Saturday In the Park....I think it was the Fall

Powder? What Powder?

Enough said!

Welcome Home Joel

Jeff's brother, Joel, finished his duty over in Iraq. They got in the Thursday before Thanksgiving. Jeff and I, with Laci in tow, met Summer, Joel's wife, and went out to Stout Field for the homecoming. It was late but I am glad we went. It's an awsome thing to witness and it was great seeing Joel again. We are glad you are home Joel.


Jeff and his brother Joel


The Homecoming

This is a pictures of the soldiers marching in. Once they are all in they are then released to go find their families. They had one hour to spend with family and then it was back on a bus down to Camp Atterbury for 5-7 days of demobilization. Joel got home Tuesday so we were able to spend Thanksgiving together as a family.

There are many things we have to be thankful for this year. Of course Joel's safe return home is on the top of the list. We are also thankful to both have stable jobs. We know people that have lost jobs recently and feel their stress. Finances are getting a bit thinner but we still have a house over our head and warm food on the table and a house full of love. With that we can get through anything.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Happy Halloween

Laci dressed up this year as a duck. It was so cute. She did so well this year. We had been practicing the Trick or Treat and Thank you's. They didn't go so well, she forgot them because she was kinda shy. But she did well walking. We went around the entire block! It was so warm out this year that about mid way around the duck hat came off, too hot! This was a great Halloween because it was so warm and a Friday night to boot. The whole neighborhood was buzzing. Everyone was out in the yards, driveways, porches. Laci didn't have to do to much knocking. After the kids finally went to bed, or passed out from their sugar coma the afterparty started. I enjoyed it more, no kids!
Hope everyone had a great Halloween!


Laci in her duck costume

Laci with Jack and David

The Probst family as the Incredibles. They were awesome. So funny, a friend of theirs made the costumes for them. I was a little concerned, Patrick was so excited about wearing the tights!

Chris in his Costume, the picture doesn't do this one justice. You have to see it in the dark it was funny.

Jeff on Big Country's chopper

This is Mike & Lisa Drouin and Abigail. Lisa is Laci's babysitter. We took Laci over to their house early and Mike & Lisa were sitting out in their front yard in these costumes. Laci was scared.

Mother Superior, aka, Cindy

The Afterparty, sans kids

Here is Kinsey and Diane Case hanging out at the campfire.

Chris and Paul

Clint Case

Jeff, Staci and Chris

Now that's a FIRE!

Horseback Riding

Several weeks ago, Jeff's parents took Laci for the weekend while we had Kinsey. This gave us some much needed one on one time with just Kinsey. We took Kinsey horseback riding at Fort Ben. Kinsey and I both love horses. I have not been horseback riding since my surgery. I must say, it was much easier to get up on the horse! It was a beautiful day in early October. I forgot the camara in the car so we didn't get any pictures on the horses but got some after.

Having the weekend Laci-free was so wonderful. The best part was being able to lay in bed Saturday and Sunday morning and watch TV in peace and quiet and go back to sleep at leisure not worrying that Laci was going to be in any minute. And of course, Kinsey sleeps till about noon if you let her!

Leaping Laci

We got Laci's hair cut several months ago. Finally getting some pictures on here of her new do. I really want her hair long but she needed a drastic cut to help it grow out. Here's a picture of her jumping on our bed. She loves jumping on the bed, but then again what kid doesn't.

Reminiscing

I came across this video the other day and boy, you talk about memories! Take a look and if you are an Indiana Hoosier it ought to bring back a few memories and maybe even a few tears.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdsCEFA1Ln0

I spent my college days on the campus of Indiana University in Bloomington from 1984 to 1988. Those were, hands down, the best years of my life. I wouldn't trade them for what I have now but the freedom I had then, the no stress, the party life, it was awesome. Oh, and I did get a degree in the process of having all this fun!

Here is another great moment from 1987......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dgkmikdVM8

You know people talk about they remember where they were when JFK was shot, or on 911. I remember where I was when IU beat Syracuse to win it all in 1987. I was sitting, well we weren't sitting, in a small hole in the wall bar down in Bloomington called The Bluebird. Me and about 10 of my friends. It was an awesome night. It was a Monday night so that meant .95 cent well drinks and if you know me, you know I am a rum and coke fanatic. It was a good night! The game was neck and neck the whole way. It was crazy in that place! After the win the campus took the notorius run to Showalter Fountain in the middle of campus. Oh my God!!! You talk about crazy. What a night. Oh to be young again, what great memories we have.

(did you see how short those guys shorts were, how funny!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17Lld8c5aO8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LjU0VTNTb0

Looking forward to a new season of Indiana Basket ball under new coach Tom Crean. Hoosier basketball hasn't been the same since The General left. I think Tom can bring that back. It is going to take some time but we are going to enjoy the ride.

Go Indiana!!

Pics from the Cruise

Jeff medal for playing the pool games


This was a scavenger hunt we played one night. The final item was we had to take one guy from our team and make him up like a woman, he had to wear a womans bra, makeup, and shoes. It was hilarious. Aaron was a good sport!

Rob, Jeff and Aaron

Katrina, Amanda and Cindy

Jeff & Cindy

Tablemates....I can't remember their name, they sat at the end of the table and didn't talk much.

Eric & Marti
These guys were a hoot!

Rob & Amanda

These guys ended up being our neighbors, they live in Monarch Springs across 191st Street.

Aaron & Katrina

These guys were fun too, Katrina, Jeff thought was high maintenance, but Aaron was hysterical.

Cindy doing her first tequilla shot

Jeff playing pool games, the blond guy on his left was so gay!

This is a wonderful couple we met one the bus ride out to the boat. Dave and Deb from Oregon. We spent quite a bit of time with them. They were neat people.

Puerta Vallarta

Sand sculpting in Puerta Vallarta

The Boat

Motorcycles being sold in the Sams club in PV

When we got into port at Puerto Vallarta (PV) there was a Walmart and Sams club right off the pier. Of course we had to go.




Mazatlan.....three words......Bless the USA! It was scary. This is what we were greeted with when we got into port. Military with M16's. Their "police force" drive around in pick up trucks with guys in the back with M16's, no thanks I will get back on the ship. Not a good experience.

Leave it to Jeff to find the stip club in Cabo

Cabo Wabo's, Sammy Hagar's bar

Cindy drinking a beer at Cabo Wabo's she wasn't taking any chances on the ice.

Cabo San Lucas, this was beautiful, HOT but beautiful.

Pool deck on the boat

Cabo

Formal night

We took a cruise to the Mexican Riviera the first week of September. We had a great time, we love cruising. We left out of Los Angelos and had two days at sea, then went to Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerta Vallarta and then two more days at sea and back to LA. The weather was great, very very hot in Mexico but no rain. We dodged a bullet by booking this trip instead of going to the Carribean seeing as there were two hurricanes going through the area at that time. Here are some pictures from our cruise.