Happy Engagement Day

Oh, how young and innocent we were way back then. Sometimes I still pinch myself, but most times I wonder if Mark knew what he was getting into by taking me on. So in honor of that funny night at the airport that ended with a ring on my finger and an inch gash in Mark's head (no stitches required, but lots of blood), here's a top ten

Top Ten Reasons Jenn loves Mark

1.) He gets me - really, truly understands me. We are able to see ourselves in each other - past, present, and future.

2.) He's an amazing Daddy who adores his kids...and they adore him right back.

3.) He is a patient, patient man. Hello! He is married to me, after all!

4.) He has big, big, BIG dreams, plans and goals. Very ambitious! (perhaps the quality that attracted me most)

5.) He is the hardest working and most reliable, consistent person I know. If he says something will be taken care of, it will be taken care of, no question.

6.) He has a hilarious sense of humor - and he gets mine!

7.) He can fix just about anything and does things right the first time.

8.) He is "pure in heart"-- always sees the best in people, and always gives everyone the benefit of the doubt.

9.) He can eat faster than anyone I know - and takes great pride in it - considers it an art.

10.) He loves and is passionate about a million things, but he always puts his family first.

We have come a long way, baby. I love, love, love you and I am so very grateful for the life we have together. I can't wait to see what the future has in store...

Garage Sale Gem

Our 17 year old neighbor had a fantastic garage sale today. Every girls dream - pretty dresses, princess hats, shiny jewelry - everything imaginable. Including the most splendid make-up case complete with eye shadow and liner, lip gloss and liner, and blush. Now, Jillian is convinced she is the next Bobbi Brown, and who else better to practice on than Mommy. Unfortunately, as seen in the blurred images below, she may not be the next Annie Leibovitz.

It's Bath Time

Tonight, I told Karigan it was time for her bath. Before I knew it, she was up the stairs. A first might I add. She made it all the way to the first landing by herself. - Guess it is time for that baby gate that has been sitting in the mudroom for, oh about, 6 months to finally be installed.

Wanna Sleep Over?

Jillian had her first sleepover last night, and the girls had so much fun. The night before Jillian and I planned the events. She wanted a nail polishing, bracelet making, quesadilla eating, chiminea lighting, marshmallow roasting, boy teasing, movie watching, popcorn munching, pillow fighting night of magic. And boy was it ever. Ellie earned the "ice cream cone" prize for staying up the latest. No, we did not tell them there would be a prize for the night owl of the group -- She came downstairs at 11:30 while Mark was making himself a bowl of ice cream. She batted her eyes a few times and Mark's heart melted - thankfully the ice cream did not. I made her a bed on the sofa, snuggled her in, and then she crashed (hopefully not from the sugar overload.) This morning came early, and since the sleepover was just scheduled on Monday, everyone had places to be today. Ellie did not want to leave, and Jillian did not want her to go. I see the next Anne and Diana (...of Green Gables, that is.) Such sweet, kindred spirits - these girls are!

Waking up TO raccoon eyes

Last summer, a gray-haired raccoon kept creeping out of the runoff drains and into the street. Rumors spread about the old guy being rabid. Neighbors said that if we saw him to call the sheriffs office, and an officer would "take care" of him. Me, being a country girl, wasn't really concerned. Mark and I told the kids what to do if they saw him. But for the most part, we just left him alone, and we haven't seen him since the end of last summer.

Then, following her daily-first-thing-when-I wake-up ritual of looking out the front window to decipher the weather, Jillian declared,

"Daddy, look at that cat!"

Well, not exactly, Jillian, but I don't think cats get more domesticated. It was a raccoon just strutting his stuff up and down the sidewalk. He didn't even flinch when I went out to take his picture. He just raised his front left paw in what seemed to be a gesture of hello. -- Now, as I am typing this entry, Mark sends me a picture message on my cell phone. He is on his way to work and is following a pest exterminator truck with a silhouette of a raccoon on the back. As soon as I get it on my email, I will post it too. Oh, the irony.

When's the last time your house had a bath?

It started with me just spraying the bird poo off our bedroom window screen. Then Mark comes along and asks,

"Do you want to use the power washer?"

Well, yes I do! Lets just say, I love that thing. There is just something about a device that was created with the sole purpose cleaning at an elevated level of efficiency and power. And nothing is a bigger turn on than a man with a to do list. So, now the whole house is clean, and Jenn is a happy girl ;)

Wedding Bells with a Curly Headed Boy

Today was spent vegging out on the sofa finally watching all the glorious movies that have been piling up on our DVR. Starting with Camp Rock...afterwards, Jillian declared,

"I'm gonna find myself a curly headed boy, and I'm gonna marry him!"

All I can say is, heaven help us when she's a teenager (if the full-blown-I-like-boys years wait that long) especially with the boy crazy genes she comes from. We. are. in. for. it. Despite her unrequited love for the curly-mop Jonas brother (she and half the girl population under 14), every girl should have a innocent crush on a famous boy heartthrob at least once. So -- I thought I would check into concert tickets for her birthday. They are playing Nationwide Arena on August 23, and da-ta-da, the only tickets left are in the nose bleed section for $60 or some Citibank promotional ticket for $1000 (no, I did not accidentally type an extra zero.) Next stop - Ebay.

Brendan's Twin: Found at the Zoo

The kids found an old bag of hairspray paint in the basement last week. Since then, each day brings a new style, color, etc. Brendan opted for a fauxhawk and day glow orange for our trip to the zoo Thursday. Upon passing this caution cone, I couldn't resist the photo op.

Croc Crazed

This weekend is Mark's member/guest tournament and by far the busiest week for him and his staff out of the entire year. Normally, it consists of four 20 hour days followed by 20 hours of sleep in one day just to catch up. The kids and I typically head back to OK for the week, but the thought of me and 3 children in the car for 14 plus hours broods anxiety from my toes up. So - we opted to stay home. Good thing because Mark had a minor shoe emergency. Who knew boys could have shoe emergencies? But I guess being at work, standing on your feet, aching in your heels, throbbing in your legs, shooting up your back, tensing in your shoulders, complaining in your thoughts constitutes an emergency - AS IT SHOULD! So the hunt for the most comfortable, safest in the kitchen, snazziest shoes began. Mark already had an idea of what he wanted, it was up to me to bring it to fruition. One of the line cooks had recently began sporting a pair of Froggz (croc knockoffs, I guess) and had been raving about every imaginable, fantastical thing about them ever since. I started by looking online - remembering that I needed something today, not in 3-5 business days. Things would have been a lot easier if I could have just had them shipped, but as my grandpa used to say, "nothing worth having is ever easy." We opted for the Bistro by crocs. It is specifically designed for the food service industry and is endorsed by Mario Batali. The problem: finding a pair within a 50 mile radius. I called 20-25 different retailers in the Columbus area. Nothing. The only thing comparable was the Professional series by crocs. And luckily a sporting goods store just received a new shipment and had several pairs in Mark's size. The kids and I load up--45 miles and 1 hour later we arrive at the store only to discover there weren't any available in Mark's size. Supposedly, they had already sold out. So on to the nearby mall. We checked out Journey's first, even though when I called I was told they didn't have any in stock. Lo and behold, I could see a pair of bistros from the door. Five minutes later we were on our way to Mark with shoes in tow, that is, until we were side tracked by a Crocs kiosk. We each picked out our favorite pair.

Can you match the shoe to the person in our family?

Then find a pair for yourself here.

One of These Days...

Do you have any crazy goals or lofty schemes that you tote around only to bring out during those conversations of when I win the lottery, or when I retire, or when I...

Mark and I do. His is to open a restaurant (which is more of a goal that will, one day, happen.) Mine is more of the lofty, materialistic kind. Go figure, right? Realistic vs. Fantastic.

"So what is yours, Jennifer?" you say "Do tell!"

Well, on the graduation day of our last child, Mommy will receive a gift. Nothing elaborate. Just an Audi TT. I know, I know -- nothing too special about a TT. I just look at it this way, if I am going to dream, it might as well be obtainable. Of course by the time that graduation day rolls around the TT will look more like this, and probably hover, for that matter. Build your own here. Then let us know what your "one day I will..." is.

What is Happiness?

So I was trying to come up with something positive and uplifting to post for my sister. She needs all the sunshiney smiles we can send her way right now. Needless to say, that got me to thinking: What is happiness? I have always had a firm definition of what my own personal happiness means, but here is a few quotes on how other people define happiness. Find mine at the bottom of the list.

*Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony. - Gandhi

*Happiness is that state of consciousness which proceeds from the achievement of one’s values. -Ayn Rand

*Happiness is something that you are and it comes from the way you think. - Wayne Dyer

*Happiness is essentially a state of going somewhere, wholeheartedly, one-directionally, without regret or reservation. - William H. Sheldon

*Happiness is not a reward - it is a consequence. - Robert Ingersoll

*Happiness is different from pleasure. Happiness has something to do with struggling and enduring and accomplishing. - George Sheehan

*Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence. - Aristotle

*Happiness is not something you experience, it’s something you remember. - Oscar Levant

*Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling. - Margaret Lee Runbeck

*Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude. - Denis Waitley

*Even if happiness forgets you a little bit, never completely forget about it. - Jacques Prévert

*If you want to be happy, be. - Leo Tolstoy

*Happiness is never stopping to think if you are. - Palmer Sondreal

All in all, I would say that happiness is a choice. Your happiness is your decision to make. All the quotes above require actions on our part and actions require choices. So what do you think? How do you define happiness?

Don't Worry...

Well, I am having kind of a crazy day today...okay there is no "kind of" about it. But I found this print and think it is magnificent.

Get it here.

Knock On Wood

I don't consider myself overly superstitious. For the most part, I don't subscribe to that garbage at all. (No rabbit-foot toting, same-sock wearing, lucky pencil using goes on at my house.) But I do knock on wood. You know, when you say something like "No one in our family has ever had cancer," you have to follow it with "Knock on wood," and an actual knock on actual wood. And it has to be real wood, not pseudo wood, particle board, etc. In the first place, I try not to say things like that out loud, or think them for that matter. I hardly ever say "It's been months since Jillian's had a tantrum at bedtime" because I know that as soon as I say it - a huge tantrum is on the way. But when those things do slip out, I'm all about knocking on wood to ward away the bad luck. Silly right? Or so I thought. Anyway, sometime last week Mark and I were talking about the kids being healthy, minimal trips to the pediatrician this year, finally having great health insurance yet we really haven't had to use. (I cower to even type the conversation, as not to curse ourselves again.) Then the thought crept into my head, "I need to knock on wood," but I didn't. SO - what happened?! Fourth of July, Karigan wakes up from her nap with a fever. She had been unusually fussy the night before. I took her to the doctor on Saturday. I just knew she had an ear infection, but nope, her ears were clear. It was ruled a sinus infection with some postnasal drip causing minor throat irritation. After 48 hours of constant crying only quieted by constant nursing (and, trust me, that only goes so far), we were in the ER at 3:30 Tuesday morning. And to think this all could have been avoided by knocking on wood, well perhaps. Nevertheless, my faith in knocking on wood has been reaffirmed and I'm recommitted to the cause.

So. I know I'm not the only semi-superstitious one, right? What do you do? Toss salt over your shoulder when you're cooking? Or are you a wood knocker? Fortune cookie fortune saver? Go ahead, tell us. No one will think less of you.

WALL*E

Mark, the kids, and I went to see the new Disney/Pixar movie WALL-E. Talk about a movie whose subtle but poignant theme about the dangers of consumerism makes you want to get off your butt and do something. When I first saw this movie trailer, I knew I would be one of the first in line to see this tale of a little robot left behind on a deserted and trash-covered planet Earth. WALL-E is a curious, trash compacting robot who is forgotten on earth when humans leave. The visuals in this film, as we might expect of the Pixar folk, are amazing, particularly the opening 40 minutes or so when we see Wall-E travelling about a city emptied of its people, scooping up junk into his trash compactor body and forming it into neat, stackable skyscrapers of garbage. We quickly discover that this mostly voiceless little robot represents the best qualities of humanity: innocence, curiosity, diligence, compassion, and love. Throughout the film, WALL-E develops a love interest in another robot, Eve. A bot from the space station full of lackadaisical humans, the dove of Noah's Ark, sent to find any evidence of vegetation...And I won't spoil the ending for anyone else, but if you saw it, let us know what you think.

Mermaid Fun

My little mermaid SO needs this. Talk about the ultimate pool accessory. This would definitely be a huge hit for Jillian's birthday. She already thinks she is a mermaid - she will stretch herself across the living room floor with her legs together, toes pointed, and flutter as if she had a real mermaid tail. It was featured in this month's Cookie magazine, so I have been unable to find a website that has it in stock. If anyone else has any luck, let me know.

Fireworks and Festivities

This year we decided to park in the aquatic center's parking lot instead of driving back downtown. The Bigs were a little bummed that we weren't going to the festival to watch the fireworks, but Karigan wasn't feeling well. So, as a consolation we put a mattress in the back of Mark's truck equipped with pillows and blankets, the cooler, and a pizza we picked up on the way. It turns out, the spot where we parked was perfect. Grandma and Grandpa parked next to us, the kids cuddled in the back of the truck, and Mark and I sat in our chairs. In the end, parking a little farther away by no means lessened the "ooh and awe" factor.

Rain, Rain Go Away!

A neighboring village has a large Fourth of July celebration every year that begins with a kiddie parade at 10 AM and then ends with fireworks at 10 PM with a little bit of everything for everyone in between. The main parade started at 1:30 PM, and the rain started at noon. We stayed anyway, and with umbrellas turned upside down, collected as much candy as we could.

Happy Fourth of July!

This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.

~Elmer Davis

The object captured in the images above are painted on a 12 foot high, 56 ton rock which stands alongside Highway 25 in Iowa. For years, it featured nothing but slogans, names, and obscenities scrawled upon its face by a host of itinerant teenagers. That is, until 1999, when a young man who had grown up in Greenfield, Iowa was inspired by the film Saving Private Ryan to make better use of the natural canvas.

Ray "Bubba" Sorensen II, now a Des Moines resident and graphic ad designer, was a 19 year old Iowa State University Student who had seen the Greenfield Rock many times before when, around Memorial Day 1999, he decided to begin what has become an ongoing artistic tribute to America's Veterans.

Each year around Memorial Day, Ray uses white paint to cover the previous years work, then spends one to three weeks creating a new scenes on his blank canvas. The photographs above depict the 2003-2004 version of rock that has come to be known as Freedom Rock. For more information on Bubba's work and to see all versions, click here.

House for Thought

"Houses cost too much for the mass market. Today's average price is around $8000, out of reach for two-thirds of all buyers."

- Science Digest, April 1948

The above pictured house, built in 1940, is currently available for purchase.

The sticker price $549,990. See it here.

Cleanliness is Next to Godliness

Today the kids and I went over to Matt and Jennifer's new house to help clean and unpack, and while I was on my knees scrubbing the bathroom floor (trying not to think about just whose pee I was cleaning) I began to wonder...

...What would life be like if you lived with the dark-haired, bearded Oxi-Clean guy? You know the guy from the commercials that elevate the volume of your TV by 10 decibals so you can still hear him when you go to the bathroom during the break. I mean, can you imagine life on a daily basis living with a man who cheerfully speaks at full volume and in ALL CAPS all the time?

Every morning:

“GOOD MORNING, HONEY! RISE AND SHINE! WHY ARE YOU HOLDING THE PILLOW OVER YOUR HEAD? WAS I TALKING IN MY SLEEP AGAIN? OH NO!”

At Breakfast:

“THESE EGGS ARE AMAZING! I’VE NEVER HAD EGGS LIKE THIS! LOOK AT HOW QUICKLY I CAN EAT THESE EGGS! I’VE LICKED MY PLATE CLEAN IN LESS THAN TEN SECONDS AND BECAUSE I BRUSH MY TEETH WITH KABOOM AND OXI-CLEAN, I CAN PUT THE PLATE RIGHT BACK INTO THE CUPBOARD!”

To the kids:

“HAVE A GREAT DAY AT SCHOOL, SUZY, AND DON’T FORGET TO SHOWER THOROUGHLY AFTER GYM CLASS! YOUR SWEAT STAINS LAST WEEK TOOK TWO TEASPOONS OF OXI-CLEAN TO GET THEM OUT! AND YOU, JUNIOR, DID YOU NOTICE HOW SPARKLING CLEAN YOUR UNDERWEAR WAS THIS MORNING? NO MORE SKID MARKS, THANKS TO YOUR DEAR OLD DAD AND THE POWER OF OXI-CLEAN!”

To the dog:

“ROVER! WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS HIDING UNDER THE COUCH WITH YOUR PAWS OVER YOUR EARS? COME OUT HERE AND SHAKE HANDS! LET'S GO PLAY FETCH!”

To his wife:

“I DON’T UNDERSTAND, HONEY! YOU’RE LEAVING ME? I THOUGHT IT WAS MY EXUBERANCE, CLEAR COMMUNICATION, AND STAIN-FIGHTING ABILITIES THAT DREW YOU TO ME!