Back by popular demand...

Ok, well, maybe not popular. There was only one person who ragged on me about not updating my blog.

I was home this week and was given a stern (I use the term loosely) talking-to by Aunt Cheryl for not posting nearly often enough - and not being detailed enough! She had read my blog and was still not aware that I was going to be home - and made sure that I knew the last time I posted was a week ago.

Thus, this is my attempt to make an effort to post on a more regular basis. Here's an update from the past couple of days:

1. I still totally dislike Stella on Project Runway. I was able to catch up with last week's episode and she is still going on about leather. Does everything have to be biker-chic and rock and roll? Oh, and Blaine doesn't know what the Yellow Submarine is? I don't care if he is younger than Tim Gunn - did he grow up in a freakin' cave (or perhaps a tanning bed)? Who doesn't know the Beatles, honestly? Maybe the artificial rays from the tanning bed are starting to go to his head...
2. Flying into Lincoln, Neb., at 10:15 Sunday night and finding out that your bag didn't actually meet you there is not fun. Especially when you have to leave again on another trip the next day. Fortunately for me, the idiots who didn't put my bag on the plane in Chicago Sunday night were apparently blessed with a spark of momentary intelligence and got it on the flight first thing Monday morning, so my bag (and all of my belongings) were able to accompany me to Oklahoma.
3. I'm in Oklahoma (see above). The 8-hour drive down from Nebraska wasn't bad, and I actually enjoyed the scenery. I'm looking forward to my week here (collecting testimonials for work) and will try to take some extra pictures to post up here.
4. Don't be fooled - inflatable water slides aren't just for gradeschoolers. You might have seen them before - a giant, inflatable slide with water spraying from the top - specially made for kids ages four to ten or so. Now, imagine, if you will, four adults (again, I use this term loosely) playing on a giant inflatable water slide. David, Janell, Brian and I remembered just how much fun they could be on Sunday afternoon as we took turns launching each other off the slide and into the pool of water at the bottom. And, to enhance the mental picture forming in your brain, think of my David sitting at the top of the water slide and my cousin Brian (big six-foot-five, 250 pound fire-fighter Brian) running from a short distance and jumping on the back of the slide to fling David off the top of it. The answer is yes - it is just as funny as you imagined.
5. My good friend Greb will be returning home at the end of this month! Her halo is gone and she is now sporting an ever-so-sexy C-Collar. She's up walking around (and promising to be walking by herself at our wedding) and impressing the heck out of all of her doctors. David and I went to visit her on Saturday and she just looks absolutely fabulous. I can't wait to be able to visit her at home.
6. It's time for the official countdown. That's right, people. At the end of this week, the wedding will officially be only three months away - official freak-out time. I have this whole list of things that I said to myself I didn't really need to do until the wedding was about three or four months away - well, I'm there now and I still don't have them done. Yikes.

I think that's it for now. That's my life in a nutshell for the past couple of days. And, Aunt Cheryl, I'm going to try really, really hard to post more often - just for you!

"Wise man once said, 'Know thyself.'"

"That man's name was Tater-Nuts!"

Are you confused? That quote - otherwise known as the funniest thing ever said in a television show - is from That '70s Show. I think the show is absolutely hilarious, but it's more than just that.

I'm fairly certain the characters are based on me and all of my friends. For instance: Donna and Eric. Anyone who knows David and I knows that we're just like Eric and Donna. I'm a giant lumberjack and David is smart and skinny. On top of that, our personalities are even similar. And, I could probably slate some of my friends to fit into the other characters on the show - but, I'll save that for later.

Aside from the character similarities, who can ignore fabulous quotes like these:

"We were goin' at it like rabbits that just got out of prison."
"When my time comes, I want to be buried face down - so you can all kiss my ass."
"If Pastor Dave comes over, we'll never get rid of him. He'll just go on and on about how great.....God......is."

Anyway...Where did May go?

The past few weeks at work have been pretty crazy with projects, meetings and traveling. I've been on the road a lot the past couple weeks - South Dakota, Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, and next week, Oklahoma. In between all of those states and status calls, I apparently have just neglected to look at my calendar - well, any calendar for that matter.

Today, while I was working out of the Milwaukee office, I wandered into Jenny's office and glanced at the calendar and realized that summer - the ENTIRE summer - was gone. I'm not sure where it went - I'm thinking wormhole somewhere around mid-June - but, it sure is gone.

The good thing is, I've been home for the last couple of weeks and have been able to get a lot of stuff for the wedding done. Tomorrow, I need to run to Champaign to order my veil, then I need to head over to see the lady that is doing the alterations on my dress so she can get them started. Plus, it's been really nice to be able to spend some time with David and the rest of my family.

Better sign off for now. Wait, what's tomorrow? October?

"Holla at ya boy!"

Let's talk about how much I love project runway - seriously. It still can't quite take down Deadliest Catch or Mike Rowe (maybe if Heidi Klum had a voice like Mike Rowe's...), but it's a very close second.

Of course, the new season has started and I just live for Wednesdays. Tonight, I laughed out loud when Tim Gunn said "Holla at ya boy!" I can't wait for the episode where Michael Kors says, "Slutty, slutty, slutty!" That's going to be fabulous. And, seriously, how cute is Kennley? Oh my gosh, I want to look like a '40s pin-up girl!

However, while I love the show, let's talk about my dislikes:

1. Suede. Seriously, did his parents hate him or did they just know he was going to grow up and use fabric after his own namesake? I can't decide what's more annoying his name or the fact that he talks about himself in the third person. Wait, yes I can - the fact that he talks about himself in the third person. Honestly, who does that? "Suede, Rachel would like to kick your ass."
2. Blayne adding ridiculous endings like "-licious" to every word. In tonight's episode Tim Gunn opened the door and Blayne actually said, "Hi, Timlicious." Blayne, Tim Gunn doesn't need any help being gay - he's got it covered. Oh, and Blayne, wash your hair, man.
3. "I like leatha. I mean, I'm into leatha - that's just what I do." When did Project Runway turn into The Godfather miniseries? Oy, Stella.
4. The gangster-Mormon cross known as Keith. I don't think I really need to explain that further. When was the last time you saw a Mormon wearing a bandana on his head and a wife-beater?

I'll have to wait until next week's episode to add to the list. It's a little short now, but I'm sure there will be more.

Switching gears: I've decided it's absolutely criminal how cute my sister is. Mom made her a new showmanship outfit with Janell's horse, Lucky, painted on it. Put it all together (Janell and her unfair genetic advantage, a kick-ass horse and a new outfit) and you get what is equivalent to a monopoly in the 17-18 western division at the Illinois State Fair Junior Horse Show.




I get to come home and visit the unfair genetic advantage (and the rest of the family) this weekend, which is exciting. I actually get to be at home for part of the week next week and then the weekend. Hopefully, I can get a lot of wedding stuff done and out of the way so that I don't have to worry about it later. I still need to take my dress to be altered, get my veil, get table linens, line out the flowers, take care of table service and get decorations. Yikes.

Oh well, I'd be bored if I wasn't running around like a chicken with my head chopped off.

Life just isn't fair.

Sure, that thought has crossed my mind a few times before. But, most of the time, I realize that it's just the way thing are.

Even if it is the way things are, today, it couldn't be more true.

It seems like ever since I've left home, things have just happened one after another - things that I need to be at home for, but I can't because Nebraska is so far away.

I found out today that a boy that was on my dairy judging team in college lost both his father and his younger brother in a farming accident yesterday. Apparently there was a problem with some equipment in the manure pit under ground, and when he tried to check on it, he fell in. His sons saw him, and John, my friend went to call 911 while his brother tried to help his dad. But, under ground the fumes were so strong, they both died.

I was not extremely close to John - but we did spend a lot of time together on trips and in judging practice and he is one of the nicest men I've ever met. The accident is so unbelievable and so sudden - it's just hard to fathom. But, I think what makes it worse is I know just what he's going through. I know what it's like to see that happen and to lose someone so close and I want so badly to be able to drive up to his farm and help with chores or just do anything that I can to help his family. I've talked with some other people from the dairy club and they're going to call me when they find out when the services are. Since I'm coming home this weekend, I might be able to at least go to the visitation.

At least, since I'm coming home this weekend, I will get to stop and visit Greb in the hospital. She continues to make remarkable progress, taking on stairs and walking several steps every day. I can't wait to see her and give her a great big hug!

I think my face is thinner...maybe.

The workouts continue. Gilad and I are very close and I continue to do my running - two and a half miles tonight; four and a half miles the night before last. I can't really tell if anything has happened or not - but, I think maybe my face is thinner. That's a plus, right?

It has been a few days since I wrote last - actually, longer than what I thought it was! I have some updating to do!

I'm headed home this weekend for a paint show in DuQuoin. I'm excited about going to a show to see everyone, but since it's in DuQuoin (four hours from home), I won't even get to go home to Clinton. I fly into St. Louis tomorrow night and fly out of St. Louis early on Sunday morning. And, I think I'm going to be the only one from my family at the show - Mom is going to be at the Farmer City open show since she's the superintendent and Janell has other duties.

What are her other duties, might you ask? She's the DeWitt County/Farmer City Fair Queen. I know, I know. Roll up your tongue and close your mouth. She actually ran - and of course, she won. Do you honestly think she wouldn't have won? She's fabulous. Of course, I wasn't able to go, but I have seen some pictures, and as usual, she looks like a freakin' rockstar. I swear - I'm workin' out like a crazy woman and she looks like that in that slinky red dress...

Oh well. Moving on: after I get home on Sunday, I'll be on the road again. I have to be in the office on Monday, but Monday after work, I will be driving up to South Dakota for a scoping event and a horse owner meeting on Tuesday. Then, it's on the road again for some producer testimonials. I'll be going through Iowa to interview vets and consumers about the products they use on their horses Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. But, here's the exciting part: I get to go HOME after that! I figured since I was already halfway home, I might as well go the rest of the way. Plus, that will give me a chance go finally visit Greb and get some more wedding stuff done.

I need to take my dress to start alterations, take the fabric swatch to the flower place and rent some linens - all in one day. But, even though I'll only be home on Saturday, I still think the trip home will be worth it. I'll get to run some errands and see my wonderful David!

I can't think of anything else (geesh - there's a lot there!). In my spare time (insert sarcastic laugh here) I'll be addressing envelopes full of wedding invitations....No turning back now!

Oh, wipe that look off your face - you know I wasn't ever considering backing out!

One more day.

One more day until the end of the week. One more day until I get to sleep in. One more day until my best good friend comes to visit me!

I'm super excited; Rachel said she was planning on driving over here tomorrow afternoon and then hang out with me for the rest of the weekend. I don't really know what she and I are going to do since I don't know the town very well, but I'm still really excited to see her and have a visitor.

Along with Rachel coming to visit, I'm just happy I'm close to the end of the week - it has definitely been a long one. This week, we had two free-lance photographers in the office shooting some stock photos for us. Since I'm new, I got to go out and experience the fun (I use the term loosely) of a three day photo shoot with cows, horses and lots of warm, humid Nebraska weather. It was definitely an experience. But, I did get to use a really, really nice digital camera and shoot some of my own photos (and you all know that just tickled me!).

And, to further today's update...

Cheryl was right - pilates will kick your ass. Gilad and I are tight, but it's more like a love hate relationship. More on that later...

"I figured the Rocky Mountains would be rockier than this."

"Yeah, that John Denver is full of shit, man."

So, David and I flew out to Denver this weekend to see his sisters and his nieces and nephews. As usual, Colorado was absolutely beautiful, and we had a fabulous time. On the fourth, we went with his family to the zoo in Denver and then headed home for a little cook-out and to watch the fireworks. Then, on Saturday, we spent the day in Winter Park, Colo. Winter Park is a resort town, and there was an "Alpine Slide" (a big, concrete slide all the way down a mountain!) to ride and a playground for the kids. After that, on the way down, we stopped at a waterfall and took some pictures.

Now, for those of you that know my David, you know he's extremely afraid of heights. In fact, the last time we were up in the mountains in Colorado, I could barely get him to get out of the car long enough to take a picture! Well, this time was a whole different story - I was so proud of him! With a little coaxing from his brother in law, he actually climbed up a fairly steep hill to sit with me IN THE WATERFALL. Yep, not lying. It was pretty awesome. Anyway, it was wonderful to be able to get away this weekend and get my mind off of work and Greb.

And, speaking of my Greb...PRAISE GOD!

She is AWAKE! She woke up on Thursday and was able to say "hi" to her mom and dad and was able to tell the physical therapist that she was in pain. Since then, she has said a few more words, and they have changed her medication to help her deal with the pain from the fractures in her pelvis. She has also taken a few steps during physical therapy. Her recovery is remarkable and I'm just so thankful that she has been able to come this far. I can't wait until I can talk to her on the phone - even for a few minutes.

Tonight, Mom and Janell called and talked to me. In fact, they talked to me for over an hour - and Janell did most of the talking. I couldn't believe it - that was the most she's ever talked to me on the phone! Anyway, apparently she had a pretty good 4-H fair this weekend (of course, she's pretty much a rockstar). She got grand and reserve grand champion halter, and was high point senior again this year. But, listening to her tell me all of this year's drama and 4-H happenings just cracks me up - there's no one that can word things quite like Janell can.

Other than that, I don't think there's too much else to report - other than the fact that I just realized I only have about four months to get everything for the wedding finished up and I'm starting to freak out just a little bit. I suppose that's natural. But, it does present a bit of a problem when you live eight hours away from where the actual wedding is going to take place. It seems like just yesterday we had 13 months to get this whole thing planned and executed. Yikes.

Oh well. That's life - or something like it.