She's Communicating!

Absolutely my favorite video of Sophie. I can't stop laughing! :-D

Family Reunion in Indiana

Happy Birthday Grandma! Thanks for letting us all celebrate it with you!
We all had lots of fun!Sydney and Sophie are getting so big!

Go Pack Go!

Here is a picture from the Packer game! I am working on uploading the rest and will put them up soon. It turns out that free internet does have a cost, speed. Our connection here is fairly slow, especially when it comes to photos and videos. It is supposed to get even worse, now that the undergraduates are here and sharing the same network. Yay!

New blog to follow

I found a new blog to follow. I falls under the same category as www.realsimple.com only it is a blog instead of a site, so not quite as user friendly, but still full of wonderful organizing tips. It's called I'm an Organizing Junkie and it fits me oh so well. I think what got me hooked was her post on "Makeup Storage Makeover", which was basically a picture version of my first month of life, here at Trinity. I am so proud, I think I might even take a picture of some of my favorite organizing feats, including my jewelry drawer (1), hair/makeup drawer (2) and the delightful linen closet (3)! Wow, I really am this excited :) Oh, and our new storage cabinet for the bathroom (4).

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I often wonder "Was I like this before I got married? before I went to college? before I met Mike? etc" just to make sure I am staying true to who I am. The answer is generally a resounding "Yes". Sure I've grown and learned and matured (I think) but when you boil things down to personality and genetic makeup... I am a list-making, people-pleasing and over-analyzing east-coast girl. Yup. All of the above!

Wish List: 7 out of 10 aint bad!

The original wish list:
Things we want to do before we leave D.C.

1. See the Holocaust Museum (done)
2. Go to Mount Vernon(done)
3. Eat at Jackson's Mighty Fine Restaurant & Lucky Lounge (the newest place in the Great American Restaurants chain)(done)
4. Go to Williamsburg(done)
5. Change the light plates in our apartment here (they have been painted over like 5 times and are nasty... and we like our landlord and want to help them sell the place).(mostly done)
6. Drive up to Boston to see family and spend a day or two downtown(done)
7. Go to a George Mason basketball game
8. See the national Christmas tree and all of the state trees(done)
9. Go to the National Cathedral (on Christmas Eve, maybe?)
10. See one last free concert downtown (military band or NSO)

So we didn't get to do #7, #9 or #10... the only one that I'm somewhat bummed about is the free concert downtown. Those were some of my favorite dates; packing a picnic and enjoying the summer air and excellent music. Mike was especially good at planning the meal to travel well. We both love to people watch too and there were plenty o' people to watch during the concerts. We'll just have to catch some music here in Chicago, but it will just never be the same. I miss home.
This picture is from the Easter morning Sunrise Service that Mike and Nate went to. So that might count as a "free concert" in DC? :)

Getting around to it...

Yes, I am still here. A blog is a funny thing. One day you love it and want to share your every thought on it... and the next, it is feeding your guilt for not being "active" or posting enough. Technology in general seems to be a silly combination of ways to make life easier, yet complicated it immensely.

I am applying for jobs, here in Illinois. It seems to me that this process is expedited through the internet. I am able to search tons of available jobs just by typing a few key words into a few key websites. I am grateful for the internet yes, but I also occasionally despise what it has done to society (depending on what it is that I am attempting to do, and of course on my mood). I have squealed in glee at the long list of available jobs that match my search criteria... and I have moaned in agony as I type the same basic information into the application sites over and over again.

(side-note: Did you know that each school district in Illinois has it's own 'wonderful' application to fill out online? Also of note, is that there are usually only a few, if not just one, schools in each district. So when you want to apply to 4 different jobs, in 4 different school districts, you have to type the same information 4 different times. Joy.)

Don't get me wrong, I understand why they have these online submission things. It makes their job a million times easier when everyone's application is submitted in the same format. I just don't like it when it makes more work for me :)

I will be positing more photos, videos and updates... I promise! This is from my last trip to the pool with the girls. I miss them so much!

Wish List - Holocaust Museum

1. See the Holocaust Museum

When Emily and Jared were in town about a month ago, we did some sight seeing in DC. We went to the top of the Washington Monument and toured the Holocaust Museum. We loved the view from the top of the "Giant Toothpick" and got some great pictures.


The Holocaust Museum was moving, to say the least. By two thirds of the way through, I was so overloaded with information, that I couldn't really process any more. It truly was worth the energy and effort, to attempt to appreciate the severity of what happened not-so-long ago. I am glad we went, but am also glad to not go again.

needing a little help

Can anyone tell me why the margins on my blog are so wide? Thus making the space for my pictures and words quite small. I've tried to mess with the settings in the layout, but have had no luck. Anyone able to help?

I'm a slacker...

If I admit it, you can't judge me for it :) Here is a quick recap of the last month.We got a new foster, named Hatzi. She likes to cuddle, so I like her.
Emily and Jared came to visit! They were in the states for Christmas vacation. Sydney is getting so big! All of the girls, except Sophie. I think she was sleeping :)