Winter Fun, Dorms and the Land of Lincoln

My nephew started to college mid-January, and luckily, he's a little closer than he has been so one evening, Mom, Zoie & I went to visit him and check out his dorm room as he embarked on collegiate life!



After some pretty January snow was falling, I bundled Zoie up to go outside and she did her first "snow angels." She kept saying, "wings fly so keep arms high!"



On another day, Grandma wanted to get Zoie a sled so we headed off to Wally world and found her a saucer. We got home and Grandma (and I) took her on some runs around the back yard. She loved it! She kept saying, "Go faster, Gramma!" Indie got into it too as we let him off his tie-out since we were outside to make sure he didn't go through the fence!





Next was her/our first go at a snowperson...we think she turned out beautifully - her name was Crystal (as in Frosty's wife).





As for me, I was sent on a short work assignment to Lincoln County, Illinois...I was only there a couple of days, but snapped some photos...it was very appropriate to be there at this time since this year marks Honest Abe's 200th Birthday! Very cool...

^^ Christmas & New Year's 2008 ^^

Well, here is our holiday post - FINALLY! It's been a busy new year so I hadn't gotten a chance to do this until now. Since I had to travel for work in December, it made the month go even faster! One early gift that we all received was the notification that on top of the regular holidays we got off, my company was giving us the three days between Christmas and New Year's off as holiday time as well - 12 days off, paid, and not using any vacation time! Woohoo!! I felt like a student again!

Zoie was really into things this year and was even more into the Santa thing. In fact, she was willing to go see Santa and sit on his lap - so I very quickly got her to the mall before she could change her mind! When we got to the area where Santa's 'little village' was in the mall, she looked at me and said, "He's BIG!" He was also a very sweet, authentic looking Santa. Even more touching and poignant than her sitting on Santa's lap, Zoie took the Biblical aspect of Christmas to a new level...for those of you who didn't know, SHE was born in a stable in a manger bed of hay and I am Mary...you ask her where she was born, and this is what she will tell you with strong conviction! And if there's a blanket nearby, she will have it wrapped up around herself and saying, "Look, I'm baby Jesus," faster than you could turn around! I love that this is what she talked about the most - very touching and so pure.

We headed out to Gary's on Christmas Eve evening and we did leave a letter for Santa this year - she told me what she wanted to write and she also wanted to trace her hand for him...


The next morning, I showed her that Santa had written a note back to her but she was more interested in what he left for her, so we started with the stockings. Uncle Gary showed her how to dump the stuff out and she was overjoyed to find CHOCOLATE!





Then she saw a few other things that were from Santa. It's twin girls! She loves them so much!



To be continued when I have time...

First Snowfall / December

I'd heard the weather forecasts...this is what I saw out the screen door when I opened it at 5:00 a.m. - the light that is trying to shine through is the front porch light.

Ultimately, the freezing rain, sleet and some snow made for a "snow day" at our house - I didn't make the treacherous drive to work and kept Zoie home. We had fun watching the weather from the warmth of the house...





Zoie & Indie had fun playing together for a while...but Indie was itchin to get out in the cold and snow - he becomes like a playful pup then!

A Trip to Nowhere...Sort Of (Part 2)

As I was wrapping up my work assignment and had a bit of free time, an associate from Greensburg took me on a little walking tour of the immediate area around our "temporary office"...Greensburg was (and still is) known for being home to the world's largest hand-dug well. (For the story behind the well, go to: http://www.bigwell.org/bigwell.html)




Since then, they've become known for the tornado and rebuilding as America's first "green" town...Here are pics of what used to be a straight & true flagpole and the city park's merry-go-round after the tornado got through with them:



There are also partial walls standing on some buildings that weren't completely destroyed. I didn't take a photo of it but on the corner of one block there were 2 concrete stair cases facing each other...I was told that is all that was left of the very old Presbyterian church in town.



One of the first and most impressive achievements in going green was the construction and opening of the 5.4.7 Arts Center in Greensburg. As an arts center, it's purpose is to raise awareness of fine arts, both visual and performing, make the arts accessible to everyone and provide an environment to create and learn through classes, exhibits and performances. The exhibit going on while I was there were examples of works by a master quilter/textiler named Patricia Hobbs...just magnificent detail, creativity and originality on these pieces!





The building itself is a work of art...and a lesson in building green! It was built using reclaimed building materials from the Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant, established in 1941 as the world’s largest powder and propellant plant, playing a historic role by providing munitions during World War II and the Korean and Vietnam conflicts. There are over 1,000 retired ammunition buildings within the 9,000 acre site, and Studio 804 (designer/constructor of the building) is currently in the process of deconstructing a magazine building to salvage building materials. The effort to reclaim structurally sound lumber, as opposed to using new lumber, is only one of many ways that Studio 804 continues to promote sustainable practices in the design/build industry. The roof is covered with plants that are used to create energy and they also have their own mini-wind turbines.






So, it seems the middle of nowhere sure has a LOT going on!! It was definitely an interesting and educational trip...they're some resilient folks out there on the prairies!