NEW!!! blog of interest

hello wee little following... for any of you nutrition nuts (or those who just like reading about it :D), a gal i know just started a blog on that topic. she works in the south bend area and is a nutritionist/dietetic.

happy reading :)

(follow the link or click on nicole's nutrition blog under my blogs of interest)

Dad.. this is for you :)

lol.. i doubt i have many readers on my blog since i haven't posted since the spring. on the off chance kt and mwh (cause i think everyone else is a facebook friend) still visit my blog, here are pictures of my new haircut.

on the 15th i chopped off 12+ inches, of which about 12 were donated to locks of love. megan did an amazing job of styling my hair. i expected to really miss the length, but the new cut is so cute i don't miss it all!! any whos.. here are the pics...

before

the first cut

wow, didn't realize i had so much hair!!!

getting styled...

the new 'do!

Prayer Request

As many of you know, I'm in Maryland for a few days visiting with the folks. I also have the chance to visit my grandfather in the nursing home today (as well as this past Saturday). He had an episode a few weeks back and doctors discovered his heart has been gradually deteriorating. I was definitely not prepared for the extreme change in his countanance. By the end of the hour visit he was tired as every sentence is a struggle for him. My dad believes he is not in much pain as hospice has provided a new bed, an oxygen machine, and some meds.
My grandfather is a believer. Hanging on the wall across from his bed is a cross. He said some days he'll just look at the cross instead of turning on the tv. I am encouraged to know he will be with his Father someday. But until then, I'm asking if you all might pray my grandfather isn't in pain and that his last breaths aren't painful. I can't bear the thought of him suffering in that way.

Thank you friends.

tagged

Amanda tagged me for this picture thing..

Here are the rules:

1) Choose the 4th folder where you store your pictures on your computer.
2) Select the 4th picture in the folder.
3) Explain the picture.
4) Tag 4 people to do the same.
No cheating (cropping, editing, etc.) Have fun!!

Here's my pic:
















Little Buddy's 1st Birthday. Note the bag is bigger than him!


if time allows... i tag:
made for joy
walk before me

**this wasn't the picture i expected. when i went to search my picture files, the order was different on blogger. that's okay though, this was a better pic :)

New Years Eve Par-te

i'm going to have to do this post justice later, but i want to get pictures up now of the nye gang. the guys threw us a party and they did NOT disappoint!






















back row: kim, nicole, jessie, paula, jessica
front row: me, stacey, melissa









back row: brent, kirk, andrew, the jew, matt
front row: nathan, dave, dan

2009

Happy New Year friends!!! I so look forward to the new adventures 2009 will bring. Since my audience is rather small, I feel confident most of you will be aware of the craziness I get myself involved in!
These are a few of my new goals:
*evaluate my time management: am i serving where God intends?
*spend more time in fellowship with family: both in person and via phone, email, etc.
*cherish my friends more
*desire to learn and be discontent with being stagnant
*be in the Word on a regular, consistent basis
*be the woman God wants me to be (and someone example that to others!)

Christmas 1 of 4

i have a few wants and needs this Christmas season... but they'll all pale in comparison to my favorite gift...




nope, not Notre Dame womens basketball tickets




nope, not sleeping beauty










"Aunt Sarah and Little Buddy" photo book! The PERFECT gift! :)))) a treasure forever

Christmas tree, O Christmas tree

Old ornaments, new ornaments, hand
made ornaments, and candy canes

treasuring thursdays...

Thursdays are my special days. Little buddy comes to my apartment while Amanda and Tim are at small group. After a string of weekly commitments in the evenings, come Thursdays I'm definitely ready for a dose of little buddy. We eat dinner, color, play, giggle, jump, run, etc etc. I cherish these few hours a week. Not only because he's my only nephew (and pretty amazing if I do say so myself), but because there's something innately special about children. They're still (mostly) untainted by the world, still very curious, and growing and learning an exceptional rates. The innocence of a child is precious. And Nathan is such a loving little boy. Just thinking about him warms my heart, which often overflows in the form of tears. I really can't put into words the blessing that he is to me.

I love you little buddy!

which will cause revival?

in one of my original posts i said i had never voted before. as of the primary elections in the spring, that is no longer true. a number of reasons support my decision to be proactive this election year. i'm wondering what is yours? i've been involved in a number of political discussions and these are the factors i've heard so far... change, social justice, the war in iraq, abortion, and just plain following political lines. i have to admit neither canidate is particularly appealing to me. so what should be the issue i draw the line at? how do i make the "right" Christ-like decision? the executive director of LAM recently quoted a prominant Christian speaker (can't remember which one) that he would be prayfully considering the canidate that would cause revival in our nation. in the time of the past great awakenings, our nation was in a financial crisis. i'd like to think the canidate from my registered party is offering solutions to turn around the economic fall (this is not meant to be an open forum for our current economic condition... i am honestly not all that concerned... please refrain from excessive comments to that end :D) . but in light that LAM chapel comment, i've been trying to wrap my brain around the opposing political party taking office (for both economic and other policy reforms). i'm slightly concerned about his religious beliefs as well.
all these miscellaneous thoughts are running through my head without any decisive answers. please share any beliefs, comments, points of view, etc. you may have.

i do want to say that i know my God is bigger than any political candidate, office, or law. and in that i have comfort. however, i've been blessed to live a fairly "cushy" life thus far and know i not able to fatham true hardship (economic or otherwise). encouragement, scripture references, and prayer (for me, you, and the nation) are also welcome.

blessings friends!

i can taste it...

everyone keeps saying fall is just around the corner. the leaves will begin to change colors, the weather gets cooler, and we break out our jeans and sweaters. everyone seems to be looking forward to the upcoming season.
let me tell you, i am one of them! but for a completely different reason. i've been tasting november since the beginning of summer. what's so special about november? let me tell you... college basketball season. my obsession with womens college basketball has escalated to a year long activity. i'm always on espn's hoopgurlz checking out who is interested in what school, who's injured, which athletes are being recruited by maryland (GO TERPS), etc. etc. i'm anxious to see who the powerhouses will be this year with key loses to Tennesee, Rutgers, LSU, and UNC. UConn still has it's heavy hitters and isn't losing any sleep over the loss of thier senior class. Even without Delaware standout Elena Delle Donne, the huskies are jammed packed with talent.
In the pre pre pre season poll from this past spring, one expert picked maryland in the 2 spot. i couldn't be more thrilled (though it's arguably a little high after losing an all american and the 2006 final four player of the year). though i'd like to argue coach freese did an excellent job of resigning joco player of the year liles and the number one post player in the 2008 class kizer. those two should quickly and easily transition into the gaps langhorne and harper left behind. this season is going to be amazing! i can't wait for the 5-6 televised games this year (definitely missing maryland's local sports channel out here in the bend).
to add another layer to my obsession, i'm already scoping out my dream team in the rising senior high school class. i know who's getting hotter and who's well... not! i'm not looking forward to Baylor's attempt (which shouldn't be too strenous) to regain national recognition via a national title. coach mulkey has loaded up on talent in the 2009 class, including 6'9" griner (and to be honest i'm already sick of her name!). i would not want her as my defensive assignment!

this is my hobby, interest, obsession. don't be alarmed when i start planning my november-april social calender around basketball. :D

you gotta watch this....

this video is freaking hilarious. i first heard timmy morgan hilarium at the freshman talent exhibition in 2000. he's now living L.A. pursueing a comedy/acting career. check out his other YouTube videos!!!! :D

take two....

also freaking hilarious

the most handsome of all little buddies

Yes, my nephew is the cutest of all little buddies! If you know me (and you probably do if you're reading my blog!) you know that little buddy has a special place in my heart.


Last Friday, Mom, seester, little buddy, and I hit up the Michigan City outlets. I'm not a shopper by nature, but when I'm on the hunt for little buddy clothes - beware! When I see something that will enhance little buddy's already cute features I have a hard time passing it up! What little kid doesn't need OshKosh B'Gosh overalls? And yes, the pajamas do have elephants, tigers, monkeys, and alligators on them!

Little buddy will forever be most handsome! :D

political idiosyncrasies

tim and i were listening to the radio on the way home from work today. a caller asked the question (i'm really paraphrasing here):
what's up with people who want to the government to have no say in anything and then complain the government isn't helping them out!?

i had to laugh!

a summer treat

my favorite summer pastime (and present to be honest) has to be popsicles. well, maybe not. but i do love them. i have been known to down 12 or so in a day. they are sooo tasty. :) so this evening i decided to share my love of pops w/ little buddy.

yummy :D

and then....mom.....??oh well!mommy's solution to the messiness

i love being an aunt... fun ideas with no cleanup :)

my favorite frosh is leaving...

as most of you know, i'm a hardcore maryland athletics fan. in the fall i root for the field hockey team, in the winter it's all basketball, and in the spring i read lacrosse articles. the womens basketball team freshman class was stacked this year. i decided to root for kat lyons; she was the lowest ranked player by hoopgurlz (now run by espn...boo, i'm not a fan as of yet) but verbally committed as a sophomore in high school because Maryland was her dream school. how could you not love the die hard fan/underdog player??? she had a good first year showing, but i wondered why she didn't play as much at the end of the season. well, i believe that question was answered when i read she was released from the team. to be honest, i was a little disappointed. i was looking forward to seeing her progress over the next three years in this program. from what i've read, she wanted to play more of a slashing small forward than the shooting two guard. to be honest, that ideal was a little far fetched until marissa graduated. you can't expect to come in and play the position of a preseason all american! i'll still be a fan of kat, but i'll have to cheer for her as a red fox. she won't get to officially play with rising senior j viani, but Marist could be dangerous when kat hits the floor with reigning maac player of the year r fitz. good luck, kat!

no news is good news

yikes! i haven't posted in over a month. so what's been going on in my life? nothing drastically different than a month ago. i go to work (which i love), play with little buddy (which i love), go to small groups (which i love), play softball (which i love), and help out with a few other activities (which i love). hmm... there is a trend here. :) i must admit, i don't have anything to complain about. life is good (insert smiley face w/ shades).
i have a few post ideas rolling around in my brain. but it's way late at night. as has been the trend lately - late to bed, early to rise. yikes! keep checking in my small, tiny audience. i'll post again soon!

auntie anne's

these are the most wonderful pretzels EVER! i remember my first auntie anne's pretzel. i was wee sprout, about 6 or 7. i first encountered this marvelous treat at market in york, pa. i could barely see over the counter. my first pretzel was $.75! oh, inflation, so sad! my pretzel today was $2.39, but still so tasty. oh how i love the delectable auntie anne's pretzel!


yummy pretzel

name THAT movie

i'm constantly quoting my favorite movies. i started this wonderful little obsession in high school. some may say this is truly why i moved to indiana, because amanda is the only one who gets my one-liners. amanda told me bethany recently posted a movie quote meme. let me just say that i sucked at her quiz! some of these quotes i know by heart and others i used imdb to perfect the quotes and find some old faithfuls from classic favorites.

"good night and good luck" *this is your appetizer, it does not count **oh, amanda and tim, you must wait to answer until everyone has had a fair chance since i overuse some of these.

1. "there will be no living with her now."

2. "hey cow girls, see the grass. don't eat it."

3. "huh? what? i didn't do anything. i didn't... somebody's throwin' stuff. you gonna build a fire or what?"

4. "what's with today today?"

5. "are you .. fuzzy?"
"you shut your filthy mouth"

6. "wait a minute! wait. wait. i'm having a thought. oh yes. oh yes. i'm going to have a thought. it's coming. it's coming... it's gone. "

7. "oh jeez. you know what? i got gum on my seat, GUM! "

8. "dana is no here"
"yeah, we know that"
"then why are you came?"
-OR-
"you mean you never even had a slinky?"
"we had part of a slinky. but i straightened it"
*same movie, both extremely obscure, but very hilarious!*

9. "this is where they fought the battle of Gettysburg. fifty thousand men died right here on this field, fighting the same fight that we are still fighting among ourselves today. this green field right here, painted red, bubblin' with the blood of young boys. smoke and hot lead pouring right through their bodies. listen to their souls, men. i killed my brother with malice in my heart. hatred destroyed my family. you listen, and you take a lesson from the dead. if we don't come together right now on this hallowed ground, we too will be destroyed, just like they were. i don't care if you like each other of not, but you will respect each other. and maybe... i don't know, maybe we'll learn to play this game like men."

10. "in case i forget to tell you later, i had a really good time tonight."