The Walker's!

Ready for a New Year!!

2009-01-02T13:27:00.004-06:00

I have not posted in a very long time, partly because we have been very busy and partly because everytime I thought of posting I was at a loss of what to post about. Things here since Tanksgiving have been very hard and I don't like to write about the yucky stuff.
Joe was laid off Monday December 1st. They made several cuts within the company and are trying their best to stay in business. The new housing market in Indianapolis came to a screaching halt. CP Morgan (the builder they did the most business for) slowed to only one house a day, during their best they were up to 15. There was no severace, he was simply paid his left over vacation time. He immediately applied for his unemployment, however, they are so backed up with claims he has still not received a single check, which will be a mere fraction of what was being paid.

For 30 straight days now we have applied for every conceivable job in a 60 mile radius. Jobs he is over qualified for, underqualified for. New industries, same industry. Pay cuts, night shifts- you name it. He has had one interview, which we are still very hopeful about, but no ther calls. I have also been applying as well. I have tried to find a part time or full time job- but have had no luck either. My college girlfiend is due any day now with thier first child and am excited about the possibility of providing child care for her. But that is all stil to be decided, and a personal decision to be made after the birth and her maternity leave. We shall see what happens, we are willing to do whatever we can to make it work. If I work part time he can take a pay cut job etc, if I work full time temporarily- he can stay with Hanna and draw unempyment until something comes...we are up for any scenario that works!

We will continue to pray, apply and hope for an answer and do the best we can. We have enjoyed the extra time we have been able to spend as a family, the help we have been able to lend some friends, like house projects and moving help and the help they have been able to provide us. We have truly seen how much we are loved and feel so blessed that we are rich in friends. Please keep our family in your prayers and wish us luck as we try to find our sliver lining in this situation.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

2008-11-27T08:25:00.003-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours! We are hosting both of our families today, over 40 people will be celebrating with us!!!! It will be a crazy, crowded, fun time. I am so thankful that both my mom and dad are both healthy and able to come celebrate with us !We are so blessed and thankful for family and friends, and all that we have.....wishing you all the same!!!

My Happy Monday!

2008-11-18T20:01:00.010-06:00

We slowed down, snuggled up and had a great day yesterday...
Our only goal of the day was to give our sweet dog, Daisy a bath. Mission accomplished!! Hanna LOVES to help out when it comes to Daisy!

Look at that face!!

Squeaky clean!

Then we thought we would make some cookies. Hanna wanted to make up her own recipe and I was having a "yes" day...so why not? We made Oatmeal, Peanut Butter, Brown Sugar, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip cookies- and boy were they were good!! She loves to cook with me, which is nice, I don't remember doing that, much with my mom when I was younger.

And as if we weren't having a good enough day- we looked out and saw this.....

The first snow!!! It didn't stick at all, but it made us so happy. It is the simple things that make us really smile, I am so thankful for my happy girl, happy dog and Happy Monday!

Getting Involved!!

2008-11-14T13:28:00.006-06:00

It is hard to believe that we have lived here for well over a year now, and with everyday that passes we try our best to get involved in our community. I am now taking that to a new level...I will be serving on the board for our neighborhood homeowners association! I am very excited, there is not a lot of neighborhood involvement now- but I intend on changing that!! I will be suggesting a directory, block party and an increase in our beautification efforts! I am excited to meet new neighbors and see what we can all accomplish. Stay tuned for updates....

Also, we are becoming bigger and bigger Colts fans! We even went to a Colts in Motion day last week, where Hanna got to meet some of the cheerleaders, take some fun pictures and get some cool stuff for Daddy. That was really fun!!

I am also feeling good these days about some projects I am trying to get done. My sister is finally moving out, after over a year...we are so proud of her and the exciting opportunities she will have with her own home. And I can't wait for the extra room. I believe we are trying to do a functional office/scrapbooking/guest room type of thing. This sounds complicated and I am sure it will take a while, but it will be so nice to have the room! I will be sure to do some before and after pictures!

Our trip to Disney World!!!

2008-10-29T11:12:00.022-06:00

We are home,trick or treating and my birthday are now over and I can finally get to an update and downloading the pictures...and Jen really wants to see these:)!! Wow- we had such a wonderful time...I can't say enough, October is such a wonderful time to go! The weather was overcast, mostly cool, lines were short and it was such a blessing while traveling with Hanna to have those advantages.

We left very early in the morning and we were able to see the sunrise on the airplane, that was a true thing of beauty, we will not soon forget! Hanna loved the plane ride, colored and chit chatted with our flight attendant about things she was excited to do. We landed and used Disney's Magical Express to whisk us off to our hotel, no bags, no lines, wonderful! They delivered our bags to our room for us a few short hours later, Joe loved that;).

We stayed at the Disney All Star Movie Resort, it was so fun. A Fantasia pool, Herbie the Love Bug room and great food court. Hanna got a "1st visit" pin when we checked in- she was treated like a princess from the very beginning .....

We visited each park and left 3 days for the Magic Kingdom, which was a good decision, there was so much there she loved, it was time best spent. I underestimated how much she would want autographs and meet every character possible!!! She loved this, no matter how long the line, she wanted to meet everyone. So, we did just that.

We also had some wonderful surprises for her, such as Cinderella breakfast in the Royal Castle. We kept this a surprise from her until the very moment we walked in. The look on her face was priceless. And of course the experience This was amazing, all the trouble booking it was well worth it!!

The Princess Dinner at Akershus Banquet Hall in Epcot was also wonderful! The Princesses were so nice, stopping by each table and talking with us, This is were Hanna got to spend them most time with Sleeping Beauty- her FAVORITE!!

We also did a Winnie-the Pooh buffet at The Crystal Palace. The dining plan was such a great fit for us, I highly recommend it to any family considering it.We had our reservations, no waiting for a table and ate where and when we wanted. It was well worth the money, if only for the stress it takes away, but also, we found it to be a great value.

Some of our favorite things were: The Fantasmic water and fireworks show at Hollywood Studio's- really- this was simply amazing!! The Spectromagic Parade at Magic Kingdom, Story Time with Belle at Magic Kingdom, Lion King Show at Animal Kingdom. Soarin', a flying ride at Epcot, Turtle Talk with Crush, where he talked to Hanna!! There are too many to list...:)

This was truly the best trip we have ever taken, I feel so blessed that we were able to take her at such a magical age. Joe was never able to go as a child and he was so excited that this is something she will cherish forever. So, here are some of my favorite
pictures.....

Hollywood Studio's

The whole family(even PB) and Chip & Dale

I really like this one!

Hanan signed Mickey's autograph book:)

At Epcot

Ariel's Grotto

Joe really likes Donald- I love this one!

She loves her Minnie Mouse Ears!

Fantasmic Show!

And the Winner is......

2008-10-20T19:39:00.006-05:00

Hanna got THIRD PLACE!!!!! All her hard work paid off and she was so thrilled to get third place in her pumpkin decorating contest. She received a certificate, ribbon and a $5 gift card to Metropolis Mall. She spent it at- no surprise here- Claire's, her very favorite store. She got two new pair of earrings. She picked butterflies and pearls (to match mommy- how sweet is that?!) It was such a great time!

So, now I am ready for bed, as we head off to Disney World at 5:30AM tomorrow! Look for a new post about the happiest place on earth in a week or so:)

Hanna's first contest!

2008-10-16T19:57:00.003-05:00

We were visiting our local library the other day, when our librarian told Hanna about a pumpkin decorating contest!! She had just gotten a pumpkin on our preschool field trip and begged me to enter the competition...she couldn't wait to get started! So, Hanna made the perfect "Hanna " type pupmkin...and is now entry # 3 and can't wait until the judging party on Saturday. Wish us luck!

How about a big fat update?!

2008-10-15T21:09:00.012-05:00

I am such a slacker! Well, I think I am recovered enough from my busy weekend- to dish!!

This weekend we celebrated a very special wedding! My childhood friend and fellow Woodsie married her Notre Dame man Bob ;). A beautiful wedding at St. Ben's (where Joe and I got married) was followed by a super fun reception at The Woods. We saw so many friends that we miss often. Hanna and Molly were inseparable as always and Joe, Hanna and I danced the night away- it was just one of those weddings where everyone was just genuinely happy to be there. Congratulations Gail and Bob!

Look at all of these Woodsie's!

My, how we have grown- these were 2 of my best friends at SMWC- Leah (in the white) and Jen (in the black). Look at us now?!

After the wedding we stayed in town at the in-laws. Sunday, after a nice breakfast out with Joe's parents, Hanna's friend Aiden had his birthday party at one of our favorite places: Pumpkin Works. When we lived in town we took Hanna here every year for Pumpkins, hay rides and fun....

Ha- what else have we been up to- we went on our first camping trip a few weeks ago, I had never been, we did the whole shebang- tent, cooked over a fire & went fishing- wow, I wish I went camping when I was a kid! Here are a few pictures...

We have also, had birthday parties galore, the preschool carnival, Heritage Festival days and lots of soccer....
There is always so much going on here, but we are surrounded by love and friends and do the best we can everyday! We are so excited for our trip to Disney World in just a few short days!! This is a special place for Joe & I, we went there on our honeymoon and now to get to take our daughter there is just so exciting. We have a few surprises up our sleeve to help make it magical for her; and Joe and I are looking forward to some much needed family and relaxing time. The next few days will be spent packing, wish me luck!!

*Also, things with my dad are up and down. He is improving in many ways and lagging back in others. He suffered a mini stroke last week that was quite a shock, he was doing so well. But he is back on track, the damage will most likely fade in a few weeks. His goal is walking on his own to come to our house for Thanksgiving. Please keep him in your prayers!!

My beloved Sr. Sue....

2008-09-15T20:52:00.006-05:00

"The effect of one good-hearted person is incalculable." Oscar Arias

As some of you may know our beloved Sr. Sue Pietrus passed away over the weekend, due to pancreatic cancer. She was only diagnosed a few short months ago. She was the director of the Saint Mary-of-the-Woods Chorale and Madrigals and a friend! She was an inspiration, such a leader and she will be severely missed. Please pray for the family and friends of Sr. Sue at this time of loss, for strength and understanding.

FOr any who may not have seen, below is a copy of the obituary in the Tribune Star:
Sister Sue Pietrus, 57, died at 3:50 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2008 at Mother Theodore Hall, St. Mary-of-the-Woods. She was born on May 30, 1951 in Chicago to Raymond and Florence Wielkopolan Pietrus and was baptized Susan Anne. Sister entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Providence on Aug. 29, 1975, professed First Vows Aug. 15, 1978 and Final Vows Aug. 19, 1984. She earned a bachelors degree from St. Mary-of-the-Woods College, a masters degree from University of Illinois and a doctorate from University of Southern California. Of her 33 years as a Sister of Providence, she ministered in music education for 28 years, teaching at Marywood High School in Orange California for three years and then joining the faculty of St. Mary-of-the-Woods College in 1980 where she remained until her death. Among her duties there was being the director of the Madrigals and the Chorale. Sister is survived by her father and a sister, Nancy Barr of Darien, Ill. She is preceded in death by her mother. The wake is on Tuesday from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Church of the Immaculate Conception with the Wake Service at 4:30 p.m. The Mass of Christian Burial is on Wednesday at 11 a.m. with the Rev. Daniel R. Hopcus presiding. Burial is in the cemetery of the Sisters of Providence. The Callahan-DeBaun Funeral Home assisted with arrangements. Memorial contributions may be made to the Sisters of Providence, 1 Sisters of Providence, St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind. 47876 or to St. Mary-of-the-Woods College.

Seriously...Fall?!

2008-09-11T11:50:00.011-05:00

So, So long since an update! Ugh!! I am so tired of being so busy, I am vowing to start saying no more and prioritize the time I do have more effectively! So hear you go, a long over due update....

Hanna has started her last year of preschool! She started a couple of weeks ago and is loving her new friends and our new location- yay! Here are a few pictures from the first day of school..she is getting bigger everyday!!!! At her check up she was still 90th percentile for her height..isn't that crazy?

My big girl at 5!!

Hanna, Addison, Mrs. Bartley and Duncan

We also started soccer last week. I was so happy that Hanna wanted to play again! We gave her the choice and she was really excited. I love having her in soccer, it is something in her life that is not so "girly" :) She remembered a lot from the spring and is doing really well. I am pretty sure this is something she will stick with for many years.

My dad is doing WONDERFUL!

After being released from the ICU he was transferred to a specialty hospital where they worked intensely with him to get him off all breathing treatments. He is awake, talking, eating, and now he is being moved to the next rehabilitation facility tomorrow! He will hopefully be back with my mom soon. We took her to go see him a couple of weekends ago and they were like teenagers;) She did pretty well with the trip. Her anxiety was not a problem until we had to leave...but all in all it was a great trip.

More good news... my sister, Amy, who moved with us and has lived with us for a year now- (ugh) is buying her own house!

This is such a wonderful step for her and her future. She is planting some roots & growing up. The best part, it is just a short walk away in a neighboring subdivision. Hanna will be able to ride her bike there when she is older. It will be so wonderful for our relationship!

This weekend will be another busy one...after the soccer game on Saturday,we will back home helping our friend Ron replace his roof and are going to 3 birthday parties and karaoke too!

We are all really looking forward to fall here, there is so much coming up! A dear friends wedding, the Covered Bridge Festival and DISNEY WORLD! It will be here before we know it...what was I saying about time- ha...someday!

Hanna's 5th Birthday..... and Update.

2008-08-11T22:05:00.016-05:00

Sorry for the lack of updates, things have been very hectic- my dad is still in the ICU and things change daily it seems. He is having many issues- including lung and kidney problems, but has recently started dialysis and today he had to get a tracheotomy to alleviate the ventilator. His vitals for the most apart are stable- but it is still a very slow and unsure path. Please continue to pray for him- I just know this can not be his time. Thank you for everyone's support during this time.
_____________________________________________________________________
This past week my baby turned 5! FIVE, oh my- it just sounds so old! I can't believe it- this year we had such a great time with our big girl.
On her actual birthday Daddy surprised her and took the day off work, we went to Splash Island and had a blast.

Afterwards we went out to dinner at her favorite place Red Robin, they sang to her- she loved that!

We did something very special after dinner. She took such a big step---she asked if, at 5, she could get her ears pierced!!! We ventured to Claire's and she did so well.

For her party she chose a Cinderella theme this year in honor of our upcoming trip to Disney World. So, we had a royal celebration complete with a court of princess' and knights! Decorated Tiara's, swords and shields, pinned the tiara on Cinderella and had a pinata... I think this was her favorite party yet!

With the party over, we are getting ready for some school things, spending time with my Dad and heading home to see Joe's family this weekend. But I am so excited to say that our August ans September are hardly booked at all- that is such great news for us!!!!

Prayers please....

2008-07-23T21:06:00.002-05:00

My father was sent to the hospital early yesterday morning for congestive heart failure and possible pneumonia. Please pray for him, he is in intensive care and I should know more tomorrow but for now, I would just like to ask for prayers. Thank you.....

The love of Friends!

2008-07-20T19:06:00.009-05:00

The weather has really warmed up here in the last week. In the upper 90's most of the time, we are so lucky Lorie and Hayden invite us to the pool quite often! (I don't think I have ever been this tan). We have been very, busy lately- but what else is new?!

Over the weekend we went to a bridal shower for my dear friend Gail. Our parents have been friends for years, and I have literally known Gail since I was born. I am so happy to be there to show her my love and support, just as she has done for my family over the years. It was a great luncheon at Bazbeaux's Pizza in Broad Ripple (so yummy!). There were so many college gals there, some whom I hadn't seen in years. It was such a great day.

After the shower, I ran home and changed for our Mom's night out~Mexican party at Debbi's. I played silly games, listened to some Journey, drank some wine and had loads of fun. Having them as a support system and letting loose every month is such a great stress reliever.

We also went to a baby shower on Sunday for Amanda, a high school and college friend. So nice having it at the country club! She still looks so amazing! She is 5 weeks away and I am really looking forward to meeting Mr. S.

Now I rest! ;)

Happy 4th of July!

2008-07-09T07:36:00.009-05:00

We traveled North to my Aunt's lake house, for a few days to celebrate with family. It was so nice, the weather was just right! We spent hours in the water, eating, playing games and relaxing! We had a smaller crew this year than most, but you'd never know!
I relish times like this, we all live so far apart, but when we are able to get together I always have the best time. I am a lucky lady to have them! Hope everyone enjoyed their long weekend.

Now that we are home I am working on preschool things, Hanna's birthday party and some house projects. I am feeling the need to really get organized before we get too close to school starting. (This is very hard- when a certain sister, is still in a certain guest room) I will try my best!
PS~ It is ok She doesn't read this blog ;)

Gratifying!

2008-06-16T15:21:00.005-05:00

This weekend I was tired, dirty, sweaty, exhausted and yet, have never felt better in my entire life.
I never felt more accomplished, more full of love or had so much respect for my friends and family. This weekend we spent helping our friend, whose whole family lost everything in the flood. Not only herself and her 2 boys but also, her parents who live across the street and her aunt and grandmother that live down the road!! This family is a group of the kindest, most giving people we have come to know.

We are feeling very fortunate that we are able to donate our time for them and hope that at least one of the homes will be salvageable. We worked with some amazing people, and I feel blessed to know in times of need there are still people who put in the blood sweat and tears it takes to get a family back to normal. You do not realize how devastated the flood victims really are until you are there in person. I would like to encourage all of my friends to think about what they can do to help the thousands of families in need!

Chrisite's wedding!

2008-06-11T10:08:00.007-05:00

Regardless of the other issues at the time we all had such a wonderful time at Christie and Brian's wedding! Hanna was the flower girl and loved that her bear PB had a matching dress. Her friend Aiden was ring bearer and they did such a great job and it was nice having a friend there for Hanna to chase around at the reception. I was a bridesmaid and Joe was an usher and boy were we all busy!!

Here are some pictures of our wedding fun...

Prayers Please!

2008-06-08T22:06:00.004-05:00

My home town of Terre Haute, IN is in a state of emergency due to severe flooding! Many are being evacuated and are seeking shelter, food and other necessities.., please pray for family and friends that are being affected.

My dear friend's home and car were completely flooded and fear that ALL will be lost. She and her youngest son were with us for a wedding out of town. Her son was ring bearer and my daughter flower girl. We picked her up at her home Friday afternoon with no water present, and Saturday morning the calls began, it all happened so fast! I feel it was a blessing that she and her youngest son were safe with us, I know for him to see that would have bee even more traumatic.

The flooding also kept many family members from being able to attend Christie and Brian's wedding- nearly every highway, interstate and state road leading into Evansville was closed! This was heavy on everyones heart, but the wedding and weather in Evansville was wonderful for her.

Please pray for everyone and volunteer or help in anyway that you can.

The lord works in mysterious ways and I struggle, at times like this, to see the "why".

You can see more information on our local station WTHI News 10.....The video section is to the right of the screen.

Warning::

2008-06-05T09:26:00.004-05:00

Women with infertility issues, trying to have a baby should NOT watch "Juno" while hopped up on hormonal medication!!!!

That is it carry on....

Geez....!! .(..and Race & Reunion)

2008-06-01T20:56:00.007-05:00

Gosh! I have not updated forever!!! I swear there will be a time where we are not so busy...I know this is true because my girlfriend getting married this weekend is one of my last "single friends". And after the 10 baby showers I have attended in the past 18 months- I think I have reached the end of my fertile friends becoming pregnant as well! Woo Hoo all of this adds up to a break!!

That is until I get deep into my new role at the preschool and start giving tours and filling enrollment spots and planning the Heritage Festival- ha ha jokes on me. No, in all seriousness I am really excited about all of these things!

So, let's see- a quick update shall we....

The race was AWESOME!! You know, I think the best part was just spending an entire day with Joe, just us and having a blast together! I loved it, the people, excitement and the seats-wow! The noise was crazy- I really thought they were kidding when they talked about how loud it was- thank god for pretty pink ear plugs. Hanna had a great time over at Megan's house (thank you sooo much again!)

Danica Patrick!!! She is my kind of girl:)

I also had an amazing time at my 5 year college reunion, the weekend before the race! I feel so reconnected to The Woods, and my fellow alums. Our new president Dr. Behrs (the college's first male) has such vision for the school. I am on board 100%. SO excited about the ground breaking new sports facility we will be getting and his commitment to our long standing traditions! To Liz, Leah and all my other Woodsies~a big, huge thank you for making reunion! It was just like old times, and even better with new memories. I love you ladies!!!!

I will earn my racing stripes!! :)

2008-05-23T16:32:00.003-05:00

So, today, I had kind of a bad day...our yard sale got rained on, I have a sunburn from yesterday, we are all very tired and cranky etc...but boy how a day can change! Joe left a sweet message on the answering machine for me when I got home! That made me feel much better and at the end he said "and I am taking my baby to the race on Sunday"!!!!!!
Now that he is also purchasing manager companies are "wooing" him....so he threw some business to a company that was so pleased they gave Joe 2 free tickets to the Indy 500 on Sunday (great $90 seats too). I am so thrilled- I have always wanted to go to the race, ever since I was a little kid~ yay! Sunday will be a day when I can cross something off of my "bucket list"!! :)

Hanna is a graduate!!!

2008-05-20T08:10:00.010-05:00

Hanna graduated from her first year at Apple House Preschool!! Although it is not her last year like most of the other children, we were still so thrilled that she did so well in her first school setting. So proud of her accomplishments and friendships! It was a year to remember! She will be spending one more year at Apple House because she misses the birthday cut off for kindergarten by 6 days. I think the extra year will only help her be more confident and prepared. Next year will be just as wonderful, not to mention my new position as Vice President, which I am thrilled about!

Here are some great pictures and video from my baby's first graduation!!

It's Official!!

2008-05-14T07:00:00.002-05:00

The Walker Family Vacation has been booked!!!

We are so excited to take Hanna to Disney World this fall. Joe and I went there on our honeymoon and just love it so much, now to take our daughter there is so exciting! We are staying on site this time, which is something that Joe and I have never done. We also signed up for thier Disney Dining plan, we hope this will save both money and time and I love that we can go ahead and make all of our dinner reservations now!

We ordered the vacation planning DVD a few months ago , and Hanna loves to watch it, we have a list of things she would like to see and her most important one is Cinderella's castle! So, we decided to try and get breakfast at Cinderella's Royal Table inside the castle. Apparently these reservations are nearly impossible to get! There is a whole chapter in the book about how you have to call exactly at 7am 180 days before you wish to dine, and that most seats for any day are sold out by 7:02!! Yikes!!! So, this morning at 6:58 I began calling. The stars must have been aligned because I got the last breakfast table available! Yippee!!! Hanna will be over the moon~but I think I am going to keep it a surprise:)

Fun Spring Days!!

2008-05-06T14:39:00.010-05:00

We are having some wonderful spring days here! Last week we had a lot to do...My favorite was Mother's Tea celebration at preschool. They made special surprises, tea and chocolate covered strawberries and even sang us songs!

We also went to the I ndianapolis Zoo with my friend Kari and her kiddos Emilia and Peter! We are so lucky to live so close to an amazing Zoo and Children's Museum..we love it!!

The weather was beautiful and Hanna was beyond excited that the Butterfly exhibit was open at the White River Gardens. She must have smelled pretty sweet that day, so many butterflies landed on her and she loved every minute of it! We may sign up for a membership soon watching those smiles was priceless!!

Daisy loves Broad Ripple!

2008-05-01T14:58:00.005-05:00

Last Sunday, we found ourselves home!!! (shocking I know!!) We all helped clean house and then decided to take a Sunday drive. Joe suggested we go to Broad Ripple. I love this area of town, very eclectic and cute! Joe has been wanting to go so he could try Union Jack's pizza. We have tried 6 different pizza places in the immediate area and they have all been mediocre at best. We were told by some of the preschool parents that Union Jacks was the best in town. They were right!!! It was amazing- granted it wasn't as good as our hometown favorite Maurizio's- but very close. Joe was a very happy man...if you are ever in the area try it out, we suggest the Chicago style- yum!!

After our bellies were full we walked it off around town, and Hanna was dying to stop in a very special store, Three Dog Bakery!
She just loves to buy things for Daisy. Even though Daisy wasn't with us this time, Hanna took careful time picking out a special treat for her. She ended up with an Almond Bark Cake. Daisy loved it....

Seriously?!

2008-04-30T20:07:00.003-05:00

$3.75 Gas + 40 minute commute= BROKE!!!

Ha- sorry I just had to vent!!! These gas prices are ridiculous and with Joe's commute, even in his superior mpg Saturn, it is all starting to get so expensive! If gas prices stay this way, I don't know what else we will do! It is really hard because Joe loves his job on the north side and we both love our friends and community here on the west side!!
Being an adult really stinks sometimes....but during these times I am always thankful that Joe is one of the lucky ones to still have a job and one that he enjoys. No matter what, we are still blessed......just broke:)

Princess Van...

2008-04-28T17:06:00.009-05:00

More new stuff. ...I will get back on track after all:)

Last week Hanna had her preschool box car derby race in celebration of living in the racing capital of the world. Joe was very excited about this one! They painted, glued and glittered to her hearts desire.

Hanna said it was "A Princess Van"...how funny is that?? It was so fun watching all of them run with their boxes. Afterwards they all got some medals, Hanna loves hers!!!

Home for a weekend!~

2008-04-27T20:59:00.008-05:00

Ahhh....I am so behind here...sorry all! We have traveled quite a bit the past few weeks and with the bridesmaid and flower girl season upon us it will only get more hectic...ah well variety is the spice of life :) We are thrilled to be home next weekend and get some things done!!

Last weekend we successfully made it to all 3 of our destinations! The soccer game was rainy and cold but Hanna was such a trooper, this weeks was much better!

After which we went to Ashley's baby shower...she is one of my oldest friends, she was in my wedding, I was in hers and we have always been there for each other. We are so excited for baby A to come!! How great is that onesie??!!! My friend Traci makes the most beautiful things!

After the shower we were off to Terre Haute for Rocky and Becky's wedding. It was wonderful to see old friends and celebrate with them. We danced the night away and all had so much fun.
I was so impressed that we did it all without any melt downs....that is successful parenting at it's best:)

More fun updates later- last week was so much fun- but for now ...time for rest!!!

April Showers bring.....

2008-04-14T21:17:00.009-05:00

Mud Puddles!!!!!!

Last Friday we had a lunch play date with her friends Emilia, Peter and Hayden. They found a long mud puddle on the side of Kari's house and I said what the heck!! She happened to have her goulashes on anyway...
That was the biggest smile I have ever seen! What a great time we had!

We are in Spring mode here at The Walker house! Last week Hanna had her spring party at school...I helped plan this one and it went great. We painted terra cotta pots, planted pansies, did an obstacle course, decorated cupcakes and more!!!

This week after soccer and parent teacher conferences we are all about relaxing! We need to prepare for our marathon weekend...Saturday we have a soccer game, a baby shower and wedding- yes, all in one day and the wedding is an hour away- please wish us luck:)

First Soccer Practice!!

2008-04-07T20:43:00.008-05:00

Hanna had her very first soccer practice Monday evening with Westside United! Blessed with beautiful weather we all had such a fantastic time. My pretty pink princess was all decked out and psyched to wear her cleats!

She did very well, Joe and I were very impressed!! She really listened to her coach and tried her very best and that is always what you want for your children! It was so heartwarming to see her try and succeed:) After another practice on Thursday she will have her first game on Saturday we can't wait....

~Pool Parties are fantastic!!~

2008-04-07T07:08:00.008-05:00

What a wonderful weekend!! Friday we really enjoyed playing games over at Lorie's, while Hanna and Hayden played their little hearts out:) Lorie and Doug had never- I repeat never played Catch Phrase before- I was shocked! That is Joe and I's favorite game- and they love it now too:)We played Apples to Apples, also a good one, and Lorie cooked pizza for us-yum!

Saturday we went to Terre Haute so Joe and Dustin could help our friend Ron with his roof. Since Ron's parents passed away he has inherited a house with many problems and very little help. We are always glad to help and grateful Dustin could pitch in too.

We also visited with Joe's family and Hanna and Evan had a great time playing with these...ha ha

Sunday, we went to Peter's 4th birthday party at the indoor area of Splash Island. Wow- was that fun!! Hanna was more than excited....when we got there and got our bracelets Hanna told the lady "I love this place!!, I am so excited to be here!!" It was so sweet the way she said it. The manager walked by and said that was the best advertising he had ever heard, and that she could pick anything she wanted that they sold!!! She was so happy and picked a beach towel. How great is that?!

So cool!

A wonderful reward!

Peter, Emilia and Hanna

Super Dads tire fast:)

Glimpse of the future:)

2008-04-01T18:54:00.008-06:00

Goodness I have so much fun stuff going on right now I am running behind on my blogs!!! Saturday, after we went to the outlets, was our monthly preschool moms night out; well in really. My dear friend Lorie hosted at her new home and the theme was "Old Lady". I love these theme parties, it makes it so much fun to dress up and get excited!
A lack of Old Lady clothes sent me on a Goodwill shopping spree...I found the coolest stuff, seriously. So, I got all dolled up and we had such a great time. We played Bunco, ate, drank, teased our hair in a fit of giggles and 80's flash backs and had the best night ever!! So, here is a glimpse into my future as an old lady::

And even before all of that I completely forgot to blog about a little lady I enjoy...CARRIE UNDERWOOD!!!
My girlfriend Christie, who will be having the entire Walker family in her wedding this summer, surprised (almost all of) her bridesmaids with tickets to see Carrie Underwood in Evansville last Wednesday. It was a whirl wind trip but so worth it. I love Carrie...we had wonderful seats and I snapped a few good pictures too. It was such a fun time, I was very thankful for such a great surprise.

Ahhh- now this week we are on Spring Break and we have been relaxing and spending some great time together. Today we went roller skating and Thursday we are going to have lunch with Daddy, we haven't even been to his new office yet...Hanna is so excited.

Pancakes and shopping!

2008-03-30T13:31:00.005-06:00

Lately Hanna has been obsessed with pancakes!

Not just regular pancakes, no, no, not Hanna. She likes to instruct us as to what shapes we need to make! Joe and I have gotten quite good at making specialty pancakes on the the griddle like stars, hearts, words, and even Daisy. However, yesterday morning I made something so wonderful I impressed even myself! Hanna asked me to make her bear PB and a flower......I tried my best and no longer cringe at her newest request of "Mommy make a mermaid", I can conquer all:)

After enjoying our pancakes we traveled to the Edinburgh Outlet Mall for a day of Spring shopping! The weather was wonderful and we were all able to find lots of great things, Hanna is growing like a weed and really needed so much! I am so glad we went there, the prices were fantastic and we saved so much $$$, now that is a wonderful day:)

:: Easter!!::

2008-03-26T07:44:00.015-06:00

We had such a great Easter weekend! This year Joe's family was very accommodating and had their Easter celebration Saturday evening so we would not be rushed and crazy Easter Sunday trying to go to 2 different places in 2 different cities!! That made such a wonderful difference, and we were really able to enjoy both places. At my in-laws, I was in charge of the Easter egg hunt this year. I stuffed 182 easter eggs for the 15 nieces and nephews that hunted this year.

Boy- that was very crazy! But it all turned out wonderfully.

Hanna and her favorite cousin Meagan!

Hanna and a few cousins!

Running for Easter Eggs!

We sat out a carrot and milk for the Easter bunny we we got home that evening. He must have liked the carrot...

On Easter Sunday the Easter Bunny came and Hanna was thrilled this year! I even found her a pink chocolate bunny.

That afternoon we went to my Aunt Mary and Uncle Tom's farm where we go every year! We always have the best time. My parents came as well and everything went fine, I was happy to see them looking and doing so well! My cousin Anita has the sweetest boys that love when Hanna comes to visit. Hanna rode their new pony Dusty and even(slowly!!) tried barrels this year. We enjoyed another Easter Egg hunt, wonderful food and great times with family. This was really such a wonderful Easter-I especially loved Hanna's dress this year too! :) We feel so blessed to have such a big family! I hope you all had a wonderful time too!!

Hanna and Justin

Goofy Face :)

My dad, Hanna, Aunt Mary and Mom

Easter is almost here!

2008-03-19T19:20:00.006-06:00

We dyed Easter eggs tonight! Actually they were special Tinkerbell tattoo eggs- because that is just what princesses do:) Although the colors did not work very well and were actually pretty yucky- we still all had fun!

I have gone to Zumba for two weeks now and I actuallyLOVE it!! It is hard, and is pretty much kicking my booty- but every time is better and better... Lorie, Megan and I are having such a great time and I have already lost 2 pounds! I am learning some pretty great dance moves too- so watch out~ ha ha!

Tomorrow is Hanna's Max and Ruby field trip at Clowes Hall. The whole school is so excited about it and I can't wait either. I will be sure to post pictures, if possible!

Looking forward to the weekend and our Easter happenings...
We will head to Terre Huate on Saturday evening and then down to Vincennes Sunday afternoon and we are praying for good weather.

Karaoke, oh how I have missed thee!

2008-03-16T11:21:00.006-06:00

This weekend we had a great time going home to visit Joe's family. In a matter of 4 hours we managed to visit 2 parents, 2 brothers, 2 sisters and 18 of our nieces and nephews (and we didn't even get to see his oldest sister or any of their 9 children)!! Phew, it was a whirlwind but so much fun.
We had dinner at Joe's favorite; dying without it, talks about it everyday, pizza restaurant, Maurizio's (seriously if you are ever in Terre Haute it is the most amazing pizza ever!!!!!!!) Hanna stayed the night with Joe's sister Christina and we.....went singing.
Yes, it is cheesy! I admit it, but Joe and I really do love karaoke. In our hometown we went quite a bit, but it just isn't the same here. We were so excited to get together with the gang and sing some songs at our favorite bar! What a great time we all had...
.

Trying new things!!

2008-03-11T12:52:00.006-06:00

We are lucky enough to live within walking distance to the Plainfield Recreation and Aquatic Center. They have a huge gym, classes, lessons, 2 large pools and an outdoor water park. We have been hoping to sign up for a family membership for sometime now, but is is quite expensive. We decided we should both take a few a la carte classes and make sure it is worth the investment.

This evening I am taking a Zumba class! It is all the rage right now in Indy! I am going with a couple of friends and we will see how we like it....
I am anxious to try it and hope it is something we can continue. I am recently inspired by our friends Jen and Brad who collectively lost over 70+ pounds in a Biggest Loser contest at their YMCA. I am so proud of them!

We also have Hanna registered for Soccer starting soon with the West United junior league. She has never played before but she is very excited. We even bought her some pink and black cleats to be festive!

We are looking forward to spring and trying these great things our new town has to offer!!

Happy Birthday to ...

2008-03-09T20:33:00.007-06:00

This weekend we celebrated a few birthdays in some very different ways:)
Saturday night the preschool gals concocted a plan to help Mandy, the preschool president, feel special on her birthday!

We decorated her house with anything cheesy we could find and she loved it!! Happy Birthday Mandy! After our hard work we rewarded ourselves with some fantastic margarita's.
Sunday, we drove to Peru for Kevin and Corey's 1st Birthday Party!! Our friends Jen and Brad went all out for their twin boys.

(Kevin)

(Corey)
We bought a super cool Tonka ride on and scooper truck, that Hanna helped pick out. We had a wonderful time visiting with our good friends and were so happy to see Leah, Pete, Evie and Elly too! Saint Mary's girls stick together:)
My favorite part of the party was the adorable birthday cakes!!! How cool are those??

Dr. Seuss Rocks!

2008-03-06T07:06:00.008-06:00

We have had such a great week with Dr. Seuss fun. Hanna woke up to "Green Eggs and Ham" this morning for breakfast!

Wednesday Kari and I and the kiddo's ventured to Kohl's after preschool for some shopping and got them all Horton elephants. They are so cute.

Also, Daddy and Hanna had special persons night. They ate snack, played and did this awesome craft. I love it.

Thursday was pajama day, it was so fun seeing everyone wearing their pajama's. I helped out with stories and crafts and had a blast with everyone. I love pajamas!

This weekend we are painting the upstairs hallway, doing a little shopping and traveling to Peru. So excited to celebrate! My best friends twins boys will be ONE!!

Parachute, screams and giggles!!

2008-03-04T12:21:00.003-06:00

Wow- Hanna had so much fun at preschool today! Can you hear her giggle??

Fun week ahead!

2008-03-03T19:23:00.004-06:00

Really looking forward to this week! Tomorrow evening I will be attending a not for profit board member workshop with others from preschool. Thursday is pajama day at preschool, mommy gets in on the fun too, I am a guest reader that day. We are celebrating Dr. Seuss at school all week! I have loved Dr. Seuss all my life and to see Hanna loving it too is so wonderful, she can recite Hop on Pop from heart;) And over the weekend we get to travel to the Nord's for a birthday party. Their twin boys will be ONE--I can't believe it! We love spending time with them.

Over the weekend we enjoyed the beautiful weather! We did some spring cleaning and dinner out. We also took an evening walk. We enjoyed this wonderful sunset and Princess Hanna led the way. I love walks in our new neighborhood- with all the land, lakes and the trail they never get old. These weekends are great! (PS- Hanna even matches in that picture- tiara still there:)

What we have been up to...

2008-02-28T19:54:00.008-06:00

Wow! February has flown by and I have been busy... Crazy to think it is March! We have been having a great time with friends and family lately, as well as our involvement in preschool! I have successfully planned the field trips through the end of the year--Max and Ruby at Clowes Hall, School Bus ride, Sally's Ceramics, the IMA and more!! I am looking forward to an even bigger task next year....I was elected Vice President of the preschool for the 08-09 school year! Needless to say I am thrilled to take on this new challenge and the adventures it is sure to bring.

Hanna still wears her tiara everyday (see previous post) :) And we even bought her a pink cowgirl hat that I was sure would do the trick ha ha....

We ventured downtown to Crackers Comedy Club with some couples from preschool last Friday. Joe and I had never been to a comedy club before and we all had a great time!! Worth the money, without a doubt. We are loving our new friends, it is so convenient that Hanna and their daughters are new bff's.

Saturday Hendricks County had a preschool fair, Apple House had a booth and lots of fun stuff for the kiddos. We worked in the morning and stayed late for the bounce house and face painting.

This weekend we are going to a Dr. Seuss party, cleaning the house and I have some "honey do "things for Joe...other than that we are laying low. Hope everyone can get out and enjoy the weather today!

Happiness can be bought with $3.29

2008-02-10T20:22:00.001-06:00

We recently visited Cassie and Dustin so Joe could help Dustin with some house projects. After their success we all took a trip to the mall. Hanna was so wonderful while we were there that Daddy and I gave her $5.00 she could spend. She was very frugal and serious about her choice. She chose to go to Claire's and found several things she liked but after nearly 20 minutes of deliberation she decided on a pink sparkly tiara for $3.29. She paid out of her Hello Kitty wallet and wore it the rest of the day, and then the next day and then..... Ha! Hanna has worn this tiara everyday since she made her purchase. It has been to preschool, on walks with Daisy, the Pediatrician's office, library and Kroger's! Talk about getting your money's worth!

There was also a wedding in the Walker house! Her very favorite bear PB (formerly pink bear) married her webkinz Snowball. We had a ceremony,Hanna was the flower girl, I was a bridesmaid and photographer. They used Hanna's Barbie car to travel to their honeymoon and even moved into the doll house together. I am not sure if they are registered anywhere, I will have to check with Hanna and get back to anyone who wishes to send their congratulations!

Barbie Bunco Party!

2008-01-28T22:37:00.000-06:00

This weekend I attended my first Bunco party! Traci, a wonderful friend of mine threw a Barbie themed Bunco party for all the preschool mommies, we had a fantastic time. A few bottles of wine, a fun game and and lots of friends! Ran out of great ideas and went as Sleepover Barbie, there were some amazing costumes there- we think our next one will be bridesmaid dresses;)

We also had a preschool birthday party on Friday where we stayed late and played cards with our super friends Megan and Mike (their daughter Lillie is Hanna's other BFF at preschool), we lost but had a great time. I need to really brush up on my 'hold em...card games may become a very regular thing for preschool mommies and daddies. We hope everyone is having a great week, we are looking forward to the Super Bowl --go Eli!!

Masterpiece!

2008-01-24T12:56:00.000-06:00

Hanna and Daddy finished her jewelry box last night and she is so proud of it! She has it stuffed full already. We also thought it would be fun to make something special to go inside, so we made necklaces too. Mommy, Hanna and PB all get to match:)

Yesterday was Hanna's pizza field trip, it was so much fun. I will get pictures up soon, she liked the tossing of the dough the best. Big shout out for Noble Roman's on 10th St. I am having so much fun being Field Trip chairwoman....I think I might even add it to my resume, for that unforeseeable time when I might actually venture back to the working field :)

Dresses and jewelry....

2008-01-22T07:31:00.000-06:00

We had a wonderful time in Evansville over the weekend. I love the bridesmaid dress, not the price, but I do love the dress!! We all got fitted for everything, talked some fun wedding stuff with Christie, but the best part of all was finding a $30 flower girl dress for Hanna!!!!! It was exactly what Christie wanted and is truly fabulous! As an added bonus it even came with a matching little dress for a doll or in Hanna's case Pink Bear.

Christie also got us Christmas presents! Hanna loves her "paint your own jewelery box"! She and Daddy worked very hard on it last night and can't wait to finish it tonight. Will post a picture when she is finished. What a great present that was.

The games were exciting, but I just can't stand the dang Pats! I am rooting for Eli all the way...it is sure to be a great Super Bowl game!

No Pants....!

2008-01-17T17:34:00.000-06:00

About 3 months ago Hanna was starting to get very upset if she didn't have any skirts or dresses clean! I thought it may be a fluke...definetly not.

She has fully boycotted pants all together! So for months now she will only wear skirts or dresses and an array of special tights! I have accepted it and no longer suggest outfits to her, there will be no more morning battles and no "I think it is too cold for skirts today". Hanna picks out everything she wants to wear and sometimes it matches and sometimes.... it is a pink shirt, stripey tights, leopard skirt and silver sparkly shoes (this was todays outfit). I love her creativity and will never have to bear the rebuttle of "mom- why did you dress me like that??" I will have the joy of saying "you picked it our yourself"

*I am now listing all of her excellent condition, never worn, pants on ebay!! ha ha

Good Game!

2008-01-16T12:31:00.000-06:00

We had a great weekend at our birthday parties, happy birthday Kenzie and Cassie! I always feel anytime we spend with friends is time well spent.

Joe had an even better weekend with a surprise invitation to the Indianapolis Colts' playoff game!! A friend of ours has season tickets and found himself with an extra , he invited Joe and they had a wonderful time...15 rows up and and a day with the guys--Joe definetly deserved it! Even though our team lost, it was a really exciting game, and an all together great season. Hanna and I enjoyed watching the game and looking for daddy...(didn't see him- did you?)

We will be in Evansville this weekend being fitted for bridesmaid and flower girl dresses for Christie and Brian's wedding this summer. The whole family will be involved, Joe will also be an usher. Hanna is very excited that one of Christie's colors is pink:), other than that we are hoping to get around to painting the scary fish bathroom as well! Hope everyone is having a truly wonderful day before the snow comes here in the Midwest....

Birthday parties keep me busy!

2008-01-09T12:10:00.001-06:00

We are having a laid back week, I am trying to stay focused on the house and getting organized---this is not an easy task! After preschool today we need to go buy 2 birthday presents. Friday we will be going to Chuck E Cheese to help celebrate Kenzie's birthday and Saturday we will be off to Worthington for Cassie's birthday party. We are really looking forward to both things!!

Other than that I am finishing up my college alumnae work for the year and looking forward to helping plan our 5 year reunion this spring! SMWC Class of 2003, I can't wait!!

Pink!

2008-01-07T19:55:00.000-06:00

We finally painted Hanna's room on Sunday! Bye bye Calvin and Hobbs mural, she is one happy girl now! With the new year we are trying to get organized and cross things off of our perpetual list:) We still have some work to do as far as hanging pictures and things, but we are almost there with her room. Ha- lets see it only took us about 5 or 6 months!! Thus is life....
We have other things to tackle as well and are trying to get to them slowly, I think next will be Hanna's bathroom- boy does it need painting!! What do you think?! Scary right?!

Preschool starts again tomorrow and Hanna is very excited to wear her new dresses Santa brought and see her BFF's Emilia and Lillie. Things are going very well right now, as Joe is enjoying his new job and car and we have decided, for atleast a year or so, to stay here in Plainfield and see what may come of Joe's job. They have been very supportive of his commute and are giving him flexible hours, they also mentioned a "sweet deal" on building a home with their lumber if we decide to ever move north. We shall see....

Boy it's been a while...

2008-01-06T09:07:00.000-06:00

Sorry for not posting in a while- busy as usual! We all enjoyed a wonderful Christmas time!! It was much more relaxing not traveling this year, and so nice celebrating in our new home! Hanna's favorite present from Santa has been the Disney Princess cash register and her little digital camera courtesy of Aunt Amy. I think she has taken a picture of everything in our house atleast twice--ha! as far as I go-- there are just too many cute pictures to post.

We have also been busy with fun activities during Hanna's Christmas break, before Christmas we took Hanna to Christmas at the Zoo. It was fun to go to the Zoo at night and see the beautiful lights, I think it will be a new tradition.

Friday we had a play date with some preschool friends at Jump n Play! Hanna got to expel so much energy that was much needed. It seemed to be a a really fun place for the kiddos, I couldn't believe how brave she was going down the huge slides... she seems so big these days!

And yesterday we all went to the skating rink- we hadn't been skating in ages and both Joe and Hanna have been bugging me to go. (Joe used to be on a speed skating team-he is amazing) So, I think she may be just a good as daddy some day. Towards the end, she refused to hold our hands or on to the wall, ha-sometimes she is so Daddy's girl:)

Birthdays, Christmas Programs and SNOW!!

2007-12-18T08:07:00.000-06:00

~We had such a great few weeks! Hanna had her Gingerbread Christmas program, they sang some adorable songs and had refreshments and Santa on hand. She told me she was going to sing the loudest and she was right! Everyone heard Hanna- I have no idea were she gets it from;) I loved it, that's my girl- no doubt about it.

The weekend before we really enjoyed our first snow and all the fun that comes with it! We made snow angels and snow slushie's. This weekend came even more snow and we all had fun as a family trying to clear our driveway-whew- it took us a while after the 6+ inches of snow fell.

We also celebrated Joe's 30th birthday this weekend!! Hanna and I baked a cake and made him steaks on his birthday. I let her choose his present and she loving picked out Whoppers, Fruity Pebbles and Twizzlers...these are Joe's favorite things;)

Saturday we headed to Terre Haute for his adult birthday party. We had such a great time complete with Maurizio's pizza, karaoke and great friends! While we were in town we actually found a great car for him too! It is exactly what we needed. We bought a Saturn Ion, 35 mpg, and brand new tires. Joe is relieved now that we have that off of our list. We have had some fun times the past few weeks!! This week we are planning on making Christmas cookies, wrapping loads of presents and taking Hanna to the Children's Museum for Jolly Day's.

Sad news....

2007-12-10T22:21:00.000-06:00

We found out a couple of weeks ago that Home Lumber is closing it's doors. With thes harp decline in the housing market, they have not been able to recover. The opportunity came for them to be bought out, and they seized it, after 45 years in business. Operations and the continuing lumber business are being taken over by Truss Manufacturing Co. Joe was a lucky one. He was offered and accepted continued employment with the new company. However, nearly all the other employees, Joe's friends whom he has worked side by side for almost 4 years, all lost their jobs.

We are thankful he still has a job--there is but one catch. The new location will be in Westfield. Approximately 45 minutes north! He will also loose his company truck tomorrow. This all means that in the next few weeks we need to find the money and the time to buy a second car for him to once again start commuting.

This all makes me so angry....I am trying so hard to understand why this would happen.
I wish for simplicity and being settled. I am wondering why we always seem to make the wrong decision, no matter how right it seems to us. Should we have not made these decisions....? I am tired of thinking what if...? It is getting so hard to be the happy, funny one. Is my fake smiling wearing off.....

How Tall?!

2007-12-05T20:39:00.000-06:00

We took a trip to nearby outdoor Metropolis Mall for some shopping and were so excited to see they had covered their water fountain with this gorgeous tree! Hanna loved it so much and Joe was so proud he was able to snap this picture with the entire tree in it, I had to post for all to see!

Chirstmas time is here....!

2007-12-04T16:29:00.000-06:00

We have had a great time the past couple of weeks getting our Christmas things out and decorating the house! Our tree was up on Friday after Thanksgiving as usual and Hanna was just so interested in everything this year. She and Daddy totally ganged up on me and made us put rainbow lights on the tree this year :/ (not a big fan). Oh well, she thinks it is the coolest!

Last weekend we traveled to The Kopetski's for Evie's first birthday and had a great time with friends, Leah just had her second daughter literally days before Evie turned one--she has Irish twins!! So we enjoyed meeting Ellynor Kopetski for the first time as well. And somehow or another Leah and Pete pulled off a fantastic party and she already looks like she has lost 20lbs! Wonder woman I tell ya!

This weekend I am really looking forward to all of my college girlfriends and their families coming over to The Walker house for our annual Woodsie Christmas dinner. I love when we all get together, we all have such a a special bond and it is so great to see us all growing and changing with marriages and families.

Wise words......

2007-11-23T20:45:00.000-06:00

So, it's the holiday season and that means eating! This is such bad timing to be told you are insulin resistant and be put on a strict diet--- (more on that later)! But... I have found a very inspiring pep talk! Please check it out if you are having trouble sticking to a diet.....it is sure to put a smile on your face!!! Here's to wishing us all luck!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-22T22:24:00.000-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving....hope you all had a wonderful time with your family and friends!! We had a great day! We hung out as a family this morning and Hanna helped me make the turkey and the ham, she is such a chef, helping Mommy cook is one of her favorite things to do!

Making Tom!

We carried out all the traditions-( I am a little crazy when it to comes to traditions) We watched the parade, had dinner with Joe's family in Terre Haute, went to visit my mom and all went to see Mr. Magorioum's Wonder Emporium. Hanna absolutely loved this movie and we did too! It was just a great day, with great food and fun family time.

Joe loosing Uno!

Mom and the Girls!

Even though I am having a tough time right now, today was a day to really let go of those feelings and celebrate the millions of things I have to be thankful for. Regardless of the details, any way you look at it- I am one blessed lady!

A very Happy Halloween! (added a video!)

2007-11-01T07:55:00.000-06:00

We had a wonderful Halloween in our new neighborhood! This was our best Halloween yet...so much fun. Our neighbors all sat out on their porches and dressed up to give the kids their candy, we just loved the festiveness. Hanna was Barbie Island Princess this year and she loved that costume- Aunt Amy even gave her some blue and pink eye shadow with glitter to match her dress. That was one of her favorite parts. She practically ran from house to house this year because she was so excited! We went to almost all the houses and then Hanna enjoyed giving out our candy to the trick or treaters. We even brought Daisy Mae out to join in the fun. She was "dressed up" like a pumpkin:) Here are some pictures and a sweet video too of my family fun.....I just love Halloween!!

Peyton, an Island Princess and Devil:0)

Cheese!!

Daisy Mae

~Family Reunion~

2007-10-28T20:28:00.000-06:00

Our fall family reunion to Crooked Lake was absolutely wonderful!! We traveled to a beautiful lake house in Angola,IN over the weekend for a get together with my mother's side of the family. All the aunts and uncles and nearly all the cousins made the trip and of course all of our children. Hanna is so blessed to have so many (2nd) cousins. We shopped, ate, played games and even threw a Halloween party with costumes, treats and crafts for the kiddos!! And with no shortage of Goldie ;), I even took a polar dip in the nearly frozen water with my cousins James and Heidi--now that is something I will never forget! There is no better way to pass a weekend then to spend it with my wonderful family. I am so thankful for times like these! I have posted a few highlights of our weekend...but there were just so many to choose from...enjoy!

Pumpkin Works...

2007-10-22T13:29:00.001-05:00

Had a wonderful weekend in Terre Haute! We went to Pumpkin Works, hung out with the in-laws for a while and had a night at Rafter's for some good o'l karaoke. We like to multi-task when we know we are going to be in town!! Now after all the fun of the weekend, Hanna is sick with a cold:( Hope with some rest, she will be able to go on her field trip tomorrow.....
This week we are packing for family reunion, carving our pumpkins and I am stating to plan Joe's 30th birthday party....that will be a blast!
Also....my Thursday is shaping up to be amazing.....**Only 3 more days until Liz gets here!!! Watch out America, she's back (for a week)!**

Here are some pictures from Pumpkin Works....

It's all politics:)

2007-10-18T19:26:00.000-05:00

I had made a post earlier about a poll I had taken about presidential candidates...the results shocked me and gave me a tie score between Rudy and Barack!! I chose importance of issues and came up with some similar, although possibly vague answers, that these two gentleman had in common. I got some flak...I just wanted to say I understand these men are different and I don't take my decisions lightly. I have taken down this post because it is not completely reflective of my overall decision. But, the quiz was all in fun. I wanted to post it to get people interested, I have some friends and a stubborn sister who at this time do not even vote at all!
Some of the most important issues I see in the upcoming voting year are:
The War in Iraq
Energy Efficiency
Immigration
Universal Health Care
and
Stem Cell Research

I think Rudy and Barack each have their own forward thinking ideas, however, it is the follow through that is the most important!

Tomorrow will suck!

2007-10-15T19:05:00.000-05:00

Pardon my choice of words but, tomorrow I have a 3 hour blood glucose test! Which the lab technician said will actually take more like 4 hours!! I have to fast from 7pm tonight until the test is over around 11:00am. I will get my blood drawn 4 times in about 3 hours, they will test a number of things, including insulin, liver functions and cholesterol. The only reason I am really dreading this is that I can not leave the lab the entire time....so I am going ready with my "I have been meaning to read this forever book" and my mp3 player! Send me some positive vibes tomorrow, something tells me I will be grumpy;)

In other news...over the weekend I found out one of my longest and closest friends in the whole world is pregnant and I am over the moon!!!! It was literally the most surprising news I think I have ever heard! She will simply be the most amazing mother ever!

~Success~

2007-10-13T20:08:00.000-05:00

I wanted to say thank you, thank you, thank you to my wonderful friends for coming to my book show today! I had such a wonderful time...today was just one of those days where I looked around at all of you and knew, I have the best friends in the whole world!!!! I hope you all had a great time as well!

Laid Back Week...

2007-10-11T07:05:00.001-05:00

We have just had a pretty laid back week. Everyone new at the preschool had cooperative parent training (cpt) this week. It has been really interesting actually. Other than that we are just getting ready for the Usborne Books show and the Covered Bridge Fest!!! Couldn't be more excited about either, and I am so glad that the weather finally turned, you really can't go to the covered bridge fest in shorts and a tank top, it is just not right.

In fertility news....
I have been reading the book What to do When the Doctor says it's PCOS...
It has some wonderful information, I am hopeful that I will be able to make changes to progress my ovulation. We shall see. I have my HSG scheduled for Oct. 31st and 3 hour blood glucose test and Joe's analysis are both on Oct. 16th. We are excited to be moving so fast!

It has a name...

2007-10-05T14:02:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was our first visit with the fertility doctor. The visit took 2 1/2 hours! They did a full history, lots of questions and answers, a blood draw and an ultrasound! Ha- I thought it would be questions and a follow up appointment- I couldn't have been more wrong. I left with a diagnosis. I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or PCOS. This basically is a metabolic disorder that means I produce too much insulin, have low metabolism and I have a higher amount of androgens (female version of testosterone). This explains why I never really lost my baby weight, why I still have acne and why we have, of course, not been able to have another child! It will be a hard road for us, but there is a name and treatment and hope, that makes me feel better, just knowing new information!! Pray for us, in the next few weeks we will be science projects!

What we did yesterday!

2007-10-03T20:21:00.001-05:00

With the wind blowing and the sun shining we thought it would be a great idea to get Hanna's kite out! She burnt off some energy and had a blast!I forgot how much fun it was too....... I cherish those completely unplanned, wonderfully fun, belly laugh afternoons!!!

Parties, Pictures, Preschool!

2007-10-02T12:49:00.000-05:00

We have been movers and shakers since my last post. Thursday was Hanna's preschool picture day- it was so cute! Here is a sneak peek that I snapped while I helped get all the kids situated.

Saturday we worked our shift at The Heritage Festival. Apple House preschool had a little booth and advertised for the school. I am so proud to advertise and share our experience with everyone....it is no secret we LOVE Apple House. We gave away candy and play-doh and had a bean bag toss....the kids loved our booth:) In other preschool news...I was also voted as the Field Trip chairperson for the preschool! I am so excited about my new job, I will be in charge of our next field trip at Tearmans Farm. I hope I am cut out for this!

After the festival we went to Lillie's birthday party in Brownsburg, then to Terre Haute for Carmen's birthday party. After the parties Hanna and her cousin Allison stayed the night at Ashley and Jeff's and we headed to Charity's bonfire. After lots and smores, hot dogs and beer we slept outside in a tent. That was the first time I had ever slept in a tent or outside! ( I know- I am weird) It was quite an experience:) What a wonderful weekend we had. This week is a slow one, we only have one birthday party to attend in Avon, and we also hope to finally get Hanna's room painted!

Decisions....

2007-09-23T19:10:00.001-05:00

Joe and I have made some more big decisions lately. After trying our low dose fertility pills with my obgyn in Terre Haute for over 6 months with no luck, we put a lot of things on hold. Everything was getting to be too much to handle with my dad, let alone basal boy temperatures, charting and schedules! We stopped everything! (well almost everything;)

Since we have moved we have weighed so many options. We've gone back and forth several times with what God's plan might be for us. We have prayed, cried, researched, and finally decided to go ahead with everything we have to try and get our miracle!

We booked an appointment with a highly recommended fertility specialist Dr. Jarrett. We are hopeful, scared and excited to start this journey. We are cautious with our eagerness and although it may seem unrealistic to place a time line on these things, we are committing to one year. So bring on the tests and shots and hormones and bills....you know what? We truly feel that it will be worth it. What do you think- send us some prayers!!

~I was Super mom today!~

2007-09-20T19:24:00.001-05:00

Today I truly felt like super mom! Here is how my day went: Breakfast, laundry, bath for Hanna, lunch. Off to preschool, while Hanna was in preschool I had to try and hunt down pink ballet shoes in a toddler size 10 that were all leather (this was very hard) so I found some and they didn't even have her size grrr. I had to stop and get Joe's Rx refilled. Then it was back to preschool to pick Hanna up and off to Emilia's house for a tea party. After the tea party we came home, read a few of her new books, ate dinner and changed for her first ballet class, off to ballet class and back home at 7:00pm! We did this all without meltdowns and we actually had fun too! Yay for me and Hanna!!

She was very excited to start her new ballet class, even though she told me she missed her old class with Miss Patty. We signed her up at The Dancer's Place in Avon and the staff seemed really fun, she met a girl named Becca, got a sticker and had an all around good time. Looking forward to tomorrow when all we have to do is go to the library ;)

~Hanna's First Field Trip!~

2007-09-19T17:15:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was Hanna's very first field trip! Her preschool class went to Beasley's Apple Orchard in Danville. We (mommy got to go too!) got to tour the whole place and some of the information was very interesting---Did you know that the apples are stored at 32 degrees or below but the apples don't freeze because of their sugar content----neat huh? Anyway, all the kids got to pick their own apple right from the orchard and we even had cookies and glass of freshly made apple cider too! What a wonderful time, if you are in the area you should check them out.... We had such a wonderful time!

Busy week and weekend....

2007-09-17T08:08:00.000-05:00

Whew! Excited to start a new week, the last few days have been quite hectic:) How about a little catch up......
Hanna is doing so well in preschool, she is so happy and full of stories when I pick her up! Thursday was my first class to be mommy who worked and brought snack. I loved it, we got to bring cupcakes and juice because it was the day they were celebrating all the summer birthdays including Hanna's!!

We also made a trip to Peru for Molly's 4th birthday party. So much fun, it is always one of my favorite things to spend time with the Nords! The new twins aren't so new anymore, they are sitting up now and Kevin is even army style crawling....can't believe how fast time flies! It is such a testament to what a wonderful mother she is.

Sunday we went to visit my mom at the nursing home in Greencastle. I think you all know how hard that was for us. But it was actually really wonderful!! She was happy and upbeat and looked rested. We took her some framed pictures for her room and she loved that. Towards the end of our visit she started asking about my father a lot and it is always so hard to answer those questions. I don't want to answer them with anger so I try my hardest to sugar coat things for her. This is my own issue to work on as well. We are going back next weekend as well, and Hanna is very excited, she loves Grandma!

Blue Thursday!!

2007-09-07T07:42:00.000-05:00

Well, yesterday was Blue Thursday, our first experience of Colts festiveness since moving to the Indy area, and I ...LOVE IT! The whole city was supposed to wear their Colts gear, so Hanna wore her jersey to preschool and nearly her whole class was dressed up too! How cool is that. Joe and I both represented as well ! I love getting involved and showing spirit like this, how fun. So, in short, we are looking forward to attending our game, dressing up and cheering on our team all season. Doesn't that just make ya feel good! GO COLTS!

Hanna's FIRST Day of Preschool!

2007-09-04T17:54:00.001-05:00

Wow! My little baby girl is no more, today was her very first day of preschool! She was so excited she slept with her new back pack next to her bed last night! She was also anxious to wear her first day outfit, which she chose at the store specifically for the occasion! Do you not love how she matched her dress, headband and backpack? What can I say--pink is her world!

Daddy even snuck out of work to come see her at school before class stared, he had to give her hugs and kisses for good luck ;) Aw! Mommy stayed for a few minutes and bravely left the building---and then cried in the van, but only for a few minutes.

Two and a half hours later, I came to pick her up and she was on the swings talking to her teacher Mrs. Bartley about how much she liked Princesses. How sweet. She wasn't even phased at all---what was I worried about?? Did I forget for a moment how SOCIAL my daughter is? Ha! It was just the prefect first day and Hanna talked the whole way home about the books they read and new friends and circle time and the apple tree and painting and......well you get the picture. Yay!

So what did we do our Labor Day wknd???

2007-09-03T19:45:00.000-05:00

Well, what didn't we do!! We painted our living room, had a blast at Jaden's 4th birthday party, went to the end of summer Skyconcert celebration downtown Indy, and had a wonderful last minute cookout with The Schelppy family! Here are a few pictures of our jam packed, super fun, multi-tasking weekend.

Joe at work- a warm khaki color!

Hanna wrapping me up as a mummy at
Jaden's Scooby Party (we won that game!)

Happy Birthday Jaden!

The Sky Concert with the Schleppy's- soo cool!

An impromptu Labor Day cookout (so Tony could join in the fun)
with our friends the Schleppy's!

Preschool Open House!

2007-08-29T13:54:00.001-05:00

Today was Hanna's Apple House Preschool open house. We met lots of moms and dads, and the teacher and toured the school! Hanna found out where everything was by following her scavenger hunt sheet Mrs. Bartley gave her. It said things like "Find your name on the birthday wall", "find the restroom and wash your hands", "count the books in our library" and "open our mailbox and find a surprise". Hanna had so much fun and since she found these places on her own it will be much easier to remember where they are on the first day of school. We also did a craft with the teacher, a magnet for the first day of school. Hanna did this entire craft by herself and it was so neat to watch her and not help. She used big girl glue and chose where she wanted everything to go. How cool! I am so happy with the choice we made. Today really confirmed that. We love her teacher, the parents and the other children. Being part of the Indiana Council of Preschool Cooperatives and being able to be so hands on and spend so much time involved in her education is everything I wanted. We are really looking forward to her first day next Tuesday.

Parties and a Hike!!

2007-08-28T15:07:00.000-05:00

We had a very busy but fun weekend! Hanna had a great time at Jaden's pool party and enjoyed seeing Carmen and Annika too! I had a great time with all the other moms as well, but boy was it hot! As soon as we left the birthday party we drove across town and met Daddy at Tom and Sue's (my in-laws) 40th anniversary party! Joe did a wonderful job as the emcee of the evening and we got to see quite a few family members we hadn't in a while, and of course, Hanna had a great time with all of her cousins!

After the 2 parties Joe and Hanna headed back to Plainfield and I met up with some girlfriends for some drinks. It was nice to unwind. We were out quite late so I just booked a room at Cassie and Dustin's:) A very busy, but super fun day!

Sunday the weather was unbelievably nice and Hanna and I took Joe to show him our new park! We packed a picnic, fed the ducks and went on a 2 mile hike! Their trails are gorgeous. It was simply the perfect day with my little family!! Here are some pictures .........

We love our new park!

2007-08-23T14:53:00.001-05:00

Hanna and I went to our new park yesterday and took a walk around the woods and lake. We just love our new park, it is beautiful, big playground, sandpit, lots of shade and tons of neat trails. We hope it will cool down by Sunday because Hanna wants to take a family hike on one of the harder trails (I told her we needed Daddy and a map for those:) We have a busy weekend ahead, tomorrow we will be heading to Terre Haute for a friend of Hanna's birthday party in the afternoon and my in-laws 40th anniversary party in the evening! After our parties, Joe and Hanna are headed home for some daddy and Hanna time, which he has kind of missed out on since we have moved and I quit my part time job. But, I will be out and about with the Terre Haute girls for some much needed relaxation (and drinks). I am really looking forward to my fun filled weekend! I hope everyone is managing to stay cool in this heat.

Nothing like a good playdate!

2007-08-22T18:15:00.000-05:00

Hi all! We are having a wonderful time as summer winds down. We had a playdate with LeeAnn and her two adorable children, Jaden and Cassidy, on Monday. They even brought a late birthday present for Hanna, an Aquadots set. After seeing the commercial on TV about a month ago she has been wanting one. She was so excited and it actually *is* as cool as the commercial says!

That evening while mommy, daddy and Hanna were all playing with the neat Aquadots thing, Hanna received another package in the mail from my friend Crystle! Hanna and Crystle's daughter Milynn are lucky enough to share the same birthday...and Milynn just celebrated her 1st birthday- isn't that neat! So, Crystle sent Hanna some Moon Sand, also something she has been wanting very badly! Boy- is that stuff cool- it never dries out!! She just had a wonderful day. Thank you so much again to my wonderful friends LeeAnn and Crystle!

The preschool decision....

2007-08-15T20:39:00.000-05:00

We have Hanna all signed up for preschool in Avon at a participating member of a preschool cooperative. Meaning I will be a hands on teachers assistant in her class once a month and help with the loading and unloading of kids once a month. I will be able to be very involved and we are so excited about our decision. Hanna can't wait to start and today we got to meet some other moms and kiddos that will be attending her school as well. We had a wonderful time and Hanna made a new friend Amelia! As I was talking to the other mothers they all assumed Hanna was in the 4-5 year old class, because of her height, vocabulary and social skills....however, we actually had her signed up in the 3-4 year old class because of the actual cut off. Hanna misses the kindergarten cut off date by 6 days, and if we would like we can get a waiver for her. Or, we can wait it out and let her go when she is 6. The other moms suggested I move Hanna up to the next class, so she would be ready , if she could go. They also said, as far as they understood, the date will be moved back to September next school year. I think in so many ways Hanna actually is ready for kindergarten at 5, do any of you agree, Is it wrong to make the decision for her? It is strange being able to choose...do we want her to be one of the oldest or youngest in her class, possibly be ahead or average...maybe one of the tallest or shortest? Do we care if she is a grade above all of her current best friends...Molly, Jaden, Carmen etc...? Joe says go for it, I think, I think so too, but I am still on the fence. Any opinions?

Chuck E. Cheese and Water Parks!

2007-08-08T17:49:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was Hanna's real birthday! 4 years old seems so crazy to me, and soon she will start preschool, and then before I know it she will be 16 wanting a car..ha! So, even though she had her party already we wanted to make her real birthday special as well. We asked her what she would like to do and she said..."make cupcakes with sprinkles and go to Chuck E. Cheese" . And that is exactly what we did. She got a birthday balloon, a hat and 4 tokens, how cool! I truly think she had a wonderful day.....how about those sprinkles?!

Today Hanna and I met my friend Colleen and her children at the Plainfield Water Park Splash Island! She called on her way from Brazil and with no reason why not, we packed up our things and took the 2 minute car ride:) We live in such a wonderful location only minutes from the Plainfield Recreation and Aquatic Center also home to Splash Island. We swam, played and had lunch and boy is Hanna pooped! If you haven't been yet, you should really make the trip, it is fantastic!
http://plainfieldpublic-om.com/si/index.php
Thank you Colleen for a wonderful time. We are looking forward to a weekend with no plans, we might try and paint Hanna's room and possibly take her to the State fair, but that really depends on the heat. Stay cool everyone!

~Hanna's Birthday party!~

2007-08-06T20:21:00.000-05:00

Hanna had her 4th birthday party this weekend! It was really such a success (except for severely missing my friends Liz, LeeAnn and Christie who were unable to make it). The theme Hanna chose this year was Strawberry Shortcake, or "sweet"cake as Hanna says:) We all just had a wonderful time, thank you to all that were able to come and help us celebrate. We feel blessed to call you our friends and it means so much that you all love Hanna almost as much as we do! She got some wonderful presents, got to spend the day with her best friends and eat lots of sugar, she probably couldn't have asked for a better day!!! Here are just a few of the, oh so many, pictures mommy always takes, enjoy!

Locks of Love!

2007-07-27T15:15:00.000-05:00

Hello All!
In keeping with my "change is good" attitude, last week I had 7 and 1/2 inches of my hair cut off and donated it to locks of love! I now have a new look and a lot more time in the morning and I love it!! My hair was my little safety net and I don't want to sound cheesy but that was a big step for me...so, bring on the new me!!!

*Also, just as importantly Hanna got her very first cut as well. She was so exited about it and was wonderful during the cut. Nothing major just an inch or so of "dead ends". Here are her pictures....thank you to Danna, my friend and stylist at Medusa's, I have so much trust in her;)

So, other than that we just wrapped up Joe's brothers wedding and are focused on Hanna's 4th birthday party tomorrow....it is a Strawberry shortcake party and she is SO excited! Off to finish cleaning for the party!

Busy, Busy!

2007-07-19T14:28:00.001-05:00

I thought we wouldn't be as busy after our move to Plainfield, boy were we wrong! Last week we had a wonderful surprise visit from my cousin Heidi and her family! We decided it would be great to take all the girls to the zoo. Hanna just adores her...hmmm, 2nd cousins, I believe. The weather was perfect and Hanna loved their new shark petting exhibit. Here are some pictures..

Saturday my college friend Annemarie (Schuster) Hohne was in town from Washington and through and interesting turn of events, we ended up having a little Woodsie reunion at our house so everyone could see her. Joe broke in his new grill and we let the kids run loose on the new swing set. What a treat to get all the girls together! I hadn't seen Anne since Hanna was a baby. And my two favorite families, The Nord's and The Kopetski's even made the trip too! After the cook out we headed to my girlfriend Autumn's birthday in Terre Haute, stayed over at Cassie and Dutin's and in the morning grabbed the last few things from the old house....whew! This weekend we will be back in Terre Haute for Brandi's bridal shower and Joe will be throwing his brother Jake's bachelor party. Hope everyone is having a great week
thus far....

Finally! Pictures of the new house!!

2007-07-17T15:18:00.001-05:00

Ok, so many of you have asked to see pictures of the new house so I finally remembered to take some. Everything has been going very smoothly since the move and we are all just so happy to be here. As of now we are unpacking our last 5 boxes or so and preparing to paint. I love all the colors downstairs but upstairs is a different story;) So, enjoy, hopefully you will be able to see it in person soon...just a reminder Hanna's birthday party is coming up August 4th!

The House!

Family Room

Dining Room

Kitchen

Master Bedroom

Vaulted ceilings and planter shelf
in Master Bedroom

Master Bathroom
It is so glorious!

My new favorite place!

Hanna (and Daisy's) new favorite place!

Tomorrow is the day!

2007-07-06T15:50:00.000-05:00

Hello to everyone- wanted to take a break from the packing to let you all know that tomorrow is moving day! I can't even believe how fast it has come upon us, we were so busy and now the time has flown. Everything, although slightly hectic, just feels so right and we are so excited! Hanna has no worries and tells everyone we meet that we are moving and invites them all to come visit us:) I am glad that she is very emotionally strong. So, anyway this is my last post before becoming a resident of Plainfield, we are not exactly sure when we will get the computer up but I would say by Monday, so if you need me before then please try my cell or our new home number.

*Quickly, I would like to apologize to my friends whom I have rarely seen in the past month or so. Those of you who know my situation know why, but I wanted to let you all know that I have missed you and will do much better at seeing and keeping in touch with all of you after we are far away from the sadness, anger and resentment and I can move on with my life. I am most sorry to my dear friends LeeAnn, Leah and Liz- I feel as if I have not talked to them in ages and I am so very sorry. I hope you all 3 know how much I love you! And to everyone else....

A MILLION THANK YOU'S FROM MY FAMILY TO YOUR'S!!!!!!!

For all of your support and love. I am the luckiest girl in the world to have you as my friend!

~Happy 4th Of July!~

2007-07-04T13:31:00.000-05:00

Hello all we have had a busy but fun week so far. We took a break from packing yesterday and cleaned out the van, and it was so nice out we decided we would throw our suites on and wash it too! Hanna and I had a stress free afternoon playing in the sprinkler and picking on Daisy.

Later we got a surprise call from The Nord's who were on their way home from St. Louis (Cardinals game!!) and would be in Terre Haute for dinner. We were all so excited to get to see them, that is the best kind of surprise, seeing our favorite people in the world ;0) After dinner, Joe, Hanna, Amy and I all went to see the fireworks at The Elks Country Club- they were wonderful and now we don;t have to try and stay up late tonight (since Joe has to work). Here are some fun pictures you all might like! Have a safe and happy 4th and GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS!!

How adorable is this....?!

2007-07-02T18:46:00.001-05:00

The final wedding of June...and our farewell bash!!

2007-07-02T15:04:00.000-05:00

So, Saturday was the last wedding we have all the way until Jake's, July 28th. Our third wedding in so many weekends was so much fun! Brent and Joe have been friends for years and he was a groomsmen in our wedding as well. Joe got to return the favor, and he looked dashing in his tux, might I say! Hanna had such a wonderful time dancing with a sweet little boy named Trenton. We are excited to have a break from dressing up and buying wedding presents for at least a few weeks so we can actually concentrate on packing and moving! Here are some pictures of the wedding...

We also went out Friday night with a bunch of our friends and Amy to celebrate our move and her 30th birthday!! We sure went out in style, late night and lots of beer later we had just the best time with our Rafter's crew. Thank you to all who came to help celebrate....I love you!

We officially own a home in Plainfield!

2007-07-01T10:21:00.000-05:00

We closed on our home in Plainfield on Friday! We even got money BACK at closing!! Enough to even buy some new furniture which we have been wanting, I can't tell you how great we feel about everything right now. It truly seems as if it was meant to be. From day one everything went smoothly and quickly and we feel such a sense of ease and confidence that we are truly doing the right thing. Just wanted to share our great news. We are moving some things on the 4th of July because Joe is of course off work and are taking the U-haul with it all on Saturday...we are sooo excited. Also, if you don't yet have our new address let me know- I may not have your email address.

~The Cincinnati Trip!~

2007-06-25T08:16:00.000-05:00

We are home from Cincy and pooped to say the least! We are so glad that Brent's wedding on Saturday is actually in Terre Haute!!! Ashley's wedding was so important to me and I was lucky enough to be a bridesmaid as well! We were best friends in high school and she was in my wedding 7 years ago. She is just one of those friends you have for life, I adore her!! The ceremony was beautiful of course and meticulously planned. (She and her mom are a little OCD:) And the best part was our other best friends from high school made the trip too, we are all so busy I think this is the first time we all 4 have been together in over a year. So, here are a few pictures of the fun.... Hope you all have a wonderful day and stay cool!

The Michigan Trip!

2007-06-17T11:05:00.001-05:00

What an amazing weekend we had in Michigan for my cousin Kelly's wedding! Everyone in the whole family was there (except for my sister Amy)! Kelly and Brian are just the cutest couple in the whole world! So, we got a chance to get away from our troubles and spend some fun time with the family...this was a much needed trip. I just love my cousins and all of their children, we feel so lucky to have this big family who loves our little family of 3. Thanks guys...hope you like these pictures I shot of the weekend. Now we can relax (yeah right) until Friday when we are off to Cincinnati for Ashley's wedding, where I am a bridesmaid:) *Also, in a moving update the home inspection went very well and our closing is scheduled, we also have 2 whole boxes packed- lol!

How about this cousin picture?
Starting from the top and then from left to right-
Elena Polizotto, Francesca Polizotto, Nadia Polizotto, Hanna Walker, Andrew Gatledge, Ryan Gatledge, Katie Buchanon, Claire Donohoe, Grace McDermott, Jack Donohoe, Baby Henry Donohoe, Baby Noah Buchanon, Baby Davis Wuchner, Sam McDermott, Jake Weinzapfel, Joel Wuchner (trying to run) and Will Weinzapfel!

And all of MY cousins: from top and left to right
Stepahnie and Jason Buchanon, Brian Donohoe, Molly and James Wuchner, Scott and Kate McDermott, Matt and Shelly Weinzapfel, Brent McDermott
in the middle sitting down: Chris and Leesa Wuchner
Cathy Donohoe, Heidi and Bret Polizotto, Becky and Eric Gatledge and me and Joe!

Hanna the flower girl!

2007-06-11T14:41:00.001-05:00

We were in the lovely town of Nineveh this weekend for Dustin and Cassie's rehearsal and wedding! Our little miss Hanna was thier flower girl! She did wonderfully and we were so proud of her being such a big girl! She smiled and stood still and even stayed quiet. What a wonderful girl we have ;) Just had to post pictures- is she not just beautiful? She loved having her picture taken with Cassie and Dustin but the church was fairly dark and most of my pics ended up blurry but I am sure I will order a ton from the photographer....stay tuned. Joe and I had a wonderful time as well, we just adore Cass and Dustin and what great friends they have become.
Now that we are back in town, we have just enough time to clean, get all the laundry done and pack for my cousin Kelly's wedding in Michigan, we will be leaving town again Thursday morning-Oy!
*Also, our home inspection is today, so cross your fingers there are no red flags! We begin the tedious job of packing tonight.

Brad Paisley!

2007-06-11T14:31:00.002-05:00

Cassie bought Dustin tickets to see Brad Paisley last Thursday as a wedding present and invited Joe and I to tag along, the more the merrier style! We had such a blast and Cassie was able to be stress free for a few hours before her rehearsal and wedding!
We saw Kelli Pickler, Taylor Swift, Jack Ingrahm and the man Brad Paisley for one low price... we sat in the lawn but we sure made the best of it, we had sing alongs, and $10 fruity drinks and not a care in the world. Good times with good friends! Even though the traffic was insane on the way home and we didn't pull in the drive until about 2:15 AM it was still a darn good time! See for yourself....

~We bought a house!! (we think)~

2007-06-05T11:36:00.002-05:00

So, the home I posted before fell through.... after 4 different counter offers! Joe and I were very realistic with our bottom dollar- so we walked! We always said if it wasn't our dream home- we would feel very comfortable walking away. Sunday after we decided to let the deal go we found a new listing in Plainfield and went to see it that day. Plainfield is another suburb of Indy on the west side and it actually has lower property taxes, better parks system and is closer to Joe's work and far less traffic during the commute. It is a very ideal location but there was nothing available when we began our search. Low and behold, this home was listed just in time! It is the same size as the other home, however has 4 bedrooms instead of 3 with a loft. We didn't mind either way. This home however, is on a much bigger lot and the backyard already has a privacy fence! The neighborhood playground is just a few steps away and it is on the walking trail which leads you to the Plainfield Aquatic center, their new water park and Hummel Park. We made an offer Monday and they made a very reasonable counter which we have *accepted* today! So- wish us luck on the closing, inspection etc.... I will try and post more pictures soon. We are just so thrilled :)

Hanna's Debut!

2007-06-04T12:36:00.000-05:00

The recital has come and gone, and I have to say it was the most beautiful show I have seen in a great while. Peter Pan was the production and Hanna and her class were the fairy dust that Tinkerbell sprinkles on Wendy, John and Michael. It was the cutest thing in the whole world! Hanna even remembered to do some of her dance;) She truly loves dancing and I am so proud of everything she has learned through the year. Academy of Dance is just such a wonderful and professional studio! The best treat of all was that Hanna's very best friends Molly and Mackenzie came to see the show and cheer her on! Here are some pictures of the evening, and I am going to try and figure out how to post some video, but that may be over my head- stay tuned!

A super fun weekend!!

2007-05-30T12:34:00.000-05:00

What a fun weekend we had. We had some friends over Saturday and Sunday night after Hanna was in bed for some drinks and pool, it was so fun! Sort of our last hoorah before our completely booked month of June! Jay and Danielle (Joe's childhood best friend and his wife, who live in W. Virginia now) were in town and we got to spend so much time with them and the boys. Hanna still calls Caleb, Calove- how cute is that?! Logan is so big I can hardly believe it, almost sitting up already, wow! So, we spent our weekend hanging out with our great friends and I worked my last day at Maurizio's-Woo Hoo!!! Joe's family had a memorial day cook out and Hanna played with all of her cousins and we even got to see the 3 brand new babies...Kiersten, Isabella and Olivia!

Today was Hanna's very last dance class before the rehearsal on Friday and the recital on Saturday! I can hardly believe it is this weekend. I am so excited and The Nords are coming. That always puts a big smile on my face, Hanna's too!

*Oh and we are driving to Avon today to make an offer on the house-----so does anyone have any boxes!

Time for a change!

2007-05-29T09:09:00.001-05:00

As many of you may have already heard Joe, Hanna and I have decided to move out of the house and cancel the contract with my dad. Because of the issues we are having and after a call from an auctioneer we really feel we will never be able to heal without some distance between us. We need stability in our lives and with his irrational behavior we must remove ourselves from this situation. The only thing we *know* we can change is ourselves. So, we have decided to move to Avon, a suburb on the west of Indianapolis. It is very similar in nature to Terre Haute and is full of young growing families. It is also only 15 minutes away from Joe's job at Home Lumber! Schools, parks and retail are all five star! We are hoping to move quickly and be settled around July. I can't say how much better I feel since we have made this family decision, I hope with the distance we may be better equipped to repair our relationship.

We have already viewed about 10+ homes with our realtor but over the weekend narrowed our search to two! We may be making an offer by the end of the week, wish us luck!!!!!! The picture up top is our favorite. 2500+ sq ft on .25 Ac, beautiful big back yard and with a huge loft area upstairs there is room for Joe's pool table!- Want to check it out- just click the picture. It should take you to a link with a few more pictures (which don't even do it justice) .... Let us know what ya think.......

Happy Mother's Day!

2007-05-14T09:20:00.000-05:00

What a beautiful day we had! Joe let me sleep in and that was a present in itself! Daddy reports that Hanna was very insistent on picking out my presents "all by herself" this year and that she did. Hanna picked out an orange necklace, a pink sparkly key chain, and rainbow flowers for me...all very Hanna and all very sweet. Joe got me the best card ever which read..."To my wife the best mother in the world: the reason I live, the reason I breathe...(open card)...The reason I don't dress like a dork anymore." It's funny because it is true!
Joe covered all of my favorites for Mother's day this year. We went to my favorite park and took a walk, went out to lunch, and went on a shopping excursion!!! He also took Hanna, Amy and I to visit my mom. It was a wonderful visit. He saved the best for last and took me to Red Lobster!! (I felt a little guilty, but I think we all know that calories don't count on Mother's Day!)

Which is my favorite restaurant in the world, but Joe hates, he said it was his sacrifice for me :) We just had a wonderful day and I am thankful to have been able to spend a little bit of it with my mom. I hope all of my mommy friends and family had a wonderful day too.

Ballerina Picture Day!

2007-05-10T08:22:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was ballerina picture day, Hanna got to put on her costume and cheese it up for the cameras!! All the dancers in her class were so well behaved- it was just great. I can not say enough about The Academy of Dance and their professionalism and friendliness, we just love them. Here is a sneak peek of how beauitful she will look at the show..........

After pictures we had dinner on the go , picked up Aunt Amy and went to take mom and dad some clothes, toiletries and pictures of Hanna. We visited them for a while and then I got a call from Joe's mom that Lorena, his oldest sister, was in the hospital! She had a blood clot hit both of her lungs. So I dropped Amy off, picked Joe up and we all went to the emergency room to see her. We stayed there for a little while and Hanna didn't get to bed until 9:30- oy! Lorena will most likely be ok, she was admitted, they gave her blood thinner and we will see what happens, please pray for everyone in my big family!

My weekend was a three ring circus!

2007-04-29T15:17:00.000-05:00

Whew! Good to be home and sitting down! Friday I headed to Cincinnati for my girlfriend Ashley's bachlorette party! We had a big slumber party with all of the bridesmaids and everyone got to see her gorgeous new home. Fun games and good friends made for a wonderful night. Here are some pictures:

Saturday was Ashley's bridal shower. It was a beautiful get together and we all had a blast. We predicted where they would be in 10 years, made a scrapbook page for them and Ash opened her presents! Here is a cute picture of all of the bridesmaids

I had to leave Cincy in enough time to make it back to Terre Huate by 7:00. I got home at 6:45, ate some spaghetti and then Joe and I hopped in the car to go to Avon for his co-worker Bruce's 50th birthday party. We met at "On the Rocks" and had a few drinks with most of his co-workers. Then after Joe, Bruce and Tole had a few rounds of Tequila and a "few" beers I drove him home! I was pooped, slept like a log!

Today we took Hanna to the circus. We take her every year, the money goes to a good cause and even though the seating is very uncomfortable and the prices are outragoues Hanna just loves it. Aslo, there was no way around it, as soon as they started putting the big top up she knew they were here. She got her face painted like a kitty cat and had cotton candy! Her favorite part this year was the elephant and the ladies who climbed on the ribbons. Now, we rest! Hope you all had a great weekend too!

Beautiful!

2007-04-23T16:29:00.000-05:00

Hanna and I decided to forget about cleaning and the grocery store today so we could have a picnic in the park instead. The beautiful weather made for a perfect back drop. We fed the ducks, went for a walk and played, played, played!
Our weekend was a little crazy, I helped throw a baby shower for my sister in-law Cindy on Friday evening at the Torner Center. Joe and I had dinner afterwards with my other sister in-law Chirstina and Bud, while Hanna got to hang out at her cousins and have Meagan babysit.
We also took the babysitting chance to get some drinks with my friend Cassie and her fiance Dustin at our fav bar.
Saturday Joe and his dad put in our new french doors in the kitchen, what an improvement! I cleaned the house, ran some errands and then had to work the closing shift.
Sunday I hosted a Naughty bridal shower for Cassie and had a Passion party consultant come over. It was great fun to hang out with the girls and have some adult fun! Joe and Hanna spent some time together during the shower playing at the park, getting ice cream and visiting mamaw and papaw.