click to return homeDenny, Ranasha and nephew Sage Boone Chittick
library: non-fiction


Christmas 2001
by Denny & Ranasha Chittick

Hello from AZ! December 31, 2001

The Happy Couple
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As we arrived back from our South American trip, we had loads of holiday cards! I will once again try to highlight our year in one letter. Now that I'm working on my second year of marriage, I'm either smarter or better trained.

Jan was filled with doctor and PT appointments. Nasha was going three times a week for four hours. We would also do stretching nearly every night. In college she had done a paper on torn ACL's now she was living it. We did get up to Idaho for a week. I spent most of the time snowmobiling and playing with my niece Ally-Coo. I took Sage to a ski resort and taught him how to snowboard. He has incredible balance and coordination and that typical fearlessness of little boys. Nasha video taped the event and read her book, since she was a snow-bunny.

In February we started off by going down to Yuma so that we could see Adri's basketball game, watch Bri cheer and tickle Lauren at every available chance. Days are full of more PT and doctor visits, Nasha was dedicated to recover and was given accolades from the PT's about how hard she worked. We went up to ID again, more snowmobiling and snowboarding. Sager improves with every run. Ally-Coo just likes to give hugs, in the middle of what ever she's doing she'll stand up and announce "ugg ugg" and go around hug each person in the room, then resume playing.

In March, my parents came down for a visit. We went to Suns game, Norman Rockwell Exhibit, several baseball games, had lots of dinners with their friends and the Howze's. They enjoyed our weather and kept a busy schedule fitting in all the events.

We started the month of by heading to the Caribbean! We visited the Bahamas, Jamaica, and the Cayman Islands. We snorkeled, scuba dived, swam with sting-rays, went on an submarine, walked up the famous Ocho Rios Falls, rode horses on a plantation, as well as numerous visits to other local attractions. On our way back home, we stopped in Florida to see Gramma Emma, Mr. P and Carol. We also met DD's family. I know now where DD gets it all! When we got back to AZ, Dr. Carter decided he wanted to do an additional surgery to clean out scare tissue. We weren't too excited to hear the news, but the prospects of better long-term benefits couldn't be ignored. I once again begged the doctor to let me watch he again refused saying something about being too bothersome and asking too many questions.

May was started out with bed ridden Nasha and houseboy Denny. Since the doctor wouldn't let me in the surgery, he did let me take out the drainage tube out of Nasha's leg! It was great, we video taped it, if anyone wants to see it! He also let me take the stitches out. We had a friend from CA visit us, Margarette, we basically laughed for four days straight. We headed up to ID for Ally-Coo's 2-year birthday party. Between playing with Ally and all the kids at her party, then another day of playing with Sage, Mr. Endless Energy, I was ready for a vacation from our vacation.

In June we went to Washington DC to visit Nasha's God family, the Conley's. Raymond was retiring after 30+ years in the airforce. David was graduating from high school with more honors than one person should be allowed to have and heading to the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. We also got a chance to run around DC and see all the famous memorials and landmarks. We also met Nico, Nasha's childhood friend in Atlantic City. Since Nasha hadn't seen enough doctors, she decided to have Lasik eye surgery. It went perfect, for a person that had been wearing glasses since she was six, seeing 20/20 unassisted was quite incredible. Dr. Carter also told her she could start dancing again. No back flips! Which was good since she had already been going to practice. The Mercury season started, Nasha was back to practice and games nearly every week.

For July 4th, I went up to upstate NY to spend the weekend at Paul's family summer home. There was lots of family and friends, food and fun. Nasha was very busy all month with games, appearances and practices. This marriage life has led me to find something to keep my busy. I started a company called DenSco Investment Corporation - it's a real estate finance company, which pays investors a fixed rate of return while I lend money on real estate projects. Maybe this will get me out of doing all the housework.

In August, DD and my parents came to visit. We enjoyed having them here. My parents got to watch Nasha dance at a game for the first time. Adding to Nasha's already full schedule, she started to teach dance at a studio owned by a former Suns Dancer. I think this brings Nasha's to three part-time jobs. At the end of the month Mike and Sybil had their first child, Reyla Blair. I have yet another kid to play with!

In September, the last of the Chittick girls got married. For those of you that didn't make it or hadn't heard about it, I think it's best summed up this way: Think of Woodstock, KOA Campground, a dog run, flowers, tye-dye and oh ya a wedding, all rolled in to one. It was a wonderful unique event, now my parents are truly retired. With the Mercury season over, the Suns are around the corner and Nasha is back dancing with the Suns for her third year.

October is the busiest month for my company Galapagos. My parents spent a month working (for free!) and visiting friends in the area. Nasha and I flew up to check on them. I even got a little work out of my wife. Once we returned, Nasha didn't have enough to keep her busy, so she started to do choreograph competition routines for local high schools. I also flew up to ID to take Sager and Ally trick o' treating. Sage was dressed in his favorite mid-evil knight costume, while Ally refused to put on her Spongebobsquarepants costume. She got away with it on her cuteness. Nasha stayed in AZ taking Micaela out collecting candy, as well as a trip to a haunted house. I think she's still having nightmares from that!

November was filled with games, practices, dance classes, privates and appearances. I got my business running at full tilt. I enjoy learning about a new business and like the challenge of mastering it. Every Monday we take Micaela to gymnastics. She has been jumped up in classes, and is improving every week. I think there is a little bit of our Aunt in her! We spent Thanksgiving up in ID. This was the first time in several years where we had all of us, including our spouses together. Mike and Sybil and their daughter Reyla also joined us, they are as good as family and it wouldn't be considered full attendance with out them.

On the beach in Galapagos
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After eight months of planning, the trip I had always wanted to go on was finally here. In December, my Dad, his long time friend Don, and Nurse Nancy joined Nasha and I on an incredible trip. We started in Peru; we flew over the Nazca Lines near Ica. Then flew to Cuzco and took a train up to Machu Picchu. A truly magical place. Then we traveled up to Ecuador and went white water rafting for five days on the Upano River. This was Nasha's first experience. She was nervous and excited, but enjoyed it immensely. Nasha was most proud of the fact she didn't fall out of the boat. In fact, only the "viejos" fell out, us younger ones stayed dry, well at least in the boat. The last stop was in the Galapagos Islands. We were on a 130-foot yacht for five days visiting six different islands. We snorkeled with sea lions, saw all the incredible unique animals and reptiles that live only in the islands.

A new friend from Galapagos
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We had many memorable experiences, which would take pages to tell. We got back to AZ in time to spend Christmas with the Howze's. Micaela and her little kid joy made opening presents a fun time for all of us.

This ended up being longer than I had planned. We are blessed to have (returned) good health of ourselves and all of our family. I hope your families find happiness and strength in the coming New Year.

Best Wishes,

Denny & Ranasha


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