December 25 - Merry Christmas to All

Enjoyed a lovely day at home with Dale, all the kids, and my dad. We are so blessed!

May your season be just as full of joy and laughter and love!

December 19 - Still Ranting

Maybe next week, after the fact, I'll post adorable pictures of all the beautiful Christmas memories made in the Shafer-Johnson household this year. I'm sure by then I'll be able to manufacture something.

In the mean time, today's pissy-ness is focused on all the crafty and delicious gifts that you, too can create at home. I have some very talented friends and acquaintances who make a life, even a living, out of charming ideas. This, however, puts me in the awkward, sticky spot between admiration and defensiveness. Of course, we should all be able to whip up batches of fluffy things to bestow upon every cherished person who crosses our path this holiday season, right? You know, in your spare time.

Why-oh-why can't I even pull off dinner on a regular basis for the 5 people who actually live with me?! Pretty sure that I'd have to give up all personal growth and professional development, household cleaning, and possibly bedtime stories for the kids in order to accomplish all the holiday stuff I dream of doing. Who doesn't want to create her own gingerbread with doily patterns and pass out homemade canned chicken stew to the neighbors.

By the way, do you know how much the ingredients and tools cost to create all this homemade goodness? I figure I'm paying about 3x the cost of store bought applesauce - don't tell my husband - and that doesn't even include the 10+ hrs of labor involved!

So, phooey on you Better Homes & Gardens-Betty Crocker-Martha Stewart types. My Prevention Plan for healthy living just emailed to tell me to manage holiday stress by 1)taking more me-time & 2)lowering expectations. Guilt be damned. So there.
(Yeah, I don't really believe me either...)

December 5 - Why I Hate Christmas

Ok, "hate" may be a bit of an exaggeration. My disdain is certainly not directly aimed at Jesus' birthday, or even jolly old St. Nick. It's more of an expectation vs. reality problem.

Today's rant will focus on charity-itis. You know that irritated sensation of being dried up and stretched too thin, then breaking out in a rash of guilt? Can't seem to shake it this season.

I am being solicited by easily 10 people or organizations a day, not counting my adorable, present-mongering children. (Or the pathetic roadside "I have 5 kids & no job" sign beggars. Don't get me started on that uncomfortable topic.) They're generally worthy or interesting causes. Here's a selection from the past 3 days, in no particular order:

- Potawatomi Zoo

- Impact Campus Ministries

- Andrews University Music Program

- Edwardsburg Food Pantry

- Aerial Photography Association

- Toys for Tots

- Center for the Homeless

- Granger Community Church "Let It Be Christmas" Program

- St. Jude's Children's Hospital

- JC Penny Afterschool Fund

- The Salvation Army

- The Lion's Club

- United Way Adopt-A-Family

- St. Vincent de Paul Society

- Snowflakes for Seniors

- United Health Services

- Care International

All fabulous, right? Now what? I feel like I'm dealing with a crowd of demanding kids. I have to put on my stern no-&-I-mean-it face and start proving my selfishness to the world. No, I do not have spare change for you, perky bell ringer. No, I will not write a little check right now and change a child's life. No, I don't think anyone wants my 2 year old canned green beans. No, no, no! (Guilt, remorse, guilt!)

So, any good strategies out there for navigating the Holiday Season of Giving?! I think my limbs are going to start getting green and furry like a certain Seussical Christmas hater soon!

October 19 - Some Stats

Because I'm on a role, and someone asked me the other day why we make such a big deal about breast cancer:

• About 1 in 8 women in the United States (12%) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime.
• In 2010, an estimated 207,090 new cases of invasive breast cancer were expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S., along with 54,010 new cases of non-invasive (in situ) breast cancer.
• About 1,970 new cases of invasive breast cancer were expected to be diagnosed in men in 2010. Less than 1% of all new breast cancer cases occur in men.
• About 39,840 women in the U.S. were expected to die in 2010 from breast cancer, though death rates have been decreasing since 1990. These decreases are thought to be the result of treatment advances, earlier detection through screening, and increased awareness.
• Besides skin cancer, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among U.S. women. More than 1 in 4 cancers in women (about 28%) are breast cancer.
• In 2010, there were more than 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S.
• About 70-80% of breast cancers occur in women who have no family history of breast cancer. These occur due to genetic abnormalities that happen as a result of the aging process and life in general, rather than inherited mutations.

Add a vociferous advocacy group, a signature fun color (PINK!), and a TON of fundraising = progress toward a cure! Cancer is NOT sexy, but healthy breasts are, so it's a pretty easy sell.

October 12 - More Cancer Stuff (& why I'm a bad wife)

Last Thursday, my charming husband and I attended the Breast Cancer Survivors' Luncheon in Mishawaka, sponsored by Susan G. Komen for the Cure of Northern Indiana. There's still something weird about sitting in a room packed full of white haired or bald older ladies eating dry chicken and cheering each other on for just being alive. I mean it's cool, but kinda uncomfortable too.

My favorite part was listening to the keynote speaker, Dr. Sharon Stack, from the Mike and Josie Harper Cancer Research Institute. She is a professor at Notre Dame and the Science Director at the newly formed Cancer Research Institute, a collaboration between Notre Dame and Indiana University on the latest cancer studies. Her description of the scientific process and some of the work in progress was intriguing and hopeful.

Prize drawings and promotions rounded out the dinner, but I had to leave early to return to work. A few minutes after leaving, Dale texted me to say I won the centerpiece mums. Yippee! I rarely win anything, so I got all excited. Then I read the full text: and he gave them away. Instant selfish grumpiness. I didn't respond.

When he got home, he asked if I got the text and wasn't that cool of him. I turned all sarcastic and bitter. "Oh sure. It's not as if I like flowers or anything. Especially perennial ones that are perfect this time of year." About an hour later, I ran upstairs to put kids to bed and found this waiting in our bathroom:
I am a horrible person. Dale just grinned.

I am a self-centered survivor who is lucky enough to be alive and married to a kind, generous, thoughtful man. That is worth celebrating!

October - Breast Cancer Awareness

It's October already! (My favorite time of year, having nothing to do with pink.) In honor of what started this blog in the first place about 4 years ago, I thought I should mention National Breast Cancer Awareness month.

I'm quietly passionate about this cause. I suppose this is understandable since I've walked a bit of the road, but now it's more about what I see in others. I freakin' HATE cancer! I have two patients right now that should be living lovely, productive lives but are completely bowled over by the daily ravages of this wretched, metastatic disease. I ache for them and their families and soooo wish the disease had been caught sooner.

So. Self-checks are not a joke, no matter how many guys-who-think-they're-hilarious wear suggestive t-shirts. And self-checks for men matter too, 'cause I personally know two males in this area who have been diagnosed in the last year.

Beyond self-care, here's something everyone can do to easily support the cause: click on the Breast Cancer Site link to fund mammograms for others. Each day you can click the box. I'm a facebook fan, so when I see the name come up on my news feed, two clicks completes the job.

Here's to hoping this note finds you all happy & healthy, but willing to check - just in case. Find out more details here.

September 19 - Favorite Author?

"Life's too short to read the same book twice."

I mean really, with so many intriguing, inspiring options out there, why would anyone want to stagnate on repeat and rewind. (Except the Bible, of course. That book tells me more every single time I pick it up! Guess "the living Word of God" thing is pretty literal.) Anyway, that's my operating principle, until the day I discovered some stories become instant favorites that feel like coming home. You know those stories you melt into, becoming a different character in every scene? Those stories that draw you in, that you read fast-slow because you can't wait till the conclusion but you never want to end?

For me, this happened about 6 months ago when I was introduced to Christopher Moore. I accidentally started at the end of a trilogy with an audiobook called Bite Me. Charming, hunh? I haven't been able to stop devouring his stuff ever since! Somehow it's just the right amount of sarcasm, science, faith, geography, sex - and sooo funny! Fortunately for me, he has 12 novels out so far, and more in the works. While wit is a consistent theme, I have yet to feel bogged down by formulaic storyline.

Disclaimer: while well-researched and smart, these are probably not for higher-plain, snobby types. Not quite chick-lit, they still follow a characters-based story-line and include things like accidental vampires and Jesus' childhood buddy.


So I still have trouble saying I have only one favorite, not wanting to commit when I enjoy whatever is coming up next. However, this is one author that definitely makes my top 10 list!

September 18 - Back to School

It's that time of year again. Backpacks are stocked, alarm clocks ready, mornings chilly. Tuesday after Labor Day, thanks to our governor extending the Michigan tourist season by mandating a later school start. September 6th, the buses hit the road.

We're 2 weeks into a new school year with a 7th grader, two 4th graders (Paige & Skyler are in different schools but the same grade), & a 2nd grader. The academic seriousness has definitely ramped up a notch, but the great news is that the kids appear ready & excited about it.

See, doesn't he look absolutely thrilled?

Anyway, we're off to a good start. Two open houses done, one to go. I'm already volunteering in a classroom, since Naomi has the same teacher Skyler had for the past two years, and we kinda have a routine.We're in the early stages, in which the kids don't want to be late & are still trying to impress teachers with their homework skills. Planners are up to date, without yelling. Ah, I cherish the honeymoon phase.

September 8 - Blogworld complaints

I am beginning to truly despise this blogging interface. I haven't had nearly the mental margin I hoped for in composing insightful, life-influencing thoughts on this space. Especially since I spend summers either totally focused on kids, or depressed that they're gone and unable to do anything productive. Then, as I attempt to re-engage, having to spend 15 minutes on dumb spacing issues & font weirdness is absolutely unacceptable.

Must. Migrate. Now.
You know. In my spare time. (sigh)

I've heard good things from Wordpress users, although no one's offered to magically set it up for me. Maybe blogging is all 2009 now. Have we moved on? Are we all focused on pithy 140 character statements and e-books, with no need for the short, personal-journal style any more?

Too bad. I miss this forum, even if it is pretty much for my own thought development. Maybe I'll have time to figure it out now that the kids have moved back home and school has started.

September 6 - Scouts: a Pre/Review

It's a stormy Tuesday evening, and once again I'm yelling at Skyler. "Where is your uniform shirt? What do you mean you can't find your neck kerchief thingy?! You have to wear the belt! You cannot possibly wear those jeans with the giant hole in the knee!! We're going to be late!!"

Ah, that's just one of the joys of Cub Scouts. Here's the deal, we started late in the academic world, since most boys start in Kindergarten or 1st grade, but Skyler never showed any interest until last year. Therefore, we're already behind in the achievement options and adapting to Scout culture. We thought it would be fabulous for him, since organized sports were never a big deal and so few mentoring men options exist for boys. Plus he gets to use knives and bows and arrows, but with the stipulation of self-control and responsibility.

So again, the organizational idea = marvelous. What's maybe less-than-marvelous is the, um, actual organization with events. Because we're late to the party, I don't feel like we quite fit into the club. I am grateful that other adults have committed to walking the boys through maturing steps and setting up events. I understand in my head that they're offering their free time to do these things, and I certainly don't want to do all that every week. Somehow, though, I still end up bored and frustrated with the lacksadaisical agenda that seems to permeate everything.

Ah, good times. When we signed Skyler up for Cub Scouts at the beginning of September 2010, a lot of hurry up and wait is not exactly what I pictured. Now it's 2011, a new school year, and we're gearing up for another season. After the sweaty fun of summer camp, he's still interested in giving it a try.

So if you hear yelling on Tuesday nights... well, it's probably me.

August 28 - Going Public

Today was an A-Maze-Ing day! Today my oldest son, Seth, chose to demonstrate his faith in Jesus by being baptized. My husband, Dale, wrote a great post about it!

Now there are lots of skeptical opinions out there, about whether baptism is necessary, and how sinful the baptized remain, and the meaningless-ness of this step. But as a sinner myself, I take joy and comfort in the words of our pastor, Mark Beeson:

If you're trusting Christ with your life, if you've shown interest, enthusiasm and passion to follow him, God will teach you the rest. He has invited you to follow him, to "remain in him."

You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. -John 15:3

Seth is 12, and decided about 8 months ago that he was ready. He has never waivered in this decision, even though I made him take notes in church, go to extra classes, and quizzed him about "what he learned". I admit he doesn't always get the whole picture, but really, who but God does?! He is maturing practically overnight, and I am so blessed to love and teach him on this journey.

Congratulations, Seth! We are all proud of you!

July-ish

My dad moved here from Delaware. (Yay!) The kids were with their dad a lot. (Growl.) I worked overtime between 2 jobs. (Sigh.) But between all the busy-ness and weird scheduling, we managed to squeeze in some great stuff!

Zoo trips

Art Fair on the Bluff - St. Joseph, Michigan

Silver Leaf Renaissance Faire Fabulousness - a family favorite!

Blueberry picking at the Blueberry Ranch in Granger - 8th year tradition

Wine tours - Southwestern Michigan has some fantastic offerings!

What a marvelous summer! We are so blessed!

June - ish

Wow. I've missed this space! I guess a few things have happened since May...

Sunburst Race 5K Champions! (in my mind)

Jasper & I were attacked walking up our street. (Aww)

Field days, school projects, summer break!, camp fires & friends...

Beach Days (this one with Dad)

Happy birthday to Me!

Zoo Days

I guess that was most of June...

May 26 - Birthday Girl!

Woo-Hoo! My baby turns 7 today!

While she thinks every day is a party worth celebrating with sundaes and sprinkles, she has especially been planning this year's birthday thing for the past 8 months.

Some fun things about Naomi:

- 49 1/2 inches tall

- Favorite colors: blue, white & black
- Favorite food: macaroni & cheese with broccoli & cheese and corn on the cob

- Favorite singer: Britney Spears

- Future aspiration: be an artist
- Favorite hobby: painting (boxes, paper, her eyelids)

Happy, happy birthday, Sunshine!

May 24 - Another Favorite Thing

Complimenting my love of special paper, writing with fancy pens makes me warm and fuzzy inside. When you feel the weight of a well-crafted pen between your fingers, when the fine, black ink easily rolls words across the page, writing long-hand just seems more worth it somehow. These old fashioned tools speak to me of Refinement, of Class. A Tribute to Forgotten Graces.

Waterman, Cross, Mont Blanc, Parker. I have a small collection acquired over time, just uncovered in a drawer last week. Letter writing inspiration! Of course, they're all regrettably out of ink. Ink that must be ordered from someplace obscure, like the antique store that used to be on 4th street, but moved without a forwarding address. Therefore I am left with only holding the treasure for a moment, smiling nostalgically, then returning it to the velvet case. At least until I figure out if Pensfromheaven.com or Nibs'r'Us are legitimate institutions.

And for now, I return to the practical communication venue. Isn't it ironic that I'm electronically blogging about my love for pens and paper?

May 23 - A Few (More) of My Favorite Things

Sometimes when fantasies like kids who do what they're told the first time and running a 9 minute mile seem outrageous, it's just nice to remember some of the tangible "cositas" that make one smile.

- like queso dip, any time, on any thing

- and beach days on Lake Michigan

- all fruit popsicles

- seeds that actually sprout when planted

- fancy paper (ever tried the hand made elephant-dung parchment? It comes in subtle gray and brown. They sell it at the zoo. :-)

- perennial flowering plants that don't have thorns

- dark chocolate covered espresso beans

- Mardi Gras pink toenail polish

And naps without an agenda. (yawn) Have a marvelous day!

May 18 - Paranoia Will Annoy Ya

Maybe it's an occupational hazard of being in home health care. Maybe it's because I've actually sat on a beige pleather bench while a perky little doctor in peach delivers the dreaded "it's cancer" diagnosis. Maybe I truly am a paranoid hypochondriac (placating demurrals appreciated here). Whatever the risk analysis, every time I have a paper cut that lasts more than a day, or congestion that won't seem to go away, I'm convinced my entire body is headed for a breakdown.
Seriously, the string of weird physical things that keep popping up, pooching out, pestering me is bizarre. Yesterday, I was back at the doctor again after fever, back pain, and a 5 week history of weirdness finally made me cave and schedule an appointment. (I hate wasting money on doctors. I should have been a doctor.) After the medical assistant rolled her eyes at my symptoms and questioned me repeatedly about "abnormal discharges" (how would I know what's abnormal any more - apparently the hormone game keeps changing!), I again regretted bothering to go. I like the doctor much better than her assistant. She seems to get me. However, the final diagnosis? Wait for it... Wait... Normal. Nothing's wrong. She gave me a pre-emptive, CYA week's dose of antibiotics, and shrugged. Aaargh!

So, feeling achy and tired and itchy and bloated and sore and having frigid digits but a body temp that fluctuates uncontrollably - all to be expected. Normal 36 year old stuff. No worries. Or, I have terminal psychosomatic whatchamacallit, and will be dead tomorrow. Just in case, it was lovely knowing you all, and to all a good night! xo

May 8 - Mother's are Special

My mom and Charlie visited us over the last week, so we got to celebrate Mother's Day honoring each other, which was pretty fabulous. Especially since my kids couldn't care less about the Hallmark holiday, at least not beyond the required school craft project delivered in staple-happy style.

(Side note: this in no way reflects on Dale, who I overheard trying to coach and inspire them for weeks into honorific attitudes. And who bought me an awesome Kindle with a pretty pink cover. Thanks, Love!)

Mostly, I just wanted to take the time to be thankful for my mom. I am so incredibly lucky to a) still have her around, b) still enjoy her company, and c) still have her expertise framing the domestic side of my life. No one starts projects and directs furniture moving quite like my mother, who seems to thrive on change (definitely more than me) and pursuit of aesthetic variability indoors and out. Thank you for everything, Mom - I love you!

We had a lovely time together. I wish cross-country travel hadn't gotten so ridiculous. Michigan to California is no longer a bi-annual option for this family of five (sometimes six). We'll just have to treasure the time when we get it. I hope all of you had amazing mother's day celebrations too!

April 30 - Race for the Rack! I mean, Cure!

Woohoo! First race of the season and we didn't die! This perky little 5K moved to downtown South Bend this year. Starting from the Cove, our newly renovated minor league baseball stadium, we got to jog back and forth across the St. Joe River.This year around 1600 showed up in the chilly, breezy morning to raise money and show support for breast cancer victims and survivors. This is my favorite race of the season, probably because the theme color is pink and many people have teams with funny names and costumes, plus they provide the best snacks (fruit trays, yogurt, brie, croissants)! The sponsors do an incredible job of honoring the survivors, with a parade and victory chant, fancy flowers and hot pink boas. While I would absolutely NOT want anyone to have to go through cancer, it is kinda nice to be on the other side and be recognized. Although compared to the stories of many, my blip in the road is embarrassing to mention.

Regardless, Dale and I had fun on this lovely little run. The fundraising is still open through the end of the month for this very worthy cause that helps provide screening and treatment for local women. I hope others will consider donating and coming out to join us next year (April 28, 2012), but if that's not your thing, just remember "I Am The Cure"!

April 24 - Easter (Late Entry)

Spring is finally making it's lovely appearance, just in time to celebrate Christ's sacrifice and victory, and all things new and hopeful again. We are so blessed!

Tradition makes my heart happy, as we make memories and grow together as a family. We dyed eggs, hunted for plastic, candy-filled eggs, discovered real robin's eggs in the yard, and chased swallows around the backyard birdhouses.

We ate carrot bunny cake and jelly beans. We fought over egg relay race techniques, then made up and ran together anyway. We missed Naomi, who was on a trip to California with her dad. She posed ahead of time so we wouldn't forget her, and wrote a note to the Easter bunny requesting "educational materials". Funny girl.
Hope you had a fun, springy celebration too!

April 27 - Allergies Smallergies

After two years of various exclusion trials, I'm overwhelmed and not much further ahead. I know I've griped about this before, but I'm temporarily sick of navigating the war zone of food allergies and meal planning, so I'm cataloging the problem to try and get it out of my system.

Skyler is sensitive to dairy products, but only sometimes. He's deathly allergic to fish, like tuna or salmon, and probably allergic to shellfish and fish oils. He's highly allergic to tree nuts, especially cashews and pistachios, and bothered by peanuts but an occasional exposure just requires Benadryl, hydration and rest. Of course, that's based on testing from six years ago, so who knows what else is on the no-no list now.

I get migraines from exposure to these foods:

- onions & garlic (the smell alone will sometimes trigger one)

- asparatame (NutraSweet)

- MSG

- coffee (decaf, regular, flavored - not every time, because I keep trying to make it go away!)

- orange juice

- wine & wine coolers

- sometimes bananas

- concentrated salt

- any processed meats

I get painful oral symptoms from these foods:

- potatoes

- tree nuts

- sometimes raw tomatoes

- sometimes corn

My digestive system rebels against these foods:

- dairy products except some cheeses

- beans

- peppers
And I'm officially dermis-tested allergic to these foods:

- melons: watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew...

- wheat

- and one of the "gum" additives that's in packaged food, softserve and cosmetics

Sigh. The only reason I'm not thinner is that I'm living on loads of chocolate and cheese. I wonder how many ways one can fix rice and blueberries...?

April 25 - Panic Buttons

It was the evening after a relatively relaxing day on a kid-less weekend. I was piddling around on our ancient piano, and Dale was playing with the rambunctious dog. Those two are often rougher than I'm comfortable with, but apparently that's how boys relate to each other, and Jasper doesn't seem to a)hold a grudge or b)be any worse for wear. So usually I try to ignore it.

This time I couldn't. Dale was sitting on the floor behind me, slamming his palm down loudly, making Jasper bark and the floor shake. Suddenly I felt like I couldn't catch my breath, a burning weight tore through my chest. It felt like I'd been shot in the back with a rifle, ripping through my right shoulder blade and blasting a big hole through my front.

My brain felt completely like it was re-living an old trauma. My lungs didn't seem to work, my heart felt weak. I could objectively discern that nothing was physically wrong, but I seemed to keep seeing an open field full of soldiers from around the Civil War times. I couldn't stop trembling. My chest seared with pain. I kept thinking: I don't really believe in re-incarnation - do I? Weird what our minds can do, huh? I don't like loud noises, especially startling ones with aggressive implications. But I live in a house with 3 (sometimes 4) gregarious kids, a sweet dog with a shocking bark, and a drummer. I'm doomed! :-)

April 18 - Blah, blah, blog

All my friends have cool blogs. They update their formats and photos and write lovely stories about family and smart posts about the latest-greatest stuff. I can't seem to keep up! Pretty sure I need something different from Blogger. What I like about Blogger: I'm mostly used to the basics. What I don't like: I just spent the last 20 minutes trying to correct a spacing issue on ONE post and it's still not right! I can't get a header I like that fits. I'm tired of the default background options. I have trouble making links. It won't update to my current email address, so I have to sign-in with a defunct email that I abandoned 3 years ago. Half the time the whole program crashes and I have to start over. But change is hard...

April 16 - Par-tay!

One of my best friends, Sarah, turned thirtysomething last week. I felt we should celebrate her fabulousness, and I missed the actual birthday while out of town, so I threw her a party. At her house. Which she cleaned. And cooked for. And invited everyone to. (Great friend, huh?)



It seems like we used to have more social time. We used to go out. I can't believe it had been over a year since we'd been dancing. Apparently being mature, family-women supersedes aerobic exercise to loud music in smoky dark environments where people-of-questionable-motives gather. Go figure.



Anyway, it's always a good time to gather loads of delicious food and fun people, so we started at her lovely historic home (Buy it now!). Three kinds of soup, bean dip, bacon cream cheese dip, "homemade" potato salad, BBQ beef sandwiches, fruit platters, crackers and cheese, cherry wine and martinis. We are seriously good at simple but delicious food. Oh, and I did manage to make cake.Then it was dancing time! I desperately wish this was available in a less vice-ridden environment. I like dancing. I like rock music. I like fruity drinks. I like people. I like feeling sexy. (I despise cigarette smoke.) Somehow, these things get thrown together and suddenly all I'm concerned about is who's pushing me inappropriately and how tragic the next morning (or next 5 years) will turn out for those around me. Oh well. Maybe it's kinda an intercessory prayer opportunity. Plus a few hours of groove and excellent people watching.

I hope all in all Sarah had a happy birthday party. And that she'll let us do it again. (Before another year goes by and more body parts head south would be excellent.)

April 11 - Spring Break Recap

We had the blessing of spring break with the kids this year, and I actually had the time off to boot. Yippee! I was skeptical how we'd do with that much straight family time, since that doesn't really happen for me anymore, but am thrilled to say it was a joy and a bonding experience.

The first couple of days we spent time with friends in the area, playing, watching movies, scrapbooking. Then on Wednesday, dark and early, Dale and I and the 4 kiddos hit road for the 10 hour drive to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

We met Dale's parent-like friends from childhood, Mike and Nancy, who hooked us up with an awesome place to stay. Together we enjoyed the pools, shuffleboard, yummy food and cable TV, as well as the touristy parts of Gatlinberg. We got to ride to the mountaintop over town in the Ober aerial tram. Whee!

On Friday, we drove a few hours to hang out with (my) Dale's parents, Denise and Dale, and his baby sister Becka. We enjoyed meeting some of the family and playing Apples to Apples, but my favorite part was looking at the decades of photos and memorabilia decorating every wall. Cute little blond baby Dale, awww, posing for prom pictures in his uniform, awww. ;-)

The last day came too quickly, which is exactly how a vacation should go: loving it so much you want "just one more day". We spent Saturday hiking to the high point of the Smoky Mountains, over rocks and behind waterfalls. Insert German accent: you vill valk up dis hill AND you vill like it! I won't say that everything went completely smoothly, but in summary the week was totally awesome and a break worth taking!