Pieces of Me

Weekend Getaway

2012-01-24T09:30:00.004-05:00

Lee and I have not had a getaway alone since August 2009. At that time, I was very pregnant, and we went to French Lick for our 5-year anniversary. But due to the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, we both had a 3-day weekend, and my sister was watching Amelia. So, we headed into hiding for a few days.

Our trip took us to Springfield, IL - maybe not the most romantic place on earth, but certainly one filled with history, an interest for both of us. Lee takes interest in the Civil War and used to reenact when he was younger. He is also very interested in Abraham Lincoln. As a surprise for Christmas, I planned this getaway weekend to Springfield! We had a wonderful time. It was a much needed vacation for us, and we had an amazing time touring the sites.

On Saturday, we visited the Lincoln Tomb, which was intimate and amazingly beautiful. We then headed to the Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices, where he was once a lawyer. Lastly, we toured the presidential museum. Saturday night we had "date night" and headed to an 1850s mansion that is now a seafood restaurant. Not only was the food good, but the ambiance was fantastic. We took dessert back to the hotel - Red Velvet Cheesecake - yum! On Sunday, we toured the Lincoln home, which is the only home he ever owned. Such an amazing piece of history. We also toured the Dana-Thomas house, which was designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

All in all, the trip just what we needed, but it also allowed us to see such an important part of history - Abe Lincoln's history. I grew up near Lincoln City, Indiana, where Abe grew up and lost both his mother and his sister. He truly was an amazing man who came from nothing and proved that dreams can come true by becoming President. I recommend the trip to anyone who loves history! It truly is a must-see.

Holidays 2011

2012-01-18T13:44:00.006-05:00

So I haven’t kept up on my blog as much as I wished the last few months – 3 months to be exact, since I last posted. I guess that means I’ve been busy :-).

The holidays were wonderful for the Lawmasters. This year we hosted the Lee family Thanksgiving. With a table full of family, it was a great celebration to show how much we have been thankful for this year. And, as usual, we celebrated with Lee’s family at Basswood, which is our Thanksgiving tradition. We never know who will be in attendance, but it is always so good to see family we haven’t seen since last year or even longer!

Our Christmas was fantastic! I think it might have been the best Christmas we have had so far. Christmas Eve was spent with the Lee family, as usual. We had a great time – shared laughs, presents, and good food! We hosted Lee’s family for Christmas Day – his mom, grandma, dad, uncle, and aunt! It was great to have all of the family together. Santa brought Taylor and Amelia lots of gifts, but the presents from me and Lee were the best. Taylor received an autographed Taylor Swift songbook framed with her concert ticket from the July concert, and Amelia received a play kitchen! But before we knew it, Christmas had passed, the tree came down, and life moved on.

Time seems to pass so much quicker now than it used to. I suppose when you are a kid, a year is a huge percentage of your life. If you are 5, 20% of your life is 1 year. So time seems to stand still. But when you get older, a year is such a small part of your life – 1/32 of your life in my case. But I think since having Amelia, the time has flown even quicker. Milestones come and go, memories fade, and she grows up. But we do our best to document all that we can with our blogs, pictures, and video. One day I’ll be an old woman saying, “It all goes by too quick.” I’m working on trying to enjoy the moments as they happen. Wish me luck!

4 Months Flew By

2011-10-24T09:49:00.006-05:00

I can't believe it has been 4 months since my last blog post. My goal is to write at least once a month, but life has gotten crazy, and time flies by quicker than I can keep up.

After the death of Oreo, our lives still feel as though there is a hole in our family unit. We have not gotten a second kitty as of yet. In time, I'm sure that will change, but for now, we are still healing.

Now to catch you up.......

Over July 4th weekend, Lee, Taylor, and I went to Holiday World for a much needed fun time. It was great! Holiday World is such a family friendly place with so much to do. We spent the morning in the water park and the afternoon was spent in the dry park. We had a great time on the water coaster, water slides, and lazy rivers (Taylor's favorite). And, we got Taylor to ride some rides she was initially scared of - the Liberty Launch, The Raven, and Frightful Falls. It was a great time away, and Amelia got to spend the day with Grandma and Grandpa Lee.

In late-July, Taylor and Lee went to the much-anticipated Taylor Swift concert. Taylor loves Taylor :-)! They made their own shirts, created a poster, and had great seats! It was a concert neither of them will soon forget, and I'm so glad they got to make Daddy/Daughter memories!

Over Labor Day, we went to visit my sister in Indianapolis for the weekend. While Saturday was a girls shopping day, Sunday was kids' day! We spent the afternoon at the Children's Museum. Taylor loved the exhibit on Anne Frank and Ryan White, and Amelia had a great time at Playscape. We all were exhausted by the end of the day, and Aunt Brenda and Uncle Doug got to spend some much needed time with their nieces.

In early October, we took some time to go to Freeman Family Farm here in Bloomington. Amelia got to meet some animals - cow, horses, donkey, goats, and pigs, and she enjoyed playing with the pumpkins. It is a great place here in town to spend some family fall time, and I hope to make it an annual tradition.

And, finally Amelia turned 2 years old 1 1/2 weeks ago. Honestly, where has the time gone? She had two parties - one for Lee's family and one for my family. I made her a turtle cake because she loves turtles! It amazes me how much she has changed in her 2 short years on this planet. She seems to learn new words every day, and just last night, we removed the gate from our stairs. It seems to have opened up a whole new world for her. She went up and down those stairs more times than I can count, even playing with Elmo on the landing.

I hope to keep up better on my blog from now on. It's hard to stop and write down the great memories we make, but for our family, I will do my best. Happy Fall to you all!

The Healing Begins

2011-06-24T09:13:00.003-05:00

I can remember the day I got Oreo like it was yesterday. It was 2001. I was fresh out of college, had my first apartment, and had no intention of getting a new kitty. My Furby had just spent the last 2 years living with my parents because I couldn’t have him in my previous apartment. I had him back around a month before this fateful day.

My then-boyfriend and I went into PetSmart, and low and behold there were kitties. There are always kitties at PetSmart because many humane societies use it as a vehicle to display their cats. One black and white 10-month old cat had spunk and kept playing with Matt’s finger through the cage. He was a troublemaker but adorable!

We left PetSmart and began talking about getting this mischievous cat. As I said, that was never my intention. After talking about it and calling my sister to see if she could take him if it didn’t work out with Furby, we headed back to PetSmart. The humane society had already caged up their animals to take them back to the shelter. They refused to let us adopt him then, but they said we could follow them back to their location, and so we did.

“Roger” was known as “The Intimidator” at the humane society. He would go up to other cats’ cages and antagonize them. He was beautiful and loving and sweet, but he was certainly the troublemaker of the bunch. That made him that much more endearing. “Roger” got a new home that day, and he became “Oreo”. Not only was he black and white, but if you flipped him on his back, he had a white stripe of fur running down his belly – just like an Oreo cookie.

From then Oreo was a member of my family. Furby had issues with him at first, but they soon became the best of friends and brothers. For better or worse, through two moves, a marriage, a stepdaughter, a daughter, a female kitty, and a bunny, they have been “my boys” and the furry loves of my life.

Oreo was always so patient, loving, and kind. When Taylor was little she would dress him up in her Build-A-Bear clothes and put ponytails on his tail. He just laid there as though nothing was going on. He had a heart as big as the ocean and was truly the best kitty!

Last Saturday, Oreo’s fight with kidney failure came to an end. My heart broke into a million pieces as we had to put him down. We buried him under the dogwood tree in our front yard, and we plan to make that a “nice” area with a bench or swing and flowers. A picture of him is now in our house so he can watch over us, and we can have his presence in our lives.

I miss you, buddy. You were a great kitty, and I will love you forever!

Pure Michigan

2011-06-17T12:19:00.008-05:00

Amidst all of the drama of bad weather, we had a family vacation planned for Memorial Day weekend. We debated whether we should go several times, especially since our power was still out. Ultimately, Lee left the decision up to me, and I decided we should go. It would be our only chance this summer to get away + we needed to get away.

Our vacation was planned for St. Joseph, Michigan – a quaint little resort town on Lake Michigan. Its twin city is Benton Harbor, which I had heard of several times before but soon learned has lost its luster and small town appeal. We left Bloomington Friday night and stayed about ½ way in Lafayette; then we reached our final destination Saturday morning.

When we arrived, we explored the bluff area overlooking the lake, which also housed some historic markers and items. Amelia needed a nap, so we checked into the hotel, and once she was done we headed back to the bluff area. This time we ate what is possibly the best pizza I had ever eaten at a local pizza place in the St. Joseph Amtrak station. The station is made up to look vintage and was very cool. Then we headed to the Silver Beach Carousel. Silver Beach Amusement Park sat in a nearby location from 1891 to 1971. The amusement park left, but last year, St. Joseph wanted to recreate that magic, so they installed a beautiful indoor carousel. The girls had a lot of fun!

On Sunday we explored downtown St. Joseph. Along the streets are 40+ concrete painted animals that each tell their own story. Taylor’s favorite was the Cash Cow that sat in front of the bank and had dollar bills glued all over it. After another nap for Miss Amelia, we took the girls to the Curious Kids Discovery Museum and Discovery Zone. Amelia loved the water tables! Then it was back to the hotel for a night in the pool.

On Monday we visited the beach at St. Joseph, which was amazing. The sand was so soft, and the girls had fun scaring the seagulls, getting their feet wet, and playing around. On our way back to Bloomington, we stopped at Fair Oaks Farms. It is a dairy farm in northern Indiana that families can visit. We went on a bus ride tour of their farm – straight through a barn - , got to see two calves being born, and watched a very interesting rotating milk station. Amelia liked the “moo cows”, and I think us and Taylor all learned something we didn’t know.

All in all, it was a nice family trip, and I’m glad we decided to go. Even if we don’t go on a large or expensive trip, I will always cherish the memories we make. Happy Summer to you all!

Tornado May 2011

2011-06-14T09:43:00.003-05:00

I have talked on my blog before about phenomenon caused by Mother Nature that have touched our lives – Ice Storm 2007, the small earthquake in 2008, Hurricane Ike’s strong winds in 2008, Snow Storm 2009, Icepocalyse 2011 – but nothing quite prepared us for May 25, 2011. On that night, our neighborhood was hit with an EF1 tornado, and the aftermath of that night will remain with us for years.

Southwest Indiana was in the “high” risk for severe weather that day. “High” risk days only come a few times a year across the entire U.S., if that. Indiana is rarely included, so I knew we could be in for a rough day. During the late-afternoon/early-evening hours several storms popped up with tornado warnings. Bedford was hit with a tornado, but all calmed down in Bloomington by mid-evening. Then, upon closer look at the radar, bad news was coming. A HUGE squall line of thunderstorms was heading into Indiana from Illinois, and there were tornado warnings up and down the entire state.

Just after 10:00 p.m. Bloomington received a tornado warning, and the winds started to pick up. Our power flickered off and on, and I turned to Lee and told him I was heading downstairs. The light in our garage was on, so I opened the door and immediately felt suctioning. We lost power for good, and Lee looked outside and saw our trees twirling in the wind. He grabbed Amelia from her slumber and joined me in our utility room in the basement. The duct work was shaking. The lightning coming in our front door was changing colors, and in less than 30 seconds, the wind subsided. We waited for the rain to calm a bit before heading upstairs. It was the first time since we bought our house that we used our “tornado” room. The above picture is the last image on my computer before our power went out and the tornado hit.

When we got back upstairs, we put Amelia back to bed and surveyed our backyard. A large part of our one tree had fallen on our neighbor’s fence and snapped our cable line. We called our neighbor and met him outside to survey the damage. Then Lee noticed a large number of trees down on our property line, including our beloved apple tree. Our neighbor mentioned the trailer park at the entrance to our subdivision. Oh my God – the trailer park! Lee took off towards it, and what he saw has haunted him since. Firemen, flashing lights, overturned trailers, bad news!

We were trapped on our street for several hours due to downed power lines, downed trees, a gas leak at the trailer park, etc. When daylight broke the real damage could be seen and news of a confirmed tornado came. Luckily no one died! Many, many trees came down – many homes were damaged – the trailer park is uninhabitable – power lines were down – power poles snapped – trees uprooted – etc. Our street was lined with news vans, and news helicopters flew overhead.

In the days following, we kept busy with tree cleanup and preparing for our vacation that was already planned. We went to IU and Steak N’ Shake to get internet access and updates. Our power did not come back on for 3 days, mainly because so many power poles and power lines needed to be repaired. We lost much of the food in our fridge and freezer, but we had our lives! On June 10, the Worthington Amish Youth Group came to our house and cut up the 6 downed trees along our property line. What a blessing!

All in all, we were lucky. 2011 has been a record year for tornadoes, strong tornadoes, and tornado deaths. And in the end, our property damage was less than most people’s. But as I said, we all lived to tell our tale, and that is the biggest blessing of all.

A Month of Friends and Family

2011-05-10T10:38:00.011-05:00

Although this post is a bit late, a lot happened in April that I wanted to share and document. The girls from high school and I spent the day in French Lick enjoying the good food, good wine, and good weather :-). They continued to party late in the night back in the DC while I came home to my hubby and little girl in Bloomington. We are really working hard to see each other semi-regularly (every few months). While the distance between us is not far, it is nice to set aside girl time away from "real life". Good seeing you all again!!

Unfortunately, April wasn't all fun and games. My only living grandparent, my grandmother, passed away shortly before Easter. She lived a long 96 years and survived breast cancer in the 1940s, when nearly no one survived. She and my grandfather leave a legacy of 6 children, 21 grandchildren, and 25 great-grandchildren. Imagine how many lives would be non-existent if they had not decided to marry back in the 1930s! It was also nice to see members of my extended family that I only seem to see when these types of events occur. It was great to reconnect with those I haven't seen in years or possibly decades!

Amelia enjoyed her first Easter egg hunt this year. The weather did not cooperate so the Easter bunny left his eggs in grandma's basement. We had a hard time convincing her that more than one egg can go in her bucket (AKA basket). She had a great time, and I think she let us adults refind the kids in us.

My sisters and I rang out April with IU's Straight No Chaser's 15th anniversary concert! It was a fun concert and a nice girls night out with my big sisters :-). The Atlantic recording group Straight No Chaser also performed as they are the original members of the IU group. We all soon made plans to see them in concert this December!

April was a wild month filled with friends and family. But also a month filled with devastating weather across the eastern U.S. Tornadoes hit the south in record numbers. Flooding has not only hit the Mississippi River hard, but also the smaller rivers and lakes here in Indiana. Let's all be thankful for what we have in life and what we take for granted - our health, our family, and our friends.

In Like a Lion ....

2011-03-10T16:51:00.005-05:00

So after surviving the ice storm, February went off without a hitch even if we kept very busy! On Valentine’s Day weekend, Lee and I visited our good friends Sharla and Brad. It was an adult-only time while our little ones spent time with their grandparents. It was nice to hang out and go to a nice meal with other adults without having to wipe a little one’s nose, or help them eat, or make sure they have enough drink. We had lots of laughs and got a much needed break from life.

Later that weekend, Lee and I got our pictures professionally taken for the first time since our wedding. We used the same photographers that took Amelia's 6-month pictures; we won a free mini-session with them. Who knew it was so nice to spend time on ourselves for a change. :-)

The following weekend, Taylor, my sister Brenda, and I took in The Diary of Anne Frank at the Indiana Repertory Theater. Brenda works there full-time, so we got a backstage tour of the costume shop, prop shop, administrative offices, etc. Taylor really enjoyed the play and asked many questions regarding World World II, the Holocaust, Anne Frank, and so much more. I am so glad we were able to take her!

The weekend after that was my birthday weekend – the big 3-2! Brenda volunteered to take Amelia for the entire weekend, which was a much appreciated break. Lee and I celebrated by going snow tubing at Paoli Peaks. We have been talking about going for a few years, and it just never worked out, but this year we finally went. We had a great time!!! Later that night we headed out for dinner and drinks.

On March 2, Brenda and I enjoyed seeing Idina Menzel in concert. OMG! She is absolutely amazing. I have never witnessed someone with such an amazing voice. She was born to perform. We had a wonderful time - she is beautiful, funny, and talented beyond belief. I am so glad we went!

This past weekend we headed down to the DC (Dubois County) to celebrate my niece’s 15^th birthday. I can’t believe she was just 14 months old when I graduated high school….ugh! Where does the time go? And, her sister will be turning 17 in just a few short months. Amazing how fast they grow up when you aren’t looking………

Well, March, should be an uneventful month for us for the most part. We have a few things planned, but we hope to relax for a little while. The winter has been very busy for us, and we’d like to enjoy the beauty the spring brings. Here’s to March coming in like a lion (with severe storms to boot!) and out like a lamb ……

Icepocalyse 2011

2011-02-03T09:22:00.006-05:00

What forecasters called a “potentially catastrophic” storm – the worst in possibly 40 years hit the Midwest and nearly 1/3 of the country’s population this week.

While the majority of those affected were receiving 1-2’ of snow or severe weather, central Indiana was receiving ice – and lots of it. The ice storm of 2011 started on Monday evening, January 31. Bloomington was lucky in that we just received a coating of ice – nothing that stopped traffic. But, Tuesday, February 1 was a complete other story. Bloomington was hammered with ice, winds, and treacherous road conditions.

We were lucky to make it to 9:00 p.m. Tuesday with power – enough time to make dinner and get Amelia down for the night. And, then it went out. The next few minutes were ominous to say the least. Lee and I began looking over the neighborhood, and it seemed everyone near us was out. With the house quiet, all we heard was ice, wind, and trees falling due to the weight of the ice. All of a sudden we saw these large flashes of light …. electrical transformers all around us were blowing. It really felt as though the apocalypse was upon us.

We laid down for bed and woke up the next morning to house at 56 degrees. We put on some clothes, got our faucets dripping, and Lee went to get us some breakfast and check on the rest of the county via McDonald’s Wi-Fi. After Amelia’s morning nap, we headed to Lee’s grandma’s. I had thought ahead and reserved a hotel room for Wednesday and Thursday night in case of a power outage. I was hoping we didn’t have to use it, but regardless, check-in wasn’t until 3 p.m.

Around 4 p.m. we ventured to the hotel, and Lee headed back to the house to check on the cats, drain the water system, and get the house ready for the bitter cold night ahead. The house was at 49 degrees. As he was there, the power miraculously came back on – 20 hours after having gone out. Of course, now we rented a hotel room that we didn’t need, but frankly, I didn’t care. After eating dinner and giving the house some time to warm up, we headed home.

All in all, we were pretty lucky. Our neighbors, who are with a different power company, still didn’t have power this morning. We lost our willow tree. Our pine tree lost some larger branches. We have lots of smaller limbs down. But, we have our health, our home, and our electricity. Thank you UDWI REMC linemen for getting us up and running. You prevented a stressed-out Mommy from losing her mind.

January 28

2011-01-28T10:31:00.007-05:00

Today is one of those days in life that stick with you - December 7 (although few of us were around in 1941), November 22 (although I wasn't alive in 1963), September 11, and January 28 - to name just a few.

I was in first grade on January 28, 1986. And unlike many American schoolchildren, my class was not watching the Challenger space shuttle take off. My first memory is coming into my classroom after our lunch and recess and our teacher telling us that the space shuttle had exploded. After school I raced to my aunt's house to watch the news. Growing up, I had watched several space shuttle launches and touchdowns, but this one was special for obvious reasons. The space program forever changed, and the world lost 7 wonderful heroes. Those 7 astronauts were husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. They had people who loved them more than life itself whose lives were forever changed by that day.

But January 28 is a day of remembrance for another reason. Just one year before the space shuttle disaster - on January 28, 1985 - my uncle passed away due to a car accident. I was only in kindergarten, but I remember certain points of that day with uncanny clarity for being so young. Not only did he leave behind a wife but also his 7 children, who feel his loss to this day. My thoughts and prayers are with them today and every January 28! Now, 26 years later, my father is the only sibling left of a family of 5. One sister died in infancy; my aunt passed away in 2003; my uncle passed away in 2009; and of course, my uncle died in 1985.

It still amazes me to this day how one minute we can be here and another minute we are gone. Each of the dates I mentioned above (and so many others for so many people) began like any other day. One instance - one turn of events - lead to a life-altering moment. So, as I reflect of the date of January 28, I also reflect on every loved one I have lost through the years.

May we all go home tonight and tell those that we love how much we love them and thank God for every day we get to have with them!

End of 2010

2010-12-31T15:00:00.003-05:00

It has been over two months since I last posted. I think about posting an update all of the time, but my days and nights get away from me.

Since my last post, we have celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas. Amelia has learned new words and learned how to kiss on the lips. We visited the Titanic Exhibit at the Indiana State Museum, which Taylor loved! She is so interested in the history of the Titanic.

Christmas was wonderful this year. Amelia got to really enjoy the holiday and open presents. We put up a tree for the first time ever as a family. I, personally, have not put up a tree in 10+ years due to fear that my cats would destroy it, but it was important for me to have a tree for Amelia. In the end, the cats did little damage. Next year we’ll try putting ornaments on. Taylor helped decorate our living area, and both girls enjoyed the gifts Santa and Mom and Dad got them. We had three celebrations this year, including one at our house. It was great!

But as 2010 comes to an end, I reflect on the year and what a year it has been. Lee starting IU; Lee and I both starting new jobs; our trip to St. Louis; Amelia and Taylor growing in so many ways……it has been quite a year. I hope 2011 brings us good experiences and memories. We never know what the future may hold, but we can do our part to look at each experience in a positive light. May you all have wonderful blessings in 2011!

1 Year Old

2010-10-27T09:59:00.005-05:00

My baby girl is now 1 (and has been for 2 weeks!). What a year we have had with her - watching her grow, learn, walk, talk (sort of), fall, cry, laugh, and so much more. It is hard to believe a year has gone by since she was born. I must agree that time does go by quicker once you have kids.

Lee and I both took off of work for her birthday, so that we could spend the day with her. Taylor joined us after school, and we had some wonderful family time.

The following Sunday we threw her quite a 1^st birthday party! The theme was Minnie Mouse, and we had many pink things about. She even got to wear a special birthday outfit. About 18 people celebrated with us, and we had quite the food spread. I figure she only has her first birthday once, so I wanted to go bigger than I normally would.

Her birthday also marked another milestone. I have been keeping a journal for Amelia since I found out I was pregnant. It chronicled my pregnancy, her birth, and the first year of her life. I decided to end the journal at her first birthday, and I intend on writing her letters each year on her birthday. I hope it is something she will one day cherish.

Amelia has brought such joy to my life. I love my time with her, and I can’t get enough of her smile and hugs. As we enter this new phase of her life, I can’t wait to see what she will do next. She certainly keeps us on our toes.

Richie Rich

2010-09-27T09:09:00.006-05:00

As many of you know, two of my uncles passed away last fall unexpectedly. During the process of understanding these two deaths and dealing with them in my head, I fondly remembered something from my childhood that has stayed with me through the years.

My family lived next door to my uncle Max and my aunt Janice. Once my mom went back to work, my aunt babysat me after school. I felt like I spent a lot of time at their house. It was where I first met "Santa". I remember coming to their house after school the day the Challenger exploded. It was where I first saw what had happened. I remember playing with their cats growing up. I remember coming to their house after falling in a huge mud puddle after school. And so many other memories that I can't begin to tell here. And I specifically remember reading Richie Rich comic books at their house. As an adult, I remember back to that time with fondness - sitting in the basement living area reading my cousins' old comic books. There was something so innocent about that time in my life.

Five summers ago, Lee and I went to the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina. If you have never been, it is a must-see. Part of the Richie Rich movie was filmed there, and even though the movie was a little hokie, it stirred an interest in Richie Rich again that was suppressed. But time moved on, and life got in the way.

When my uncle Max passed away last year, I talked with my husband about all of my memories about him growing up. And for some reason, even though they weren’t my uncle’s, I kept bringing up those Richie Rich comic books. It was something I could tangibly relate to good memories.

I began researching, and there are over 1600 Richie Rich comic books that were produced. Being the nerd I am, I created a spreadsheet of the series name, volume, and date produced of every book. My husband, the bigger geek, then turned that into a database for me. Earlier this year, I began obtaining Richie Rich comic books, and I now have about 80. A long way from 1600 but still a start.

I have always been a collector and actually participated in the Collections project in 4-H – postcards, bookmarks, Barbie dolls, lighthouses, Marvin the Martian memorabilia. (I love(d) Marvin!) Through the years, I have let my collecting fall by the waist side. I truly only collect magnets now from all of the places I visit. They hang on the side of my refrigerator. The Richie Rich collection will take me quite a bit of time to complete. But, that is okay. It helps me remember a very safe, innocent time in my life that I do not wish to forget. Perhaps one day my daughter will understand as I hope to tell her about those who have went before us and those she never knew.

Milestones

2010-08-17T14:13:00.003-05:00

While less than a month has passed since my last blog, we have hit several milestones in our house.

Amelia is now a walking baby!! She still is learning to balance and move quickly, but she is certainly walking and falling much more :-).

This past Sunday Amelia spent her first night away from home at her Aunt Michele’s house. Amelia’s sitter is on vacation this week, so my parents and sisters are helping to watch her. After 10 months, our house was eerily quiet. It was bizarre, but Amelia had a wonderful time, and she is still recovering. She’s on her 3rd nap today.

Taylor had her first dance recital and did great! I think dance is something she wants to continue, and I can’t wait to watch more recitals in the future.

Taylor also went to her first concert – Justin Bieber. As her birthday present this year, we decided to get her tickets to her first concert. She had a great time, and Lee survived, while I stayed home with Amelia. So glad she had a wonderful time!

Lee and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary on Saturday. We let Aunt Brenda babysit Amelia, and we played tourists in Indy. We visited the Soldiers & Sailors Monument, Indiana War Memorial, Indianapolis Museum of Art, and Oldfields (The Lilly House). Even though it was hot, we had a great time. On to more anniversaries and more milestones......

Mini-Rachel and Mini-Sharla

2010-07-22T09:00:00.006-05:00

My dear friend Sharla and I met in August 1997 as we both arrived at the University of Southern Indiana to check into our apartment at the same time. Never did I realize then that she would become not only my lifelong friend but also my sister.

We roomed together for two years at USI before I moved out and Sharla ventured to study in England. But within a year, we were back to rooming together off-campus. We shared many great times together including "Tim" our handy neighbor, suicidal goldfish, and instant messaging each other from only 10 feet away.

In late-2003, Sharla got married, and I was her maid of honor. 10 months later, I got married, and she was my matron of honor. We both went to Las Vegas for our honeymoon :-). We tend to dress alike, talk alike, laugh at the same things, and probably drive our husbands completely insane. Her parents are my second parents, and I feel like I am an honorable member of the family. We have seen each other through some very difficult times, and the 1 1/2 hour distance between us sometimes seems like 1,000 miles.

In late-2008, Sharla became pregnant, and it was such a joyous occasion! I was going to be an "aunt" again. And in early-2009, I became pregnant too. As you can tell, we rarely do anything without the other! LOL! And so our adventure of sharing pregnancy stories began. We were due only 2 months apart, but on July 17, 2009, her beautiful daughter Rinoa decided to arrive several weeks early. She is a mini-Sharla in looks, much like my daughter, who Lee calls mini-Rachel.

This weekend we celebrated Rinoa's 1st birthday, and oh how time has flown by! Our girls are growing up before our very eyes quicker than we both imagined. They are nearly the same height and weight as each other, and both girls have dark hair and dark eyes. Above all, they are both gorgeous! Sharla and I hope that their friendship continues through their childhood, and we hope they understand how important their mothers' relationship is.

I feel so lucky to not only have a great friend and "sister" but to be able to share motherhood with her as our girls grow up together. Warm fuzzies!

America Has a Birthday Too!

2010-07-08T09:14:00.002-05:00

So at nearly 9 months old, Amelia got to celebrate her first 4th of July! And, we celebrated in a way that we never have before.

July 3rd we went to visit my sister and her family in my hometown. It was some much needed bonding time between Amelia and the Kordes. In a few short weeks, they will get to have Amelia for her first overnight away from home - sniff, sniff :-(. It was an overall great visit that included a cookout, Amelia scaring Bandit the dog, ride in a wagon, new toys, and new adventures. Amelia had a wonderful time, and it was great to spend time with my sister's family. Unfortunately we just don't do it enough.

On July 4th, we celebrated America's birthday the only American way - baseball and fireworks :-). We watched as the Louisville Bats defeated the hometown Indianapolis Indians - 4 to 2. Lee's mom came with us and rooted for the Bats, much the chagrin of the fans around us. Even though it was a hot day, the game and the atmosphere made it fun. We had a wonderful time, and Amelia and Lee both got to enjoy their first live baseball game.

After the game, we were treated to two fireworks shows. The Indians had one on the field, and we could see the Indianapolis city fireworks as well. Amelia was amazed! The fireworks were beautiful, and I got a little teary-eyed watching my daughter see them for the first time. It also made me think about what our forefathers went through to allow us the freedoms we have today. Thank you!

All in all, it was a fabulous weekend. We made good memories that will last a lifetime, and Amelia had more "firsts". She was such a trooper sitting in the heat for 6 hours, and she never ceases to amaze me.

Happy Birthday America!

Vacation 2010

2010-06-07T09:13:00.006-05:00

Knowing that Amelia was fairly young to be traveling too far, we decided to head to St. Louis for our 2010 vacation. We also decided to go over Memorial Day since we knew both Lee and Taylor would be out of school and Lee could be off work - a notion we couldn't guarantee for the rest of the summer. Some people may consider us crazy for taking a 7 1/2 month old on vacation, but I am determined not to change our "regular" lives because of our baby. I want her to learn young that we travel, visit friends and family, and explore different places. We just change the way we do things - not what we do.

We left Friday night and stopped about 1/2 way there - Effingham, IL - the home of the "Cross at the Crossroads". This gave Amelia a break and guaranteed that we didn't get to the hotel too late. After Taylor's quick swim and dip in the hot tub, we headed to bed fairly early because we still had a 2 hour drive the next morning.

Saturday we arrived in St. Louis and immediately took in Grant's Farm. I have wanted to go there for quite some time, and I really thought Taylor would enjoy the animals. The best part - it is free! Okay, so you pay for parking and things inside the park, but it was still relatively inexpensive. We first got to see the Clydesdales (amazing!). There was a mommy and baby colt, along with a Clydesdale named Lee :-). Then we took the 25 minute tram ride into the park where Taylor got to feed the goats and camel; we saw lots of animals; and, we watched an Elephant education show.

Since it was a hot and humid day, we then headed straight for our St. Louis hotel to relax, swim, and hang out. Amelia got to swim for the first time, and she loved it! She is such a great, adventurous baby. That evening we headed to Forest Park, which is absolutely beautiful. We walked around, let Amelia play in the grass, took pictures, and enjoyed the evening.

On Sunday, we headed to City Museum, which is an interactive exploratory museum for kids and adults alike. If you are an overprotective parent, this is not the place for you. Kids can go into holes and passageways, and you have no idea where they will come out. But, that is what makes it fun too. After the morning and early afternoon there, we headed to the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, which has one of the largest mosaic displays in the world - 41.5 million glass pieces in more than 7,000 colors covering 83,000 sq. ft. It is absolutely amazing! After that we headed back to the hotel for a night of room service, swimming, and relaxing!

Monday we headed home, but before we left St. Louis, Taylor wanted to go up The Arch again as we did several years ago on a return trip from Oklahoma. Lee and Taylor went up, while Amelia and I hung out at the bottom. Then Taylor and I headed across the street to the Old Courthouse where the original Dred Scott hearings were held.

We drove the 4 hours home on Monday, and we found out that Amelia's threshold is about 3 1/2 hours. We stopped at a rest stop about an hour from home, but that didn't help her tiredness of her car seat. Good thing we didn't go farther than St. Louis :-)!

All in all, it was a great trip. We hadn't been away as a family for some time. Just us - The Lawmasters. I believe our last trip with just us was in 2007 when we went to Disney. It was nice to spend time together, be away from home, and make good memories for the future. Now....where to go next year?

May So Far...

2010-05-27T12:33:00.002-05:00

As May nears its end, I reflect back on how busy we have been this month.

On a positive note, Lee has been accepted to IU for this fall. He will be transferring most of his Ivy Tech classes with him, including the two he is taking this summer. He also has an interview for a supervisor position at one of his part-time jobs. Wish him luck!

For Mother's Day, we enjoyed a wonderful day. First, Amelia was dedicated into the First Baptist Church in Bedford. As many of you know, Lee and I are typically not the church-going type. I consider myself a fallen Catholic, and Lee went to both Baptist and Pentecostal (which he disliked) churches growing up. He feels most at home at the First Baptist Church, where we were married nearly 6 years ago. His grandmother and father are both members. So on Mother's Day, Amelia was dedicated. She received a nice card/certificate commemorating the day. We then spent the remainder of the day relaxing at home, having an indoor picnic, and just enjoying time together.

Nearly two weeks ago, we headed to Conner Prairie. Lee had visited on a field trip in elementary school, but this was the first trip for Taylor, Amelia, and myself. We went during Civil War days and watched a Civil War battle reenactment. Lee used to participate in those as a teenager, so this was his first time as an observer. It was a nice family day and something we just don't do enough of.

Our next trip....St. Louis. I'm looking forward to spending some time away from home. We haven't gotten away for more than one night since we went to New York over a year ago, so this vacation will be nice.

BTW, Amelia is now standing! Granted, she has to hold on to something, but I have a feeling that we will have a walking baby before the end of the summer. Sheesh!

Easter and a Crawling Baby

2010-04-16T11:49:00.004-05:00

It has been 5 ½ weeks since I posted a “real post” regarding our family and life happenings. A lot has changed with my baby girl!

Amelia has gotten two teeth, both of which are on the bottom. She spends countless hours during the day rubbing them with her tongue and trying to figure out what these strange things in her mouth are. She is now a daily eater of fruits or vegetables. She has some favorites and some that do not agree with her, but don’t we all. We have bought her a jumperoo for our house and a walker for her sitter’s house. She loves both!! Her 6-month checkup was earlier this week, and she has gained 2 pounds and 2 inches since her 4-month appt. She now weighs in at 17 lbs, 12 ozs. , and she measures 28 ¼” long. And, a new development – she is crawling!! She just began crawling last night – watch out world!!

Easter was nearly two weeks ago, and my family always tries to get together on the Saturday evening before. This year we met at my mom and dad's house, and we dined on pizza. My husband looked at me and said, “Because pizza is the traditional Easter meal?”. Yep, the Lee clan is strange, but lovable, and actually the pizza was my idea. The adults (sans Lee) also participated in an Easter egg hunt made possible by Taylor and my niece, Brandi. They did a great job in hiding those eggs! In fact, I didn’t find one egg! Okay, I technically “found” one egg, but it was a mercy-find as my sister had technically already “found” it. Above you will see a picture with all of us and the eggs. I honestly can't believe my dad is standing there holding an egg - lol! Good memories! Next year, Amelia will get to hunt the eggs that pesky bunny hides.

Goodbye Gil

2010-03-24T15:14:00.000-05:00

Friday we are letting our bunny Gil move to a happier place as we have not been able to give him the attention he needs or deserves. Lee wrote a wonderful blog post on him, and I couldn't say it better myself.

http://magic.rox.com/2010/03/24/goodbye-gil/

Goodbye Gil - we'll miss you buddy! You'll always remain in my heart!

Changes

2010-03-09T08:14:00.002-05:00

So it has been a little over 6 weeks since my last posting and lots of things have happened. Amelia had her 4 month appointment. She is at the top of the range for her height and weight – 15 ½ pounds and 26 ¼” long. She is healthy, happy and doing wonderfully. She recently started on baby food and has liked peas and green beans so far. She was not a big fan of carrots, and they didn’t seem to agree with her system, so those may be put on hold for a time. She can also roll completely over now versus just one way. For now, this is how she gets around on her own – rolling! Taylor and her are also spending great time together. Taylor has been reading to her, and Amelia loves it! It is wonderful to see the two of them together! This Saturday she will be 5 months old! Where has the time gone?

I had another birthday one week ago – 31. I’m now officially “in my 30s”; there is no denying it. But I look to my 30s to be a great time in my life, as I have been told by others. A time to feel more secure about myself, enjoy my life, enjoy my daughter, and settle back as my life seems to really begin.

My new outlook on life was perpetuated by my new job. At the end of February I left the School of Informatics and Computing after 3 years. I have come to the conclusion that I need a change in life. I have worked in graduate admissions for over 7 years (8 admission seasons), and I need to experience something different. I now work in an administrative role at the Wells Scholar Program at IU. Our students accept one of the most prestigious scholarships an undergraduate student can receive at the university. I administer the funds and am responsible for most of the fiscal responsibilities of the office. It is nice to be able to leave my job at the office each night versus taking it home at night and on the weekends. I would rather spend that time with my daughter!

First Snow......My Feet......I Can Roll Over

2010-01-22T12:41:00.004-05:00

So the last 2 1/2 weeks have been fairly eventful. I have officially returned back to work. Although I miss Amelia terribly during the day, it is nice to have adult conversations and use my brain in a productive way :-).

January 6 and 7, we had our first significant snowfall of the winter here in Bloomington. Of course, it was the first time Amelia had seen or touched snow. We took a picture of it. Next year she will enjoy it more, but it was cute nonetheless.

She has also found her feet. She constantly has her feet in her hands, and she has even begun to chew on them. That stage, to me, is one of the cutest stages for babies. Although, it makes putting on a diaper VERY difficult.

This week, January 20, she rolled over for the very first time (back to front). I was at work and missed the first time :-(, but I was able to have her do it again that evening, and I videotaped it. She had been working on trying to roll over for a few weeks, but I guess she finally got the strength to go all the way. Of course, she can't roll back yet so she gets mad, but that just lets her exercise her other muscles.

She is growing up so fast, and I am so proud of her! She is a strong little girl with tons of personality and a smile that lights up my world. What a blessing!

Her First Christmas

2010-01-04T19:44:00.004-05:00

In the last 5 weeks since my last post, Amelia has celebrated her first Christmas and her first New Year. Tomorrow she turns 12 weeks old! Where has the time gone?

Christmas 2009 was quite busy as it is usually for us. On Christmas Eve Eve we went to Louisville to see Lee's mom and visit the Mega Cavern. It is a huge cavern under the Louisville Zoo that has lights set up, and you can drive through it.

On Christmas Eve we went to my mom and dad's to celebrate the holiday with the Lee side of the family. Amelia was very tired of traveling by that point, so she didn't have the best of nights. But she was loved on nonetheless.

On Christmas Day, Lee and I hosted his family for Christmas. Taylor, Lee's mom, Lee's grandma, and Lee's dad joined us. Amelia did much better; however, she slept through opening her presents. Isn't she just adorable :-).

The day after Christmas we spent with Lee's dad, his other grandma, and Lee's aunt and uncle. We were exhausted after all of the family time and travel time, but it was great to see everyone.

New Year's Eve passed without a bang. We hung out at home, and Amelia went to bed 45 minutes too early to enjoy the switchover to 2010. Oh well, she'll have many more New Year's Eves to celebrate and enjoy.

Next week I return to work only part-time at first and then full-time in the following weeks. It will be nice to ease back into work, but it will certainly be hard not to be with her each day. After 12 weeks with her, it will certainly be a change.

Her First Thanksgiving

2009-12-03T12:29:00.005-05:00

The last 7 weeks of my life have been full of feedings, changing diapers, baths, and lots of hugs and kisses. Being a mom has been wonderful so far, and I look forward to so many more days with her, watching her change, and learning her personality. But because of my new duties, I have neglected my blog.

On Saturday, November 21, Lee and I hosted the Lee family Thanksgiving. We had the dinner early since one of my sisters was going to be in Ft. Myers and the other and my niece would be in Plymouth, MA. We had a wonderful time, and we successfully cooked our 2nd turkey ever. Amelia was barely put down as her grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins loved all over her. We took this picture of her and Taylor once everyone left. It was very impromptu, but it is my favorite picture of the two of them!

On Thanksgiving day, we attended the Lawmaster Thanksgiving at Basswood clubhouse, the apartments where we used to live. We've gone there every year, and it is great to see the family. Then Lee's mom came and spent the night with us for the first time. I think she enjoyed having her own suite in our new basement.

All in all, Amelia had a great first Thanksgiving with lots of love and attention showering her. Thanksgiving is about being thankful for what you have in your life, and this year it has a new and special meaning for me. She really is the light of my life, and she completes me as a person. I'm no longer Rachel; I'm Amelia's mommy. And, I couldn't be happier about that!

A Death Always Changes Your Perception of Reality - Part 4

2009-11-03T21:24:00.005-05:00

Yes, unfortunately, Part 3 and Part 4 of this blog are being posted very close together. Last Tuesday, October 27, my Uncle Frank passed away, only 7 weeks after our last family death. My Uncle Frank was my dad's only living sibling. Not only did he look like my dad, but he talked like my dad, acted like my dad, dressed like my dad, etc. For being 4 years apart, they were more like fraternal twins :-). At my aunt's funeral several years ago, my Uncle Frank told me, "Well, I ran out of vacation days this year, so I decided to retire." I swore I could have been talking to my father :-). Even my nieces could see the similarities!

My dad was one of 5 children born to his parents between the years of 1938 and 1944. A sister, born before my father, died in infancy. One of his brothers was killed in a car accident in 1985. His younger sister died in 2003 after a surgery. And, Frank passed away last Tuesday in his sleep due to a heart attack - the same way my Uncle Max died several weeks prior.

We spent quite a bit of time at my Uncle Frank's house growing up, and I have many fond childhood memories of he and my Aunt Faye. I will miss him dearly, and again, this causes me to reflect on my own life and that of my loved ones. Again, always take the time to tell your family that you love them. You never know when they will be taken from you.

Since Amelia was just two weeks old, it was her first trip to my parent's home. She also got to meet many members of the extended family that she may not have normally met for months or years down the road. She was very popular, and unfortunately it was such a sad time to meet everyone.

I hope this is the last post like this that I write for quite some time. May all of those who lost family members find peace in their passing.

Frank Lee
5/24/38 - 10/27/09
May you find eternal rest!

I'm A Mommy!!

2009-10-23T08:32:00.007-05:00

On Tuesday, October 13, 2009 at 8:30 a.m., I became a mommy to a beautiful baby girl, Amelia Josephine. Amelia weighed in at 9 lbs. 10 ozs. and was delivered via c-section. She is the light of my life.

While motherhood so far has been challenging and a practice in patience, I wouldn't have it any other way. Amelia is actually a very good baby overall. She generally does not cry unless something is wrong - hunger, dirty diaper, gas. She also sleeps fairly well at night - usually 3-4 hours at a time.

Her first moments on earth were fairly eventful, at least according to a new mommy. Since she was born via c-section, her body didn't get squeezed through the birth canal, and there were some breathing problems. They put her on oxygen for about an hour, and she was well. Her mommy had a little bit of bleeding since she delivered such a big girl. But again, nothing that wasn't fixed quickly.

We were in the hospital for 3 1/2 days and were released Friday afternoon. I was nervous about bringing her home and being responsible for her completely, but so far so good. I feel as though I get nothing done during the day except watching her and answering email. But she usually sleeps for a few hours at a time, so if I tried, I could get something done. I just wait to see when she'll wake up - silly mommy!

Lee went back to work on Wednesday this week and is working 1/2 days for this week. He did that so he could readjust to a schedule and so I could adjust to him not being here all day with me. We've been doing good so far. Last night, he also had class, so Amelia and I spent 9 hours alone together, and we did just fine. Hopefully it always goes that well.

Also yesterday her umbilical cord fell off during a feeding. Wow! What a milestone for my little girl! We have been avoiding onesies or anything that would touch the belly button area, so now we get to explore wearing most of our wardrobe. Today is our first "onesie" day, and so far so good.

I'll try to keep this updated with milestones. Right now my angel is sleeping beside me, so I am able to take time to write this. I look forward to each day with her, but I also consider each day a victory - we get through them together! I can't believe she is already 10 days old! The time really does fly by, and it will only get faster. I'm trying to enjoy every minute I can!!

A Death Always Changes Your Perception of Reality - Part 3

2009-09-27T13:33:00.020-05:00

Over two weeks ago on September 10, my uncle passed away unexpectedly. This wasn't just any uncle. My mom is one of 6 children, and my father was one of 5 children (although one passed away as an infant). I had many aunts and uncles growing up, but again, this wasn't just any uncle.

My uncle Max was my mom's brother-in-law. My parents have lived next door to he and my aunt Janice for over 37 years. I spent many days in my childhood at their house. In fact, my aunt babysat me after school for many years. I have many good memories of Max and Janice, and this death came as quite a shock - a heart attack in the early morning hours. I wasn't prepared to go to a funeral while 8 months pregnant, but life doesn't give you such choices.

Of course, my uncle was well-known in the community. He was very involved in many organizations. But beyond that he was one of the kindest, caring men I ever knew. He gave so much of himself to others. He was always there if someone needed him, and I have never known anyone with his heart. He will be surely missed by many, as could be seen from his funeral - one of the largest I have been to in my hometown.

It is hard to believe he won't be outside mowing the next time I go to my parent's house. We would wave, and I regret not taking more time to talk with him when I was home. The last conversation I remember having with him was nearly 1 year ago at my niece's district marching band contest. How sad! I lived next door to him every day for years and years, and the last time I spoke to him was over 1 year ago. The things you realize and regret once someone has passed away.

Again, a death always changes your perception of reality - things you could have done or should have done differently. Time heals all wounds, and people get complacent back in their "normal" lives. Let's not forget who we love, who we respect, and who we wish to be a part of our lives. Life is too short to have regrets.

RIP Uncle Max - I will miss you, and I have been a better person having known you!

Max Kreilein
10/15/40-9/10/09
May you have eternal rest!

Happy 5th Annivesary

2009-08-15T21:00:00.005-05:00

Yesterday was our 5th anniversary!!! I must say I love my husband more than I did the day we were married. He is my best friend, my greatest confidant, and the father of my baby girl! As we close the chapter on our first 5 years, we begin a new adventure of being parents together. Each day our bond gets stronger, and I can't imagine taking this journey through life with anyone else!

With that being said, we decided to spend the night at the French Lick Springs Hotel for our anniversary. Ever since I was about 13, I have been driving through French Lick - first to visit my sister who moved to Indianapolis and then to visit my parents once I moved to Bloomington. The French Lick Resort consists of a $500 million renovation of two old-world hotels and a casino. While we visited the West Baden Springs Hotel in 2005 before it was a "hotel" again, we had never been in the French Lick Springs Hotel.

We decided that this trip was our gift to each other, but as is normal, my husband decided to not conform. We have slowly been collecting Willow People over the years - most as gifts. Since wood is the traditional 5 year gift, he bought me the "Anniversary" Willow People set. It is very sweet!!!

Once we arrived and checked in, we had reservations at the 1875 Steakhouse for our anniversary dinner. It was the most expensive meal we have ever eaten, but it was wonderful. We were sat next to a floor-to-ceiling old mirror off by ourselves, and it was very romantic. We then went to explore the hotel including the Pluto Spring, which is what we are pictured in front of, and the gardens.

This morning after we checked out of the hotel, we had fun in the casino. Of course, we lost money, but it was a nice break away from our world that is about to get crazier. We soon realized that this may be the last time we are in a casino for quite some time. Before heading back home, we drove around French Lick and stopped at a historical marker in Orleans.

All in all, it was a wonderful time away. As you can see from the picture, I am now very close to giving birth - 7 weeks from our due date. So, as our lives are about to change forever, we stopped to remember our time alone.

4th of July Weekend

2009-07-13T10:02:00.002-05:00

So as I mentioned in my previous post, Lee's family from Oklahoma came to spend the 4th of July with us. His uncle Larry from Michigan also came down for a couple of days. Lee's aunt Beth and Larry had not seen each other in nearly 30 years!!

Beth, Ed, and their son Alex came in on Friday night. We had a cookout and just enjoyed the time together. We set off our own fireworks and attacked the neighbors who typically send fireworks over our house all the time. We stayed up way too late, but it was great reconnecting. We hadn't seen them since last 4th of July on our trip to Oklahoma.

Saturday (July 4th) was very wet here in south-central Indiana. We took Beth, Ed, and Alex on a tour of Bloomington, showed them where John Mellencamp lives (Beth is a big fan!), and took them to Lake Monroe. Unfortunately, the weather never did clear up, so we couldn't get out of the car and explore. We went back to the house for another cookout, and after a little while decided that we needed to get out of the house.

The fireworks in Bloomington were not cancelled, but we also didn't want to sit in the rain. So instead, we went glow bowling. Never in a million years did I think we would go bowling on July 4th, but we actually had a great time. Taylor and I also got to see some of the big fireworks from the bowling alley's front door.

On Sunday, Larry went home, and we spent the day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway - touring the track, museum, media center, gasoline alley, victory podium, timing and scoring, etc. The above picture was taken of all of us there along the start/finish line - Alex, Beth, Ed, Taylor, Richard, Lee, and pregnant me :-).

His family left early Monday morning, and we were already missing them greatly. If only we lived closer or they lived closer :-(. But, it was an all-around great visit!!!!

99 days and counting……….

2009-06-29T11:52:00.006-05:00

My official due date is now 99 days away. I can’t believe how quickly this is all happening. At times it feels as though it is standing still, and other times, it seems as though we can’t get enough done quick enough. We know that she can really come at any time in September or October, so 99 days is just the projected number. But, it certainly puts things into perspective.

Also, tomorrow is the 3rd anniversary of our home ownership. Time certainly does fly. And, oh, how life has changed in those 3 years.

Lee has been working on the basement renovation since mid-March. We intending on renovating our basement at some point in the future, but when we found out that we were expecting our little girl, the renovations became a top priority. Lee has been using our new nursery as his office for the past 3 years. Seeing as we now need that bedroom, his office needed to be moved downstairs. We also created a “den” area in the basement. It took 3 months, but the basement is now complete (see above) and furniture is continuing to be moved in, so we can begin work on the nursery.

At the end of May, we found out that Lee’s aunt, uncle, and cousin will be visiting over the July 4th weekend. They, as a family, have never been to Indiana, so we are so excited to have them come!!!! Finishing the basement became even more important, so they had a place to stay. With that, Lee installed a shower in the basement bathroom so that any guests we have would feel more at-home. As of today it is still without plumbing, but that will get fixed before the end of the week.

And, in other news, Lee and I purchased a new (used) vehicle this weekend (see above). Lee’s truck was a 1997 S-10, and my Kia was a 2001. Both were certainly showing their age, and neither was a good “family” car. So, this weekend we purchased a 2007 HHR. It only had 15,500 miles on it, great options (leather seats, seat warmers, remote start, tinted back windows, etc.), and we got it for a good, fair price. Unfortunately, this means that Lee’s truck was officially traded-in. He has put his heart and soul into that truck and modifications for it, but it was not conducive to having a family in it. The “new” vehicle is great and was desperately needed!

Baby Girl Lawmaster (Part 2)

2009-06-11T14:29:00.001-05:00

Well I had my final ultrasound yesterday afternoon. Baby Girl Lawmaster is doing wonderfully. Her heart has four chambers, and everything else looks healthy.

My actual doctor's appointment was today, and I learned that she is measuring big - very big. She is in the 97% for 24 weeks, and I am only at 23 weeks. So, I am measuring big as well, but I still haven't gained too much weight, which is the positive. She is now 1 pound 9 ounces, and she has long legs! They will keep an eye on her and see how big she gets.

It was great to get to see her again, especially since I know I can't see her again until she is born. But that time will be here before we know it!

Baby Girl Lawmaster

2009-05-14T15:14:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, May 13, Lee and I discovered that we would be welcoming a daughter this fall! Lee is concerned because he is very protective of his little girls, but I know she will make a great addition to our family.

The ultrasound went fairly well. She co-operated enough to tell us she was a girl. However, we believe she was sleeping and didn't move around enough to see some important vital parts - including her heart. Next month I will have another ultrasound so the doctor can analyze those things.

Baby Girl Lawmaster is measuring a little big right now. Her due date is October 6, but she is measuring as though she is due September 29. Her organs seemed to be fine including her umbilical cord, kidneys, brain, etc. She had herself in a "U" position where her feet and her head were beside each other. I don't know where she gets that flexibility from!

Lee and I are struggling with names at the current time. We've had a boy's name picked out for 1 1/2 years, so it makes sense that we would have a girl :-). We'll be asking Taylor for her ideas as well. At least we have 4 1/2 months to make up our minds :-)

NAGAP Conference and NYC

2009-04-29T18:09:00.005-05:00

Last week Lee and I took a trip to NYC. It was fabulous! We did a lot of things and were exhausted, but the trip was one for the books.

We arrived in New York last Wednesday on April 22. I had a NAGAP (National Association of Graduate Admissions Professionals) conference. The conference was at the Marriott Marquis Times Square, which is also where we stayed. We were right in the heart of Times Square and could even see part of the ball outside our window.

The conference was wonderful. I saw several people from IU there, and it was nice to meet admissions professionals from all over the United States. Sessions were Wednesday night, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday morning. It was quite exhausting, but I feel that I learned a lot as well.

After my conference sessions were over for the day, Lee and I took to the streets. While I was in sessions, he explored NYC on his own. Since we arrived in the evening on Wednesday, we didn't do too much that night. We ate out and turned in early.

On Thursday, Lee walked down to Washington Square Park to see the Arch and take pictures. He loved Greenwich Village! When I got done with sessions, we decided to explore lower Manhatten. We first went to Ground Zero where there is a covered fence surrounding the area due to construction of the new building. We then walked down to Battery Park and took the State Island Ferry. This way we could get close to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty for free. We then walked up to the Brooklyn Bridge, took the Subway back to Greenwich Village, and toured Grand Central Terminal. What a busy afternoon/evening.

On Friday, Lee ventured down to the Today Show and got to see Meredith Viera up close. While we don't think he got on TV, he had a great time. After my sessions were done, Lee took me back to Rockefeller Plaza, and we stopped in St. Patrick's Cathedral. We also had to stand in line FOREVER to go up in the Empire State Building. It was line after line after line, and we were there for hours. We also got to go to the MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) for free later that evening.

By Saturday we were exhausted, but we knew it would be our last day in the city for quite some time. After the conference session was complete, we took the subway up to Grant's Tomb, which is the largest tomb in the U.S. It was amazing! We also spent some time in Central Park after passing by The Dakota, where John Lennon was killed. On Sunday, we flew home.

All in all, it was a great trip!!! I'm glad that we went, but it certainly passed by way too quickly!

Home Remodel

2009-04-08T13:44:00.002-05:00

It has been quite some time since I posted a blog. As always, we have been pretty busy. Not only do we both work full-time, but Lee has class two nights a week; I sit on a local non-profit board of directors; and I am pregnant. But, because of impending arrivals, we are also remodeling our basement.

Now it isn't what you think as a typical remodel, but it is a huge undertaking nonetheless that Lee has pretty much taken on. We have stripped all the walls of paneling to find out exactly what is underneath those walls. It turns out that things are in much better shape than I anticipated. The insulation looks good. The foundation walls look good. The first major concern we encountered was a wall full of ants. However, they were immediately killed, sprayed for internally, and sprayed for externally.

Lee has replaced both light fixtures downstairs with our old standbys we love. We started buying them when we first bought the house and replaced the upstairs light fixtures. They are beautiful! He has also wired the basement for phone, cable, LAN, and redid the outlets. He also installed new sound-proofing insulation for the wall between the utility room and the soon-to-be office to deaden the sound of the heat pump and washer/dryer. He is currently finishing some concrete work.

The one half of the basement is done except for new paneling, painting, and floor staining. This half will be Lee's new office.

The other half is currently being worked on and should be easier to deal with considering there is much less wall space. This area will be the new guest area/sitting room. But once it is complete, it will also need new paneling, painting, and floor staining.

So far, we are on budget, and I hope we stay that way! I am the budget police :-). Of course, once the basement gets done, the office will move downstairs, and the work on the baby's room will begin. My overall goal is to get everything done by/in August. I don't want us rushing at the end with baby only days away. I'll keep you updated!

30 years + 1 Day

2009-03-01T19:28:00.006-05:00

Yep, I survived my 30th birthday. I must say that my 29th birthday was much worse than my 30th, but at the same time, I had other things to preoccupy me this year.

My husband was wonderful for my birthday. He asked all the women in my life that are close to me and over 30 to write me advice, words of encouragement, etc. on scrapbook pages. He then put all the pages into a scrapbook for me. Needless to say, I cried my eyes out when I read it. What a wonderful present that I will cherish forever!!!

In the afternoon, he took me to Cheeseburger in Paradise and had a surprise party waiting on me with about 25 people in attendance. My family, close friends, and co-workers all came out to surprise me. I was also given a collage of pictures of me from all stages of life. It was wonderful!!!

Then our good friends from Evansville surprised me and spent the night. We hadn't seen them since November, so that was a great present as well. All in all, it was a fabulous day!

Thank you, Lee, for being a great hubby and planning such a wonderful day for me!!! I will never forget it!!!!

My Little Peanut

2009-02-27T11:57:00.002-05:00

Yes, I'm going to be a mommy!!!! Lee and I found out we were expecting in late-January, but we decided to keep the secret until our first appointment, which was yesterday. In the early morning, we got to see our baby on the screen for the first time. Little Peanut is growing well and has a good heartbeat. We can expect to meet him/her around October 6! Getting to see my little angel was a great birthday present for me!!!!! I'll keep you updated as the pregnancy moves forward. I am also keeping a written journal for the baby to have one day. Happy growing little one!!

Valentine's 2009

2009-02-15T09:50:00.004-05:00

Valentine's Day is always special for Lee and me, more so than just a holiday. February 14 happens to be our 1/2 anniversary. Yesterday we celebrated 4 1/2 years of marriage. Honestly, we wouldn't celebrate a 1/2 anniversary if it wasn't on a holiday, but nevertheless, it is an important day for us.

We had a wonderful day yesterday! In the early afternoon, we drove up to Indianapolis to see To Kill A Mockingbird performed at the IRT (Indiana Repertory Theater). It was a wonderful production!

We then came back to Bloomington to celebrate Valentine's evening with Sharla and Brad. This was the first double-date Valentine's we had ever had. We ate at Lennie's, a local pub, and then we went back to our house to play Scene It Friends edition! It was a good night of laughs with good friends. I won both games!!!

All in all, it was a great Valentine's Day. It was a nice day with my hubby and my best friend. YEAH! Thanks for the memories - Lee, Sharla, and Brad :-).

Snow Storm '09

2009-02-02T18:52:00.008-05:00

January 27 and 28, 2009 will be remembered for near record snowfall here in Bloomington, Indiana. In places like Kentucky, it was a record ice storm and power will not be restored for weeks.

The snow began falling late on the night of Monday, January 26. By Tuesday morning, January 27, we had 4 inches of snow on the ground. The roads were a little bad but it was still okay to drive. But late in the day Tuesday, the ice came and then snow. By Wednesday morning, there was a foot of snow on the ground - something Lee and I haven't seen since we were teenagers.

We knew getting out of our driveway was going to be impossible, but shoveling a foot of snow off a 150 foot driveway was also not an option. After trying and failing with Richard's snowblower, we asked the neighbors for use of theirs. Thank goodness!!! It took us only an hour to free our driveway. However, Monroe County was under a snow emergency and IU closed for an entire day for the first time in 30 years. It was a nice, quiet day at home, but now I am suffering for my time outside - a heck of a cold.

This one will definitely go down in my memory. My parents and sister that live near Jasper were without power for quite some time. When their power came back on, my sister's furnace quit! My friends in Evansville were also without power for some time, but they are lucky. Others in Evansville are still without power nearly 1 week later! Kentucky residents may be off for weeks. Lee's aunt Beth in Oklahoma is in the same boat. The ice storm hit her before it hit Kentucky.

What a way for 2009 to begin!

Christmas 2008

2008-12-29T18:35:00.006-05:00

So my Christmas vacation has been quite busy so far. Here is a chronological look at my last week. Compare it to last year at this time - less things perhaps but still busy!

December 23 - Christmas Eve Eve with Lee's grandmother, dad, and uncle from Michigan.

December 24 - Christmas Eve at my mom and dad's house which is always full of games and surprises in order to "earn" your present.

December 25 - Christmas Day with Lee's mom and her family

December 26 - Since Taylor wasn't with us for the 24th or 25th, we had to make alternate plans with our families. Lee's mom and grandma came over to our house to celebrate with Taylor. Taylor also received our present - a girl's golf club set. Now she and Lee can golf together.

December 27 - My sister Brenda and her husband Doug came to visit Taylor on their way back to Indy.

December 28 - My parents, my other sister Michele and her family celebrated with us and Taylor. The pictures above are of Brandi and Sabrina from that day. Amazing how quickly time flies. Sabrina is in driver's ed now. Brandi is playing junior high basketball. It seems like just yesterday they were babies. Not the case anymore!! We had a great time visiting, and I'm glad we got that time with them!

Today started my actual "vacation". Lee has to work this week, so I get the house to myself to enjoy my vacation and get some things done around the house. Only 6 more days until I go back to work :-(.

Triple Thanksgivings

2008-12-01T19:07:00.009-05:00

This year we went to 3 different Thanksgivings, much as we try to every year.

The Lee family Thanksgiving (bottom picture) was at my sister's house in Indianapolis this year - the same as two years ago. This was the first time in 3 years that we had all been together for Thanksgiving, although we had to celebrate the Saturday before. It was a great day of spending time with family, and it was great to reconnect with everyone. We had a wonderful time, and we also got to present the video of the ISSMA state finals to Sabrina. It turned out great!

On Thanksgiving day, we went to our traditional location to spend time with Lee's dad's family (middle picture). Although the celebration was much smaller this year, we had a great time and got to stay later than we had in years past. We usually only see this family once a year, so it is great to spend time with them when we can.

After leaving that celebration, we went to Lee's grandma's and spent time with her and Lee's mom (top picture). Although their Thanksgiving meal had long passed, it was nice to sit down - just the 5 of us - and talk and spend time together.

All in all, it was time to spend with family and be thankful for everything we have in life. Although we go through tough times, we have our families who understand. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!

So This Is What A Champion Marching Band Looks Like??

2008-11-04T18:31:00.005-05:00

Absolutely!!!!!! Forest Park won 1st place at the ISSMA State Marching Band Contest Class D in the brand new Lucas Oil Stadium.

It was a nerve racking day of watching great band after great band play their hearts out. When the awards were announced, we listened as 10th place...9th place.....8th place.....still not FP. 7th....6th....5th....4th.....well, we were in 3rd place last year, so that would be good again. 3rd......Oh my goodness ... we're in the top 2. Then came the announcement of the runner-up, and FP was not announced. My sisters, mom, and I jumped out of our seats. Forest Park won the championship!!!!!!!! It has been a long season filled with obstacles, but Forest Park overcame all adversity and won!!!!!!!

Lee videotaped the performance and awards. As we did last year, we will provide the family with a nice memory of November 1, 2008.

Congratulations Rangers and Congratulations Sabrina!!!!! You all did a great job!!!!!!!

October On the Go

2008-10-28T18:12:00.004-05:00

As the title states, we have been "on the go" for most of this month. It is never a dull moment in our lives. Work has been keeping me busy in the form of a Saturday lunch and hiring a new Admissions Assistant. I am hiring someone to work during November-March for 20 hours per week. I received over 70 applications!!! This week, we are doing interviews, and we hope to hire someone by the beginning of next week.

Besides work, we have been very busy on the weekends. The first weekend in October, I went to Sabrina's District band competition. They did a great job and advanced to the Regionals. We also celebrated Mom's birthday and Mom and Dad's anniversary that same day.

The next weekend was supposed to be a great trip to Evansville to visit Sara and Jeff, who we haven't seen since March. Some scheduling issues occurred, so that visit has been postponed until November. So, instead we visited my parents and my friend Sharla.

The following weekend was the Regional band competition. Unfortunately I did not get to go. However, we went to visit Lee's mom in Louisville. She's lived down there for 3 years, and I think this is only our 3rd visit. She took us to "The World's Largest Halloween Party" at the Louisville Zoo. We got to see some of the animals, but better yet, it was a great outing for kids. The picture of Taylor was taken there.

This past weekend was Lee's birthday. While his grandma and mom took him out, I spent the day at the band's Semi-State competition. It was cold and windy - bbbrrrr!!!! After a rough performance, FP was blessed and got sent through to the State Finals at Lucas Oil Stadium on 11/1. I hope to send out good news next week with the results - knock on wood!

All in all, I had a great October, but I am glad the busyness of it is over. But, November isn't looking much better :-). We have a lot of things planned, and work will start to get very busy. Our admissions season is November - March, and I get very little time to do much else.

Hope everyone has a safe and happy Halloween!

Whew (cont.)!

2008-09-30T21:53:00.003-05:00

Around this time last year, I posted a blog entitled Whew! Here is its continuation. In the last 10 working days, I have attended 6 recruitment fairs for the Informatics graduate programs. Two of those were in one day, which made for a very long day! Although I only travel in state, it is still exhausting to do that by myself. I've been to Indiana State University, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Depauw University, University of Southern Indiana, Hanover College, and Purdue University. These trips have taken me all across the state, but luckily I have been able to rent a car instead of putting the miles on my little Rio. I am done travelling until November when I head to Ball State University, and although, I am glad to be done for awhile, I do enjoy the time away from my office.

It is also the time of year for marching band season. Last year my niece was in the marching band in eighth grade. This year she is a Freshman. In fact, my sister's whole family is involved this year. My sister is helping with feeding the band; my other niece is a "gopher"; my brother-in-law is with the pit crew. This coming weekend is the District band competition, and I hope they do well. In their competitions up to this point, they have placed well and won several awards.

Of course, if they make it to the state competition, they will not be playing in the RCA Dome. It's roof officially came down last week, and the building will be gone within months. My other sister who lives in Indianapolis sent us pictures. My hubby put up other pictures on his blog at http://magic.rox.com. Time-lapsed video can also be found on You Tube. What a sad day! But on to bigger and better things, I suppose.

I'll update you on the band season as it progresses. Stay tuned!

Ike Strikes Again

2008-09-15T13:28:00.004-05:00

Hurricane Ike has been watched for some time, and it was predicted to be a strong one. Not only did Hurricane Ike strike the heart of Galveston, TX, but its rath continued up the Midwest. Surprisingly Indiana got hit very hard from Ike in both rain and wind.

Yesterday Bloomington, in particular, experienced quite high winds and was under a High Wind Warning for 4 hours. The "eye" of Ike passed between us and Terre Haute. About 2:00 p.m., the winds started to die down a bit, so I headed for a shopping trip. When I got home at 3:00 p.m., our power had just gone out. I did not realize then how bad it really was.

Around 8:00 p.m. Lee and I got anxious and went to Starbuck's to get access to some Wi-Fi. The effects of Ike were far more reaching than we could have thought. Thousands of people were without power, and it could be days before we got our power back. I grew up in rural Indiana, and I never had power issues like this before. Ike, what did you do?

Lee and I prepared. We bought ice and packed our frozen food and certain refrigerated foods into our coolers. We gathered necessary belongings for the night and headed to Lee's grandma's house. What followed was one of the longest nights......neither of us fell asleep until 4:00 a.m., and our alarm went off at 7:30 a.m. Needless to say, we didn't go to work today.

We headed back home and headed to sleep in our own beds. Thankfully, at 12:15 p.m. our power came on - over 21 hours after it went off. We're one of the lucky ones. There are still thousands of people without power, and some may not get electricity back on until Saturday - nearly 6 days after it went off. (In fact, most of our neighbors still don't have power.) That is just in Indiana. Houston and Galveston folks may not see power for weeks.

Ike, I will not miss you. But, as I try to always say, it could have always been worse.

8/14/04 - 4 Years Later!

2008-08-18T11:36:00.002-05:00

I can't believe that it has been 4 years since Lee and I were married. Time sure does fly by, and many things have happened.

On our wedding day:

1. Lee was still working at Baxter.

2. I was still working at the MBA program office in a support staff role.

3. I had not yet started my Master's Degree.

4. We were still living in the apartment.

5. Taylor was 4 years old!

6. We were broke!

7. We hadn't really travelled much together.

8. Lee was 23, and I was 25. Yikes!

It's amazing how time, patience, and love will change things.

Lee surprised me at work on Thursday with a lovely arrangement of flowers. He took time and effort and researched his purchase. Apparently, flowers are "the" gift for the 4th anniversary, and hydrangeas are the preferred flower. I must say, he did well.

On Friday night, we celebrated our anniversary at The Cheesecake Factory in Indy. Yummo!! We had a great time, and we were full!

Thank you, Lee, for giving me a great 4 years. I hope to have a lifetime of anniversaries with you!!

It's Really Official Now

2008-08-04T10:00:00.002-05:00

On Friday, August 1, I received my diploma in the mail. Even though my official degree was granted on May 3, 2008, I feel as though I am really official with my diploma in hand. Lee and I went out to celebrate, and I am so glad this the student part of my life is finally complete. YEAH ME!!

My Sister's Closet

2008-07-28T17:51:00.005-05:00

Nearly two years ago, I became interested in a non-profit organization here in Bloomington. My Sister's Closet is an agency that helps low-income women with regards to business attire in order to obtain a job. Through a voucher system they provide interview attire and then business clothing once the women get a job. Also, anyone can purchase clothing at their retail store. It is a wonderful organization.

So, in the late-summer/early-fall of 2006, I became a board member as the Event Coordinator. Around that same time, Lee lost his job at Baxter. I was working full-time, working a second part-time job, and going to school part-time. It was a very stressful and low point in my life. In order to stay "sane", I gave up my position on the board.

Just recently, I graduated and found myself with a lot of free time. I have started up my hobby of counted cross stitching, and I recontacted My Sister's Closet. This past year I had been in contact with several of the board members. I created a MySpace page for the agency, and Lee had been doing work on their website. Last week, I became an officer of the organization. I am now the Secretary, and I keep the minutes of the meeting along with any written correspondence with constituents, clients, and other agencies. I couldn't be happier!

My father and mother were once very involved in my hometown community through various organizations when they were younger, and I looked to that for an example. In addition, my best friends are involved with the humane society and library respectively in their local communities. I am glad that I am finally able to give something back to my community. It is such an important part of who we are as human beings, and it is very important to me.

Taylor's a Big Sister

2008-07-21T14:12:00.003-05:00

Yep, that is right. Taylor became a big sister one week ago. Her mom and stepdad had a bouncing baby boy, and Taylor couldn't be happier!! She loves being a big sister, and she can't say enough good things about her baby brother. It is great to see her so excited!

Surprisingly, she still wanted to come to our house this weekend. Lee and I decided that we would make Saturday a "Taylor" day. We surprised her with a day that was all about her. First we went to Build-A-Bear, and she could have anything in the store (reasonably priced) that wasn't a new stuffed animal. She chose the Beararmoire, which is a closet for all the Build-A-Bear clothes and accessories. She went straight to work on filling it up when we got home. Next, she got to choose where we would eat, and of course, she chose Wendy's. Finally, we took her to see Wall-E. Very adorable movie with a great message! All in all, I think she had a great day!

Happy Birthday America!

2008-07-09T19:08:00.004-05:00

Well, it has been quite some time since I last posted. Lee, Taylor, Richard (Lee's dad), and I just got back from our trip to visit Lee's aunts in Oklahoma. All of us have never traveled together before, and I think we all had a great time!

Not only did we visit Lee's aunts, but we also saw the George Washington Carver National Monument, Precious Moments Inspiration Park & Chapel, and the Cherokee National Museum & Heritage Center. We were gone a total of 5 days (Wednesday - Sunday) and drove over 1500 miles.

We celebrated the 4th of July in Oklahoma ,and besides dressing alike (see above picture), we had quite a fireworks show put on for us. It was nice to celebrate America's birthday with family and new friends.

But, honestly, what event with us involved could go without some sort of drama. On Saturday, Lee was inspecting an old radio of his grandfather's in a storage trailer. He jumped out of the 6 foot tall trailer and landed on his ankle wrong, which also meant that I had to drive the trip back myself. After hobbling on it for several days, he went to the doctor this morning. The x-ray was inconclusive, but they think he "may" have broken his leg. We should know more tomorrow, but regardless, he is on crutches for the next 5 days. Like I said, drama!

But nonetheless, we made some great memories with this trip. I'm glad we got the chance to go together. Taylor and her second cousin Amber have been emailing since we got back, so I think a new friendship was even made :-).

I hope you all had a wonderful and safe 4th of July!!

My Kind of Town...Chicago Is

2008-06-04T13:10:00.007-05:00

Lee and I are back from a great trip to the Windy City. We left Wednesday, May 28 and came home Saturday, May 31. I had a seminar in town for work, so we decided to take a few extra days and have ourselves a mini-vacation. I have been to Chicago a few times in the past, but Lee had never been there before.

We stayed at the Club Quarters members-only hotel at Wacker and Michigan in the Mather Tower. IU is a member, so we got a great rate in downtown Chicago. The room was a bit small, but it really didn't matter because we weren't in it that much. They also had an interesting bottled water dispenser. Bizarre!

When we arrived on Wednesday, we settled in the hotel and then put on our walking shoes. Since we were steps from Michigan Avenue, we walked the famed Magnificent Mile. After a quick change, we also went to see Wicked the Musical. It was the most amazing musical production I have ever seen (and I have seen a lot!). For those of you who don't know, it is the story of the Witches of Oz before Dorothy's arrival. Things aren't what the movie makes it out to seem. In the musical you find out why the Wicked Witch is "wicked", why Glinda is "good", the story behind the ruby slippers, why the Cowardly Lion is a coward, why the Tin Man has no heart, and why the Scarecrow is a scarecrow. The sets were amazing, and the songs chilled you to the bones. Great performance!

On Thursday we had quite a busy day. We took a boat tour of Lake Michigan and the Chicago River. We also visited Millenium Park. The Cloud Gate (AKA Bean) sculpture is very cool, and the picture above is our reflection in it. We also saw Buckingham Fountain, went to the John Hancock center observatory, and went to Navy Pier and rode the Ferris Wheel. We walked everywhere, so we were pretty tired by the end.

While we were there, we also toured the Art Institute of Chicago, and I got to see "my painting" up close again. I love Seurat! We also got to see a lot of works from Van Gogh, Monet, Renoir, and Picasso as well as the American Gothic painting.

Lee and I also had a very nice dinner at an Italian bistro named Bella Bacino, which was conveniently located in our hotel. It was a much needed break for both of us.

Well, our next trip is to visit the family in Oklahoma over the 4th of July. That should be an interesting trip because Richard and Taylor are going with us. Taylor is back in Indiana now, and we are going to resume our normal visitation schedule. We are thrilled!!!!!

It's Official

2008-05-15T13:33:00.005-05:00

Yep, it's official. I have finally graduated with my master's degree. I will receive my diploma in August, but it is official nonetheless!!! Above is a picture of me getting "hooded". After four long years, it was a momentous occasion! And, my family got to celebrate it with me, which made it all the more special.

Last weekend I got a visit from Sharla. She needed time away from home, so we got to visit for the first time since Christmas. It was great! We headed to Indianapolis, ate a lot, and just had a great time.

This weekend we are going "home" to celebrate Mother's Day and my niece's 14th birthday! Yikes, when did that time pass! She is getting a surprise present from us and my parents, but in case she reads this, I don't want to say what it is. She better like it though!

It has also been 6 weeks since my mom's surgery. She is doing great and should be going back to work very soon.

Lee and I are also planning a trip to Chicago at the end of the month. I have a seminar I am attending for work, so we are going to make a mini-vacation out of it. The first time I went to Chicago was in middle school on a summer class trip. It was great! It has been 7 years since I've been there the last time, and that was when I was in college. It was a great trip because no one over the age of 22 went, and there was about 20-30 of us together. Good times!!! I have been dying to go back. Lee hasn't been there as a tourist yet, so hopefully he will like it too. I'll keep you updated!

Shake, Shake, Shake

2008-04-24T20:25:00.003-05:00

So, it has been quite a week. Nearly one week ago (April 18) at 5:30 a.m., the earth beneath us shook. The Midwest is certainly no stranger to earthquakes, but in the same sense, we don't have them every day. This one was the second largest earthquake the area has had in 40 years - 5.2 magnitude. In fact, it was only the third one I ever remember living through.

I remember the 1987 earthquake. It was a 5.1 magnitude, and I remember thinking "What the heck was that?" My mom ran outside because she thought my sister and her friend had done "something". I was so little (8 years old) that I barely remember it, but I do remember the earth shook.

The next one we had after that was in 2002. I remember being at work when I felt it. It was a 4.6 magnitude. I worked in a place where about 20 people or so used the same printer, and if we were printing something important, we would run to the printer to get our printout. That is what it felt like, but when I looked up, there was no one standing. Very weird!

This one came in the very early morning hours. Lee had gotten up to use the bathroom, and he had just laid back down in bed. The bed started to shake pretty bad. At first I thought the kitties were fighting under the bed, which is not that unusual. But it just kept going, and no kitties were even in the room. I ran down to the garage and basement to make sure nothing else was going on. After that, I couldn't get back to sleep, so I got on the USGS website and called my mom. Yep, it was an earthquake. I turned on the TV and watched some coverage. Thankfully no major damage was reported.

About 11:15 a.m., we had a larger aftershock - a 4.5 magnitude. It rumbled the ground but wasn't nearly as volatile as the original quake. In all, there have been dozens of aftershocks, many of which cannot be felt my most people. We’ve all been lucky; although, we know a bigger one could happen at any time.

Also, this week I finished graduate school!!!!!!!! I had my very last class and turned in my very last paper. Next Friday, I will go through my Hooding Ceremony, and all of my family will get to see me graduate with my master’s degree. It seems surreal, but I’m so glad the end is here.

Hopefully this week will be a little less shaky………………

Final Days

2008-04-13T16:44:00.006-05:00

Here I am, 19 days away from graduation. I never thought this day would come, and here I am, a little less than 3 weeks away. It has been a long four years, and I can't wait for it to be over.

Right now I am working on my final paper as a master's student. It is 15 page research paper that I can't seem to get motivated to finish. I have completed 5 pages so far, and I have been working on it for nearly 3 hours. That certainly is not my normal rate, but I typically don't have to write research papers.

On Friday, May 2, I will become an official alum of Indiana University. That night is the Educational Policy and Leadership department's hooding ceremony, where master's and doctoral students will officially get their hoods and complete their degrees. My whole family is coming in for it, and then we are having a celebration afterwards. It will be a proud and happy moment for me!

As with the end of the spring semester every year, it has been a stressful two weeks. My mom had surgery a week ago Friday, and my sisters and I took off of work for the day to sit with my dad during surgery and help my mom after. She actually did very well and was walking the halls after just 6 hours. She was released the day after and gets to take six weeks off of work. She's been doing great!

I moved offices (and buildings) this week. The School of Informatics has been renovating an old frat house next to the current School of Informatics building. Some of my colleagues and I have had temporary offices in a residence hall about 1 mile away, which has caused many problems with meetings, student accessibility, etc. With renovations nearly complete, I moved into my new office on Thursday. There is still much to be done, but I am happy to finally be settled in a permanent location.

All of these changes have caused much stress in my life and trying to complete this paper hasn't helped. I have no motivation. I can finally touch the light at the end of the tunnel I have been walking for nearly four years. It is so close, yet I still can't stroll to the end. I have to finish strong.

Thanks to all who have supported me in the last four years (and especially the last few weeks). It has been a wild ride, and I'm glad it will soon be over.

March Flew By

2008-03-30T13:08:00.002-05:00

I can't believe how quickly March flew by. It seems like just yesterday that I was celebrating my birthday. Only 11 months to go until ...... 30!!!

Easter came early this year. We spent the Lee family Easter at our house this year. We went to eat at Cafe D'lish and came back to our house for desserts, visiting, and Easter presents. Sunday we spent the day with Lee's family at his grandma's.

Taylor got to spend Easter with us this year, as she normally does. She was dropped off at our house at 1:30 a.m. Saturday morning, and my family was due at 10:30 a.m. Whew! Her official move home is still up in the air; however, all of her belongings are now moved into their "new" home in Owensburg, which is about 20 minutes away or so. But, 20 minutes away is MUCH better than 4 hours. Since her belongings are now in Indiana, we hope she is soon to follow for good.

Taylor also spent the week up here in Indiana because she was on spring break. Since we couldn't take off of work, her aunt and grandma kept her during the day, and Lee and I picked her up at night. We spent a lot of time playing the PS2 and other games. It was great to spend some quality time with her.

In other news, Lee has been smoke free now several weeks. He is doing really well, and I am so proud of him. He has been taking Chantix, and it is amazing!

Happy Spring, Everyone!

One Less Than Thirty

2008-02-28T19:54:00.003-05:00

Just moments ago (at 7:45 p.m.) I officially turned 29 years old. Wow, I can't believe I am one year away from 30. I am reminded of when my niece was born in 1994. I was just 15 years old, and as I was holding her I said, "Man, when she is my age, I'll be 30." That time is just around the corner.

But, I must say, I have had an eventful and wonderful birthday. With all of the cards, phone calls, emails, MySpace and Facebook posts, I have really noticed how many people care about me. It has been wonderful! I even received a surprise phone call this morning from an old friend who I have not talked to in months. Thanks for the call, Brandon. It was great to hear from you.

Lee and I went out to eat at Scholar's Inn tonight. We spent our wedding night at the Scholar's Inn bed and breakfast. On our one year anniversary, we relived our experience. We hadn't been there since, and neither of us have ever eaten dinner there because it is quite expensive. We, of course, ordered the Spinach and Artichoke Dip, which seems to be our favorite wherever we go. This one was definitely the cheesiest we've ever had. Lee ordered the very pricey filet mignon, and I had the portobello mushroom ravioli. Both were delicious! It was quite yummy, and obviously something we never get to do.

Today, I also had some drama. It wouldn't be like me to go without drama on any given day, and this day was no different. I cashed a check today, and as I was putting my driver's license back in my wallet, I noticed something. My driver's license expired today!!! AAAHHH!!!! So, there I went, making an emergency trip to the BMV. I was actually in and out within 15 minutes. The BMV has really improved since this past summer when they had all of their issues. However, I still have to go back within the next 30 days. I never updated my license address when we bought the house, and I didn't have address verification on me today. So, they let me renew it anyway, and I can go back within 30 days and update the address for free.

Tomorrow night, my sister and I are going to see Evita at the IU Auditorium. I always try to see at least one show a season, and this year the show fell near my birthday. She is spending the night at our place, which she has never done. In fact, I don't think she's been at our house since August or so. It should be a fun girls night!

Thanks again to all who sent me birthday wishes. I appreciate all of you, and you helped make my day special.

Lunar Eclipse (Penny Moon)

2008-02-21T09:19:00.003-05:00

In honor of my niece's love of astronomy and just seeing cool things in general, we took a video of the lunar eclipse. We also got to look at it through our telescope. Of course, it was much prettier in person, but you can sort of get the effect (minus the orange penny-like color). Hope you enjoy if you didn't get to see it!

6 Years Ago...............

2008-02-17T22:02:00.003-05:00

............Lee and I moved in together - on Valentine's weekend. Looking back, we both agree we were young and stupid. We had only known each other 3 months, and I was moving to a place I had never lived - in fact, I had only visited it a handful of times. We had nothing when we started out together. I moved up to Bloomington without a job. Lee was making $9 an hour and supporting the both of us. We didn't have a bed. We ate Hamburger Helper every night because it was cheap. But, things worked out and we've made a nice life for ourselves. I would forbid my children to do the same because I wouldn't want them to have to struggle, but Lee and I grew stronger through all of the hardships.

This Valentine's Day we tried something new. We went out to eat at a Japanese restaurant - Domo Steak & Sushi. Lee had never tried Japanese before, and I had only had it one other time over a year ago. It was yummy! I had sushi and Lee had steak teriyaki. It was a nice night for the two of us.

This weekend Taylor came to visit for the first time since New Year's. It had been quite a while, and we all missed each other a lot! We spent a lot of time with family, and the weekend went by much quicker than we thought it would. If everything works out, she should be back in Indiana in a few months. We can't wait!

Lee's business is also doing very well. He landed a big transfer job with the Kelley School of Business MBA Program. Check out his blog (http://magic.rox.com) for more information. I'm so proud of him and his progress and dedication!!!!

Well, that is the latest update. Hope everyone had a Happy Valentine's Day!

Personal Updates

2008-02-03T19:04:00.000-05:00

So, it has been quite a while since I wrote something substantial. I thought I would give it a try and give you some updates.

At the beginning of January, I started my final class and final semester of graduate school. It has been a long four years, and I cannot wait until May. The class I am taking is my Capstone class, and I like it a lot. I am working on planning a get-together for my graduation, but Bloomington becomes absolutely crazy on graduation weekend. I am in talks with a few restaurants, but we will see what happens.

I have been getting more involved in the HESA (higher education and student affairs) program this semester. I am a member of IUSPA Journal Review Board. Each year the IUSPA (IU Student Personnel Association) publishes a peer-reviewed journal to allow master's students, doctoral students, and alums the chance to get published. We had 14 submissions this year for about 4-6 slots. The topics have been very interesting, and it has gotten me interested in research writing, but right now I do not have plans to go ahead and get my Ph.D.

I am also working on getting my own paper published. Last semester my class partner and I wrote a paper on colleges going SAT optional in their admissions standards. We focused on the qualitative research; while another group focused on the quantitative research. Our professor is going to work with both groups to get our papers published as one in a national journal. This could be a long process, so I will keep you updated.

In December, I interviewed and was offered another position at IU in the Jacobs School of Music as the Associate Director of Admissions & Financial Aid. I ended up turning the position down because I just didn't feel as though it was a good fit for me at this time in my life.

I have been pretty busy at my current job because we are in the midst of admissions season. I started in February last year and missed most of this fun :-), but it has been pretty interesting to see how another department attacks admissions. I was very used to how the MBA program did things since I worked there for 4 1/2 years, but I am always learning new things.

Lee has also been doing some painting. He was off of work this past Monday and said he was going to do something to surprise me. I was a little concerned especially after he gave me a hint that he was doing "something" to the house. When I got home, I found out he had spent the whole day painting our hallway. I haven't been able to hang pictures/things on my walls since before we moved in June 2006. We knew when we bought our house that we were going to remove all of the wallpaper and paint, so we didn't want to put up things just to take them back down. We worked on our two red walls before Thanksgiving, but we hadn't painted anything new since then. Knowing that I missed having my pictures up, he painted the hallway, and this week, we bought the rest of the paint for the living room and foyer. I hope to have my pictures up soon.

I have also been working hard at creating an alumni website for my high school class. Right now, it looks as though it is going to be a MySpace page that I will give all of my ex-classmates access to so they can add pictures and blogs. I hope to have that completed by the end of the month. I volunteered myself to start this back in September after our reunion, but I am only now getting around to doing it. But since I actually started on it, I have made good progress.

Finally, we found out that Taylor will hopefully be moving home sooner than we thought. Apparently her stepdad has put in a request to be medically discharged from the military on his doctor's request. If everything works out, she should be back in Indiana before the summer. We don't know where they will end up for sure - Indianapolis, Bloomington, Greene County - but Lee and I both agree that anywhere in southern or central Indiana is better than Tennessee. I'll keep you updated on that too.

Well, that is the latest news from our neck of the woods. I'll try to keep you updated as things change, which they always do.

You Know You’re From Dubois County When

2008-01-17T11:23:00.000-05:00

My sister sent me this list this week, and I had to pass it along and comment.

You Know You’re From Dubois County When

Holland and Ireland remind you of milk and fried chicken instead of wooden clogs and leprechauns.

You can recite at least some of the Dubois County Tire radio jingle. (Give Dubois County Tire a call... Big or small they service all...)

If your last name of Uebelhor is pronounced You-Bell-Oar then you are probably from Huntingburg. If pronounced Ebel-Hair then you are from Ferdinand.

Your wedding had or will have at least 6 kegs at the reception.

You see more classmates at the Strassenfest than you do at your class reunion.

If you have ever watched a sectional basketball game at Memorial Gym.

Been stopped by a train in Huntingburg (Bonus points for this week)

You don't know where the intersection of IN-64 and IN-162 is located but know exactly where the Bretzville Junction is at.

If you have been to Los Bravos at least twice in the last month.

If you can properly pronounce Luebbehusen, Mehringer, Goepfrich, Knies, Mathies, Thewes etc.

The term "Kraut" isn't necessarily offensive.

TP'ing is an annual October right of passage.

As you all know, I posted a comment about being German a few months ago, and this blog heavily relates. I was born and raised in a rural county in southern Indiana. The county seat, Jasper, has a population of 12,000. The small town I am from is St. Anthony, and the population is approximately 1,000 people. We no longer have a school; we have no stop light; we have one gas station; we have one church – Catholic.

I mentioned the church in a blog in May 2007, when it burned. Update – they are working on the church, and it did not have to be torn down. I digress.

Coming from a small town is very interesting and a very life determining fact, especially if you never leave. Everyone knows everyone else’s business. The stereotype of small town life is that of being racist and homophobic. I’m not sure how true that is nowadays, but I certainly was never that way. And with working at Indiana University and living in Bloomington, there is no tolerance for such thoughts.

The list above is quite entertaining, and I am going to go through each point for explanation. Here we go!

Holland and Ireland remind you of milk and fried chicken instead of wooden clogs and leprechauns.

- Holland and Ireland are again small towns in our county. Holland is actually where my brother-in-law grew up, and they are known for the Holland Dairy (i.e. milk). Ireland is known for The Chicken Place restaurant (i.e. fried chicken).

You can recite at least some of the Dubois County Tire radio jingle. (Give Dubois County Tire a call... Big or small they service all...)

-This radio jingle is on air all of the time. Sadly enough, I haven’t lived in Dubois County for about 10 years, and I still know the jingle.

If your last name of Uebelhor is pronounced You-Bell-Oar then you are probably from Huntingburg. If pronounced Ebel-Hair then you are from Ferdinand.

- Strange, but true. The Uebelhor’s in Huntingburg own a car dealership. The Uebelhor’s in Ferdinand own an electronics store. My sister’s brother-in-law is part of the Uebelhor’s in Ferdinand. He is godfather and I am godmother to our niece, Brandi.

Your wedding had or will have at least 6 kegs at the reception.

- This is true and not uncommon by any means. A Dubois County wedding reception is like no other on Earth. 500 of your closest friends getting drunk on your dime. Because there are no cash bars at Dubois County weddings. The bride and groom pay for all of the alcohol so that their friends can have a good time. I never understood it, and as a result, I did not get married in Dubois County. I had a small wedding reception with no alcohol. The horror!! My husband was shocked when he went to his first Dubois County wedding. He’s never quite recovered :-).

You see more classmates at the Strassenfest than you do at your class reunion.

- Again, this is not that shocking. I mentioned the Strassenfest in my German post, so check back there for more information.

If you have ever watched a sectional basketball game at Memorial Gym.

- Yes, I have. Back before class basketball, which began the year after I graduated, all of the county teams plus a few more fought out the high school basketball sectionals in one tournament and one arena – Southridge Memorial Gym. There was nothing like the Southridge sectional – the noise, the people, the rivalries. At one time, Bobby Knight and Nick Nolte visited the Southridge sectional before making the movie Blue Chips. Now that has all changed, but the memories are still there.

Been stopped by a train in Huntingburg (Bonus points for this week)

- Oh my goodness! Yes, I have been stopped by a train in Huntingburg many times. The railroad tracks go straight through town, and it is hard to avoid them. Trains go through several times a day. I worked in Huntingburg one summer between my Freshman and Sophomore years in college, and I was always stopped for those darn trains.

You don't know where the intersection of IN-64 and IN-162 is located but know exactly where the Bretzville Junction is at.

- They are actually one in the same. The Bretzville Junction is where IN-64 and IN-162 meet and is the center point between Huntingburg, Jasper, Ferdinand, and St. Anthony. There is a large parking lot called “Central” where many people meet to share rides, etc. Dubois County Central Concrete used to have a facility there, so that is where the name actually came from.

If you have been to Los Bravos at least twice in the last month.

- Los Bravos is a Mexican restaurant in Jasper. Everyone goes there. Every time I am back in Dubois County for any length of time, I usually go there too. They are fast, cheap, and have great service. I recommend them!

If you can properly pronounce Luebbehusen, Mehringer, Goepfrich, Knies, Mathies, Thewes etc.

- Here we go. Luebbehusen – Lib-a-whose-in. Mehringer – Mare-ing-er. Goepfrich – Gep-frick. Knies – K-niece. Mathes – Mod-eyes. Thewes – Tave-es. I believe I got those all right. Love the German heritage :-).

The term "Kraut" isn't necessarily offensive.

- I guess this refers to sauerkraut - a German staple. That is the only thing I can think of regarding this one.

TP'ing is an annual October right of passage.

- Yep, this still happens A LOT. And, I too, have been the doer and the victim.

Don’t get me wrong. I love where I came from. It is made me who I am today, but I also know the little idiosyncrasies of my hometown area. Now, you know some of them too.

I Need a Vacation from My Vacation

2008-01-01T20:47:00.001-05:00

I have been off of work since Saturday, December 22, and I go back to work tomorrow, January 2. It has been a great 1 1/2 weeks off, but I sure do need a vacation from my vacation. It has been non-stop. Here's a rundown:

12/22 - Picked up Taylor in Evansville. She got to spend most of her vacation with us here in Bloomington. That night we visited my best friend, Sharla, and her husband in Jasper.

12/23 - Drove to Bedford to spend time with Lee's dad, stepmom, grandma, uncle, and aunt. His uncle and aunt live in Michigan, and we usually only see them once a year on Thanksgiving, so it was nice to see them for Christmas as well.

12/24 - Christmas Eve - As is tradition, we always celebrate Christmas Eve at my mom's house. This is only the second time that Taylor as gotten to be there.

12/25 - Christmas - Santa came to our house this year for the first time ever. Taylor has never spent Christmas Day with us, so Santa had to re-route himself. She got a 5' tall dollhouse along with some other gifts. We didn't forget to set out Oreos and milk, and Santa ate all but 1/2 of a cookie.

We spent Christmas with Lee's mom's family, which is again tradition. This was the first time Taylor has been there since she was at least 1 year old. She got to play Santa and hand out the presents. We also continued a personal tradition that we have been doing for years. We go to the local Chinese buffet for Christmas dinner. Surprisingly enough, it is pretty busy.

12/26 - Lee's dad and stepmom came over to our house to give Taylor her Christmas gifts. Then we went out to eat with Lee's mom and grandma.

12/27 - We went to Build-A-Bear so Taylor could spend her gift card she got for Christmas. Then we took her bowling.

12/28 - We drove up to Indianapolis to go to the Indiana State Museum and IMAX theater. I have wanted to go for years, and it was a great place.

12/29 - We rested for the most part of Saturday. We needed the break. Saturday night we went out to dinner with my sister and her family.

12/30 - Sunday we dropped off Taylor with her aunt who lives here in town. That was our last day with her after 8 days. It was great to get to spend that much time with her, and I think she had a lot of fun too!

12/31 - We brought in the New Year at home. After dinner at Red Lobster, we came home to watch Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve.

1/1 - Here is 2008! Wow, time (and my vacation) has flown by! I hope everyone has a wonderful, safe, happy, and healthy new year. I'm sure we will all experience lots of changes this year, and I hope they are positive ones at that.

WELCOME TO 2008!

Christmas Survey!

2007-11-30T08:43:00.000-05:00

I always get random surveys from friends to fill out all of the time. I thought I would share the results of two of them put together.

1. Christmas tree up yet?
No, we don't put one up because of the kitties

2. Any Christmas decorations up yet?
No, I haven't done x-mas decorations in the new house yet. I still feel like we aren't unpacked.

3. What are you asking for for Christmas?
Restaurant gift cards and Menards gift card. It amazes me how your priorities change as you get older.

4.What do you usually do on Christmas Eve?
We head to my mom's house on x-mas eve. It has been the tradition since I was little.

5. What do you usually do on Christmas Day?
Now, we head to Lee's grandma's house. We've started a new tradition for Christmas supper - Chinese buffet. They are always open on x-mas, and I'll be darned if I'm cooking. We aren't the only ones there either!

6. Do you own any christmas clothes or jewelery?
Christmas socks, and I wear them throughout the winter

7. Do you use white or colored christmas lights?
I used to do colored on the tree before my kitties came along

8. Do you bake Christmas cookies?
Nope, I let my mom do that.

9. Do you buy Christmas presents for your whole family?
For Lee's family - yes. For my family, we have a x-mas exchange among the adults, and then everyone buys for the kids and pets.

10. How many friends do you buy presents for?
2 - Sharla and Sara

11. Is there a Santa Clause?
It would be nice, but then why doesn't he buy me presents :-).

12. Favorite Christmas Carol?
O Holy Night and Carol of the Bells

13. Would you rather it be a white Christmas, or a warm Christmas?
White - Christmas isn't supposed to be warm outside

14. Was last year a good christmas?
I had a migraine on x-mas eve, so that wasn't so good. Christmas day was nice though.

15. Which Christmas color do you like better? RED or GREEN?
I prefer green throughout the year, but on x-mas I like red.

16. Do you get a real Christmas tree, or is it artificial?
I have an artifical one in my attic.

17. When you get older, will you get a real or artificial tree?
I'll keep my artificial one.

18. Do you hang stockings?
Used to, but not since we got in the house.

19. When opening presents, does your family all open them at the same time or do you take turns?
At my mom's we open one at a time. At Lee's grandma's, we open all at the same time.

20. What is usually in your stocking?
Lee's mom gives us a stocking each year filled with smaller presents, candy, and fruit. My mom usually gives us small presents.

21. Do you get up early on Christmas day?
I try not too. I enjoy the day off from work.

22. Does your family eat breakfast before or after opening presents?
We usually don't eat breakfast. We have lunch at Lee's grandma's house.

23. Do you have a favorite ornament you hang on the tree?
I love my ornaments! I wish I still put up my tree. One day again I will.

24. What Christmas movie do you like to watch the most?
I have three I like to watch - Home Alone, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, and A Christmas Story.

25. What do you like better, Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
They are both special in their own way for different reasons.
______________________________________________

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Bags are easier and more often than not what I choose, but occasionally I do wrap.

2. Real or Artificial tree?
Artificial. (See above)

3. When do you put up the tree?
Usually don't anymore (See above)

4. When do you take the tree down?
Since I normally don't put one up, I get to save this step.

5. Do you like Eggnog?
I have never tried it.

6. Favorite Gift you received as a child?
My big teddy bear that I still have and isn't so big anymore

7. Do you have a nativity scene?
I love the nativity scene I have, but I haven't decorated in a couple of years.

8. Hardest person to buy for?
Taylor - I want to make her happy, and she never knows what she wants.

9. Easiest person to buy for?
My husband because we get each other something for the house.

10. Worst Christmas gift ever received?
Those darn popcorn tins.

11. Christmas Cards...Snail mail or E-mail?
Snail mail

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?
I have 3 (See above)

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
I used to be super-proactive, but the last two years have been difficult. I have been shopping up to the end.

14. Have you ever 'recycled' a Christmas present?
Several times and other gifts as well became x-mas gifts

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Mom's cheesecake

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree?
I've done colored in the past.

17. Favorite Christmas Song?
I have 2 (See above)

18. Travel at Christmas or Stay Home?
Usually traveling

19. Can you name Santa's Reindeer?
Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder, Blitzen, and Rudolph

20. Do you have an Angel or a Star on top of your tree?
When I put one up, I have an angel.

21. Open the Presents Christmas Eve or Morning?
(See above) My mom's house on Christmas Eve and Lee's grandma's on Christmas morning

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
The Christmas songs that start in October!!!!!

23. Shopping...Mall or on-line?
Depends how easily I can find it online. I usually do half-and-half.

24. Do you decorate outside for Christmas or just inside (or at all?)
Neither really - not this year

25. Favorite Christmas cookie?
I'm not really a cookie kind of girl.

26. Do you own Christmassy clothing or jewelry?
(See above) Socks

27. Do you believe in Santa?
(See above) I hope that there is, but he doesn't visit me :-)

Thanksgiving Traditions

2007-11-26T18:53:00.000-05:00

This year's Thanksgiving was quite a bit different than Thanksgivings past, but at the same time, it was a great 5-day break from work.

Wednesday night we got to pick up Taylor and see her for the first time in 5 1/2 weeks. We got to spend almost the entire 5-day break with her, which was great!

Thanksgiving was full of family time. We first went to Lee's grandma's house for a short time, so Taylor could see her grandmas on Thanksgiving. We then headed off to Basswood, where we once lived, for Lee's dad's family Thanksgiving. It was a large turnout and had the most kids there in years. It was great to see the family, which we generally only see one a year. For the Lee family (my family) Thanksgiving, we did something quite different. We hosted! Generally, the Lee family Thanksgiving takes place at my mom and dad's house. Last year, my sister hosted in Indianapolis for the first time. This year, we hosted. We cooked our first turkey which is pictured above. Not everyone could be there due to other commitments, but as a whole, it was a new twist to an old Thanksgiving tradition.

Friday Lee, Lee's mom, and I took Taylor to see Enchanted. It was a great movie!!!!!!!!!! The theater was packed, and people of all ages were laughing and having a great time. Two thumbs up!

Saturday we took Taylor to the library. She has been asking to go for months, so we read two books about "Dumb Bunnies". I think she enjoyed herself. Lee's sister, who lived with us for a time, came back home for a funeral. She moved to Phoenix several months ago. It was good to see her as well. We also painted primer on the hallway walls. We have been doing a lot of renovating and replacing items in the last month, which is why I haven't posted. She enjoyed helping us out. At night, we watched E.T. Taylor had seen part of it on TV a few weeks ago, and she wanted to watch the whole movie. So we curled up with blankets, turned down the lights, and enjoyed the movie. Sunday, she had to go home. The funny thing is that within hours of being back home she had emailed Lee and I and called us. I think she missed us, and we sure did miss her.

All in all, it was a great 5-day weekend! We got to enjoy time with each other, with family, and with our little Taylor. Next time we see her will be for Christmas. Sometimes it seems like it doesn't come soon enough.

Yes, I'm German

2007-10-29T13:59:00.000-05:00

My husband makes fun of me (in a good way) about my heritage all of the time. I was born and raised in southern Indiana, where many of the residents have German Catholic ancestry. I am not much different. I do have other blood running through my veins, but my primary heritage is German. You can see the German stubbornness and hot-headedness within me and certain members of my family. It is hard to deny where we came from, although I try to fight it often.

Being German is such a prevalent and proud heritage where my hometown is, that it is hard to get away from it. When I was in high school, you could choose from two foreign languages to learn - Spanish and German! Now, outside of Dubois County, I don't think there is much calling for the knowledge of the German language in the U.S., but who knows!

In Jasper, a neighboring town and the county seat, the German heritage is even more visible. Each year, Jasper holds the Strassenfest (street fest), where the Germanness of the area shouts out. German flags are seen everywhere and people dress in German attire. It is quite a sight.

Jasper also has one of the few German restaurants (pictured above) I have seen in Indiana - The Schnitzelbank (carving bench). It has been in business since 1961 and is well-known for its German and American cuisine. It prides itself on serving food such as Wiener Schnitzel, Goulash, Spatzle, Kassler Rippchen, German Fries, etc. I have only been there a few times. However, this weekend we celebrated my hubby's birthday, and his gift was a trip to The Schnitzelbank.

Although Lee may make fun of my heritage, he truly loves the German girl he married and where she comes from. We have always talked about going to the restaurant, but it is quite pricey, and we never have time to stop when in town. So this weekend we made a special trip just to eat at the Schnitzelbank. Yummy! My husband had the Wurst platter - Bratwurst, Knackwurst, and Bockwurst with German fries. He loved it! I am not a fan of German food - go figure. I had the Channel Catfish Fiddlers platter. Never in my life have I seen catfish this huge. My word! But, they were yummy!

So, if you are ever in Jasper, Indiana and want to try some good authentic German food, I suggest The Schnitzelbank - well worth the money you will spend!

FP Got 3rd!!!.....and more news

2007-10-24T19:44:00.000-05:00

This year's ISSMA state finals took place in the RCA Dome - for the last time. Beginning in spring the RCA Dome will be demolished. What a sad time :-(. Next year's finals will be in the new Lucas Oil Stadium, which should be completed summer 2008.

As I promised news, the Forest Park Marching Rangers received a 3rd place finish in Saturday's state marching band finals. They did a wonderful job, and I did not realize how nervous I would be. I wasn't nearly as nervous as the proud mom (my sister), who I sat by, but still nervous nonetheless. It was a great time.

Lee videotaped FP's performance and the award ceremony. We are going to create a DVD that includes a picture slideshow of pictures my sister and I took along with the videotape. I think it will be great in the end, and I can't wait to see it.

In other news, I registered for my last class last week. Registration began last week, and since I am graduating (FINALLY) in May, I got to register for my very last class. I am so excited!

And finally, I have begun taking multivitamins and calcium supplements to get my body ready for a baby. We haven't officially started "trying", but we are preparing!

We're Going to State!

2007-10-15T09:29:00.001-05:00

My niece, Sabrina, has been a member of the high school marching band this year - a big accomplishment for someone in the eighth grade. She plays the clarinet and is the small one in the middle of the picture above. Anyway, this weekend the marching band participated in the regional band competition and next weekend will be marching at the State competition.

I couldn't be happier and prouder of Sabrina. She voluntarily missed her family summer vacation to Florida to join the high school band one year early and go to band camp. Now, as an eighth grader she gets to have the moment of her life (so far) and march at the RCA Dome against the best marching bands in the state. Lee and I will be there cheering her on!!!!

As a kid, we went to the State marching band competitions nearly every year. There is no other sound on earth as the drumline sound reverberates throughout the RCA Dome. However, this will probably be the last year, as the RCA Dome will probably be out of commission next season.

I'll keep you updated on how the band does. I went to the district competition a couple of weeks ago. I must say that their program is beautiful. I almost cried! They are doing the music to "A Beautiful Mind", and it is stunning! I hope they do well, but as my sister (the proud Mom) says, "At least we are in the top ten!" True, very true!

This weekend Taylor also came up for a visit. She was on fall break last week, and so on Thursday night Mem-ma Cheryl picked up Taylor, and we met them in Louisville. Friday Taylor and I spent the day running errands. Saturday I was supposed to go to the regional band competition but was fighting a cold. So as not to miss work and the state competition, I stayed home and Taylor and I played games ALL DAY! It was great to get to spend time with her, and Lee and I miss her dearly!

Also since the last time I posted, Lee has started his job at the Center for Survey Research here at IU. He works on the 3rd floor of the building I work in, and we commute to and from work together and usually have lunch together too. I am so happy for him and proud of him, and I hope this leads to bigger and better things.

Ta, Ta for now :-)

5 Year Anniversary

2007-10-01T15:33:00.000-05:00

Today I have officially been working at Indiana University for 5 years. Boy, the time sure flies by. Prior to IU, I had never worked at any one place for more than 1 year and 9 months, and here I celebrate 5 years at IU.

I never imagined 5 years ago where I would be today. I am now married and a homeowner. I am nearing the end of my master's degree, which I never would have started without working at IU. I make more than double in salary from what I started out making just 5 short years ago. (I don't think I can repeat that in another 5 years.)

If you would have questioned me on October 1, 2002, none of these things would have been on my radar. Thank you, IU, for all of the great years so far. I look forward to many more!

Whew!

2007-09-27T20:35:00.000-05:00

At the request of a good friend who I miss dearly, I am updating my blog. Miss you Jenny!

It has been a hectic few weeks, and I am glad that September is coming to a close. In the last few weeks, I have had three recruitment fairs. One at Depauw, Rose-Hulman, and Purdue. Since Lee isn't currently working, he came with me to the Purdue fair. Lee had never been to Purdue before, and I think he really liked it.

The weekend of September 15, we got to see Taylor after one month of not seeing her. With her school, our schedules, and the distance between us, it is getting harder to see her. I hope we can at least keep it at once a month. I know she misses us as much as we miss her. While she was here, we went to Rock the Quarry, which is a totally free event sponsored by Rogers Group Quarry. We had a really great time together.

Last weekend I went to my 10-year high school reunion. I didn't get to go to my 5-year reunion, so I hadn't seen many of my classmates since the day we graduated. It was great to catch up and see everyone again. It was also nice to connect with those I do keep in contact with - Melissa, Renee, Tami, and Amy (seen above), and those new connections from MySpace. I'm glad I went. Lee also had a good time hanging with the husbands. I think he had a better time than he thought he would.

This coming weekend we are going to the ISSMA District band competition. My niece, who is in 8th grade, is a member of the high school marching band. She plays clarinet, and I couldn't be prouder of her. She is competing at the district level this weekend, so we are going to cheer her on.

Our good friends Jeff and Sara are also visiting Saturday night on their way to the Colts game on Sunday. We haven't seen them since May (see Much Needed Weekend post). It will be great to see them again.

And perhaps the best news of all is that my hubby has a new job. He will be working at IU at the Center for Survey Research. Coincidentally, he will be working in the same building I am except I am on the 10th floor and he will be on the 3rd floor. We hope to commute together to save on gas and mileage. He has to pass the standard background check, but barring any issues, he should be starting work within the first few weeks of October.

Well, that is it for now. Like I said, it has been busy for us the last few weeks. Hope all is well for all of you!

Niagara Falls & Canada

2007-09-10T19:44:00.000-05:00

With all of the news of last week, I didn't get the chance to post a blog about our Labor Day trip. We visited Niagara Falls and Canada. It was a wonderful and much needed time away.

We left Saturday morning at 4:46 a.m. I have only gotten up that early twice for as long as I can remember. The other time was when we drove to Orlando six months ago. By mid-afternoon we were in Niagara Falls, NY taking in the sites.

The following day we went to Niagara Falls, Ontario and enjoyed the Canadian views and sites. I must say, even though there were hundreds to thousands of people surrounding us, watching the falls was one of the most peaceful and tranquil moments of my life. Nothing can explain going there and seeing them in person. It is much like the Grand Canyon, where we went on our honeymoon. Pictures and words just can't describe it.

Pictures and words also can't describe the Maid of the Mist boat ride into the heart of the falls. You will get wet, but you will also never experience anything quite like it. The roar of the water, the wind, the movement of the boat - it was all unforgettable.

Labor Day we drove home via Canada (AKA "the long way"). Lee wanted to drive back through Canada so I obliged. It was quite a beautiful trip, and we got to come back to the U.S. via Detroit. However, it was also a long trip home that day.

In all, during our trip we visited Niagara Falls State Park in NY, Niagara Falls, Ontario, American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Horseshoe Falls, Skylon Tower, Maid of the Mist, Journey Behind the Falls, Queen Victoria Place, Lake Ontario, Buffalo, Windsor, Detroit, etc, all in 64 hours.

If you would like to see pictures, please email me, and I'll send you the link. You can also see pictures on my MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/rachel_81404.

A Death Always Changes Your Perception of Reality - Part 2

2007-09-06T13:21:00.000-05:00

Today I discovered someone I once cared about had passed away. John Thacker and I dated through most of my college days. We met in the summer of 1999 and soon moved in together. John and I stayed together until the spring of 2001, when we realized that our relationship was not going to withstand the test of time. There were many ups and downs, and our relationship caused much grief with my family as well. It wasn't necessarily a healthy relationship, but it lasted for nearly two years nonetheless. The last time I saw him was in the fall of 2001.

In 2002, I moved to Bloomington, but John and I kept in touch - emailing every few months. The last I heard from him was at the end of July when he told me he was planning on moving to Indianapolis soon. I had wished him the best of luck.

Today, I was looking at his MySpace page. We weren't "friends" on MySpace for various reasons, but I still checked in every once in a while. The comments left by some of his "friends" had me concerned. I then checked the Evansville Courier website and searched for his name. I found his obituary. I couldn't believe it!

Here was this person that I had shared two years of my life with, and I was reading his obituary. I've had family members pass away, but I've never had a friend (or ex-friend in this case) pass away. I shared a lot of time and experiences with him and memories started flooding back - classes we attended, dinners we shared, conversations we had, trips we took, etc. I just couldn't believe it!

I called Lee, who knows everything about me and my past, and even he couldn't believe the news. He asked if I was okay, and I honestly didn't know the answer. I emailed my family and my best friends. Sharla immediately called and asked the same question. I didn't know quite how to respond.

I don't know the circumstances surrounding John's death. His obituary says that he died at his residence. He had muscular dystrophy, and I'm not sure if that was a factor or not. I have sent his mother and nephew a card, and I hope they shed some light on this terrible situation. John always told me that he felt as though he would never live long. He felt that something was going to prevent him from growing old. I always thought he was crazy but in the end he was right.

When someone that you are close to (or once close to) passes away, your perception of reality and life's problems change drastically. Lee lost his job due to cutbacks on Thursday. I've been nervous and worried about it, and I still am. But, at least he is here with me. Everything else we can work around and through.

Please enjoy the times you are with people and never take their presence for granted. They may not be there tomorrow.

In Memoriam:

John Harlan Thacker
9/3/1970 - 8/27/2007
May you rest in peace!

Gil's New Home

2007-08-26T17:01:00.000-05:00

First of all, we learned this week that Gil is a boy as we thought. He will be getting "fixed" next month sometime. We also got the bunny a new cage yesterday. He outgrew his cage quite awhile ago. We had been trying to determine what to do, so last night we finally bought him a new bigger cage. This new one is so big that the old one can fit inside of it. Gil loves it!!!! He has stopped chomping on the cage wanting out; he can hop from side to side easier; he can stretch out without touching the sides. He is a much happier bunny!

Not Broken, Just Badly Bent

2007-08-26T16:39:00.001-05:00

I found out Tuesday night that my foot is not broken. However, I ended up hurting it still fairly bad. You can see from the picture how I bruised and how much I swelled. My toes were pretty puffy here, and the left side of my foot swelled too. I am still having trouble walking great. But, I will survive. I just wanted to keep everyone updated.

Sorry It's Been So Long

2007-08-20T18:08:00.000-05:00

Yep, it has been quite awhile since I posted a blog. We have just been keeping on keeping on.

Taylor started 2nd grade on August 9 in Tennessee. It is hard to believe she is that far along already. Wow!

Lee and I celebrated our 3rd anniversary on August 14. We didn't do too much because we are currently planning a trip to Niagara Falls over Labor Day.

This past weekend we celebrated Taylor's 8th birthday, even though her "real" birthday isn't until the 26th. She got to have 2 parties - one for Lee's family and one for my family. We had A LOT of family over!!! She got quite a few clothes, games, and the pink pillow pictured above. She had told me about a month ago that she has always wanted one but never got one. So, of course, we made sure she got one.

One of my big duties in my new job is to plan, coordinate, and implement our Informatics Department Graduate Orientation. That is taking place this whole week (August 20-24). I have been very stressed about it, but today was the first day, and it went off without a hitch. Whew! Only 4 more days to go!

And, some very interesting news - I "may" have broken my foot. I fell down the stairs last night, and I haven't been able to walk on it since. I went to the doctor today, and they took x-rays. They think my fourth metatarsal may be broken, but they can't tell. So, they are sending the x-rays to a radiologist. I should find out more tomorrow. Right now I get to wear a post-op boot and keep my foot elevated and iced. Woo-hoo!

I start classes again next week. My summer class went pretty well, even though it was an online course. I have one class this fall, and one class in the spring. Then I will be officially done :-)

Gil, the bunny, is getting bigger and more persnickety. He is adorable, which saves his hide a lot. The kitties are still doing good too. They are my little angels. :-)

Well, that is a quick update on us and our lives. We are doing pretty good, and I hope it continues that way. Here's to wishin' for the best!

Fourth of July 2007

2007-07-10T10:14:00.001-05:00

Our 4th of July was super busy this year. I took off of work most of the week because Taylor stayed with us from Tuesday to Sunday - long visit now that she has moved. We kept her very busy and showed her the best time we could. Here is a run down of our week.

Tuesday I took Sabrina and Brandi, my nieces, with me to pick up Taylor. Wednesday (4th of July) we spent the day at Lee's grandma's with his family. Wednesday night we set off some fireworks during a rainstorm reprieve, but it didn't stay dry long enough to do much. Thursday Lee's mom took Taylor on the town and spoiled her - go figure! Thursday night the weather cooperated and we got to set off the rest of our fireworks. We had a good time! Friday I took Taylor swimming for 3 1/2 hours! We both got sunburned, but she finally rode the water slide at Bryan Park Pool. Friday night we went to Bedford to see their fireworks show. It was really nice outside and a good time. Saturday, Lee's dad, Lee, Taylor, and I went to Lee's other grandma's house. Lee scanned some of her old pictures like her senior picture from the 1930s so that they are preserved. We hadn't visited her in quite awhile, so it was good to see her. Then Sunday Taylor went back home.

Let's just say I needed a vacation from my vacation, and I was somewhat happy to get back to work. We had a great holiday week, and I'm really glad Taylor got to spend some good time with us. We should see her again at the end of the month. Happy Summer!

Has it really been a year?

2007-06-29T13:32:00.000-05:00

Yep, one year ago Lee and I signed our life away (at least 30 years of it) and became homeowners. It doesn't seem like that much time has passed. We have been through so much this year between renovations, job changes, Taylor moving, going to Disney, and so much more. Time is just flying.

I hope this post finds you all well. Remember to stop and smell the roses along the way because you never know what tomorrow brings. I've noticed that as I get older time goes by faster and faster. As a child you think summer vacation lasts forever. Christmas and birthdays never come quick enough, and you want to be a grown-up so badly. As an adult you realize how good you had it as a child - no bills, no responsibilities, no "real" worries. Time flies by quicker than you can blink.

We've now had the house for a year. We will be married three years in August (my goodness!). In the fall, I will be starting my fourth and final year in graduate school. Amazing how all of this seemed to begin yesterday.

Enjoy today and live for tomorrow!

We're Proud Parents - Again!

2007-06-18T13:43:00.000-05:00

Lee and I have never gone to the Bloomington Fun Frolic as a couple. Taylor's mom always took her, so we never worried about going. Well, since they moved to Tennessee, they were no longer in town to take her, so we did. Boy, what an adventure!

We played the “Win A Bunny” game thinking we would never win. You have to throw a ping pong ball into a bowl floating in water. Who wins that?? Well, we did. Here is a picture of the new member of our family. His/her name is Gillham (for the street we live on). We’re calling the bunny Gil for short, and it is 7 weeks old. The kitties have been sniffing the bunny a bunch, but Gil doesn’t seem to mind them at all. He/she just hops right by. We've been keeping it in the cage for most of the day and letting it out for 1/2 hour here and there for playtime. I think it likes it's new home. If it gets to be too much to handle, we will find it a new home, but for now, we'll give it a shot!

We also learned that Taylor is quite the expert at darts. She won a little blue dog and won her Aunt Gloria a picture by popping balloons with darts. Even Aunt Gloria herself couldn't hit one. Taylor also got to take her first ride on a Ferris Wheel. She loved it!!! I couldn't believe she hadn't been on one before. We've ridden much scarier rides at Holiday World and Disney. All in all, it was a fun day at the Fun Frolic, and we now have a new member of the family.

Out of the Ashes, A Phoenix Will Rise

2007-06-05T14:02:00.000-05:00

This morning I awoke to a phone call from my mom. It seems the church in my hometown burned. For some this may not be a big deal, but to me a large part of my childhood rests in that church.

I come from a small town in southern Indiana. St. Anthony is a town with no stoplight, no McDonald's, no school, one gas station, and a great big Catholic church, which it seems the town is built around. The church itself is well over 100 years old and was built in the mid to late 1800s. It was currently undergoing its first renovation in more than 50 years, and my guess is that something went wrong with construction and started the fire. The fire was noticed at 3:30 in the morning, and six fire departments responded. I'm sure we'll know the exact cause in a few days.

I am no longer a practicing Catholic, but a lot of my growing up surrounded the Catholic faith and holds great memories for me. I was deeply affected when the Pope died, and when I face hard issues, I still revert back to my Catholic faith.

This church itself holds a lot of memories for me and my family. My parents were married there in 1969. My sister was married there in 1992. I was baptized there, had my First Penance, First Holy Communion, and Confirmation all in the church. My nieces were baptized there as well. I attended several funerals in this church including the funeral of my great-grandmother, who died when she was 105 years old, and my grandfather's funeral. I even worked there as a small child. My sisters and I would do odd jobs around the church, and I got paid in pennies :-). As long as I could count them, I could have them. During our high school years, my sister and I were lectors in the church. My, what memories that building holds!

I know one building shouldn't be the end all and be all, but for me it holds the memories of my childhood, my family, my hometown, and my faith. I never thought this incident would affect me so much, but in part, it is like a death in the family. However, "Out of the ashes, a phoenix will rise." I believe this, and I know the citizens of St. Anthony will push on. I pray for them and my thoughts will be with them.

Last Week of May

2007-05-31T08:16:00.000-05:00

We had a great Memorial Day weekend. Friday night we took Taylor to see Shrek the Third. The Shrek babies and the Dronkies were quite adorable. My friend Sharla came up from Jasper to help me de-wallpaper our living and dining room. It took us between 10 and 12 hours, but we finally finished. Only the foyer and kitchen to go!!!

Sunday we got a little rain with a little sunshine which allowed me to take the picture above. I haven't seen a rainbow in quite some time, and this is from right outside our front door. I love our view!!

Tuesday night was Taylor's last night with us on a full-time basis. Lee and I made her a gift. We put together a 10 minute slideshow (http://vimeo.com/204052) of many of the pictures we had of Taylor growing up. We included three songs "Wait for Me" by Bob Seger, "I Hope You Dance" by Lee Ann Womack, and "Home" by Chris Daughtry. We also put together video well wishes from my family, Lee's family, and the two of us for Taylor to take with her. The whole DVD was about 20 minutes long or so, but she loved it. She called us last night on her way to Tennessee to tell us that she had already watched it three times!!!!!! The next time we'll see her will be Father's Day weekend, so we don't have to wait too long.

As we lost Taylor, we gained Gloria. Lee's sister is in between leases right now, so she has temporarily moved in for the next few weeks. Her stuff is taking up half of the garage, and she has moved in to Taylor's room while Taylor is away. She is also bringing her kitty today, which should be interesting for my three cats. I can't wait to hear the hissing and growling when I get home :-).

Anyway, I start my summer class soon, work is going well, and life will be getting back to normal. I can't believe May is already over. Whew!

Much Needed Weekend

2007-05-21T10:09:00.001-05:00

So this weekend was a much needed weekend of fun. Lee and I visited our friends Jeff and Sara in Evansville. We haven't been to visit them in nearly a year just because of how things have worked out with all of our schedules, but I'm so glad we made it down there.

Friday night we went to Cheeseburger in Paradise and had a nice dinner after dropping off Taylor with her mom for the weekend. After a late night and a late start to Saturday, Lee realized that his wallet was no longer on him. So I proceeded to call every place we had been to since we arrived in Evansville Friday night. We kept checking our account online and no purchases had been made. Lee called his dad who has a key to our house, and bless his heart - he found Lee's wallet at home, but not until midnight and we had been worrying all day!

Saturday night we went to Fast Eddys - an Evansville bar with good eats that are cheap - and then made our way to the boat - Casino Aztar. Unfortunately, we got carded, so since Lee didn't have his wallet that idea was a bust. So instead we went to Jillian's - which we equate to Chuck-E-Cheese for adults. It has pool, games, bowling, a bar, restaurant, etc. Lee and I decided to step into this photo machine that takes your picture along with your significant other and creates an image of your future child. Above you will see the the result - isn't he a cutie?!?!? We'll keep this until we are done having kids and see just how accurate it was. Lee and Jeff also had a rough game of air hockey where injuries and potential lawsuits were a likely possibility :-). We then went back to Jeff and Sara's for a smallish party of friends, good times, and the Nintendo Wii. Competitiveness took the better of some of us, but it was good to spend time with friends.

Sunday we bought a new fountain for the outdoors which was my birthday present - 3 months late, but better late than never. We had a great cookout before we left Evansville and headed back to reality. Although it doesn't seem like much, it was nice to get away, spend time with good ole' friends, and get our minds off of life for awhile. Perhaps we should do that more often!!!!!!

This next weekend we are taking Taylor to see Shrek the Third, and my good friend Sharla is coming up to help de-wallpaper our living room/dining room/foyer area. Her birthday present to me this year was her for a weekend. Taylor's last day of school is May 30, and then she moves back to her mom again and we'll resume some sort of visitation schedule. Life is constantly changing, but at least it is a good life to have!

Taylor

2007-05-02T10:03:00.000-05:00

Well it has been almost one year since I started this blog. I can't believe how time flies and how much life has changed in one year!

We've been very busy this past month. Lee's new job is going well. He is really enjoying it and couldn't be happier. We are getting more things done on the house. This summer we are hoping to get even more done. My job is going well. Same old, same old. I have officially finished the spring semester, and I only have 3 more classes to go to finish my degree!!!!!! The light at the end of the tunnel is getting closer and closer.

For the last few weeks and until the end of May, we have had Taylor full-time. Her mom and stepdad have officially moved to Clarksville, TN. Her stepdad joined the military in October, and Fort Campbell is his first duty station. Taylor is staying in Bloomington with us until the end of her school year.

It has been quite a change for us. I have adjusted my work schedule so I can take her to school in the morning. She stays with a friend after school until Lee can pick her up. We have been traveling every weekend (either to Ft. Campbell which is a four hour drive one way or we meet in the middle) to make sure she sees her mom. Our nights now consist of fixing dinner, showers, homework, play time, and bed time.

The interesting thing is that I have really fallen in love with Taylor all over again. It is much different to have her full-time than to have her every other weekend. We have been able to bond much better, and I think it will be hard on all of us when she officially moves. We are still going to try to see her every other or every third weekend, but it won't be the same as it is now. However, I am really glad we've had this time together before she moves.

7 Months

2007-04-09T20:50:00.000-05:00

Almost 7 months to the day of Lee losing his job, he is back employed full-time on a permanent basis. Within one week he applied, interviewed, and was offered a job at Sternberg's. Sternberg's is a truck place (for lack of a better term) here in Bloomington. They were started in Jasper (my neck of the woods), and they also have an office in Evansville (my other old stomping ground).

We couldn't be happier about this change. For the last four months, Lee has been working a full-time temp job; however, his schedule has been less than desirable to say the least. His work week was from Saturday to Wednesday, and the hours were from 12:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Working during the weekends was quite the struggle, especially when we had Taylor. She didn't get to see her daddy as much as she would have liked and vice versa. Now all of that gets to change.

With his new schedule, we will also be able to get more renovations on the house completed. Our latest has been installing new attic stairs, and we have begun replacing our interior doors. He is finishing it up as I type.

Due to some scheduling conflicts, I won't be able to go on my first recruiting trip like a posted a time back. But, really, it is okay. There were lots of signs pointing to me not taking the trip, so I'm glad I cancelled it. I'm sure there will be other chances for me to travel, so no worries!

Well, Lee and I are hoping that our good news continues. Perhaps our luck has finally changed.

MySpace

2007-03-29T08:31:00.000-05:00

Well, Lee and I have finally gotten MySpace pages. It is a good way for us to keep in contact with friends in addition to email and our blogs. Lee also started a page for his business to get more contacts and networking.

Rachel's Page - http://www.myspace.com/rachel_81404
Lee's Page - http://www.myspace.com/llawmaster
Lee's Business Page - http://www.myspace.com/lmlvideoservices

Of course, Lee also still has his blog - http://magic.rox.com

Feel free to visit them!

Disney 2007

2007-03-23T11:27:00.000-05:00

This past month as been quite busy and exciting. For Spring Break, we took Taylor to Walt Disney World. Animal Kingdom, Epcot, MGM, and the Magic Kingdom in 3 days!! Yikes! We drove down too, so it was also a 16 hour car ride. We also stopped at Ormond Beach just north of Daytona and took in the Atlantic Ocean. It was a great trip, and I'm really excited that we went!!

We also have been doing more work on the house. This week we put in a new heat pump. The old one was original to the house (33 years old!), so it was high-time we purchased a new one. Now hopefully our energy bill will decrease - for the past few months it was out of control.

I also got news today that I will be doing my first recruiting trip in less than a month. I am headed out to California for a week in April - visiting four Cal State University campuses in hopes of recruiting more students for the School of Informatics. So, I'll keep you updated on that. Very nervous, but I think it will also be fun!

What a First Week!

2007-02-20T10:07:00.000-05:00

So last week was my first week at my new job! Monday was crazy busy. Within an hour of my being there, I had to attend my first Administrative Council meeting (1 1/2 hours long), then I had to meet with my supervisor, set up my desk, etc. By the end of the day, my mind was exhausted. As my sister said, "You go from knowing everything to knowing nothing." And, boy, do I agree.

Then came the ice storm. I missed work both Tuesday and Wednesday, and IU actually closed the campus for half of Wednesday. As you can see from my picture, our poor pine tree suffered quite a bit of damage. Many of its front limbs fell off Tuesday due to the ice. We lost power for about 1 hour Tuesday morning and then we lost cable for another hour Tuesday afternoon. We were lucky! Our neighbors, who are on a different electric company than us, were without power all day Tuesday. It took Lee 1/2 hour to get into his truck to go to work Tuesday night. By Wednesday, the roads were really bad, but the sun cleared many of them by afternoon.

So, for Valentine's Day, we went to Olive Garden for dinner. It was very nice and wonderful. We decided to rent a movie and just stay in the rest of the night. Little did we know our power was going to go off for another 2 1/2 hours due to a tree on the power line. So, there we are sitting by candlelight on Valentine's Day. Not a bad prospect, except that we had no heat either. My husband used his noggin and set up our portable DVD player with our battery charger kit, and we got to watch a movie anyway. It was an interesting but wonderful Valentine's Day!

I went back to work on Thursday and Friday and kept busy as well. I went to an IT Career Fair and got my first taste of recruiting. I think this job is going to be challenging, interesting, and a great opportunity for me. I can't wait to experience more.

Then Saturday came more snow. It wasn't that big of a deal except that when I pulled into our driveway, I kind of missed it. I got hung up in our ditch. I went inside to get Lee to help and before we got back outside, a slew of neighbors came out to help. They got me out - I love having neighbors!!

Well, down with one week and many more to go!!

Reflection

2007-02-06T11:06:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I hardly ever post this close together, but I have a lot of things on my mind.

Yesterday was my goodbye party at my current job, and it was a lot harder than I thought it would be. My office took me out to Irish Lion, and we had a great time...until Jim stood up to say a few words. Jim has always been a big supporter of mine. He wrote one of my recommendations to get into grad school; he was at my wedding; and he is just an all-around great guy. He said some great things. Then I had to say a few words, which I didn't get through without crying (and if you know me - I never cry). Whew! Now, I just have to make it through Friday!! Tonight my grad assistants are planning on taking me out for food and drinks at Cheeseburger in Paradise. That should be a good time.

This weekend I went to visit my parents on Saturday to go through some items I still have at their house. To my suprise, I got a little treat. My great-uncle passed away last month, and my father had received some old family pictures on Saturday. It was amazing to look at some of them. I had never seen a family picture of my father's family. Wow!

You see, I never knew my grandparents on my dad's side of the family. My grandmother died from ovarian cancer just weeks after my dad graduated high school. My grandfather died six years later in 1966. My parents didn't even start dating until 1967, so we never had a chance to meet them. So, these pictures were wonderful.

In addition, for those of you who know me and my family, you know my father has a prosthetic leg. It was amputated in 1950 when he was 7 years old due to cancer. Well, some of these pictures were taken before that time when he still had his leg. To see my dad as a little boy was just wonderful! I love that stuff.

Anyway, enough for my sappiness. It has been a rough emotional week already, and it is just starting. What a good time for reflection!

Lots of changes ole' Max, Lots of changes

2007-01-30T13:55:00.000-05:00

January has been quite a month of changes for us. We have now gotten our new dishwasher, which has been a great addition to the house. It is much quieter than any other dishwasher we've ever had.

Lee has been on a few job interviews this month, but nothing has panned out. He is still working for First Lease, although, he continues to look for new work. His business/obsession/passion is now an "official" business. Check out his new website at http://www.lmlvideoservices.com.

We have decided to take Taylor to Disney World this spring break. I haven't been to Florida before either (it just never worked out), so this will be a great vacation for all of us. She might be moving away this spring, so we will make it a vacation to remember.

I found out yesterday that my sister and brother-in-law got tickets to the Super Bowl. They have been Colts fans and season ticket holders for years, so I'm glad they get to go. Off to Miami!!

The best news of all is that I have been offered a new job. I currently work in the MBA program at IU, and beginning February 12, I will be working at the School of Informatics. My new job title is Manager of Graduate Admissions and Graduate Studies Office. With the new job comes some perks such as a significant pay raise and 6 weeks paid time off a year + holidays! Whew! I also get to finally quit my second job after 8+ months.

January has been a great month, so I hope the rest of the year follows. We'll keep in touch!!

Welcome to 2007!

2007-01-01T13:29:00.000-05:00

I must say I have deeply enjoyed the last week and a half of my life. I enjoyed being off of both of my jobs and school. I enjoyed spending time with my husband and step-daughter, and I enjoyed no major crisis except for the dishwasher dying and yesterday's small flood in our basement. The good thing is that we knew the dishwasher was on its last leg. It is original to the house, which is now 33 years old. So, we asked for Lowe's gift cards for Christmas. We have enough for our dishwasher without having to spend our own money. New purchase next week.

Christmas went well for our home. We got to see all of our family. Taylor got many new presents and being the big girl that she is donated A LOT of her old toys to Goodwill yesterday. We're so proud of her! She is really starting to grow up and think of others before herself is a great start!

Thursday Lee and I got away for some time and went to the French Lick Casino (and Sonic!) for the day. We didn't get the chance to spend the night, but it was well needed time for ourselves anyway.

New Year's passed without much fanfare. Lee had to be at work at midnight, so I spent New Year's with my kitties. At 12:08 a.m., my best girlfriend Sharla called, and I'm glad that she did. We're meeting up on Saturday to exchange x-mas gifts and so I can also give her birthday gift to her. It hasn't been that long since I've seen her, but she always puts me at ease when life has me stressed.

Sharla and I were roommates freshman year in college and have stayed the best of friends ever since. We lived together off-campus for a year after she returned from a semester abroad in England. We were maid/matron of honors at each other's weddings. I don't keep many "close" friends, but she is the best one (next to my hubby). I can always count on her!

2006 brought quite a few challenges our way: a new house, a lost job, numerous floods in our house (most brought on by us), etc. But as Lee and I always say, "We'll make it through. We always do."

I hope 2007 brings good luck, not only to us but to all of you. Here's to a new year, a fresh slate, and well wishes!

2006 is Almost Gone

2006-12-19T12:03:00.000-05:00

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

2006-12-02T15:54:00.000-05:00

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

2006-11-14T14:45:00.000-05:00

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

2006-10-24T12:51:00.000-05:00

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

2006-10-09T10:38:00.000-05:00

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!

2006-09-06T13:30:00.000-05:00

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....

2006-08-04T07:12:00.000-05:00

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!

2006-07-06T09:01:00.000-05:00

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

2006-06-18T20:11:00.000-05:00

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.

LML Video Services & ROX

2006-06-13T18:19:00.000-05:00

In an earlier post, I said I would let you know about a video camera I had and why. Well now is the time.

It all started with our wedding. Our friend, Jeff had started his own business. He videos weddings in southern Indiana. Since he is a friend, we hired him to video our wedding, and we enjoy the results still. What he did with video really fascinated me, so I had to get into the game myself. I didn't want to shoot weddings or video anything at all really. I'm more of a techie than a videophile. I built a new computer to my specs specifically for the job and began playing around with stuff. I didn't have any sort of direction, which I needed. This is where ROX comes into play.

ROX, formerly J&B on the ROX, is an independently produced TV show that has been in production since 1992! It was also the first TV show EVER to be on the internet! It started in Bloomington Indiana, my hometown. I was hooked from the first time I viewed the show on CATS, the local community access TV station. Since 2000ish, I have been collecting the episodes on VHS tapes, which take up quite a bit of space in bulk. So it was decided, I was going to convert all of these tapes to DVD.

The first set I made was purely homemade, but I thought the shows' creators would enjoy a copy themselves. So I made 2 additional copies and sent one to J who is currently in Missoula, MT. Editor B (as he likes to be called) and his wife were in exile here in Bloomington, as they reside in New Orleans, LA and evacuated their home when Katrina came. So I dropped off a copy to them right before they went back to "Defend New Orleans". Needless to say there were tornado warnings in Bloomington at the time.

To my surprise, both of them enjoyed the set. With some constructive criticism and help, I made a different version of the set. This set came out as if a professional made it. This second set is pictured. I was amazed, and started a business around it! I am currently working on transferring the rest of the show to DVD. As episode 94 is currently being produced, it is a lengthy process. The best part of all; I have made 2 friends who make me feel as if I am part of something. I just hope we actually meet someday..........I've always wanted to go to NOLA and Montana. I see vacations in my future!

I transfer analog formats of video and audio and convert them to digital formats, eg. DVD. It is enjoyable and an obsession. I named the business LML Video Services. The "LML" is my initials. It just seemed right.

It seems that if I'm not on the computer, I'm at work. Oh well, I have been this way since I got my first computer, a 486dx2, running at a whopping 33mhz, with 4 megs of ram, 16 colors, and windoze 3.1, but that's a whole 'nother story.

June is Upon Us

2006-06-04T21:07:00.000-05:00

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

2006-05-30T08:50:00.000-05:00

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

2006-05-25T18:36:00.000-05:00

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!

A Death Always Changes Your Perception of Reality

2006-05-21T11:28:00.000-05:00

I awoke this morning to my wife informing me that someone we knew of had died. That person is my ex's ex. I know this may sound complicated, but it has seriously affected us.

When I first found out about him in the summer of 01, I actually wanted to kill him. I even tried a few things to enact that plan. I then realized that these things I had done just showed how immature I was.

As the years have went on my daughter began to care about him, and loved to play with his children, a daughter and son. He even wrote on his Yahoo profile that he thought of Taylor as his own. We were actually planning to have a day out with him, his children and us.

He wasn't a "bad" guy, he was actually a nice guy. He helped me with a few computer problems I had. We even gave him a computer we no longer used. He rebuilt that computer and gave it to my ex's mom.

He was only 10 years older than myself. We do not know how, why or the circumstances surrounding his death. It has really made Rachel & I ponder our own mortality though.

We have not informed Taylor yet. We are going to wait until her mom arrives back from Madison (on a trip) tonight. Then she will have the full support of both of her parents for the barrage of questions I'm sure she will have.

After waking Taylor, she informed us that she had a dream about him overnight. Maybe he came to her to tell her goodbye? Perhaps she made a impact on his life and made him happy.

In the end, I feel like the "bad" guy.

Richard D. Mumma
July 25th, 1970 - May 19th, 2006
May you rest in peace.