Kick Start My Heart

My good friend Jillian who lives in Indy
Our Mums. People kept stopping to ask us what they were. I continually deferred to Dave to explain. Giles and Dave had a lot of fun making these!
Valentine's Day at the Roller Derby: the bout was titled "Kick Start My Heart"
Sporting their garters...

Valentine's Day was great! We went to Indianapolis for the roller derby. It was a blast to be at the derby. Dave made me a mum to wear. Apparently it's a Texas homecoming tradition. The guys make mums with ribbon and trinkets tied to them. What Dave made was only 1/3 the size of what the guys usually make, I"m glad he didn't affix a teddy bear to a cluster of mums. Dave said that girls have to wear back braces they're so heavy!! It's tradition for the girls to make a garter for the men to wear on their arms. I googled what I should be making, and attempted to channel my non-Texan roots. Dave says I did a good job! (I'm pretty sure he would say that regardless)

Already mid-February? (Feb 9, 2009)

Holy Cow! I can't believe that it's almost mid-February! Where has the year gone? I'd like to say that I have something super-exciting to report. However, I'm mainly back in the grind of grad school. It feels like I have more work than I should for this early in the semester, and I would love to get more sleep than I do. I think that's just wishful thinking!

I did have a minor miracle happen today--or at least it was for me. My computer has been acting up. I have started seeing what Logan terms "the blue screen of death" almost on a daily basis. I was panicking, worried that I'd have to buy a new computer. I thought I'd try to think rationally and instead send an email to tech support once I got to campus this morning. We have a really great computer guy who works in our department, I knew he could help me out. It turns out that all I needed was to get all my music and photos off of my hard drive. They're eating up my storage. I just bought an affordable external hard drive and should be good to go...once I find the time to hook it up and delete/move files. :)

Final days in Utah

The last few days in Utah were spent playing with Ashley, Shelby, and everyone else I could find. I played a lot with Owen, my new favorite nephew. I was trying to help him learn to walk, but it was a no go. I heard he is taking his first steps. Good job, Ow!
Kevin played with us when he could, which included taking a picture of his daugter and her plumber's crack! I was dying...I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree!



Final picture with Ashley's kids until next year! Why does Owen look like he has a comb-over? I love you Emily, Tyler, and Owen! It was so much fun to hang with Ashley again...can't wait until the next time I'm in Utah!

Peteetneet School in Payson, Utah (Jan 8, 2009)

After sledding we decided to warm up by going to the museum and cultural center in Payson called Peteetneet. It was a school built int he 1800s, and was in use as a school until the 1980s. The school has since been converted to a museum and cultural center. Each of the old classrooms displays various parts of history in Payson: historical pictures and artifacts from former citizens, collections of clothing throughout the decades, displays of what the old school house looked like, as well as displays depicting various rooms in a home from the 1800s.

Sledding w/ Emily and Tyler: Jan 8, 2009

We figured out that the kids could go by themselves if we jumped and stopped them before the hit the big part of the hill. Here is Tyler taking his turn.
While I was in Utah I took my niece and nephew sledding for the first time. We went to a local park in Payson. Emily and Tyler loved it. We had to drag them off the hill after an hour!
Of course once you go down, you must climb back up the hill. Emily had to problem with that. I, however kept slipping and falling halfway down. I think I ended up with 3 or 4 bruises the next day. I'm becoming more like mom every day!
Ashley even went down a few times--and by a few I mean maybe once. She was a bigger fan of taking the pictures.

WEEK!

I mean school doesn't start for another week. I wish I had another month off!

Back in IL

I just spent the last week in Utah, hanging with family and friends. I will write a post soon to tell you all about it. Today, I'm back at work. Oh, how the holidays go by too quickly. At least school doesn't start for another month!