Ashley's new boss

As read on American Family's district communication...

Jim Pucci
District #44 Manager


We are very pleased to announce the appointment of Jim Pucci as the District 44 Manager in Wisconsin East.

Jim grew up with American Family in Racine, Wisconsin, where his father, uncle, and brother have been American Family Agents. Jim began his agency career with American Family in 1995 here in Wisconsin East. As an agent, he qualified for numerous District, State, and Company campaigns. In 2003, Jim became a company sales trainer in Oregon. Then, in 2005, he became the District 509 Manager in Oregon. District 509 achieved several All American and Life Diamond awards, led the State in Retention, and was the Regional All Lines Profit Leader. In addition, 28% of the District’s agents achieved the American Star Award.Jim and his wife, Jeannie, have a 7-month old daughter, Gianna. They are in the process of relocating and Jim’s office address will be 1011 N. Mayfair Road, S-205, Wauwatosa, WI 53226.

Please join us in welcoming Jim and Jeannie to our Wisconsin East Management Team and in wishing them the best of luck as they begin this new phase in their career with the American Family Insurance Group

37 Week Appointment

Here is a synopsis of what Bryan and I heard yesterday at our appointment:

"Dilation--maybe half a centimeter."

"That's one tall baby!"

Weight gain -- "healthy"

"It's my job to eat the twinkees!" (Bryan)

"Braxton Hicks need to start right about now...try eating spicy foods, eating pineapple, and walking quicker and longer each day."

Light Reading

Our nightly schedule consists of (5pm) Ashley coming home, making dinner, and cleaning; (6:15pm) Bryan coming home, eating the yummy food, and watching Family Guy; (7pm) catching season finales such as Grey's Anatomy or Lost; (8pm) cleaning up the kitchen; (9pm) reading in bed.

Bryan's current book: Cesar's Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems (by dog enthusiast Cesar Milan). Cesar takes his pack of 40 dogs on a 4 hour walk each morning! Bryan and Shadow walked this morning around the block...for 30 minutes.

Ashley's current book:
Love & Respect: The Love She Most Desires; The Respect He Desperately Needs (by Christian writer and speaker Emerson Eggerichs)

Once we finish these books, we'll switch them with each other.

Darryl's Wedding

My brother got married in Boston over Memorial Day weekend. My mother, uncle Phil, aunt Kay and myself flew out for the wedding. Ashley was grounded due to the baby. We all had a great time at the wedding and in Boston seeing some sites.

Darryl and Nicole had an outside wedding. The backdrop was the skyline of Boston. I would imagine the photos turned out great as their photographer (Wayne) seemed to be top of the line. He even broke out some dance moves to Thriller. You can check out Wayne's website and see for yourself.

Rummage Sale

This weekend we had a neighborhood rummage sale or garage sale. Friday Ashley did a great job of selling. Today we finally broke even after our garage sale finds. Check out our spoils.



Here is another of our spoils. One of our neighbors
gave us two bags of baby clothes. Her girls didn't need them, and she just wanted them gone.

A little scare leads to elevators and more orange juice

I love Anne and Patti (my OB and her nurse). In fact, I got to see them yesterday.

Yesterday morning, I did my normal routine of eating breakfast in bed, listening with Bryan to our morning radio, showering, and driving 8 minutes to work.

The stairs did it to me...after climbing 3 flights of stairs (as usual), I got really REALLY hot and had to sit down. I felt dizzy--like I was going to pass out--so I put my head down on my desk. After a few minutes I felt better, but not 100%; I called the OB office, and Patti advised me to come in that day for my bi-monthly appt.

Blood pressure was low: 100/60. And this was after I felt better!
Baby's heartbeat is fine.

Anne contributed the drop in blood pressure due to the weather shift (change in barometric pressure), climbing 3 flights of stairs, and not getting enough sugary-liquid. She thinks we're fine...no need for concern.

33 Weeks

Here is Ashley on Wednesday...33 weeks along. As of tomorrow (Sunday), she will hit the 34 week mark. We hit some yard sales this morning. Ashley bought a pair of maternity shorts and a tank top. Bryan bought a yellow sleep sack for our angel. Shadow stayed by dad and watched the birds.

6am Activity

Where were you at 6am?

Bryan and I are usually sleeping...but the chirping birds and sunlight lured us to get out of bed and take a lovely walk in our neighborhood. The baby loved it! (Shadow enjoyed herself, too).

Out with the old

and in with the new. Yes, I finally purchased a new cell phone. My trusty steed of 6 years has officially been retired. Ashley's trusty phone of three years has also been replaced.


We now have two snazzy new phones to try and figure out how to turn on and use.



Todd will be so proud to see I have made another step into the digital age. Now only if I could figure out what a text is?...

Cornflake Cookies

Unlike many cafeterias, my high school cafeteria had the most delicious food! Besides the infamous hot buttered rolls, the cooks made this wonderful recepie on a number of occasions. (My brother Jimmy loves this recepie, too).

Cornflake Cookies
1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup white karo syrup
5-6 cups cornflakes.

*Bring sugar, peanut butter and syrup to a boil, stirring frequently.
*Remove from heat. Add cornflakes while stirring.

Either drop cornflake batter by the spoonful onto wax paper or dump the batter in a 9x13 glass pan. Let cool. Eat and enjoy!

Bryan, Our Cookie Monster

Bryan is such a hottie. He makes me want to drool.

He makes Shadow drool, too (or is that the cookie?).

Thank you to Nicky and Darryl for the bib and little Red Sox's jersey. Our baby will love it!

Living with Messy Kids

Here's another Focus on the Family broadcast to add to my file: Living with Messy Kids.

A couple of points that I took away:

• Research documents that kids acheive more as adults if they are raised in organized, efficient homes
• If a mom does everything for her kids (clean their rooms, do their chores) then kids remain dependent on mom for everything; they don't become independent contributors to their families, friendship or society.

What's new? Really?

Heidi Rademacher, one of my friends from Rhodes, emailed me today and asked the typical question: what's new?

I thought I'd share my answer with the blog.

• Dad and Deborah drove up from Dyersburg last weekend for a visit. We went to my baby shower brunch and ate some yummy breakfast casserole and drank coffee-ice cream punch!
• Our friends Beth and Mark Earnest went to Scotland for 10 days. We're watching their dog, Colby. I think Colby intimidates Shadow with his bundle of energy. He's always running around.
• I'm trying to read more books on home organization. I'm tired of getting home at night and wondering what's for dinner. Emilie Barnes recently spoke on the subject on Focus on the Family's daily broadcast. Listen here--the broadcast is about 25 minutes.
• I've known for a while that ground turkey can be substituted in most ground beef recipes, but I'm trying more to cook with it. It's way healthier and a little cheaper. Just today I bought 4 pounds of ground turkey for $5!

31 weeks--we're almost there!

Sorry it has been so long since we've updated pictures. Here are Ashley and the Little Swimmer. As you can see in the background, we were watching American Idol last night. I'm glad Brooke staying another week.

Miller Park meeting

Ashley's district will be having its monthly meeting at Miller Park on Thursday. Play ball!

Checking out Ankeny, IA

Bryan and I are visiting with Todd, Melissa, and Ella this weekend. Check out this post!

Word of the Day

In case anyone else writes newsletters/mailings for their job, I want to share a word I commonly misspell.

Rapport (pronouced "ra-poor"). Commonly misspelled as repoire, rapoire, etc.

Sample sentence: Because Ashley has a good rapport with her boss, she gets to have flexible working hours and can sometimes work from home.

Ashley is moving!

Due to Ashley's boss retiring from American Family at the end of March, Ashley will be moving from a 3-room office to the newly-constructed American Family corporate building in Waukesha.

Some benefits of the move:

* Ashley will be working independently until a new district manager is hired

* The building is approx. 5 minutes from our house (compared to her 20 minute drive to Wauwatosa)

* Ashley will be working with more updated technology

* Ashley will have more people around her...including the marketing specialist, Becky Wolniakowski, who is 27 weeks pregnant! (FYI, Ashley is 26 weeks along)

* Ashley will be (literally) across the street from her doctor

It's Melting!

Finally--the snow is melting and Bryan and I are seeing more and more brown grass. Don't get me wrong - we still have snow on our back patio. However... there is a green sprout coming up near our house!

24 weeks

Ashley had her monthly visit with Dr. Martinelli. Everything is proceeding as normal, but Ashley was quite shocked to hear that she gained 10 pounds over the last 4 weeks! Fortunately, this is a good weight gain since she's only gained 18 total pounds and the pregnancy is more than halfway through.

The baby's heartbeat is still coming in strong at 142.

23 weeks

Here are Ashley and Baby Girl Bell at 23 weeks.

Our Spaghetti Eater

It happened again!

Bryan and I were eating spaghetti at our coffee table as our small group began to arrive at our house. Beth and Mark Earnest were the first to arrive, along with their dog Colby. Shadow and Colby were playing around in the foyer...then Shadow left while Bryan and I were taking the Earnests' coats.

I heard the sound of a dog wolfing down dinner...Bryan's dinner...of freshly-hot spaghetti and cheddar cheese. Obviously, we have a lot to learn about Shadow.

3AM Hunger Pains

I'm 22 weeks into my first pregnancy, and I had an insatiable hunger at 3am this morning! Could our swimmer be eating more than usual? We had a filling dinner last night (tuna melts and salad), and I was really full...my then this morning I was so hungry that I contemplated getting out of bed to have my morning bowl of cereal. I didn't leave the bed, though...I was cozy-warm. But I did toss and turn until our 6:30 alarm went off. Then I had my whole-grain flakes & granola cereal.

Happy Birthday Nanna!

Nanna, I wish I could make you a cake as beautiful as this.
A kiss to Nanna

Happy Birthday to Ashley's Nanna! She gets younger every year.

Nanna, we hope you're enjoying the mild Memphis temperatures!

Valentine's Day

Bryan and I celebrated Valentine's Day on Sat., Feb. 9 with 50+ other couples from our church. We enjoyed a nice dinner and entertainment in the church lobby. Bryan and I almost won a prize for having the youngest baby --but then the game host said that the baby must have a social security number.

Our hamburger-eater

Shadow has disappointed me greatly.

Our bible study met at our home on Tuesday evening. Because Bryan and I carpooled to work together that day and because snow was falling (again!), our drive home took a little longer than usual. Since our drive took an hour, we decided to stop at a Kopp's custard stand for burgers and custard.

I was enjoying my burger when the doorbell rang at 7:30 - our small group was arriving. Shadow and I greeted Todd Taylor (the dark-haired guy in the picture), and as I took Todd's coat, Shadow ran back to the living room where I was eating my burger. As soon as I realized that my burger was left on the coffee table, I ran back to the area. It was too late. Shadow ate my burger.

Pictured above: 1) my lonely bun and onion rings; 2) Todd Taylor and Darrin Ellenbolt mourning the loss

Celebrating Valentine's Day (2008)

Happy Hallmark Day! Bryan and I have already had a sweet day.

This morning Bryan got hostess doughnuts - I surprised him with the powered kind and the chocolate frosted kind. YUMMY! And there's more for tomorrow!

When I walked downstairs this morning, I found a couple of nice gifts on the kitchen table for me - a bottle of lotion and a package of sweet tarts. Also, Bryan gave me a super-nice card.

I'm planning to leave work early this afternoon to get home with plenty of time to make dinner. We're having basil and rosemary stuffed pork chops, homemade apple sauce, some sort of veggie, and chocolate covered strawberries for dessert.

This should be a sweet day!

2008 Home Projects

• Fireplace office/book shelves
• Electric fence for Shadow's yard
• Painting: foyer, hallway, living room, dining room
• New front door?
• May or June neighborhood yard sale
• Anything else?

Weekend highlights

We had an extra-cold weekend. Here's what we did despite the three feet of snow:
Friday night:

• Dined at Texas Roadhouse, courtesy of Ashley's boss, Bill Ikpi. He gave us $25 in appreciation for Ashley's hard work during the week. Ashley ate the chicken-fritter salad; Bryan had a slab of ribs
• After dinner, Bryan worked on making a clinic handbook for Summit Eye. Ashley began reading What to Expect During the 1st Year.
• Bryan designed our built-in bookshelves that will (hopefully) be installed before the baby. They will go on each side of the fireplace.

Saturday:

• Slept until 9AM
• Made a ham and red bell pepper omelet
• Took Shadow for a walk (31 degrees)
• Ashley napped 2 hours
• Bryan worked on handbook
• Attended our church's sweetheart dinner (ate chicken parmesean and raspberry cheesecake w/decaf coffee)
• Bryan worked on computer
• Ashley read some more
• Stayed warm while the temperature dropped to -4

Sunday:

• Ushered at Church
• Ate leftovers for lunch
• Went to home of neighbors Baiio and Jill Marchan - they gave us their really nice baby crib. In return we gave their 2 labs lots of attention and love
• Journeyed home; Bryan worked on his manual; Ashley read
• Made chicken, cheese and rice skillet for dinner (kraftfoods.com). It was yummy!
• After dinner...Bryan worked on manual. (I know, he needs a laptop). Ashley watched Elizabeth Bennett win Mr. Darcy's heart in Pride and Prejudice (on PBS).

20 weeks

Pictures of Ashley at 20 weeks along.

The Swimmer is a GIRL!

We are thrilled to know what color clothes to buy our little swimmer. She is a healthy girl! So far, she looks like she might make the 2028 Olympics--her arms and legs are measuring a little long for her gestational (sp?) age. I guess she takes after her daddy!

It's crazy to imagine that one day she might be taller than her mommy.

Our due date is on track of being June 22.

Shadow and snow

Shadow has enjoyed our day off as well. She got a haircut, and then we went for a walk. Snow sticks very well to the underbelly of my dog.

The great February snowfall...

Today is a free day. Work was cancelled for me, and Ashley decided to stay home as well. Before the snow started flying we had a record 50+ inches of snow. And today we are supposed to get another 10-18 inches. Check out the driveway.

Driveway at 8:30 AM
Immediately after snowblowing clean

Driveway at 10:40AM


Driveway at 2:25PM

Sweet, We so far have had nearly 3 inches in the center of the driveway, more where the wind was blowing.

The Big Day

We have our first ultrasound today...I'm so ready to see if our Swimmer is a boy or girl. After waking up at 4AM for a potty break, I couldn't go back to sleep out of anticipation.

State of the Union 2008

Unfortunately, I have nothing intelligent to say about last night's State of the Union adress. Bryan and Shadow were distracting me away from George Bush.

Well, I do have some thoughts: the 2008 tax rebate will be nice (if it passes the Senate). But couldn't Washington have taken less taxes out in the first place? Also, why are 35 million Americans who did not pay taxes receiving a rebate? And those in the upper tax brackets not receiving any of their hard-earned money back? I guess it's because they are the evil rich people who are selfishly ruining America...

Tis the season for...bridal showers

Like many other people, one of my favorite times of the day is checking the mail - and I especially enjoy receiving mail! Yesterday I received not one but two invitations to bridal showers! Unfortunately, I am declining both invitations. Neither shower is local - one shower is in Boston and the other shower is in Dyersburg. However, my mom will be attending the Dyersburg shower in lieu of me. Eat some cake for me, mom!

Weekend Playdate

Our friends, Beth and Mark Ernest, recently rescued a dog. Colby made quite an impression on Shadow this weekend.

Baby's Doctor

In case anyone was wondering, here is a picture of Dr. Martinelli -- the doctor who will deliver our Little Swimmer.

No matter how many deliveries she has during a week's time, Anne is always upbeat and personable when we see her. In fact, her enthusiasm is contagious. She's great! Here's a link to her medical profile.

Fuzzi Bunz diapers

I've been really impressed about the high-quality cloth diapers that are now available. Fuzzi-bunz is one of the most popular cloth diaper brands, and their company promises no rash, no leak, no waste. Furthermore, these diapers are cute! They come in any color (blue, red, pink), and there are patterns, like flowers and trains.

Here is a fuzzi-bunz cutie. The diapers are a bit more expensive initally--about $18 per diaper...but over the long haul and 2 or 3 kids later, the pay off should be tremendous. More info, click here.

First Baby Movement

I felt distinctive movement today; it occurred on the right side of my uterus. I guess the baby likes blueberry yogurt!

19 week appointment

Bryan and I had our 19 week check up yesterday. Here is what we learned:

AB blood pressure: Great!
Baby Bell heartbeat: strong
AB weight gain: approx. 8 pounds

As Dr. Martinelli was searching the womb for the baby's heartbeat, she kept telling the baby things like "stop moving so much" and "slow down." Based on the baby's squirrley movement, Anne gave a prediction on the sex: she thinks the baby is a boy!

We will find out for sure (hopefully) on Feb. 5th.

So far it's 3 to 2; 3 people think we're having a boy (Bryan, Dr. Martinelli and Cyndy, Bryan's mom), and two people think we're having a girl (my mom and Dr. Randy Prestash--Bryan's boss). I'm undecided.

Purge the American Church of the Health, Wealth and Prosperity gospel

Health, wealth, and prosperity are not bad things in themselves. But sometimes, these three are preached from the church pulpit of what a person can look forward to when becoming a follower of Christ. But is this biblically correct?

Pastor John Piper speaks of the "prosperity gospel" on youtube.com. The video is only 3 minutes...please click below to watch this short video (and be sure your speakers are turned on).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukcV-xtU3hc

Treasure the Giver more than the gifts.

18 Week Belly Shot

So...I don't think I've gained much weight yet, but I'm definitely feeling more pressure on the right side of my lower abdomen. I'm still wearing normal clothes...hopefully soon I can wear my cute maternity pants and shirts.

Shadow's tree

We mentioned in our Christmas newsletter that Shadow made friends with the bunny who leaves beneath our pine tree. Here is a tree shot.

Pureed Black Bean Soup

Nicky, our future sister-in-law, sent me the book What to Eat When You're Expecting. I made a couple of recipies from it this weekend, and the black bean soup was marvelous! Besides being tasty, the soup only took 20 minutes to make (and most of my time was spent chopping veggies). Go ahead--try it!

(serves 4-5ppl)

1 T olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium yellow bell peppers, chopped
2 t cumin
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 14 oz cans chicken broth
4 T chopped cilantro

Saute onion, garlic, bell pepper and cumin in hot olive oil (5 minutes) or until tender (use saucepan).

Add beans and broth, heat through.

Transfer mixutre to a blender; blend with 2 T cilantro until everything is pureed.

Transfer back to saucepan and heat until through (won't take long - a couple of minutes).

Put in bowls with rest of cilantro; serve with chopped tomatoes, cheddar cheese (a MUST), or avacado slices. Super yummy!

That Yucky Feeling

So, I'm 16 weeks along in my pregnacy, and I woke up yesterday with a terrible cold! I have major yucko drainage and a sore throat. Fortunatley, the pharmacists make safe medicine like Tylenol cold and flu, sudafed, Robbutsin DM...and there's always salt water to gargle!

Bryan started his new job in Oconomonc on Wednesday, and today he's working the morning in Milwaukee and the afternoon in Oconomonoc. What a lot of driving! Here is info on the new clinic

Jamie's Wedding

She's married. Yay!

Sorry...I take the responsibility for leaving our camera at home...my fault. I'll do an online link when the professional pictures are posted in January.

Christmas Highlights

Eating pumpkin roll, Shadow chasing Bryan down the sledding hill, listening to 4 kids run around the house (it sounded like 14 kids!), hosting 13 people at our house for Christmas, watching Shadow unwrap her toys, watching Bryan search around the porch for his new ladder, holding up 3 HUGE maternity shirts, wondering if I'll ever fit into them...spilling chicken broth on the kitchen floor, having Shadow lick up the chicken broth, showing off our Christmas cards from 2004 until present (yes, we save our Christmas cards in a photo album and display them each Christmas).

Christmas with Todd Agnew and Chris Tomlin

Bryan and I spent an evening with Todd Agnew and Chris Tomlin...along with about 300 other people at Alliance Bible Church in Oconomonoc. It was so neat to meet Todd Agnew after following his career from its incepation at Germantown Baptish Church in Memphis.

13 Week Appointment

Ashley and the little swimmer had their 13 week check up yesterday, and we heard the heartbeat for the first time. Here are the stats:

Heartbeat: 160
AB cholesteral: good
AB blood sugar: good
AB weight gain: 1 pound

No belly measurements were taken, but Ashley can detect small changes (her JCrew cordoroys don't fit like they used to)...

Next appointment: Jan. 15th (Happy Birthday Jimmy!)
The BIG ultrasound appt: February 12

Where are my blankets?

5 inches of snow on the ground, not a warm day in sight

Shadow rushes in from outside with a fright.

Ice glued to the trees, something's not right.

At least our baby keeps me warm at night!

Granddaddy's house

"I don't like dogs," has been my grandfather's motto since 30 years of working as a US postman in Dyersburg. As you can tell, he definitely hasn't taken to Shadow.

Thanksgiving 2007

As always, Thanksgiving was a wonderful holiday to spend with my TN family. One night in Dyersburg, one night in Memphis, and two more nights at Granddaddy's in Dyersburg.

My cousin Leah introduced Bryan to her pet rat (see Bryan's shoulder).

Jamie's Wedding

Our friend and neighbor, Jamie, is getting married on December 29, 2007. Congrats Jamie!

I am helping her with the big day by making the invitations, researching wedding party jewelry, and making the wedding programs.

Check out our bridesmaid dresses! The color will be wine red.

What's your weather?

After a beautiful weekend, today we finally say goodbye to the summer months.

Bryan and I woke up this morning to a frosty 45 degrees! We were warm and snuggly under the blankets, but our lungs breathed crisp air. Even Shadow felt the drop in temperature--we awoke at 7:30 this morning to find her squeezed between us!

I can't believe that only 72 hours ago the three of us were swimming in Devil's Lake.

Once Bryan gets home, I will have him show me how to download pics from our camera to the computer. We have lots to post!

The first weekend in October

Bryan, Shadow and I spent the first weekend at Devil's Lake State Park (yes, again). The weather was great, and we were able to swim in the lake in October! It's a fall miracle!

Our last weekend adventures before the snow

This weekend is supposed to be 80 degrees, and Bryan and I will say our ode to summer at Devil's Lake State park.

Here we are last year, overlooking beautiful Lake Country of Waukesha County.

A Happy Thanksgiving

Pic One: McCallen Grandkids with our beautiful McCallen brown eyes

Pic Two: Don't mess with Mom's kitchen!

Pic Three: Dad, Bryan, me, Jimmy, Nanna and Pappaw

Gardening Fun

This year, we're hoping our green thumb will be a bit more productive. Out on our balcony, we are growing cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes and peppers in pots. Also, we are growing chives, parsley and basil--yum! We're ready for some fresh cooking!

For your viewing pleasure... cucumbers at 5 weeks (upper left) versus cucumbers at 10 weeks (upper right).

And last but not least...tomatoes at 5 weeks.

For your viewing pleasure...

(L) McCallen family at Ashley's graduation
Below: Bryan and Ashley







It's hard to believe that I've been a college graduate for a year. And what have I done with my degree? I've spent 12 weeks subsitute teaching, 2 months as a temp, and currently, I'm looking for a full time job. Thank you Mom, for making sure I don't leave college with any student loans. Bryan's are enough!

A Great Speaker on the Da Vinci Code

Darrell Bock is the guest speaker and author we heard on April 30 at Westbrook Church. His arguements came from Breaking the Da Vinci Code.



Check him out on the web!

Our Last April weekend

Rain...rain...more rain. This is the story of our weekend.

On Friday night, Bryan and I stayed in because it was raining. We ate leftover beef stroganoff (yummy). I like to try different recipies each time I make the dish, and this one was definitely in my top 5. After watching Dog Whisper, we went to bed early and cuddled with Shadow.

Saturday morning was hazy, but it didn't rain early in the morning. We got up, took Shadow outside, and then ate a breakfast of oatmeal (cinnamon and sugar). Bryan received a phone call from one of his former neighbors in Menomonee Falls who is selling her parents' house. She invited us over to view the house before it went on the market, so we packed up our car and picnic basket.
The house was ok. It was a tiny house, but with 4 tiny bedrooms and a detached garage. The house needed MAJOR cosmetic work--there was 60s and 70s decor everywhere. Bryan and I think it was a bit overpriced--the family had it listed for $200,000! I tried to explain to them how some homes in Waukesha were dropping their price about 20K before selling, but the family was pretty stubborn on the price. I sincerely doubt they will sell the house in that condition for that kind of money.

After viewing the house in Menomonee Falls, we went to the dog park. The dog park is in Brookfield, WI, and is a big stretch of open land that is surrounded by a fence. There were about 15 other dogs there, and watching Shadow interact with them was so cute! She would run and play with the little dogs, try to play with the big dogs, and then run back to us, seeking our approval. So cute.

Then we went back home because the rain began again. We stayed home the rest of the afternoon and night and decided to give Shadow a spa treatment. First, Bryan cut her hair. Then, I bathed her, cleaned her ears, and dried her. Bryan and I spent the rest of the night reading--The Da Vinci Code for him, and a James Dobson book for me. It was a fun time.

We went to early service (9am) on Sunday. Afterward, we helped set up for a couples' picnic, which was moved into the church because of the rain. Two new couples came, and I am glad we were able to connect with them--Marycell and Todd, Kevin and Hannah Jewitt and their son. It was a good time.

Afterward, Bryan and I napped at home. Then we went back to church to hear a scholar give a historical interpretation of the Da Vinci code. That was a very informational lecture, and we hope to use the info when discussing the book outside of the christian relam.

Thanks for reading about our weekend!

Ashley's Job Search update

As Oprah interviews child genuises on my TV, I take this moment to reflect on my job search. Who knew that finding a job would be this difficult? I am fortunate that Bryan has a great income, and we get health insurance through his work...now, I just hope to earn a little income for us to put toward a house in which we will eventaully raise our family.

I have been called back for a 2nd interview with a manufacturing company in Germantown, WI. I have this interview tomorrow. Hopefully, I will ace this interview!

Currently, I have been offered a position with Westbrook Church as their Summer Intern (Children's Ministry). We'll see where this goes...ideally, I would like to have a full time job with benefits...

I did have an interview for an apartment manager position--I could have gotten the job, but I would have to work on weekends, which wouldn't make Bryan happy...

So, please remember me as I look for a job!

Welcome Home, Heidi! Heidi, my former roommate from Rhodes College, recently returned from her teaching English as a 2nd Language in France. She is now living in Massachusetts, and we are in the same boat for the job search.

Bryan continues to love his job--he's the best Eye Doc around!

Fruit of the Week

Sentry grocery stores is having a sale, so todayI decided to give prunes a try.

My initial thought was "Wow, these taste like gushers!" -->a chewy gummy-like candy

My second thought was "I'm doing my body a HUGE favor by eating these cancer-fighting, antioxidat-loaded agents!"

My third thought was "I've never been this active"--if you know what I mean.

So give prunes a try--but if I were you, I'd go with the pre-pitted kind.

Crazy weekend

So you think you had a crazy weekend? Listen to this...

Bryan's mom moved out of her boyfriend's house. She spent Friday night with us, and then on Saturday we went to Menomonee Falls with her to look for an apartment. She found an apartment, but it wouldn't take dogs (she has a 14-year-old cocker spaniel). We convinced Cyndy to continue looking for another apartment instead of facing the decision to put down Peanut just so she could get that apartment.

Also yesterday, Bryan and I helped move her stuff from Franks. Has anyone ever carried a washing machine up 2 flights of stairs? It isn't pretty, beleive me. Needless to say, we probably put 150 miles on our car yesterday--just moving stuff back to her Menomonee Falls home and then driving back and forth to her brother's house and our apartment.

Now she and Bryan are out looking for other apartments while I watch the snow fall and cover our grass. This isn't exactly what I planned to do this weekend--but it makes you think about how choices affect you long term...hopefully this weekend can be a learning experience for everyone.

--Ashley

House hunting

Today was like many Sunday afternoons. After church at Westbrook, Ashley and I drove around looking for a house. After a frustrating start (we found a great home, but it was $440,000) we finally found some nice houses at a decent Wisconsin price. We are still in the looking stage of the house buying procedure. If anyone would like to contribute to our house fund that would be great. Houses in the Waukesha area are slightly higher than in Tennessee, so we are going to have to save a bit more than we thought. So it is now rice and beans, and Shadow, well she is just going to have to hunt down her own game.
Best of luck with that hunting thing dog. Do you think this dog looks like a killer?

To my dad

Ten years ago. Ten years without your instructions, your guidance, your love. Ten years without your jokes, or sitting by the table eating crackers and cheese talking about life. Ten years ago cancer ended your life. In my mind those years are still like minutes ago, the pain and suffering and longing to see you again. Thank you for all you did for me, teaching me to be the man I am today. I miss you dad.

We're trying to get pics on our blog...please continue to visit. We're having some technology difficulties.

AB

Once upon an October dreary...

Wow, is it getting cold up here! Usually when I (Ashley) wake up in the morning, the temperature is about 45 degrees outside. And this morning, the ground was covered with frost. BRR!

I'm still uninformed about the rest-of-the-year job with Pewaukee...but as soon as I find out, I'll post it.

This weekend Bryan and I are going up North to Ashland again, to visit with Bryan's grandmother. Then on Saturday, we are bringing the grandmother home to stay with Aunt Kay.

Also on Saturday, Bryan and I are going to our very first party! A teacher at my school invited us to her Halloween party, which is in the neighborhood in which Bryan and I live. I'm excited about meeting others in the Pebble Valley neighborhood!

Job news!

I've been informed that Pewaukee School District is currently hiring 2 more English teachers under contract. Therefore...I'm applying! I'm so excited! I should know something by mid-October.

Other news...one of my students has convinced himself I'm "out to get him." I'm not exactly sure why...probably because I have high expectations like making my students read their novels and paying the consequences if they don't do their reading...

yes, this is a strange teenager. Actually, I imagne him to be like my brother Jimmy when Jimmy was in high school :)

My classes

I'm sure everyone in the blogging world is wondering how my classes are going. Let me take a minute to talk about them.

First, I teach 2 sections of nineth grade English and 4 sections of 11th grade English. Since this ends up being 3 classes a day, my days are a bit easier than my student teaching days.

Currently, my ninth grade classes are doing a short story unit. We are reading "The Most Dangerous Game," which is about a hunter who owns his own island and hunts humans. I'm struggling a bit with things to do in class other than "read and do this worksheet"; I'm struggling becuase the stories are so short that they could be done in class while still achieving the same objective.

Also, one of my nineth grade English class is A LOT slower than another one...half of my students in one class have learning disabilities.

My 11th graders are more fun to be around. Each day I have one 11th grade class that is stellar and one eleventh grade class that makes me want to pull my hair out. But that's OK> currently, we are reading To KIll a Mockingbird. I consider myself lucky that the school year's started with this novel because I taught it last year at Snowden.

Does anyone out there in cyberspace remember reading TO Kill a MOckingbird? Do any fond memories stand out about this book???

I MISS EVERYONE!

--Ashley

Rain!

I can feel it--comin' in the air tonight

Rain, that is.

As I'm writing this blog, the wind is blowing and the breeze is coming through the window with that lovely rain smell. Paper flies off the fouton, the window shades make a noise...

Beautiful.

Ashley

Another holy Sunday

Well, this was a relaxing weekend before the first day of school--the eye of a hurricane.

Friday was a lazy night--we cooked a frozen pizza and enjoyed a movie on TBS. Shadow had a blast, not leaving Bryan's side.

Saturday was a productive day. We went to Delafield, near here, to do some shopping. I bought about $30 in school supplies, and Bryan found some great deals at Kohl's department store--he bought a wicking hiking shorts and shirt for a grand total of $8! Cool, huh?

And last night, Bryan and I went out to eat at a New China Buffet. We were both craving Chinese, but I think we had too high expectations, especially after being a frequent customer of A-Tan's in Memphis. After splitting with our $18 for 2 buffets, we soon exited the restaurant and took some tums. Yes, that restaurant is a mistake we'll never make again.

Today we went to Elmbrook Church. Bryan and I begin our membership class in about 2 weeks. It should be insightful. We enjoyed a lunch of leftovers before I began class work. After a while, we went on a lovely walk around our neighborhood where we went "househunting." Shadow chased a bunny (there's a ton of little rodents around here).

Well, I'm off to bed--I have an early morning tomorrow! I must be at the school at 7:15 am sharp!

AB

ARRRRRRRRRRR!

It's official--I am a pirate. This is only temporary; however, it may become long-term, through the year.

In other words, Ashley is EMPLOYEED with Pewaukee High School as a long-term subsitute English teacher. I officially begin tomorrow (Wednesday), which gives me approx. one week before classes begin. Since I haven't begun my preparations, I am nervous about learning and teaching the curriculum...

Feel free to check out my high school: http://www.pewaukee.k12.wi.us/ and click on "schools"

Another great point about my job: it's only a 6 minute drive from our apartment! That's excellent, especially considering the gas prices. By the way, gas is currently 2.70/gallon in our area.

Tomorrow can't come soon enough!

AB

Crab apples galore!

Hi friends!

We have a lovely crab apple tree outside our apartment complex, and I'm thinking of utilizing some of its ripened fruit. Any comments or suggestions? Does anyone know what crab apples taste like?

I found an on-line recipie for crab apple pie. Also, I'm going to try freezing the crab apples.

Wish me luck!

--Ashley

No job but new opportunities!

Well, unfortunately, I didn't get the job at Greenfield High. However, new jobs for teachers around the area are being posted each and every day online. This is great news for me, so I'm constantly working at home (yes, we do have internet at home now--yay!). Also, I'm selling books on amazon.com, so I'm trying to keep busy.

Trying to keep busy is the keyword. Unfortunately, this doesn't work all the time, so I'm trying to read lots of books and learn new cooking skills. Currently, Bryan and I are reading Ron Blue's Master Your Money. Our friend Todd Schulz (who, by the way, moved back to Iowa with his lovely wife, Melissa) recommended the book to Bryan a couple of years ago. We are about half way through with the book, and we enjoy discussing it. Many of his concepts (live on less than you make, aviod car debt and consumer debt) we already practice. Hopefully, we will pull out more of his concepts as we continue with the book.

I recently finished Jonni McCoy's Miserly Moms: Living on One Income in a Two Income Economy. This book gave great advice on cooking homemade meals and getting the most out of your grocery budget. I hope to use a lot of her advice one day, eespecially when the day comes that Bryan and I will be living on his income (ie, when we have rugrats). She also has inticing recipies in her book, including how to make homemade jams. I hope to use this recipie as soon as I learn how to can fruits.

What else is new?? Oh, Bryan and I will be attending a new member orientation at Elmbrook Church this Sunday. Check out their website at www.elmbrook.org. The people in the church seem very devoted to the great commission and carrying out biblical teachings. In fact, two of the pastors have radio segments: one is called Telling the Truth, and I listen to it each morning. Oh yeah, another thing keeping me busy is talk radio! I enjoy listening to the ACLJ (counterpart to ACLU) each morning around 11am. At noon, the James Dobson Family Minute comes on, and then at 12:30pm, Dennis Rainey's show comes on. At 1pm, Dave Ramsey comes on air, and I enjoy listening to him and people who call in with their debt-free stories. They're so inspiring. Check out his ministry at www.daveramsey.com

Hopefully soon Bryan and I can learn how to post pictures. Until then, I hope everyonoe stays safe and has a wonderful day and week!

Ashley's first interview

I am SO happy to announce that I had my first job interview today. The position is with Greenfield High School in Greenfield, WI, teaching American Literature and multi-media. I feel that the interview went well--I enjoyed talking with the administrators, sharing my educational experiences, and highlighting my teaching abilities. However, I did stumble on one question: What are my experiences with MacIntosh computers? Unfortunately, I have not used macs for 4 years. But I did highlight the software I have used on them, such as Adobe Photoshop and QuarkExpress.

Whatever the outcome, I know I am blessed to even GET the interview. I'll keep everyone posted.

--Ashley

Cool Wednesday!

Wow, today is a bit chilly compared to the high-90 degree weather we've been having this week. In temperature, we aren't that far from Tennessee!

Bryan begins work on Monday :) I (Ashley) am still jobless, but that's ok because the apartment still needs some tunning up.

Soon (within the next week or two) we hope to get internet in our home, so we can come to the library less frequently. The Waukesha library is a bit smaller than the Memphis Public Library, but it's just as nice.

Kudos to Nanna for sending us some lunch money! Thanks to her and Pappaw for taking us out to lunch "in absentia!" The sandwiches and soup were delicious!

Other news...we took Shadow to the vet yesterday. She had her main shots updated, so her bottom was a bit sore last night (but she slept well!). Also, we found out she needs her first teeth cleaning. Isn't it crazy that dog health care has become so fru-fru in the last 10 years? It must be a conspiracy to get into the capitalist, American pockets of well-meaning dog owners. Only in America will dog owners pay $227 every two years to have their lovely pup's teeth cleaned professionally.

Oh, and just so everyone knows, Bryan and I will be keeping our Memphis phone numbers until December. Evidently, Sprint requires their customers to RENEW their contracts each time they want their number changed. This is a HORRIBLE policy, and Bryan and I are so disappointed in Sprint that we plan to change companies in December.

So anyway, please feel free to call us at our old Memphis numbers!

Livin' the Wisconsin life

well, Bryan, Shadow and I are slowly adjusting to living in Wisconsin. After staying at Cyndy's for a couple of weeks, along with Darryl and Nicky, we found an apartment in Waukesha, WI, which is a suburb west of Milwaukee. Bryan has an unfortunate 25 min. commute to work, but our apartment is affordable, safe, and a little bigger than what we had in Memphis. We moved in Saturday, July 16. I hope to send out postcards to family and friends with our new address...but if I leave you off the list, please call us or Cyndy!

Shadow worried us the first night in our new home. She whimpered a couple of times in her sleep, and she (still) hides under the kitchen table (yes, we have a REAL kitchen table now, thanks to my mom!). But today Bryan and I took her to a local dog bakery (Petlicuous Bakery) and bought her a few treats. Hopefully she will warm up to the new apartment soon.

Speaking of our apartment, we're in an awesome location! Our part of town is close to the freeway (5 minute drive), and many new, nice shopping malls have sprung up in the past few months. We have a 5 minute drive to the grocery store (Pick-n-save), a 5 minute drive to Wal-Greens, and Sam's Club is 10 minutes away in Delafield. Unfortunately, there are no Super Wal-Marts in the area, but Pick-n-Save does have an entire ailse of cheese--yay for that! The local library is super-nice and modern, and the church we're thinking of joining is about 10 minutes away.

Unfortunately, the teacher job market is pretty dry for English teachers. I've looked on-line and in newspapers, and I've sent out about 10 resumes but have no bites. I will probably soon send out resumes for jobs in other fields. Thankfully, Bryan has a job, and he will begin work on August 1.

I miss my family and friends very much! Please leave many posts...or better yet, email us. Or even better, call us. We still have our Memphis numbers, but we will probably change them within the week. Have a great day!