It's been forever since i've posted! I have to admit that it's because I've been really focused on other things. I do have some good news and some bad news, though.
The good news is that we're making a lot of progress on the baby front.
The bad news, many of you already know about, but I've been waiting to make the announcement until it became official. I didn't want to cry wolf until I knew it was final. Anyway, it's that Brandon has been relocated for the next year for work. He's being shipped off to Rhode Island to consult Federal Highway on a project to build some sort of tribal meeting house on an Indian Reservation. In other words, he'll be living in Rhode Island while I live in Maryland and we'll only see each other on the weekends. He flew out tonight to go up there and find a place to live and will be back on Wednesday. I've been fighting back tears for weeks, but dropping him off at the airport today was terrible. I completely lost it on the drive home. I had to call my sister, Rachel, to cheer me up, so I could make the tears stop and see the road ahead. The longest we've ever been apart was for 2 weeks when we were newlyweds and we swore we'd never do it again. This feels like torture! I know he's only going to be gone for two more days, but that is just the precursor to our separation. I keep putting off going to bed tonight, because I know I'll cry myself to sleep. It's so depressing to know that he's so far away, probably not able to sleep either. I keep telling myself that it will get easier and the year will fly by, but I'm not sure if I believe it. I'm totally hormonal, which isn't helping things, either, since it's magnifying my emotions. It's just my luck, too, that this would happen smack dab in the middle of our fertility treatments. We were really concerned that we would have to put it off, but our doctor assures us that she can get me knocked up without him even being in the same state. He's such a good sport, too. I asked him how he feels about not being there at the time of conception. He laughed it off and said he didn't care as long as the baby is his. ;) I love his sense of humor! And, of course, thinking about his sense of humor makes me miss him even more, so we're right back where we started.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Who Dunnit?
My brother, David, and his wife, Kelli, sent us the best present for Christmas. It was a murder mystery game, which we'd never played before, so we were really excited to try it out. It called for 8 people, so we rounded up three other couples and dressed up for a session of "who dunnit" in a 1920s Chicago speak-easy. We went all out and love it!
The cast of characters:
Cathi: Malissa F. Orrthot ("Scoop") - As a young reporter for the city's leading paper, The Chicago Trumpet, Scoop quickly made a name for herself on the crime beat, later covering the political scene. Her considerable beauty and lively charm have undoubtedly helped further her career, and she enjoys a broad circle of influential and powerful friends on both sides of the law. She counts as a close friend and ally the editor-in-chief of the paper, Augustus Kohn - known affectionately to his staff as "Citizen Kohn." Recently, though, Scoop has written a series of articles exposing corruption in government and, as a result, has antagonized several of the city's most powerful figures. Undaunted by threats against the paper and herself, Scoop has vowed to carry on the crusade "until I've exposed every crook in Chicago."
Bryce: Ernie ("Bet A Million") G. Ambler - Chicago's most colorful millionaire gambler, Ernie parlayed a small stake into a stock exchange fortune early in the decade. He still actively plays the stock market, but his favorite game is poker and he can often be found at a table in the notorious back room of Chicago's Green Tables, where they play the "richest game in town." Ernie is flamboyant, outspoken, always ostentatiously dressed, and never without his diamond stickpin and Havana Cigar. It's said that he will bet on almost anything.
Lori: Molly M. Awbsterr - A society dame from New York, where the Awbsterrs are a prominent and respected family. Molly came to Chicago for the action and because, in her own words, "Chicago is a fun town." Molly is a flapper from the top of the feather in her hat to the tip of her satin shoes and she maintains an apartment on the top floor of Chicago's most exclusive apartment-hotel. She is a consummate shopper, driving herself about town in an elegant Packard DeLuxe Eight Sport Phaeton automobile. Friends and acquaintances call her "The Moll".
Nate: S. Treighton Harrow - US District Attorney and chief opponent to the criminal element in Chicago, Harrow is single-handedly responsible for bringing to justice several of crime's most despicable practitioners. Foremost among those convicted through Harrow's efforts are mob hit man Charlie "Golf Ball" Marconi (who carried a machine gun in his golf bag) and Maximillian Buccher, alias Max the Butcher, alias Max the Knife. Amidst the corruption and complacency that characterize Chicago law enforcement, Harrow stands out as a shining example. Harrow carries on a tradition set by his renowned trial attorney father, Clarence D. Harrow. Nobody knows his first name.
Jade: "Silky" M. Adam - Silky is a slinky and shady lady who owns and operates The Everly Club, Chicago's most prominent private establishment situated in the exclusive Luxington Gardens district. Silky's father, "Champagne" Charlie McCorker, founded the club years ago, and his daughter, christened Penelope McCorker - known to friends as "Poppy" - took over management at about the time she married prominent Chicago businessman U. Penn Adam. After her husband's unexpected death, the young and beautiful owner became known as "Silky" for the elegant silk gowns she was accustomed to wearing in the evenings. Silky counts among the club's members the wealthiest and most influential citizens of Chicago, who, despite their busy schedules, often stop in at the club for an hour or two simply to pass the time in the club's elegant and relaxing atmosphere.
Dan: Billy ("The Kid") Thrower - Star pitcher for the Chicago Stock Kings major league baseball team, Billy was born to play baseball. His grandfather was Bulford "Bull" Thrower, famed for his dreaded "mud-ball." Termed "almost impossible to hit," the pitch suffered the disadvantage of requiring a muddy field or, in the alternative, a well-endowed cow pasture. Grandson Billy has carried on Bull's tradition and in his first major league game struck out 11 batters. He currently holds the league strikeout record. Off the field, Billy is a fun-loving, hard-drinking, warm-hearted, lustful, brawling and rebel-rousing as a baseball player can be. He won 22 games for the team last season and is on a faster pace this year.
Brandon: Eddie ("Socks") R. Gyle - Smooth, fashionable and clever, Eddie is an avid golfer and spends most afternoons on the links at the exclusive Lake View Country Club dressed elegantly in plus fours and argyle socks. In the evenings he can be found at his exclusive gaming house in downtown Chicago, known simply as Green Tables, where the affluent, the trendy and the compulsive citizens of Chicago come to gamble. Those close to Eddie also know him as a deal maker and in certain circles as "Fast Deal Eddie," although what he deals in and with whom is never mentioned.
Me: Currently the featured singer at Eddie Gyle's Green Tables, Torchy has also appeared in many of the exclusive night clubs of Chicago and has sung with many of the town's top jazz bands. While she brings music an exuberance of style enjoyed by fans of the modern sound, it is her rendition of the more traditional blues melodies and so-called "torch songs" that have earned her the nickname "Torchy." Her smoldering beauty and sultry voice contribute to Torchy's appeal, as does an extensive repertoire that includes the latest in Chicago jazz, as well as more traditional blues numbers.
The group was certainly lively, but gracious in their tolerance of my inexperience in hosting a murder mystery. We had a lot of fun with our characters and had a lot of laughs over all the accusations! Needless to say, we are all hooked on these murder mystery games and can't wait to do it again.
Oh, you're probably wondering who the murderer was. It was Jade, aka Silky!!!
You didn't think it was little ol' me, did you? ;)
And, finally, here is a pic of all us girls all dolled up:
The cast of characters:
Bryce: Ernie ("Bet A Million") G. Ambler - Chicago's most colorful millionaire gambler, Ernie parlayed a small stake into a stock exchange fortune early in the decade. He still actively plays the stock market, but his favorite game is poker and he can often be found at a table in the notorious back room of Chicago's Green Tables, where they play the "richest game in town." Ernie is flamboyant, outspoken, always ostentatiously dressed, and never without his diamond stickpin and Havana Cigar. It's said that he will bet on almost anything.
Nate: S. Treighton Harrow - US District Attorney and chief opponent to the criminal element in Chicago, Harrow is single-handedly responsible for bringing to justice several of crime's most despicable practitioners. Foremost among those convicted through Harrow's efforts are mob hit man Charlie "Golf Ball" Marconi (who carried a machine gun in his golf bag) and Maximillian Buccher, alias Max the Butcher, alias Max the Knife. Amidst the corruption and complacency that characterize Chicago law enforcement, Harrow stands out as a shining example. Harrow carries on a tradition set by his renowned trial attorney father, Clarence D. Harrow. Nobody knows his first name.
Dan: Billy ("The Kid") Thrower - Star pitcher for the Chicago Stock Kings major league baseball team, Billy was born to play baseball. His grandfather was Bulford "Bull" Thrower, famed for his dreaded "mud-ball." Termed "almost impossible to hit," the pitch suffered the disadvantage of requiring a muddy field or, in the alternative, a well-endowed cow pasture. Grandson Billy has carried on Bull's tradition and in his first major league game struck out 11 batters. He currently holds the league strikeout record. Off the field, Billy is a fun-loving, hard-drinking, warm-hearted, lustful, brawling and rebel-rousing as a baseball player can be. He won 22 games for the team last season and is on a faster pace this year.
The group was certainly lively, but gracious in their tolerance of my inexperience in hosting a murder mystery. We had a lot of fun with our characters and had a lot of laughs over all the accusations! Needless to say, we are all hooked on these murder mystery games and can't wait to do it again.
Oh, you're probably wondering who the murderer was. It was Jade, aka Silky!!!
You didn't think it was little ol' me, did you? ;)
And, finally, here is a pic of all us girls all dolled up:
Friday, February 4, 2011
It's About Time!
Well, it's February and I'm finally getting around to blogging about New Year's. Not a great way to start the year, procrastinating. Ha ha! Anyway, here's the quick rundown, along with pics taken with my new point-and-shoot camera.
On New Year's Eve, we took one of our favorite kids, Amy, up to the Gettysburg Outlets for a little shopping. We had so much fun!
We finished up with lunch at Subway. Oh, and you should be super proud of me, because I didn't buy myself a single thing. Go me!
That night we headed over to the Bennett's place for a fun little shindig with several other couples. Rebecca organized a fun activity of "minute to win it" games. SO FUN!!!
With such a fun start, it looks like 2011 is going to be a great year!
On New Year's Eve, we took one of our favorite kids, Amy, up to the Gettysburg Outlets for a little shopping. We had so much fun!
That night we headed over to the Bennett's place for a fun little shindig with several other couples. Rebecca organized a fun activity of "minute to win it" games. SO FUN!!!
With such a fun start, it looks like 2011 is going to be a great year!
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
The Belated Christmas Post
I have no excuse for the tardiness of this post. I've just been distracted. So, in an effort to catch up quickly, I'm just going to go through the highlights of the Holiday Season.
We got so many beautiful cards! It was pretty cool to see so many that had pics on them that I had taken. Kind of a boost to my ego.
White Elephant Gift/Ugly Sweater Party:
So fun!!! This is a tradition that we are definitely going to have to continue. Our gift? A date box. Adorable, right?
Me and the girls:
Talk about some ugly sweaters! I think I may have won this one with my hobo Santa. ;)
Sunday evening checking out the lights at the temple:
Pardon my lack of make-up and unfixed hair. I was sick that day with a stomach bug.
Nativities in the Visitors' Center:
Christmas!!! It was actually kind of low key this year. Brandon got me a new point-and-shoot camera, which I desperately needed. Mine was 8 years old and pathetically outdated. My favorite present, however, came from my parents. They got me my first set of temple clothes. Up to this point I've always rented them, but not now. I'm so excited and they are so beautiful! Brandon got pretty spoiled this year. Every year he surprises me with something fabulous, but I was bound and determined to surprise him this time. For years he's been asking for a shotgun and for years I've come up with other ways to spend the money. This year I finally did it. I got him the Benelli he's had his eye on. Of course, I couldn't just wrap it and stick it under the tree. The shape of the box would have been a dead giveaway. So, I had to come up with a plan and, boy did I! A while after we finished unwrapping the presents and cleaning up the wrapping paper, another box mysteriously appeared under the tree. It was a normal cube-shaped box, kind of large, but definitely not a shotgun. When B opened it he found another wrapped box. Inside that was another and another. When he got to the fourth, final and smallest box, he opened it up to find a wadded up piece of wrapping paper. He laughed his head off, thinking it was the best joke I'd ever played on him. I just sat there laughing, too, giving him a moment to accept that it was really a joke and there was no other present coming. After he was convinced it was the end, I reached under the love seat (who ever thinks to look under a love seat for hidden presents?!?) where I had stashed the goods. He was so excited! You would've thought I got him a brand new car. He spent the rest of the weekend reading the manual and playing with his new toy. He was adorable! Needless to say, he admitted defeat. I am the champion gift-giver!
We got so many beautiful cards! It was pretty cool to see so many that had pics on them that I had taken. Kind of a boost to my ego.
White Elephant Gift/Ugly Sweater Party:
So fun!!! This is a tradition that we are definitely going to have to continue. Our gift? A date box. Adorable, right?
Me and the girls:
Sunday evening checking out the lights at the temple:
Pardon my lack of make-up and unfixed hair. I was sick that day with a stomach bug.
Nativities in the Visitors' Center:
Christmas!!! It was actually kind of low key this year. Brandon got me a new point-and-shoot camera, which I desperately needed. Mine was 8 years old and pathetically outdated. My favorite present, however, came from my parents. They got me my first set of temple clothes. Up to this point I've always rented them, but not now. I'm so excited and they are so beautiful! Brandon got pretty spoiled this year. Every year he surprises me with something fabulous, but I was bound and determined to surprise him this time. For years he's been asking for a shotgun and for years I've come up with other ways to spend the money. This year I finally did it. I got him the Benelli he's had his eye on. Of course, I couldn't just wrap it and stick it under the tree. The shape of the box would have been a dead giveaway. So, I had to come up with a plan and, boy did I! A while after we finished unwrapping the presents and cleaning up the wrapping paper, another box mysteriously appeared under the tree. It was a normal cube-shaped box, kind of large, but definitely not a shotgun. When B opened it he found another wrapped box. Inside that was another and another. When he got to the fourth, final and smallest box, he opened it up to find a wadded up piece of wrapping paper. He laughed his head off, thinking it was the best joke I'd ever played on him. I just sat there laughing, too, giving him a moment to accept that it was really a joke and there was no other present coming. After he was convinced it was the end, I reached under the love seat (who ever thinks to look under a love seat for hidden presents?!?) where I had stashed the goods. He was so excited! You would've thought I got him a brand new car. He spent the rest of the weekend reading the manual and playing with his new toy. He was adorable! Needless to say, he admitted defeat. I am the champion gift-giver!
Sunday, January 9, 2011
2 Down
I know this is a bit of backtracking, but I just wanted to catch up in order.
I finished the semester on 12/17. It was a grueling 4 months, mainly because I was taking an Algebra class (yuck!). I am not naturally good at math by any stretch of the imagination, but I worked my tail end off to pull out an A in there, so my 4.0 still stands. YAY! My other classes were Oceanography (where I didn't learn anything about the ocean! My professor was a geologist, so the entire class was about rocks. I don't think it gets any more boring than that.) and Health & Wellness (My professor was amazing! Our final exam consisted of getting a box and putting 10 things or pics of things in it that are important to you and present it to the class. Easiest A I've ever gotten!)
I've never had to work so hard or study so much in my life, but it helped me really buckle down and learn to study. Heck, I used to sleep in class in high school and still wound up with A's, so I've never had to learn how to study or budget my time for projects/homework/etc. The highlight of the semester was my project for Health on RP (Retinitis Pigmentosa). I chose this topic because my dad has this disease. (It's a degenerative eye disease where you initially lose night vision, followed by your peripheral vision, causing tunnel vision that gradually closes in until you are completely blind, usually by the age of 50.) I learned so much about it that it really helped me to be more grateful for what little vision my dad still has. Growing up, I had every reason to believe my dad would never see me graduate or get married. He should have gone completely blind over 14 years ago. It is truly a miracle that he still has vision, as limited as it is. When I present this to my class, I showed them these two pictures to demonstrate the difference between what the average person sees in comparison to what someone with RP sees.
What we see:
What my dad sees:
Pretty major difference, right? I also put together a demonstration with black-out goggles with tiny holes drilled in them so that you can try to get around while only able to see what a person with RP sees. I still have the demo if anyone wants to give it a try. It was a big hit with my class.
So, now I have two whole semesters behind me. YAY! I have lots more to blog about as well (Christmas, New Years, etc.), but one thing at a time.
I finished the semester on 12/17. It was a grueling 4 months, mainly because I was taking an Algebra class (yuck!). I am not naturally good at math by any stretch of the imagination, but I worked my tail end off to pull out an A in there, so my 4.0 still stands. YAY! My other classes were Oceanography (where I didn't learn anything about the ocean! My professor was a geologist, so the entire class was about rocks. I don't think it gets any more boring than that.) and Health & Wellness (My professor was amazing! Our final exam consisted of getting a box and putting 10 things or pics of things in it that are important to you and present it to the class. Easiest A I've ever gotten!)
I've never had to work so hard or study so much in my life, but it helped me really buckle down and learn to study. Heck, I used to sleep in class in high school and still wound up with A's, so I've never had to learn how to study or budget my time for projects/homework/etc. The highlight of the semester was my project for Health on RP (Retinitis Pigmentosa). I chose this topic because my dad has this disease. (It's a degenerative eye disease where you initially lose night vision, followed by your peripheral vision, causing tunnel vision that gradually closes in until you are completely blind, usually by the age of 50.) I learned so much about it that it really helped me to be more grateful for what little vision my dad still has. Growing up, I had every reason to believe my dad would never see me graduate or get married. He should have gone completely blind over 14 years ago. It is truly a miracle that he still has vision, as limited as it is. When I present this to my class, I showed them these two pictures to demonstrate the difference between what the average person sees in comparison to what someone with RP sees.
What we see:
What my dad sees:
Pretty major difference, right? I also put together a demonstration with black-out goggles with tiny holes drilled in them so that you can try to get around while only able to see what a person with RP sees. I still have the demo if anyone wants to give it a try. It was a big hit with my class.
So, now I have two whole semesters behind me. YAY! I have lots more to blog about as well (Christmas, New Years, etc.), but one thing at a time.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Hooray for Christmas!
Now that the semester is over (well, after my Friday class, anyway), I can focus on Christmas and really enjoy this time of year. Almost all of my shopping is done, the tree is up, presents are wrapped and under the tree, the cards have all been mailed, but there is still more to do. It's just so nice to have the majority of my to-do list checked off. I'm still working on a couple of homemade gifts that I'm really excited about, so stay tuned for pics of those.
I love our Christmas tree!
Since our cards have already been mailed, I figure it's safe to post the card here. I am actually pretty proud of this year's card. Normally, I buy a few boxes of cute cards, hand write a message in every single one, hand address each one, and mail them out. This year I set up a studio in my house, put the camera on the tripod, used my remote, and took our pics myself! After we decided which pic to use, I edited it with a vintage style and designed the card myself. Thanks to Sam's Club and their awesome prices, I was able to order my 5x7's for cheap cheap! I even found some adorable matching purple envelopes online that arrived much earlier than I expected. Add a silver sharpie to the mix for address the envelopes and I think I came up with a fabulous card! (Not to be too prideful. ha ha!)
And here's the one I made for my awesome friend, Jade. I had so much fun taking their pics, which I'm still working on because there were so many.
Brandon actually likes their card more than ours, but that doesn't bother me, since I get to take credit for both. ;)
These are some Martha Stewart trees that our Relief Society offered kits for at a craft night that I wasn't able to attend, because I had class that night. Luckily, I was able to get the kit from Cathi, so I still got to put mine together...just without the added social bonus that the other ladies got. :( It actually worked out well, though, because I was able to use it as an activity for B and I to do together. Gotta love that QT that we haven't been getting enough of lately!
Dexter has been really enjoying the decorations and the presents under the tree.
He's gotten into a bit of trouble for chewing on the ribbon on the gifts. That's not all the trouble he's gotten into, though. He is very good at sneaking past us when we have a closet door open. Brandon was getting the wrapping paper out of the a closet the other day and didn't notice that Dexter had crept into the closet right in front of him. B closed the door and went about his business. About an hour later we heard meowing coming from the closet and something get knocked over. I caught these pics before we let him out.
I couldn't miss the opportunity to capture those adorable paws sticking out from under the door. What was Jack doing the whole time his brother was trapped, you wonder?
Watching and waiting for treats, of course! And that's enough of the crazy cat lady posting. :)
I love our Christmas tree!
Since our cards have already been mailed, I figure it's safe to post the card here. I am actually pretty proud of this year's card. Normally, I buy a few boxes of cute cards, hand write a message in every single one, hand address each one, and mail them out. This year I set up a studio in my house, put the camera on the tripod, used my remote, and took our pics myself! After we decided which pic to use, I edited it with a vintage style and designed the card myself. Thanks to Sam's Club and their awesome prices, I was able to order my 5x7's for cheap cheap! I even found some adorable matching purple envelopes online that arrived much earlier than I expected. Add a silver sharpie to the mix for address the envelopes and I think I came up with a fabulous card! (Not to be too prideful. ha ha!)
These are some Martha Stewart trees that our Relief Society offered kits for at a craft night that I wasn't able to attend, because I had class that night. Luckily, I was able to get the kit from Cathi, so I still got to put mine together...just without the added social bonus that the other ladies got. :( It actually worked out well, though, because I was able to use it as an activity for B and I to do together. Gotta love that QT that we haven't been getting enough of lately!
Dexter has been really enjoying the decorations and the presents under the tree.
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