True Love

I have decided that the best thing in life is when a child lays their head on your shoulder. It is the most genuine and pure expression of love that there is!

Family Tree

Since I have included member of two different families in the calendar I thought maybe I should give everyone a run down on who everyone is. So here it goes......We'll start with Joe's family. Joe being my husband (not the first but the last). Anyway, his mother is Dreama. Dreama Belle is 95 years old. She lives in an assisted living community (the same one that Grandma Vi lives in). She doesn't see very well and is hard of hearing but she is the sweetest little lady ever! Jim Ottinger is Joe's younger brother. He lives in Noblesville, Indiana with his wife Casey. Jim has two kids: Emily and Chris. Chris's wife is Esta. They also live around the Noblesville area. Joe has three children: Brian , Julie, Lorrie. Brian lives in Chicago and works for a company that brokers rail cars. I don't really understand completely what he does, but he does it well. He is a world traveler and I think he has a blackberry so he must be doing well. Julie lives in Oxford Michigan with her husband Michael and the triple threat: Harrison, Connor & Addie who all just turned two. Julie is still sane by all accounts. I don't know how she got through the first year of raising triplets, but she did it with flying colors. The babies are thriving. They are also bilingual. They sign and talk. They're genius! Her husband Michael is a patent attorney with Delphi. Lorrie is the free spirit of the bunch. She also lives in Chicago and is an RN. She has made San Diego, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Baltimore, Ft. Wayne and Chicago her home over the last 9 or so years. Moving on to my side of the family. We have Grandma Vi who is 87. She now lives at Kingston Assisted Living. Dreama helped her ease into life there and now she seems to be doing well. When she was living on her own, she kept losing weight and falling down a lot. She has been at Kingston now 8 months and has gained back a healthy amount of weight and she is managing to stay on her feet. I got her a decked out walker with a crochet lined basket. Vi had three children: Steve, Roger, and Me. I was an accident, but I have come to terms with that. Steve lives in Leroy, Ohio with his wife Robbie who is the hardest working woman I know. Steve Manages the gun department at Gander Mountain (his latest career, he's had many) and Robbie owns a bakery called "Dessert Works". Robbie makes THEE BEST cheesecake ever. They have been married for a zillion years. Steve has a daughter and they have two kids together: Lisa, Shane & Kyle. Lisa lives in Virginia with her husband Walt and their baby Henry. Henry looks like an adorable little cherub. Dress him down to his diaper and give him a bow and arrow and he could have a career. Lisa is in Real Estate and Walt is a big shot at Coke. It's Coke right? Shane and his wife Dina live in Burton, Ohio near Steve. I'm not exactly sure what Shane and Dina are doing now work wise so they will have to fill us in. They are both ex-military. Dina may still be. I do know however; that whatever Dina is doing she is wearing high heels. Kyle lives in Tennessee with his wife Carrie. Kyle is in the military. Kyle and Carrie apparently got married in February (without telling me) but they are going to celebrate a big wedding in September that I guess I get to go to. Haven't got an invite yet. Kyle is the one that affectionately named me Auntie Pantie. At least I think it was affectionately. Then my brother Roger. He died on my mother's birthday June 24, 2005. I have a lot to say about Roger but I think that I will save that for another time. Suffice to say that he was the best! Roger's girlfriend Laura lives in Colorado Springs she's busy being a grandma and she is keeping Roger's memory alive. She recently did a walk for brain tumor research in Roger's name. Roger had 5 children. Kim, Karena, Kenny, Karl and Kris. Kim lives in Colorado Springs with her husband Brad who likes to hike with guns and their children Matthew and Hailey. Matthew is a baseball player probably pro by now and Hailey is the next Mia Hamm. Karena lives in Georgia with her husband Tad and their 3 kids: Amber, Zach and Cole. Tad is a career military man. He looks hot in his uniform. Did I say that out loud? Karena is going to have to fill me in on what she and the kids have been doing. I know Amber was a figure skater. Are you still? Kenny and his wife Lauren live in Colorado Springs. They have two girls.....girl dogs that is. Go to the link to Lauren's blog and you can find out what she and Kenny are doing. Karl and his wife Monica live in California. Karl is a construction guru. I don't think that is the exact title, but it's close. Last I heard they were expecting. I need details people!!!! My little Kris lives in Iowa and is making the lives of Chemistry students a living hell or so he want to make everyone believe. He teaches Chemistry at a college. What college? Are you still in school yourself? What's the dealy yo? Then there is me. I have two kids: Bryan and Amanda. Bryan and his wife Sarah live in Ft. Wayne along with their two boys: Julian and Nicholas. Bryan recently changed jobs and is working for Evans Toyota. Sarah is going to school to become an RN. I better stay on her good side in case she's my nurse someday. Julian is going to preschool and is a genius. Nicholas is turning 2 later this month he is on his way to genius. Amanda is married to Brad and they have a baby named Jaxon. Jaxon will turn one next month. He is also a genius. I get to watch Jaxon on a regular basis while Amanda is at work. He and I have a good time together, but I never get anything done. That's ok though. Amanda and Brad started a business last August. They do 3D/4D Ultrasounds on pregnant women. Amanda works at the business and Brad has a job with Sirva. It's a moving company. You may notice Scott & Brie M. on the calendar. They are technically not family but they might as well be. They are friends of both Bryan and Amanda. They own 1/2 of the business with Amanda and Brad and Scott works with Bryan at Toyota. They are just too cute for words and we love them. Bonnie is also extended family. She lives in New York now. She and Iowa Kris were an item for a long time, then they weren't, then now I don't know, but I've seen pictures. Soooo maybe they will share their story at a later time. I think I covered everyone. If I forgot anyone, it certainly wasn't intentional and I will grovel and make it up to you if you let me know. Feel free to fill in details that I may have left out. I look forward to hearing from you. Oh Lordy, I almost forgot about Ellie. Ellie, for those of you who have not been graced with her presence, is our beloved Chihuahua. She pretty much goes everywhere we go. Joe is obsessed with her. If I ever let anything happen to that dog Joe will probably divorce me. She's a real pain in the ass sometimes but we love her to death! That's everything in a little tiny nut shell! I wish I knew more. I would like to mention too: Karena, Matthew, Karl, Monica, Lauren and I climbed Pike's Peak on June 30th 2005. That is a feat that I am quite proud of and prouder still that it was with my family.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIE

I hope your birthday is good. I know you haven't felt very good for a few days, so maybe a good birthday celebration will help make you feel better. Eat some cake, take a bubble bath and have a glass (or two) of wine. I know that always makes me feel better. You may have to go to someone else's house though to do that since the triplets may have other plans for you. Try and enjoy yourself. Everyone here sends love and kisses.

Back home again in Indiana

There's no place like home. Home is where the heart is. Home Home on the range. Home cooking. Homemade. I love Florida, but it's too far away from everything! The weather here has been great since we got home. I rode my motorcycle for the first time since last fall. I want Kenny and Kris to know that I am much better at riding than I was when they tried to teach me on that old little motorcycle that I couldn't keep running. I only almost hit 1 pedestrian today. It was his fault though! I anticipated that he was going to walk off of the curb without looking, and he did. Don't you sometimes secretly just want to run over people like that just to teach them a lesson? Anyway, it's good to be home.