Christmas 2007

Christmas this year was quite busy with redecorating my parents kitchen and running from place to place seeing everyone. Not to mention taking care of both my neighbor's cat and my friend's two kittens. My niece and nephew really enjoyed playing with the kittens and were so sad when it was time to leave. Katie has volunteered to help walk all my friends dogs too.
My family usually spends Christmas Eve with the Richards family. And of course we always have fun! Here in this picture is Carissa, Abel, Dad, Ernie, Karen, Levi, Allison (my sister), Danika and then in front Ralph, me, and Mom.

David, Katie, Laura (my sister), and Mike

Dad and Ernie on Christmas Eve

We are all relaxing and talking and playing with my blackberry and instant blogging.

Dutch Merry Christmas

One of my co-workers from the Netherlands is quite talented in both guitar and video editing. Each year at Christmas he records a new one. I wanted to share his from this year since it was so fun!

Eltjo's Merry Christmas Video

Enjoy.

Oprah's Favorite Things - SHAKLEE

Many of you know that I never really watch TV let alone Oprah however I was supper excited to find out that my long time beloved Shaklee products have been discovered and were on the Oprah's favorite things this year.

(note: clicking on the picture brings you to my personal Shaklee website - Enjoy!)

And here is the video clip from the original show that first introduced Oprah's audience to Shaklee.

RSNA

The biggest trade show in Medical Imaging is called RSNA since it is organized through the Radiological Society of North America. Every year it starts the Sunday after Thanksgiving and is held in Chicago at the McCormick Center. It is a busy week and we all have tons going on. It is also fun since we get to see a lot of our co-workers who happen to all be gathered in the same place. This is a video from Philips since Invivo is too small to have made such a thing. I thought it was kind of fun as a video instead of pictures. Enjoy!

Thanksgiving

I again hosted the Thanksgiving dinner this year with a bit smaller crowd than usual. Starting with me and going clockwise you see: Mom, Dad, Mike, Linda, Ralph, and Allison. Ralph is a sweet older gentleman that is close friends with our family. His daughter Linda and her husband Mike joined us since they were in town visiting Ralph. We had a very nice time chatting and watching the Packers WIN! There was certainly a lot to be Thankful for. My older sister Laura and her family joined us after dessert and my favorite thing is when my niece and nephew were sad to leave since they were having so much fun at my house :-)

Violent Oppression of Women

Friends, I urge you to take a few minutes to watch this video. I was crying at the end of it. But I am glad I saw it, it just makes me so sad to know what goes on.

I am also adding a link to a presentation that gives facts about What Really Happened in the Middle East. Very interesting!

Mike's Birthday

David and Katie were pretty excited about the presents! Oh and I was also informed that my 3 year old nephew had his first basketball lesson today!

Portland, OR and my short blonde friends

It was great to get the chance to spend a long weekend out on the West Coast. Bridget and Jen both moved out this way last year and so finally I was able to make a visit. And I admit that it was so much more relaxing than any of my work trips. I am so thankful that I could spend time out here with them and away from work. So refreshing.

Jen and I ventured to the Stash Tea store and I introduced her to my favorite Licorish Tea.
Jen's husband Mike and Bridget both joined us for dinner and we had a hilarious conversation telling bad dating stories. Jen and Bridget also talked a little bit about what it was like to move to Portland.

Bridget and I went to the Japanese gardens which were so beautiful. And this Bridge is on the cover of the book Heaven that I tell everyone to read. Randy Alcorn, the author, is also from Portland.Bridget and I made a fantastic chicken dinner and ate it in her adorable kitchen. While meandering through the city we stopped at the world's largest book store - Powell's - and it was pretty overwhelming. And since they didn't have my Gillian Bradshaw books I wasn't very impressed. There were some funny signs that we saw. This one warns bicycle riders about the tracks. And of course people in Oregon can not spell "Milwaukee" as you can see in this sign. At least the Oregon City, WI is spelled the right way!
The most ridiculous thing ever was on the way from Jen and Mike's house back to Bridget's apartment we had to go over the river. So we got off the highway, merged onto a one way street that was separated by a median. The two different sides of traffic (going the same way) had different traffic lights! Then we went under the bridge that we wanted to be on, and only 2 seconds later made a U-turn to go back under that very same bridge . . . at this point it would have seemed like we were lost but no the actual way to go is make a sharp right turn up a very steep hill through a neighborhood. Not only are there no signs to tell you to go this way but it litterally feels like the highway has completely disappeared. However, after making another turn and passing a few more houses you come to an entrance ramp. This again unmarked is finally the way onto the bridge. And of course Bridget had been explaining this silly path the whole time we were driving and I was laughing so hard "I bout fell out" (Linnea that was for you). For those of you who are curious - that is the Ross Island Bridge. And my friend Bridget is quite well acquainted with her new city - she was not lost, nor did she need a map. Impressive.

Vending machine for pencils

I may have missed out since I went to a private middle school. However I was excited to see such a funny little box on the wall at Bridget's church (it meets in a school)

Laughing planet

Eating in Portland is great! They have the best restaurants with organic natural yummy food. This one was particularly funny also.

The tragedy of the smashed ring

The summer of 2002 Bridget and I had a floss-a-thon contest. Even though I won she only missed one day out of the 2 months so I still got her half of her prize - a silver ring. She loved the ring and wore it every day for 5 years until just a few weeks ago when I was abruptly woken up in the middle of the night by a phone call. Bridget was crying and laughing at the same time as she was telling me how her ring rolled out of her lap into a busy intersection. (due to dry hands from her profession as a dental hygenist she was putting lotion on and that is how the ring was in her lap) She watched in sheer horror as a car ran over her beloved ring. She screamed out "NO!" and ran out for an attempted rescue only to find her mangled ring, meanwhile insensative motorists honked and yelled. I tried to console her with a small gift as you can see in the picture.

Finally! Purpose of Appendix

About 10 years ago I had to have my appendix out and following a relatively simple surgery and quick recovery I immediately started to have other GI track issues. Not to get into the gory details or anything but I was shocked that none of the physicians could actually pin point the problem. I had an upper-GI barium floroscopy scan, a colonoscopy, and a number of emergency room visits with NOTHING. When a family friend told my mother I should take a probiotic (Shaklee Optiflora) that is when everything got better. So I got to thinking . . . hmmm so now I don't have an appendix, and now I need to supply my body with good bacteria to keep it working well. So for the past 10 years I've been telling everyone that I think the appendix was designed to be a safe haven for your body to produce good bacteria. And low and behold the scientific community has made a huge discovery! Surgeons and immunologists from Duke University Medical School believe your appendix produces and protects the good bacteria in your gut. (Scientific Article) I am thankful that they have made this important discovery.

Mob Soccer

Since Katie wanted to play soccer like her Aunt Sarah I have tried to go to the games when I am home. It is so cute! All the little players go running after the ball like a little mob. Katie is the little brunette in yellow, she has a purple hair tie. She is also the one kicking the ball in the video.
Here she is during a kick off.

Politics

I am certainly not the most knowledgeable person when it comes to politics. However I did find this little quiz to be very helpful in seeing who your views line up with. I do hope you enjoy it! I also liked the summary of where all the candidates stand on key issues - helpful for people like me.

Bachelorette Blues

Ho Hum . . . I am single and nearly 32 and I think my entire life is falling apart.

1) I have ceased to fold laundry and have resorted to washing it dumping it in my spare room and just wandering in there for clothing selections.

2) I do not open mail anymore but just put it in a pile on my dining room table and stare at it like it should go away on its own.

3) Due to mail on the table I no longer eat there . . . not to mention that my peace lily is rebelling against my travel schedule and is beginning to look completely sick and instead of stare it while I eat I have decided to ignore it. Yes I am giving the silent treatment to a plant! I know it is pathetic.

4) Speaking of eating . . . when I buy milk I usually buy one pint size skim milk and it often goes bad before I can use it all! Honestly, most of my friends buy multiple GALLON size milk cartons weekly!

5) Dishes do not get put away either - I have decided that the left half of my sink is a perfectly good holding spot for the few items that a single person needs to cook with . . . that is if I even bother to cook. What is wrong with just eating raw broccoli off the stalk?

6) I have entirely forgotten how to brush my hair, blow dry it too, in fact I am not sure I even look in the mirror. Why bother - my computer screen at work doesn't mind.

7) Friday and Saturday evenings only have plans when I am traveling . . . traveling for work that is. I have absolutely no friends that are not dating someone or married. My weekend plans are so pathetic that if I am traveling for work I am wishing I was home . . . and then when I am actually home I think the distraction of work is exactly what I need to forget about how pathetic I am.

8) Fashion Amnesia is becoming a chronic disease. I often stare into my closet and think that there is nothing I could possibly wear - and then I remember that I have nearly no sense of fashion anyway (that part of your brain is deprogrammed in engineering school). The only thing I really like to wear are my yoga pants (TALL size - God Bless JCrew) which are faded and probably about 5 years old.

So here comes another weekend of absolutely no plans besides sitting home by myself. I hate being by myself - I am a middle child and never liked being alone. So call me if you are bored! I can assure you that I will be doing absolutely nothing important.

Dutch People Bike To Work

It is very common for Dutch people to ride bikes EVERYWHERE. So I decided that I should attempt such a thing. Eindhoven is the town where my hotel is and Best is the town where the Philips office is. My coworker, Clemens, was so kind to be my escort so I didn't get lost (I probably would have otherwise) and of course I informed him that he had to be my photographer too. Biking takes about 40 minutes, a taxi takes about 35 minutes, walking+train+bus takes 25 (+5-15 waiting time).

Movies in Eindhoven

Beer and Popcorn . . . you gotta love the Dutch for watching movies in the original language. :) My coworker and I went to see Borne Ultimatum. I only had a hard time when they spoke Russian and then subtitles were in Dutch and not English.

How to stay awake

Well this is one way to not fall asleep in your dinner when you have jet lag.

Actually one of my coworkers met me when I arrived in the Netherlands and then we walked around and then went to dinner at this little bookstore where all the dishes are named after book titles (Dutch titles of which I can't read). So apparently I ordered an appetizer that is the response you give after some says they love you. My entre was called "drowned man floating by"

A Visit to Lisa in Duluth

My friend Lisa got married last July and moved to Duluth, MN. I wanted to get in a visit before it got so cold up there in the Northern most parts of Civilization.

She used to tell me that she was a terrible cook but has completely proven herself to be a fabulous cook - she made me a fantastic Salmon dinner as well as a very nice Chicken dinner. But of course it is tradition to have pizza and cookie dough so we managed to squeeze that in too.

New Noses - well long ago we had a similar picture but with glass eyeball marbles. This type of thing is tradition.

And surprisingly we had a beautiful day "on the beach" - well we at least walked along the water front of Lake Superior. It was 81 that day!

Wine and Harvest Festival

Here we all are at the Cedarburg Wine and Harvest Festival. Sarah, Kelly & Josh, Kim & John, Erin & Eric. The dogs in respective order (Chloe, Mason, and Daisy)

Yum wine tasting! Erin, Sarah, Kelly, and Kim with the famous carmel apples from Amy's

Colleen's Baby Shower

I am super excited for my cousin Colleen (Browne) Temple who is expecting a baby. She is going to make an excellent mother I think. And being a nurse, she will also keep her husband's nerves from getting the best of him. This Colleen and her sister Mary at the shower.

This is my Mom, my Aunt Mary Joyce, and my Aunt Patty who also all came to the shower.

My Uncle Dave, Aunt Carol, Wen, and my cousin Mark. This is part of Colleen's family. We all went out to brunch Sunday morning. That weekend was my first time meeting Wen, Mark's girlfriend and she is so fun and nice that we are all hoping to get together in Chicago some weekend.

I also met Mary's daughter Caroline for the first time. She and I share grandma Gill's middle name of Rose. Here Sue (my mom's cousin), Aunt Carol, Mom, me, and Caroline are in Caroline's room where she was so excited to show us her big girl bed. She wanted us to know that her new baby cousin (Colleen's baby) was going to sleep in her crib. She was a hoot and very fun to interact with.

Cookies with the Calzadas

Whenever I have visited Susan and JC we always end up cooking amazing dinners! So I have a vision of their life of always eating gormet meals. So this time we had broiled salmon with a cucumber dill mustard sauce. So yummy. And of course we couldn't forget about dessert! So here is a picture of our homemade chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches. Yum. And of course Joshua is such a happy baby and came to his FourSquare Aunt Sarah with no qualms about it.

Beach Day

We have a tradition to get our family and the Richards family together for a day at the beach. The David and Katie loved the water. Her favorite thing ever was having me pull her around on my boogie board. Katie didn't really spend any time dry and David preferred playing in the sand. They both really enjoyed playing with Levi and Able and helping bury them in the sand after the yearly tradition of burying my brother-in-law Mike. Our picnic was a complete feast as usual.

Katie Under the Table

We have a birthday tradition in our family where you aren't supposed to talk while you eat your own birthday cake. If you do then the penalty is eating the rest of it under the table! So this year as we celebrated my niece Katie turning 5 we decided she was old enough to play this game too! I was impressed that she made it a quarter of the way through her cake before she said anything! Pretty amazing for such a talkative girl.

She got binoculars, which David liked right off the bat, and an old fashioned alarm clock, which she is very excited to learn how to tell time with!

The clock tower

I learned today that Big Ben is a bell but we all think of this clock when we hear that. Anyway the times are different because the clock is getting cleaned. It is 5:30 not noon. Apparnently this is quite rare to get to see.

Dinner with Lara in London

During my business trip in London not only did I get to see a few sites but I also was able to meet up with Lara (Amanda Zibner's sister, Amanda is a friend of mine from college) and her husband Gernot. Their friend Ciprian (Cip "Chip" for short) also joined us for dinner. We had a fantastic time talking and laughing and just enjoying a nice dinner in London.

Tower bridge in London

Amy and Kevin's Wedding

Amy and Kevin coming out of the church into a sea of bubbles.
The 4square girls: Susan, Amy, Sarah, Kristin, Linnea, Christina, Heather, and in front our beautiful bride Amy, and matron of honor Amanda. Oh yeah, and Kevin on the floor is now officially part of 4square.
This is Amy dancing to Thriller. Quite funny if you ask me.

My New Dog Friends

Sunday afternoon Erin and Kelly and I got together for lunch and games and puppy play group. This is me holding Daisy (Erin's puppy), she is one of the softest dogs ever. Chloe is perched on the couch where Mason is not allowed to go and she likes to be in charge.
Mason likes treats and even though he is just a puppy he is very well behaved and laid back. He has a crush on Daisy we think.

Lunchbox

I needed to take a picture of something with my phone so I could try "mobile blogging"

Aunt Carol, Peg and Sue's Visit

It was a lot of fun to have Aunt Carol, Peg and Sue (my mom's cousins) come to WI for a visit. I hosted dinner although having just come in from out of town got quite a bit of help from my mom on the food part.

Eyes

Okay I thought these eyes were unique enough to take a picture . . .

. . . and then within the same week met a second person with the same eyes. Not related either.
So maybe I am the only one who thinks they are really that weird! Oh well.