Patrol

Look at this girl...looking so grown up and ready to perform her duties as a Safety Patrol!  I am sooo proud of Gabi.  Her feelings, her ambitions, her goals, her outlook on life.  She is SOMEBODY VERY SPECIAL and I am so glad she is mine :)

Good luck Monday - first day of Patroling this year!  I know she is excited!

Indian Summer of Sorts

I feel like this week has been our "Indian Summer" with temps in the 80s and sunny most of the time.  The colors of Autumn just really burst out this week also.  Change.  We have had alot of it lately with both the boys off to college.  Tyler made it home this weekend.  It was a quick trip and although we saw quite a bit of him like this...

we did have a good time visiting and just knowing he was home was a good thing.  Much like when either one of the boys come home, we miss them as soon as they leave.  We were able to catch Max's (Abby's little brother) game today along with another special friend of Gabi...Kaene, who played right after Max.  Lizzy and Nikki caught up with us at the game too.

For now we are loving this weather...pretty sure it won't last long but it's been so nice.  Happy Fall Ya'll!

Battell

55-11
Final score from today against Battell.  Gabi had 5 baskets for a total of 10 points.  Very proud of her!  Next week we face Beiger...probably their biggest competitor this year.  Celebratory lunch at Hacienda with maw maw and paw paw to boot!

Deer 101

Monday evening Gabi had basketball practice and Ben wanted to check out another one of his hunting spots for deer signs.  Bow season opened last weekend but we spent the whole time in Bloomington.  I was tired of doing paperwork for work all day and decided with such a beautiful day and nice temps, why not tag along and get some fresh air.  I got my "Deer 101" about signs (buck rubs and tracks) and we both figured out there was a pretty big buck to be had at this hunting area. 

I also got to see first hand, Maizy in her element.  She loves the outdoors, more specifically the woods. 

 Can I just say...this one is "frame worthy" :)

Parents Weekend at IU

So glad we were able to spend Parents Weekend at IU Bloomington this past weekend.  We made plans a few months back with my brother and his family to take Friday off and spend a long weekend there at Jellystone in Bloomington...just about 10 miles from campus.  Other than it being a little chilly, we had a great weekend.  We were able to get just about everything in that we wanted to do, but as always, could have used a couple more days :)
Unfortunately it took us about 5 1/2 hours to get there on Thursday evening.  It put us in about 10:30 pm so we basically parked and went to bed.  Day 1 was busy.  Ben and Tyler made plans to golf (half price) at IU golf course at 11 am so we all drove in to see him and Abby.  Abby took off to class, Ben and Tyler went to the golf course, while Chad, Amber, me and all the kiddos went shopping on Kirkwood and to TIS Bookstore (my fave, along with Tracks).  Even got to meet up with cousin, Ryan on our walk back to the car.  The girls wondered why a boy lived in a pink house :)

Headed back to the campground about 2 to eat a light lunch and let the kids play on the bouncy pillow and swim at the indoor pool.  Also were able to feed a few horses across the rode (Addy loved this).  We got ready for dinner...tried a new recipe (courtesy of pinterest) that I thought Tyler would love (Buffalo Chicken, Italian pasta, baked beans, chips and peanut butter covered oreos).  Tyler and Ben showed up right around this time, along with Abby.  We decided to check out the hiking trail to the waterfall but it ended up being dried up.  It was still a fun walk and we even found a box turtle and learned about some huge mushrooms.  Came back to the camper, ate dinner and sat around the fire until my parents, Ben's dad and Trenton all showed up about 9:45 pm. to eat some s'mores and join in the laughter.  It was good to have everyone together at that moment. 

We decided on heading to campus about 9:30 am to do a little shopping so everyone was geared up in IU wear for the big football game (IU vs. Penn State) at noon.  We stopped at the Sample Gates also for some photos.  Grabbed some lunch at Chipotle and caught the bus to the stadium.  Not too bad of seats, not too cold, just sorry IU didn't win.  10-16 was the final but we later found out that IU didn't have four of their starters in.  Makes you wonder what could have happened if they did!  We were actually expecting Penn State to beat IU by much more.  After catching the bus back to Kirkwood to get our vehicles we made a quick run back to the campground to let our doggies out and headed back so we could meet up with Trenton (stayed with Tyler most the weekend), Ryan and Abby for some dinner.  Gerry (Abby's dad) and his gf met up with us also to eat at Yogi's. 

Since we were unable to really walk through campus on Saturday because of the game, etc. we decided a quick walk through was necessary on Sunday morning.  We met up with Trenton, Tyler and Abby for this reason.  I love the Rose Well House so I wanted to take everyone there for photos.  Even got one of Tyler giving Abby a kiss considering the legend there.  Also checked out the Union, the beautiful paths through campus, Herman B. Wells, the Showalter Fountain and the School of Education (Chad's old stomping grounds).

A great trip for us...so glad our family was able to go.  I know Tyler had a wonderful time and was so glad to see us all. 

Twin Branch

30-9!  That was our score!  The defending city champs.  Gabi was worked up over this game...mental factor with them winning last year in the Championship game.  Gabi had six points all together.  Two free throws and two baskets.  A nice warm up game and good win for the team.  A great booster for their confidence.  And can we just say what an awesome crowd my baby had...Uncle Jay, Aunt Annie, Grandpa, Uncle Dave, maw maw and paw paw, Uncle Chad, Aunt Amber and all three girls AND Aunt Pam!  She is SOOO LOVED :)

Week in Review

Staying pretty steadily lazy this past week.  Gabi started basketball practice (they flipflopped timing for volleyball/basketball so that the high school coaches could be involved).  She also got voted into Student Council for the third year in a row.  This made her extremely proud.  Along with the fact that she has all A's at midterm.  Midterm already?  Wow. 
Trenton's first week of classes went well.  He is off to a good start.
Tyler shared some exciting things with us last weekend.  He is looking for a job and has applied :) and he joined a flag football team that started yesterday.  Their team...Dirty Doxins. Don't ask. (Photo courtesy of Abby)

They won against a frat team 25-22.  The team consisted of Joey Schuster, Matt Hesch, Austin Slabaugh, (all from Mishawaka) ? McCombs, and Zac Harrison
Also was able to wish my very favorite teacher, Mrs. Edgin (first grade 1980) a happy retirement yesterday.  She said she is gonna "clean her house and wait to see what God has in store for her."  Sounds like a GREAT plan to me :) 

A good weekend for football, Notre Dame and IU both finally got W's and North Central, well, they kicked butt again.  Three wins on Saturday.  The Bears went and blew the streak to pieces yesterday.  Oh well.  Good weekend otherwise.  Here's to another week ahead.  I am so glad I am finally getting back into the "football groove" and liking it again...it took a bit this season, but it's coming back :)

Back to Class

Moved our Trenton from the house he was living in this summer to his dorm room (Kimmel again) today. 

He had done most of the legwork the past couple of days but we needed to get the bed and take him some necessities.  Ben's dad accompanied us this time around to help out with the lifting since Ben is recovering from the flu.  It all worked out well.  We got to meet his new roommate (freshman transfer Justin Zimmerman;

he is also rooming with Eric Oyster, both wrestlers), see his room (seems a bit more organized)

and take him to lunch at Potbelly...a fave in Naperville.  It was a quick trip but a necessary one.  It was good to see him again and hoping he has a great first trimester.  His schedule this trimester is as follows:
HPE (Coaching) - M W F 12-1:10 pm
Biology Lab - M 1:30-4:30 pm
Biology Class - M W F 8-9:10 am
Spanish - M W F 9:20-10:30 am
A heavy class load as Biology and Spanish are tough subjects for him so praying he does well.  Here's to Trenton's JUNIOR year at North Central College!

Run

Saw this and loved it.  Added to Pinterest...love Pinterest!

What Is Wrong?

Got up this morning and got Ben into the doctor's office.  He had basically all the reports from the emergency room in Angola to go off of.  We explained the ear problem and he actually decided to have the nurse rinse out his ear since some wax was in the way.  It was a good thing.  Once it was removed, an infection was found.  This explains the neck pain and soreness when he swallowed.  We still wondered why such a high fever of 102 or 103 degrees and chest pain.  He referred us to the cardiologist.  I am thinking this is basically protocol and a step in the whole process.  We got in at 3 pm today and Ben was miserable.  Fever again up to 103, could barely walk and basically just wanted to lay down.  I can't believe it took the cardiologist to tell us this but he told us after examining all the tests and examining Ben, he said he would say it is influenza.  Nothing that a medicine is going to cure.  Great.  A trip to the urgent care, an ambulance ride, a 5 hour stay in the emergency room and a trip to the cardiologist to determine he has the flu?  Wow.  And to make matters worse, the cardiologist said if the doctor would have given him Tamiflu on Saturday his symptoms would have been alot less.  Wonderful.  But I started thinking again...I guess we are not spring chickens anymore.  I guess we are moving from that young crowd to the older crowd in a hurry.  Chest pain could most definitely mean a heart attack in our world now.  And that scares me.  I am glad Ben does not have anything wrong with his heart and I am hoping he recovers quickly from this nasty virus.  And most importantly, hoping and praying that Gabi and I don't get it.  So, if you are contemplating a flu vaccine this year, my suggestion, go and get it! 

Labor Day Camping Trip

Wow, talk about a whirlwind of events over the weekend and one being the weather!  Started out near 100 degrees on Friday and Saturday!  The kids were able to do much of the water activities these two days at least...fishing, swimming, waterslides, new bumper boats, etc etc etc.  Gabi brought a friend who has NEVER been camping...Nikki Strohl.  She experienced alot of firsts including camping itself, pudgie pies and fishing!

Love this pic of Gabi fishing!

Saturday was the Notre Dame game.  Ben was disappointed that we couldn't get the channel at our site but a fellow ND fan down the road had satellite and said Ben could watch it on their tv.  He took him up on it, but only til half time.  They weren't looking so good and dinner was to be fixed so he came back to listen to it on the radio.  That night the front blew in.  It brought a storm that prevented us from enjoying the campfire and rained pretty much all night.  Ben started feeling a bit sick.  Pain in his chest and back, chills and fever.  We kind of thought maybe an inner ear infection when he said he was dizzy.  He had gotten water in his ear weeks ago and has been complaining that he couldn't hear out of it.  He stayed in bed most the evening while we took the girls to the dance.  No dance is a dance without YMCA!

Sunday morning he got up and was worse.  We had continued to give him aleve but it just wasn't kicking it.  The dizziness and chest/back pain was worse.  Chad talked us into going to Urgent Care to try and get some meds so maybe he could feel better by Tuesday. 
Chad watched the girls on Sunday afternoon while I took him to Urgent Care.  Apparently the key words are "chest pain" because when Ben said that we were bumped up ahead of about 20 people and we were also rushed to the emergency room.  The staff thought Ben was having a heart attack.  This seemed a bit far fetched but as I sat and thought about it...it really could have been.  We are NOT that young anymore.  I have heard of people our age having heart attacks.  But Ben was healthy as a horse.  He walks all day at work, he doesn't eat bad.  I just didn't get it.  We waited it out after several tests...blood tests, chest x-ray, ct scan.  Basically they were ruling everything out.  No pulmonary embolism, no pneumonias...they took one more blood test and it was normal showing no heart attack.  We left with no more answers than what we arrived with.  They told us to follow up with a cardiologist for stress test next week.  We went back to the camper with Ben feeling a bit better (after morphine) and we decided to proceed with our bean soup and cornbread supper!  By this time it had dipped down into the lower 70s and was quite windy so it was the perfect weather for this type of meal.  We lit up the fire and had dinner.

Ben had a bit to eat but decided to lay down again.  I could tell he was still not up to par. 
Monday morning came and it was down right cold.  In the 50's so the girls really didn't want to do much but stay in the camper and play "Sorry." 
Ben was still sick and layed in bed all morning til I decided to just go ahead and start packing up to head home after we gave the girls something to eat for lunch. 
They snuck in a ride on the Boo Boo Express with the little ones and we were off for home.  Ben made it, but barely.  He was hurting on that ride home.  I was determined to get him into the doctor the next day.

A good weekend besides the sickness...the weather was not too bad and the girls got to get in all they wanted to do.  We are finished camping this year at Yogi (Fremont)...until next year... :)

My Birthday :)

I had a wonderful day yesterday.  Started out with a wake up call from Ben from work.  Gabi came in and asked me to stay in bed for a few minutes, and she had a surprise.  I waited.  This is what she brought me :)

Apparently she called her daddy for step by step instructions :)  How sweet!
Trenton and Tyler both called me also after dropping off Gabi to school.  It was nice chatting with them both and was also excited they would be skyping with me later on.

Did some running around during the day and loaded up the camper and waited until Ben got off work.  He brought me flowers...he said one from each of the family (Ben, Trenton, Tyler and Gabi). 

We decided on Logans for dinner and yes, they got me on the fireplace to do the "yeehaw" birthday yell.  Made it back to my parents house for a Boston Creme Pie Ben bought especially for me and got a new shampooer for the carpets.  This was something I desperately needed and was glad to have gotten.  All in all, a great day for me.  38 years old now and feeling no different to be honest...I take that back...I AM LOVED :)
Looking forward to the weekend.