Need help keeping your family organized and on the same page? Looking for a place to store photos of the fam, keep a family journal and your shopping list all in one place?

Check out Cozi:

September 20, 2008
Ellie's First Birthday Party

The party was at 6 o'clock, so Pop and I went over to Kellie and Brian's earlier in the afternoon and hung out for a while. We gave Ellie her presents there (a Dora couch and a giant Hello Kitty) so she could see them and play with them. We knew they would just get lost in the shuffle at the party.


Rich made a video of Ellie's life. The video started 2 weeks before Ellie was born when he and I went to their house to take pics of Kellie while she was pregnant. We watched the video with them before we took it to the party. As you can see from below, Ellie was into it too! We took the video to the party and played it on a continuous loop so everyone got to see her grow up before their very eyes all over again!


One of Kellie's relatives got a clubhouse at an apartment complex for us for the party. She knew the manager and they let us use the facility for free! Lots of Ellie's cousins were there so she was running around having tons of fun.


Time for cake!! Ellie's party theme was cupcakes. So she had a big cupcake on top of her birthday cake. She also had her own separate cupcake to eat all by herself!! YUMMO!

She wasn't too sure about that cake thing! She hasn't ever had that much sugar, while we've never known her to turn down food, she didn't dive into it. She wasn't all that thrilled about being so messy.

We couldn't keep the paparazzi away when she was eating her cake!

Ellie has lots of cousins. Right now she doesn't know how lucky she is to have so many cousins to hang out with and grow up with. She may not know it now, but these are some of the relationships she will treasure as she gets older.

Present time! Ellie's party was huge, over 50 people came!! She got lots and lots of presents!

The party started to wind down, people started to get their stuff ready to go. Everyone had a great time and left with a big smile on their face!!

Are you in the process of making some big decisions?

Does your job require that you analyze and determine solutions?
Just wondering if you should marry the guy or not?

Imagine sleeping through the night.
No more tossing and turning!
Stop the brain grind.

I HAVE THE ANSWER!
Virtual Magic 8 Ball!

Virtual Magic 8 Ball will solve all of your decision making problems.
Simply type in your question, click the ask button and Magic 8 Ball provides you the answer!
It couldn't be easier!

Where were you on 9-11-01?

I still lived in Beech Grove, back in September of 2001. I had only known Rich about a month. He was at work, I was a few days from starting my job there with him. I was going to meet my friend Dianne at her house in Trafalgar. I decided to take a day before getting back in the grindstone of working to go hang out with my pal in Nashville, Indiana.

It was a normal morning. Sunny, blue skies. I was happy that I was going to see Dianne. She had been laid off from BMG at the same time I was and she lived only about 20-ish minutes from Brown County so we were both looking forward to hanging out and being together.

I got ready and headed out the door around 8:30. I stopped at a bank machine on the way out of town, listening to Bob and Tom, as I usually do. They were on a commercial break and when they came back, Tom was so serious. He said there had been a terrible accident with the world trade center. I could tell by the way they were talking that this was something really serious and at that point, no one knew what had happened.

I took off down 65 southbound to Trafalgar, listening as they describe the second plane hitting the tower. I couldn't believe what I was hearing and couldn't imagine what I was going to see. I kept listening in disbelief and horror at what they were saying and felt my heart start to race a little. I've always lived in an America where I felt completely safe, probably the same way everyone else felt only a few minutes earlier. I kept looking at the sky...wondering what's going on??

I got to Dianne's and raced in to watch what was happening on TV. She had been watching already. We both just stood silent in the family room of her house staring at the TV. Was this real? Did this really happen? Who did this? Why? Did this mean we were at war? Were there going to be more attacks? If so, where were those going to happen? Who was protecting us? Dianne was in her 50's at the time, I thought she might be able to tell me what was going on but she was as bewildered as I was. No one had ever lived through any attack like this on American soil. No one knew why or who would have committed such a terrible crime against innocent people.

We stayed home most of the morning until we felt sure nothing else was going to happen. We did continue on down to Brown County. Most of the stores were open, some of them closed. Everyone was talking about it, had radios and TVs on in their shops. We didn't stay all day but by the time we started to head back to her house, we passed a gas station and there must have been 30 cars in line. We both though what the heck...then Nancy called and told me it was like that all over Indianapolis too. She said, if I needed gas, I better get it because there were reports that stations were closing after pumping all their gas. Just like us all to go fill our cars up with gas....not sure why we all jumped on that and panicked but lots of people did.

I stayed around Dianne's house for a while, ate dinner with her and Larry. I won't ever forget standing in her living room, watching that TV or that evening sitting down watching all those people searching for their family members. In the nights to come, when planes were still grounded, I won't ever forget how quiet the skies were. Normally there are lots of planes flying around the Beech Grove area, it's right on the flight path for the Indy airport. When there's absolutely no movement in the sky, that was very eerie and weird!

I can't ever forget about all the kids who lost parents that day or the men and women who lost their spouses, sons, daughters. It still makes me sick to think about how so many people were just going about their normal routines, flying on a business trip or on vacation. Or those sitting at their desks, so innocently and suddenly a plane comes crashing into their building, intentionally. Think of all those people on the streets, the people trying to get away, the firemen and policemen who tried to help. So many people! I can't connect with the terrorists and their mindset, the only thing I can wrap my mind around are the human stories. All those people.

I know I'll never forget that day. It's impacted me for the rest of my life. I hope I never have to live through another tragedy like that one. We all need to pray for our country and our safety every day and never, ever take for granted what and who we have around us.

Thank you God for my family, my friends, my home, my job and for giving me a sense of security even when things aren't so secure around us.

KFC is moving Col. Sander's handwritten recipe containing those delicious 11 ingredients to top secret and secure location.

Did you know that only 2 corporate executives at a time have access to the top secret 68-year-old concoction that coats the chain's Original Recipe chicken! The company refuses to name who those 2 people are but my guess is one is the Chief Executive Officer of Pepper and the other is the Chief Executive Officer of Grease.

I love KFC and the top secret recipe and I admit, I've googled it several times, trying to find that special blend of 11 seasonings and spices. I haven't been able to master what Ol Col. Sanders created but I'm workin' on it!

I've been playing around with some new Photoshop filters
and discovered one I really like. Check this out!

This is the original picture of Ellie:

And now, the enhanced version, below.

Really makes it pop doesn't it?

Yesterday was family photo day in the park. I took over 500 pictures! Yeeeowza!!

These are my favorites:

Still using Internet Explorer?
WHY?
When Firefox is so much better!

Firefox is much more secure than Internet Explorer and more reliable. And you know those crazy windows that pop open all the time asking you if you "really" want to do what you just asked Internet Explorer to do, well those are gone too! The part I like the most is how it manages passwords on various websites for you. When you log in to a site you regularly visit, Firefox will ask if you want it to remember the password. Guess what folks, it really does it! You know how Explorer will allow you to check the "remember password" box on websites but you visit that site again and it didn't remember it...Firefox actually does it. Download it and give it a try. You'll like it!

Faith Hill has an awesome new song out called "A Baby Changes Everything". Check it out here:

Written by KK Wiseman, this song is retelling of the birth of the Christ Child in song.

OPERATION GIFT CARDS FOR GRAMMY

I know it's tough out there with gas prices out of control but if you're still feeling charitable, Grammy ran out of Kroger gift cards a few weeks ago.

She told me that it really makes a difference for her to have those and she didn't realize how much money groceries actually cost since she's had gift cards for so long.

She lives on such a tight budget, I know I couldn't go 2 weeks on what she lives on for a month, so if you can, even a small amount would help her a bunch!

I heard wedding bells last week were ringing in Kokomo........
when do we see the pictures?

French Lick Resort & Casino

http://www.frenchlick.com/default_.asp

Had a client meeting this week in French Lick. What a gem we found just a few hours from home. We had all heard about the renovations to the French Lick and West Baden Hotels but none of us had ever been there. So a couple of us piled in the car and off we went. We met up with several corporate employees, had our meeting, then went off to lunch at one of their golf courses. Oh my goodness. The countryside down there is beautiful! It was a great lunch (chopped salad with grilled chicken, it had fresh Indiana sweet corn in it...yummo).


Then after lunch they wanted to show us their new Pete Dye golf course going in on one of the highest points in that area. The course isn't done yet so watching all the guys working on it sure reminded me of Beepo! Anyway, we toured the home of the man that originally built the West Baden hotel - which they are now making into a bed and breakfast inn. Seriously you guys, you don't feel like you're in Indiana when you're there. The views were spectacular! We were all in awe!


Then off to the West Baden hotel we went. This place is something to see! I'm definitely taking Rich down there to spend the night and roam around. It's gorgeous!!! Right now their website doesn't do the hotels justice - that will be changing! I didn't take my camera, since it was a business trip - but I wish that I had taken it and now I know it would have been ok too. SHOOT!

If you're looking for a quick weekend getaway and you don't want to venture too far from home...check out French Lick & West Baden. Believe me when I tell you, you will be impressed!

West Baden Resort

Have you ever seen something on TV or in a movie and wished you could buy it? Well, here's a spot that does just that.

Check out http://www.seenon.com/ The selection is somewhat limited right now but you might still find something you like!

Ever have a moment when you're doing something and you realize... Ah! This is exactly what I should be doing!!! Well I'm getting those all the time at work.

I'm really loving my new job! It's exactly what I've known I should be doing for a LONG time now. The people there are soooo smart! I'm soaking up everything I can from them. It's been so much fun diving into this job. Heck I don't even mind the 81 mile commute to work. I'm so happy to get to do something I love that I don't care about driving there and back every day. Thank you Jesus for a great company and great people to work with!

Say Hello to My Little Friend

In light of the drive I'll be making (at least temporarily) to Bloomington, I decided to get rid of my 2000 Nissan Altima with 90K miles on it and get a new car.

Initially I thought I'd buy a used Honda but the prices of the used were just a couple thousand off the new car prices and the interest rates were way lower for a new car. So I bit the bullet and got a new one. I love it, I've only had it 6 days and it's been years since I had a car payment, so ask me how much I like it again when I make that first payment on August 30th - I might be singing a different tune!

So, I'm really feelin' like this car needs a name. Don't you? Something like Sharky. Doesn't the front of it look like a shark head? So, announcing, the official "NAME ANDREA'S CAR CONTEST!" Get creative folks, I just might pick the name you suggest!

It's official! I start my new job August 4th, 2008! Oh I can't wait!!!

Who is Hanapin Marketing? Well "we" are an Internet marketing firm that specializes in website development, pay per click advertising and search engine optimization.

Is this a dream or do I get to do what I love for a living? Holy Cow, it's real!! It's real!! Somebody pinch me!

GUESS WHO DROVE ON SUNDAY AND DID IT LIKE PROS????

THAT'S RIGHT FOLKS!

OLIVE12 AND TAPEEAR DROVE FOR THE FIRST TIME ON SUNDAY!!!!!!!!

THEY DID A GREAT JOB!!!!!

Nothing says "I wanna have 12 kids and share a husband" like a good drop waisted dress! http://fldsdress.com/

Are you bored this summer? Perhaps you're finding dull spots in your day and you need something to fill that time?

Check out www.woot.com! Every single day this website offers one deal. That's right folks, just one a day. Ohhhhhh, but It's the deal of the century! Even if you're not in the market for their deal, the description of that product is so darn funny, it'll keep you coming back day, after day, after day!

Mark my words, Grasshopper! You'll be back!

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!

(I wish I took this picture!)

Magic Man and I went to the Carmel fireworks tonight. They have this little Carmelfest every year and cap it off with fireworks on the 4th. The display is pretty good, if you're ever down here on the 4th, they are worth a look-see.

We came home though, and saw the Boston Pops with REAL fireworks. Wow!!! Ok Carmel pales in comparison (naturally).

The Boston Pops played a Pavarotti song that I absolutely love. I remember discovering this when I worked at BMG, exploring all kinds of music (for a buck a CD - ah those were the days). This is an Aria by Puccini from the play Turandot sung by Pavarotti in Italian. You don't need to know the words to hear and understand the emotion of the song. I've loved it since the first time I heard it. Why wasn't I smart enough to go witness such talent when he was alive???

I love the look he gives after he sings the very last note. He takes a breath, furrows his brow and pulls his shoulders up and forward slightly. I just wonder what he was thinking?? Maybe "that was my best performance ever" or "I'm so sick of singing that song!" Who knows. I love it!

English Translation of "Nessun Dorma"

Nobody shall sleep!... Nobody shall sleep!

Even you, o Princess,

in your cold room,

watch the stars,

that tremble with love and with hope.

But my secret is hidden within me,

my name no one shall know...

No!...No!...

On your mouth I will tell it when the light shines.

And my kiss will dissolve the silence that makes you mine!...

(No one will know his name and we must, alas, die.)

Vanish, o night!

Set, stars! Set, stars!

At dawn, I will win! I will win! I will win!