cold and cozy night

We love using our fireplace in our new house. It appears that Harvey is a fan too.

p.s. tonight I am going to the Gymnastics Superstars tour with my Grandma. We have floor seats and I am so excited to see Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin that I couldn't sleep last night. I'm pretty sure they won't allow cameras, but I'll try to sneak one in so that I can blog.

Go Hawkeyes!

Yesterday we went to the Iowa vs. Penn St. game where the Hawkeyes beat the undefeated, 3rd ranked team in the country. It was freezing cold (high was 33) and there were snow flurries for most of the day, but thanks to a fantastic heater and the power of a few beers we stayed warm and toasty during the tailgate and only froze during the game. We had a great time.

Here are some pictures.

The final score, Go Hawks!

The field after the game when all of the fans rushed down.
Made me kind of clausterphobic to look at, I stayed in the stands.

Melissa and I trying to stay warm during the game.

Nikki, Mike, Me, Herky the Hawkeye, Melissa and Trent

Melissa, Nikki and I

maybe you should all get my autograph now...

So a few weeks ago I let Mike talk me into getting the game Rock Band. Now I'm not sure how many of you know about this game, but basically it is like Karoke, except for there are drums, a lead guitar, a bass guitar and vocals. You play along to a variety of songs and can form your own band and the better you play the more fans you get and then the more gigs (that's right, I said gigs, some people were just born to rock) you can play. I am pretty sure that this game was designed and marketed to people much younger than Mike and I but we are sort of addicted. We have come to learn our strengths as musicians (I am a phenomenal bass guitarist and couldn't play the drums to save my life and Mike is pretty much good at all of them). Sometimes I worry that our neighbors will see into our windows at night and see us jamming out on fake guitars and dancing around and have us committed. But, it is a really great distraction from real life and it is kind of fun to unleash your inner rock star.
ROCK ON!

rocking chair

We got a call last week that the rocking chair we ordered from Babies R Us in early July was in, ouch! Mike went and picked it up tonight and we are going to put it up in the baby's room. I am supposed to be rocking a baby in that chair and not sitting in it with empty arms. I know God will bless me someday with a baby to rock in this chair, but right now it just seems to be a cruel piece of furniture that is mocking me. Is that a bit dramatic?
p.s. Thanks to the Rozeboom/Criddle clan for letting me crash your party this weekend. It was great to see all of you and to get to love on Lulu for a few minutes!

Thoughts and my new favorite blog

I have been struggling with knowing what to put on this blog lately because I feel like it should be funny and witty anecdotes about my life, but the truth is William still occupies my thoughts most of the time. It is a very weird phenomenon because my life from the outside looks much like it did before I was pregnant, in fact if you didn't know me before you probably wouldn't even know I was pregnant. But on the inside I am profoundly changed and it is very hard to reconcile these two things. I don't want to stop thinking about him and I don't want people to stop asking because then he will be gone, but at the same time it is hard to bring up your recently still born baby in daily conversations.

So, although this is not a funny and witty anecdote, it is where I am now and that's the best I can do.

On another note...
I was blog-surfing last night and found a real gem. It is written by a woman that has been through a very similar situation as I have with losing a baby boy at 30 weeks. I spent several hours reading it from the beginning and it was a very surreal experience. She describes so many thoughts, feelings and experiences that I have had. I can't even tell you how comforting it was to read her words because she has the guts to say so many of the things I haven't been able write. She is now pregnant with her third child (first was an early miscarriage, second was Henry born still earlier this year). She is understandably very nervous and would probably appreciate any prayers sent her way.
Check it out if you have time.
http://rooneyslittlemusings.blogspot.com/

A much needed vacation

Mike and I got home last night after a lovely trip to Estes Park, CO. It was a great getaway for us to spend time together as we passed the due date of the baby. We got to see my parents who had been there the previous week and stayed over two days to hang out with us. We also hiked, read, played lots of Skipbo, fished and visited the New Belgium Brewery in Fort Collins. It was a heavenly vacation. Attached are some pictures for your viewing pleasure.

My Mom and Dad, love them!

I'm not the best photographer, but the changing colors of the trees were beautiful.

A place called the Alluvial Fan in Rocky Mountain National Park, very cool.

They make yummy beer!

After a 6+ mile hike to the Bridal Veil Falls. We aren't in the best of shape so there was a lot of huffing and puffing, but we made it and the waterfall was totally worth it.

p.s. I was amazed how much I missed reading all of your blogs during the 8 days I was gone. Without a computer I had no way of knowing how Katie's move was going, if Blogyn had sold the beloved jeep, and whether or not Lulu had discovered the cure for cancer (she's very smart you know). I also had several blogworthy moments where I thought, "This would make the perfect entry." One of these moments was when I saw two roadside stands in Colorado. One said "Donkeys for Sale" and right next to that was "Knives, Swords and other Weapons sold here." I thought 'Great, one stop shopping for souvenirs for the nieces and nephew.' I was hesitant about joining the bloggin world at first, but I have really come to value this little community. It's good to be back!

the first step is admitting you have a problem.

I am ready to admit it. I have an addiction that I think I need help for. I'm not sure if this particular addiction has a name, but it involves the obsessive watching of television shows that are not only morally corrupt, but are created for people far younger than I am. My number one dealer for this illicit substance is the CW for providing me with the glorious drugs of Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill and 90210. However, when I can't get a fix from the CW, MTV is there for me, hooking me up with the equally addicting Hills and Real World/Road Rules Challenge.
Yep it's true, I'm a junkie. I can't get off the smack. It is affecting my ability to get things done around the house, spend quality time with my wonderful husband, and generally clouding my ideas about what is and isn't appropriate activity for teenagers.
I will admit that Tivo has made this addiction slightly less crippling, but I think we can all agree it is still a huge problem.
I think I may need an intervention, so if someone could help me with that it would be great.
(Just not Mondays between 7 and 9:30pm or Tuesdays between 7-8pm or Wednesdays between 9-10pm. Other than that I'm pretty much open).