MY GIRL!

From the moment I found out I was having a daughter, I wondered what I would do when her hair got long enough that it would need to be styled. I am a bit bit handicapped when it comes to hair. I have just never had the skill to style my own hair. So I was a little worried about doing Rachel's. And until recently, that wasn't much of an issue, because her hair wasn't really long enough to style! But I decided a couple of weeks ago to try to put her hair in twin pigtails, so I asked her if she would like that and she agreed.

The first attempt was a challenge. The pigtails weren't even, and her hair is still too short in some spots, so she had a lot of bangs. I ended up buying a new brush for her, as well as a bottle to spray her hair and wet it down before pulling it back.

The latest attempts are pretty impressive! Rachel actually has become quite interested in styling her hair. She tells me, "I look pitty momma." I let her choose one thing at Target last Thursday because she was well-behaved, and she chose headbands. I guess her cousin Caden was fighting over those today.

And speaking of Caden, he is going to have a little sister! My sister-in-law Jen and brother-in-law Phil got confirmation yesterday that their baby is a little girl! We are so excited for Rachel to have a girl close to her age now. I have been teaching her how to say the name, and I am excited to go through all our baby clothes to see if anything will work for them.

This weekend I am looking forward to relaxing and watching football on Saturday. The weather has started to turn toward Fall weather, and I love that! There are good things in store for this Fall -- I can feel it!

Remembering

It was 9 years ago today. I woke up, got my newspaper, prepared some breakfast. I started reading my paper in preparation for my first class of the day. This was a news media class, and the professor would quiz us on the headlines of the day.

I turned on Good Morning America to help cover more bases at once. About 15 minutes into my viewing, they cut over to NYC, as there were reports of a small plane hitting one of the World Trade Centers. Smoke billowed from the tower, and I looked on in amazement. How could a plane hit such a tall skyscraper? And as I sat there, horrified, I watched as another plane entered the picture and hit the other tower. It was then that everyone watching realized that this was no accident. We were under attack. I watched throughout the day as efforts were made to save the people in the towers, as we discovered that the Pentagon had also been hit, and that a plane had crashed in Pennsylvania -- a plane that was later revealed to be heading toward the White House, but fell short because the passengers refused to allow the terrorists to fulfill their plan. I watched with friends as the towers fell to the ground, and we cried together, stunned and filled with sorrow.

I had never been to NYC before 9.11.01. But I found myself living there nearly 2 years later, just on the other side of the river. Duane and I visited the site of the WTC a few times while we lived there, and I could only imagine having been there for the events of that horrible day. On September 11, 2003, we saw the lights they projected upward in remembrance of where the towers used to stand tall, and I was filled with pride of my country.

Even when I looked for some pictures to post to this blog, some of the images brought me such sadness that I had to stop looking. We lost so many wonderful people because of a terrible hatred that exists in others. People who went to work like it was any other day; firefighters, police officers, and EMTs who devoted their lives to saving the lives of others; people who got on planes just trying to get home to loved ones. I remember today all of those people and I am grateful for those who are still here with us. I remember what happened on September 11, 2001, and I pray that this world can find peace so that this never happens to anyone again.

LABOR DAY WEEKEND!!

As soon as I found out the Buckeyes would be playing in a Thursday night game for their season opener, I requested the following Friday off of work. Because this was the Friday before Labor Day, that made for a nice 4-day weekend, but since I have been sandbagging my vacation days (due to my heavy work schedule), I was able to also request Tuesday off and create a nice 5-day weekend!

My friend Lawrene made the mistake of telling me she had never been to a Buckeyes game before. Given my fortunate ticket connections, I was able to work up some tickets for us, and we went tailgating and headed to the first game of the 2010 season together. Unfortunately for Lawrene, she had to sit with me. I am quite...spirited...when it comes to the Buckeyes. We were winning by 4 touchdowns, and I was still screaming at the defense to get their act together, still screaming at the offense to make smarter plays, still screaming at the coaches about the special teams blunders...

I don't feel I am a hindrance to others' enjoyment of the game, but I get my money's worth for sure. And I support my team.

My aunt's seats were quite excellent too, so I am hoping we can get some more tickets throughout the year, but I am always grateful to get those that I get. Duane found a nice tailgate connection too--right outside the stadium--so that is going to pay off. And I swear I saw Kirk Herbstreit and his family walking near the stadium! I don't know if I buy into the hype about the Buckeyes just yet, but they are better than last year!

Friday I actually had to head into work for a few hours, and my boss granted me a half-day of vacation time in return. Then I began painting Rachel's new room (pictures to come). It made me pretty excited for finishing it off and getting her moved over! Saturday we did some more housework and painting. Then Sunday we held our fantasy draft at the house. My team turned out okay, though I didn't get all the players I would have liked because I ended up last.

Monday morning, I headed up to Indian Lake to help celebrate my parents' new house on the water. They invited all of their closest friends to see the new place, and it was a great time. Rachel really takes to the water -- she helped her Hoppa drive the boat!

Then all the men left and we began the kickoff to Women's Week -- a tradition where all the ladies party at the lake for a week, with no men around! Lots of good food, cards, games, laughs, drinks, boating, and more. And it is even better in the new house -- we had some boat malfunctions today, but we just sat on the boat parked in the dock and ate and felt the wind and the water blow us around a bit. The new place is really several steps up from the old one. I had so much fun sharing my childhood retreat with my daughter and seeing it through her eyes as my parents must have seen it through mine once. I spent so many weekends at the lake when I was younger, and I just feel so blessed that my parents were in a position to provide that for us and for our family friends, who are more like family than anything. I just wish I didn't have to come home and go to work tomorrow! This is my last short week scheduled until my friend Kim has her baby -- it will be rough working 5-day weeks again!

But this weekend, I am looking forward to the rematch of the 2003 National Championship game (Buckeyes vs. Hurricanes)! And then next weekend I am throwing a diaper/formula shower for the aforementioned pregnant friend. Since this is her second boy, she doesn't need a ton of stuff, but diapers and formula always help! It is also a chance for her to relax for the evening and just enjoy being around her friends for a few hours, with some good food and some good cake!

VACATION!!!

The first 7 months of this year were too similar to the previous 2 years for my liking (read: too much work and lots of stress), so back in March, when my family decided to plan their biennial vacation, I was really excited!

Two years ago, we went to that State Up North for our family vacation. Rachel was only 7 weeks old, and the car ride was about 7-8 hours, so it made for an interesting situation. But overall, the week was really enjoyable, so when we were planning this vacation, I knew it would be fun. Unfortunately, because of the economy, we couldn't afford another MI trip and we could only do a long weekend, rather than a full week. So we brainstormed and came up with Sandusky, OH, home of Cedar Point.

It was quite the vacation plan -- taking a 6-year-old, a 4-year-old, and a 2-year-old to an amusement park. We went on Thursday, figuring the lines would be a little less long on a weekday, and we couldn't have asked for much better weather. The sun was shining, the temperature was fair, and we had a blast! I hadn't been on a roller coaster in years, so I was kind of nervous to jump back into it, and Duane had never been to Cedar Point before, so my brother-in-law was nice enough to watch the kids first thing so that we could try out the Millenium Force, one of the tallest, steepest roller coasters there is. Standing in line, my mom looked up at the first hill and began to panic. We counted to time it took the cars to get to the top of the hill, so that she could close her eyes for that part. One nice thing about that coaster is that instead of the normal chain that pulls you up the first hill, you are pulled up by an elevator cable. It is much less disconcerting and doesn't yank you quite so much. However, when you round the top of that hill, you feel like you are going straight down (see picture), and you are going so fast that you barely have time to panic.

We survived it, and felt invigorated for the day after that one. It was the newest coaster there the LAST time I was at Cedar Point, so I was happy to ride it after only a half-hour wait (as opposed to the 2-hour wait it was when I was there before). Speaking of waiting, that is one thing we didn't do much of. In fact, I couldn't have asked for a more satisfying venture to the amusement park. Our longest wait was for the Millenium Force, and that was maybe half an hour; we ended up riding Magnum (15 minutes), Gemini (no wait), and Raptor (25 minutes) fairly easily, and we even sat in the front of the Gemini and the Raptor with very little extra waiting tacked on. I got to ride all the classics that used to be hour-long waits without waiting long at all! Duane also rode the Top Thrill Dragster, which blasts you forward at 120 mph and straight up a tower, then across and back down again. He said that was worth the admission fee to the park, and they only waiting about half an hour as well.

Rachel got to ride on several rides too. She started with the LolliSwings, and she seemed to enjoy that. When the ride ended, she told me she didn't want to get out. =) Then we took her on a car ride that went around an oval track and sped up around the ends as it turned. I was so proud of her -- she put her hands up! She also rode the carousel with Uncle Doug and Grandma and the bumper boats with Grandpa (or, as she calls him, Hoppa). She couldn't have been better at the park. My initial plan was to take her back to the rental house when she seemed tired so that she could take a nap, and I was worried she wouldn't want to ride in her stroller, but she was so well-behaved that I kept bragging about what a great kid I have.

After Cedar Point, we spent Friday morning lounging around the rental house. Rachel went swimming and then took her nap, and I ended up going to the wineries around the area with my family, a tradition we started on our MI trip years before. It is a lot of fun to taste different types of wine for a very small fee, because a lot of times I find something I never thought I would like, and it is a wonderful souvenier from the trip! Needless to say, my wine fridge is now stocked for some time to come!

Friday evening, my brother and I teamed up to make grilled pizza, buffet-style. You are thinking, "Grilled pizza?" But the flavor from the grill adds something you can't even imagine to the pizza, and it was fun trying all the different types of toppings. My brother also made us his signature guacamole and salsa, and I am eager to try out the recipe!

Saturday, my brother, my parents, and I went to Put-In Bay for several hours. I had never been there, and it was pretty similar to Key West (without some of the luxurious atmosphere), so we had a blast putt-putting around in a golf cart, visiting breweries and wineries, and touring the island. We visited the longest bar in the world, bought a growler, and rode the Jet Express (the ferry from Port Clinton).

That evening, we had another delicious dinner (prepared by mom and Julie), and relaxed a bit before getting packed up to leave Sunday morning. I wish we had a few extra days up there, because it was a blast, and it was pretty close to home, so we didn't have to worry about a long drive back with a toddler in the car. So in 2 years, we will have to find some way to top this vacation!!

Today is my 30th birthday. It has been a pretty great day so far. I woke up early to drop Murdock at the vet for his surgery (having a mole removed), and then took Rachel to Jolly Pirate on the way home. She had fun picking out her donut, and we relaxed a bit before we headed to lunch with Grandma, Aunt Julie, and her cousins. I have been a bit nervous about turning 30, but I feel okay with it right now.

My biggest regret is that I haven't lost any weight from the time I started my personal weight loss challenge. Well, I lost a pound, but that is hardly enough to be significant. I have worked out almost every day (sometimes twice a day) and I have eaten mostly sensibly for more than a month, so I expected to at least shrink a pants size by now, but unfortunately, my body seems to be fighting me. I plan to ask my doctor about this at my next visit, but for now, I will just keep plugging away. =)

Monster Truck Cake!

I have been trying to upload a video for my latest blog post, but I am apparently inept at such things, so I will have to wait for that update.

In other news, Duane and I had a great time last weekend at his coworker's wedding. We rented a hotel room and Rachel stayed with her Uncle Phil & Aunt Jen for the night so we could stay over in Delphos and enjoy the reception. I had a great time meeting some more of the people Duane works with, but I wish we could have stayed later the next morning. We had a very nice hotel room and we were enjoying the continental breakfast and old episodes of Boy Meets World before we left. However, duty called! I had to get back to finish the cake for a very special 2-year-old boy -- Rachel's friend Brayden!

The cakes turned out pretty nice and they survived the 45-minute drive to the party, which made me happy. I used oreo cookie crumbs for the dirt, instead of icing, and I used smalled cake pans, but I think it worked out okay.

Here is the model:

And here is my version:

Last weekend, I attended my first-ever live auction. I was able to get a pretty nice office chair for our office and a great deal on a twin mattress and box springs for Rachel's new room. It was a strange experience, nodding at a man who is just rambling numbers out of his mouth. I was kind of sad too -- these were a man's possessions. I believe it was an older gentleman who passed away, but I couldn't help but think of how much he probably spent on these precious items and how much care he put into their selection. And there they were, being auctioned off for a fraction of their real value. A practically new pool table went for $140 because nobody wanted to have to move the darn thing!

Duane is off to the track again this weekend so I am hoping to get some work done around the house! Maybe I can surprise him and get Rachel's room painted and the new twin bed in place. Rachel and I get to go to Geema and Hoppah's new place on the lake Sunday. I am really excited about that! Hope the weather cooperates. Only a few weeks until my birthday, and even less until vacation!

I would post the latest weight stats, but not much has changed, despite upping my workout regimine to 4 days a week. But I guess I feel okay, so that is what matters...right?

Birthday Festivities!

Birthday Festivities

This week, my beautiful little girl turned 2 years old! I can't believe it. I was driving home in heavy traffic Tuesday evening, and I took some back roads because I heard the freeway was closed. I happened to drive by the hospital where Rachel was born, and I thought how strange it felt to drive by on that particular day, almost exactly 2 years after I showed up there because my water broke. I was so scared and excited that night as we drove to the hospital -- I was more than ready to meet this little baby who had been kicking me for a while, but I had no clue what would come from the birth experience nor from becoming responsible for another person's life!

Now I can't remember what my life was like before I was Rachel's momma. I remember being slightly thinner (see below re: weight loss battle), but I know I wasn't nearly as fulfilled with my life. Rachel and I got to spend 3 days together this week, and I really wish I could stay home with her every day, because I had so much fun. We went to the Zoo (as has become tradition) for her birthday. Her cousins, Aunt Jen, and Grandma Wood joined us and even though it was scorching out, it was worth it. Then I went home and made her Foofa cake just for her birthday.

Thursday we met my friend Barb for lunch and then spent the day outside having fun. And today we have been laying low, running some errands, but overall just relaxing. Tonight I am headed to Cincinnati for a baseball game with my parents and brother, and then Sunday is Rachel's and Owen's birthday party! I have a lot to do tomorrow to get ready for that, including baking two cakes! Pray the weather holds out!!

**WEIGHT UPDATE: 151

Weight loss to go: 11 lbs

Not exactly as much as I had hoped for, but I did miss all my workouts this week, and I had cake 2 days, so I guess that is okay. Back to work next week though!**