The Wedding Weekend

I honestly really enjoyed my time home. It went quickly, but it didn't fly by with no time to do anything. I actually got to do a lot! The only thing I was really bummed about was the fact that my camera died after the wedding Saturday and I wasn't able to take any pictures when I went to see Katie, Ben and Lucas! I so have to learn to start packing the charger for my camera battery. Gr.

But anyway, because I'm not sure what to write, here are a few photos from the weekend (well through Saturday...)

My mom and her cousins from Germany (I realized I have NO IDEA how to spell their names)

Me and my brother Zach
The Cousins - Krissa, Becky, Me and Angie
Michael, the groom, and his sister Becki

Unfortunately, all the photos I had with Jackie, the bride, turned out fuzzy or dark. Bummer! Anyway, it was a great wedding and a great weekend. Can't wait for the next one! And no, it won't be mine!

Like a Bald Man's Head

Like a bald man's head. Interesting phrase.

I went back to Council Bluffs last weekend for Michael's wedding. Among other things, we went to see the Lewis and Clark Monument. Now I lived in CB for some 20 years and return a number of times each year since, but I'm not sure I had ever been up to this monument. For those of you who don't know, let me give you a little history lesson. Council Bluffs is named so because when Lewis and Clark were traveling across the great Midwest for President Jefferson, they came across this area where the Missouri River cuts through the land and had created these magnificent hills (the Loess Hills). Here they had a meeting with a tribe of Indians...a "council on a bluff."

ANYWAY. Since we had family in from Germany, my mom decided to take us up there. Really, nothing more than a look out point with some plaques and a flag pole. Still...great views. But, thats not the point of the story. As I was walking around skimming the plaques, I came across the one above. Just seemed like an odd phrase..."Like a bald man's head." Ok.

I actually learned a lot on this trip home. I say home losely too as one of the things I learned was my parents house in Ankeny was sold and therefore my mother will soon be moving out to Idaho with my dad. Yikes. Its a scary thing that I don't like to think about. That is not just an afternoon drive to go for a visit. There were some realizations and some facts I learned that made me rethink what I thought I knew. It was just a four day trip, longer than most, but still short, and I felt changed as I drove back to Peoria.

Like a bald man's head. You think you know a man's head until he shaves it and you see that there are bumps and lumps and freckles you never knew about.

Being Brave

Yesterday at work we were talking about new hairdos. PeaJay wanted to cut her hair and add low lights. Elizabeth claimed she wanted to make some sort of change. And I mentioned that I had bought hair dye but had yet to use it. This prompted Elizabeth to state that she wanted to cut and dye my hair...something drastic, she said. Uh, no thats okay. In case you didn't know about 2 months ago, I cut about 6-8 inches off my hair, so its not that change scares me, but I had already done my major change for the time being.

Well, Rob had decided to grill out, so we invited Elizabeth and her husband John over for dinner. I told Elizabeth she could dye my hair, since it was something I had in my cupboard with intending to do anyway. Well she claimed she was going to pick up a color for me...with this whole drastic thing in mind. But as we discussed, it wasn't permanent color, so I thought, take a chance. I could always wash it a million times to get it back to its original color.

We got right to business when she came over. She didn't pick up a new color for me since she saw the color I had and liked it. Phew. I hesitantly asked her if she brought or bought scissors. She said "No, I figured you'd have some." I was still not sure about this but thought, it will grow back. Be brave! Be adventurous!

So I got out my good scissors....

I'm actually impressed. (Though, this photo does not show the cut too well...I was actually about to hop in the shower...I'll try to get & post a better one.) My hair turned out well! Nothing too drastic! I had picked out the color on my own and she just added some layers and wispy bangs...which I had been considering anyway! Yay for that!

But that was not my only brave, adventurous moment of the night!

Elizabeth also brought over Mangoes with a Mexican spice...sweet/sour/spice of limes and chili and whatnot. I had never actually had mangoes...or the spice...but I tried it and actually enjoyed it!

Yay for me!

Lost Thoughts

I had big plans to write of the rest of my weekend, but I got caught up in Facebook.

Damn you Facebook. You are the stealer of my time.

Anyway, today someone Friend Requested me and I thought the name looked familiar, but was not 100% sure who she was. After searching the photos and checking for any Mutual Friends and still not having any luck, I turned to an old friend....my senior year book. Eeks. I haven't pulled it out in forever! As I was looking for this person in the book, I came across some photos of me, so I ran in to show Rob. He then pulled it out of my hands and skimmed through the whole thing. Then he proceeded to read some of the things people had written in it. Yeah haven't done that in something like 8 years! In fact, some of the people who signed my book, we couldn't read their signatures and it took me a second to recall their names. Yikes. Does that mean I'm getting old? Am I beginning to forget high school and the people it included?

Anyway, I digress. It was fun to look through the book. I am amazed at how young everyone looks. Its just nuts. We all look like babies! I so want to be able share some of the pages with you people. We also all look rather unattractive. I really don't think the black and white headshots do anyone any justice. Seriously. Not good.

My mom brought pretty much all my belongings to me last time she came up...including all books...photo albums and yearbooks included. I found the tub they are in, but have yet to dig in. I really can't wait. But I figure I should wait for a rainy day to spend in the basement.

As for Facebook though, its been fun to find people I went to high school with. I mean there are a few I keep in touch with, but I've found a lot on there that I'd completely lost but used to be fairly good friends with. Then there are those I don't recall...such as my new "Friend." In fact, I never found them in my yearbook either. I think everyone should have to post their high school picture on their profile. It would just make it easier. :)

*Even though it would be embarrassing, I really would post a picture of me from high school, but I don't have any on my computer. I'd have to dig and scan. Perhaps thats my other rainy day project.

Weekend Adventures

This weekend has been packed with a little more adventure than usual. Not necessarily a bad thing!

It all began Friday at work. I agreed to pet sit for Peajay next week, so she brought Willow in for me to take home. I've met this dog a few times and figured since she's small and is Ellie's "sister" it wouldn't be that bad. On Fridays I get to leave early so I figured she'd bring her in later in the morning, but she got there right as I pulled up. Ok. Ellie has come to work with me a few times and been ok so I didn't think much of it. Boy was I wrong. I was barely able to work because this dog is HYPER! She barely sat still and if I wasn't paying attention to her, she'd bark. Thankfully, there weren't many people around and no classes, so she basically only disrupted my office work. Anyway, Willow is rather sweet, just a bit higher maintenance than Ellie. She's also not as cute.


See. As we speak (or rather type), Rob is calling her ugly...which is a little harsh. But her and Ellie are doing well together. Friday evening they were a little unsure of how to interact, but as time has gone by, they've become fast friends again. But I'm not so sure if Willow is good for Ellie...today I looked out the window when they were out together and saw this...


They're digging holes. More specifically Ellie is digging holes while Willow appears to be on the look out. Bad girls. After a little while I let them in (kind of forgetting what they'd been doing) and found them covered in dirt. Willow wasn't too bad, but Ellie...she's the one who'd been doing most of the digging. She was covered in dirt...her paws, her belly, her mouth. Look for yourself!

Needless to say, a bath is in order. Before I caught them, they both, with their dirty paws, jumped up on my clean, fresh, bright white sheets. Grr.