Reflections on 2010: Erin

1. What was the single best thing that happened last year?

Dave was hired on as a resource teacher in October after having to quit his teaching job in September.

2. What was the single most challenging thing that happened?

Dave's having to quit his teaching job in September and having to find another teaching job by October--not an easy feat for the middle of a school year.

3. Pick three words to describe 2010.

Simplified, healed, and discontent.

4. Pick three words your spouse would use to describe your 2010.

Stressful, scary (health problems), and worrying (my worst habit this year).

5. What were the best books you read this year?

Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher
Sabbath by Wayne Muller
In Praise of Slowness by Carl Honore

6. With whom were your most valuable relationships?

Definitely Dave. He's seen me at my best and my worst this year, and he's loved and supported me all the way.
My parents and family. I really wanted to focus on spending time with my family this year, and I'm pleased to say my relationships with them have grown.
My carpooling buddy, Leanne. She's been there to listen and cheer me up with trips to Qdoba when I'm facing challenges.

7. What was your biggest personal change from January to December of this past year?
It wasn't so much me changing, but my life changing when Grandpa died in October. I still miss him a lot.

8. What was the most enjoyable part of your work (both professionally and at home)?

I loved being able to lead the Editorial Olympic Committee for my company's Olympics last February. We came up with a great idea (human curling) and executed it successfully. I also enjoyed leading a committee that read almost every page of the Chicago Manual of Style 16th edition to find the changes that came with a new edition of our style guide. We all worked well together, and I think what we did will help everyone else in my department. (Yes, I'm truly a word nerd.)

At home, I had a lot of fun trying out new recipes, whether for dinner or a treat for my coworkers.

9. What was your single biggest time waster in your life this past year?

The Internet as a whole.

10. What was the best way you used your time this past year?

Reading edifying, educational books. (Wow, what a nerdy, introverted thing to say.) 

11. What was biggest thing you learned this past year?

That circumstances can change in an instant, but God is always faithful.

12. Create a phrase or statement that describes 2010 for you.

Seeking a simplified state but still stressing.

Thank you, Simple Mom, for providing us with these questions.

Reflections on 2010: Dave

1. What was the single best thing that happened last year?

I accepted my first special education teaching position, fulfilling a long-time dream.

2. What was the single most challenging thing that happened?

Losing the aforementioned special education teaching position due to forces beyond my control.

3. Pick three words to describe 2010.

Thought-provoking, encouraging, and demanding.

4. Pick three words your spouse would use to describe your 2010.

Exciting, demanding, and troublesome.

5. What were the best books you read this year?

The Five People You Meet in Heaven and Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
Cell by Stephen King
1984 by George Orwell
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

6. With whom were your most valuable relationships?

First and foremost, my wife.  Thanks for loving, supporting, caring, and laughing with me through 2010, Mrs. Gwynne.  

Shout-out also to my EJ crew.  Even though I no longer work in the school, I'm really grateful we all still keep in touch.

7. What was your biggest personal change from January to December of this past year?
I began my teaching career.

8. What was the most enjoyable part of your work (both professionally and at home)?

I love lots of aspects of my job, but I especially like IEP meetings and paperwork.  I really am a geek!  At home, I enjoy taking care of my wife.

9. What was your single biggest time waster in your life this past year?

Facebook Surpasses Google

Need I say more? 

10. What was the best way you used your time this past year?

Educating myself on the field of teaching and special education. 

11. What was biggest thing you learned this past year?

To be grateful for all we have, but especially for employment.  You never know when the rug might be swept from under your feet.

12. Create a phrase or statement that describes 2010 for you.

Bieberific!

Happy New Year from the Gwynnes

Thanks to Skype, we were able to ring in the new year with Mum and Dad. Now it's time for our New Year's Eve celebration: our annual steak dinner, a movie, and ringing in the new year with sparkling grape juice. May 2011 be a year of God's blessings to you and yours.

The Beard

"He that hath a beard is more than a youth, and he that hath no beard is less than a man."

Shakespeare

 

Since the bard himself had a beard, we can count the above statement to be suffering under extreme bias.

 

Being that I was on winter break for two weeks, I decided just before Christmas to test out my beard-growing abilities and experience what the outcome might be should I decide to permanently join the flock of fully-fledged facial fuzz fans.

 

Beard!

 

Of course, being the savvy shopper that I am, I persuaded my wife that I should be allowed to purchase (on a side note:  notice my choice of words in persuaded and allowed - guess who runs the finances in this household!) a nice new electric razor for the purposes of keeping this crazy facial hair in check once winter break ends.  

Off we went to Walmart.  It was a cold, rainy night and Walmart was absolutely packed.  It's a popular place to spend cold, rainy nights.  As with most Walmart trips, it could truly be called an adventure.  Items strewn across the floors, kids tearing around the store unsupervised, obnoxiously loud groups of cell phone users blocking the aisles, and we can't forget the weird teenager obsessed with the blood pressure monitor.  "This is really fun," he proclaims as he hovers behind my shoulder.  

 

Finally, we made it to the shaving needs aisle and I picked up a nifty Philips Norelco for only $30.

 

Nifty.

 

 

 

Now, before you are tricked into believing that I'm the one in the Gwynne family who just loves an opportunity to spend money (as my wife would have you believe), I will point out to you that we bought a number of items on this shopping trip. 

 

In addition to the razor, we purchased numerous cosmetics, an electric shiatsu chair massager, and a few other household items.  Can you guess who these other products were for?  

 

Enough said.

The Snowman

Did you grow up watching The Snowman at Christmastime? I have fond but vague memories of the motorcycle and flying scene from when I was a child watching it on the local PBS station. It wasn't until I was much older and dating Dave that I fell in love with the film.



One night during one of our many Skype conversations, I'd mentioned seeing The Snowman when I was a kid. He knew exactly what I was talking about and brilliantly sent it to me as a present for the next gift-giving occasion. It didn't matter that it wasn't Christmastime at that point; I put the disc in the DVD player and watched it right away.

It's now become a Christmas tradition to watch The Snowman and Father Christmas. The best part about the tradition, however, is that my work friends join me in watching the films. Most years, we only have time for The Snowman because we watch during our lunch break. This year, for the 4th time, we got together at my apartment during our lunch hour to watch the film and enjoy Christmas cookies.

These women are some of my best work friends. During the years of watching The Snowman, our lives have changed. Some of us have gotten married. A few have left the company or moved away. Children are being added to the group. But our tradition of getting together every year has stayed the same. I hope it is a tradition for years to come.

Merry (Meaty) Christmas

Just this morning, I was dreaming about side dishes I could make for my family's Christmas dinner next week. Little did I know that my contribution would be bigger than I had imagined!

When I got home from work tonight, I noticed a huge Styrofoam box outside my neighbor's door. Ever the curious one, I took a look to see what it was. The sender was Omaha Steaks (yum!), but the recipient was our old neighbor, who had moved out in July. I called Dave to play a fun game called "What Would You Do If a Package from Omaha Steaks Was Accidentally Delivered to You?" Fortunately, the pressure was off because it was our neighbor's dilemma, so we had fun coming up with solutions. Dave told me to keep an eye on it so that we could at least stick it outside for the night if our neighbors never came home to take care of it.

Well, around 8 I heard some noise out in the hall, so I went over to the peep hole and saw that my neighbor had discovered the package. I heard him talking to his wife, and I wondered what they would do with it. Only a few minutes later, there was a knock at our door!

There was our neighbor with the big white box. He asked if we ate ham, and I said yes, so he explained how he was mistakenly sent this box o' meat. He told me that he'd called the company to try to fix the mistake, but Omaha Steaks said he could keep it and they would send another shipment to the correct address. (Very good, Omaha!) Then, and here's the best part, he offered to give us the package because he and his wife don't eat ham. Amazing!

I thanked him, said Merry Christmas, and then tore into that package like a kid on Christmas morning. There was not only a 7-lb. ham but also 4 burgers! I called my parents to tell them the good news and then asked if they'd like to use the ham for our Christmas dinner. Of course they would! How neat is that?

Weekend Roundup

Perhaps it's because last weekend was filled with the flurry of eating turkey and shopping for Christmas presents, but this weekend felt super relaxed, even though we managed to fit quite a bit in. (I love that type of weekend!) There are no pictures to accompany my account, unfortunately, so you will just have to use your imagination.

Friday: Dave and I were invited to a game night at my coworker's home, but because Dave was still in quarantine after his battle with the stomach flu, I went solo. All the games we played were brand-new to me: Blink, In a Pickle, Rummikub, and Pictureka. I enjoyed all of them, but I think Blink and In a Pickle will be going on my Christmas list this year.

Saturday: The first big snow of the winter was set to fall on Saturday, so we didn't know exactly what was on the agenda for the day. Fortunately, the road crews were able to keep up, and we were able to get out and run some errands. (This is the part of the weekend when we got a lot done.) Some of the stores were madhouses, but it wasn't too bad. Once we were home, I watched the NBC Friday night movie from the night before. It wasn't my favorite, but it did help ease the pain of missing all of my Hallmark Christmas movies this year. (Our cable provider and Hallmark aren't liking each other very much right now, so that means no Hallmark channel for the Gwynnes.)

Sunday: For a variety of reasons, we haven't been to our church for a weekend service since September. I was super excited to get back to the routine of Sunday morning church, and the service didn't disappoint. I love my church because each Sunday we really study the Bible. We were all over the major and minor prophets yesterday. On the way home, we stopped to fill up the gas tank and pick up a paper, and I was able to spend the afternoon reading the Chicago Tribune, one of my favorite Sunday afternoon activities. In the evening, we put up the Christmas tree and decorations, and I watched part of Rick Steves' European Christmas while sipping hot chocolate. It was the perfect end to a great weekend.

Thanks for the Tie, Mum

(Please ignore the clashing plaid purple shirt. I promise Dave will wear a matching shirt when he wears it to work.)

Someone Has the Stomach Flu

Surprise Block Party

Last winter, the sensitive stairway smoke detector in our building set off the fire alarm a handful of times--once just after I'd washed my hair (imagine the lovely frozen-hair look I sported after that one) and once three times throughout the night (midnight, two, and three-thirty). I think there was another time, but it was likely in the middle of the night and probably felt more like a nightmare.

With the weather getting colder, Dave and I have discussed the possibility of the early morning wake-up more often. Last night, as a matter of fact, we couldn't stop talking about it. We discussed possibilities for insulating the window in that stairway to keep the area warmer. We dreamed about what it would be like to own a home without the fire alarm worries someday. Dave had even talked about the problem with a coworker earlier in the day.

Last night, I got ready for bed just after nine and settled under the covers with a good book. I had just finished reading a couple of pages when the all-too-familiar sound began: AAAARRRRR!!!! AAARRRRR!!!!! AAARRRR!!!! (That's the best I can do to write what it sounded like.) Dave and I grabbed our coats and shoes and headed downstairs to see which smoke detector set it off. It turned out to be from the building next door, actually from the same apartment that burned toast last Labor Day and woke everyone up from sleeping in that morning.

One of our neighbors called the fire department, and they came quickly. I think the whole fire brigade was there last night. They walked into the building next door with their axes and other firefighting gear. They started to hook up the fire hose. Then one of them walked into our building (where the system is based) to reset the alarm and tell us we could go back to our apartments because the problem was from the building next door.

Uh, are you sure you want us to go back? Our buildings are separated by a thin wall, so if there really was a problem, it wouldn't be a good idea to send all these people back inside. When I asked what had happened next door, they wouldn't tell me, only reminding us we could go back to our homes. We obeyed, and since our apartment is on the other side of the building from where all the action was, I couldn't watch to see if they continued to bring out their gear or if they left soon after.

The good thing about all of it is that we had more people from our building go outside once the alarm went off. The first time the fire alarm went off last winter, we were the only ones standing outside when the fire department came. This time, we met our neighbors from across the hall and caught up with our neighbor from the second floor, who we don't see much once the complex's pool is shut down for the winter. I think I will always be haunted by that awful sound, even years after we move.

If you've lived in an apartment building, have you had to deal with fire alarms? It seems our building is always inviting the fire department over, especially on those cold winter nights. I'd like to know we aren't the only ones suffering. ;-)

Thanksgiving Weekend

Dave and I are now back home, where the constant sound of sirens from the nearby police and fire stations is a continual soundtrack, but we had a wonderful weekend at my parents' (quiet) house. We spent Thursday with my aunt and uncle, brother and sister-in-law, and mom and dad before heading to my parents' house for the rest of the weekend. Thanksgiving dinner was delicious, and I think I set a personal record for the amount of food I consumed during that meal. It was all so good, especially the do-ahead potatoes and taffy apple salad. (And I'm not just saying that because I made the salad--it was so good I ate some of the leftovers for my pre-breakfast snack yesterday.)

Dave's birthday fell on this weekend, so we made sure to celebrate. My dad made him a sign for his place at the table that morning.
Then, later on that night, we all went to Bass Pro Shops so Dad could help Dave pick out a bunch of fishing gear with the gift card he got for his birthday. Dave and my dad had a good time going up and down the fishing department aisles, looking for the best bobbers, hooks, etc., to set Dave up well for his next fishing adventure.
We did venture out on Black Friday for some of the sales, but we waited until the doorbuster deals were almost done. That meant I didn't find some things I had hoped for because they'd been sold out, but I still got some great deals and didn't have to miss out on sleep or battle large crowds to get the bargains.

Today was another highlight of my weekend. Because we were staying with my parents, we went to their church, which is the church I also attended before getting married. I always enjoy visiting my old church because it means I get to see some very good friends. Today was no exception. I met up with Julie V. and Nealy, who was in town for the holiday, and we enjoyed lunch at Jason's Deli. I think we were there for almost 4 hours because we couldn't stop talking! I am so grateful for these girls and for a husband who kindly tolerates all the girl talk.

This weekend really was just what I needed. Life can get so hectic sometimes with work and other adult responsibilities. It's nice to take some time off to relax and hang out with the people you love. I'm not quite ready to jump back into the routine tomorrow, but I'm refreshed after such a great Thanksgiving weekend.

BTW--I know that the blog is now decorated for winter, but I wanted to share this find from Bed, Bath, and Beyond. I can't walk past a clearance section, especially when it's full of fall decorations. I snagged this beautiful fall tablecloth for $5 yesterday. It will be proudly displayed until I put up the Christmas decorations on December 1.

Gratefulness

The Gwynnes have a lot to be grateful for again this year. We're grateful for the basics like having food on the table each night, a family to spend time with and love, a good church, and, of course, each other. This year, I thought I would focus on a few more specific things that we are grateful for this Thanksgiving 2010.

A New Car

This time last year, our Chrysler Sebring was on its last leg. It seemed like Sweetie Pie/Mad Max (Dave gave my car a more masculine name when it became his car, too) was in the shop at least once a month, and we were in that uncomfortable time of debating whether it was worth putting all that money into a deteriorating car. By January, God blessed us with a great deal on a brand-new Hyundai Tucson. We weren't even looking at new cars because used cars offered more value, but this deal was just as good as one we'd get on some of the used cars we'd liked. It has been wonderful having a dependable car, especially now that Dave has a long commute.

Seeing Dave's Parents

Because Dave's parents still live in Scotland, we are unable to see them as often as we'd like. They have spent some of their vacation time to visit us the last two summers. We're grateful for their sacrifice to come to this humid climate in the middle of the hottest time of the year just to spend time with us. This year, we took them to St. Joseph, Michigan, making them walk in the hot sun down to the beach, only to follow that up with the scariest thunderstorm we'd ever experienced on our way home. They were certainly introduced to the sometimes frightening Midwestern thunderstorms this year. Whenever they come, Dave's mum spoils us by making dinner many nights and treating us throughout the visit. We are grateful for the trip they made to see us once again this year.

Vacation

It seems that, the older we get, the more we appreciate our vacation time. I grew up going to the family vacation spot, but now that I'm older, I enjoy just being able to sit and relax without having to find the next thing to keep me busy. This year, we went with my parents, and we had another great week. Dave discovered his love of fishing, and I took in plenty of beautiful sunsets watching him and my dad finish up the day with a few more casts. We're grateful for the time we can indeed get away instead of having to settle for daydreaming about it.

Dave's Job

At the beginning of this year, never in our wildest dreams would we have guessed that 1.) Dave would already be a certified classroom teacher this school year, 2.) Dave would be hired for a teaching job in July, 3.) Dave would have to quit that job for reasons beyond his control in September, and 4.) Dave would find his dream job and be hired for it 3 weeks to the day he resigned from his previous position. During that tumultuous time between jobs, I kept these verses as my promise: "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations for ever and ever! Amen" (Ephesians 3:20-21, NIV). God has proven himself true once again through providing Dave's job.

A Healthy Heart

Image courtesy of Tutorial Park

At the beginning of this year, Dave had to take me to urgent care because my heart constantly felt like it was beating out of my chest for a couple of days. The doctor ran an EKG, which came back normal, and told me I was most likely stressed and needed to slow down. Everything seemed fine until a couple of weeks ago when my doctor was concerned by my higher-than-normal heart rate. She ordered a Holter monitor to track my heart for 24 hours, just to make sure everything was okay. Being a twentysomething cardiac patient (albeit outpatient) was a scary prospect, but I went in to the hospital and got hooked up for a day. My results came back normal! I have never thought more about that involuntary muscle or been as grateful for it as I have this year. I'm grateful that God was with me the entire time, that my husband took time off or spent his days off taking me to the doctors, and that I had friends and family lifting me up in prayer.

Thank you, Lord, for the different blessings you've given us this past year. You have been our provider, our deliverer, and our healer. Thank you for providing a car and a job for Dave. Thank you for delivering us in the midst of stressful situations. And thank you for healing my body when the stress of life would affect my health. Amen.

Date Night: Baseball

Dave and I try to attend one baseball game every year, but this summer, as we approached the Labor Day weekend, we realized that time was running short. (I still don't understand how the summer flew by so quickly; it feels like just yesterday we were discussing plans to go to a game with friends "sometime.")

We live about 15 minutes away from one of the local minor league teams, so I checked out their schedule and was pleasantly surprised to see that they were playing on both Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon. Although Saturday's game would be colder, it won out because of the end-of-game fireworks.

We bought our $5 bleacher/lawn tickets, only to find out that there weren't any bleachers, only the steep lawn. Stink! We lasted through the national anthem before deciding walking around would be better than being pushed around by the large party next to us and the dozens of kids rolling down the hill and throwing errant pitches as they played catch with the squishy balls given out as souvenirs at the gate.

Our view from the cheap seats

After a few pitches on the field, my brilliant husband spotted the promised bleachers (3 whole rows of them) and tables and chairs by the Miller Party Deck behind left field. We headed there and watched the game until an employee asked us to leave at the beginning of the final inning so they could set up for the fireworks.


Our exit led to a pretzel and pop snack before we settled in to a couple of vacant seats behind home plate. Now we know to splurge the next time we go to a game! Our cheap seats were fine, but I couldn't believe how much I'd missed being out in left field!

Enjoying the "luxury" seats

Our team won. (Hooray!) And we celebrated with some of the best fireworks I've ever seen. (Really, there was one that looked like a hose, spraying sparks all over the outfield--and, yes, it was on purpose!)

It may have taken us all summer to catch a game, but I'm glad we got a chance to go. It was one of my favorite activities of the summer.

It's Game Day, Baby

No matter what month may be featured on the calendar, it doesn't feel like fall until opening day of college football. I love the experiences that come with college football season: watching College GameDay on ESPN on Saturday morning, dressing in my team's colors, relaxing on the couch as my team plays on Saturday afternoon, jumping up and down when my team gets a touchdown. I have so many precious memories of cheering on the University of Michigan Wolverines with my mom on Saturday afternoons. I've continued the tradition in my own home now that I'm on my own, and I hope that my children will grow up to be Michigan fans. (They will be influenced beginning at birth!)

Today was the beginning of one of my favorite seasons: college football season! I dressed as closely to azure blue and maize, started the coffee, and turned on College GameDay to accompany me while I paid the monthly bills. The windows were wide open, allowing the cool, fall breezes to fill our living room with fresh air. All was right with the world.

(photo courtesy of ESPN)

Because Dave and I decided to go out a bit this afternoon, I set the DVR to record the Michigan-Connecticut game. I made sure not to find it on the radio as we drove around, because I didn't want to ruin the experience of watching their opening game.

We finally got home 90 minutes after kickoff, and I settled in to watch the Wolverines fight for a victory. I was hopeful but cautious, considering the horrible seasons they've endured for the last two years. Would this game be the shift toward winning seasons that they desperately needed? I yelled, "WOO-HOO!" when they scored the first touchdown and startled my husband. He had forgotten just how excited I get about Michigan football. (Oh, love, one of these years you'll remember!)

Interrupted by a date night to a local baseball game, the game watching restarted with the second half when I got home from cheering another team to victory. Denard Robinson continued to amaze me with his awesome quarterback performance, and I gasped with everyone else when he didn't get up after a tackle. (Fortunately, he returned to the game minutes later.) I yelled a bit more, then gave a final "WHOOOOOO!" when the final seconds ran out and Michigan ended the game with a 30-10 victory.

(photo courtesy of ABC)

My team had won its opener! I'm hoping this is the beginning of a good season for the Wolverines. I know that, no matter what happens with the team, it will be a good season for me because I'll always be able to spend my Saturday afternoons for the next 3 months watching those Wolverines play one of my favorite sports.

M Go Blue!

Catching Up Part 3--Happy Anniversary!

Two years in, and we're just as happy as can be. Thank you, God, for blessing us with two wonderful years of being husband and wife.

I'd been craving (no, I'm not expecting) White Fence Farm fried chicken and corn fritters for months before our anniversary, so it was the logical place to go for our special date. I had grown up going to White Fence Farm on special occasions, but Dave had never been there. The place hasn't changed a bit since my last visit years ago. They still have the tiny museum and old arcade games to keep waiting patrons occupied on busy nights. Because we went on a Tuesday, we didn't have to wait in line, and we got started on their corn fritters and other side items right away! Oh my word. I had forgotten just how good their fritters are! Dave enjoyed the fried chicken, too. It was a fun dinner--even though we were the youngest in the dining room by about 30 years!

I asked Dave to take my picture in front of the chicken near the front door.

Next, Dave took over the date with some surprises he'd planned for us. The first stop was The Cheesecake Factory for dessert! This place holds very special memories for us because it's where we went for dinner the night we got engaged. Aw!

I ordered my favorite, the Kahlua cheesecake. So yummy!

Sadly, I can't remember which cheesecake Dave chose, and he isn't here to tell me, so I'll leave you with the mouth-watering picture of his slice. I could go for some cheesecake right now!

As we always do when we go to The Cheesecake Factory, we took a walk to the spot where Dave proposed. The night of our engagement, he'd spotted a bed of tulips (my favorite flower), so he walked me over and got on one knee. We made sure to get a picture at the spot for our anniversary.

Here's a fun story about the dress I wore: I'd picked it up the summer before our wedding with plans to wear it for our ceilidh at the wedding reception. I wasn't so sure about spinning around in my beautiful but weighty wedding dress. I ended up wearing my wedding dress (and smacking people with the train--oops!) for the entire reception, so this party dress stayed in the closet for the last two years, until I decided I really needed to wear it! Our anniversary date was the perfect occasion.

After our lovely walk through the outdoor mall, Dave took me to Barnes and Noble and told me I could pick out any book I'd like as my anniversary gift from him. (He knows exactly what I like!) We browsed for a while before finding books that looked good.

I can't believe it's been two years since we said "I do" to each other. We've already had our share of challenges come up in the last two years, but it's always comforting to know that we have each other for support, no matter what comes our way. I'm even crazier about this amazing man than I was the day I married him! As my mom said just yesterday, I am so blessed to have Dave in my life. I love you, chee!

Catching Up Part 2--3rd/4th of July

This year's 4th of July was extra fun because of the weird 4th of July-on-Sunday deal. We were able to celebrate the 4th of July on the 3rd of July, too! We also managed to fit in two Independence Day parades that weekend. The 4th of July may be called the Post-colonial Day of Mourning in the Gwynne household because of Dave's British roots, but we weren't crying much this year.

On Saturday we hung out with my family and attended the parade that takes place in my aunt and uncle's town. This airplane was my favorite float in the parade.

After the parade, we all went to a local BBQ joint for lunch. My pulled pork sandwich was messy but yummy!

My brother Nate and his wife Kim

From left to right: Auntie Jan, Uncle Ron, Lonnie, Tracy, Mom, and Dad

That night, Dave and I went to the Saturday service and church then out to dinner at Sweet Tomatoes before heading to our town's 3rd/4th of July celebration at a local park. We enjoyed a country cover band until the fireworks started at dusk.

As if all that celebrating wasn't enough, we decided to go to a nearby town's parade on the 4th. It was sooo hot that day, but we enjoyed the parade underneath the shade of a tree set back from the crowds. That will explain why my pictures, like this pic of a Scottish pipe band, seem so far away from the action.

This was my favorite float! The mouths of Mount Rushmore moved along with the music playing. It was part of a very creative line of floats from a local hardware store.

After the parade, we went to Buffalo Wild Wings for lunch then chilled out the rest of the day. The best part of the weekend was the fact that I also had another day off on Monday. Sweet!

Catching Up Part 1--The In-Laws Come to Visit

Oh my word. When I checked the blog today, I couldn't believe that I hadn't updated our place in cyberspace since May. I am the world's worst blogger. Will you accept a series of catch-up posts?

Yes?

Okay, then--let's get started.

Dave and I have had a great summer with a lot of fun things going on. (It's no wonder I've neglected the old blog for so long!) The first fun event was Dave's parents' coming for a visit in June. This was the third summer they were able to stay with us, and we all managed to survive the two weeks crammed into our tiny, one-bedroom apartment. One day, when Dave and I have a house, we'll be able to look back at these humble beginnings and remember the times when our guests were relegated to the hide-a-bed in the living room. Ah, the life of newlyweds. Anyway, here are some pictures from their time here.

I was able to take Fridays off during Mum and Dad's visit so we could go on day trips with them. On the first Friday, we drove up to St. Joseph to check out the cute little town and show Dave's parents the best beach on Lake Michigan.

On the way home from St. Joseph, we got caught in a horrible thunderstorm. I have never been so scared by the weather in my life! Dave parked the car under a bridge, but the road started flooding! And we were boxed in by other cars seeking refuge. I just kept praying, and finally the person in front of us moved so we could find some higher ground. This downed tree came across our path on the way home. I was never so happy to be safe and sound at home that night!

On the second Friday off, we drove out to the Illinois Railway Museum. Now, I think it could have been fun, but the place is really run down, and we had an encounter with rude people who kicked us off the one working train when we attempted to go on a ride. I don't like mean people!

As you can see, Dave and I were pretty bored that afternoon. The four of us were relieved to get back on the road after that visit!

For some reason, we kept getting severe thunderstorms when my in-laws were here. They don't have bad storms like these back home in Scotland, so I caught them looking out the window quite a bit whenever the wind, rain, and crazy lightning hit.

Overall, it was a good visit. I always feel kinda bad when they visit us in the summer, because it's so much hotter here than it is back home. Of course, it was during their visit that our air conditioner died! Now, this is a good thing considering all the trouble we've had with our a/c since I moved in back in 2008. The old unit never really cooled down the apartment, so we often kept it off to save energy. The maintenance guys were great about replacing it quickly, and we were all so excited to have chilly air once the new a/c was installed. In addition to the fun trips we got to take, I'd say sharing in the excitement of that new a/c was one of my favorite moments of their visit.

Weekend Update

After a couple of fun but packed weekends, we were ready for a weekend without any major plans. It was our time to sleep in and relax without any place to be. As I mentioned earlier, we spent Friday night with my brother and sister-in-law. Sadly, I don't have any pictures to share of that fun time. I do, however, have pictures of the things we picked up at Old Time Pottery.

Adding to my seasonal bouquet collection, I picked up some tulips for our dining room table.

On the way home Friday night, we saw a billboard for Jason's Deli. I'd heard many good things about this place but had no clue there were any locations in Chicagoland. We ended up visiting for lunch on Saturday, and oh-my-word, it was delicious!

We were so tempted to go back today, but we resisted. Jason's Deli has all their nutrition info online so you can pick out your meal based on your dietary preferences. Everything is fresh and delicious. To top it off, you get free soft-serve ice cream for dessert. Yum!

Okay, back to the Old Time Pottery finds. I installed this shepherd's hook this afternoon. It was a bit tipsy, so I secured it with wire. Now I just have to decide what to hang from it!

Last but not least is probably my favorite find from Old Time Pottery. Do you see this price tag? Do you really think we paid full price for this item? Think again!

This picture, originally marked $100, was only $19.99! It was the perfect piece to finish off our office corner at home.

I still can't believe it's already Sunday night! This has been a wonderful weekend, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to relax and gear up for the next week of work.

We Are Family

Last night after work, we set off for northwest Indiana to visit my brother and sister-in-law. We hadn't been over to their place since New Year's Day 2009, so it was about time for another visit. Because every road in Chicagoland is under construction, the trip took us 1 hour and 35 minutes, but it was worth the travel time.

After what I refer to as our year of craziness, the time in our married life where we inevitably learned that busyness and an always-on-the-go lifestyle do not work for us, we made the commitment to visit family more often. In that year, I realized how much I missed seeing my family, and I decided I didn't want other things to come in the way of my relationships with family members. This has meant that we try to see my parents at least once a month and my brother and sister-in-law more than once every three or four months. This has meant that I make plans with my aunt in Michigan to meet for lunch when I'm in town for a conference. Sometimes, these get togethers include some sacrifice, such as sitting in a car for a while or spending money on gas to make the trip, but the benefits are so worth it. My family mean the world to me, and I'm grateful for the chances I get to see them.

So last night, after the hour and 35-minute drive to my brother and sister-in-law's and the 20-minute trip to the restaurant, we had a great time eating Portillo's (oh, their chopped salads are the best!) and roaming the aisles of Old Time Pottery. I still can't believe we spent hours in that store!

I was just telling Dave that I anticipate these visits so much now that the day after always feels like the day after Christmas--with the hint of sadness that comes after looking forward to a fun event for so long. I've learned that a life without making your family a priority isn't a very fun life, so I want to do all I can to make sure that we place them high on the list.

Baskin Robbins . . . or Not

Did you know that tonight was 31-cent scoops night at Baskin Robbins? Judging from the line extending out the door, you probably knew, along with everyone else in the country. Dave and I headed over to take part as soon as he got home from his open house at school. The following is a pictorial account of our adventure.

I scrambled for some change in our change bowl, but this was the largest coin I found. Do you think they'd accept euro currency?

Alas, the line was too long and the temps a little too chilly to take part, so we headed home. I was very sad, but Dave missed the memo that you're supposed to be sad when you miss out on Baskin Robbins.

Ah, here we go. There's nothing like unity in marriage, even when it comes to sadness over missed ice cream.

All was not lost, thanks to the pudding cups we had waiting for us in the fridge. Hooray for another sweet treat!

We didn't even have to wait outside in the cold for this!

Perhaps next year, we'll have the patience and better temps to take part in the cheap ice cream night, but I'm happy with my pudding cups and another fun adventure with my husband.