Christmas tree!

Yesterday I finally got the apartment cleaned and finished all of the laundry. So then I tackled the Christmas tree.

Last year, we didn't have room in our tiny apartment, so I set up the Christmas tree at work.

Chuck wasn't home because he had two gigs, so Lenny was my only helper. He tried to eat the branches, of course.

We listened to the traditional Muppets/John Denver Christmas CD. Chuck can't stand the sound of Miss Piggy's voice so it probably was best that he wasn't home. :)

I did not bother with ornaments this year. It's just our basic tree.


We stuck all of Lenny's toys under the tree since he doesn't have a toybox at the moment.


And here's his stocking.

Chuck and I are spending Christmas with his family in Ohio and we are really looking forward to it.

Look at all of the Christmas cards we've gotten! Actually, no joke, 90% of them were for Lenny. He's way more popular than we are. It's kind of sad. :)

Thanksgiving pictures

Happy Birthday Mom!

Just don't go too crazy with that senior discount. ;)

The weekend

We are still recovering from the big celebration last Tuesday. Here's to making history!

On Saturday, we did a "Meet the Instruments" session at Wonderlab, the local children's science museum. We got a write-up in the student newspaper (I was misquoted) and no one touched my flute. I was happy.

Then that evening, we went bowling!


The animal shelter sponsored a fun bowling event for all of the volunteers. I went to my volunteer orientation session a few weeks ago, but I haven't been scheduled for dog-walking yet! I think there was just a little email mix-up. We went bowling anyway. :) And for the record, Chuck and I both are far superior bowlers to Barack Obama. I bowled a 73; Barack bowled a 37 before the Pennsylvania primary!

I also seemed to have a lot more free time this weekend, since I didn't have buttons to make or political websites to check obsessively. I still can't believe it's over. It's also strange to not WEAR a button anymore. Really nice people used to stop me all the time to tell me that they liked my button and were really excited about Obama. All kinds of people - men, women, black, white, young, old - random strangers who I would probably never have any reason to speak with otherwise. I will miss that friendliness. But maybe having Obama in the White House will unite Americans and make us all a little more open to each other, under his leadership and inspiration!

Together we can change the world

Election Day!

My parents went to a Sarah Palin rally in Dover and they just loved her. They got to shake her hand and talk to her. My mom reports that she is "just gorgeous!"

I have no comment on that.


Polls close early in Indiana, at 6 p.m. I have had a hard time concentrating at work today!! We are having our friends Susie (above) and Gaye over to watch returns. Luke Russert is reporting for NBC here on campus tonight.

We are still having a LOT of fun with our friend Barack. Thanks Mom!!


I just found this picture of Obama and I love it! :)

I am both sad and relieved that this whole process is coming to an end. I decided to get involved way back in June 2007. I was and still am so excited about Barack Obama. It will be nice to have my "normal" life back though!

Another reason I can't stand Brady Quinn.

Lenny's new collar

Lenny got a new collar! It has the "Script Ohio" on it.


I had looked for a Buckeye collar for him while we were in Columbus but I couldn't find one in his size. I found this one online.

They're not having their best season this year, but we are still big fans. LOVE Terrell Pryor.

Once the election is over, my internet time will be devoted again to blogging rather than reading every analysis I can find. :)

Could we turn Indiana blue?

Our Button Brigade is still hard at work making buttons until the very last minute. We can't make them fast enough, and we literally have made thousands.

Could it be possible for Indiana to vote for Obama? Check out this article!

Several Weekends Ago

On August 31st, Chuck, Jen and I ran the Spirit of Columbus half-marathon! I was doing a combination of running and walking, since I was not as prepared as I had been for the race in Indy. Plus, the pressure was off because I had already proven to myself that I could do it! Speedy Jen finished a whole hour before I did, and Chuck was close behind her, matching his previous time from the IU Mini two years ago. And I broke 3 hours! I finished in 2:59:24! So apparently I can walk faster than I can run, because my Indy time was 3:11:48. In the last 100 yards, I beat out the lady using a walker. No kidding.


I had a couple of Oreos for my dad. Back when he ran the Boston Marathon course, I was his Gatorade/Oreo supplier every three miles.


Besides seeing Jen and Alex and JD and his girlfriend Ashley, and seeing Chuck's grandmother Bubs, the other highlight of the trip was going to see the Buckeyes! Jen was able to get us tickets because it was the Alumni Band weekend, when they do "Quad Script Ohio." (THANK YOU JEN!!!)



We were in the second-to-last row in C deck and we had a great view of the field.

A fantastic weekend!

Book recommendation

I just finished this book last night. Go out and read it! It is fantastic.

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

The Talented Sarah Palin

I'm so excited...I finally found it on YouTube. Sarah Palin's talent in the Miss Alaska pageant.

For your consideration as you make up your mind in this important election.

Mom's new little buddy

My mom adopted a new little friend for Walter the weiner dog - a Pomeranian mix named Andy. He was a stray and she got him from the local humane society. The name they gave him at the shelter was "Mr. Winkers." She gave him the much more dignified name of Andy...short for "Anderson Pooper."

Last night we went to the Joshua Bell "Red Violin" concert here at IU (I got free staff tickets!). I was really pleased because I saw a couple of people wearing some of my home-made Obama buttons. :) And it was a good concert!

Cowboy Concert

I am so behind on things, I don't even know where to begin. I have a ton of pictures from various events this summer, so I might start with the most recent and then travel back in time.

On Saturday, the BSO played its annual family concert in the mall with a Cowboy theme. I found Chuck's shirt at the Goodwill the morning of the concert.

It got a great review in the paper, and you can see two videos from the concert at THIS LINK - Under video, where it says "Little Buckaroos..."

The next concert we are playing a little bit more serious stuff - the Faure Requiem.

Olympics Spoiler Alert!

(Photo courtesy of Indiana University)

DO NOT read any further if you are planning on watching the Olympics tonight and you do not want to know the results of the 400 meters men's race!

David Neville, a 2007 Jacobs School of Music graduate, WON THE BRONZE MEDAL!!! It was an American sweep of the medals. A lot of attention had been paid to the other two Americans in the media, so he was kind of a surprise. Woo-hoo!

The best part about moving

I will never, ever have to do my laundry in a dark, damp, moldy basement, filled with these mutant creatures:

The Kentucky Cave Cricket

Please note that the article says their bodies are about two inches, while their legs are an additional four inches. This is not an exaggeration.

Also, I will never again slip down the icy stairs leading to the building's basement in order to do my laundry with the crickets. Bonus.

Veepstakes

There's a bunch of "buzz" this week about who Obama will pick as his running mate. Here is my prediction: Republican Chuck Hagel of Nebraska!


There's big buzz around Joe Biden right now. But I think by selecting a Republican, Obama would get the advantage of having someone with foreign policy/military service credentials, while reinforcing his theme of bringing change to Washington.

The Obama campaign is going to announce his choice to supporters via email and text message, but you heard it here first!

Baracky II

You know it's a bad day at the office...

when you see this on the door across the hall.