Saturday, February 27, 2010

Saturday Morning Ramblings

Yes, I know, I haven't written anything with substance lately, nor have done any Snapshot Saturdays. I am boring, I know, but maybe that is just how this overdue winter has me feeling. In fact, that must be it. I am over this weather. I am tired of being indoors, I am tired of long pants that must be worn with closed toe shoes, thick sweaters, and my long, heavy coats. I am ready to be able to run outside, take my dog for a walk where she isn't filthy when it is over, be able to walk to grab dinner with my husband, and sit out on our deck. I am also ready to get up in the morning and NOT think, "what can I wear that will keep me warm all day," and my only options being thick sweaters. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE sweaters, but it is almost March, so I am over them. I am ready to wear no socks with my shoes, my light weight jackets to work (hey, I am okay with wearing a jacket still), and short sleeve shirts. So, my request is Spring, please GET HERE SOON!

Besides the weather, here are some more of my rambles:

- These girl scout cookies need to leave our house pronto. They are doing nothing positive for me! Nothing at all!!!

- I have done a horrible job of A) tracking my running on my little gadget on here and B) actually getting all of my miles in. 10 weeks until the mini marathon and I have to "kick it in gear" this week and hit all my training days!

- DAIRY is the DEVIL! (minus eggs and cheese they have been okay so far) So, I had to leave work at about 1:30 yesterday afternoon. We had a pitch-in lunch and someone brought in some apple crisp. Well, for all of you that don't know me, any dessert with APPLES is my absolute favorite and especially when it is warm with some ice cream. So, I ate some with, I promise you, only a small spoon full of ice cream. Oh, well about 30 minutes later, I was in the library with my students when I had to dash to the restroom because I had such a pain in my stomach and all I could do was bend over. The pain continued and I couldn't even stand up straight. Little to say, I am 99% sure I can't have dairy. I haven't been able to drink milk or eat ice cream in large amounts for awhile now, but this was so small I didn't think it would have an effect. I am so sad... I LOVE ice cream. Mr. Hoosier and I love to walk to the little ice cream shop near our house in the summer =( For those of you that are non-dairy eaters, what do you eat for ice cream replacement??? As for the milk, I have tried soy, and YUCKKKK!

-ISTEP testing beings on Monday and I am ready to scream! For those of you that do not live in Indiana, ISTEP is our state-wide standardized tests that the students have to take. I feel so sorry for my poor kiddos- it bores me, can you imagine how they feel?

- I received yet another letter from my brother this week. He has been so great about writing me! My mom also received a call from him. He is doing wonderful! It has actually gone by so fast and in four weeks we will be watching him graduate! I am so excited to see where the Navy takes him and what it has in store for him. I am such a proud big sister!

- California Dreaming! That's right, Mr. Hoosier and I will be going to Carlsbad & San Diego, California for a week this summer! Mr. Hoosier's cousin is getting married out there and we are turning it into a week long vacation after the wedding festivities. Last night, we planned out the things we want to do and looked into the condo we want to rent. I can't wait!!! We plan on going to a Padres game (our goal is to visit every MLB stadium), visit the San Diego Zoo, take a trip to Southern California wine country (Temecula- this is going to be my favorite day, I just know it), take a whale watching trip on a sail boat, and do some hiking & kayaking. We also plan on spending some time at the beach, taking a trip to the farmer's market, and exploring the different restaurants of the town! I can't wait! I haven't been to California since I went with my mom in third grade. This is going to be a wonderful trip!

- What is a post from Mrs. Preppy Hoosier without talking about Girls on the Run? I have been very busy with preparing things for our 3/11 "Interest Meeting", meeting with a variety of people, and working with the attorney on our bylaws. It is difficult to do all this with a full-time job, but I absolutely LOVE it- I wish it was my full time job! We are having an interest meeting to recruit board members and coaches. I am also going into the third week of the season I am running at my school and loving it. I received 10 shoe scholarships this week, which was so exciting! This means that 10 of my girls are going to receive a pair of brand new New Balance shoes. New Balance is an official sponsor of GOTR. I am thinking I need to switch to New Balance as well. I am an Asics girl now, but if they NB supports GOTR, then I should support NB. Anyone run in New Balance? What are a good pair of shoes? Molly, I know you do!!!

Well, I am off to head the library to pick up another book, and go for a run when Mr. Hoosier gets home from work. Have a great weekend, friends!

Until next time,
H =)

Monday, February 15, 2010

It's the little things in life...

... that get me excited! So, I made a quick trip to Target this evening to pick up some ortega (Tacos for dinner at the Hoosier household tonight) and a snack for Girls on the Run tomorrow. As I was shopping around Target, I came to the hair accessories section, and came across these...


LOOK closely at the bottom right hand corner for the Girls on the Run logo.


That's right, I did buy barrettes just because on the corner they have the Girls on the Run logo. Goody is a national sponsor of Girls on the Run. I purchase Goody hair accessories always, but have never noticed the logo on the bottom. Now, not everything contained the logo, just select items. So, I decided to buy them. I thought, well, I can give them to my girls, OR put them in my own hair. Afterall, I do wear barrettes to keep my hair out of my face while running, and sometimes just because I enjoy feeling young again. Also, if you are asking yourself the question, "is this girl so obsessed with Girls on the Run she buys barrettes just for the logo on the bottom?" Your answer is, "YES, actually I am!"

Now, I just hope that some other lady is strolling around Target and wants to buy barrettes for her daughter, and she suddenly comes across these so she buys them. Then, she comes home and notices the GOTR logo and decides to Google it and finds out that we are starting in here in Hamilton County, and BAM the word begins to spread. Wishful thinking, at your finest, but hey, I can hope....

Quick Book Update

So, yesterday I posted that I had finished Book #3 of 2010. Well, I went to the library after that post and checked out two books, one which I had on hold: Something Blue by Emily Giffin, and am now finished with that book- 4 down 16 to go!

Yes, I did just read four books in a row by the same author; creature of habit, I know. However, she has no other books for me to read until she comes out with her next book this summer. So, I am off to find some other great authors to read. I highly reccommed her, that is if you are in to complete chick-lit, like I am.

If you see these books on the book shelves, do not judge a book buy its cover. I passed these books at Barnes and Noble a hundred times, but it wasn't until my running friend reccommended them to me and my response was, "aren't they advice books on how to plan weedings, or plan for babies?" I asked this questions based on the titles Something Borrowed, Something Blue, and Baby Proof. She then told me that they were nothing like that, but just really good novels, so I decided to try them. If you do decided to read them, none of them go in order BESIDES Something Borrowed and Something Blue... you must read those two in that order. So, here are her other books:

Great author and book reccommendations are gracioulsy welcomed; it doesn't have to be chick-lit, I am open to anything.

I am enjoying my snowy President's Day... hope you are too!

Until next time,
H =)

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Snapshot... SUNDAY??

I tried to upload some pictures yesterday in honor of "Snapshot Saturday", but the internet was running slow and my patience level for that is negative ten. So, here is a picture in honor of my weekly "Snapshot Saturday". As I came home from the gym today (usual Sunday ritual) there was not a football game to turn on and watch, however, my husband turned on NASCAR (yuck, gag, choke). With that being said, I am nowcounting down the days until I can watch my cubbies. As you can see in the picture below, our house is divided; I love, love, love the Cubs and my husband loves the Red Sox. We have arguements over whose team is better, but we all know that titles prove that the Red Sox have more World Series titles. However, I believe that Wrigly Field is a MUCH BETTER ballpark than Fenway... at least the Cubs can win that battle. With all this being said, here is to the snow melting, warm weather, baseball, and sitting out on our deck... ahhh, its so close, but yet so far!

In other news, I finished my 3rd book of 2010; 17 more to go. North Carolina was absolutely FABULOUS and I have all intentions of posting about it this week; to be honest, I am still gathering and organizing all my thoughts. Other than that, Mr. Hoosier and I will enjoy a nice Valentine's dinner at one of our favorite Italian joints this evening, and better yet, we will both enjoy a day off due to President's day tomorrow.


Happy Heart Day, Friends!!!
Until next time,
H =)

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Excitement All Around

This week I received my very first letter from my brother; I can't remember the last time I was so excited to get snail mail. I was incredibly impressed by his significantly improved penmanship, but more so impressed by the eloquence in his writing, and the positive attitude. I am certain that bootcamp is very difficult and often times absolute hell, but he seemed very positive and to be enjoying it immensely. In fact, he received one of the top jobs. He is a division leader, which means that he is in charge of 88 other guys, and is the "go to" man for his Chief. After speaking with a friend husband is a Chief at Navy bootcamp, she said that this job is a "big deal". He will be leading his group at graduation, he gets to carry a sword, and gets to have a collar device. With this job, he also has a chance to advance quicker. I am so proud of him! Before we know it, he will be graduating from bootcamp. I know that this experience is changing him for the better and making him a more responsible and ambitious man. I am going to write him again today, send him a valentine, and then get a newspaper tomorrow and send him an article from the Superbowl; even though he is rooting for the Saints because he hates the Colts. I continue to pray for his safety, courage, and knowledge.

As well all know, it is SUPERBOWL SUNDAY, and YES, I am excited as I will cheer on my TEAM to another LOMBARDI TROPHY. The Colts make me so happy! I love living in a city that has such a respectable football team on and off the field. The Colts bring so much to the city of Indianapolis! However, I am a little sad that this means that football season is over after today. I have thoroughly enjoyed my Sunday afternoons with my husband watching football, and keeping up with our fantasy football teams; which, I forgot to mention that I got second place in our league behind my father-in-law. So, here's to the INDIANAPOLIS COLTS!!! BELIEVE IN BLUE... I DO!!!

This week is going to be such a great week! Tomorrow I will wake up, go to work for a half of a day and then board the plane to Charlotte, NC. I have been waiting for this day since September when I decided to do it, to start an independent council of Girls on the Run in Hamilton County. This week I will be attending council training in Charlotte. I will be learning how to get my council up and "running" (no pun intended). I will also have the wonderful opportunity to meet the founder, Molly Barker. I know that my three days there are going to be busy, full of great information, and will instill an even stronger passion for Girls on the Run than I already have, but I can't wait!!! I have been so blessed to have the opportunity to work with such amazing woman to start this council. Here we go GIRLS ON THE RUN HAMILTON COUNTY!!!!

Until next time,
H =)

Monday, February 1, 2010

The Biggest Surprise of My Life


Over the last two days, and finishing today, I have been teaching my students to respond to a writing prompt in lieu of preparation for the ISTEP test. The prompt they had this time was to write about the biggest surprised they have ever faced; positive or negative. As I teach this to my students, I modeled for them how to write using of the biggest surprise of my life; the day Mr. Hoosier asked me to marry him. Now, of course I gave them the version that allows to know the basics, but the details are too personal for fourth and fifth graders.

As I have been writing this in my classroom, I have been thinking about it even more. My mom always tells me to write these things down when they are fresh so that I can always look back on them. However, its not as "fresh" as it once used to be, I still remember darn near ever detail of the day. Tonight, as I rested on the couch watching one of my all time favorite movies, P.S. I Love You, I again thought about that perfect day, June 18, 2009. So, I have decided what better thing to do than to write about; I will now always have the story of that day to share with other may it be children, new friends I meet, or just so that Mr. Hoosier and I can reminisce. So, here it goes...

"It was a Thursday evening. I was working an absolute dreadful summer job at a camp. We had plans to meet the Morgan's at the Nickel Plate for dinner that evening. This meeting was not an unusual occurance as the Nickel Plate is within walking distance from our home, we meet the Morgan's on a weekly or bi weekly basis, and we love the Nickel Plate as it was the destination of our first date.

So, I was driving home from work, swearing at traffic I am sure because I needed to get home quickly so I would have time to clean the house before we went to dinner. I decided to call my sister on the way home to see what she was doing. Again, not unusual. She said, "oh nothing, just straightening my hair, why?" Well geesh, I was just curious. Then, I asked why she was straightening her hair, and she said she was bored. Hmmm, again not unusual. I finally got home after traffic listened to my inappropriate language and moved out of the way so I could get home and clean the house before going to dinner. My wonderful, but neat-freak aunt was coming to stay with us so we could take her to the airport the next day and I had to have the house clean for her. So, Mr. Hoosier and I cleaned the house, and he kept telling me to "hurry up". I then replied with,"don't worry I will just wear my hair curly and throw on a pair of jeans and a tee shirt." His response, "no, you have time to straighten your hair and put on something cute, maybe like that cute new sun dress you just bought." "Really?" I thought to myself why does he care about that. I was certain it was just beacause he knows I don't really like my curly hair when we are going out, and my obsession with sun dresses. Little did I know it was because he knew I would have been furious if my pictures from our engagement would have been with my curly messy hair and my jeans with holes in the knees; oh, he knows me oh too well!

So, I hurried and got into the shower. When I got out, Mr. Hoosier was no where to be found. All I saw was a pink note on the bed with my name written on the envelope. The note said that he wasn't here and there was no use trying to find him. It told me to continue to get ready, and "look beautiful as always". When I was finished getting ready to go to the exercise park near the trail where we run and look under the balance beam for the next note. I was to also take the headphones he left because I needed them.

At this point, I had a feeling what might be happening, but I still wasn't sure. Afterall, he wouldn't propose without my family near and when I talked to my sister she was still at home and they live two hours a way. So, I continued to get ready. I hurried as fast as I could... all i wanted to do was run to the next note with my hair soaking wet, not make up, and my cami and shorts on, but I knew I needed to get ready "just in case". I snooped around the house a few times, but there were no signs. If you know me, you would know that this snooping isn't unusual.

I was finally ready, and went to my second note under the balance beam. I found it immediately. I opened it up and in it was a sweet note about how when we were at the IU game in February of 2008 he knew that the girl he had prayed for was sitting right next to him. In the note, also contained the IU ticket from that day. It directed me to turn continue on the trail and look under the slide for the next note. Well, this is where I was confused. There were many slides in the backyards of people living along the trail in our neighborhood; I didn't know which slide he was talking about. I started to get confused and frustrated, but it suddenly came to me.

I finally found the slide and the third envelope. In it was a nice/ sweet note about the role of music plays into our relationship, and how he swears I fell in love with him after his rendition of Dean Martin's Let it Snow on our first date as we were sitting at the bar enjoying a drink. In the envelope was also an ipod. The note told me to put in the headphones and select the playlist with my name because he had finally picked the perfect "song" for us. It said to then, walk back home and he would be waiting for me. So, I did this. The ipod played Tim McGraw's You're My Best Friend. I walked home crying uncontrolably with tears running down my face; I knew what was happening and I couldn't even believe it! When I entered our driveway there were rose petals leading to the door with a final note on the door. I opened it, read it, ran into the house and just hugged him. He was there, with candles and my favorite flowers surrounding the living room, waiting on one knee. He said many sweet words that I don't even remember, and I replied with a "YES, of course!" I couldn't believe it, it was the most perfect proposal. I of course had a million questions to ask him: where were you this whole time, who all knew about this, and how long have you been planning this. He told me we had one more thing to do and then he would answer the questions.

We then still proceeded to meet the Morgan's at the Nickel Plate for dinner. They knew what was going on and were waiting there to celebrate with us. As we walked to dinner, I tried to call my mom, my brother, my dad, my step dad, but no one answered their phone. I was furious! We walked into the Nickel Plate, the same place where 6 months prior we had our very first date, and there awaited my family, his family, the Morgan's, and our other friends Chad & Lauren to celebrate with us!

They ALL knew what was happening. My family had driven two hours on a week night to be there to celebrate the wonderful news. Mr. Hoosier had gone back home to ask both my mom and dad (since they are divorced) for their blessing to marry me. When he did this, he then told my mom about his plans and if she could come down to join us in the celebration.

We all celebrated the wonderful news. When dinner was over, we returned to our house with the Morgan's and enjoyed a bottle of champagne on our deck, made many phone calls, and sent a million text messages. I couldn't believe I was getting married to such an amazing man. My mom says it best, "we couldn't have made a better match for our daughter." The evening was truly spectacular and I knew that if our engagement was any sign to how the rest of our lives would be, it wouldn't be short of amazing!"

Twenty months, and an amazing wedding later, I still remember that day like it was yesterday. I am so blessed to wake up to my best friend each and every morning and to share my life with someone as patient, understanding, and caring as him. He TRULY brings out the absolute best in me. He makes me the happiest girl in the world!

Oh, and for those of you that are wondering... Mr. Hoosier was "hiding" in our neighbor's house the whole time while I was getting ready and watching for me. As soon as I walked out of the house, he came back to our house and got the flowers, candles, and ring ready. He is one sneaky guy; especially to be able to surprise a "snoop" like me!

Here is Mr. Hoosier @ the Nickel Plate, sitting in the exact place we had our first date, on the day we were engaged.



Until next time,
H =)