Rory Dancing

More Evanston pictures

Rory is so big!

Rory with Watch Beaver II - really he even has a collar!

Taking Tripper to the dog beach, only a few blocks from Sarah & Kevin's.

Visiting Sarah, Kevin & Rory

What a funny dog!

Not sure what I was laughing at more, the dog or his shirt!

Chris & Andrea's

Owen laughing, eating birthday cupcakes, and in case you were questioning the messy table....stamp time! Last picture is some of my finished projects. Can you guess the theme?

Happy Baby

Chris & Andrea told us that Owen would smile when you hit his hands together. Here is the proof!

Addison Dancing at the party

Happy First Birthday Ella!

Age IS really just a number....

So, I had quite a surprise yesterday. With Andrew's birthday 5 days away I was running some numbers in my head. It seems like forever ago that his birthday cookie ready "Halfway to Fifty!" and I was thinking about some of the birthdays we have celebrated as a couple. When you are ten it seems like FOREVER for a year to pass when waiting for b-days, Christmas, summer vacation, etc. One year is 10% of your entire life. Jump ahead 20 years and one year becomes just over 3% of your entire life. I think that is why we say things like, "Wow, I can't believe it's 2008 already!" Months and years go by proportionately quicker with increasing age. When you're young people ask your age; I'm not sure when exactly that becomes an inappropriate question, but I have given my age lately (caucus, marriage license, Dr's office, etc.) and I realized I have been giving the incorrect age! I will be 27 this year and I have been telling people for quite some time that I am 27! What a waste of 26... I even programmed the digital scale in our bathroom (Height 5' 3", Age 27) months ago and just figured it out now. Hmm, this isn't that bad, I guess. Perhaps I am just satisfied with my age and not concerned with the number....or perhaps this is senility setting in...

Barack Obama

I will point out that I still consider myself undecided at this point. Iowa caucuses first, this Thursday, so in the last week Dubuque has had Clinton, Edwards, Biden, and tonight Obama. We parked in Mark & Verna's driveway and walked since it was so close. Managed to get seats too (and not bad ones) courtesy of Andrew's crutches! At the time I'm posting this it is zero degrees and with the windchill it feels like negative twelve.

So we had this bet....

One of Andrew's doctors has quite a bit of sports paraphernalia in the hallways in his office. The doctor is a big hockey guy and he owns a majority of our local hockey team. Now I didn't doubt the authenticity of the signed team photographs (Boston College and the Colorado Avalanche), but when I saw this at the end of the hall I assumed it must be a replica. (Just hanging in the hallway, I would think you'd keep it behind glass or something.) Andrew disagreed. We made a bet (loser buys dinner) and his doctor confirmed it to be "real Tiger". Tonight we ate at the Ground Round. Andrew thinks he is victorious. I secretly am treating myself as I have my own celebration...80 jurors called in and my number was missed by 6 people. The polite recorded voice thanked me for completing my jury service.

Happy New Year!

We had a fun time at Nick and Sarah's house. I managed one whole vodka and cranberry on my recovering tummy. We weren't out incredibly late as I had to work in the morning.