Good day Sirs and Madams. Scott A. Reck, Esquire here. Thank you for welcoming me into your homes. I come bearing gifts! Well, actually it’s the 2014 Reck Family Christmas Letter. You can consider it a gift from my family to yours. They made me do this. Well, actually they asked kindly and used the magic word please. I just couldn't say no. I’m not here to break hearts. So once again I am offering up my services. For the greater good I suppose. But I do get paid in compliments and free eats. They know how to play the game - keep the talent happy.
Kris started off 2014 with the best gift ever - UWM waived a math class and she got to join James, Jenny and I as UWM Graduates. Her degree is in Education. In March we threw her a rocking graduation party and celebrated her hard work and dedication. A lot of you were there, but let me once again thank you for the role you play in her life and always helping her to achieve her goals. She truly has been enjoying time off from studying. There is a sign on the refrigerator that says, “Hmmm, another day has gone by and I still haven’t used algebra!” No truer words have been written! (Editor’s note – she does use math. She handed me an outline and said, “Feel free to edit, add or subtract to what I wrote”. Don’t let her fool you. Math is a part of her life).
She uses her new found time taking her dog Gracie for walks, learning new music, spending time with her family and watching prime time TV. Because of how busy she was, she claims that she didn’t even know these TV programs existed even though they have been around for the past gazillion years. (Editor’s note – there’s that math talk again. Does she love it or what?) She is still teaching music at five (5!) schools for K4 thru 4th grade and also has one middle school choir. At the time this went to press, she had just finished directing the second of five (5!) Christmas concerts. She absolutely loves her job. The smiles she sees on the children’s faces and the joy in their voices is such a gift. Of course the students can be challenging (I’d like to think James, Jenny, Timmy and I prepared her for dealing with anything – you’re welcome), but the rewards are great. She gets so many hugs! And not from strangers! One of the best things that many students have said to her is that “music is so much fun!” She feels blessed. And who wouldn’t be with this family?
Melissa just completed her first year with the National Safety Council, South Carolina Chapter. She is the Training and Development Coordinator and is responsible for the Alive at 25 Program, driver instruction and training. This program is mandatory for students to receive a driving permit and is taught at 115 SC high schools. She coordinates and trains police officers that are instructors for the program and she also teaches drivers education and gives road tests for driver licensing. Having been a police officer, Melissa enjoys and appreciates her new role because it allows her to be on the proactive side of the law rather than the reactive.
Their two weimaraner dogs Baya (5 yrs old) and Tucker (6-8 yrs old) are the sweetest pair of home (w)reckers. Imagine a hurricane with sad puppy dog eyes that just wants to be your best friend. That’s Tucker. He has eaten and broken out of the front window, ate the couch, ate the kennel used to restrain him in, knocked a crockpot off the counter and shared a feast with Baya, broke through the laundry room bi-fold doors to get to the garbage, sullied the carpets which had to be ripped out... and the list goes on. But they act like perfect little angels when their parents are home. They tried to blame it on the dog, but still haven’t realized that doesn’t work.
When James does make it home to Columbia, SC for the weekend, he enjoys his time with Melissa and their friends. They have created the group “Lake Murray Packer Backers”, which is registered as an official Green Bay Packers Bar on Packers Everywhere (a site that helps Packers fans around the country find other Packers fans for games). They have even converted some “enemy fans” as they gather every week at Schooner’s. May 29, 2015 will be their 5 year Wedding anniversary, and they are celebrating it early at the Hard Rock Hotel in Cancun, Mexico in January. They are going to see the Luke Bryan “Crash My Playa” Tour. And yes, the flights were covered by frequent flyer miles. And no, the hotel was not booked with Funjet Vacations. (Thanks pal).
The ever elusive Sasquatch is still at large. I'll put that out there right away so you don't ask me any more questions about it. I thought that I found him last month, but it turns out I was just looking at myself in the mirror at 3am. "No Shave November" was very unkind to me. Not finding him is my biggest regret in 2014. If that's the worst thing that happened to me, then I suppose it was a pretty good year. I'm still at the Mark Travel Corporation (parent company of Funjet Vacations) as a Product Build Research Specialist. I recently celebrated my 7th anniversary with the company and the last year has flown by real fast as I've learned so many new things while dealing with the daily challenges of the travel industry. Just another day at the office.
From April to September (and sadly not October) I was back at Miller Park for my 13th year working for The Milwaukee Brewers (well Sportservice) as an In-Seat Waitstaff on the Club Level. I was able to make it down to Phoenix in March and got to see Brewers Spring Training for the first time since 2009. After a disappointing 2013 season, this only added to my excitement for 2014. And although things didn't go as exactly as planned (and I have the playoff tickets they mailed me to rub it in), I still went to about 25 games and helped (along with my cousins) to make The Sombrero a popular and fashionable accessory for your head.
My cat Major Korben Dallas and I still reside near 85th and Capital. Although we may never find Sasquatch, we still go on plenty of adventures that don’t leave the house. He has a lively imagination and whisks us away on incredible journeys. So we aren't giving up hope. But we are expanding our horizons. Don't be surprised to find out in 2015 that we have gone looking for the Chupacabra, the Loch Ness Monster, Rhinelander's Hodag, the Lost City of Atlantis or to search for the truth behind the disappearance of the colonists of Roanoke, VA.
Jenny Reck still works at Gramann Reporting in downtown Milwaukee. She has been there for 2 years as a Production Specialist. She enjoys her lunch breaks in the summer walking around downtown and hanging with the Bronze Fonz. Ayyyy!! She still lives on the Eastside around Oakland and Locust. She digs music and is always down for a free show. Luckily Cathedral Square (home to Jazz in the Park on Thursdays) is one of many places with something going on. If you play your cards right in this town, you can always find a good deal. You know the phrase “If it's free, it's for me?” That's wrong. It should be, “If it's free, it's for Jenny.”
But that doesn't mean she won't pay to see something she loves. I have never met anyone who was so dedicated to a band. Most people don't even know what it is to be a fan. You know? To truly love some silly little piece of music or some band so much that it hurts... With her it is Umphrey's McGee. She went to Madison in the fall to see Umphrey's 1999th and 2000th show (which was her 88th and 89th show). I finally saw them for the first time at Summerfest, and I promise you that they live up to her hype. I can say from experience that you will never quite understand it until you see it for yourself. She spends the majority of her free time raging with her boyfriend Brandon, her brother Scotty (that’s me!) and the most eclectic cast of randoms ever assembled. These characters have learned to speak Jenny Reck and help make sure that her life exists in a delicate balance. 
It’s been a whole lot of the same while also being different for the Recks in 2014. We miss Timmy dearly, especially at this time of year (Timmy loved Christmas and upheld all of the holiday traditions). He’s always on our minds and in our hearts. We will once again be putting together a Rage for Timmy Concert in late Summer 2015, so pencil that in your schedule (ideally we would do it on Saturday, August 22). Keep that in mind if you want to perform some songs or help out in any way. More details will follow when we can lock down the date. While you have the calendar open, pencil in June 20th for the 39th Annual Reck Family Christmas Party. Why celebrate Christmas only once a year?!?
I leave you with a song Kris wrote entitled “Dragonfly”. She decided the best way to pay tribute to Timmy is through song. She was inspired by a poem about dragonflies and her connection with God gave her the strength to try her hand at songwriting. Timmy would be so proud of her. I won’t say any more about it here. Some things need no explanation. Check out the video below.
Happy Holidays! With love from The Reck Family,
Kris, James, Melissa, Scott, Jenny
Gracie, Tucker, Baya & Major Korben Dallas
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