences doing what we both love the most, traveling & documenting. Sincerely and from the bottom of our hearts thank you to each one of you for being in our lives. We look forward to keeping in touch as our adventures continue. Every penny donated will go towards our travels. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for being in our lives & THANK YOU for sending us on our way together! 
