Highlights from NVC

The drive there:

Cindy and I rocking out to her Disney playlist and chatting about all sorts of things.

We saw a UFO!

The conference:

Learned a lot of new stuff that I can take back to my students

Howl at the Moon!!

The drive home:

Cindy and I rocked out to my Boy Band playlist. Cindy's highlight- O-town! My highlight- Backstreet Boys!

Saw a sign for Churchill museum (this will be a road trip later) in Warrenton, MO...although I don't think the museum is about our beloved Region 8 Director Jenn Churchill :(

"Hot Tasty Butts" very interesting billboard

NVC Day 3 & 4

Saturday, July 30th:

Saturday morning came waaay too early. And the rain continued until mid morning. Unfortunately, Fenton didn't get a lot of rain. The morning at breakfast, it was acknowledged that Section 49 was the section to party with!! Yea! Saturday I was in APO Leads training all day. We got out for lunch and then right back to it. I was able to leave my training session early so I could attend the Region 8 meeting. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to talk about something at the meeting or not so I asked to present first and then get out. It turned out I didn't have to talk, but it was still good that I only missed a few minutes of the meeting. There was a lot of important information discussed. Our meeting actually finished up earlier than our allotted time due to the genious thinking of Katrina and Jenn G (they insisted on typing up an itinerary with time slots- which really helped us move along) Our fabulous Region 8 Director, Jenn Churchill wasn't and still isn't a fan of it, but it worked really well. So we had time to chill before the banquet that night. The banquet food was good; we had steak (thank you Bob London!) and veggies. Our dessert that night was layered chocolate cake. We had been served dessert at our two previous lunches as well (Carrot Cake and Chocolate Cake on Friday and then a Banana Nut Cake on Sat). After the banquet we all treked over to Bdubs yet again. But first I stopped by one of the Board of Directors rooms and got a much needed glass of wine (thank you Bob London again!!). It was really hot and humid on the patio at BDubs. It felt just like St. Louis. Except this night there were no occasional drops of rain like there was on Friday night. I got a loud "Heeey!" when I walked out on the patio...this was the standard greeting to every new brother who came outside. Former president Maggie Katz got the loudest greeting. I got to hang out with a brother from Arizona and talk with Maggie. After BDubs the room to be in (hey Section 49 had a rep to protect) was Cindy and Cindy's room. Cindy, Jenn G, Bill, and myself stayed up till 4 AM that night/morning. I finally collected on the back massage that Bill owed me from Nat Con. It was great to just hang out and talk with everyone.

Sunday, July 31st:

Again morning came too early, even though we didn't have to be at breakfast until 9...staying up until 4 didn't help ;) My alarm on my phone went off and I should have gotten up and been downstairs on time...however I ignored it and slept a little longer. I still managed to walk (or stagger per Bill) in around 9:15 AM. I hadn't missed anything and I wasn't the last one in either. Our last activity before the conference ended was to think of the next big thing for APhiO. We had to come up with ideas of what the fraternity should do; my group had two really good ones. 1) Horton 1- a private jet for the National Board (we didn't present this to the group but it was liked by members of the board) and 2) an alternate APO spring break. The APO spring break would be gathering students from all over to one area to do a big service project all week. Our idea was voted number one and will be looked into!! All too soon it was time to pack up, load up my SUV, and head home :( NVC was a lot of fun and I am really glad I was able to go. I enjoyed my vacation and my time with my brothers. I can't wait until the next time I get to see my alumni brothers! Regionals in Fort Collins, CO? I don't know yet, but we shall see!

NVC Day 2

Day 2, August 29th:

Day 2 had the convention in full swing. Breakfast was served b/t 7-7:45. After that we had open houses for the different programs: Scouting, Risk Management, Membership Development, Leadership/ Service, Alumni/ International Relations, and 2 others. We were encouraged to attend 4 and get an idea of what each one was doing. I got some great ideas from each one. I also learned what each one program was working on. After the open house we had our solo workshop for the day (the program directors and their staff had a lot to do that day and needed the time) and then the rest of the day was free time! Translation: (for me at least) Pool Time :) I attended a Risk Management workshop, and really got a lot out of it. It was a really good workshop and I'm very glad I chose to attend it. The National Office also had an open house 3-5.

I got about an hour in the pool (which felt wonderful) and the hot tub (awesome). Cindy and I hung out and talked. After pool time we went to the Open House at the National Office. This was my second time visiting the office, and yes I signed the wall once again :) I also got to tour the office, which is awesome. It was Cindy and Erin's (my roomie) first time there. I did pick up souvenirs. They were having a sale so I got a Volunteer Staff polo, a fitted t-shirt, and something for my dad. I love visiting that office! Maggie Katz the former National President was there. I left my camera at the hotel, but Cindy and Erin brought theirs so I have proof that I was there.

After visiting the National Office we headed back to the hotel to change and then I headed off to Howl at the Moon with Jenn G, Emily, and Scott. Howl at the Moon is a dueling piano bar in Kansas City, MO. We were only 15 min or so from KC. Jenn G won a free happy hour for 100 of her closest friends, and she decided to redeem it while all of her alumni brehtren were in town :) It was awesome to go into a bar and be able to breathe! It was smoke free!!!! The smokers had to go outside! We got two one dollar drinks, and free snack bar. It was really crowded at the bar, but it was worth it. The piano players were all very talented, all of them could sing, play the piano, drums, and guitar! Other brothers joined us later on. I got to sit at at table w/ some really awesome brothers (Cindy, Jenn G, and Bill) for a coupla hours. You wish you had friends cool as me :) We left Howl around 11ish, and headed back to the hotel. After a brief stop at Bdubs (yes we went here every night), the hang out place that night was mine and Erin's room. Oh and that night, it rained!! It was the first rain I had seen in 2 weeks, so I was excited.

My life lately

It is already mid- July. Good grief, where did this summer go? Time really seems to be flying by. I've been pretty busy, even though I've had time where nothing is going on. So here is what has been going on:

*Baseball: So far I've been to 4 Cardinal games! My record is 2-2. (2 wins-2 losses). I have gotten to go to these games w/ really cool friends. My last game I got to reconnect w/ my little brother from Alpha Phi Omega! It was awesome. We were in a suite, which it self was really cool, but even cooler was Rob and I got to chat and see an awesome game! Pujols hit a homerun and Tony Cruz hit a double to win the game in the ninth. All in all it was a good time.

*Metrolink- I have become quite the Metrolink traveler! So far I have used it on 6 seperate occasions. I have used it for transport to all baseball games, to check out Marine week (which was amazing!), and to see the Maroon 5 concert (which was cancelled- boo). Next week I am heading downtown again to see Barenaked Ladies for Live off the Levee. I'm excited! I like traveling downtown and am sort of getting to know it better. Don't quote me on that tho, I still could (and probaly will) get lost downtown. LOL- I have no sense of direction.

*Alpha Phi Omega- I have been able to do activities with both my chapter and my alumni group. I attended a BBQ/ meeting for my chapter. So far Gateway Alumni Association (my alumni group) has only done a May event (June was too busy, and so far July is so busy and really really hot). However, it looks like we have an August Event; trivia night for Sectionals! The Railroaders have an event too; going to the zoo! I am super excited about both and hope for a good turnout for both activies.

*National Volunteer Conference (NVC): Only 12 more days I am off to Independence, MO for an exciting conference just for alumni! 3 1/2 fun filled days w/ some really awesome brothers I haven't seen in a while. Conferences during the day, and at night? We shall see! I am really excited and nervous about the one workshop I'm doing, but I am feeling more confident about it as the days go by. I am really excited about the roadtrip there and the conference itself! I can't wait! I get to take a mini-vacation for 4 days! Whoohoo! Have I mentioned I am excited?!

*Loki: Loki is awesome and being mischievous as always. She has only gotten to go swimming once (so far!), as LVL has been way crowded.

*Weather: Oh my what a spring/ summer it has been! First we had all the tornadoes (which we are not done by the way) and now we have intense heat. There is an excessive heat warning until Friday at 8 PM! Temperatues in the upper 90's and Heat Indexes in the 100's. So glad my work and home and car have A/C. Loki has wanted to play retriever, but I only let her fetch a few times as it is so hot and she doesn't know when to quit and I really don't want her to get overheated. I would love to take her on walks at night but it is too hot for either one of us. So for now it is retrieving toys in the house will have to do.

Oh what fun we have in Legislative Session

As I mentioned in previous posts, I spent a day and a half of my vacation in legislative session. On the day I left for Atlanta, I got a call from Marlene, our section chair, asking me to be the Section Chair Designee. What that entailed: I was to sit with the other section chairs and have a voice but no vote. Meaning I could speak my mind on issues but could not vote. I was also on the floor to make sure that the delegates from my chapters in my section were okay; were they understanding the issues, did they have any questions, or did they need anything. I was honored to be asked and really glad I was able to help out my section. I only hope that I did a good enough job. If the thanks I got from the delegates and Jenn C are any indication, I apparently did so :) I heartily thank Jenn Churchill for the mini memory card game and the mini crazy eights game as well as the activities pad for keeping me sane. I must have played that mini memory card game over a dozen times, I completed almost every activity in my activity pad and played many games of crazy eights with Travis. I did pay attention to the issues and sent/responded to notes from my delegates. I made sure everything was okay and got anything if they needed it. Big thanks goes to my awesome roommate Abigayle for saving me the first day by bringing my hoodie to me! I would have froze w/out it. Also major thanks to Jenn C for giving me meds for my insanely painful sinus headache I was annoyed by all day on the 29th. It finally went away around 6ish. It was awful! Before I found out that I was going to be on the legislative floor all day, I had planned on being a runner or doing whatever Marlene, our section chair, wanted/needed me to do. I went out before I left for ATL and got goodies for the delegates. Each chapter received a goody bag which contained the following: a toy car, crayons, and a few pieces of candy. Region staff also provided goody bags to all delegates. They gave us mini card games (I got the memory card game), an activity pad, candy, a protein bar, and a bottle of water. Even though at times I was ready to bolt or felt like I was going insane, I did enjoy my time spent. I sent encouraging notes; such as sending chocolate candies to Epsilon for voicing their opinion on an issue, a protein bar to Beta Psi (they will tell you I encouraged them to fight) with a note stating that they could either fight over it or be brothers and share it. Unfortunately I trashed all the notes I received the first day :( However, I kept the notes from the second day. Oh yea, Jenn C also provided us with BINGO cards which not only kept us entertained also kept us awake and paying attention to what was being said. President-now past president :(- Maggie Katz saying "Sacred Cows" was a square as was a brother being ruled out of order. Past President Fred Heismeyer mentioning Indy racing, Danica Patrick or showing off his tie -he failed to wear a tie on the first day when this square was on our sheet, nor did he talk that day :( Our BINGO sheets were a hit, I am predicting that next Nat Con, there will be a lot more BINGO Cards :) I only spoke once at the mic, and that was right before the session closed and that was to heartily thank Maggie Katz for her years of service and state that I was going to miss her. I also congratulated John K. Ottenad (JKO- and yes there was a square stating "a brother refers to John K. Ottenad as JKO- which I did) on his election as Vice President of the Fraternity. If you couldn't tell from all the previous posts, I had a great vacation and a fabulous time at National Convention. Hopefully I will be able to attend the 2012 National Convention which is taking place in Orange County Anaheim, California!! I have never been to the west coast. So I'm really hoping to go. Apparently the weather there in December is about 67 degrees. And according to the bidding chapter, the beach is nearby. As I have never swam in the Pacific Ocean, I will definitely be visiting the beach. Who wants to bet that I will go swimming?! For those of you who just said "yes, crazy girl will go swimming" You are correct. I might just go in just to say I have swam in the Pacific Ocean. We shall see! Hurry up Sectionals, I miss my brothers!!

Oh yea...we did use a frivolous motion to have Maggie Katz do 'I'm a Little Teapot'- it was hilarious!

New Year's Eve Atlanta Style

New Year's Eve- December 31st: Nat Con was officially over, so I got to sleep until 11:30 on NYE. Wandered over to the mall (I think this was trip 6 or so) for lunch. Picked up Moe's and then headed to the Region Suite to eat and watch the parade. The Chik-Fil-A bowl was that night, so the hotel was super crowded. The hotel was booked, what with 1,800 brothers staying there for our convention, plus the bands for the football teams and attendees and other guests. Watched the parade w/ Bill. The parade was pretty good. Loved the bands. Didn't like the float that played "Baby, Baby" by Justin Bieber....really didn't like how Bill tried to keep it in my head. Visited the World of Coke w/ Chad, Abigayle (who was my awesome roommate) and Bill. It was awesome! The majority of my pics from this vacation were taken there. I have to say the Tasting room and the museum were my fave parts. I tried coke products from all over the world. I loved the coke products from Latin America (they use real sugar and less of it, so their sodas aren't as sweet as the sodas in the states). I tried a ginger ale that was really good. Picked up souvenirs for the family, shot glass for my brother, mini polar bear for mom, baseball for dad, and 2 mini contour and a holiday shirt for me. That night we went to dinner at Pacific Rim Bistro, a few blocks from the hotel. It was really good. I had a chicken breast stuffed w/ crab and cheese, covered w/ sauce, a glass of red wine, and then fried cheesecake for dessert. Tried endame for the first time, loved it! Dinner was wonderful; wonderful food and wonderful company! Hung out in JKO's suite (which was phenomenal!!) A little bit before midnight, we ventured to the 2nd floor of the hotel, circled it and at midnight welcomed the new year and sang our toast song! 300 brothers singing the toast song, it was awesome!! Went back to JKO's suite, and hung out there until about 2ish. Hotel didn't quiet down until about 3 AM.
New Years Day- January 1, 2011: Slept until 10:30 AM. Finished packing, checked out, got a hot chocolate and watched NCIS in my room until 10 till noon (official check out time). Headed downstairs, where I bid farewell to my brothers (some I won't see until Sectionals, others possibly NVC) and headed off to MARTA. Took MARTA to the airport, checked my bag, and went in search of my departure gate. This time I opted to walk all the way to Terminal C and not take the train. Work off all the calories gained from the week. Oh was I tired by the time I got to my gate! Picked up lunch at Moe's (yes I loved this place- like Chipotle but not as good). Texted brothers while I waited for my plane. My plane was on time (I flew Airtran and I have to say I was very impressed with them! I would definitely recommend them and fly with them again if I can't fly Southwest!). Flight was uneventful and again we arrived in STL early. Atlanta was wet and cold when I left. Upon arriving in STL, I noticed that all the snow had melted, thanks to high temps on NYE. Glad to be home, but sad to be finished with my vacation and away from all my brothers. My vacation was much needed and a lot of fun! Hopefully, I can take another mini-Vacay at the end of July to attend NVC in KC, MO. We shall see. Until then I will contend myself with attending chapter meetings and then sectionals in April. Remember: APO is for Life!!!! To see more pictures from my trip click here.

Nat Con Day 4

Day 4- Thursday, December 30th: This was the final day of the conference :( Didn't have to be on legislative floor until 8:30 AM as we had gotten through the meatier stuff the day before. Legislation went well and we ended up finishing a lot earlier than planned :) Brother John K. Ottenad was elected & voted as Vice President of the Fraternity!!! Brother Mark Stratton was elected & voted President of the Fraternity. Brother Glen Kinder was elected & voted as one of 6 Program Directors. At the final regional meeting, it was a unanimous decision to re-elect Jenn Churchill as our Region Director. 2 of the section chairs, Travis and Megan surprised Jenn w/ a birthday cake as it was her birthday. Everyone enjoyed a nice yummy piece of b-day cake. Brother John K. Ottenad was presented with the Region DSK (Distinguished Service Key) by two Alpha Phi- Wash U (his home chapter). The girls who presented it were so cute in their presentation. JKO was shocked and humbled by this. JKO definitely deserved this award, everything he has done for our region and the sections has been much appreciated. Visited the Fraternity store where they were having a sale, unfortunately the shirt I got was not on sale, but it was worth it! Also picked up a convention pin. I sat with Jenn G and the Epsilon chapter at the Awards Banquet where I was pleased to see Beta Psi (my father's chapter) win the National Scouting Award. An award they have won for the past 8 years (Nat Con is held every other year & Beta Psi has won this award at the last 4 conventions). I also had the great pleasure of seeing Brother George Kober receive the National DSK- the highest honor! Well deserved!!!! and he is of Region 8, Section 49- my Region & Section !!! Attended the Sleepless in Atlanta pajama dance for a little while, then headed up to the region suite to hang out. Bid farewell to Steven & Keely (who drove down there) who had to leave super early the next day to be back in the STL as Keely had to work New Years Day.

Nat Con Day 2 & 3

Day 2: Tuesday, December 28th: Get up around 8ish and go get Keely & Steven registered (checked in really) for Nat Con. This process ends up taking us most of the morning. My badge finally gets fixed so I can be on the legislative floor t/m. Afterwards we visited the Fraternity Store (yes I visited this place frequently) Grab subway for lunch (ty to Gilbert for walking w/ me to the food court). Get to my one and only workshop (my fault- I was lazy and didn't feel like going to the others before then-plus I needed to help my brothers). I end up leaving early as my stupid allergies decide to act up. Head over to mall to drug store to pick up claritin (thank goodness for that drugstore!), then back to the hotel to chill until the Fellowship Banquet. The Fellowship Banquet was great! Sat w/ Jenn C, Jenn G, Katrina, Bill, Keely, Steven, Chad, Glen and Kevin. Dinner was great, with the exception of the green beans which were over cooked (a bit chewy for my tastes). Classic cheesecake for desert :) So far this convention is awesome! After dinner there is the swing dance w/ a live 17 piece orchestra! Only stayed for a little while as I had security duty 10- 12. Chilled in my hotel room until it was time to go downstairs and report. End up getting a call from Scott (brother from SLU now living in GA) wondering where I am...I still had 5 min before my shift started and I was exiting the elevator. Was team Bravo- patrol went great! Love doing security detail. No real problems, one of the brothers mentioned eating jelly beans and we all began demanding that security get us jelly beans! We did get jelly beans thanks to Bravo Whiskey :) Again ended up in bed after midnight
Day 3- Wed, December 29th: Get up really early to be on Legislative floor by 8 AM. Legislative session doesn't start until 8:30 AM, which allowed me to go to the coffee shop in the hotel & get hot chocolate and a banana. Legislative session goes well, get to enjoy lunch w/ the Great Maggie Katz and Beta Psi :) Return to legislative session, and manage to finish early around 4 :) Head off to Regional Meeting. Get dinner at the Mandarin place across the street w/ Steven & Keely. Chill in Region Suite for a while (yes this was the place to be and many times I hung out there). 11Pm I head off down to the Make-A-Wish Carnival (where we ended up raised $7,000!!) with Bill & Steven. I only planned on staying for a little while either bounce in the Bounce House like an idiot or play laser tag. Ended up getting thrown in "jail"- you could put brothers in "jail" after setting a bail price, and then brothers had to raise enough money to "free" them. Thank you brother Tom! Many pics on facebook for your viewing pleasure of yours truly in "jail". Quite entertaining as many of my brothers will tell you. My jail cell was a black tarp wrapped around 4 posts, w/ the "bars" made of duct tape. There were 2 chairs inside so I was able to sit down for a while. In my time in "jail" I chanted "Attica, Attica, Attica, Attica!!", sang 'Sweet Caroline' and helped a brother escape :) The jail break was fun! I didn't partake in the escape but I helped lift part of our "jail cell" so the brother could "dig" his way out. Got out in time to see Jenn C (who by the way is our fabulous Region Director) get pied :) Travis and Larry were also pied. It was great! I didn't get to bounce around or play laser tag as I gave my tickets up to bail myself out. Big thanks to all brothers who donated tickets (esp Steven who gave all four of his free tickets up- upon entering the carnival we were given 4 free tickets after that tickets were 25 cents each). Originally planned on staying to see Jenn get pied and then go, but my imprisonment changed that. All in all it was fun. I had a great time! Again ended up in bed well after midnight. This was a common thing among most brothers.

A Phi O's National Convention Day 1

Two weeks ago (wow, has it really been that long?!) I was blessed with the opportunity to be able to attend Alpha Phi Omega's 41st National Convention in Atlanta, GA from Dec 27- 30. I arrived in Atlanta around 12:40ish on December 27th and left in the late afternoon on the 1st of the new year! I had an absolute blast in Atlanta! This was my first real vacation in 4 years and it was amazing! I got to fly for the first time in 4 years and live in a hotel for a week! This was my second National Convention; I attended the Nat Con in 2004 when it was in Denver, CO. I served as one of my chapters voting delegates and had a blast. This time around I figured 'I'm alumna, I don't to sit on the legislative floor all day, I can attend workshops!' Well that was not to be, but it worked out in the end. So here is my experience at Nationals:
Sunday, December 26h: Go out and run errands w/ mom. Get my nails done, come home and start packing for my vacation. I check in online for my flight. Around 7ish I get at call from one of my alumni brethren; Katrina, she calls and tells me to check my flight as Marlene's (Our current Section Chair) flight got cancelled and can't get re-booked until Wed. We had a white Christmas this year and received about 3 inches of snow. The roads were much better on Sunday and mom and I had no problems driving. However, Atlanta was being hit by a snow storm and the airport shut down. I checked Airtran (my airline) and everything was okay. Monday morning the roads will be better, flights will resume and everything will be good.
Day 1: Monday, December 27th: Wake up at 6 AM after getting about 3 hours of sleep (was way too excited to sleep), I don't have to leave the house for the airport until about 8ish as my flight doesn't leave Lambert until 10:13 AM. I am too excited to get back to sleep, so I get up, check my flight- flight is on time, no cancellations :)- shower, and finish packing. Arrive at airport about 8:40ish after a detour to McDonald's (mom must have her Egg McMuffin...and I want a Sausage Biscuit). Check my bag, bid farewell to parents, go through security without a hitch (no body scanner just a metal detector) and head off to my departure gate. While waiting for my flight, I get a call from Marlene who asks me to represent the section as the Section Chair Designee at Nationals. I am beyond honored to be asked and readily agree. Board flight, enjoy free wi-fi on flight, arrive in Atlanta after a smooth and speedy flight (we actually arrived 10 min early). Start walking towards baggage claim, took me 3 terminals to figure out that the train in the airport actually went to BC. Haul my bag of the carousel, head towards MARTA (think Metrolink only with lots more connections), meet up some brothers :) and head off to the hotel. After checking into the hotel, I wander downstairs to register. Come off the elevator, see tons of brothers and exclaim "Brothers!"...one actually had the audacity to call me 'Sister', started walking off, but came back and pointed and said "Brother!" and went in search of registration. Register, even tho I have to change my badge so I can get on legislative floor (this doesn't happen until Tuesday morning). Venture into the Fraternity store and purchase my first souvenir: a APO teddy bear :) Encounter Jenn Churchill and go up to Region 8 Suite where we chill until the Region 8 meeting (me alternately calling & checking on my chapter (The great Sigma Alpha) to see where my brothers (Keely & Steven are). The Region meeting goes off well (Discover Jenn C is referred to as Octomom by her home chapter hehe), get to see many more brothers I have missed and meet new ones :) and after the meeting: Dinner! I am starving as I did not eat lunch (but I had breakfast which is odd as I usually don't eat breakfast). So Chad, Bill, Jenn G, Jenn Churchill, Lindsay, Travis, Larry Ent and myself (& others whose names I can't remember at the moment-sry) head over to the attached mall's food court for dinner where I discover the awesomeness that is Moe's Southwest Grill (for evidence that it is awesome, I ate there at least 4 times during my stay in ATL). This is the first of many trips to the mall; it was a long walk. So I ended up getting a lot of exercise at Nat ConKeely & Steven arrive 15 or so min before OC. Attended the Opening Ceremonies that night where Nat Con opened w/ a bang: the Atlanta drum line performed for us- they were incredible!! The Convention Staff gives us glow sticks and the convention begins! Keely & Steven are starving so I take my second trip to the food court only to discover it is closed (apparently it closed at 6PM). They go in search of food elsewhere and I head up to the Region Suite to figure out the game plan and chill. End up going to bed around midnight or so.

2010 in Review

2011 is right around the corner- literally! One more week and it will be a new year. 2010 has been an amazing year for me. Sad to see it end, but really excited to see what 2011 has in store for me!

*January: My assignment at Portafab Corporation is extended. Mark turns 26. I take my first session of Zumba- love it love it! Lose a great friend: Tom Meyers Jr. Spend a few days in the hospital thanks to gastritous (all better now).

*February: Loki celebrates her 4th birthday on the 8th! Attend Jenny's Baby Shower. Enjoy the fact that my assignment w/ Kelly Temps at Portafab has been extended yet again.

*March: Portafab hires me on! 2 days later I get a new car. I make my biggest purchase to date: a 2010 Ford Escape in Sangria Red. I call her Ruby! Enjoy time w/ friend Sarah (who lives in Cali) when she visits St. Louis by getting our nails done. Get to meet her beautiful daughter, Hayden for the fist time.

*April: Froggiegirl & Gimlet (aka Jenny & Tom) welcome their beautiful daughter Jillian Nicole into the world on April 5th. I get to meet her a few weeks later. I attended a wonderful sectionals held by Alpha Phi at Washington University.

*May: I turn 28 on the 5th. EMAA holds a meeting at Ted Drews where I become the Vice President.

*June: EMAA holds a great bbq. Jillian is baptised on the 5th, and a party is held in her honor at the Kyle house. Get to spend more time w/ Jillain :) Attend a baseball game w/ JR. Start taking Pilates w/ mom and friends

*July: Pilates finishes up at the end of the month :( See Titantic at the Muny w/ Amy Rose & her mother. Start up Zumba again. Slip and fall, landing on my knee after a drs appt at St. Clares- end up dropping Zumba :( Parents leave for annual gambling trip next day.

*August: Dad celebrates his 61st birthday. Mom and dad take a road trip to the Smokey Mountains. Parents celebrate their 39th wedding anniversary! Attend a Cards/ Cubs game w/ Dad.

*September: Mom celebrates her 39th birthday (she began counting backwards once she hit the big 5-0). Mom & I check out the Hispanic Heritage Festival downtown, plan on making it a yearly tradition. Attend my 3rd (and last) Cardinal game w/ a friend, Michael Mulqueeny. Cards (finally) win (they had lost the other games I had attended)

*October: Hispanic Heritage Month!! I attend my first Taste of St. Louis w/ Jennifer Francis & Friends. Take care of the Kyle's Chinchillas as they take a roadtrip to Chicago for a wedding. Hang out w/ Erin & Kelly at Erin's new apartment and celebrate their birthday- get to see some friends I haven't seen in a while. Friends Veronica & Kyle celebrate their 2nd wedding anniversary.

* November: Celebrate Jenny's b-day at Chipotle w/ friends. Start attending weekly meetings for my chapter, Sigma Alpha. Participated in SIUE's Fall Service Day. Participated in Scouting for Food Collection Day. Attend Guns 'n' Hoses (Cops vs Firefighters) Boxing Match w/ JR. Experience a white Thanksgiving (we only got a dusting but it was pretty). Enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving w/ my family. Grateful for another year together and yummy food.

* December: More snow fell on St. Louis on December 12th. Experience the shortest elections in a long while with Sigma Alpha. Mark falls and breaks his elbow, and has surgery (doing fantastic). Enjoy a lovely evening at Zia's w/ EMAA. Then enjoy Tilles Park's Winter Wonderland w/ Andy K, Sonalee, and Stephanie. Mom recieves the Vigil Award for Order of the Arrow (the highest award). Possibly going to enjoy a white Christmas. Enjoying my first real vacation in four years. Going to fly on a plane for the first time in 4 years on the 27th- super exciting. Flying to Atlanta, GA to attend my 2nd National Convention for my Fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega.

Nationals 2010- Atlanta, GA

Nationals are 5 days away. In 5 days I will take my first flight in 4 years! I am soo excited! Dad got my suitcase down from the attic. Took awhile to find it. We looked in the attic, found mom's which is similar to mine, looked downstaris, and then looked in the attic again and found it. It was partially covered by a white trashbag. Why? I don't know. I have my luggage tag and ribbons on it. I also put a ribbon and luggage tag on my laptop bag which is my carry-on. Went out this afternoon with dad to complete his Christmas shopping; people were insane! They were not at all in the Christmas spirit. It was all me, me, me! Cars would block the intersection just so they wouldn't have to wait for the next light. The shopping areas were nuts. Apparently everyone is out and about today getting those last items. Snow is coming- we might have a white Christmas! They are saying that we will get anywhere from 2 to 4 inches. All I care is that Sunday afternoon (when I get my nails done) and Monday morning (when mom & dad take me to the airport) the roads are nice and clear!
Christmas Eve is t/m. Where has the time gone?! Here is some stuff that has occured since I last blogged:
* Congress passed the (much needed) Bush Tax cuts and Obama signed it into law.
* Congress also passed the DADT (Don't Ask, Don't Tell) Bill. Finally!
* I have unofficially been working at Portafab Corporation for a year. This time last year I was working as a temp and praying my assignment would get extended. March 1st will be my year anniversary there! I love my work! My co-workers are really nice and I like going into work everyday. Although by the time 4:30 rolls around I am ready to go home! I am extremly grateful for my job. Portafab is closed today and t/m (of course), and then closed again on the 30th & 31st. Thanks to my job, I am able to take my first vacation in 4 years. My first day of vacation started off wonderful- I slept til noonish :) Monday morning I fly to Atlanta and return to St. Louis on January 1st.
* Last Wed, we got a glazing of ice. This made our driveway a skating rink, and unfortunately my brother discovered this when he slipped and fell and broke his elbow. Mark had surgery yesterday morning and it went great. He is doing really well. I am suprised by how well he is doing- he is actually out with a friend! Instead of a hard cast his arm is wrapped in an ace-bandage which allows him to move his elbow. Suprisingly the more he moves his elbow, the better. So his recovery should be a lot shorter than we orginally thought. Which would be fantastic!

Atlanta or Bust!

Yesterday I officially registered for Alpha Phi Omega's National Convention. This time Nationals is taking place in Atlanta, GA! Today I got the official word that I have the 3 days off I needed to attend Nationals. Nationals goes from Dec. 27th- 30th. My company is closed on the day before New Year's Eve and of course on New Year's eve. So I am going to Atlanta!! This will be my second National Convention. I attended the 2004 National Convention in Denver, CO. An extra perk about Nationals in Denver, was that my uncle Milton lives in Denver. I had the opportunity to see my Uncle, my Aunt Angie, and my cousin Duke for the first time in over a decade. I had a great time at Nationals, I served as the voting delegate for my chapter, I got to see family and ring in the new year surrounded by hundreds of brothers. Normally, I have no clue what I am doing for New Year's until a few days before. This year I know what I'm doing, I will be surrounded by my brothers! Now I don't have family (blood family that is) in Atlanta, but I will have my brothers. I am sooo excited about this. I can't wait to go! I don't want to wish away the time, but I want to go now! I am going as an alumna, so not sure what my role will be. I know I will be volunteering to help out in whatever capacity I am needed. I am definately volunteering for "security patrol". It was called 'Ski Patrol' in Denver. Basically, its brothers patrolling the hallways of the hotels and keeping the peace. Doing things so the hotel doesn't have to worry about it and so we won't upset other visitors. Each shift is two hours long. When I volunteered I got to wander around 3 floors with two other guys talking/joking on the walkie-talkies with other brothers who were on different floors. I remember one brother reporting that an ice machine was leaking and there was a small puddle on the floor. We started trading jokes about it...a tiny puddle became a giant lake within minutes as we asked the brother if he needed a boat to get accross it. It was very funny. The shift was 10 to midnight and we needed something to keep us awake. Not all of us broke up parties. I look forward to seeing brothers I haven't seen in a while, meeting new brothers, and having a great time! Atlanta watch out! Alpha Phi Omega is coming and we are going to rock the city!!

Looking back at the last decade.

Tonight is the last night of 2009. The decade is almost over! I for one am thrilled that 2010 is coming!! 2008 and 2009 were my worst years!. I am so ready for a new decade and all it has to offer!! Below are what I consider high points of each year.

2000: Perfomed at the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, Texas. Discovered my second favorite city! Competed in my first 500 (20 Laps) race; discovered that this was my event. Vote for first time- the presidential elecitons. George W. Bush (son of George H. Bush) takes office. :)

2001: January- had my first knee surgery. Enjoyed my last swim season :( Graduated high school!!!!! Second generation in my family to do so :) Adopted Phantom Menace from Vet- first pet of my own- my complete responsibility. Was the Day Shift Lead for B-Flats (Brittania Flats, Area 2) which consisted of Highland Fling and Grand Ole Carosel at Six Flags St. Louis.

2002: Attened Meremec Community College, join SAC and meet incredible friends who will impact my life. Mark graduates from high school!! Witness two miracles, stregthens my faith in God. Have second knee surgery- this time on the left knee.

2003: Transfer to University of Missouri-St. Louis and join my father's fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega- a National Co-Ed Service Fraternity. Meet more incredible friends who impact my life. Forever Remembered: my best friend and cat, Sparkle- mi angel.

2004: Attend first Regional Conference in Omaha with my fraternity. Attend first Sectionals. Begining of my obession for all conferences and all things APO. Attend first National Conference in Denver, Co. Visit and see my Uncle Milton, Aunt Angie, and Cousin Duke for first time in 13 years. Have 3rd and 4th knee surgery (both knees). Go on Carribean Cruise (best vaccation ever) with amazing friends from Six Flags St. Louis and see Cozumel and Costa de Mayo, Mexico, Belize and the Grand Cayman Islands. George W. Bush is re-elected :) Republicans have control of the sentate :)

2005: Announce my minor in Spanish. Attend 2nd Sectionals :) See my all time favorite artist in concert: Carlos Santana. Mom and I agree it is the best concert of all time. Start blogging :) Hurricane Katrina devestates and destroys New Orleans. Good friend Liz welcomes son Andy to the world! Hurricane Rita devestates Texas. Enjoy a white Christmas!

2006: Attend second Regional Conference in St. Louis. Best friend Froggiegirl marries her sweetheart Gimlet, acted as one of her bridesmaids :) Graduated college with double major in International Business and Managment, with a minor in Spanish. Become second generation in family to attend and graduate college. Attend 3rd Sectionals. St. Louis Cardinals win the World Series for the first time since I was born in 1982. Pittsburgh Steelers win Superbowl!! Mom and I both have our gall bladders removed with in months of eachother. Mom retires from teaching after 33 and 1/2 years!! Forever Remembered: beloved Grandma Lorraine Noel and my first dog, Shadow. New puppy Loki makes grand enterance into Noel family- I learn first hand what it takes to train a dog.

2007: Get first "real job" at Wolfgang Puck Catering- only part time, but its a job. Attend sectionals again -anyone noticing a pattern here :) Help pick out new living room furniture, new kitchen table and chairs, new carpet for living room and new tile for kitchen. Forever Remembered: my first pet, Climber aka King Tut.

2008: Get first "real full time job". Get laid off for first time. Kitchen floods requiring new kitchen cabinets, floor and trim. Inside house- living room, hall, entry way, kitchen, and living room re-painted. Repaint office and garage door. Also get new siding for house and new gutters-whew! Another best friend Veronica marries her sweetheart Kyle, get to be an attendent!! :) Barak Obama becomes the first African- American President- big moment in U.S. History :) Pittsburgh Steelers win their 6th Superbowl :) Have 5th and 6th Knee surgeries.

2009: Another good friend Suzanne marries her sweetheart Marshal. Dealt with unemployment most of the year. Learned new computer system: Worldpsan at new job as domestic travel coordinator. Enjoy first White Christmas since 2005. Mark moves into his own apartment!! Good for him!! Forever Remembered: My (personal) first adopted Cat and best friend, Phantom.

To all those friends and family I have lost and gained: I love you all and thank you for beinga part of my life. I look forward to spending the next decade with you enriching my life! Looking forward to the next decade and what it may bring!! Happy New Year everone!!!!

April 2009 Updates

Wow its already April!! Easter is t/m! Oh wow, time has really flown by. Here are some random updates:
* Laptop died a few weeks ago, using parents laptop b/c I can't afford a new one. Hopefully I should be able to buy one in a few more weeks.
*Remember how I was complaining about my insurance? Yea, now I don't have any...I missed one month's payment for COBRA and I'm done. So no health insurance really sucks, working on getting insurance now.
* Job: I have a temp job making flight reservations in a call center. I have survived two weeks of training and have another two to go. This is not a perm job for me; I am actively job hunting and hoping to get a new job before the next two weeks are up. Otherwise I have to give two weeks; as it is right now I can leave asap b/c I'm still in training. Its not the best in the world but its not the worst in the world; it pays and thats important.
* My little brother moved out!!! He is now living in Florissant w/ two other guys. He still comes home on weekends for his job at Ruby Tuesdays. Hopefully he will get a full time job up there soon.
* Attended Truman's Sectionals last weekend; had an absolute blast!! Sigma Alpha, my chapter, got 2 awards!!!! 2 brothers from that chapter also became Railroaders :) Got to see some brothers I haven't seen in forver (Jen G for one), had fabulous time hanging out w/ alumni and active brothers. Can't wait for Spring Service Day at SIUE next Sat :)
* Cardinals baseball season is offiicially in full swing!! The record stands at 3-2. So far I am going to games on May 4th and May 5th (my bday) :) Very excited. Hoping to go to a lot more!!
*Lost my iPod....its somewhere around the house. Hopefully it will show up soon. I know its in the house, its a matter of where in the house.
* Re-painted the garage door and entry doors a nice red. Also re-painted the office- Sahara Sunset. Looks great. Also rearranged the furniture in the office, much better. Can open the window a lot easier. As much as we'd like to take Loki's crate down, we can't- its her safe zone and its nice when we have company and she is too hyper for guests.
Other than that nothing else to report. I'm hanging in there, family is doing great. Hopefully the next time I blog I'll have good news to impart.

Updates 2009

I haven't blogged in forever b/c my internet decided to lose all of my bookmarks. So here are all the updates in my life.
* Rang 2009 in w/ a bunch of APO friends at Kyle and Veronica's. Had an absolute blast. Met V and Kyle's new puppy; Atticus! Such a cutie.
* Attended Marshall and Suzanne's wedding (another APO wedding), it was sooo beautiful. Suzanne looked amazing! The Church and the reception were beautifully decorated.
* Laptop is on its last legs. I am going to have to break down and buy a new one. Already have the one I want picked out. Just don't have money. So I am hanging in there until I get my tax rebates back. Half will pay for laptop (or at least nice down payment) and the other half will pay medical bills. The new laptop is an HP, dual processor, 12 cell battery, 4GB hardrive...and other specs I like. Going to be a few months until I can get it tho...
* Speaking of medical bills; my insurance sucks (majorly). I have big time bills, luckily I have another credit card (medical one) to help pay it off.
* Job front: Still no job. Just temp work and even that is scarce. The job market sucks and is getting worse. President Obama just signed a new stimulus bill (which won't work b/c there is too much pork on it). Supposedly Missouri is getting 8 million. Yea, well we'll see how that turns out. I am applying like crazy and trying to be hopeful.
* Loki celebrated her 3rd birthday on February 8th. She is still rambuctious as ever...now mom is saying that some labs take 4 years to mature! FOUR Years! That is insane! She still goes nuts when people come over to visit. I love her, but I think its time she calmed down.
* A year ago I was 17 lbs heavier. My total weight loss was 30 lbs. Unfortunatley, I have gained 13 of it back. However, on the bright side, I have managed to keep 17 lbs off! I feel better. Of course I will feel a lot better when I drop some more lbs. I did the weight loss for me, not anyone else. I'm happy how I look but I could be happier.
* I had three Orthovisc shots; kinda like cartilidge for my knee (chicken fat if you will). They are supposed to help my knees track better and lower the pain level. Unfortunatley it takes 6 to 8 weeks to feel a difference. Its too early to tell how its going to turn out. I am hopeful tho. If this doesn't work I don't know what the next step is; although I think the only other option is partial knee replacement. Which the doctor doesn't even want to consider due to my age. I don't want to either. I still have a few more weeks for the shots to do their work, so join me in crossing your fingers in hopes the shots work. And that my insurance will reasonably cover them too.
* Cell phone is also on the fritz, I can't get a new phone until April...seriously thinking about going to AT & T and begging for a new phone now. Can't afford to not get calls b/c the phone is wonky.
* Other than that. Nothing really exciting going on here. I'll try to be better about blogging in the future...no promises tho...I'll try.

Update

It is already the middle of July; where has the summer gone?! I am amazed at how fast this summer is going. Here is what's going on in SoCo Bear's world:
* The 4th of July was spent in St. Charles w/ one of my fave, fave, fave brothers Erin. We enjoyed sweet tea, gossip, and a fantastic display of fireworks. After the fireworks we returned to Erin's dorm and met up w/ another fave brother of mine; Kelly. We then went to Dennys to eat and chat.
* My book club is on our third book; this month we are reading The Princess Bride. Previous Books were Sickened, and Emma. We have met twice and are planning on meeting at Denny's in Early August for our third meeting.
* Another group, Kyle's Killer B Movies, has also begun meeting. We enjoyed our first night of horror movies. The theme was 'When Animals Attack'. We discussed future themes, and are trying to figure out when we can meet again.
*Saturday, July 26th OneRepublic will perform for Live off the Levee. Hopefully I will be in attendence w/ several friends.
*The 5th Annual National Volunteer Coference for Alpha Phi Omega will take place on July 31st thru August 3rd in Independence, MO. I will be once again attending this. I am sooo excited!! This conference provides an excellent opportunity for me to a) escape St. Louis (if only for a few days), b) catch up w/ my alumni brethren, and c) gain more skills that will not only help me as an APO Alumni, but aslo as an employee. Not all of the workshops are about APO, a few are directed towards obtaining employment and making yourself more valuable as an employee. Last year I had the former APO president (who helps people w/ resumes and cover letters proffessionally) customize my resume and cover letter; it worked great!!.
*I had two cortizone shots on Wed for my knees; one each. Those hurt! Hopefully they will help out my knees which have been bothering me for quite some time now. I saw a new knee doctor last week and had X-rays and MRI's done (fun fun). The end result: surgery. Not to worry, its just orthoscopic surgery; basically going in and cleaning things up. I am having both knees done at once (what I call a double whammy). This shortens the recovery time to 3 months. I have done this before, back in 2004. D-Day is August 12th. No worries, I'll be up and about and causing mischeif within no time!

Random

Okay so I haven't blogged in a while (yes I am well aware that it has been a long while froggiegirl), so here's whats up with me:
EMAA- We had our second annual EMAA BBQ on June 7th, and it was a great success! We had chicken and beef kabobs, plus veggies, chips, fruit, brownies, cookies, and much more! JKO was the grill master, with Marlene and Courtney prepping the Kabobs. Tonight we are meeting up again at the Missouri Botanical Gardens for a concert. Tonight we'll be hearing some jazz, funk and motown! We are also having a little picnic. We are going to a Cards game on August 22nd (my dad is joining us for this one). I am officially registered for the National Volunteer Conference!! I am soo excited; I can't wait to see all my alumni brothers again!!
Cardinals: So far I have been to 4 games; 2 wins and 2 losses. I will be going again w/ the family on July 1st to see the Birds on the Bat take on the Mets. Since mom is origninaly from NYC and a reformed Mets fan, this will be an interesting game. Cards won the series against the Boston Red Sox, and smashed the Detroit Tigers last night 8-4. Cheating pitcher Kenny Rogers (think the tar incident). Aaron Miles is on fire; he has the highest batting average in interleague play. Yadier Molina is back behind the plate after missing a few games after a scary collision at home plate. Albert Pujols is looking to start tonight after being on the 15 day disabled list for a left calf strain on June 10th. Mark Mulder is making some progress: he might be pitching for us soon!!!
Let's Go Cards!!
Loki: Loki is back to her hyper puppy self. Poor baby suffered from severe spring allergies that put her on steriods for 3 weeks. Poor baby was sluggish and wasn't her playful self. She is back to stealing things, playing with her toys (she now has a stuffed fox), and swimming in the lake. She continues to provide us with daily entertainment.
General: I picked up a new swimsuit from Sports Authority on Sat, a two piece I could do laps in and still get a tan (that is if I don't burn first, suprise, surprise). I also got a sleeveless top to work out it, I am going to start getting serious about working out again. My knees are in bad shape and I'm seeing a knee doc soon, so I want to get my legs strong. Plus I want to be more in shape and healthier. I am finally comfortable with the way I look again, and want to keep it that way and still enjoy fatty foods (ie ice cream, chocolate and other stuff that is bad for you but sooo good). The summer is flying by soo quickly, its almost July!! That's crazy! I am going to try to hit the pool as often as I can, as I love swimming. Froggiegirl and I have already made one trip to Chesterfield pool, the first of many I'm sure. It was so refreshing to be in the water and relax! That is all for now. I hope do to a guest blog by my dad soon!

200th Post!!!

Like the title says this is my 200th post, so I thought I would do something. So here are some general updates on JBear's life:
Flood 2008: The water receeded and 141 was open Monday morning, mere hours after it was completely underwater. The new levee in Valley Park held and officials were pleased. A bar in Fenton was saved from the rising waters.
The tax man cometh: Daddy finished the family taxes the weekend before April 15th, even tho we were grnated an extra month to do taxes. Why? B/c we live in St. Louis county and St. Louis County was declared a federal disaster area (even tho the water never touched our home), so we got extra time. Amazingly I am getting some money back! I am getting $300 for the Economic Stimulus thing- that is going towards a new digital camera! I also get some money from State and Federal (whoohoo).
APO: I attended my 5th Section 49 Sectionas (what can I say? I'm addicted) which was held at Wash U on April 3rd -5th. Andy and I taught our 4th (and possible last) Salsa class. It went great. We added some new moves and did some more freestyle. Sectionals were awesome and I got to hang out w/ my fave brothers from Lindenwood and E Pi. Not to mention other brothers from Beta Psi and Epsilon. Two weekends later I attended E Pi's Spring Service Day- April 19th. The service event was at the YWCA in Alton, IL. It was a youth service project. E Pi had a full day planned for the youngers. I assisted brother Sloane in the pool, so I got to float in the pool most of the day :). That of course made me happy. That night I was present as new brothers were welcomed into the E Pi chapter, and then danced the night away. I got to meet some fab new brothers and had an awesome time! I of course got to spend some time with one of my favorite favorite favorite brothers, Erin K. I love that girl! :)
Loki: Loki continues to do well and find new ways to stir up mischeif. Currently the poor baby is suffering from spring allergies. So we are constantly washing her face and paws, putting lotion on her face and giving her benadryl every 6 hours. As a result, she is sleeping a lot. As the weather turns warmer, Loki will be getting more exercise via walks, swimming, retrieving and general Lokiness.
Home: As a result from the last big snowstorm, our mailbox and post had to be replaced. However, mom is picky on her mailbox so the post was replaced first and we tried to salvage our barn house mailbox. Alas, we were unable to save it. So we have a new cedar mailbox that sort of resembles a barn. New numbers are on the post and all in all it looks good.

Random Update

Good grief, I haven't blogged in a while (almost a month exactly since I last blogged to be exact). So here's what has gone down in the month of August:
*NVC was amazing!!! I had soooo much fun. I stirred up trouble in all of the workshops I attended. I finally got to meet a brother I've been friends w/on Facebook; he has now "banned" me from his future workshops; yeah right, good luck w/ that Brother Justin!
*Mom got a new car! Its a 2007 Pontiac Vibe! It's an SUV- kinda. Mom calls it a wannabe: it can't decide whether it wants to be a car, a minivan or a SUV. It gets great milage so far 28 mpg. She is very happy with it.
*My little brother, golum, got a new car...kinda. He inherited my mom's red '99 cavalier. Mom traded in his '99 Sonoma Truck when she got her vibe. So now I'm the only one in the family w/o keyless entry and power locks and windows. Granted my car is a year younger than Marks, its still a very basic model- I love it tho. My next car will be a SUV tho. Don't know when I'll be getting said SUV, but whatever.
*Cardinals have been heating up. They swept the Brewers in a crucial series. They then played the Cubbies where they went 1-2, with one game rained out. Cards now are 3 games out of first place. Cub (major suprise here) are in first place (no really they are). Brew Crew are even with the Cubbies.
*I get to go to my fourth Cardinals Game on August 24th w/ the EMAA crew!! I also have tickets for the September 17th Game- Yadier Molina Bobblehead night!! Whoohoo!!
*I am 8-12 in my fantasy baseball league. Not bad but not the greatest either.
*Went to see Les Mis w/ EMAA at the Muny. Loved it! Music was incredible, good voices, excellent orchestra. It was hot, but overall a good night.
*My job hunt continues (suprise, suprise). I try to be optimisitic, but its hard. I have a hard time wondering what makes me so unemployable. I thought that my education would be a great assest and now I wonder why I spent so much time earning my bachelors if all I'm going to do is random temporary assignments?
*New living room furniture and a new dinet set are on their way; well kinda. Mom and dad selected a new sofa, loveseat, and rocker for the living room, as well as a new kitchen table and new chairs for the kitchen. The living room stuff should be here in about 2 weeks or so. Kitchen is going to take longer, anywhere from a month to two months. I think its crazy, but mom tells me that's typical. I woulda negotiated an early arrival of the furniture but hey we've been dealing with the furniture we currently have for a long time, we can live with it until the new stuff arrives. The living room furniture is kinda of a sage green and the fabric is a micro suede, and very comfy ( mom took me to American where they ordered the stuff for me to see). The kitchen table is almost identical to the one we have now except it has some fancy engraving on the sides which matches the engraving on the back of the chairs. The chairs have cushions built in, so puppy can't steal the cushions (as she does now).

Random

Okay, lot of stuff to say, so here goes:
*Recently had to get new sunglasses as my darling puppy, Loki, ate a second pair of sunglasses. Plus my backup pairs also decided to break. I like to keep a pair in my car for various reasons; mainly I can't drive w/o sunglasses.
*Picked up two cute tops from New York and Company. One was 50% off! I love sales!
*Got a new pillow b/c the one I had was shot.
*Got a 1 and 1/2 inch memory foam mattress pad for my bed. My mattress is rock hard and I have a bad back and I hate sleeping on it. This mattress pad is heaven sent! I slept w/ it on my bed last night and was sooo comfortable for the first time in eyars.
*Had my ring checked at the Jewlers today; the stone is firmly in place and they shined it up for free. So it sparkles now! Yay!
*Leaving for Independence, MO t/m for Alphi Phi Omega's National Volunteer Conference!! So excited! Amy and Katrina are driving with me. We are stopping in Columbia and having lunch with Robert.
*Will be at the NVC Thursday thru Sunday. Get to see a lot of brothers and have fun!
*Cardinals starting pitcher Chris Carpenter is out for the season; he will be having surgery on his elbow. No idea when he will be ready to pitch next season.
*Attention all texters; I have disabled my text messaging abilities. Meaning I won't be able to send or recieve texts; which is good b/c I despise texting. I also was being charged for incoming texts (which I don't understand why I'm charged for something that I have no control over).
*I have been sunburned three times so far this summer, and theres a lot of summer left. I hate having such fair skin. Mom and Mark have the Puerto Rican skin; so they don't burn; they just get brown! So not fair, I blame it all on my gringo father! He just laughs.