2006 is Almost Gone

Wow! Can you believe 2006 is almost gone? I hope you all got our Christmas card and letter. I hope your 2007 is blessed and happy!

Things here are doing okay. The plumbers stopped by today to fix a leak we had under our main bathroom. Now the garage renovation can continue. I hope to start ripping off the wallpaper throughout the house next week.

Lee switched from first shift to third shift late last week. It is difficult because he works Friday-Tuesday and gets Wednesday and Thursday off. It really interferes with his time with Taylor, but he is going to start picking her up from school one day a week and spending that extra night with her. I think that will definitely help. We don't know exactly how his schedule is going to work with the holidays either. He is still looking for "normal" employment and has an interview with ACUI (Association of College Unions International) soon. He also tested for one of the 911 operator positions that are open. They will have continued testing until they hire two people officially in February.

While Lee was sleeping this weekend, Taylor and I spent some time together. We went to see the Santa Clause 3, went shopping and bought Christmas gifts for her dog, and she helped me wrap some Christmas presents for family and friends (and for Bandit the dog).

I am off of work next week (both jobs), so if possible, Lee and I are going to get away for a night that he has off and spend some much needed and much deserved relaxing time together. We put a lot of plans on hold when he lost his job, so hopefully we can pull this off.

Well, everyone keep in touch, and if I don't write again for awhile: Have a great Christmas and New Year's. Be safe, happy, and healthy. May you have a wonderful 2007!

3rd Month's a Charm

Thanksgiving for us was wonderful, and we have included some pictures to show you. Lee, Taylor, and I went to Lee's grandma's house first and then to Basswood Apartments (our old stomping ground) for Lee's dad's family's Thanksgiving.

In early afternoon, we split up. Rachel went to her family's Thanksgiving at her sister's in Indianapolis (a first). Lee and Taylor stayed in Bloomington and had quite the remainder of the day. They went back to Lee's grandma's and then showed out of town family our new house. Then Lee took Taylor back to her mom's and spent some of Thanksgiving evening with her family. It was a good holiday for all!! Lot of people to see, but not too much heavy traveling.

Lee also got a new full-time job. He now works for First Lease, which is a place that maintains fleet big rigs. He gets to clean them, maintain them, and get them ready for their next time out on the road. He loves it!! The only bad thing is that he'll be working third shift. But we will figure out how to work around that later.

He no longer works for Big Red Liquors or Sears. He only went to one training day at Sears before he was offered the First Lease job. He intended on keeping his Big Red job, but the district manager came and fired everyone in his store and essentially put the manager on probation. Apparently, the DM didn't like how things were run and took it out on the wrong people. Oh, well!! I think he is better off without them.

On another up side, I recently received a job offer from Indiana State University. I ended up turning it down, but I was lucky enough to receive a pay raise from my current job. So, I think and continue to hope that things remain looking up for us. It has been a rough three months, but I hope this is a turn for the better.

Happy Thoughts!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Remember, Christmas is less a month away - yikes!!

We're Getting There

Hiddie Ho Neighbors (as Wilson might say). We are making a little big of headway, sort of. Lee got a seasonal job at Sears today to aid in the financial flow. So, he is now working two jobs as well as me. It's definitely a positive for now!

Lee is still on the hunt for a full-time job, and I am still job hunting as well. I never went on the interview that I mentioned in the last post because the Chancellor of the university picked someone for the position without allowing the rest of the applicant pool to interview. So, unfortunately, that was some bad news. Lee has been on a few more interviews as well, but nothing solid has panned out so far. At least Big Red and Sears are lucky enough to have him!

Since we never get to see each other due to our schedules, this was a nice weekend for the two of us to just spend time together. We cooked dinner, rented The Break-up, and had a nice (and much needed) weekend alone together.

It is amazing the sacrifices people make to provide for their families. We have been through a lot of changes this year, but we know it is all for the better in the end.

Well, I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving in case I don't get to write before then. Enjoy the holiday!

Slowly Making Progress

Well, we've made a bit more progress on the job front. Lee is now working part-time back at Big Red Liquors, where he moonlighted for 9 months back before we were married. It is a start. Job hunting is really tough in Bloomington. Lots of jobs, but lots of people vying for those same jobs. He's sent out tons of applications and resumes, but no bites quite yet. He had a phone interview early last week, but it was just a pre-screening kind of thing. We both hope he hears something soon. Please keep us in your thoughts.

I am also on the job search but not because I have to. I have had several interviews over the summer, but no job offers quite yet. I have another interview on Thursday, so we will see where that takes me. Lots of changes this year for the whole family, so it is never a dull moment.

We celebrated Lee's birthday with his mom, grandma, and Taylor this weekend. He turns 26 tomorrow. Aaahhh, to be young again. Okay, I'm not that far removed, but he sure makes me think so. He always tells me that 30 is right around the corner. Isn't he sweet?!?! I still have a couple of years for that.

Anyway, I thought I would just write an update so far. I'll keep you further updated as things hopefully change.

No Change...At least not on the job front

Hello everyone....I thought I would provide you with an update. No changes on the job front with Lee. He has been working with several temp agencies, but they are waiting to hear from hiring managers before he knows for sure on some jobs. We're hoping to hear something soon. He did have a job interview two weeks ago, but it did not pan out :-(.

The major change we are going to be experiencing soon is that Taylor will be moving. Her mom's new husband has enlisted in the military, and towards the end of the school year, they will all be moving to be with him. This news has been very hard on Lee and I because we will miss her greatly, and we are concerned with how much we will get to see her, our relationship with her, this major change in her life, etc.

I will keep you updated on both fronts as time progresses. Please remember to keep us in your thoughts as we keep all of you in our thoughts.

What a Difference a Month Makes!

It has been a little over a month since my last post, and a crazy month it has been. Home ownership seems to be going much smoother now. We are getting to a point where we will be doing some cosmetic and maintenance work rather than major maintenance work and a total overhaul. Things are coming together on that front.

In late August, we celebrated Taylor's 7th birthday. We had a whole day of people coming in and out of the house, giving her presents, and eating. Her big present this year was from Mem-ma Cheryl (Lee's mom) who gave her a 20 in. bicycle. She also got many other items such as a scooter, kid's computer, SpongeBob Life game, etc. All in all, she had a great day, and we had a great day with her. Her and her daddy got to ride on the mower together and go bike riding together, which they both enjoyed.

This past weekend, Labor Day Weekend, our friends from Evansville came up to visit, and we all went to the NHRA U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis. It turned out to be great racing weather, and even though I had never been to a drag race before, it was entertaining. We had a great time.

Unfortunately, we've also had some bad news, thus the title of this blog. Lee lost his job September 1 at Baxter. He had been there for nearly 5 years, but for those of you who know the issues we have had with them in the past, this shouldn't surprise you. All in all, I think it was a blessing in disguise, and I think it will be for the better in time. So, he is job searching and will be starting a new chapter in his life. Oh, what a difference a month makes!

I hope to try to post more often but with school and two jobs, it makes it hard. Hopefully I will have good news for you in the next posting. Until then......

Time Flies....

Time sure does fly when you are having fun :-). It has been nearly a month since I last posted, and it has gone by quickly. Our big news is still home ownership.

There hasn't been a dull minute. Since our last post, we have also replaced the refrigerator, reworked a toilet, replaced the plumbing under our sinks, installed new light fixtures, etc. We also got rid of our pool. A nice family from the neighboring county came and took the pool and surrounding deck a few weekends ago. Now we have a big sand pit in our backyard. We also got connected to the sewer system yesterday. We had a septic tank, but the sewers were recently put in our neighborhood, so we connected on.

We are really starting to feel like homeowners though. The first utility bills are rolling in. The first mortgage payment is getting paid this weekend. And, we have been invited to our first neighborhood meeting which is taking place on Sunday. There is a trailer park adjacent to our neighborhood that wants to expand, and the neighborhood is coming together to fight it. Fun!

This past weekend we took Taylor to Holiday World. We met up with my sisters and my nieces and had a great day at the park. Unfortunately, Lee and I also got sunburnt. Lee's was so bad that he had blisters. But we are doing better now. It is hard to believe that summer is almost over. Taylor starts first grade in 1 1/2 weeks, and she turns 7 at the end of the month! My goodness - time does fly.

Well, I will try to keep the blog updated more frequently. Enjoy the rest of the summer!

We're Moved!

Sorry it has been so long since I posted. As of Friday, we are homeowners!!!!!!! We moved in this weekend with the help of friends and family who we appreciate more than you know. THANK YOU again - Jeanie, Richard, Brenda, Sharla, and Brad. Only one casualty in the move - a dining room chair - but nothing that can't be fixed. We lived without air conditioning until yesterday, and Monday was probably the hottest day of the year. We had our cable installed yesterday as well, and the roof should hopefully be replaced within the week. Woo-Hoo!!!

The cats struggled a bit with the move. Furby attacked Lee when it was time to go in the carrier. Baby cat, of course, was the first to explore the new place. Oreo, however, hid for about 30 hours behind a bookcase. They have all begun to explore their surroundings, and since the AC is back on, they have been happier kitties.

Lee and I have been tackling mini projects (okay- mostly Lee)- getting a new microwave, installing a new range hood, installing a new thermostat, changing the door locks, etc. We are having a lot of fun spending time together and improving the house in our own way. I have a new respect for homeowners. Most of the rooms are unpacked, including Taylor's room which was the first room to be unpacked completely. We will still have to de-wallpaper and paint most of the house, but that will come in time. We have spent many nights at Lowe's and Menard's though.

We did get to take a few hours to relax on the 4th. We spent time with Lee's grandma, mom, aunt, her boyfriend, and his cousins. It was nice to step away from unpacking and enjoy the holiday.

I will post again as I get the time. As anyone who has moved knows, it takes a lot of time and patience. I can't wait to post pictures of the house as we complete the rooms.

Happy Father's Day

We had a great Father's Day weekend! On Saturday, Taylor, Lee, and Lee's dad spent the day together to celebrate the holiday. They went to the library and to see the movie Cars, which they all enjoyed. Quite a movie from what I understand, but I let it be a daddy/daughter day. We then cooked out and Taylor, Lee, and Lee's dad enjoyed a game of Frisbee; however, the boys soon got out of control and the game had to be called on bad behavior.

Taylor and I gave Lee a nice gift seen in the picture. It is a Willow Tree statue entitled Father and Daughter - a perfect gift for Father's Day. Isn't Taylor adorable with her new haircut!!

We gave Lee's dad a Walnut Bowl, and yes, there is a story there. Lee and his dad have been going out to Oklahoma to see Lee's aunts for more than 20 years. On I-44, for miles and miles, you see signs for Walnut Bowls & The Original Walnut Bowl. It has always been a running joke between the two of them, but they had never stopped at the Walnut Bowl Factory. When Taylor, Lee, and I went to Oklahoma in March, we decided to finally stop and see what the Walnut Bowls were all about. Not only did we buy Lee's dad a Walnut Bowl for Father's Day, but we also bought ourselves one. Pretty nice - I might add!!

Sunday we spent the day with my family. My brothers-in-law were at the Michigan Nascar race, but my sisters, nieces, parents, and our family spent the afternoon together. We ate out, and then we gave dad his presents, which primarily consisted of things from Vegas. Dad went to Vegas with a few friends back in the 60s, when Downtown was "The Strip." When my sisters went out there a couple of weeks back, they picked Dad up some gifts from the casino he stayed at 40 years ago. They also picked him up some things from Coca-Cola Las Vegas because Dad is a Coke collector.

All in all, it was a great holiday weekend! I'm glad we got to spend it with family, and I'm very glad that Taylor and her daddy got to have fun together.

June is Upon Us

Can you believe that June is here already? It seems like 2006 just started, and here we are already in June. It feels like Taylor just started Kindergarten, and her last day of school is this week. Time sure flies! I remember as a kid thinking that time stood still. Summer vacations and birthdays never came quick enough. Now, it seems that time flies. Taylor will be 7 this year. Lee and I will be married 2 years in August, and 2006 is half over. Heck, it seems like yesterday when we were worried about Y2K and the year 2000.

This weekend was a "Taylor weekend" as we like to call them. We look forward to those weekends and getting to spend time with her. Lee had to work on Saturday, so Taylor and I went shopping, as girls do. After Lee got home and we cooked out (YUM!), we all went to the new Cascades park which is huge! They just opened it this year, and the playground equipment is the nicest in town. Today we went to Cataract Falls and McCormick's Creek State Park to look at waterfalls. Both are near Spencer in Owen County. The picture above is from Upper Cataract Falls. If you get the chance to go, you should. It is beautiful.

Until next time..........................

Madison on Memorial Day

As a last minute decision this weekend, Lee and I decided to head to Madison, Indiana for a couple of days. I have wanted to go to Madison for quite some time, but Lee had been there before several years ago. It is a quaint little town. Above is a panoramic picture we took with our digital camera of the Ohio River from the Madison Riverfront.

As you can see, Madison sits on the Ohio River, much like Evansville, where I spent 4 1/2 years of my life. Madison has the Regatta whereas Evansville has Thunder on the Ohio, both are hydroplane races over July 4th weekend. Evansville's Riverfront has recently been redone and is absolutely beautiful. Madison's Riverfront is very nice, but it is not quite as long. Madison sits up on a hill. Evansville tends to be fairly flat. Although Evansville does hold a special place in my heart, Madison is quite a charming town.

While in Madison we walked Main Street and the downtown area which has antique shops, historic mansions, and lots of history. We walked into a few antique shops but didn't purchase anything. We did take many pictures though. We also drove to Hanover College, which is quite a bit different than I imagined. It has a private drive curving through the woods, and it sits on a bluff overlooking the Ohio River. On Sunday night, we just sat by the river and enjoyed the scenery.

On Monday, Lee and I also visited Clifty Falls State Park. We walked to three of the four waterfalls. The lookout points and waterfalls themselves hold amazing natural beauty. All in all, it was a very good trip.

When we got back to Bloomington, we also celebrated Memorial Day by visiting Lee's grandpa's grave. This was only the second time since we have been together that we visited it. On Memorial Day, it only seemed fitting. Lee also drove me around Lake Monroe. We haven't spent a lot of time there, so he showed me around a bit.

We thought we would take some time to enjoy this long weekend. By July 4th, we should be homeowners, and the work on the house will begin. Before we know it, summer will be over, and I will be back in school. This summer is going to fly by! We hope everyone has a healthy and safe summer!

The Cultural Side of Us

Yes, we do have a cultural side as well. I know this may seem like an odd topic to bring up, but we have recently been discussing musicals to see during the 2006-07 IU Auditorium season. We have seen many productions there including Cats, Stomp, Rent, Smokey Joe's Cafe, Les Miserables, and Mamma Mia. But this upcoming season is not particularly "tickling our fancy". However, we are planning on heading to Chicago this fall for a 3 or 4 day weekend getaway. During that time, we hope to see Wicked - the musical about the witches of Oz before Dorothy dropped in.

We also enjoy art - to a very certain extent. For instance, Lee loves Van Gogh. He began liking Van Gogh back in the mid-1990s. At that time, he didn't know that Van Gogh was believed to be epileptic. But now that makes him enjoy his work that much more since Lee also has epilepsy. Lee's favorite painting is Starry Night which is pictured above. When he began his administrative job at Baxter, I bought him several Van Gogh paintings which he has at his desk.

I, on the other hand, love Seurat. I have been interested in pointalism since I was much younger in art class, although I never had an artistic bone in my body. My all-time favorite painting is Seurat's A Sunday on La Grande Jatte which is the first picture in the blog. Yes, you may say, "That is the painting in Ferris Bueller's Day Off." And, yes, it is. However, this painting lives at the Art Institute of Chicago, which is where they visited in the movie. I first saw it live and in person when I was on a junior high school trip. Never before had a painting had that effect on me. If you've ever been to the institute, you know what I am talking about. The painting is in a huge room on a very large wall. It is much bigger than you would expect. The moment I saw it, I was amazed. I hope to take Lee there when we visit Chicago. Although I have been to Chicago several times, Lee has never been to visit - only to drive through.

Since my sister also works at the Indiana Repertory Theater in Indianapolis, we also tend to see a play now and again. We've seen several plays including The Red Badge of Courage and the Tale of the Allergist's Wife.

Well, that about covers our cultural side. It is a side I am so grateful my husband has. Few men will go to see musicals, plays, and art, so I consider myself lucky.

I hope you all have a good Memorial Day Weekend! Enjoy the time off of work!

House Update

Well, all of the paperwork (purchase agreement, inspection responses, addendums, etc.) is finally signed. Barring any unforeseen problems with the bank, title company, or seller, we should be closing on our house on June 30!!!!!

We are planning to stay in our apartment through July so that we can tear down wallpaper, repaint, fix the roof, etc. So by the end of summer, we should be moved in and halfway settled.

I must say we certainly do feel like grown-ups now. I've been telling my family and friends that this seems more "final" than marriage. It definitely seems more stressful. I think it is just the financial commitment. But in the long run, owning a home will be worth it. We'll keep you updated if changes occur.

Thank you all for your support!!!

Okay I Conformed - I got a Blog!

Okay, so as the blog title states, I have finally conformed and gotten a blog. I feel as though I am surrounded by them on a day-to-day basis and finally here I go. This is the best way I know to keep up with friends and family. This is much better than the yearly Christmas letter that tends to be a little long; however, we will probably still do the letter :-).

So what's new with us?? Well, Lee and I are working on buying our first home. We signed the purchase agreement at the end of April, and we are now working with the seller who wants to extend the closing date because he can't get his stuff out of the house in time. Thank goodness for our realtor who seems to be great at what she does. Hopefully by the end of the summer, we will be homeowners.

We've also bought a new riding mower for the house, and we now have a place for our guests to sleep. I am slowly going through all of our stuff and selling some stuff on Ebay, giving some to Goodwill, and we may still have a garage sale. It is going to be a crazy summer.

Lee just finished a certificate program for Managing in the Life Sciences through IU Continuing Studies. It is an award winning program, and I think he really enjoyed it. I am still studying for my Master's degree. I have two more years to go.

This weekend was Mother's Day, and I was lucky enough to receive a few Stepmother's cards. I thought that was very sweet. I definitely don't consider myself a Mommy because Taylor already has a Mommy, but I sure can't wait until I get to be one. This was the first weekend we got asked when we will start to have kids. Not yet - I can tell you that. I want to get through school first, and we definitely have to get into a house. We also got to see my mom and Lee's mom, who came up from Louisville. Definitely a good family weekend!

We also celebrated my niece's birthday this weekend. Sabrina is now 12!!! I can't believe it. Brandi (my other niece) turned 10 in March. She was just a little over 1 when I graduated high school. If that doesn't make a person feel old, I don't know what will. Yikes!!! Well, Taylor will be 7 in August. She had just turned 2 when I met her. My the time sure flies!!

Lee and I cancelled our vacation to Vegas so we could have more money for the house. Although this was to be a family vacation with the Chappell's and the Kordes', it just made more sense for us to use the money towards the house. We definitely want to paint and do some cosmetic things, and we are replacing the roof. Fun Fun!!

Other than that, we are doing well. Taylor and the kitties are also good. Taylor always keeps us on our toes, and we can't wait until we see her again. The kitties enjoy watching the birds, squirrels, chipmunks, and other kitties out our back door.

I'll update this as best as I can as things happen. If nothing else, this will also be an online journal for Lee and me. It's like Doogie Howser, just 15 years later -- Again, I feel old!!