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Sunday, September 7, 2008

Don't we cleanup good?








Saturday was the big social event of our year - the Golden Apple Awards. I "retired" as the Chief Financial Officer for Golden Apple and it is definitely at the top of my list of favorite places that I worked. For non-Chicagoans, Golden Apple started when philanthropist Mike Koldyke was watching the Academy Awards one night and said to his wife, we should do that for teachers. Fast forward, years later, is the "Academy" Awards for ten outstanding teachers. It is now a black tie premiere Chicago social event where you still need to bring a box of tissues with you, because there will be tears and goosebumps. Over 700 people attended this year. The Awards itself is taped for later television broadcast by WTTW, then there is a dinner and dancing afterwards. Our most famous attendee over the years, was First Lady Laura Bush. Wayne graciously invited my mom to attend in his place this year.

The event was at the Hyatt, so Mom and I stayed there overnight and were able to take a walk through Millenium Park on Sunday morning. I love Chicago!

I often mention how much I miss my friends at Golden Apple, the city, and my office. Sounds bizarre, but it was THE prettiest office I could imagine. The last picture was the view out my office window. I've always loved Lake Michigan and seeing it everyday and then add the park.....ahhhhhh!
ANYWAY, back to the Awards.

We had a wonderful time. Great cause. Amazing mission and most, most, most of all - the nicest group of people ever!! Many, many great teachers and people who care about teachers.

Thank you Golden Apple - for years of golden moments.......




Friday, September 5, 2008

Favorite Foto Friday - Oh Baby!






















Today's Favorite Foto Friday theme is to post pictures of parent and child as babies. Thanks to my fantastic Mom, I have an album with pictures from my whole life - including baby pics! Yay, Mom!

Can you say "HUGE FOREHEAD"? Whoa, now that's a forehead on me! Lots of people tell me that Maya and I look alike - we surely do both have not-so-much pretty baby pictures. I just had to put two more when we are a tad bit more human looking :)

(Sorry, I'm technically challenged this morning and rushing out the door, so the pics are odd sizes and sideways!)

Library Storytime




Storytime has started at the library (Chesterton has the BEST library for kids). Here's Maya....

Thursday, September 4, 2008

hmmmm, camera shy?




Well, for some reason, my usual clicky-self hasn't been taking pictures. Huh? Sooooooo, as maya is prone to say lately, this is going to be more of a journal entry than a fun blog post. Our life hasn't slowed down, I just don't have any cute pics to share :(. Anyway...

Today Grandma and Grandpa came over for "Adventure Day"! In my quest for self-improvement (yawn), I've made a schedule (shed-ule), and Wednesdays are "Adventure Days". We chose not to do the field trip thing, because I've been trying to paint our laundry room for days now. Yes, I know it's a laundry room and by definition tiny. But, ya know, tiny rooms are harder to paint than big rooms (rationalize, rationalize). So somehow, I managed to get paint on my hands, but absolutely not one smidge of paint on the walls - don't ask.

We did have fun going out to lunch. We went to Red Cup. Giselle introduced me to this cute, cute place with THE best Portabello Goat Cheese grilled sandwich ever. They have a deck outside (well, of course, outside) that has a canopy created by three trees, trunks covered in ivy. Maya had beef barley soup and a cranberry nut muffin. She must have said, "tasty, delicious lunch" about ten times! I guess she liked it. She also stole, yes didn't even ask!, from grandma, some beautiful strawberries, plums, and grapes. But that was topped by Grandpa, who stole, hold your breath, a BROWNIE, from Maya. Oh, Grandpa, don't you know that chocolate is sacred?! Maya was actually speechless (that is a very infrequent state for her). She didn't even cry, she was so shocked. He made up for it though when he bought her another music box - a sweet one with a baby in a rocking crib - that plays Brahms Lullaby. Okay, Grandpa, we girls can be bought - we forgive you!

Yesterday, I asked Maya if she wanted to go to "Ronald Donald's" - we usually go on Tuesdays after playgroup, but there was no playgroup today, long story. She said "no, mommy, I want to stay home." Hmmm, surprised me, but I'm always happy to stay home. We did "craft-es" and made new grace cards. I think I'm going to try to market these..... We wrote (well, I wrote) prayers on card stock that Maya had colored. We light a candle and say a prayer before meals. Then when everyone is finished eating Maya can blow out the candle - one of her favorite things to do. She also says "happy birthday" but whatever... The theory is that one can't get up from one's seat until the candle is out. It's not working 100% in practice, but we're trying. What do you think? Will it sell? Blessing Sets.....Daily thoughts (for the non-religious among us)....Grace Candles.... I think I'll keep working on it, I sense an opportunity here. Grandma's favorite grace is "Bless us sinners as we eat our dinners." God has a sense of humor, too, don't you think?
Today is bean soup day at our favorite family restaurant and this is one of Wayne's frequent menu choices. After dinner, Maya wanted to go for a walk (good girl!) and we played "freeze race". That's where Maya and I race - Daddy says, "ready, steady, go" then randomly says, "stop" and we're supposed to freeze. Maya doesn't always do the freeze part, but it's fun. This is also when Mommy repeats her refrain of "this is why Mommy is the only one who thinks Maya needs a sister" as I run like an old fool. Huh! Then we play balance beam on the curb. Ya know what? Maya needs a sister (wink, wink).

Wow, I love this child. Can you tell? I keep asking myself if every child is as smart and funny and cute and beautiful and sweet. Every mom must feel the same, that their child is special, but this one sure is! At dinner she just looked over at Wayne and said, "I love you, Daddy". The waitress even melted into a puddle. Daddy was a BIG goner.

Sarah Palin's speech at the Republican convention was tonight. I was very impressed. I waver between Democrats and Republicans, there's things I like about both and things I don't like about both. Without a political discussion, though, I'm happy to see a woman VP nominee, whichever party it ended up happening in. Go Sarah, break that glass ceiling into a billion pieces and make room for my daughter someday.

I'm worried because the parties are becoming so polarized. So many people love any and all the candidates of their party, and hate any and all the candidates of the other party. I hope we can encourage respect of both candidates. While we might not agree with their opinions, it's no reason to love or hate the person. Sometimes there is such bitterness and hatred......not the world I want for my daughter.

Okay back to cute Maya stories! She announced today that she would like a purple "Foxy" to replace Lamby. Yup, replace Lamby!! I was shocked. But her favorite best - Lola, of Charlie and Lola - has a Foxy. Hmmm, the hunt begins. Somehow I don't think it will be so easy to find a Foxy.

Jodi, who went to the Smoky Mountains on vacation and convinced me to plan a trip, saw a bear there!! Close up and personal!! A wild bear!! Hmmmm, I don't think she'd mind if I posted the picture. Even if I haven't been my clicky-self, yippee, now I have a picture to post. This was scary though, she said a father and son had been attacked recently by a bear on this same trail. Well, I'm glad you just got pictures of this bear, girlfriend! The second pic is of the view from her cabin. Awesome is God's creation!
I got my first birthday card......and it was from QVC! Hmmmm, probably not such a good thing that QVC is sending me birthday cards!

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Scooter Girl



My big girl....

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Christian Women's Club


What are these women doing ??????


This picture is from the Sept Christian Women's Club lunch - the featured speaker was the owner of a local dance studio and she had us doing "chair-ballet". I really didn't make this up - and it felt good!


The CWC is sponsored by Stonecroft Ministries. This one is in Valparaiso - if anyone would like to attend, please let me know. You don't need to "join" or pay membership dues - you just come to the luncheon. If Valparaiso is far for you, here's a link to Stonecroft, perhaps there's one in your area. http://stonecroft.gospelcom.net/

Sunday, August 31, 2008


We've been busy trying to get the pool in.......Maya's ready!
Happy Labor Day!

Favorite Foto Friday, errr Sunday - Black and White





Thursday, August 28, 2008


This is our "welcome home, maya" montage.
(to stop double music, go to bottom/last post and stop the playlist music)

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

FRESH PEACH SHAKES !!!


It's a tradition.......every year, around this time, the Port Drive-In has fresh peach shakes. Yummmmmmmy ! We stopped in for dinner, corn-dogs and peach shakes, ahhhhhhhh. This is rumored to be the only drive-in restaurant in Indiana (for youngsters, a drive in is where you pull up to a parking place under a carport-type roof, you order into a scratchy speaker and a server-sometimes a girl on roller skates-brings your food on a tray that hooks onto your halfway up window and you eat in your car).

Monday, August 25, 2008

Ahhhh.....how old are you Maya? TWO years old.

Ahhhhh, life with a two year old......lest anyone think that Maya is an aberration or the perfect child......let me describe my morning with this VERY typical two year old.
"Maya, the hibisicus are thirsty, let's go water them"
"Okay, mommy, later"
"But they are very thirsty, Maya, let's go now"
"I NEED my shoes"
Mommy finds her shoes
"NO, I NEED my flip flops"
Mommy searches and finds flip flops
Maya starts taking off her socks, Mommy starts to help
"NO, I do it MYSELF"
Mommy backs off....step away from the two year old, trouble is a brewin"....
"OWWWWWW" Oh, my gosh, "What's wrong, sweetie?"
"There's SAAAAANNNNNDDDDD on my flip flops, OWWWWW!"
This from the child who spends hours in the sandbox, walks barefoot on the sand covered deck, but okay, I play along and wipe off the flip flop.
"OWWWWWW" "What's wrong?" (no sweetie, this time!)
"There's still SAAAAANNNNNNDDDDDD, OWWWWWW!"
With a scream that sounds like I am using torture on this child.
Wipe off flip flop and repeat.
"Okay, Maya, enough, you are going to put your socks back on and wear your light up shoes."
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"
Now, it's about twenty minutes later (it takes literally two minutes to water the hibiscus). I give up and just go do it, as the dogs in the neighborhood gather because Maya is doing the scream that is so high pitched, the dogs think it's for them. I can't hear them howl however, because my hearing cut out at the "NOOOOOOOOOOO".
Whew! I decide it's better to laugh than cry and even the wild child has to crack a smile, against her better judgement but nonetheless a smile. Whew!

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Happy Birthday, Stephanie!



Today was Stephanie's Sweet Sixteen Party!


Happy Birthday!

Jungle Book






It's been a busy weekend, and it's not even over yet!
We went to Red Robin for burgers and then to see Jungle Book with our friends Bill and Dianne and three of their grandchildren, Paige, Mia, and Rylan. Maya was captivated by the play - for the first half anyway. At intermission, we decided to quit while we were ahead :)
The last picture is Maya and Grandpa, showing off their catch, after their big fishing adventure. What? You say that you don't see any fish? How can that be? Must be a camera malfunction........

Friday, August 22, 2008

Favorite Foto Friday - Friends with Stuffing



Lamby is the hands-down bff (with stuffing).

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Thank you Terri !!!

Just need to say this, I am so lucky to have a friend like you. I appreciate everything you do and everything you are!

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Maya's Wild Adventure




Got your attention? Oops.....we just went to the zoo......


Maya had BIG fun at the South Bend Pottawatomi Zoo today. Besides seeing all kinds of animals, there was a beautiful butterfly garden and train ride! The gift shop was even fun and we might end up with the zoo "burella" being one of the favorite toys of the year.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

I LOVE Painting


Sunday, August 17, 2008

Summer Equals Ice Cream




Hmmmm, pictures say it all.

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Chesterton European Market




Every Saturday, there is a market in downtown Chesterton. We saw our good friend, Stephanie. Nora and our French chef weren't there, but we did sample the crepes and a new crepe restaurant has opened in Valpo - mommy's in heaven :) Very good music had Maya dancing and dancing!

Friday, August 15, 2008

Favorite Foto Friday - Back to School

I'm too little to go to school, but Mommy thought this cartoon was funny so I told her to use it for Favorite Foto Friday - Maya.