This summer has been lots of fun.  Travel.  More travel.  Family.  Old friends.  New friends.  Lots to blog about.  No time to blog.

We recently spent a weekend celebrating the marriage of a mutual college friend, while joining in the ten year college reunion that accompanied the wedding.  Turns out we do still have a few things in common with our friends from ten years ago, with one glaring exception…we don’t have four kids.

Mom and two of my sisters just spent a few days with us, visiting Chicago for a little relaxation and shopping.  I’m so glad we’re in a location where people stop by!  Sadly, I’m so behind on everything, that I never actually cooked for them while they were here.  Well, I did make a salad to go with the pizza I ordered for dinner one night, but I burnt the homemade croutons.  Oh well, my family is good about not caring about burnt croutons.

So with all our fun activities and my work schedule, which has included a bit of weird travel lately, Dave and I are looking forward to a vacation from all our summer vacations.

I am happy to announce that for the foreseeable future, I get to sleep in my very own bed.  That’s right.  That’s what makes me happy.

Uh oh, having just typed the last several sentences, I can feel the jinx that I have placed upon myself.  Well, let’s hope things are quieter for a little while!

This is our newest nephew and godson, Daniel.

Dave and I just got back from a five day trip to Virginia to hangout with the Pickles.  We spent most of the time kid wrangling, with a few real conversations along the way.  We traveled for Daniel’s Baptism, and so did Dave’s family.  So the Baptism turned into a mini family reunion.  It was great to visit with everyone, although through all the kid chaos I feel like I missed an important adult discussion somewhere.

The Pickles kiddos are some of the sweetest and most well behaved kids that I’ve ever had the pleasure to be around.  Bravo parents.  Someday I will call you and beg you on bended knees for your secret sauce.

And every time the kids see me, they warm up to me a bit more.  It’s lots of fun to be “Aunt Katie”.

Our summer seems to be turning into a whirlwind of travel.  Tomorrow we’re heading to a college friend’s wedding.  We’re looking forward to the wedding, and the mini college reunion that comes with, but I am starting to worry about the extra pounds and all that maturity (ha!) that we’ve gained since college.  What will we have in common with friends from 10 years ago?  Dave assures me that everyone else has had 10 years to change too!

Daniel James was born into the world on Tuesday June 15th at 1:30 AM.  He started his life in the most curious manner.  Mrs. Pickles delivered Daniel at home…oh and not on purpose.  Mama and baby are healthy and happy…resting peacefully in the hospital now.  I can not put into words the level of amazement I have that Mama stayed calm and was able to handle the delivery herself before the paramedics were able to reach the house.  Bravo, Mrs. Pickles, bravo!

As my godson, it somehow seems fitting that the little guy has started to cause problems from such an early stage.  And as my godson, I will pray extra hard for the little guy.  Looks like he might need it.

Welcome to the world Daniel!  You knew EXACTLY when you wanted to join us.

Little Morgan graduated from high school last weekend, and is soon off to the University of Southern Indiana to study nursing.

And after only 32 years of parenting, my parents are about to be empty-nesters.

Good luck kid!  We are very proud of you.

Oh, and dear parents, go on vacation.  You deserve it!

This last weekend was a very enjoyable whirlwind.

Dave’s cousin, Phil, was in town for work for a couple days last week.  He brought along his lovely wife, Rachel, and their cute little baby, Libby, for the ride.  It was a really fun visit, with lots of baby snuggling and several parties with family and friends.  I love it when we have visitors.  Being centrally located in Chicago is paying off.

Upon mentioning the cuteness of the baby to my Mom, however, she promptly intensified the, “When do I get a grandchild, already?  Just conceive a child now, PLEASE.  You don’t love me unless you give me a baby.  I would like to spend time with my grandchildren before I die” comments.

Also this weekend, my little sister, Morgan, who is not so little anymore because she is off to Nursing school in the fall, was confirmed on Sunday.  Dave and I made a day trip to Indiana on Sunday so that we could be at her Confirmation.  I’m really glad we made the trip.  It was great to see Morgan and spend a little bit of time with my family.

All this family fun, combined with a little sleep deprivation and a lot of work drama, makes Katie and Dave want take Wednesday off work just to sleep all day.  We won’t really do that.  I have lots of work to do, and Dave gets free bagels at work on Wednesday mornings.

My Mom has spent her career serving as an Orientation and Mobility Instructor for the blind.  Before she got married, she worked at the Missouri School for the Blind, and has since worked as an independent consultant for the state of Indiana helping blind people develop the necessary skills to live independent lives.  Her passion has been both professional and personal, and I have witnessed her come to the aid of and become friends with many of her clients over the years.

Recently, she went out to lunch with one of her blind friends who uses a trained and certified Leader Dog as a guide.  They were denied access to the restaurant because of the dog.  While in the moment, the situation was exceptionally unpleasant for both ladies, they decided to use the experience as a learning tool.  They contacted the appropriate authorities, and ended up on the front page of the local paper today.  The restaurant claims this as a “misunderstanding”, but it was a very clear case of discrimination.

Their intention is not to harm the restaurant in any way, but to help raise awareness in the community for other blind people.  Terre Haute, Indiana is small town Midwest America…with a lot of wonderful people and a population of only 60,000…but there are about 10 trained guide dogs in the community.

PS – My absolute favorite part of this article is when my Mom said, “I offered to put a blindfold on him (restaurant worker) and let him experience what it is to be blind.”  Oh yes, that is my Mom!  I’m proud of you.

This is the result of all six siblings sitting for professional portraits when we were all together last Christmas.

I actually really liked this picture…back when I had a mole on my cheek and Dave had a jawline.

Photoshop much?

Hope you had a great Easter this year!

We had a wonderful long weekend hosting part of my family in Chicago.  Lots of beautiful church services, lots of yummy food, copious amounts of candy and most importantly, the chance to visit with family.

Oh, and an Easter egg hunt which resulted in every item in our apartment being touched 10 times.  There is still one egg missing, and I don’t remember where I hid it!  Moxie will find it.

Note to self – don’t agree to organize an Easter egg hunt when the majority of participants are competitive grown men.  The funny part is that those same men were the biggest proponents of the hunt in the first place!

We had a wonderful time with everyone.  I am so lucky to have a great family, despite the chaos and crazy egg hunts that come as part of the package.

But now that it’s all over, I can not wait to go home this evening, open a bottle of wine, sit quietly with Dave while eating Easter ham sandwiches for dinner and go to bed at 8 o’clock.

They wore me out.

Don’t tell anyone, but the Easter Bunny has been hard at work this weekend.

We’re hosting my family for Easter this year, and I’m really looking forward to it.

Anyone know how to cook a ham?

It’s Easter.

Ok, well not technically.  But that didn’t stop us from celebrating Easter one night last week.

My sister, Maggie, really has quite horrible luck when it comes to having to work on major holidays.  There was that Thanksgiving not so long ago, when Maggie was living with me…oh, never mind…it was not pretty.  I love you Maggie!

Anyway, this year is no exception, and Maggie is required to be the RA on duty in her dorm on Easter Sunday.  She and one of her friends spent a couple days with us last week visiting over Ball State’s spring break, so we took the opportunity to designate one of the days as “Maggie’s Easter.”  It was great to hang out with Maggie on a major holiday for once, and it was the perfect excuse to open a couple of bottles of wine during Lent!

Liberal interpretation, I am well aware.  Don’t judge.  Even the Easter Bunny left his presents!

So we had wonderful company and good food.  And they surprised me with an early birthday cake, which was quite yummy, and much appreciated.

Hope you had a happy “Maggie’s Easter!”