Christmas Card Photo Attempts

Here are a few pics that didn't make the cut for our Christmas card.  Kodi wasn't really into the whole posing scene.

Cancun Trip

Nick and I went to Cancun over my birthday this year.  We had really nice weather for the most part.  We got to play in the ocean (Nick more than me) and drink lots of rum punch! We also practiced our volleyball skills on the beach.  If you check out our pics, you'll see one of a falcon? that had landed on our balcony with half a fish in his claw.  We had to take the picture through the glass door so we didn't scare him away, so it's not super clear, but you can still see him pretty well.  You'll also see Nick trying his hand at a Cuban cigar.  All in all, we had a great trip, and it was definitely nice to enjoy the warm weather for a week as it was only 30 degrees in Indy when we got back!

Tailgating Awesomeness!

As the leaves begin to turn and a chill enters the air, the thoughts of all who wish to still be in college turn to one thing...tailgating!  Once a year we like to pretend we're still of the age where daytime binge drinking isn't just tolerable, but celebrated, so we rallied the troops and headed down to Bloomington to tailgate for the IU/Eastern Michigan State A&M University game.  While we never actually made it into the game (like most of the other attendees), we think a good time was had by all.  Attendees included Rachel and myself, Donovan, Kodi Dogg, Russ and Lindsay and a couple of their friends.  We started the day off with some bloody mary's and gin and juice, and of course, drunkeness ensued.

Pumpkin carving!

Nick and I decided to carve pumpkins again this year after skipping last year and being jealous of all the fabulous jack-o-lanterns we passed in our neighborhood! Nick is obviously a tad more talented than I am in this department.  Sadly, we did not get to dress up this year for Halloween, so no pics of that.  We should have at least put Kodi back in his chicken costume from last year!

Dog sitting!

When Nick's parents went out of town, we packed up Kodi and headed down to the south side to dog sit.  Kodi and Ginger always enjoy getting to hang out together.  We attempted to make poor Ginger a ramp to get up and down the steps, as this is getting hard for her in her old age (as you can see from the pictures, she chose not to use it).  I guess dogs, like people, get more stubborn with age.  Kodi was very careful not to be too rough with her, although we know he wishes she would be a little more active and play with him.  It's nice that he respects his elders I guess.

Eagle Creek

Rachel, Kodi and I took a trip to Eagle Creek to do some hiking before I left the family to do some work in LA.  Kodi got to smell and see lots of new things.  He decided to jump out a window while exploring one of the shelters and had a little trouble getting back in, but he made it.   We also found "Nick B." carved into the wall of the shelter.

Carl's Wedding

Just a few shots!

Russ and Lindsay's Wedding

Russ and Lindsay had a beautiful outdoor ceremony at Laurel Hall.  As you can see, Nick enjoys taking some random photos of unsuspecting people along with the typical shots.  He likes to keep things interesting!

Kodi's going swimming...someday

We bought Kodi a life vest.  Here he is modeling it, although he probably won't get to use it until next summer.  He'd been swimming a little in my parents' pool and at Eagle Creek, so we decided a life vest might make him (and us) feel a little safer.

Chickens for neighbors!

Our neighbor behind us recently bought some chickens.  We frequently see them wandering around in his yard and harassing the poor dog who lives two doors down and is always tied out in his backyard.  They walk right up to him, but stay just out of his reach.  Kodi is also very interested in the chickens.  I think it is probably a good thing that there is a fence between the two of them.  We also hear them crowing at all hours of the day.  Contrary to popular belief, crowing is not just an AM activity.

Triathlon

We decided to try our hand at a sprint triathlon at Eagle Creek this summer:  500 meter swim, 10k bike, 5k run.   We both finished, although we were close to the back of the pack!  Check us out!

Our First Camping Trip

So Rachel and I decided to take a little summer vacation and go camping at a small town on the western coast of Michigan called Pentwater.  We began our stay at the local state park, which was really nice.  It had great facilities and was right by the beach, so we were camping on sand, which was pretty comfortable.  After our first day, however, we were forced to travel to our permanent campsite at a place called "Whispering Surf".  A more appropriate name would have been "Festering Hellhole".  This place was far from the beach, infested with mosquitos, and the bathroom looked like the one those dudes were locked in in that first Saw movie.  BAD STUFF.

Luckily, I called the state park and they had a cancellation, and thus were able to let us come back.  We got a sweet campsite right by the beach, and all was right with the world.  Well, until the weather rolled in.  We were like ants, and God kept destroying our home every night, just to have us build it back up the next day.  Rachel kept her spirits high, even when bailing water after our tent was upturned one night.  I was slightly more grumpy.  All things considered though, it was a great time, and we both decided to make it an annual trip.  You can check out the rest of our pics here.

Our trees fell down!

We had a really nasty storm that knocked over our tree in the front yard and took 2 huge chunks out of the tree in our backyard.  One of the chunks hit our fence and knocked that down too! My parents and Nick's dad came over, and we spent all day cleaning up the mess.  Luckily, we were able to save the tree in the front, and the tree in the back is still standing, although it's quite a bit thinner now.  Check out the rest of the damage!

Home Brew Adventure

So I spent my birthday money on a home brewing kit (thanks grandma!) so I can turn my vice into a viable hobby.  With a little help from my friends, I spent last Thursday brewing my first batch, an Extra Pale Ale (Sierra Nevada clone).  With any luck, I'll end up with 60 delicious Sierra's in my fridge...worst case scenario I can trade them for decent beers.

The batch is currently sitting in the guest bathroom's bathtub (in a fermenter, not just the bathtub), and is bubbling away.  There's a slight aroma of beer in the bathroom (or not so slight if you ask Rachel).  It should be ready for consumption in about 6 weeks, which just so happens to coincide with the conclusion of my summer school class.

If you're interested in some other shots from the brew day, you can check it out here.

Colorado Trip #2

After a few months away from Colorado, Nick and I were itching to get back.  This time we hit up Garden of the Gods and a bigger and better hot springs than our first trip.  We also went skiing at Copper Mountain with Kathy and Jeff and popped in to visit with Cousteau again.  He loves Nick! We also took a the cog railway up Pikes Peak.  We didn't make it all the way to the top due to inclement weather, but it was still pretty cool.  To top it all off, we were super excited because we found a Schlotzsky's in Colorado Springs.  I was so sad when they closed all of our Schlotzsky's in Indy.  Check out our pics here!

Kim's Wedding

On a freezing cold day in March, Kim and Kevin were married at Calvary Lutheran Church.  Their reception followed at the Indiana State Museum, where they had a live band--very exciting! I spent the early part of the evening preparing (with the help of my friend Beringer) to give my maid of honor toast, only to find out later that I was not going to give one (long story).  This was much to my relief, as I was very nervous about it, but by the time I found out, Beringer and myself had already become a little too friendly...a wild night ensued! As you can see however, I was not the only one who made friends with Beringer and his crowd.