2008: A Year In Review

I can't believe it's the last day of 2008. I'm always amazed at how fast time seems to fly by. It seems like only yesterday we were ready to say goodbye to 2007, and here we are a year later.

2008 brought many great things into my life. Although there were no huge landmarks that were made, there were many small events that helped pave the path in my memory wall.

Here are just a few of the events that I celebrated or went through this year: (These are in no particular order...just what I can remember!)

• Dave and I were lucky enough to usher in 2008 with our dear friend, Lisa and her friend Jeremy
• Dave earned his GED through a lot of hard work.
• He was also given an amazing job opportunity, he loved what he did and got out of bed excited each morning to go to work. (which many of you know he no longer has due to the economy!)
• I had to send my 5th graders to middle school in May, which was difficult.
• I was given the opportunity to teach and learn from 24 of the greatest, most challenging students in 4th grade starting in August.
• I survived teaching middle schoolers summer school...which I never thought was possible.
• Unfortunately, I was at the Osceola Drag Strip when the motorcyclist lost his life in a tragic accident...which made me all the more thankful for my life and loved ones.
• Keely got engaged and is happier than I have seen her in a long time.
• Dave and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary with a trip to Chicago!
• We were fortunate enough to spend Christmas 2008 in sunny Cape Coral, Florida!
• Dave and I shared our lives and house with Reese the dog for a few months before she was hit out on Capital Avenue.
• I've had the opportunity to reconnect with old friends
• I've watched a close friend celebrate and cry, grow and spread her wings into beautiful woman who is just starting to realize her own strength.
• I painted 4 new pictures in our painting class in Akron, Indiana
• I'm learning more and more the importance of relaxing and letting the little things go day by day
• I had to say goodbye to two close co-workers who left Northpoint
• I had the amazing opportunity to share my classroom with Katie, my student teacher from January until April, then celebrate with her as she got a job in August!
• I've learned not to take life for granted and am working hard to find something every day to celebrate.

I'm sure there are many more events that I can't recall just yet. I am extremely thankful to each and everyone of you that read this blog for being a part of my life! You all help me to be the person that I am.

Happy New Year! I hope 2009 brings amazing things to you and your family!

The Florida Snowman That Wasn't...

We spent 8 amazing days in Paradise this Christmas. We left Dave's mom here at the house to "house sit" and have some alone time. We thought it would be nice to bring her something home. Something little, but at least something.

We found a super cute Florida Snowman Snow globe. For those of you thinking "A Florida Snowman? What?" You're dead on. It was a snow globe that had water only, with a floating snowman hat, nose, eyes and buttons. Of course, no snowman...just melted water. We thought she would love it.

We had it packed up and ready to be brought back. Well, who knew snow globes are dangerous?!?!?!?! It was confiscated at security...are ya kiddin' me? Evidently, someone, somewhere has been attacked by a scary snowman snow globe. We were told that it surpassed the "liquid amount." Wow, seriously! A snow globe.

Just in case you were thinking of traveling with a snow globe...you probably want to pack it in your checked baggage.

Back Home Again In Indiana....

Ugh. Hooray. I'm not sure which emotion is winning right now. I found it incredibly difficult to say goodbye to the family that was staying in Florida, but I also found myself somewhat excited to get home, to be familiar, to find the routine.

We had a wonderful last day in Florida. We spent the day at the house, just enjoying the company, sunshine and surroundings. We had a lazy breakfast and then ate lots of turkey leftovers for a lazy lunch.

Dave and I found time for a walk around Kim and Glenn's neighborhood and then jumped into the pool for some last minute laps and rays.

Grandma, Kim and Brady took us to the airport around 4:45 and after a short 25 minute delay, the plane took off last night about 7:40. We got back into Indy with no problems around 10:00 and only made it to Carmel where we stayed the night.

We had such an amazing time. I know this is going to be a trip that we will never forget and the memories are going to last forever.

Today Is The Day!

Bummer. Today is the day that we must fly home. In some ways, I'm ready. In many ways, I'm not. It's hard to think of waking up tomorrow and not being able to go outside barefoot and do my "wildlife search" at the dock by the canal.

We had another great day yesterday though. We got up in the morning and met Aunt Mary and Walter at breakfast at the Sunflower Cafe. From there, everyone except Grandma and Grandpa (even Aunt Mary) headed to Bonita Beach. We had an amazing day playing at the beach for about 2.5 hours. We were able to collect a lot of shells and just enjoy the view as we walked down the beach. There was a great need for aloe when we returned however.

We got back to the house and Kim, Diane and I went over to Bealls to look for a swimming suit. It's safe to say we found a few other things as well! :)

When we got back, everyone loaded up and we headed over to Rum Runners for dinner. When we returned, a few of us got in the hot tub then everyone turned in pretty early.

We're off to enjoy our last few hours here in Florida.

Ugh...It's Almost Time To Go Home!

Man, oh man...it's almost time to head for home. I'm not quite sure I'm ready.

We had another fantastic day yesterday. We our "Mini Christmas Celebration" yesterday with everyone who is here and also Aunt Mary and Uncle Larry. We had a turkey dinner prepared for us by Publix which was super yummy!

We got up yesterday morning and Dad, Diane, Kim, Glenn, Dave and I went to the Farmer's Market. It was a lot of fun to walk around to the different vendors that set up in a church parking lot. We came away with Red Navel Oranges (aka Blood Oranges), a chocolate banana smoothie and some pickles! We consider it a success! :)

We came home and vegged in the pool and sun for a long while, then got dinner ready and ate with everyone. It was fun, but would have been better if Keely and Jeff could have been here to complete our group!

After dinner, more lounging around then we headed over to the Cape Coral Beach to watch the sunset with everyone. Although Grandma didn't make it out to the beach, she and Grandpa still watched it from the car. Dave and I walked down to the pier and watched the sunset from there. It was gorgeous.

On the way home, we stopped for another round of the Working Cow for some ice cream, then came home and played cards until bed time.

1 1/2 more days of paradise...then it's time to head for home.

Eeeks! A Couple Of Days To Catch Up On!

Well, Christmas 2008 is come and gone. We had a spectacular day, although it seemed very un-Christmas like. It's hard to remember that it's Christmas when it's 85 degrees, the sun shine very brightly and we're at the Casino in Immokalee! Unfortunately, we're not rich...not even close. Dave put me to shame with his $12.79 winnings. I'm fairly certain that he was on the machine that I was supposed to be on, but oh well, I took one for the team and let him sit there and get MY winnings.

We actually started out our Christmas day with breakfast at the Sunflower Cafe. This is a local favorite. The food was good and the service was even better.

After the casino, we hung out at home and went swimming.

Dave and I left about 7:45 that evening to drive up to Tampa to get Kim and Brady from the airport. We arrived with the help from Bossy Betty in about 2 hours and their plane landed shortly after 11. We grabbed them and then headed home, getting back about 2:10 am.

We all kind of took it easy the next morning after getting back so late and had breakfast here at the house. After breakfast, Kim, Brady, Dave and I headed to Ft. Myers Beach. We couldn't have asked for a better day. The weather was amazing the the water was almost warmer than the pool at home. We played Frisbee, hunted for shells, walked the pier and soaked up the sun!

As we were heading home, we stopped for ice cream at the Working Cow, which has become another favorite since we've been down here. Afterwards, we headed home for some pool time and taking it easy.

Dad and Diane got here about 5:45 last night and we got some pizza and enjoyed the family around the pool. Kim and Grandpa headed to the airport about 8:30 last night to pick up Glenn, as the rest of us stayed here and played some cards.

Another 2 fantastic days!

Merry Christmas Eve!

Who would have thought we would be swimming in an outdoor pool, enjoying 84 degree sunshine and petting alligators on Christmas Eve?!?!?!?

That's just what we did yesterday. We got up and headed over to Punta Gorda to The Babcock Wilderness Adventure tours. There, we loaded up on a big ol' buggy and went on a 90 minute tour. It was great. We got to see all sorts of wildlife like: cracker cattle, wild turkeys, ibis, egrets, alligators, cougars, and wild boar tracks. We even got to pet an alligator. It was great fun! On the way out, Dave even chose to be super adventurous and eat gator jerkey! Eww!

When we were done there, good ol' Bossy Betty led us to Olive Garden where we had lunch. After lunch, we headed home for some zzzz's in the sunshine. It got a little warm, so Dave and I bravely jumped into the pool...(all jokes aside, it was FREEZING!) then warmed up in the hot tub for a few minutes.

Last night we hung out here at home and ate leftovers then plopped ourselves on the oh so comfy couches to watch Notre Dame punish the Warriors! Awesome!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

The Day Before, The Day Before Christmas...

Another amazing day in sunny Florida!

We got up and made breakfast here at the house. Gram and I made some mean eggs, bacon and toast. We waited for a bit then Dave and I went out on an adventure by ourselves.

We went to the 4 Mile Eco Park that's not far from here. It was a great park that we got to walk around. The paths take you to about 22 landmarks and the guide tells you just what you are looking at and seeing. Although we didn't see nearly as much wildlife as I had hoped for, we did get to see some cool things.

Among our sights, we saw a young bald eagle, ibis, minnows, turkey vultures, mangrove trees and lots of spiders and amazing webs. We were even laughed at by some Floridians for taking pictures of the turkey vultures. They stopped us to ask what we saw and were taking pictures of and when we told them they just gave us odd looks. Dave explained that being from Indiana, we only have those in zoos. They gave us a great tip of where to go to see other wildlife.

We came home and vegged again. Grandma, Grandpa and I laid out in the sun along the canal while Dave napped. Then last night, we met Aunt Mary and Uncle Larry at the VFW for dinner. Yep, that's right. You read that right. The VFW. You know you're vacationing with senior citizens when you go to the VFW, which shockingly was a very happening place. Odd.

We're About To Piss Her Off...

Ok...so if there's anything we've learned in Florida...it's don't mess with Bossy Betty. Just follow her directions, do what she says, turn where you're supposed to turn, don't turn where you're not supposed to and let her do the directing. Really, she seems rude, but she's not...she's just Bossy Betty and she's only let us down once.

You see, Bossy Betty is the Garmin that we got Grandma and Grandpa for Christmas. She's really an amazing little gadget! She gets us where we need to go, with the exception of Ruby Tuesdays. We programmed her in on Sunday night to find the restaurant and oddly enough, we ended up in the middle of a neighborhood, "arriving at our destination" at someone's house. Maybe Ruby lived there? We're not sure.

Dave and I ventured out on our own yesterday, with the assistance of good ol' Betty. She did well for us...but as you can see from the title, we don't really like to make her mad. Dave was in the middle lane and didn't think he could get over as she was telling us we had to turn right in 300 feet...Dave's response: "Oh man, we're about to piss her off." It truly took me about 3 minutes to catch my breath because I was laughing so hard. Oh Betty.

The Day Before, The Day Before, The Day Before Christmas!

It was a chilly one. Ok, maybe not chilly, but cool...breezy....ok, let's face it, still AMAZING!

We enjoyed a pretty lazy morning waiting for Aunt Mary and Uncle Larry to call when they were done with her hair appointment. They finally called around 11:45 and we went up to Perkins to meet them for lunch. (This seems to be one of the local favorites)

After lunch we went to Publix to order Christmas dinner. Then we headed home and lounged around again. Dave ended up taking a snoozer while Grandma, Grandpa and I played cards. We headed to Aunt Mary and Uncle Larry's about 3:30 to meet up for dinner.

We went to the Shrimp Shack for dinner and then back to their house to play cards. (This is another favorite...especially since we play for nickles!) We headed for home about 10:00 and Dave and I jumped into the hot tub. It was wonderful to sit in the cool air and slightly warm water. (We'll need to turn the heater on a bit sooner tonight!)

I'm fairly certain this is the life.

Here's How I'm Spending My Day....What Are Your Plans?

It's Almost Time...

We're here...we're here. Okay, not THERE, but here. We're at the Indianapolis Airport, waiting for our 7:05 take off. We came to Indy last night for fear of the weather and avoid leaving the house between 1:o0 and 2:00 this morning. It's a good thing we did too...our drive to Indy was anything but relaxing. A 3 hour trip ended up taking close to 5...granted we had a 20 minute stop in Plymouth to meet new Baby William, a 15 minute stop at White Castle for Dave to slam some sliders and about a 20 minute stop at the Wal-Mart. It's safe to say, we got lost about um...4 times and had to turn around. To be specific...3 direction changes and 2 full laps around the airport over the speed bumps which Dave now refers to as the Dukes of Hazard Ramps. Oh, the fun is beginning. This just confirms we've made a good choice in flying and not driving. We can almost feel the sunshine hitting our face.

What Is A Hero?

Heroes come in many shapes, sizes and forms. Heroes can be friends, family, women, men, kids, famous people or just your everyday ordinary person you meet on the street. When I think of a hero, I think of someone who leads by example, someone I look up to, someone that has qualities that I want to see in myself.

One of the greatest heroes that I've ever known was taken from our family 12 years ago today. She was everything I think of when I think of a hero. She was a ferocious fighter, a caring giver, an amazing leader, a dedicated daughter, an inspiring mother, a devoted wife. She led by example. She shaped me into who I've become and she continues to shape me as I grow.

For some reason, God decided to call my mom home December 19th, 1996. I'm not sure we'll ever understand why. We know she was tired, we know she was sick, we know she's no longer in pain, and we also know that she is looking down upon us from the golden streets of Heaven. We have a special angel up there watching over us. If I can't have her here physically, there's no other place I would like her to be.

There is not a day that goes by that I don't "talk" to mom, "consult" with mom and most of all miss my mom. She was such a beautiful lady, inside and out. I can't believe it's been 12 years since she was here with us. There are days that seem like it was yesterday, and there are days that seem like it's been longer.

I consider myself to be one of the three luckiest daughters in the world because hands down, we had the world's greatest mom. I only hope that I can be 1/2 the parent to my own kids someday that she was to me.

I love you, Mom. Please continue to keep watch over me. Help me to become like you.

'Twas The Night Before Christmas
A Christmas Poem by Pastor Jim Kamerer

'Twas the night before Christmas and as I looked round my tent,
I couldn't believe all the money I'd spent
For trains and dolls, for trinkets and toys
Some for the girls and some for the boys.
I looked round once more to be sure things were right;
The kids were all in bed for the night.
I set up the track for the train I bought Ted,
The train went round twice and the battery went dead.
I put on my cap, my gloves, and my coat;
I went to Ames and over to Zayre.
You guess it my friend, no batteries there!
As I left the store a thought came to me,
I had one in the remote of the color TV.
Well, I placed that remote in my wife's favorite chair
I was ready for Christmas with hours to spare.
When out came my wife and punched that remote
And then said to me, "The TV's broke!"
So on with the coat, the gloves, and the cap
Out in the cold about ready to snap.
I went to K-Mart and stood in that line
From 8:35 'til a quarter past nine.
As I came to the checkout, my heart leaped with glee --
There was that one lonesome battery just waiting for me.
When from my behind I seen this hand slip
And grab that battery with a real tight grip.
I wheeled around and what did I see?
This giant of a man glaring down at me.
Well, I remembered an ad I had seen on TV
Buy a Big Mac, get your batteries free.
So, I bought me a burger I didn't want...
They were out of batteries, so on with hunt.
I finally found one at Servi-Star,
Paid for my purchase and made for my car.
When I entered the door of my humble shack,
My wife said, "What's this battery for I found in a sack?"
I was out there in the press, the push, and the greed
To buy me a battery I didn't even need.
At last I relaxed in my easy chair,
When this still small voice came out of somewhere.
"You're ready for Christmas with toys, tinsel, and tree
You've got it all together, but what about me?"
I fell on my knees and cried, "God, what have I done?"
I got caught up in the madness and neglected your Son.
The best gift of all you've given for free
Your Son, Jesus Christ, for sinners like me.
You sent Him to suffer the shame and the loss,
To shed his life's blood for me on the cross.
Well friend, I'll never forget ere I rest 'neath the sod,
The the greatest of gifts if given by God.

Happy Birthday, Sister-O-Mine!

Today is Keely monster's birthday! I won't mention how old she is, but I will tell you she's half way to 64 today! HEHEHEHE
It's sometimes hard for me to believe that I'm lucky enough to have a sister like Keely. She is undoubtedly one of the most amazing people I've ever known. Here are some reasons why I love her so much...

• She has the warmest heart of anyone
• She will give you the shirt off her back if she thinks you need it more than she does
• She's always there.
  
• She always has time for me.
• She listens with her whole heart to all my problems
• She cares about me unconditionally.
• She loves me no matter how silly I've been or am being.
• She can tell just by my voice if something is bothering me.
• She taught me to be a gracious loser in games when we were little because WE ALWAYS HAD TO LET HER WIN!
• It never failed, she always had to get up to go the bathroom at the same time on Christmas Eve night that I did.
• I've never met anyone who likes little old people as much as she does!
• She makes really good chicken tortellini.
• She helps me at school...and I don't even have to bribe her.
• She never let me forget that she's 2 years, 3 months and 4 days older than I am.
• She's one of my best friends.
  
• She's an amazing sister.

Those are just a few of the reasons that I want this to be the best year of Keel's life. I love you, Pups!