Another New Link

So In the LINKS YOU NEED section, we added the open government link, and tonight we added a link to Aunt Diana's Salon - The Studio Salon and Spa in Sarasota, FL. So check it out, and if you're planning a visit to the area make an appointment. http://www.thestudiosalonandspa.com/

A GrandSlam

I just wanted to share the day we had today, because it was a GRANDSLAM. We both worked till 1:15. Me at the bank, Chris at the office. We got home within 5 minutes of each other and ate some leftover Chinese takeout. Then we loaded up the tennis rackets, my glove, bat and balls. We went to this small county park which is not very well known, but it was shocking that we were the only ones there. Because it was a great day - not too hot or sunny, a cool breeze - a great day. Chris hit balls and I caught them. Then he tried to slow pitch to me, and I hit balls. It was so much fun. Then we came home and washed my car. Chris scrubbed and I rinsed. Then he cleaned the tires and windows and I cleaned all the interior. It's looking pretty sharp today. After that we went house hunting again. One was sooo cute, but reeeeeaaaaaalllly small once you add children to the house. The realtor said, "Kids aren't that big" and we both replied, "but their toys are." Hahaha, but can anyone tell us we're wrong? Then we ate dinner at a restaurant new to us - it's Lindo's and it was Reeeally goood. We had Spicy Fried Ravioli's (AMAZING), and a stuffed pork chop (Dee-lish!).

Open Government Dialogue

Great site to check out and make suggestions with. You can vote for ideas that you like, you can comment with your opinion, and you can toss your own ideas into the mix. Check out Open Government Dialogue - you must create a user name to vote, comment or create threads - however all they ask for is your email, and have you create a password. So if your idea does not get enough votes, it will not reach the President, however it is soooooo muuuuch fuuuuuun to read what others think, cast a vote for what you like and dislike and comment. For example my favorite response to stupid suggestions: LET (_________) HOLD SOME KIND OF ACCOUNTABILITY! Be it the parents or the individual, let people be accountable for some things. So check it out, have fun - I sure have!

The many, many houses

Chris and I have been on the hunt for a house. Here are the many rejected ones that we have looked at. We will be going out to see 4 or 5 more on Saturday with the realtor.

1) Nice smaller house - looks cute, it was cute on the inside too and at the bottom of our price range. However, the floor plan would be a little difficult to get used to, and I really didn't want to get shot - Yeah it looks cute, but the neighborhood was right of the boulevard - music was blaring when we pulled up. I said, "no need to even go inside." But Chris insisted.

2) Excellent Price - way small master bedroom, and the upstairs has "two" bedrooms. It's one those open concepts that will be nice when the kids are small, but not so good when they are teenagers... This may still be hanging on the "Considering Pile" just because it is a good price, nice neighborhood which will leave us money to expand and enough yard to expand. If that is really what we want to do.

3) Country home, looks nice in the picture, not so nice in reality. It is a HUD home which has a very bad foundation and has not been lived in for quite some time. No's all around the board.

4)An old picture. It is all falling down and trashed up now. This is one we just kept driving right on by.

5) Pretty, but rougher neighborhood. It needs more work than we want to put into it.

6) Another Considering Pile contender. Not the most flattering of curb appeal, but it has a very open concept to the living room, nice bay like window, attached garage, decent sized rooms. Kitchen needs some major updates. Priced a little high.

7) Decent, but right on the corner of a major roadway - no thanks.

8) My favorite by way of curb appeal. Kitchen needs major updating and bathroom is upstairs with NO moving room. It is shower, sink, toilet and no room to change clothes, seriously I've never seen on this small. That and the kitchen is all we found displeasing - I'd say it's a consider pile one.

9) Brand new and never been lived in. Excellent love. It was slightly out of price range, but got an accepted offer before we were able to try to see if they would lower the price a bit.

10) Sketchy looking roof in some areas, terrible wall paper, leaks, and no central air.

Devon's Birthday Party

We had a grrreat time at Casi and Shane's celebrating Devon's Birthday. We got there Saturday afternoon and played around the house, and at the property with the boys. Casi and I set up tents while the boys got the fire going. Shane and Chris went to a party at the neighbors house, and Casi and I entertained the boys until about 11pm. Then it was bed time. I discovered that hmm... putting the tent on a hill is a bad idea! I know, right. Anyway the next day Chris and I took the boys to Chuck E Cheese's while Casi and Shane got the food ready, picked up the cake and decorated the picnic tables. Mom and Grandma arrived while we were at Chuck E Cheese's. When we arrived Chris and I got the wonderful task of setting up the tent for everyone to sit under... what a scene! Every time we got one side together, the other would fall apart. It ended up taking the two of us plus Casi and Shane to get to together. But we did, and the party began. Enjoy the pictures, Click Here to see some more. And yes Wall-E is making that odd sound your hearing.

Want to see a comedy act? Check out the Austin and Devon Show! So Funny! Listen right at the end after Austin starts the joke, then does one more thing (I'm not spoiling it) you'll ever so slightly hear Devon making another sound - it's so cute!

LeeAnn's Graduation Party Pictures

Here are some pictures from LeeAnn's Graduation Party. Click Here to see the rest.

Pictures From Mama Wests Visit

Finally pictures are up and loaded! Here are the pictures from Cathy's visit this month. Enjoy, see more by clicking here.

Yard Treasures

So at the beginning of May I decided to put on my work gloves and venture where no man has cleaned in at least two years. This is a collection of stuff that I cleared out of the back section behind the garage.

We'll be having fun, fun, fun

Pretty exciting stuff for us this Memorial Day weekend! Chris had yesterday off for another ferlow (?) day giving him a 4 day weekend. I had to work until 3pm and then we went to look at a few more houses. One house looks EXACTLY like Brent and Amanda's house from the outside. The entry looks the same and even has green in the wallpaper - except this one had that fuzzy, velvet wallpaper. Then it had the room to the right, the room straight ahead and even the guest room with doors and all. That's where the similarities stopped however. It's nice - but has several leaky spots in the ceilings, roof was terrible in some areas and would need fixed, and we would say - they are asking way too much (though the same could have been said about our house in Sharpsville, but hey - it was in country.)

Today we have a list of random things to do ... like.... we are we going to be patrons of the Farmer's Market right around the corner from the apartment. It is every Saturday till Noon. We also have to go pick up a nice wooden bunk bed set from a lady here in MC. I am on IndianaFreeAdsForAll on Yahoo groups, and she posted them for sale. I emailed her that we were interested because we want to adopt siblings, and they would be of great use, she replied - You can HAVE them with no charge for having a heart to adopt siblings. Then Chris really needs some new walking shoes to run around in, hopefully I can drag him to the mall to look for a pair. After that I'm not sure what we are going to do other than return the RedBox and staighten up the house. Maybe we can go for a bike ride if the storms hold off.

Tonight (or early tomorrow morning) we are going to Casi's house for Devon's Birthday party. It is on Sunday, but Chris and I want to take the boys to play at Chuck E Cheese's. Then Chris wants to set up tents in their woods and have a fire for S'mores. Everything sounds like fun this weekend - Hope you all have a grrreat holiday weekend!

The Week

Chris had his Ferlow week. He stayed pretty busy working around the house- putting up shelves, mowing the yard yadayadayada.

Thursday Chris and I picked Cathy up at the airport in Chicago. Then we went to IHOP, and then to Brent and Amanda's. We hung out at their house, ate DOS and Custard Cup. Chris and I left very early in the morning because I had to work Friday.

Then Saturday we went to Leeann's graduation in Galesburg. It was great spending time with the family this week. After the party Chris and I drove to Willabell's to visit with her. We always stop by to say hello when we are in town. Chris fixed her toilet and she told me stories of her sister. After that we met Kevin and LeeAnn at the theater to see Star Trek - which we are not Trekkie's, but OMG it was such a great movie. I'm glad Amanda recommended it, and I'm glad Kevin wanted to see it. It's a movie we never would have went to see otherwise. That night we slept at Grandma and Grandpa West's house. After breakfast Chris and I picked Cathy up from her Girls weekend in Geneva, IL. Such a beautiful town, like a town sized flea market inside houses.

Cathy spent the night at our house. We played on computers, drove around to look at houses and got some DQ. I'll post pictures once I am able to get them loaded.

From Grrr to YAY!

I'm excited to report that my wallet was put in a blue mail collection box and was recovered at the post office yesterday. I waited all day on Monday for someone to call about my wallet. Then later that evening, an unknown number pops up and I'm hoping it is about wallet but assuming it probably is not. It's a nice sounding lady: "Hi Lara?" Me: "Yes?" NSL: "It's Tonya!" Me Thinking: I don't know a Tonya that lives here. NSL: "Tonya Hundley!" Me: "OHHH!!! Hi, how are you? (looking at number again - It's 217 not 219) Nice to hear from you, I was hoping you were someone calling about my wallet that was stolen this morning... NSL: "No I am sweetheart. Look it's at the post office." Me: "Yeah right, your so funny. So how is everyone?" NSL: "No Lara really. Your wallet is at the post office. They found my number tucked inside it and asked if I could get a hold of you." Me: "Are you serious!?! That's wonderful." I went to the post office yesterday morning to pick it up. My $2 and my 1/2 book of stamps were missing, but at least I got it back anyway. I'm happier.

GRRRRR

So why am I the one with the bad luck following her? Not only did my cellphone get stolen at the start of the year, but now my wallet was stolen. Yeah, at Meijer. I'm not going into details because I'm just tired of being upset about it. But Grrrr....why can't people just keep their sticky fingers to themselves!!???!!?? to those sticky fingered people - Go get a job - earn your own money - it's much more rewarding!

Oh how sweet it is...

to get two more A's! Earth Science and Communication. Two more down, two getting ready to start for the summer - only 11 left to go.

Mother's Day!

Saturday before Mother's Day I worked at the bank. Then we finished up a few projects at the house before we headed to Illinois to spend time with my mom on Mother's Day weekend. We went shopping at the nearly empty Village Mall where we picked up Kristina and the girls. Then we met mom and grandma at Monicals for some DEEE-LISH pizza and salads.

On Sunday we met up Kristina and the girls early in the morning for some geocaching fun! The girls even participated in the Cache In Trash Out initiative. Simple as it sounds, pick up and throw trash while you have fun caching. We found SIX caches, including three which the girls have hidden. They have some of the most fun caches we've ever found.

Then with about an hour to get ready we went our seperate ways and got dressed for Mother's Day dinner. We went to The Covered Bridge Restaurant in Eugene, Indiana - and it was packed - but it's SUPERDEE-DUPERDEE GOOOOOOD. Great homecook meals Chris had Chicken Noodles which were great - but not great like grandma's. I had a beef manhattan and it ROCKED! Yum! Then we got some pictures at the covered bridge. Both my sisters and sister-in-laws got cards. My grandma got a card and a picture and mom got a card and a butterfly necklas. (Dinner of course too was on us for Mother's Day) Enjoy the pictures.

Isabela's Family Visit!

Isabela's Family drove in for a quick visit that Chris and I loved! It was soooo great to get to meet her parents and grandparents and Felipe. I got all the pictures loaded - You can view them by Clicking Here. They arrived on Wednesday and Chris made a huge dinner with Ribs, Corn on the Cob, Veggetables, Salad and Fruit. We had to bring the patio furniture inside to have enough table space for everyone to eat. Then we sat around and chatted for a long while. The parents and grandparents left and Isabela, Felipe and us watched Yes, Man before going to bed. We woke up early and headed for Chicago. We walked through Millenium Park, took a ride on Metra, missed our train, waited for the next one to take us back and then enjoyed the Shedd Aquarium. Chris and I treated Isabela and Felipe to a Cubs game that evening. It was a BLAST...even though they lost it was a good game until the 10th inning. So we were happy. On Friday I had to work, but the girls went shopping, while the boys checked out Chris' employment (I can't type it because they monitor for the word haha). I got off at 2 and met up with them for lunch at Arby's. Then we went to the Harley shop. I brought Isabela and Felipe back to the house so she could get ready for her big surprise at the Boys & Girls Club. Then we had a wonderful dinner at a country club in New Buffalo, and a small party at the Blue Chip with balloons and ice cream to follow. Enjoy our pictures, I'll have more Cubs pictures later and a video of us singing "Take me out to the ball game!"

Having a Virus Sucks

Well, right after Isabela and her family left, the desktop got a virus. So I have had no working computer. Finally after realizing that Chris has too much going on with work and school to be able to tend to either of them, and I, of course for some reason can't seem to comprehend the whole virus, worm, spyware, malware stuff- I took the laptop to the professionals. I've heard that the people at FlashPro Techsperts in MC, are excellent, fun and honest. So.. I took the laptop to them. They currently have a special for $119 to have all the protective things done to the computer, or to have it wiped clean to scratch. So I heard this may be slightly pricey, but not the most expensive- but again, everyone I talked to loves them. So when I get the call that the laptop is ready to picked up, I do so. The guy tells me he rid the computer of 40 some Trojan infected files, 300 some spyware programs, and so on. Then he says, "That'll be $92." So I respond, "Oh wow, that's cheaper than I thought, are you sure?" and he says, "yeah, your computer really wasn't that bad and it took less than an hour so I'm not going to charge you the full price." I never would have known the difference, so Kudos to honest companies like them!

Tigger No Like Us No More

On Wednesday this week Chris took Tigger to the Vet for HIS check up. He has gained 2 pounds and now we have to limit food to a cup a day and put 1/4 teaspoon of some cod liver oil on the food. We have been doing 1/2 a cup late morning, and 1/2 a cup at night. Apparently Tiggs is also a good candidate for diabetes now. So he is a little upset that the bottom of his bowl is not covered at all times. He's been annoying and cries and cries till you cover the bottom of the bowl for the past few months, so I am going to buy him a smaller food dish this week to see if we can end that from happening.

That Concert ROCKED!

What a grrrrreat show! Holy Cow- It was awesome! We got to the arena about 30 minutes prior to start time. By the time we walked ALL THE WAY AROUND the arena to find our seats, there was only about 10 minutes left to wait. Yes, we walked all the way around because when we came in, I saw a sign for section 202, so naturally we started walking so the numbers were going up-- well --- the sections are very large, and we found 215 after a 20 minute walk around, then Chris said I think we walked around three corners of the building, looks at the other sections and says, "hmm... I think we came in at 201 right?" I say yeah and he says "okay well we're right by the exit we need, just keep walking the same direction when we go to leave..." Duh! Like my legs didn't hurt enough from all the jump roping I've been doing to get that amazing looking calf. From now on I'll look at both sections signs, we're used to the Colt's games where there are like sections 200- 235 and such. ANYWAY - She looked great, her pre-recorded tracks sounded great - she remembered to ask "What's up Chicago?" about half way through. No crazy gimmicks, no technical problems it was just awesome! And we can still hear perfect because we had earplugs - Which made the whole concert thing SO MUCH BETTER! I think I'm getting too old for this stuff... hehehe..... So Enjoy the photos above and the videos below, Click HERE for more of both- Sorry the camera moves so much, we were "shakin' that thang," and just couldn't stop!

Womanizer

Toxic

Baby One More Time

BOMT - Facing Us

Circus

PCD - I Hate This Part

New Family Blogger!

Very Exciting News here------------

One of my cousins by way of the Family Tree has started a blog of all his own! You can check out his blog listed with the other family blogs titled- Rodz's Blog. He has all his information listed there, but he lives in Wales and is 16 years old. He is very interested in the family tree and really likes music. So go to his site, be sure to leave a comment letting him know your reading his blog. (It's REEEEAAAAALLLLYYYYY nice when people just say hello, letting us know that they visited, and read what we had to say.)

So visit Rodz at http://rhodri-walters-blog.blogspot.com/

It's A B!

Chris got his final grade last night for the class he just finished and he passed with a B! One down, and another one already started. He had to give a speech on the company layoff's and job terminations - he said he just started bawling while he was trying to give it. Classmates did comment on how it was different to see it from a manager's perspective. They said they only had to see people getting walked out, while Chris was having to actually walk them out. The class is down to 4 people now, so we're not sure if they will host another class at building 1, or if he will start having to go to the Merriville site for classes. We can only wait to see at this point.

Hanging Together

We had a fun weekend hanging out together. It was laid back, but had some small fun events going on as well. This was a very not-like-us weekend that we loved! Usually we always find a place to go or something to do which requires an over-night stay. Last weekend was actually really nice as well with the maple syrup festival and all. Below are some small craft projects I put together on my day off last week. The first is our new "Wii-Supply Box". I took a cardboard box that our Melaleuca order came in and attached some extra cloth that I had lying around. Then I folded two of the flaps to make a small shelf on the front half, and covered it with cloth too - and WA-LA! My second project I did that day was take some emptied candle holders and made a shelf decoration. I used some 3-d paints, though I'm not sure what to fill them with yet, I thought of those decorative glass rocks, or just cotton balls, or some fake potting stuff and flowers (though it's fun to toy with the thought of real flowers- but that be long-term work that I'm not willing to commit to.)






As for this weekend, we worked the entire 80 degree day on Friday. In the evening it was still warm, but we went to see Fast & Furious. We were planning on going to the drive-in, but as soon as I saw it was no longer F&F, but Hannah Montana - no thanks. We opted for the five buck club here in town. Saturday was a little stormy with scattered showers and some thunder. We enjoyed the warm breezy day by walking the downtown strip. We went to see what Truffles had to offer hoping it would be similar to Amanda's- Reuben's - but no, it is just cakes and pastries. We hear they have excellent cakes though. Sometime we'll try them. We saw this little squirrel on our walk. It was sooo cute because he looked like a statue, then finally moved just an inch, so I took his picture just cause.



Chris took the jeep to get a quote for a new muffler - $800 dollars! Apparently everything needs to be replaced and it needs a converter. So yeah, the guy kept telling Chris, "We can work with you on this, we have financing." Chris said, "Do you see that hunk-of-junk? It's not even worth 800 dollars!" ... I snuck away to do some clothes shopping and everything at the SA was $1!! - I got a cute NWT (yes, that's NEW WITH TAGS) White House Black Market dress ($168 retail!!).

We spent most of our Saturday sitting on the porch listening to the scanner. It got pretty exciting with a woman passed out on a toilet down the road from us, and the other direction of the next road had a mom and daughter fighting and mom was throwing the daughter's stuff on the yard. We walked down that way, but couldn't see it from our road and decided to just go back to our positions on the porch. In the evening, we went down the street to watch out neighbor's daughter Mikayla perform as an Ompa-Lompa in her school's production of Willy Wonka Jr. She was great, watch out hollywood- she's your next Halle Berry.



Sunday I did laundry and Chris did his homework. We did not leave the house until it was time to head towards South Bend to meet with Darrell for a late lunch/early dinner. We ate at Ponderosa's! Yum, it was good. We have not eaten there in a VERY long time. We both tried out the new semi- looks good. I took a picture of the drawing Lizzy made for Darrell a looooooonnnnnng time ago. He still has it hanging in there. As we were driving through the toll booth to get on the toll road (love the IPass) we had to stop for a family crossing the road. Hahaha! I love it.

He's Certified!

Last week Chris took his Refrigeration tests, there were three 25 questions tests that he took. On Friday he got official notice that he is an EPA Certified Refrigeration Technician. Section 1 he scored a 96, Section 2: 96 and Section 3: 92! Basically now he can work on home, industrial cooling systems, anything with refrigerant in it. Way to go Chris!

"Go Cubs Go, Go Cubs Go...

Hey Chicago what do you say, the cubs are gonna win today!"

If I'm posting it, then you know what it means.... We're going to a Cubs game.. and not just going to any Cubs game, we are treating Isabela and her Boy friend Felipe to America's Past Time. And I have to say, I'm very excited that Isabela said she wanted to go to a baseball game during our phone call before she left Brazil. Because I have a whole pool full of Cubs memories at Wrigley Field and I have not been in soooo long, that my inner child is jumping up and down screaming for joy to be revisiting such a wonderful experience. (Thanks Mom and Dad) Every time Chris and I are in Chicago, I always ask, "Do you think they are doing tours through Wrigley today?" Usually they are not because we always go on the weekends, and usually with other plans and run out of time.

I remember the hustle and bustle of getting in the gates before the games, though I don't actually remember the game.... But I do remember going to the Cubs Clinic and it getting rained out.... but... we got to sit under the terrace and a few of the Cubs players came out and shared different tips, tricks and techniques with us. Specifically - Joe Girardi - he taught me how to stand when I bat on those bleachers, and I'll never forget, he was the dreamiest. :)

Chris says that the last time he went to a game was in high school with Lisa McMahon and her family. They went to the Field Museum before the game. So we are both pretty excited. I think we were going to try and go to a game later in the year, but SUPER Thanks Isabela for giving us that push, because you know us.... it's be next year and we'd be saying the same thing... "I think we're gonna try...." :)

A Lesson for Perez

I'm sorry, but can I just rant for a moment? Has anyone seen the Miss USA pageant hoopla from last night? To fill you in, the Miss USA pageant was last night in Las Vegas and Perez Hilton was a "celebrity judge". Miss California had the highest scores in all categories, yet earned first runner-up. This is said to be because when Perez Hilton asked her about gay marriage, she replied that she's happy she lives in a place where people can decide whom they want to marry, but her belief is that marriage is between a man and a woman... suddenly she's knocked out of first place because Perez Hilton wanted a more "politically correct" answer. Then he goes on his site and posts a video calling her a number of nasty names as if in true low-class, someone got their feelings hurt and needs to think before they speak fashion. My opinion is that Perez Hilton needs to understand that every other person has a right to their beliefs and opinions just as he does. If he wants to be respected for what he believes, then he needs to learn to respect others for what they believe.

This is not intended to buff the thought that Perez has the power to control who wins or loses, but the fact that one misguided Zero, or under scored judge can cost someone a top spot because undoubtedly it was probably a close scoring contest to begin with.