Merry Christmas

Another Year Another Too Tall Tree

Gathered last weekend to decorate Papa Bruce's Christmas tree. His goal each year is for the Angel to touch the ceiling.  He was only about an inch shy this year.  Historically his trees are so tall that he secures them to the wall with wire because we have learned that kite string is not strong enough!!!

Fall

This was the October view from my bathroom.  

San Deigo

Todd tagged along with me to the annual CCH conference which I attend for work.  It is a great conference and this year it was hosted in San Diego where Todd's cousin, Marc and his family reside.  So we flew out early to spend some time with them and spend some time together.  Due to school, TJ stayed behind with Doug and Amanda.  It only took 24 hours to deprogram him :) 

                                  Petco Park 
Mateja

Todd Dreaming about a New Car - DO NOT TOUCH!

HALLOWEEN 2012

TJ the Morph

Bumble Lea

Hope Everyone had a Happy Halloween! This was a turning point year for us and Trick-R-Treating.  TJ opted to not go door to door gathering candy for his dad and I to eat the entire month of November (although slightly disappointed, my hips thank him).  Instead, TJ, his friend, Garrett and some other young men suited up in Morph suits and attempted to scare the wee ones.  This may have been more effective if I had allowed TJ to go without shoes but the only ones that currently fit him a neon organge.  Needless to say, he was sneaking up on noone.  The "Morphs" were armed with silly string and to the best of my knowledge police were not involved!

IU

Todd, TJ, his friend, Jack and I had great seats 

thanks to Pete and Sarah Bustamante to the 

IU game Friday evening!  

They WON! 

Jack and TJ 

A Future Justin Beiber?

Fall Break 2012

While the rest of the world went south for their new Fall Break 2 week schedule, TJ and I (along with my Dad) went west to St. Louis for TJ's 2 day Fall Break.  Atleast we had one and someplace to go.  the plan was for TJ to take along a friend but said friend did not do so well in one of his classes and managed to get grounded for life the day before we left.  So.....I pulled my hair back and put on my tennis shoes for an afternoon of climbing, sliding and banging my head off metal structures that I am too curvy to be crawling through in the City Museum.   The place is awesome even at my age.  At one point, Dad and I followed TJ up 10 flights of stairs to only be able to come down a very winding slide down 10 floors.  I was dizzy for the next hour!  Needless to say, I was curled up in our hotel room fast asleep too early to admit to.  The next day, we ventured to the zoo.  It may be one of my favorites and we have been to many!  Back in Indy, armed with flashlights, I took TJ and two friends, Jared & Jaden to a corn maze!  They had much fun and I had to have my car cleaned today to remove all the mud, corn and hay.  To finish off the weekend, the Colts won! Back to work and school tomorrow as we count down the days to our next break - Thanksgiving in Florida!   

COLTS WIN

First I have to document how disappointed TJ and I were to find so MANY Packer fans in our stadium.  It was a sea of cheeseheads.  But in the end it did not matter as our COLTS won.  CHUCK STRONG.  

In or Out or Both

We have learned Lea is not a fan of wood steps (ie. the deck steps) and therefore we are grateful we did not splurge to fence the backyard!  However, this new task of having to walk her several times a day is getting old quick!  She still loves to be outside and spends time on the deck. However on this particular morning she was a bit undecided whether to be inside or outside so she opted for both!  

Something Old....is New to Me

Our new bedroom has a sitting area and I immediately thought of the perfect item for this space.........mom and dad's antique couch!  I never dreamed Dad would part with it.  It was the first piece of furniture they bought together.  Mom re-upholstered it and did the needle point on the back.  It looks great in our bedroom!  LOVE IT! 

Basketball Goal Installed

TJ's basketball goal is up and ready.  Time to move from the fisher price goal in the basement to the great outdoors!

Cadet A Team

TJ's hard work on the court is paying off.  He made the CYO Cadet A Team for his school.  He will be the only 7th grader but he said that is "okay".  The season starts in a few weeks.  Luckily, the concrete pad is installed and the basketball goal is up and ready.  It is a little close to the garage door so I am pre-ordering replacement lights.  Go Tigers!

Whew - we have a three car garage!

Hail......and our cars are safely tucked away inside our garage.  

OH DEER

I have to keep reminding Todd that he can not use our back deck as a tree stand.  Since moving in, we have seen deer in and around our yard daily.  Here is are two fawns in our front yard.  

Kaylor Seymour

TJ & Kaylor  before the CTK JV football game on September 12th

Fall Ball

Since TJ is not playing football, we signed him up for fall baseball with Fall Creek Little League with his classmate, Alex.  This is giving TJ something to do on Saturdays and to get him some innings pitching since he did not pitch much this past summer to allow his elbow to complete heal. His team is MICHIGAN!  

2012 NFL Season Begins

TJ and I attended the season opener in Lucas Oil Stadium and celebrated a win!  

GO COLTS!

Birthday Party at Bath Junkie

 Ramona, Noreen, Diana, Me and Danelle

 Diana, Kirstine, Me and Cindy

Amanda, me and Nicole 

To celebrate my birthday, I hosted a party at Melissa's new store.   She served wine and cupcakes and everyone mixed up their favorite scents to take home.  It was a fun evening!  

William Snakespear (Bill)

TJ's friend, Andrew holding Bill at my brother, Doug's house.

Bob Dylan Concert

While Todd and I attended Todd's 25 High School Reunion at the Garage in Columbus, TJ attended his first outdoor concert with his Uncle Doug, Aunt Amanda and Papa Bruce.

Back to School Party

On August 17th we hosted the 6th annual boys only back to school party for TJ's classmates.

Happy 98th

August is a busy birthday month for our family: from youngest to oldest: Evan, Ethan, Tyler, Amanda, Todd, Noreen, Bill Sr., and Grandma who we gathered with last night to celebrate her 98th birthday. Amazing! I pray that I am blessed to be as active as she is should I live as long. She has her own little apartment within an assisted living facility so she can get extra help bathing, taking her meds regularly and for meals that she does not wish to cook in her kitchenette. She can recite stories from her childhood and knows what day it is. She can see and hear better than my 13 year old at times and she walked from her apartment to the club house to celebrate with us using a small walker. Did I mention that she is amazing!

Happy 35th

We celebrated Amanda's birthday at their new to them home on Oakland Ave. They have been moving in, painting and working hard to make our old home theirs. I really like the colors they are using and I know they are enjoying the backyard.

Kip helping Amanda's brother, Ben light the candles.

Dad & Doug playing corn hole.

First Day of School

My favorite seventh grader is........

Bath Junkie

BFFB, Melissa opened her very own Bath Junkie retail store. I am so excited for her. We arrived promptly at 10 a.m. on opening day to do a ribbon cutting ceremony and be her first customers!

Basketball Camp

TJ attended a week long basketball camp at Taylor University. We delivered him to campus Sunday evening and retrieved him Friday around dinner time. He had a great time. He roomed with his classmate, Elijah but knew 6-8 other boys there. He also made some new friends.

Promoted

I have been promoted to Director of Operations at Somerset CPAs.

Busy Month

Following the sale of our home, the wedding, the purchase of our new home, vacation, relocation and unpacking....life is starting to settle into a normal pattern...kinda.

Nita and Hef

On our way back from Myrtle Beach we took a detour north to visit my best friend from high school and her family. We arrived just in time for dinner. We

had a great but too short visit before we had to depart for Indiana the next morning.

1412 S Ocean Blvd

This was our address over the 4th of July. We along with the Horsleys, Cappellettis and Burhenns rented a house across the street from the beach. We had a great time. The kids loved the pool and spent hours at the beach surfing the waves. The fireworks were right on the beach and a little scary..........very close and above our heads. But spectacular.

BULL

While at Broadway at the Beach......Todd challenged Mason to a dual bull ride. Mason won.

Myrtle Beach - Cal Ripken Tourney

It is not a secret - TJ is a very lucky young man. This year, we joined his travel baseball team for a week in Myrtle Beach so they could play in the Cal Ripken 12U baseball tourney. The competition was strong. There were teams from as far away as Puerto Rico, Michigan, New Jersey and Texas and everywhere in between. The boys played hard despite the record heat (103 in the shade). They played on turf fields which added an extra 20 degrees to the sun! Needless to say, we went through lots of suncreen, G2s and water! They won 4 of their 5 pool play games and earned the #4 seed. They kept winning and made it the semi-final game. They lost to a team that had an undefeated season and run-ruled every team they faced in the tourney - except us. We lost 4-1 but with our heads held high!!! Other teams were complimenting our boys on their play. It was a fabulous way to end the season! Todd has all the stats but TJ hit the ball the best he has all season and bounced one off the top of the fence. However is bounced the wrong direction - back onto the field. So close to a home run.

It is officially ours

We sold our home of 17 years to Doug. We purchased a new M/I House on the north east side of Indy. We are excited about making it our home.

Just Married - June 23, 2012

Doug and Amanda Bruce

Photos - Top: My favorite son. Next: Fantastic "Groomswomen." Next: Dad and Amanda in his 1931 Buick - which was the get-away car! Last One: This is the Just Married sign Doug made for me 15 years ago!

SOLD

"Bitter Sweet" is the best way to describe how I feel. We sold our home of 17 years. Doug and Amanda will move in soon. I am very excited for them and happy that we know who will continue to enjoy the home. We have many great memories of this home.

Happy 13th Birthday

We celebrated TJ's birthday with family on Father's Day. I am in denial that we have a teenager under our roof. Took him to the doctor for his annual check up and he measured 5'5" tall and weighed 109 pounds. He grew more than 5 inches in a year. No wonder I was constantly purchasing new school uniform pants. And the doc expects a similar amount of growth within the next twelve months!

Runner-Ups

TJ's travel baseball team played in a tourney at the Indy Sports Park this weekend. They started Friday night with a win and they continued to play well all the weekend. TJ had his first triple and played first base all weekend. His friend, Kaylor even traveled to the southside to watch him play! The Travelers finished 2nd to the Bulls and have nothing to hang their head about! Great Job!