Never a dull moment...

Ok so I know that I have put posts up that don't really say anything about what is going on around here, so here it is.

As some of you know a few weeks ago my van (the green one) was viciously attacked by an IU employee. No just kidding, it was his truck that viciously attacked my van not him. I was parked just outside the HYPER (Wildermuth gym), I was working out because I am required to because of a personal fitness class. So this was my reward for a hard workout! I walked out and first I saw the cop car, and of course I think "Oh great they are towing my car!" because of course I don't have an IU permit, and I'm not sure if where I am parked requires one. So as I'm trying to think of a way to keep them from towing my car, I walk out the door, see the cop, a huge truck, and 2 older guys standing by my car. I look just past them and see glass shattered all over the ground, I look at my van and the rear window is gone! Oh my gosh!!!!!! I think I sucked in all the air for a 3 mile radius. The cop walked up to me and said you must be Mindy, we just called and left a message on your cell phone. AHHHHH! The night before we had just had the windshield replaced because it was leaking and now my rear window and whole door are gone and damaged. So after I regained the ability to breath and speak, one of the older gentlemen, named Fred, introduced himself walked up and gave me a hug and said how sorry they were. (He was from Risk Management for IU) and the other guy was just so stunned he didn't know what to say. Poor guy... apparently this was his first time driving this new truck, I guess it was brand new to IU and he was the first one to drive it at all, and he thought he had more room then he did when he was backing up. So Fred, kept saying don't worry, we're gonna get it fixed, by the way this is not safe to drive, so we are gonna have it towed to the body shop. I'll get you a rental, its all our fault. Yada yada.... I'm just in shock.... the police officer so nicely noticed that the plates were expired and told me that had I been in the car I would have gotten a ticket. Yea rah for me!!! But because is was being towed, I didn't need to worry about it, but I needed to get the plates renewed asap.

So I got a nifty 2008 Kia Sedona for 2 weeks to drive! But now we have our car back and its beautiful and clean, the body shop detailed it! I was so exicted, I had a clean car and I didn't have to do it, or beg Andy to. We drove it to see Joe and Mel that night because we were privileged enough to go house shopping with them. Needless to say they were a little surprised to see us driving in a new white van that was not ours. So we drove that all weekend while we looked at some fabulous houses. Including the one that they are now buying!
So here is the scoop on that weekend.... we drove down and took Dimon with us. Izzy and Xan stayed the weekend with Nana and Papa. No the house to the left is not the one they are buying. We just all were amazed at this place! This is the backyard! Basketball court, swimming pool, tennis court, jacuzzi, and just a pretty sitting garden! Wow!!!! This was towards the end of the shopping trip and we were just driving through this amazing neighborhood and found this place! I want it.... Here is another amazing house we had to take a picture of, though Mel will swear we were taking a picture of some scary guy in the yard!

We had fun, and yes Mel's allegation of me being in the car is true! I can't help it! I am not a car girl. And I only tormented Mel for a little bit, then she kicked me out at the addition where they found their house. However I don't have any pictures of this house for some odd reason.... I think I was just to happy to be out of the car to remember the camera. It was a fun weekend and I think Joe is never getting in front of my camera again. So after our great weekend in Louisville, we came home and started 'normal' life again.

One day when Nana was here she and Izzy made Blueberry Muffins and here is a picture of our little chef! Isn't she just to cute!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then a few days later was a chocolate contest in my Chocolate class. Yes I took a class on Chocolate, its called Chocolate Food of the Gods. It was fun! Yes I had to take it, it was a topics course and this is with a prof I really like, so I took this one as opposed to Underwater Basket weaving, or some other non-sense class. So I had dad make one of the Pollyanna cakes! For those of you who have never seen Pollyanna, look it up. Its a Disney classic, not hard to find! Sorry, there are a lot of people who have never heard of Pollyanna and it irritates me. I'm over it now..... anyway, Dad made this huge, huge cake with 3 different kinds of chocolate cakes and 4 icings all mixed. Three layers, each one was one cake mix by itself, with shaved chocolate on top. Here are some pics. (Thank you to Ryan for bringing to me in the morning and especially thank you to Daddy for cooking it!) I carried this thing from my car parked on Indiana in front of Quadoba to the Student Building, not a really far walk, but this thing had to weight like 20 pounds! I think everyone in Starbucks was glued to the window. But to make a long story short we won!!!! We won a T-shirt that says "You may stray but you will always return to your dark master the cocoa bean!" And much happiness was spread throughout the land as the chocolate cake was cut up and dispensed throughout the classroom. It was fun and very messy. I had to wash my shirt in the bathroom before class started because I was covered in chocolate. (And no I didn't eat a piece of cake, because it would have blown all my points out the window and destroyed any little bit of diet control I had!)

Um lets see what else has been going on.... Izzy loves to play baseball.... Xander has discovered that dirt is edible and fun to play in, and Dimon is having a grand time watching and learning bad things from his older siblings! Though nothing beats dancing to the Youtube.com videos. Yes the hole he is playing in is right next to the house, courtesy of Jack. Oh yeah.... Jack has started school, or Andy and I have started school, not sure which way it is... But we are working on walking without pulling and sitting right now. Fun stuff....

So that is what has been going on around here for the last few weeks. Love ya all!!!!!!!!!!!!

THE QUEST CONTINUES>>>>>

SO DRUMROLL.........

Andy as of today has sliced off an amazing 15.6 lbs and I have finally hit the 5.6 mark!!!!! So that is what we think of those extra pounds gone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HA HA HA!!!! (Evil laughter continues!)

to be continued.....

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Yes another quiz, but hey theyre fun!

This one is a little more accurate for me I think.

http://www.sisterwoman.com/survey11.php

Teacher
You love learning, and find real pleasure in sharing that love with others. Your happiest times are when you see someone grasp a concept or be inspired by an idea. Naturally inquisitive, you ask questions that will heighten your understanding and the understanding of those around you. If you’ve always dreamed of standing before a classroom of eager learners, start volunteering with your local elementary school as a mentor or see if there’s a need for continuing education teachers in your area. The world needs more passionate people like you who want to teach.

Tell me what you got!

Movie Heroine

So I got this fun little quiz for all my girlfriends....

Which Movie Heroine Are You?
Scarlett makes no apologies, and Dorothy likes home. Ilsa is loyal, Erin Brockovich is brazen, and Ripley kicks butt. While each made film history for a different reason, these classic film heroines all share one key attribute - they know what they want and aren't afraid to go for it. So, sister, the question for you is: Which movie heroine are you? Click here to take the Sisterwoman quiz!

I am .....
Erin Brockovich

Like the main character in the eponymously named Erin Brockovich, no one will ever get the better of you. Smart, tough-talking, obsessive, determined, feisty. When it comes to fighting what’s right, you’re always on the front lines. Sometimes your looks lead people to believe you’re just a pretty face. But after they’ve seen you in action, they know you will fight for what’s right, even if it means making great personal sacrifices.

and I am not sure how to feel about this.... let me know what you think.

The Quest continues...

On Monday'sweigh in ... drumroll.....

Andy had lost 5.6 lbs!

and I had lost 3!

And that is after having had a weekend in Louisville, without our little point calculator! So we did really well! More water and veggies!!!

Joe I think you owe us a happy dance!

The Invisible Mom

I'm Invisible It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking , 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?' Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a p air of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this? Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.' I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going, she's going, she's gone! One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous tr ip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean. My unwashed hair was pulled up in a hair clip and I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: 'To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.' In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of t heir names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything. A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it.' And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.' I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over . You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become.' At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime, because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree. When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and dresses all th e linens for the table.' That wo uld mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, 'You're gonna love it there.' As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women. Great Job, MOM! Share this with all the Invisible Moms you know