Naughty Little Monster.....

Since the only child I have is of the 4-legged furry nature, I do my best to make sure that her Christmas is just as special as ours is. This year, I got Cookie a new shirt (which she actually doesn't mind wearing), a new ID tag, a couple bags of treats, some chewy bones, and a toy to put in her stocking. I think she did pretty well!

I finally got her new ID tag in the mail yesterday evening and it's really cute. This morning I put everything in a box, wrapped it, and put it under the tree with Steve's presents. After doing that, I got in the shower so that I could get cleaned up for the day. When I got out of the shower (about 15min. later) this is what I found...




... My rotten little Monster had pulled her present out from under the tree, unwrapped it, torn the box open, and had a great time!! The pink and black thing you see in the picture is her new shirt... The small brown box has her new ID tag in it... She's standing next to her package of chewy bones... And one whole package of treats is completely gone. SHE ATE THE WHOLE THING!!!

I really wanted to be mad at her, but all I could do was laugh and grab my camera. The best part was that she knew she was in trouble when I walked out there... She wouldn't even look at me!

It's a good thing I take care of Cookie's presents every year. She'd be on Santa's "Naughty" list this year for sure!!

Wow.... Just, WOW!!!

I know it's only December 1st, but I feel like I've just recieved the best Christmas present ever!!

As most of you know... I've been dealing with this stupid tumor again. I was on a fairly mild medication called Parlodel and seemed to be doing pretty well on it. However, at the beginning of the year, my Prolactin level started it's old familiar climb once again... At one point reaching 186 (the normal range is 19-24). My Endocrinologist tried upping the dose of medication a couple of times and didn't see any improvement. My body had built up a tolerance to it. So, she switched me over to a medication called Dostinex which is much stronger and comes with all the nasty side effects.

Although it made me feel crappy for a few weeks, the Dostinex seemed like it was going to do the trick. My Prolactin level dropped about 10 points after the first round of blood work, so my Dr. upped to dose again in hopes that it would drop even more. It dropped a few points the next round and then seemed to stabilize in the 150-160 area. I was beyond frustrated!! I felt like I had been doing everything I was told to do but was still not seeing the improvements I was hoping for.

A co-worker of mine brought me a bottle of a product called Monavie one day. He told me that he and his wife had gone to a couple of meetings and had done a lot of research on it. He gave me the bottle for free and begged me to just give it a try... No strings attached. I figured I had nothing to lose, so I started taking it.

The first thing I notice was that within a few days of starting the Monavie, I was sleeping so much better! I've never been a good sleeper... you can ask my mom. But I noticed I was falling asleep easily and I was STAYING asleep! The next thing I noticed was that my bottle of Excedrin was no longer my best friend. I hadn't taken any... NOT A SINGLE PILL... since starting the Monavie! I decided I would continue to take the product until I got the results from my next round of blood work which was scheduled to be done at my Dr.'s appointment on November 29th.

When my Dr. walked into the room at my appointment the other day, the first thing she said to me was, "Wow! Your hair looks so healthy... and you're skin looks great!" Now that kind of a comment wouldn't even have phased a lot of people. But I can tell you right now that I have NEVER had ANYONE tell me that my skin looked good. I was shocked! She checked a few other things, wrapped up the appointment and sent me to the lab for bloodwork. The lab told me it would be 3-4 days for the results, so all I could do at that point was wait for a phone call.

Well... It turns out it only took 1 day because the nurse practitioner called me yesterday afternoon to give me my lab results. My Prolactin leven has dropped to..... (drumroll, please)..... 43.4!!!

I was absolutely floored!! I was hoping to see a little improvement, but was definitely not expecting anything like that! 116 points in 6 weeks was unbelievable! My response to her (I'm a little embarassed to say) was, "NO SH*T!!". I haven't seen numbers that low since right after I had surgery... Almost 3 years ago!! I was, and still am, SOOOO excited!! Steve even took me to the Rusty Bucket last night for a celebratory cheeseburger... WOO HOO!!

If you want to read more about the product itself, visit http://www.monavie.com/ .

I'M STICKING WITH IT!!!

The Story of a Tree...

WOO HOO!!! Thanksgiving is over and now we've officially entered into the Christmas season!! Not that I'm overlooking Turkey Day or anything... but I love Christmas and I love this time of the year. I love the Christmas music playing on the radio... I love buying gifts for my loved ones... I love decorating my house... I just LOVE it!!

Yesterday was Thanksgiving and I had the day off work. Steve had to work until about 4:30, so I spent the earlier part of the day setting up my Christmas tree, pulling out my snowman decorations, making Christmas cards, wrapping a few presents, etc. I didn't spend much time relaxing (you know... what you're supposed to do on your only day off), but it was a day away from work and I got a lot done. Besides... I really wanted to get my Christmas tree set up!

I thought about getting a bigger Christmas tree this year. I've seen so many pretty trees at Target and Michaels... and I have a bigger place now, so I thought it would be a good idea. I thought maybe this year I would take a step up in the tree department. But when I really started thinking about it, I just couldn't do it! This may sound crazy to some, but my little fake Christmas tree has a bit of sentimental value to it.

A few years ago, shortly before Thanksgiving, a friend of mine from work came to take me out to lunch. Marcel knew that I hadn't been feeling well, I was facing a major surgery, and I was just having a really rough time. He took me to Bob Evans for lunch where I had French toast (I know... not really a lunchy thing). I remember craving it!! After lunch, we decided to hit this flea market that we had heard horror stories about. It was in a grungy part of town and was a little creepy looking, but we decided to go for it anyways.

Marcel and I shopped for a little over an hour and found some of the strangest things in that flea market. I think Marcel found a jacket that he bought and a blanket for his daughter and I didn't find anything I couldn't live without. I was all set to leave empty handed when I looked over near the door and saw it.... A CHRISTMAS TREE!! I had wanted one for so long! The box said it was a 6 foot tree and it was only $10. It was the only one there and I decided it needed a home, so I bought it.

When I got the tree home and put it together, I was a little disappointed. It was a really sad looking little tree. However, I didn't have the money to buy a bigger one, so I had to make do with the one I'd purchased. I had a couple of strings of clear lights, and 2 boxes of ornaments that I picked up at the flea market for $1/box. So, I turned on some Christmas music and started decorating my new tree.

Every year when I pull out my tree and put it together, I still get that same sad little feeling. I think to myself, "Good grief, this tree looks sad!" But, every year, after I add the lights and hang the ornaments, I'm always pleasantly surprised at how pretty my little tree turns out.

Now I know that my little tree is nothing spectacular... and I know I'll never find it in the middle of Rockafeller Center. But this tree has been through a lot with me, and with a few decorations, I think it looks pretty darned good!!

I hope everyone had a happy and safe Thanksgiving and I hope you all are enjoying the beginning of the Christmas season as much as I am!

Baby Shower...

This past week, I flew to Arizona for my best friend Dustin's baby shower. I haven't seen Dustin in FOREVER, so it was really nice to be able spend a couple of days with her and catch up a bit. Technically, Dustin was on bed rest, so we kinda had to take things easy... However, we broke a few rules and snuck out of the house for a pedicure, lunch, a movie, and a couple of quick errands. After all this time, it was really nice to have a girls day out with my best friend!

The baby shower itself was a lot of fun too. The food was amazing, Dustin got a lot of great baby gifts, and I got to meet a lot of her friends and family members. A couple of good friends from high school were there, so we got to spend a few hours in the Arizona sunshine and catch up... It was great!!

GOOD LUCK DUST-A-ROONIE!!

I can't wait to see pictures of the little guy!

I've Been Tagged.....

I've been tagged by my best friend, Dustin!!

For those of you who don't know how this works, here are the rules...

1. Each player lists 6 facts / habits about themselves.

2. At the end of the post, the player tags 6 people and posts their names.

3. If you see your name posted, it's your turn to continue the game.

Here we go...

Fact #1: I am a fighter! From the day I was born, 2 months early, I've always been a strong-willed and determined person. I'm not one to give up on anything easily and if you tell me I can't do something, I'll do my best to prove you wrong! I believe this trait can be a curse or a blessing depending on the sutuation. It's made me stick to my guns when I've made some not-so-bright decisions in my life, but it's also gotten me through some very difficult times over the past few years. I believe I get this trait from my mom's side of the family. My Grandma Hornberger is as stubborn as an ox, and my mom and I are no different!

Fact #2: I am very independent. I moved across the country at the age of 23 to a state I'd never been to before, where I knew no one, for a job I had never done. It's probably one of the scariest things I've ever chosen to do, but also one of the best decisions I've ever made. I live alone and I enjoy doing things on my own. Just like Fact #1, this can be a curse and a blessing. It's a blessing because I've learned to take care of myself and deal with things on my own. However, it's also taught me that there are certain times when I have more on my plate than I can handle and I have to ask for help... Something I'm not very good at.

Fact #3: I love pictures!! I love taking pictures, I love looking at pictures... I just love pictures! Photography is more of a hobby for me, but if I could pick a different job right now, I'd probably be a photographer. I love the way pictures tell stories of where we come from and share the memories of where we've been and what we've done. To me, a picture really is worth a thousand words.

Fact #4: I LOVE my dog!! I know a lot of people think I'm crazy, and that's fine. I love my dog as though she were my child! To me, she's like a little person with a speech impediment. My furry little Monster has been through so much with me, and even on the worst of days, she gives me a reason to smile. She knows when I'm upset, she knows when I'm happy, she knows when I don't feel well... She just knows. If I come home in a crappy mood after a bad day at work, all it takes is one look at her and it's all gone. I truly believe that animals are theraputic... And my little girl is no different!


Fact #5: I have an amazing boyfriend!! I met Steve almost two years ago, and he (along with Cookie) is the best thing that could've happened to me. He's a very driven person who goes after what he wants... and gets it! He's helped me find my way back to that fun person I used to be and he's given me back some of the confidence that I lost somewhere along the way. He treats me better than I've ever been treated, and the best part is that he treats Cookie the same way. I've always said that if a guy planned to stick around with me, he'd have to have the Monster's approval. In this case... She not only approves, I think she's competing for him!!

Fact #6: I love my job! At any point in my childhood, if you had asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, the words "Aircraft Dispatcher" would never even have entered my mind... Much less, come out of my mouth. I have no idea how or why I ended up in the industry of aviation, but here I am. While I can't stand the office politics, and I often question my sanity, I love what I do! I love that every day is different, I love that every flight I plan is a challenge, and I love that I often know more about airplanes than a lot of the boys I work with do! :o) I work hard to do what I do and I work hard to be good at it! This industry has provided me with a lot of great opportunities and a lot of wonderful friends. I am lucky to be a part of it!

I TAG MOM (hopefully she'll start a blog), MELISSA JO, JEFF.... and that's it because I don't know anyone else with a blog!!

And the Winner Is....

Last night was our friend Chas's annual Halloween party... It was SOOO much fun!! There were a bunch of people there, tons of food, and a lot of really great costumes. Chas totally out did himself this year... as he does every year!

I spent a couple of days this week trying to find something that I could use to make Beth's "girls". I bought the biggest bra I could find and tried stuffing it, but that didn't look right. I got a couple of styrofoam balls at Michael's, but those things HURT!! I didn't know what to do. Steve and I went to Meijer the other night to look and we found exactly what I needed... 2 large foam Nerf balls! They were perfect!!

I got off work at 4:00 yesterday Steve was done at 5:00. We met up at my place to get everything ready before going to Chas's house. I think Steve had it pretty easy. All he had to do was throw on some clothes, a wig, and some sunglasses and he was pretty much good to go. I on the other hand had to put on a boatload of make-up, wiggle into a pair of fishnets, zip on the "hooker boots", glue on some fingernails (which Steve had to help with), and somehow attach a couple of Nerf balls to my chest. It really took some work!! After about an hour and a half... we were ready to go!

Like I said, Chas goes all out for Hallween each year. His basement looked like a morgue... body parts laying on the floor, disected people laying on tables, etc. It was completely disgusting and really cool all at the same time. He also had all kinds of food and drinks for everyone, games and movies set up, and prizes for the costume contest.

For the costume contest, everyone was asked to vote for Scariest, Funniest, Cutest, and Best costumes. The award for Scariest went to fellow dispatcher Robin Seib who was dressed as famous porn star Ron Jeremy. His costume was hilarious and revolting! Cutest costume went to another dispatcher friend of ours Matt Witherspoon and his wife Heather who came as Shaggy and Scooby Doo. Funniest costume went to my friend Ilene Onieal and her husband James who came as the comic strip characters Beaker and Bunson. And Best costume went to......... drumroll, please ......... "Dog" the Bounty Hunter and Beth! WE WON!!!

Steve and I won a $25 gift certificate to Damon's, so we'll probably be heading out for dinner sometime in the near future!

All-in-all, it was a great night. We had a really fun time at the party, the "girls" got all kinds of compliments and inappropriate squeezes, and everyone loved Steve's hair (except Steve). We had a great time and we're already looking forward to next year's party!!

"You're so Vain"...

Steve and I are going to a Halloween party this coming Saturday at our friend Chas's house. Chas is a fellow NetJets Dispatcher and he goes all out for Halloween. This year, he is turning his basement into a morgue and he and his roommate are hosting their annual costume party. It's a HUGE hit every year... We are really looking forward to it!!

Steve and I are going as the (semi) celebrity couple... "Dog" The Bounty Hunter and his wife Beth. Watching their show is one of our guilty pleasures, so we thought it would be a good costume idea for this year's party. For those of you who have not seen the show... Google them to get an idea. For those of you who have seen the show... You'll understand that it's quite a stretch (to say the least) for Steve and I to pull this off. Challenge #1... Steve is just about bald (which, by the way, I LOVE!). "Dog" has this long, wavy, rock-n-roll/surfer dude looking hair... Steve has none. Challenge #2... Beth has the biggest... um... "girls"... I've ever seen in my entire life!! While I'm not completely lacking in the "girls" department... this Beth lady has some HUGE cups to fill. It's really going to take some work!!

Steve and I have most of what we need for the party. We both got blond wigs, fake tattoos, black boots, black sunglasses, etc. The only thing I'm lacking right now is the enormous "girls"... but I have a few ideas. (If any of you have any ideas on how to make a pair of those... PLEASE let me know!!) So tonight, I pulled out all my goodies and tried putting everything together to see how it looked. I put on the wig, played in my make-up, and even tried out the fishnets and boots. I haven't played dress-up since I was a kid... It was really kinda fun!! At the same time, I was praying that none of my neighbors saw me... they'll think I'm a total fruit loop!

Anyways... I have one of those full length mirrors in my room that I use in the morning when getting ready for work. I pulled it out and set it up on the ottoman in my living room so that I could get a good idea of what the whole get-up is going to look like. Well just as I was putting on the final touches, Steve called. He was on his way to his house, so we talked for about 10 minutes or so and then hung up. I ran back into the bathroom to put in the last earring and then headed into the living room to catch a look at myself in the mirror. This is what I saw instead....

... Little Miss Cookie Monster was totally checking herself out in the mirror!! I immediately thought of the song "You're so Vain" by Carly Simon. The first verse is very fitting of my little Monster...

"You walked into the party

Like you were walking onto a yacht

Your hat strategically dipped below one eye

Your scarf it was apricot

You had one eye in the mirror

As you watched yourself gavotte"

I just thought it was hilarious and I had to share it. She's so much like a little person... It's almost scary! She's such a girly girl!! I think that's the reason she's such a perfect little companion for me... I'm a pretty girly girl myself. I think I'm going to have to stop telling her how gorgeous she is all the time... It's obviously starting to go to her head! I sure love her though... big head and all!!

P.S. I'll post pictures of us in our costumes next weekend after the party... It should be entertaining!

Pumpkin Carving...

Since moving to this part of the country, I've discovered that fall is by far my favorite time of the year! I love that the weather cools off, I love watching the leaves change, and I LOVE carving pumpkins!!!

Last year, Steve and I went to Circle S Farms and searched through the pumpkin patch to find our pumpkins. We were hoping to hit another pumpkin patch last Thursday since we both had the day off (which doesn't happen often), but Mother Nature had different plans for us. Steve had a meeting for work until about noon, and at noon the rain moved in. So instead of waiting to get our pumpkins, we decided to skip the pumpkin patch this year and pick our pumpkins at the grocery store a block away from my place. Yeah... we cheated...

I think we did pretty well. Steve and I each picked out a pumpkin, and we even picked out a little one for the Monster. After we got them home, we washed them off and got ready to carve. Steve had to leave for a couple of hours, so I thought I'd begin on my own. I thought it would be easiest to start with the Cookie's. It was small... No problem, right? WRONG!! I messed it up so bad I had to throw it away and head back to the grocery store for another one. My girl wasn't going without a pumpkin! While I was at the store the 2nd time, I decided to grab another little pumpkin for Tootse. She didn't need to be left out of the festivities either.

I got my pumpkin done first. I knew what I wanted to put on it so I pulled out the pattern and started in. Let me just say... I LOVE the pumpkin carving kits they have in grocery stores!! They always have neat patterns, they come with lights, and the tools are awesome! I can remember carving pumpkins as a kid and always being afraid that I was going to cut my fingers off. It's SOOO much easier now! I wasn't really sure about my pumpkin while I was carving it, but once I got it cleaned off and put the light in it, I liked it.

Shortly after I finished mine, Steve got back and decided that he wanted to start on his. The problem was that he couldn't decide what he wanted to put on it. He searched and searched on the computer and finally settled on a pattern. It was perfect!

While Steve was working on his, I grabbed my girls' pumpkins and got to work. Since I messed up the first one I had... I knew that whatever was going on them had to be small and it had to be simple. I found part of a pattern that had a cat and a moon on it, so I decided to use that for Cookie. Tootse's pumpkin was even smaller, so hers ended up with just a few bats carved into it. I did get a picture of Cookie in her Halloween costume with her pumpkin... She looks rather proud of it...

At the end of the day... even though I was a little bummed that we didn't get to go to the pumpkin patch to pick our pumpkins... we had a great, MESSY time! The best part of the night was at the end when we lit them all up. They always look so neat!!

I LOVE THIS TIME OF YEAR!!!

Inner Harbor...

After our fun-filled (and exhausting) day and night in Washington D.C., Steve and I decided to make the drive back to Baltimore. Our flight home the next day left at about 2:30pm, and we figured if we were already there, we might have a little time to do some sight seeing before we had to head to the airport. The drive from D.C. to Baltimore was only about an hour, but it felt like forever... I was exhausted!! I kept fighting to stay awake so that I could make sure Steve was staying awake, but it was so hard. He kept seeing me do the head bob, so he told me to just lean back and go to sleep... so I did. We got to the hotel around 1:30am and immediatly hit the hay so that we could get up and play the next morning.

The hotel we stayed in was in what's knows as the "Inner Harbor" area of Baltimore. It's basically a historical seaport that has been developed into quite an attraction. We'd read that there were restaurants and shops galore, hisitoical sights to see, and even an aquarium (which I really wanted to see!!), so it sounded like fun. We were up and out of our hotel at about 9:00am to see what we could find.

Steve and I walked about two blocks and were right at the tip of the harbor. It was absolutely beautiful! I could have taken pictures forever! Everywhere we looked there were shops to go in and things to see. We knew we were short on time, but didn't really know where to begin!

We saw a couple of really cool old ships sitting out in the harbor, so we decided to check those out. I thought we would just be able to take a few pictures and maybe read a little history about them. Little did I know we could actually tour them. We decided to get tickets and check them out. The two ships we toured were the Chesapeake and the USS Torske.

The first thing I noticed when we stepped on board the Chesapeake was the smell... The next thing I noticed was the motion of the boat. The two mixed together were a little hard for me to handle at first. I really didn't like the feeling. Steve suggested that I not stand still and he said to not stay focused on one thing. I really did seem to help if I kept moving and after a few minutes I was fine.

The USS Torske was fun because it was a submarine. I've always thought that it might be kindof fun to spend a couple of days on a submarine... but after being on this one, I changed my mind. I was trying to keep in mind that not all submarines are as small as the USS Torske is, but I could not believe how cramped it was! Just waking around without smacking into something was a challenge. There were dials, switches, levers, knobs, and handles EVERYWHERE!! Somehow... in the middle of all of those... they managed to squeeze in beds, bathrooms, a kitchen, and a dining area. It really was a sight to see. I've never really considered myself to be a claustrophobic person, but being on this submarine was testing my limits. It was really cool to read the history of the ships, look at old photographs, and to experience a tiny bit of what it was like to be on them. I don't think I ever would've lasted long on one of those things!

After touring the ships, we looked at the time and both decided that it would probably be a better decision to skip the aquarium. I was a little disappointed, but tickets were $28 a piece and we wouldn't have had much to enjoy it. Instead, we decided that we'd try to find some lunch and if we had enough time, hit some shops!!

For lunch, we had a hard time deciding what to eat. We'd heard about the amazing seafood in the area, but we were running short on time and didn't really have time for a long, sit-down lunch. So instead, we found a great burger place called Five Guys. They are actually known for having the best burgers in Baltimore and anyone who knows me knows that I am not one to pass up a good burger. They were SOOOO good! I wish I could've bought a few extra to bring home with me.

After eating lunch, we stopped at a couple of the shops that were in the shopping center there to pick up a few souvenirs and then we headed back to our car to head to the airport. On the way to the airport, Steve and I decided that this was definitely a place we wanted to come back to sometime soon. There was just to much to see and do... We need more time there!

Visiting Our Nation's Capital...

Steve and I visited the beautiful city of Washington D.C. this past weekend. We were actually in the area for the wedding of one of Steve's long time friends, so we thought we'd take a few extra days and make a mini vacation out of it. We only had a couple of days for sight seeing, and there is SOOOO much to see in the Washington area, so we made the most of it. It was an exhausting trip, and we got lost a few times thanks to my not-so-fabulous "navimaguessing" skills. But, we lived through all of it and we had a blast. I can't wait to go back!!

Our first stop on our list of things to see was Arlington National Cemetery. We got lost and it took us about an hour to get to where we needed to be, but we finally made it. And let me tell you... It was worth every single second of being lost! It was such an amazing place.

The thing I really wanted to see while there was the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Changing of the Guard, so that was the first place we went. The Tomb is guarded 24 hours a day, 365 days a year... rain or shine. The guards change every 30 minutes in the summer and every hour in the winter. We were lucky enough to get there just a few minutes before the Changing ceremony.

I was in absolute awe watching the Changing take place. Every step was precise, every movement was sharp. When the relieving Guard came out to take his place, he as well as his uniform and firearm were thoroughly and ceremonioiusly inspected. Every uniform was perfect, every medal in it's place. If you look closely at the picture of the guard walking in front of the Tomb, you can see rust colored stains on the concrete. These stains have been left by the taps on the shoes of the men who guard the Tomb. The darker brown spots you see are where the three guards (during the changing ceremony) have tapped their feet together in perfect unison. It was amazing to watch!

I think the best part about visiting Arlington was that you see people of all ages, from every corner of the world... and they're all there to pay their respects to those who rest there. It's a very peaceful place.

After Arlington, Steve and I headed to the Air and Space Museum. Since the Natural History Museum had been closed for renovations, many of their displays were moved to the Air and Space Museum. We kindof had the best of both worlds! Among the things we saw were Abraham Lincoln's hat, Thomas Edison's light bulb, the original Kermit the Frog, and my favorite... the ruby slippers that Judy Garland wore while filming the Wizard of Oz! I LOVE that movie and seeing those ruby slippers was at the top of my list of things to do!

After leaving the museum, we headed across the street to the National Archives where the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights are all on Display. I was a little bummed when we saw the signs that said that flash photography was not allowed, but when we got to see the documents, I understood why. They have been meticulously preserved and kept in very dim lighting... but they are still extremely faded and very difficult to read. I'm definitely glad we got the opportunity to see them when we did!

Our next stop was by far my favorite thing we did the whole trip. Steve and I took a guided segway tour of the city and it was a blast!! The tour group met up at 6:00pm, and after about 30 minutes of practicing on our segways, we were off and running! Our tour guide was very knowledgable and was able to give us some interesting stories as well. Our tour included stops at the Capital building, White House, Supreme Court, Washington Monument, FBI Headquarters, and even Ford's Theatre... just to name a few. It was great!

We were with a group of about 10 people and they were a really fun bunch. Steve made fast friends with a man by the name of Mike Winn who is the president of a bank in Oklahoma City. He and his wife, Patty were so much fun! Poor Patty took nasty spill off her segway at one point, and ended up in the bushes once too. But she was a real trooper and just hopped back on both times and kept on going. They were hilarious!!

Steve and I have decided that any city we travel to, we're going to see if there's a segway tour. They are so much fun, and if you can do them at night you can avoid all the crowds of people. They're totally worth it!!

Our segway tour ended at about 9:30pm, so Steve and I made a trip to a local pizza place called "Matchbox" for some amazing pizza, and then we decided that we still had a couple more monuments to visit. So, we headed over to see Honest Abe. Talk about an impressive monument!

Our last stop of the night was the Vietnam Memorial. I was really hoping to get to see it during the day, but we just didn't have time. It was really dark and the wall was hard to see, so I couldn't get any pictures. But at the same time it was kinda cool because we were the only ones there. I could get as close to the wall as I wanted and read the poems that had been written and see the pictures that had been left there. It was very humbling to look at all the names that were on that wall. I couldn't believe how many there were.

It was such an amazing trip! There was so much to see and we had so little time. I really hope that we are able to go back another time to see more sites and learn more about our nation's history!

Flight Support Picnic!

This past Saturday we had a picnic for the Flight Support Department at work. This picnic is something that a group of us have been working on for quite a while as part of the Events Planning Committee and I have to say... It was a huge success!! The Flight Support Deparment includes the Dispatchers, Meteorologists, Slot Coordinators, Raft Coordinators, and the Next Day Flight Review Team for Netjets. We had a great turnout and the weather was gorgeous!!


The park we had the picnic at was in Pickerington, Oh which is about a half an hour drive from where I live. It's a very nice area and the park was absolutely beautiful! Steve and I got there at about 10:30am to set up the volleyball net we brought and to help finish setting up the food and tables. We had people arriving to eat at about 11:00, so it was a good thing we got there early!

There really was a lot to see and do at this park. There was a baseball field, soccer fields, a skate park, a playground, a walking trail, soccer fields, and a really neat covered bridge area with a creek that ran under it. We had the volleyball net set up, a football game going, and of course... a game of Cornhole to play! A lot of people who came brought family, friends, and pets... It was nice that there was something for everyone to do.


Since football is such a huge deal here in Ohio, we knew we had to have a way for people to watch the Buckeyes game. Luckily, a co-worker volunteered to bring his TV and set it up so no one would miss it. We took Cookie with us too the picnic and she was in full Buckeye spirit as well, thanks to Steve. He bought her a little OSU jersey to wear and she looked SOOO cute! It's funny... she usually throws a fit when I put something on her, but she had no problem whatsoever with the Jersey. She had it on all day long and we never even heard a growl out of her. She was definitely the bell of the ball... and she knew it too!

And I thought I was the lucky one...

So the other night, Steve and I were both in my back room. I was working on a scrapbook, and Steve was looking up something on my computer. I'm taking my time, doing my thing, and the next thing I look over and see is this...

Steve and Cookie were snuggled up on the floor together and she was out cold. I (as quietly as I could) grabbed my camera to take a couple of pictures. They were so cute! I can only imagine what she was dreaming about...

I think that's one of my favorite things about Steve... Not only is he super sweet to me, but he's also sweet to Cookie. He brings her treats, takes her on walks, and lets her do just about anything she wants, including her favorite... licking his nose. It's kindof a twisted little relationship the two of them have, but I love watching them!

Since Steve has been a part of my life, I've felt like the luckiest girl around. However, I'm beginning to wonder if maybe the Monster isn't trying to steal my title!!

My favorite things in my Favorite Place...

Steve got all of our Kansas pictures loaded onto my computer last night, so I thought I'd write a little more about our trip and show you all some of the things we did while we were there.

I think my favorite thing about our trip was that I FINALLY got to meet my furry nephew, Ethan. He's Roland's puppy and I had heard so much about him! He's 50lbs of energy and clumsiness all rolled into one, but he's a really smart dog and he's a sweetheart on top of that. We had a realy good time with him!

One thing Roland told us while we were there was that since Ethan spent a lot of his time outside in the heat, he would splash all the water out of his water bowl onto the porch and then lay in it trying to cool off. After all... he is a black dog and it was hotter than heck out there. We figured there had to be a better way for him to stay cool. Roland came up with the great idea of getting Ethan a kiddie pool to play in! However, we looked all over Ottawa for a pool and couldn't find one anywhere... not even Wal-Mart carried kiddie pools. We were bummed! We figured Ethan would just have to make due with the water dish he already had.

That night, we went to Mike and Angie's to have dinner and Roland mentioned that we had gone all over town looking for a kiddie pool and couldn't find one. Angie said that she had an extra one at her house and that Ethan was more than welcome to it if we wanted to drive out and get it. So, we did! Since he spent a lot of his time swimming in the pond, we figured Ethan would love it. However, when we filled the pool up with water, he wasn't really sure what to think of it at all. He would run around it in circles, but he woundn't get in. So, I took off my shoes... jumped in the pool... and what do you know??? Here came Mr. Ethan!! He got in with me and we played around for a while and had a great time. I think once he realized what the pool was and that it was his, he enjoyed it!

By far... my favorite thing to do while in Kansas is fish at my Grandpa's pond. Ever since I was a little kid I can remember spending time there with my family. It's such a relaxing place and you're guaranteed to have a good time there! Steve, Roland and I decided that a trip to the pond was a must... However, we also needed tp be prepared! In our family, "being prepared" for a fishing trip means having a really cool (and highly fashionable) pair of rubber boots. So, after an evening fun at a local sports bar, I decided that Steve and I needed to invest in a pair of fishing boots... So off to Wally World we went! As you can tell from the picture, they aren't the cutest things around, but they served their purpose.

The next morning, the three of us in our rubber boots and Ethan headed down to the pond to do a little fishing. Within the first 15 minutes, we'd all had bites and throughout the morning we even managed to catch a few. Roland caught a really good sized one... He always seems to have the luck at Granpa's pond. I don't have the greatest luck there, but I did get pretty lucky and reel a few in. The hard part with me is taking the fish off the hook. For some reason, I have a really hard time sticking my fingers in a fish's mouth... Not my cup of tea. In my opinion, that's what the boys are for! I did find a glove in the pick-up though and was able to tough it out for a few minutes in order to get a picture of my big catch! Ok... ok... it's not all that big. But, I did catch it and I'm dang proud of it!!

Poor Steve... He had bite after bite, but the silly fish just kept spitting his lure out. I really wanted him to be able to catch a fish, but after all that time fishing it just wasn't happening. He gave it a great shot though, and I think he had a good time... at least he acted like he did. I think Ethan was glad he was there too! Maybe the next trip out we'll be able to get him a fish.

Ethan really enjoys being at the pond too. He loves to run around and jump in the water to fetch sticks. He's still a little timid and will only venture out so far. He's really fun to watch though... that is until he walks over to you and shakes mud, water and moss all over you!! Crazy dog...

As many of you know, my favorite sport to watch is baseball... But only if it's live! I don't have the desire or the attention span to sit in front of the TV and watch an entire game. Plus, the atmosphere of the ball field (think hot dogs, cold beverages, lights, and the crack of the bat) is what makes the game! So while planning our trip, I thought it would be fun if Steve, Roland and I could catch a Kansas City T-Bones game. The T-Bones are Kansas City's Minor League ball team an let me tell you... They are a BLAST to watch! We had SO much fun out there!! The T-Bones played the Schaumburg Flyers and we couldn't have asked for a better time. The weather was perfect for most of the night too... Which we were thankful for. I love baseball, but sitting out there in 100+ degree temperatures sweating my buns off is not my idea of a good time. It was a great game and we cheered our hearts out! After 11 innings, the T-Bones pulled off a win! In about the 7th or 8th inning, it started to sprinkle lightly, so I got a nifty T-Bones poncho to cover up in. Roland teased my quite a bit about how goofy I looked in my "garbage bag". But it kept me dry for the most part and I didn't really care what I looked like!

Another one of my most favorite things about being in Kansas is getting to see my Grandma Hornberger. She lives in an assisted living facility and is a little forgetful sometimes, but it sure is good to see her when I'm there.

Before I went to visit her, I asked my mom if I should call ahead of time to let her know that we were coming, or if we should just show up and hope that we don't scare the pants off of her (I didn't know if she would remember us). Mom said that it might not be a bad idea to call ahead, but at the last minute I decided against it. I thought it might be more fun to surprise her. When she opened the door and saw us, she had the biggest smile on her face... It was so cute!! She was so happy we were there. Steve and I took her to Lawrence to go shopping to get some new clothes and she also went out to dinner with us that night. I think she had a really good time and I had fun spending time with her.

A weekly tradition of Roland's is go to go Applebee's every Sunday for lunch. I think it's kindof his opportunity to get away from the farm and kick back for a few hours without having to work. On the last day we were there, we all decided that we'd meet up at Applebee's for dinner before Steve and I had to drive back to Kansas City to catch our flight home. We had a great dinner and it was really good to spend a little more time with my brother before we had to go home. The bartender there was really nice too... She even took some pictures for us.

All in all, we had a great time out there. It's always hard for me to leave Kansas because I always know that the next time I go back, things will be a little bit different. At the same time, I realize that no matter how old I get and no matter how far away I live... This place will always feel like home to me. The farm will always be the place that is the definition of family to me. It's always been a place that takes me back to my roots and teaches me more and more about where I come from. I love that farm and all that it represents.

Turning a New Leaf

For some reason, I feel like today is a "New Day" of sorts for me. I'm not really sure what my deal is, but I'm jumping into a lot of new things in my life and I'm really excited about it.

As I said in my last post... I plan to be back in school by the end of October. My advisor is gathering my transcripts, I'm applying for financial aid (my favorite part of the whole college experience!), and I'm filling out my paperwork for the tuition assistance program here at work. I feel like the ball is finally rolling and I'm ready to get it done!

I also put in my application for a promotion at work. I am a Senior Dispatcher now with NetJets and I've applied to become a Lead Dispatcher. I have 6 classes to complete, I'll have 18 hours of additional shadowing to do with different departments within the company, and at the end of all that I get to take a 4 hour oral exam. It will be a good step up for me though and will open a few doors within the company. I didn't really think I was ready for it, but today I just said, "What the heck!" The worst that can happen is that I'm turned down. In that case, I'll have to work on whatever they want me to improve on and apply again in a couple of months. I'm keeping my fingers crossed though!

I also called today and talked with the volunteer coordinator at our local Ronald McDonald House and have applied to become a volunteer. I am on an Events Planning Committee at work and we've worked really hard in recent months to plan events that will raise money and donations for the House. It's a lot of work but it's very rewarding and I thought it would be fun to spend a few hours of my own time volunteering there. I took a tour of the House back in March when we started working with them and it's an absolutely AMAZING place! I was speechless when I left, and all I could do for the next few days was try to think of ways to help. It's such a happy place... even though many of the families staying there are living out their worst nightmares. I think it will be a great way for me to give a little bit back and to remind me of how lucky I am.

All in all, I think I've finally just decided to be a little more confident in myself and to stop making excuses for things. School is going to be tough, but I know I can do it! My promotion is definitely going to be a challenge, but with a little bit of work, I know I'll get there! I guess I'm just at another point in my life where I'm jumping in with both feet and hoping for the best... I know it will all work out.

WOO HOO!!!

I was due to have more bloodwork done just before I went on vacation last week to see how my prolactin level was doing since being on this new medication. I debated whether or not to go before I left town or wait until I came home... I didn't really want a call from my Dr. to ruin my time in Kansas. I did end up having it done the day before I left, and I'm glad I did. My Dr.'s nurse called to let me know that my prolactin level has dropped 12 points to 160.7... YEE HAW!! It's a small decrease and I still have a long ways to go (she wants it between 18 and 21), but it's the first time in a long time that the level has gone down instead of up, so I'm really excited! The bad news is that she has upped the dosage on my new meds... I'm not looking forward to that. It's nasty stuff and it's going to take a few weeks to get through the initial side effects from the increase. But, if it's doing the trick, I'm all for it! I'm keeping my fingers crossed!!!

Another bit of exciting news is that I've applied to go back to school! I've wanted to finish my bachelor's degree for a long time and with my work schedule changing in October, I finally have the opportunity. I'm scared out of my mind, and I have no idea how I'm going to pull it all off. But, like Steve told me last night... waiting isn't going to make it any cheaper or any less scary. My advisor is in the process of getting all my transcripts together to find out how many of my previously completed credits will transfer so that she can map everything out for me. The program I'll be working on is a Business Management program and classes meet one night a week. Hopefully in 1 1/2-2 years, I'll be done! It will be really nice to have that piece of paper under my belt. It's been a weight on my shoulders for a long time and having it done will open a lot of doors for me within my company. It's going to take a lot of work though, so wish me luck!!

Our Stay at the Farm

We just got back from 5 1/2 days on the family farm in Kansas... It was awesome! Most people wouldn't consider hanging out on a farm "vacation"... But I can't think of anywhere I'd rather spend a few days off. It was hotter than heck out there (around 100 every day but one) and we didn't see a whole lot of rain, but it's still one of my favorite places to be. Every time I go back there I feel like I learn a little bit more about where I come from.

This trip back was a little harder for me than I ever expected it to be. Even though my brother is there taking care of things, the farm seems so empty. Roland said the first couple months out there were hard for him as well, for the very same reason. It's just different without Grandma out there. For some reason I kept expecting to walk into the kitchen and see her making bread... That's one of my favorite memories of her.

We did have a lot of fun out there though. Steve, Roland, and I got to do some fishing and we even caught a few while we were out there. I am by no means an avid fisherman, but I do love spending time at the pond.

Roland has done a lot of work on the house and it looks great. I really enjoyed seeing his things on the walls in the house... It really made it feel like we were in his home. I also loved seeing his vegetable garden! I always thought my brother was the biggest city kid. He always lived in the big cities in Arizona and seemed to love it. But now that I see him out on the farm and watch him work the way he does... I truly believe that this is the place he was meant to be. It just fits him. He reminds me more and more of my Dad and my Grandpa every single day... I think it's pretty cool!

Back to my roots... Literally!!

The Monster and I had a great day yesterday. We both got new hair dos, and we had quite a relaxing afternoon. Cookie's cut is cute as can be... of course you could put a paper bag on her head and she'd still be cute. The groomer said that she is one of the best behaved Shih Tzus they've ever had in there! I started to wonder if we were talking about the same dog!! When I went to pick her up, the guy that cut her hair was sitting on his grooming table with Cookie flopped on her back in his arms like a baby... he was rubbing her tummy! I told Cookie she'e better be careful... If Steve found out she was cheating on him, his feelings might be a little bit hurt! She's such a sweet dog!


I went to a new hairdresser yesterday thinking
that I was just going to get some highlights put in. However, I sat down in her chair and completely changed my mind. I told her I was tired of all the blonde in it... Her response was, "Do you trust me?". Since I didn't get up and run, she took that as a "yes". She mentioned something about a deep, chocolate brown and at that point, I just said, "Sure... do whatever you want". (I still can't believe I was so brave!) So, I'm now back to my natural dark color. I'm not quite used to it yet... I think it's going to take a few days. I'd kindof forgotten how dark my hair used to be. But, it feels so much better and I'm really starting to like it.

Girls day in!!

This is the first weekend in a couple of months where I actually have my regular 2 days off... I'm so excited I don't even know where to begin!! I've been working a lot of extra days lately and even my 1 day weekends were becoming few and far between... Sad, I know. So, in order to celebrate, Cookie and I are getting our hair done (no, not at the same place) and then we're going to spend the day hanging out together. I'm really looking forward to it!!

Steve and I are off to Kansas on Wednesday to see Uncle Roland and Ethan, so we've got a busy couple of weeks ahead of us. Cookie doesn't get to make the trip with us this time (c'mon Skybus... work with us!!), but Ilene is going to take care of her while we're gone... and she LOVES Ilene!

We don't really have much planned for our trip to Kansas other than a T-Bones baseball game, but I'm sure we'll find more to do once we get there. If nothing else, we'll just hang out on the farm and fish... Nothing wrong with that at all!!