Cute Video of Ben playing ping pong

Newest Phone

My latest phone just started being sold at Verizon - Introducing the w755.

I actually really like this phone myself (little biased I know....) it has just enough features to be fun, but not too many to make it cost too much. I would probably go for the gray version myself. Purple just really isn't my color.

what else to do in Destin...

We went to the Gulfarium. It had seen better days, but the trip was still lots of fun.

That is Ben, Madgie, and Patch peering through the railing on the far left.

Posing with Madgie and Patch.

Of couse there was doubles ping pong.

Let's just say it is a good thing for them that the Soviet Union disbanded...

Sand Castles

Of course what is a trip to the beach without building a sandcastle.

Here the whole gang starts working.

Well the adults took a break, Ben soldiered on

The finished product.

Beach Bums

Going to the Beach sure is fun.

Although we did stare at the waves with some apprehension....

We went for long walks on the beach when the sun was setting.

Of course we did lots of just hanging out too.

Destin Part 1

I am very sorry for the delay, but wouldn't you know it my computer had a major breakdown the first day in Destin.....Very frustrating as I needed to do a fair bit of work as well. Fortunately Patch let me take over his computer for the vacation, but I didn't want to install the photo software I use on his computer. All in all though a big thank you to Patch.

When we first got to our Destin Rental house Ben and I decided to stick our feet in the water....It was a little chilly early in the week.

We have been trying to take some good pre little girl arrival pictures. This is my favorite so far....I will put up some others....Unfortunately Ben wasn't the most cooperative in this photo shoot. (Hence no Ben)

Ah a nice Patch and Madgie tradition....Cheese and Cocktail hour....Ben is enjoying a lovely 2008 Holstein.

Another pre baby girl picture....But Where Is Daddy!!!

Leaving on a jet plane..

All his bags are packed...

He's ready to go.

The family headed down to Destin to spend some quality time with Katrina's family.

As soon as we got there we had to spend some quality time with Patch alone.

Big News and Congratulations

Just wanted to wish a big Congratulations to Ben's cousin Tim. He has been invited to join the 2011 Class of the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (link). This is a great accomplishment and we are very proud of him.

On another unrelated note....I just learned where the expression "Out of left field" came from. Read all about it....

Happy Mother's Day

We had a great Mother's day and we wish a great one to our Moms and all the Moms out there.

Here is Ben and Mommy snuggling after church.

Ben made some really great gifts as school over the past week.

Here is a really funny Q and A that Ben filled out about his Mommy. All I can say is that at least he doesn't think Mommy's favorite thing to do is drink wine. (Although eat is pretty funny.....)

New Political Pundit

Just thought I would share a funny story.

Katrina and I were discussing a little politics over dinner and who Barack might pick for his VP on the ticket.

Ben interrupted us and pronounced that he liked broccoli. So now if you ask him who he wants to be president, he answers Broccoli. So I will join in...Broccoli in '08!

I guess it's my turn...

10 Years Ago I was...
Finishing my first year of college at Notre Dame

5 Years Ago I was...
Finishing my first year at KPMG, enjoying married life, our house, and our puppy.

1 Year Ago I was...
Going to Hawaii with my wonderful husband to celebrate our 5 year anniversary, eagerly awaiting our son's first steps (which thankfully happened a few days before we left for Hawaii), and contemplating having a second child.

5 things on my "to do" list today...

1. organize my iTunes
2. wash the baby's sheets
3. put the baby's new clothes away in her dresser
4. work on counting with Ben
5. oh, and about a million different things at work :(

5 snacks I enjoy...

1. ice cream
2. peanut butter cups
3. m&m's
4. cheeze-its
5. grapes (finally something healthy!)

5 bad habits...

1. laziness
2. too much TV - not enough reading
3. procrastinate getting ready in the morning (and getting out of bed)
4. not walking the dog enough (leaving that to Paul)
5. buying too many purses

If I were a billionaire I would...

1. quit my job!
2. go on a long vacation
3. donate more money
4. buy a bigger house
5. fly home more often (especially since I wouldn't be working!)

5 places I have lived...

1. San Francisco, CA (where I was born)
2. Rockville, MD
3. Jacksonville, FL
4. Notre Dame, IN
5. Chicago

5 jobs I've had...

1. Worked in my Dad's billing office
2. Babysitting
3. Intern at Arthur Andersen
4. KPMG
5. That's all the jobs I have had

I would love to know more about...

The same people Pablitorun tagged...

Tag your it!

I always stunk at this game when I was a kid....

This is a little game bloggers play in order to get to know a little more about each other. I was tagged by KandApeck, who is a high school friend of mine and Katrina's.

10 years ago I was:
Finishing my freshman year of college at Case Western Reserve University.

5 years ago I was:
Finishing up my second year at Motorola.....Getting ready to celebrate my first Anniversary to my wonderful wife and enjoying the end of the first year of life in our house.

1 year ago I was:
ehhh pretty much what I am doing now....buying a road bike I guess....whoohoo.

5 things on my "to do" list today:
1. Get my hair cut
2. Pull weeds in the yard and flower bed....probably not going to happen
3. Find a Mother's Day present for KatrinaRun
4. Run some stuff back to the library
5. Finish figuring out life insurance.

5 snacks I enjoy:
1. beef jerky
2. starburst
3. skittles
4. Turtle Mochas
5. sunchips

5 bad habits:
1. staying up too late
2. too much coffee
3. not shaving
4. too much internet
5.not enough blogging

if I were a billionaire, I would:
You mean when not if right?
1. Invest in alternative energy
2. Invest more in Prosper :)
3. Take a slooooooow trip around the world
4. Run more Marathons
5. Buy a nicer road bike.....that's probably what's keeping me slow in triathalons not the whole lack of training thing.

5 places I have lived:
1. Jackson, MS
2. Madison, MS
3. Jacksonville,FL
4. Cleveland, OH
5. Arlington Heights,IL (Chicagoland)

5 jobs I've had:
1. Furniture Refinisher
2. Steel worker
3. Physics Instructor at CWRU
4. Electrical Engineering Lab Instructor at CWRU
5. Multimedia Design Engineer at Motorola

I would love to know more about:
1. Momidomi
2. AGTrex...I here she has a blog somewhere
3. Mr. Keegan Glynn
4. KatrinaRun