Merry Christmas 2008

Well, if you are reading this link, it means that you have:

a) received my Christmas card OR this link
b) taken the time to walk to your computer
c) type in my link just to see what I'm up to!

So if you have made it this far, thank you. I'm flattered.

Hi and Merry Christmas to all!

In an effort to save printing and paper costs to meet my 2009 goal of using less of the world’s natural resources, I decided I would try an online newsletter this year. Maybe if I receive enough feedback I will continue blogging! If you want to be able to subscribe to future blog posts, you can click to the right of this note. You have to create some sort of login but it looks pretty easy.

I have just finished a whirlwind semester of nine hours of graduate work, followed with a school/tourist trip to London. London was amazing. I got to see lots of awesome sights and five very cool plays/concerts. I would definitely recommend the trip to anyone – and the best part is that everybody speaks your language (well, some people anyway). The Tower of London and the Churchill Museum were definitely my favorite stops – but I just cannot get enough of the plays.

This year seems like it has flown by. In May, I learned how to knit. This resulted in constant knitting in spare time (or when procrastination kicked in). All of my team members received a hand knitted scarf from me at Christmas. Well, at least the girls did. All of the boys except one got pen sets and they were more excited about those than the scarf (which is what I figured). Now I have to figure out how to make a manly scarf-it is tougher than it sounds. My 2009 goal is to learn how to knit a hat. It really can’t be that hard, I am just scared of the finishing part (it looks tougher the closer you get to the top). The good thing is that I can make my own hat and size it to my overly large head. Anyway, work at State Farm continues to go well and I am enjoying every minute of it.

In June/July, I went on the tour of IL, starting in Chicago for Jimmie and Mary’s Greek wedding (op-ah!), then to Peoria for the annual fourth of July family reunion, and then back to Chicago a week later for Matt and Lynne’s wedding. It was a good time had by all. I also got to meet three week old puppy Stella, who is now my precious schipperke. Stella joined the household in August. At eight weeks old, she became a jet setter by flying back to Alabama with me on the plane. She has made several other flights since then and is a seasoned traveler. She also responds to the word “diva,” which is no surprise to anyone that has met her.

My how Stella has changed my outlook on pet owners. We know the PetSmart employees by name. We enjoy watching “It’s me or the Dog” on Animal Planet and have now taken to watching the Animal Cops show late at night. Also, when Stella wants to help type on the computer we scroll through the humane society and look at the other animals. I told her she has to wait a few years for me to lose the puppy “baby” weight before I am ready to tackle a sibling.

We have taken puppy class and although she did graduate, she is less excited about any of it unless it involves a treat. It is about that time that we do a repeat class since the nipping/biting continues. Don’t worry, I’ve tried every trick possible, she still bites. I keep several tubes of Neosporin around the house. Stella continues to have more dog play dates then I do people play dates. She especially loves Walker, Suzie, Rudy, Merlin, and of course her Affenpincher boys Sebastian and Toby.

Reeses the neighborhood cat visits her at her window daily and they seem to have a love/hate relationship [I know this as evidenced by the cat-made holes in my screen window]. We tried to visit Reeses on the lawn one day and I was afraid Reeses might eat Stella and take a couple of bites out of my leg.

Anyway, Stella is pretty smart. She figured out right away that the outside and the kitchen is “her” territory. She took to the potty training right away, and seems to like the cold weather and loved picking through the snow at Thanksgiving in IL. She loves to meet new people and can’t wait to meet all of you!

I hope this letter finds you happy, healthy, and enjoying the Christmas holiday and any vacation or fun plans. May you have a wonderful 2009. With graduating from grad school and having the first anniversary of my 29th birthday, I certainly plan to have a banner year!