- Eilders Updates -

Inspired by Pinterest

2012-01-11T21:51:00.000-06:00

Maybe inspired isn't the word... maybe obsessed is more like it. :) In fact, I could totally relate to one post that read:

Pinterest:

It's like fantasy football for girls.

So true. It's been ridiculously fun and probably a little too time consuming... I especially love finding free printable graphics, and each time I come across an Etsy print, I always think... I could so create that myself! So I gave it a shot, both times in an effort to print something I could hang in the nursery.

Here's the first - I used publisher and downloaded lots of free fonts to create it. It's not perfect, but I'm really happy with how it turned out. Now I need to find just the right frame...

AND I just love this second phrase, too. It's such a fitting quote for any mom. I'm now 31 weeks along and cannot believe there are only 9 weeks to go in this pregnancy! Time is flying by!!! If only we could decide on a name... :)

A million little reasons...

2011-12-20T10:48:00.006-06:00

Hard to believe it's been nearly an entire year since I've last updated this blog... It makes me sad to see how long I've neglected it, since I truly enjoy blogging and catching up with friends online... but NOW it feels like Cole and I have a million reasons to get with the program and blog regularly!

I had a post written about our trip to Yellowstone, but never quite finished it. I could have blogged about our fun trips to Table Rock Lake last summer, but it just didn't get done. Life is certainly busy, and my mind hasn't been very focused on blogging this past year. We spent over a year trying to get pregnant, and it was emotional roller coaster - especially for me. Throughout the process, Cole managed to be the calm, steady one... I'm sure he thought his wife was going nuts - more than once! It's possible that he even told me that. He was just so sure that nothing was wrong with either of us, faithful that God's timing would be just right, and he kept reminding me to relax and be patient. This is one time I don't mind admitting that he was RIGHT!

We are expecting a baby girl March 15th, and couldn't be more excited! nervous! unprepared! Don't get me wrong, we are so ready to be parents and mostly just very excited for the future, but we know, as tiny as she will be, Baby E is going to rock our world! Life will change dramatically in March - ready or not! :)

Making her debut March 15, 2012! :)

As if having a baby isn't a big enough game-changer, we learned a few months ago that Cole was nominated and accepted to a foreign exchange program through his job. So our little family of three will head to Veniano, Italy in late June. (For one year.) Veniano is a small town of about 3,500 in northern Italy, near Milan. We will be about one hour from snow skiing in the Swiss Alps and one hour from the coast. (I'm dying to capture the scenery and can't wait to take lots of photos!) So, we'll spend our very first year as a family of three together in Italy - it still sounds crazy, even to me! We are thrilled with this opportunity... truly a once-in-a-lifetime chance for us to experience another culture.

Bring on 2012! I'm, um, pretty sure we can handle it...

Rally Time

2011-01-13T15:48:00.000-06:00

Last weekend I had so much fun doing the "bling thing" with my favorite jewelry ladies. Premier had their Regional Rally in Kansas City for the second year in a row... LOVE that it's in KC. Three years ago we made the very chilly trek to Des Moines - yikes! I'm pretty sure at one point the temperature gage read -25 degrees that year... BRR!!!

Here are some of my favorite photos from our girl-time!

Isn't Kailen adorable??? Here she is walking across the stage for her "Amethyst" award! GO, KAILEN, GO!!!

Here I am with my upline, Heather and one of my favorite "Designers," Kasey! :) We had a fantastic time - and Premier released their new spring line at the Rally! WOW!!! I am loving all the new spring pieces. In fact, I just received my shipment today! Now I'm faced with a very tough dilemma... what to wear first?!?!?!

2010 Christmas Card!

2010-12-16T00:12:00.006-06:00

THIS is our first-ever Christmas card! :) Cole really wanted the dogs to be dressed up in outfits, but I just didn't have the energy for that... maybe next year! :) Merry Christmas, blogging friends!

Picture Perfect

2010-12-08T12:44:00.005-06:00

Last month my friend Stacey sent me a text asking if I would be willing to take some family pictures for her. Of course I wanted to! They have the cutest little girl who is just about two, and I was dying to take some shots of her gorgeous blue eyes!!! I was sooo excited for another chance to play with my camera...

Until I learned that "family pictures" included:

THREE kiddos under two years of age (Stacey's daughter AND her sister's super cute twins)
SEVEN adults (plus two baby bumps!)

My friendly little photo session jumped from a manageable group of three to TEN! (12 if you count the bumps.)

GULP! Going in, I was extremely nervous. I think overall, we had a fun time and wound up with some adorable pictures, not hard to do when you're shooting such cute kids! The group shots were the toughest... As you can imagine, it was pretty challenging to get all of the kiddos looking at the camera. I did my best! :) Some of my favorite moments from the day wound up being candids of the kids in the leaves.

They are so precious...

Phoenix

2010-12-04T00:32:00.003-06:00

FINALLY - posting about our trip to Phoenix! YIKES - I'm behind on this blog!!

~~Last month~~ In September, Mom and I were (finally) able to travel to Phoenix and visit Jess... We had a wonderful trip, although it went by way too fast. During our short stay we spent some quality time with Jess, watched her get her white coat, helped her pick out a new couch and chair, saw the sights with Uncle Jeff and had a fun dinner with Uncle Phil and our cousin, Chase.

The last time I was in Arizona I was only five or six years old. My only memories include:

1) Laying on the floor of our mini-van (seat belts? nah.) and always knowing what direction we were going. Seriously, my parents would randomly ask and I always knew. Too bad I don't still have those skills; now I'm pretty directionally challenged.

2) Visiting my Aunt Ruth. She lived in a tee pee at the time, making her our "coolest" aunt, by far. We even got to sleep with her in the tee pee. Mom and Dad opted for the camper. You may think this is weird. We thought it was AWESOME, and still do. We're not talking about a tent. It was a full-size tee pee, loft included! Still today she is loved for her, um, "quirky" lifestyle... although she is now a homeowner.

We flew out of Wichita on a Thursday and Uncle Jeff picked us up at the airport. It was HOT in Arizona, still in the 100's, which was a little higher than normal for them. At the time, Jess was struggling to adjust to the temperatures... I'm sure now that it's December she has changed her tune a bit! :)

Here are some photos from the trip:

After the white-coat ceremony with mom.

Uncle Jeff took us to the south end of Phoenix to look out over the city. The view was awesome, and he was able to teach us so much about Phoenix. For example, there are only sky scrapers in a small portion of downtown because a city ordinance limits building height... and prevents the awesome views from being blocked by giganto buildings!

Towards the end of our trip, we ate at "Chino Bandito's" in Phoenix, which has been featured on "Diners, Dives & Drive-Ins" on The Food Network... It was a cross between Chinese and Mexican... an interesting place! Definitely a "dive," but fun to check out!

Can't wait to go back and visit again soon. I was hoping K-State's bowl game would be in AZ, but no such luck. Last week Jess made it home for Thanksgiving and we're so excited that she can be back for Christmas, too!!! Speaking of which... Can you believe Christmas is just a few weeks away?!

Hostesses with the Mostest!

2010-09-21T17:48:00.001-05:00

In the Manhattan area, we have a fair number of Premier Designs jewelry ladies, and we recently got together to hold an appreciation brunch for all of the area hostesses! The event was SO MUCH fun, a totally girly day for us to spoil our favorite ladies rotten.We decorated with a pink and zebra print theme, had a jewelry fashion show and gave away some awesome door prizes!

My Designer, Kailen and I!

As a Premier Designs Jeweler, our home show business model really works! Many jewelers use the phrase: Premier works IF YOU DO! It's so true - the job is simple, but not always easy. There's definitely some effort that goes into being successful, but in the end, it's totally worth it! My hostesses play such a vital role in the success of my Premier business by welcoming me into their homes and introducing me to their friends and family. I sincerely appreciate all of their support!

Here's my sponsor, Heather, modeling some Premier jewels!

The registration table...

The rest of the "models."

Cutesy table decor...

Kirema, one of my hostesses from Ft.Riley.

Long time, no blog...

2010-09-15T22:35:00.001-05:00

Hellooo? Is anybody out there?

...out there? ...out there?

My poor blog has been terribly neglected this summer. I've had so much to say, too. (Imagine that! Ha!) :) Work has been insanely busy for me. I've taken on some additional responsibilities with the Kansas 4-H Foundation and it has kept me on a tight schedule. My Premier business has also been picking up. I now have over 13 ladies in my "first level" and nearly 40 on my entire team! Wow! God has really been blessing my efforts with Premier, I'm pretty amazed by how it's been going... and excited about what the future holds!

Cole and I recently purchased a Harley, a 2007 Street Bob, and we've been taking it out every week or so for rides... Cole takes it to work almost daily. The weather is starting to cool down, and it's been a great way to relax and unwind at the end of the day! Here's a picture of the new bike - we love it! I tried to convince Cole that we should "sneak" into Bill Snyder Family Stadium on Harley Day, but he wouldn't go for it... What a sissy. ;)

Here's a picture taken on my cell just before we brought it home!

All grown up...

2010-06-23T13:54:00.002-05:00

It's hard to believe that my little sister, Hannah, graduated from highschool just over a month ago. It seems like yesterday when I was tying her "cool" shoes (in the picture above) or helping her order from the "session-con-stand" at football games. The baby has officially grown up.

There will be a mas exodus from Mom and Dad's home in August. Recently, Tonja (our foreign exchange student) returned to Norway... We were so sad to see Tonja go! Soon Jess will head to Phoenix and Hannah to Manhattan, KS. She enrolled at K-State just last Saturday and she's scared and excited all at once. I remember the feeling - change is so full of possibilities! We are thrilled to have her in Manhattan with us. Hopefully I'll get to hang out with her once in awhile... and by "hang out" I do not mean do her laundry. :)

Here's a photo of Hannah and Tonja leaving for graduation... Congrats! We are so proud of you and we love you!

More photography practice...

2010-06-18T17:20:00.000-05:00

Some great friends of ours recently asked if I could take photos of their new baby boy, Kyler... I was SO excited to be asked, and even more excited to meet the little guy for the first time! :) This was the perfect excuse to buy a new camera... at least that's what I told my husband. I've been wanting to purchase one for awhile and finally made "the investment." I went with a fancy-schmancy Canon Rebel T2i. So far, so good! The camera is great, but the operator is definitely still learning... Kyler was perfect and beautiful, most of the time. There was that pooping-on-the-blanket (and his dad) incident, oops! I guess that's my fault for wanting naked baby bottom shots. What a sweet little guy. He cried a little, but I thought even the crying was adorable. Overall, it was a really fun day. Here are a few of my favorite moments!

Four years ago today...

2010-05-27T22:30:00.001-05:00

... I married the love of my life.There have certainly been ups and downs, but life with Cole is far better than I could have ever imagined it to be! I can hardly believe four years have already gone by - how time flies! I'm looking forward to celebrating many, many more anniversaries as husband and wife. Life is good!

Cruise III: Cozumel

2010-05-27T10:48:00.004-05:00

It's been nearly three months since our cruise and I should probably be done posting blog entries about it, right? Wrong! Here's one final tribute to our recent trip... I promise to stop bragging after this! ;)

Our ship's third and final stop was in Cozumel, Mexico. We chose a sting ray encounter for an excursion that day. After touching, holding and feeding the rays we relaxed on the beach for a few hours and drank some yummy Coco Locos! Wish we were still sitting in these chairs, listening to the waves...

This was my third time with a hands-on ray experience and Cole's first - and we both loved it! This excursion gets two thumbs up!

Cruise II: Isla Roatan

2010-04-07T14:35:00.003-05:00

Cold and dreary weather in Kansas today makes excellent timing for a tropical blog post... Wish we were still on the beaches of Isla Roatan, which was stop number two on our recent cruise. This small island off the coast of Hondouras was definitely our FAVORITE of the three destinations. While there, we talked to several vacationers and even priced resorts for a future trip. I had never even heard of Roatan prior to booking the cruise - what a pleasant surprise! The beach was gorgeous, island was clean and felt very safe in comparison to Belize or Cozumel.. We hope to return someday soon. :)

We spent our St. Patrick's Day lounging on the beach, snorkeling and drinking St. Patty's Punch. The kids played in the sand and water... Cole even found a starfish. Overall, the day was just fantastic, left us feeling very "zen." Here are some photos:

Cruise I: First Stop, Belize!

2010-03-26T21:15:00.004-05:00

This year Cole and I could hardly wait for "Spring Break 2010." We've had to learn the tough lesson that once you hit the "real world," you don't get a spring break anymore... why didn't they warn us about that in college?!? Anyway, this year we booked a Western Caribbean cruise with some friends from Salina and March just couldn't get here soon enough!

We returned last Sunday to 6" of snow in Kansas City, and reality hit hard! We have both come down with some kind of sinus infection gunk, yuck! Seems like everyone around here has the same congestion... Memories of our warm vacation have eased the pain a little, though!

The cruise was 7 days long, with stops in Belize, Isla Roatan (Hondouras), and Cozumel. It was absolutely wonderful! Neither of us had any motion sickness issues, which was something we were worried about. The cruise departed a few hours later than it was supposed to, so we left New Orleans just at sunset, which was really very pretty.

After spending two full days on board our ship (the Carnival Triumph) with about 3,500 others, we were ready to dock. The first port was Belize - tenders came out to pick us up. We scheduled a "cave tubing" excursion, riding tubes through cave formations over a river. Afterward we shopped a little. I didn't get many photos in Belize, since our excursion was a wet one... Here are a few photos:

The ferries picking us up were so tiny next to the cruise ship - it was amazing watching them pull up alongside!

Getting ready to cave tube - we also got to take a 30-minute hike thru the rainforest. Our guides taught us a lot about various trees and plants.

Belize has over 200 small islands just off the coast - many were for sale. Cole thinks we should buy one. I think this one looks a little TOO deserted for me. :)

Great news!

2010-01-05T23:33:00.002-06:00

I should probably be writing a blog post about Christmas or my resolutions for 2010... but those posts can wait! Yesterday we found out that my little sister got into dental school, and I am about to burst, I'm just so excited and proud of her! Jess has been accepted into Midwestern University in Glendale, Arizona, after a few long, stressful years of waiting. This was her second time to apply at Midwestern; she interviewed last year, too. So after this most recent interview a few months ago, she had been trying very hard "not to get her hopes up." After visiting several different dental schools, Midwestern was actually Jess's favorite, mostly because they're a very new, state-of-the art campus.

Her experience applying to dental school has given me a whole new perspective on professional school. For many people, it's really a terrible waiting game. Applications are due in December (I think), and those on a waiting list could find out that they have been accepted as late as a week before classes begin in August. So for anybody who applies more than once, it can lead to years of waiting. It hardly seems fair... stressful, to say the least.

I'm so proud of Jess for knowing exactly what she wants and for staying the course! She is an intelligent, beautiful, strong woman, and she'll make an excellent dentist, too! We are SO looking forward to vacationing in sunny, warm Arizona! Mmmm. That especially sounds nice right now - this has been such a bitterly cold winter.

Congrats, Jess. I love you so much and couldn't be more proud! :)

Haven of Hope

2009-12-09T11:41:00.006-06:00

In October of 2008 I signed up to be an independent distributor with Premier Designs Jewelry, and it's a decision I am SO glad I made. At the time, I was looking for a little extra money and a little distraction. I had recently miscarried, and the timing felt right for starting Premier. The business has given me a chance to enjoy some girl time and like most people entering the business, I was hoping to pay down some of our debt: student loans, cars, etc. Already, we have paid Cole's truck off early! So for a little over a year now, I've been known to many as "the jewelry lady," a phrase that made me cringe at first - I mean, how cheesy?! :)

Last weekend I was honored to get to travel to Haven of Hope, a retreat center owned by Premier Designs in Argyle, TX. Anyway, it was my first trip to Haven, and one of my jewelers, Kailen, came along, too. The trip was amazing. We met Andy and Joan Horner (the founders), toured Premier manufacturing and the home office, learned a lot about the rewards of growing a long-term business, and most importantly, gained a new appreciation for the company. How many other corporations encourage prayer and focus on Biblical principles? Not many! Haven was an incredible experience, one that's actually really difficult to put into words! Here are some photos from the trip:

Already, I've had a great experience with the company... I'm looking forward to growing my business consistently and hopefully someday being able to stay at home with our kids! In it's 25 years so far, Premier has made a difference in so many lives, mine included! What a huge blessing!

Giving thanks!

2009-11-20T14:19:00.007-06:00

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

What an awesome time of year... Thanksgiving has been my favorite holiday for quite awhile now. As a child, Christmas was probably my favorite, for obvious reasons. Christmas always brings so much stimulation for kids - new toys, flashing lights, lots of sugar... :) Of course, Christmas is a wonderful time of year, and for reasons that greatly trump toys, lights and sugar. Most importantly, it's an amazing reminder of God's love for all people and a celebration of Christ's birth!

So the American holiday of Thanksgiving probably shouldn't be my favorite, but it is. I think I made the personal transition to Thanksgiving being my favorite sometime after Mom was diagnosed with Hodgkins. I was young and impressionable... and mom could have died. Her battle with cancer was the ultimate reminder to count your blessings. Our family always joins hands at Thanksgiving and we each share what we're thankful for. There is never a dry eye in the house. I can't remember from year-to-year what anyone lists, but I will never forget the swelling in my heart, the feeling that God is right there with with us in the room.

Thanksgiving for me, is always a necessary reminder. We should count our blessings year-round! Something about the holiday brings with it peaceful reflection and an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Every November, without fail, I transform into a teary-eyed, sappy girl. My poor husband! God has blessed my life so tremendously, and I am really undeserving of all He provides.

This year, I feel like I have more to be thankful for than ever before. I'm married to a wonderful, Godly man. Don't get me wrong; Cole isn't perfect, our marriage isn't perfect and I'm not perfect, either! (I know - shocker.) But God had a perfect plan when he put us together and I am continually amazed by the ways that He works in our relationship, bringing us closer together in happy times and with every trial we face, too. On our wedding day, I never dreamed that I could grow to love Cole more than I did in that moment; of course, I was completely wrong about that. If you think I'm emotional and sappy now, just wait until we've been together for 10, 20, 30 years. It's only going to get worse, Cole. :) I love you.

I really believe that Cole and I wouldn't be together today if it weren't for faithful, praying parents! Several times when I was growing up, I remember Mom telling us that she and Dad's prayer for us girls is to marry kind, loving, respectful Christian men. So I'm thankful for my parents, for loving and supporting and praying for us. I'm thankful for my Dad. He has always been a great example of a loving husband and father and positive role model for us girls.

I'm thankful for my in-laws! So thankful that long before Cole and I ever met, they were raising him to be a good man. They've welcomed me into their family with open arms, and are so loving and accepting of me, even with all of my flaws. I'm thankful for my sister-in-law, Emily. She is beautiful inside and out, and has such a kind-hearted, happy-go-lucky personality. It has been really fun getting to know her better.

I'm thankful for my little sisters. Two beautiful, talented, intelligent young women who amaze me on a regular basis. I have so much love in my heart for you two girls. When I think of you, I know that you each have great things ahead of you, and I'm so proud and excited to see what the future holds!

I'm thankful for family, good health, our friends, our jobs, my Premier Designs business and our home. I'm even thankful for our faithful four-legged pups, Royce and Layla.

What are YOU thankful for?

Tonja's Senior Pictures

2009-10-27T19:19:00.007-05:00

I've always had an interest in photography. It started in high school when I was on the yearbook committee - or whatever you want to call it. (Cole would say geek squad, I'm sure... but in all reality, we were a very cool group!) During college I took my first official photography class - a one hour, easy-and-fun course taught by Tod Megredy at Southwestern College. What a blast! Ever since, I've wanted to get the hobby really going, but just couldn't seem to find the time, energy or money... Nice cameras aren't cheap! About a year ago my friend, Sarah, started her own photography business - with lots of encouragement from me. :) Sarah's new biz has been going great, and for awhile now she has been suggesting that I give it a try... Recently she even loaned me one of her cameras to practice my skills. Thank you so much, Sarah!!!

I was extremely lucky to get the chance to "practice" on Tonja, a foreign exchange student from Norway who is staying with my family this year. Tonja was so much fun to photograph - she was completly laid back, patient with my lack of experience and willing to try just about anything. I couldn't have asked for a more cooperative or beautiful model... The girl has absolutely flawless skin and the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen!!! Here are a few of my favorite shots:

Busy, busy!

2009-10-22T10:32:00.003-05:00

I'm almost TOO busy to keep up on my blogging lately! What's a girl to do?!

In the past few weeks, we've had tons of guests at 109 Northfield! First (Oct. 10th) was the Anderson wedding, followed by a home football game and our annual Zubaz tailgate on the 17th. So... here is a quick and easy photo tribute to the past few weeks:

Tyson and Jamie got hitched. The wedding and reception were gorgeous, as were the bride and groom.

Our friends all looked smashing... here are a few of them!

Jess and Josh Horton

Andy and Sarah Pavkov

The 2nd Annual Zubaz Tailgate was a HIT! Our group grew to over 30 members. The ringleader, Andy, has dreams of growing the tailgate to over 50 next year... If you're interested in participating, Andy can get you discounted pants... Come on! Everybody needs a pair of these. Email Andy by clicking here!

Out tailgate was complete with a banner, and K-STATE Snuggie! Good times were had by all...

All hail the queen!

2009-10-11T22:20:00.008-05:00

I am totally and completely biased, so it's a good thing I didn't get to vote. :) Congrats to my baby sis, Hannah, who won Homecoming Queen at Friday night's football game! She is such a sweetie... hard to believe she is already a senior in high school! It seems like just yesterday when Hannah would beg Jess and I to take her to the "session-con-stand" at football games when we were in high school. Dad was even in tears watching her walk across the football field. The baby has officially grown up! I'm feeling a little emotional and a little old, too...

It was really fun to get back and see my family and watch the Vikings WIN, too. Here are a few photos from my quick "up and back" trip Friday. We had three couples crashing with us this weekend for a friend's wedding, so I wasn't able to stay in Winfield for long and Cole didn't get to make the trip... I'll attempt to post some pics of the Anderson wedding later this week, too.

Check out the football Grandma Joyce caught at the game!

Hannah's Fan Club:

Dad, Mom, Grandma, Jess and Andy

Operation Recuperation

2009-09-23T18:05:00.012-05:00

Whew! We had quite the Bluegrass this year. It was a fun, fun weekend with family and friends! I've included some photos of our stay in Winfield, but I sure wish I had taken better photos and more of them! We were lucky to have some good friends of ours join us for their first bluegrass ever. We hope Brett and Cindy want to come back! As usual, we are exhausted. The festival (or "Big Blue" as Dad calls it) really wears us out.. It seems like I'm still trying to catch up on my sleep, and it's already Wednesday! During my "Total Tone" class at the gym on Monday, one of the girls there had also been in Winfield. She said she even cried on Sunday because she didn't want to pack up and leave... This festival is serious business! :)

One very special family friend wasn't able to make it to Bluegrass this year. Janet was just too sick. In May, she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, underwent surgery and some chemotherapy. Then she got a staff infection which never seemed to improve. Eventually, the infection took over, shutting down her liver. She passed away yesterday, and we will miss her so much. She is truly pain free, at peace and in heaven now.

Janet was actually the person responsible for bringing our family to Bluegrass for the very first time - 12 years ago. When we moved to Winfield, she worked with Dad at the bank, and somehow convinced him to give the festival a try. (He wasn't very excited about paying good money to park our camper less than five miles from home for the entire weekend!) One visit was all it took. We're hooked. As long as I live, Bluegrass will always make me think of Janet Menke. She really was like a grandmother to me.

Here are some photos from this weekend...

Brett, Cole and Cliff grilling and drinking.

Hannah and toothless Emma. :)

Bluegrass brings out the musical side
(and the not-so-musical side) in all of us.

Ready to head to the Pecan Grove!

Cute couple! BUT looks can be deceiving. They are ornery. :)

Another reason I ♥ mint.com!

2009-09-16T17:56:00.008-05:00

I may be nerdy, but stuff like this is really interesting to me... Wish they had KC on this graphic, too! :) You may need to click the link to see the entire thing... Enjoy.

The Most Frugal Cities in America:

Budget help from Mint.com

Road to the Bowl!

2009-08-30T16:43:00.002-05:00

Support our Junior League fundraiser by donating, and earn a chance to WIN a trip for two to K-State's post season bowl game. Of course, there is a SMALL chance that the Cats won't make it to a bowl game. In those unlikely circumstances, there will be a cash prize awarded of $1,000. To learn more about service projects of our Junior League, click here! To donate and earn a chance to win the trip, click here!

Any help you can give is GREATLY appreciated, thanks! :)

The countdown begins...

2009-08-25T13:05:00.007-05:00

Football season kicks off in 12 days!

We're so excited for another K-State football season to start, whatever the outcome may be! Living in a college town can really stink at times (i.e. move-in weekend and awful traffic) but September always makes me thankful to live in Manhattan! "Hotel Eilders" as we're calling it, has been taking reservations for the first few home games already. We love having our friends and family visit us any time, and especially when tailgating is involved... We haven't scheduled the "2nd Annual Zubaz Tailgate" yet, (NO - we don't do this for every home game!!!) but it'll happen. Here are some photos of past tailgating fun:

It was painful for Cole to wear so much purple! :)

Mom's Surgery

2009-08-07T18:20:00.015-05:00

Mom called Monday to say she would be having surgery on her neck/back on Tuesday afternoon... Talk about short notice! Evidently the surgeon was able to squeeze her into his schedule, but the message got to her only the day before her surgery.

In 1995 Mom had back surgery on a herniated disc, which the doctors originally diagnosed as bone cancer. Once they got in to check it out, they realized it was just an abnormal-looking herniated disc. Whew! Our life was pretty much a roller-coaster ride for a few years there... At one point they were just sure she had lung cancer, too. Nope. I guess doctors tend to assume the worst when they're dealing with a cancer survivor! I think we were all a little nervous, considering her history.

The surgery went really quickly once they started. Three. Hours. Late. I wonder, did God want us to spend a little more time praying, or what?! The operation only lasted about an hour and twenty minutes. What an enormous blessing to hear that things went well after all that waiting! Hopefully no medical professionals are reading this, because I'm sure I'll butcher some of the technical parts in this process...

Basically, they went in through her old scar on the front of her chest. They cut out the bad disc, removed several bone fragments that were pushing on her nerves, inserted a titanium plate and added pieces of cadaver bones to grow over the plate. The bones will eventually connect with other discs in her back, limiting her mobility, but greatly reducing the pain she has been experiencing. For years she has had migraine headaches, tingling in her right arm, and severe back pain. She had been considering spinal decompression therapy, but two weeks ago she was told that there was only one millimeter of tissue protecting her spinal cord from permanent damage, and she decided it was time to go forward with the operation.

Wednesday afternoon Hannah and I were able to take her home, but I was really surprised they let her out so quickly. She'll be wearing this oh-so-stylish brace for about six weeks. I'm sure she'll be good and ticked off that I posted the picture. :) Just remember - I love you very much, Mom. You've been a blessing to my life in more ways than you'll ever know!

My first Etsy purchase!

2009-07-29T11:24:00.007-05:00

A few weeks ago I finally shopped on Etsy, a website for buying and selling cute, crafty handmade items. I had originally heard about the site through several friends' blogs, and I was so excited when my first purchase, a customized rubber stamp, arrived last week! I bought the stamp from Kim at RubberStampPress, and I love it! :) Kim was so helpful and even let me edit several proofs before this final version was created. Isn't it cute?!

Layla learns to sit.

2009-07-13T17:38:00.003-05:00

Ahh. Puppies. They are so stinkin' cute, but we forgot how much work they can be. Here's a video of crazy Layla, who joined us on our recent trip to Iowa. She was a hit with the family... Especially Cole's great-uncle, Dick, who after two days with Layla, was convinced that he and his wife, Elaine, are ready for a new puppy. Pretty much everyone loved her... Everyone except Grandma Betty, who "doesn't like dogs." I think she was more than a little sweet on Layla, but just wouldn't admit it. :)

Okay, so she doesn't actually sit yet... It's a work in progress.

By George, I think we've done it!

2009-07-06T22:11:00.008-05:00

We've been meaning to visit Cole's grandparents in George, Iowa for several years now. Each time they're in Kansas we hear the familiar... "You come visit us. Okay?"

Betty and Gordon

Last weekend we finally made the trip to join them for the holiday, and what a fantastic weekend it was! George had great reason to celebrate; 2009 marks the 125th anniversary of the town, which also happens to be the hometown of Cole's grandparents, Arvin Eilders, who now lives near Salina, and Betty (Smid) and Gordon Siebring.

Our stay was packed with activity... We watched the cutest little circus ever, ran a 5k on the town's new bike trail, ate tons of delicious food, watched a parade with more farm equipment than you can ever imagine, toured Siebring Manufacturing and of course, watched the fireworks! The town of only about 1,200 pays for their impressive display each year by auctioning off pies made by local residents... Many sold for over $200!

There is just no better place to celebrate the independence of our great country than small-town USA!

Betty and Cole watching fireworks.

Happy 125th Birthday to George!

My favorite float in the parade... Only in a small town. :)

Introducing...

2009-06-23T10:56:00.012-05:00

Layla Lou

She's a sassy thing! We just picked her up this weekend, and Layla will be seven weeks old on Friday... SO tiny! She especially looks small next to Royce, who weighs about 75 pounds. Now that she has gotten to know us, she has really started to show off her personality... Royce was a really low-key puppy, but Layla is certainly not! When she wants to play she jumps around so much that she can barely control her own body. It's actually very funny. Hopefully I can post a video sometime soon.

We're in for a long haul. The last two nights she has woken us up three times to let us know that she needs out... NOW. At least she's not "going" in her kennel! :) Cole thinks this is good practice for babies. I'm pretty sure Cole has another thing coming...

"Listen here, pipsqueak. I'm in charge!"

After assembling the kennel I was pretty sure it would hold her, but Cole and Royce had to prove that it's big enough... For an entire litter!

My first night at 4-H camp!

2009-06-16T10:28:00.014-05:00

As a child, I was never involved in 4-H. Some of my friends went to camp each summer... and I was always a little jealous. It sounded like so much fun! As part of my job at Rock Springs, I'm spending this week at camp. It'll give me a chance to better learn our facility and the processes that I'm not usually a part of with my "day job." Last night was my first night at 4-H camp as the administrator on duty. Let's just say it was... exciting. Here are a few highlights:

Cleaned up vomit.
We were in a tornado watch, and there was quite a thunderstorm, complete with lightning show.
To keep them out of the lightning/rain, we moved campers to our primary storm shelter (which is also an auditorium) and tried to entertain them with movies.
They 'booed' my movie choice of Robin Hood. I guess I'm old and boring. They preferred Tarzan and Mulan.
Woke up at 4am to L O U D thunder. Storms don't usually wake me, but I was a little on edge. When you're responsible for 359 kids... Yikes!

I'm sure I'll survive the rest of my stay... but I'm exhausted already! Hopefully the weather cooperates for the remainder of the week.

Thought for the day.

2009-06-01T11:45:00.002-05:00

A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.

- George Bernard Shaw

mint.com

2009-05-28T13:27:00.011-05:00

Some friends of ours recently told us about this website and I wanted to share - because it's pretty cool. Cole and I had been using Microsoft Money (which we didn't like very well) and then switched Microsoft Excel to track each expense and keep an eye on our budget, but Excel can be so time consuming... After checking it out, we gave min t.com a try, and you should, too! It's FREE. Who doesn't like free?! And it imports all of your financial info into one place... Checking, savings, credit card, auto loan, student loan, mortgage, 401(k), 403(b), Roth IRA, etc. It's an excellent tool for having an overall picture of your net worth and allowing you to clearly focus on eliminating debt or increasing investments...

You don't have to share your SSN or other private information; they'll even alert you of suspicious transactions on your credit card, alert you when you're nearing your budgeted spending in a specific category. There are over one million users, and the site has received multiple awards... I could go on, but you'll have to see for yourself!

So.. why is it free? Because mint.com takes a snapshot of your finances and recommends {enter: advertisements} the 'best' products for you. For example, your current savings account may only earn .03% APY and mint.com might recommend an interest-bearing savings that can earn you 3% APY. Of course, to view these offers, you have to click on them - you can always ignore them if you're happy with whatever system you have going. :)

Hopefully you'll find mint.com to be as handy as we have!

Curb Appeal.

2009-05-26T18:06:00.008-05:00

After three years of being homeowners, we have finally finished landscaping our front yard! I sure feel like a 'real' grown-up to be planting bushes and flowers that I actually know the names of. :) It just killed Cole to cover up the "best grass" in our yard, but it was worth it! We originally planned to use steel edging because we just love the way it looks... Have you ever priced steel edging??? Yikes! Instead we opted for a heavy-duty plastic edging. It's actually made for containing stone patios, so you can bend it into practically any shape you choose. It was so convenient and much more affordable than the steel, too. Here are some pictures of our handiwork:

Painted Turtle.

2009-05-12T13:25:00.006-05:00

Working at a camp certainly has its perks. Check out this lil' guy found roaming around outside our office yesterday! He's about the size of a quarter...

Yabba-Dabba-Doo!!!

2009-05-01T23:18:00.011-05:00

It was so much fun watching all of the creative "entrances" to Winfield High School's prom this year... Some of my personal favorites were the girl riding on a donkey (dressed to look like a unicorn), a couple strapped into one of those giant rolling blow-up balls and of course, the Flintstone-Mobile. :) For me, watching this prom tradition brought back so many fond memories of good ol' WHS.

We're baaack.

2009-05-01T15:48:00.009-05:00

Whew! Vacations are fun, but can be exhausting, too. We got home from our Texas trip late Sunday evening - only to drive from Kansas City to Manhattan in a torrential downpour.

Our vacation went too quickly! We started out in San Antonio and finished in Austin. We were pleasantly surprised to learn that we just happened to arrive in San Antonio smack dab in the middle of San Antonio's Fiesta, an annual 11-day party featuring mariachi bands, parades, lots of delicious Tex-Mex and margaritas! Here are photos... many photos. Enjoy!

- San Antonio -

Of course, the real reason for our trip was for Mark and Becky's wedding! What a great time... After looking back at all of our pictures, I'm reminded of what an awesome group of friends we have. Sadly, it seems like weddings and K-State football games are our only excuses to see each other. Soon, we'll all be married.. Then we'll have to start making other excuses to get together. I'm sure we'll be able to come up with something! :)

- Austin -

Texas or Bust!

2009-04-20T09:26:00.004-05:00

This is a big week for us... we're headed to Texas for a wedding/vacation. First, we'll spend a few days in San Antonio, doing the River Walk thing... Then we'll head to Austin to "keep it weird" for Mark and Becky's wedding. So, after spending this weekend in Winfield, and getting home last night around 9:00, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed with the packing and trip preparations that can be so stressful before a vacation! I'm working today and we fly out early in the morning...

We had a great weekend in Winfield. I had two jewelry shows, which were lots of fun and both went pretty well. It was also Hannah's first prom... I can hardly believe that my baby sister is old enough to go to prom!!! In Winfield, finding the most creative ride is a pretty big deal. (When I was a junior, we pushed our dates in shopping carts! Sounds weird, but Dad wired up flashing lights, and we threw confetti... Lots of fun!) Hannah's group had a fantastic ride, possibly the best I've ever seen. The Flinstone-mobile, as we called it, was made mostly by Hannah's date, Kevin. Mom and Dad and Kevin's parents added some finishing touches. It was a hit! They even won the "most creative ride" award.

Lots of pictures to come!

#60: Breakfast in bed...

2009-04-02T11:12:00.006-05:00

Number 60 is an item on my list that I've been dreading. I never thought I'd get it done... for several reasons. First of all, Cole is an early riser and a light sleeper. I am neither of those. So I knew that even if I made it out of bed before him, all of the clanging in our kitchen would surely get him up before I could actually bring him breakfast.

By some stroke of luck, I woke up early Sunday morning and I was wide awake, no chance of snoozing a little longer. Cole has been working long hours lately, so he was awake, but still pretty tired. It all went something like this:

A: Will you stay in bed for just a little while longer?
C: Sure. Why?
A: I need to check you off my list - would you prefer pancakes or french toast?
C: Surprise me. But I still think it's weird to eat food in bed.
A: Just work with me here... take a few bites and then you can get up. Don't move... I'll be back.

Now wasn't that romantic?! :)

Did you know?

2009-03-25T12:52:00.007-05:00

If you're anything like Cole and I, you're impatiently waiting for your tax return... after the layoffs at Parker Hannifin, we were fortunate that Cole got to keep his job, but with a required 10% pay cut and reduced bonuses. Ouch! So anyway, we're stockpiling any spare change we can, building our savings up. Just in case...

Our itty bitty Kansas return came mid-March, and I've been checking our account frequently to see when the Federal will arrive. Not that we're doing anything exciting with it - saving most and using some for our trip in April, a much-needed vacation to Texas for Mark and Becky's wedding ! (Very little economic stimulation coming from the Eilders this year, sorry folks.) Long story short, did you know you can check for the exact day your Federal return will be electronically deposited, if you've selected that option?! Just enter these three things:

1) Your SSN.
2) How you filed. (Single, Jointly, HOH, etc.)
3) The dollar amount of your return.

And PRESTO! The exact date of your deposit appears. March 27th, in our case; I love Fridays! This may be the smartest thing our government has ever done. :) Only kidding. Click here to try it out!

Baby Beam!

2009-03-23T21:59:00.003-05:00

The Beam baby is here! Parker Grace arrived on March 15th, and I can't wait to see her!!! I'll probably try to meet up with Leesa, Dusty and Parker next Monday when I'm in Wichita for work... Click here to see Parker Grace! :) Does she look more like Mom or Dad? I can't decide...

She said it best...

2009-03-16T14:17:00.008-05:00

An old friend of mine from high school (who also happens to be a Premier Designs jeweler) recently used her business to help out her dear friends who lost their baby girl. What a beautiful thing she did - bringing together over 100 people to remember sweet Cora and support a playground in memory of her! Check out Amanda's blog here:

The Balzer Family's Blog

Parker Grace

2009-03-05T11:14:00.006-06:00

My friends Leesa and Dusty are waiting for their new bundle of joy to arrive... Parker Grace should be here sometime in the next few weeks. (Isn't that a cute name?!) Here are the pictures from Leesa's baby shower that some friends and I threw. We had a great time making play-doh babies, watching Leesa open gifts, and chowing down on some yummy cake! I was especially proud of the clothes-line of onesies in the background. :) I can't take credit for that one, though... I think I found it online somewhere!

More layoffs.

2009-02-26T10:32:00.004-06:00

The rumor was true.

After laying off 46 hourly workers this January, Cole's employer has now also let go of four salary employees. It was a company-wide decision; sadly, several plants had to let people go. Cole was not one of them... The announcement was made yesterday while he was in Red Oak, Iowa, for a class. We feel so fortunate to have our jobs... at least for now. What a tough experience.

Please pray for those who have lost their jobs - and that this economic stimulus package actually stimulates our economy!

Beaver Creek Blues!

2009-02-23T13:12:00.006-06:00

Mondays stink! Wish we were back in Colorado... :)
Here are some pics from our trip last weekend:

#85: Write a letter to a politician...

2009-02-17T12:40:00.009-06:00

When my sister, Jessica, was in elementary school, her 1st grade class wrote Governor Joan Finney requesting that Kansas adopt the Barred Tiger Salamander as our state amphibian. I'm sure there were many other students involved in the "salamander movement," but Jess has always been proud to have been a part of that particular bill. She wound up with a biology degree, so I guess she was destined to have a high aptitude in life science, even at a young age! Gov. Finney signed the legislation into existence, and the rest is history, or so they say... You can read more about our state amphibian by clicking here.

Earlier this month, I was able to check off #85 on my list. I didn't actually write the letter myself. Instead, I discovered a resource that I'm excited to share... It's called the Family Research Council (FRC) and it's a nonprofit "organization dedicated to the promotion of marriage and family and the sanctity of human life in national policy." So far, I've agreed with the FRC on every issue... I signed up for email updates and occasionally they email me with policy concerns. I have the option to send and edit a 'form letter' or 'form email' to government officials. I would strongly encourage you to sign up for updates at their website. On Saturday I even received a note from Representative Lynn Jenkins thanking me for my input. She signed her own name and hand wrote, "Stay in touch!" on the letter. It's no salamander, but I'd like to think that I'm making a small difference...

Perspective...

2009-02-09T09:21:00.007-06:00

I've been following my friend Amanda's blog pretty closely for a few weeks now. She's been posting updates about a baby girl named Cora, who passed away this Sunday. Cora's story is heartbreaking. I tear up every time I think about her parents and what they've already been through at such a young age ~ or at any age, for that matter. It's obvious that they've been a shining example of God's love to those around them. So many people have been praying for Cora.

No matter where we're at in life, it's so important (and really difficult, at times like this) to remember that God doesn't make mistakes, that this is His plan.

Des Moines is cold in January! :)

2009-01-23T10:49:00.009-06:00

You're probably thinking, duh Amanda. Of course Des Moines is cold! Last weekend I headed up with some new girlfriends for a Premier Designs Rally and we had a blast! I swear, though... The temperature gauge on the way up there read -25. NEGATIVE! Fortunately, we spent most of our time inside the hotel and conference center. It was a blast! We left inspired by the speakers and each other - and we got to see the new spring line of jewelry!! It's all gorgeous! The best part of Rally was getting to hear testimonies from other jewelers living throughout the midwest, learning about all of the missions that Premier Designs supports, and meeting so many fantastic new friends. Here are some pictures from our weekend. Did I mention that we had a blast?! :)

Politics, Schmolitics.

2008-12-18T09:15:00.005-06:00

I don't like to talk politics - or even think about them too much if I can help it. But when I saw this article online recently, I was more than a little excited, and surprised. Obama has chosen Pastor Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at his inauguration. :) It's great to see a Christian, who sticks with Biblically-based values, have this opportunity!

Click here to read more...

Simple Pleasures...

2008-12-02T13:08:00.003-06:00

Yesterday when I got home from work Cole was standing in our dining room, grinning.

Why, you may ask, is this unusual? Because normally he's passed out in the recliner, napping. I knew he was up to something, but couldn't figure out what... Awhile later he asked me to come into our bedroom - he said he had something to show me. (Get your mind out of the gutter!)

For as long as we've been married (a whopping 2 1/2 years), I've complained about turning off the lamp before going to sleep. Ridiculous, I know... Try to see it my way - I practically FALL out of bed every night because I can't reach the lamp. I'm kind of a night owl, so moving the lamp to Cole's side of the bed isn't an option.

Enter "The Clapper." Yep. That's right. Just clap twice for on, twice for off. So simple, so wonderful. :) It has to be the best-ever $15 gadget... What a great surprise! We spent the remainder of the evening arguing about who gets the last clap... It's an exciting life we lead.

Lotto Tickets, Eating for Life & Premier Designs...

2008-11-17T10:17:00.007-06:00

Don't get me wrong... I would definitely not say that purchasing lotto tickets is the road to financial success. When I was making my list, however, I realized that I had never before tried my luck with the Kansas Lottery. Saturday was the day! I bought ten $1 tickets and won $15! Not bad, huh? I guess I better quit while I'm ahead. Winning that extra cash put me in the mood for shopping, so I hit the mall to get a start on our Christmas lists. I'm now half way done with one person on my list. How frustrating is that??? We (meaning I - because Cole doesn't do much of the shopping) have a LONG way to go!

I'm finally able to check #55 off my list, as well. Last week was my final class in Carrie's (she's the dietitian at our gym, and a friend of mine) "Eating for Life" series... I really feel like I've made some progress with eating habits and I've re-energized my exercise program. Tonight Cole and I are having our post Boot Camp evaluation meeting with Carrie. We're getting weighed, and she's using one of those pincher-things to measure our body fat. Yeah, sounds like fun, huh? Hopefully my BMI will have gone down!!! That's just the motivation I need heading into the holidays.

In other news... I signed on with Premier Designs as a Jeweler in late October. I know... It sounds so official! So far I've had two shows, and my third is Wednesday night. The company has really impressed me - their entire philosophy is Biblically based, they're debt-free and they have the best hostess benefits and commission program of any direct selling company I've seen. I've easily recouped my expenses for starting up, and gotten lots of great jewelry in the process. A show I held in Wichita earned my hostess over $300 (10 items) of FREE jewelry. It feels great to be able to reward my hostesses with such generous benefits. That said, feel free to give me a call if you're interested in earning some free jewelry for yourself! :)

#36: Turkey Trot & Kids Gobble Jog

2008-11-11T12:17:00.023-06:00

The first-ever Turkey Trot is complete! Whew!

Over 90 people registered for the trot, with about 72 adult finishers and 12 Gobble Joggers in the kids event. It was a first for Rock Springs and hopefully it won't be the last! Unfortunately, the weather wasn't as sunny or calm as forecasted; there was a chilly breeze. The trees were pretty bare from windy gusts earlier in the week... Hopefully next year we'll be able to have some colorful fall foliage for a more scenic event. We had lots of positive feedback! Runners are a resilient group - the cold weather didn't slow down our turkey trotters - we even had 12 register on the day of the event! Here are some photos of family and friends trotting throughout Rock Springs. Thanks for your support everybody!!!

Paul and Cole.

Jess - lookin' good!

Almost finished!

One of my favorites... :) Mom and the in-laws.
I'm pretty sure this is when she was telling an
embarrasing story about my childhood. Yeesh.

Announcing the winners. I hate speaking into
a microphone. Yuck. "Not it" for next year!

When technology fails us...

2008-10-27T11:16:00.004-05:00

Amanda's Stats:
Overall Place - 2128/3493
Division Place - 292/511
Sex Place - 1028/2058
Net Time - 2:14:07
Pace - 10:26

Cole's Stats:
Overall Place - 2805/3493
Division Place - 235/248
Sex Place - 1301/1435
Net Time - 2:28:42
Pace - 11:39

The look on Cole's face when he saw the "official race results" online was priceless. Evidently I beat him by 14 minutes... even though you can see us finishing side-by-side above. So much for those electronic chip thingies being accurate! (Ok, we weren't exactly side-by-side. I really did beat him, but to be fair it was only by a second or so...) I guess he'll just have to run another 1/2 marathon to prove he can run faster than 11:39 minute miles! Poor guy.

Hasta La Vista, Half-Marathon!

2008-10-20T10:00:00.004-05:00

#53 is toast! We both made it - with all fingers and toes intact. Our finishing time was about 2:15, a little longer than Cole's original goal of less than 2 hours... I think he understands much better now that finishing is the goal! I wouldn't necessarily say that Cole enjoyed the run, but the overall experience was a good one and he was glad to have done it. When I asked him what his thoughts were, I believe the exact response was, "never again." I guess distance running isn't for everyone.

It's been said that marathons make a great metaphor for life. What a true, true statement. We conquered hills when I just wasn't sure my legs could take me all the way, struggled through intermittent aches and pains, whispered faithful prayers, shared frustrations and joys with each other, watched glassy-eyed as white headed men and women passed us by, celebrated the uplifting songs of live musicians, and kept going until the glorious finish line... It was worth every minute, just to reach the finish!

Ready or not?

2008-10-16T23:00:00.005-05:00

Not. We are not ready. The half-marathon is Saturday, and our training has been pathetic. Don't get me wrong - we've been working out regularly. We just haven't been logging the distances necessary to build up our endurance. But Cole says distance running is "all in your head." Boy, is he in for a surprise. Hehe.. I feel totally unprepared in comparison to previous runs I've completed... 13.1 miles sounds looonnnnggg. Reeeeeaaallly long. This may, in fact, be my last-ever blog posting. By the time I crawl to the finish, my fingers will no longer be capable of typing. Worn to the bone, mere nubs. Okay, enough of this whining. I guess it's probably my own fault.

The real question is, Kansas City, are you ready for us?

1st Annual Zubaz Tailgate!

2008-10-05T21:49:00.011-05:00

I was duped... We all were.

I'm referring to the girlfriends and wives who participated in the First Annual Zubaz Tailgate. Somehow the boys convinced us "all the other girls are wearing them!" So we all showed up in the pants, with the exception of Cindy. (She's the smart one in the group.) We were quite a sight. Andy, the mastermind behind our tailgate, is convinced that next year there will be 30-40 participants, and he's nominated me to make a banner. "Annual Zubaz Tailgate - It's a Pants Party!" Here are some of my other favorite pics from the weekend. The Wildcats may have been a disappointment, but we know how to have a good time - win or lose!

To order your Zubaz pants, click HERE!

Aarrrgh Matey!

2008-09-29T14:33:00.003-05:00

I thought I would share a few pictures from Bluegrass... Cole and I on "Pirate Night" and us with Kent out at Winfield City Lake listening to some pickin' at Stage 5.

Blog neglect...

2008-09-26T10:30:00.004-05:00

Almost the entire month of September has passed - and only one blog entry? Cole has been nagging me to update this thing... So here are the blogworthy events of my month so far:

Bluegrass! High water forced Walnut Valley visitors out of the fairgrounds and into other campsites, but even a flood can't stop the spirit of Bluegrass! We wound up camping at Winfield Livestock Auction with our normal crew - the cows kept us company! Others were camped in Oxford and at Winfield City Lake. We had a fun visit to Oxford on Friday night, which was Pirate Night. Our group was a scary sight, thanks to Mom's purchase of eye patches, gold hoop earrings and plastic swords! Saturday we made it out to Stage 5 at the lake. Kent rode his motorcycle out from Salina with a buddy, so it was nice to get to share Bluegrass with him this year, too! Hopefully he'll return next year (with Kate) for a more normal Bluegrass. Ha! Bluegrass, normal? Hardly.

#62, check! Last year I joined Junior League of the Flint Hills, a local women's service group. Our primary focus is promoting literacy in the FH region; we also complete various other service projects for local shelters, schools, etc. In general, our members like to take care of eachother, too! We provide meals when a new little one comes along, or a family member is sick, or a spouse is deployed... Karla, another Junior Leaguer, had her baby girl, Kinley, (isnt' that a great name?!) on July 2nd. Karla was only 28 weeks along at the time, and Kinley was born weighing only 2 pounds, 12 ounces. You can view Kinley's CaringBridge website HERE. There are even photos of teensey weensey Kinley! Fortunately, I got to stop by for a visit this week. According to mom, Kinley is doing great - she's up to eight pounds now, and her doctor was even surprised with the weight gain! What a miracle!

#16, almost check... I've had a lot of fun over the past few months lunching with friends! Even though I'm working near Junction City at Rock Springs 4-H Center, I occasionally get to work from home. Usually when I'm in Manhattan, I try to schedule lunch with a friend. I've gotten to eat with Sarah, Heather, Sabrina, Kelly, and Leesa... 5 out of 6 so far... not bad!

#53 and #54, works in progress... The half-marathon training is slow going. My longest run so far has been 6 miles - I'm a little behind schedule. I've completed 80 out of my 1001 miles to run, so I'm averaging a little over 2 miles per day, but I really need to step it up. Cole and I are thinking about enrolling in "Boot Camp" at our gym. Some tough love might be exactly what we need!

Speaking of RUNNING, the Rock Springs Turkey Trot 5k & Kids Gobble Jog is approaching quickly... Don't forget to sign up! The run will be held at Rock Springs on November 8th.

September can only mean one thing...

2008-09-03T11:24:00.016-05:00

It's here! September is finally here. To thousands of people from throughout Kansas (and even the world) September means the Walnut Valley Festival / National Flat-Pickin' Championships, known as "Bluegrass" to Winfield natives, and "Winfield" to all other guests, has arrived. It all begins weeks before the festival with miles of campers lined up to stake-out their campsite. Then the "land rush" takes place. I have had the good fortune of helping out with this event, and I'll never forget it! When I was atttending Southwestern College I skipped one of my morning classes to ride along and help Dad with our camper... (Clearly, Bluegrass ranks above attending class in our family!) You really need several people for the land-rush process. Dad drove and I rode shotgun with coils of extension cords and water hoses wrapped around each arm. My instructions were to sprint from the vehicle and plug in before all the outlets and faucets were taken...

Bluegrass is an experience -from start to finish! So, friends, if you're reading this we've probably tried to convince you to join us at the festival, or at least "Stumble Inn" to our campsite. Join us for some great food, participate in "Doo-Rag Saturday" and, oh yeah, listen to some authentic bluegrass music, too. (: This is what it's all about:

Small Potatoes - One of my new favorites... Great lyrics.

Tommy Emmanuel - Opened for the Olympics in Sydney

Cadillac Sky

Beautiful.

2008-08-27T23:17:00.007-05:00

Check out this video, taken after Tyler's "surprise" transplant... His family tells him the great news! (See 8/20/08 entry for more details.)

There are no words...

Book Worm...

2008-08-22T09:44:00.004-05:00

My "list" is slowly shrinking... At this point I have fully completed 5 items (wahoo!) and several others are a work in progress. This week I have read two books and pretty much neglected Cole. I'm reverting back to my old reading habits: ignoring everything and everyone around me, staying up way too late and straining my eyes until my vision is too blurry to make out the words. I'm hooked on these Janet Evanovich books - I purchased the first two box sets from amazon.com and they arrived just in time for my birthday!

So here is a recap of this week's reading:

Two for the Dough - Stephanie Plum does it again... the novice bounty hunter tracks down 24 missing caskets, sees more dead dead men than she can handle, and reconnects with the sexy cop, Joe Morelli... She couldn't have done it without help from her crazy Grandma Mazur.

Three to Get Deadly - Caught in a scandal, Stephanie hunts down the local candy store owner, and her friends in "the Burg" are less than thrilled with her pursuit of Uncle Mo, who can do no wrong. Lots of surprises in this one. Another gem.

Awesome God

2008-08-20T00:04:00.007-05:00

For the last month or so, my youngest sister, Hannah, has been keeping me updated on Winfield High School senior Tyler Groom's heart condition... Tyler is a close friend of Hannah's boyfriend; his story is truly amazing. But - it's not over. He will have a long road to recovery, and still needs PRAYERS. Check out Tyler's CaringBridge website here.

If you take the time to read through the "journal" portion of the website, written by a nurse and friend of the Groom family, you're sure to cry tears of joy... This evening Tyler entered a surgery (at a heart hospital in Oklahoma City) to keep his heart strong enough to wait for a transplant. (Not the technical jargon, I know, but I'm just giving you the basics here.) The doctors were afraid his organs would begin shutting down, and this was the best option.

After they had already begun this first surgery, a HEART WAS FOUND! Had the heart been found after Tyler's operation was complete, there is no way he could have taken it. They would have had him wait three weeks recovery time before a transplant was even an option. The heart was transported to OKC, and given to Tyler. Can you imagine waking up with a "surprise" new heart! Wow!

Also take a look at the "guestbook" portion of Tyler's site... There have been tremendous amounts of prayer for Tyler... Check out his dad's post just before he went into surgery (Aug. 19th at 5:30 am). Goosebumps. God's timing was perfect, as always. Funny how that happens. Remember Tyler in your prayers tonight, and don't forget the donor's family, too.

#82: Subscribe to Women's Health magazine.

2008-08-12T09:58:00.005-05:00

I did it... I officially signed up, and it was less than $16! I'm really excited to start getting healthy advice, recipes and workouts. Cole receives Men's Health currently... and I love it. If the women's version is even half as good I'll be happy. So what motivated me? Well, last night, as a part of the Healthy Eating class I've signed up for, Carrie (the dietitian teaching the course) took measurements, weighed me and evaluated my body mass index (BMI). I wasn't particularly surprised by the results; they only confirmed what I already know. To be really healthy, I need to lose some weight (or as Carrie would say - lower my BMI). So here goes nothing! Having the magazine as an additional reminder can't hurt, and Carrie says I can get to my goal weight by November... I should have gotten that in writing. :)

For a simplified version of Carrie's "exam," click here and find out your BMI!

The list has taught me at least one thing about myself so far. I'm a shopper... and I am beginning to realize that most of the items I've checked off my list are purchases. Eventually I'll run out of things to buy and I'll have to start "doing." Hmm... Until then, I guess I'll just keep shopping.

#80 Buy a new grill for Cole.

2008-08-11T10:37:00.008-05:00

It's the Spirit E-210, and Weber says it's the "finest entry-level full-size grill on the market." I guess we agree. The Eilders household was past due for purchasing a new grill, and after our kabobs took well over an hour to cook on Saturday night, we decided it was time. It's certainly not the fanciest option there is, but we're thrilled to be rid of the freebie we've been using for the last two years. My favorite feature is the scale that weighs the propane tank and indicates a low/empty tank! No half-cooked pork chops ever again. :) Get ready our next Kabob-B-Que!

I am super excited that great progress is being made in another area of my list, as well. On Friday, I got permission to start planning a 5k at Rock Springs in October! Hooray! This promotional event will be multipurpose, and should really help to expose Rock Springs 4-H Center to the local community. Mark your calendars and lace up those old running shoes! The race will be November 8, 2008 at 9:00 am. If you would like an entry form, send email to aeilders@rocksprings.net and include your postal address.

Can anyone tell me why my blog indicates over 50,000 hits? I know I'm really not that popular. :) The only thing I can think of is that I check it obsessively for spelling errors, and to see if anyone has commented. (Thanks, Sarah - I think you're my biggest fan!)

Fun in the sun...

2008-08-04T13:00:00.012-05:00

Okay... So Cole and I have had a super busy, fun month so far - and it's only August 4th!! We spent last week at Beaver Lake in Arkansas with my parents and some friends. This was our first trip to Beaver, and we would highly recommend checking it out, if you're the lake-going type. The scenery was amazing, the water was calm and clear... perfect for wakeboarding, skiing and (Dad's favorite) the air chair. Here are some pictures from our trip to Beaver, as well as Milford Lake:

Beaver Lake

2008 Summer Lake Trips

In addition to getting a great tan during vacation, I actually completed some of the items on my list! Saturday before the trip, Cole and I spent the afternoon in Wichita. We had to get the Jetta serviced, and it wound up taking much longer than expected. Cole has been working his hiney off lately, and Parker-Hannifin just might be getting the best of him... So I suggested a massage to relieve some stress. It was the perfect opportunity to check off Number 6: Have a couples massage with Cole. We stopped by Sveta's Body Therapy in Bradley Fair for 30 minutes of pure bliss. Wow! I could barely drive afterwards, talk about relaxed... It was probably the best massage I've ever had!!! ht tp://www.svetas.com/default.asp

Three items complete, 98 to go! Other progress I've made on the list includes:

#48: Take all life insurance OPAIs.
The paperwork and check for my OPAI are in the mail, Cole will officially be $50K wealthier when I kick the bucket. Congrats, babe.

#10: Purchase K-State season football tickets.
Cole's July bonus is in our account, he's out of town for work, and I'm spending away! Kidding :) I was excited to hear that I qualify for young alumni ticket prices for two more years... Go Cats!

#96: Add 50 corks to my wine cork jar.
Thanks to Uncle Bill's fantastic red wine at our recent Niederee family gathering, the jar is plus one... Yum-O.

#51: Lose weight and #55: Take Maximum Performance Eating for Life Class.

I've been weighing myself weekly for about a month, and the scale hadn't budged... but thanks to Michelle's Total Tone class at the gym and Carrie's Eating for Life tips, I am finally making progress! I'm trying to learn to be a "mindful" eater. Our next class is Wednesday, and I'm looking forward to hearing more.

#70: Read 20+ fiction books.
I've always heard great things about Janet Evanovich's books... I've even bought them for my sister-in-law. I finally cracked one open myself, and couldn't put it down. Yes, I read on vacation... call me a nerd, I don't care. I finished up two books last week: One for the Money and Lean Mean Thirteen. Janet gets five stars from me.

101 in 1001

2008-07-23T08:30:00.000-05:00

July 22, 2008 - Starting Date
April 19, 2011 - Ending Date

As if life isn't busy enough... Earlier this week I came across a friend's latest (for lack of a better phrase) "self-improvement project." I'm a sucker for lists... I love the satisfaction of crossing something off, and the idea of taking steps to improve my life isn't bad, either. So, I'm giving it a shot... Creating the list was really pretty motivating. Hopefully my enthusiasm doesn't wane... My plan is to post updates with evidence of completion to help hold myself accountable. Here's a summary of how this whole thing works:

"Mission: Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

Criteria: Tasks must be specific (i.e. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (i.e. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days? Many people have created lists in the past — frequently simple goals such as New Year’s resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organizing and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities."

If you're interested in starting your own list, here is a website that may be helpful!

http://www.triplux.com/dayzero/

F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

2008-07-22T09:52:00.002-05:00

Thank God for great friends! This weekend was really fantastic... two of my best friends from college came to visit, and we spent Saturday on the lake (very little water sports, mostly floating and talking a lot) followed up with Coco Bolo's for dinner with sangrias (and even more chit chat at dinner).

It had literally been years since we got together and it is so nice to know that we'll always be able to pick up where we left off. These two girls are so special to me; I can hardly believe we let ourselves get out of touch like we have... We were long overdue for a get together and the girl time was desperately needed. Hooray for Miller moving back to KS... Here's to many more fun times to come!

Speaking of friends, did anyone else hear the rumor that filming starts soon for a new F.R.I.E.N.D.S. movie? Could this be???

The 1/2 marathon training is going pretty well... My longest run to date has been 5 miles, and the training is slowly becoming more consistent... 87 days to go. Seeing Miller this weekend inspired me. She is running like a mad woman, over 50 miles per week, and makes my teeny 5 miler look pathetic... Time to get busy!

♥ ♥ ♥ Love & Marriage

2008-07-11T13:24:00.000-05:00

Thought I'd share some of my favorite photos from the summer... We've attended many fun weddings already... :) Congrats to the Steins, Hortons and Bracks so far! (Whew - that's a lot of newlyweds!!)

Milford Lake, here we come! :)

2008-07-07T22:48:00.000-05:00

It's official... Cole and I are now boat owners! On July 3rd we purchased a 1990 Glastron 185 Model, and we can hardly wait to hit the lake... We spent the 4th cleaning and polishing our prized posession and plan to head to Milford (the largest lake in KS... a little trivia for you) this weekend for some fun in the sun. HOPEFULLY we didn't purchase a money pit - you never know with used boats. (Although we know that the previous owner has taken good care of this one, so that helps a lot.) Hooray!!! :) More pictures to come...

P.S. Thank you, thank you, thank you for all of your love and support. The last few weeks haven't been easy for us... Without fantastic people like you in our lives it would have been even tougher. We are so grateful! God bless.

Got Hail???

2008-06-10T12:09:00.001-05:00

Manhattan has seen some ferocious weather over the last week! During a terrible hail storm the entire west side of town was pounded with up to softball sized hail. Click the YouTube link below to see more. The video was taken from the Manhattan Regional Airport... Tons of vehicles were totaled! Fortunately, we experienced no damage. June has definitely been a busy month for insurance companies in Manhattan and Junction City. Our next door neighbor, who recently returned from Iraq, was driving in the storm and said that the experience was like being bombed or shot at. Quite a statement, coming from a soldier who actually has been bombed and shot at!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ji7tqYvvFqU

Last weekend was spent in Topeka for Jessi and Josh's wedding - what a great time! The Hortons looked fantastic, and we had so much fun celebrating with all of our friends. Two summer weddings down (Bracks and Hortons) and three to go! Whew!

Changes...

2008-04-02T16:31:00.002-05:00

I'm baaack. Finally! Much has changed since my last post. I figured I'd be terrible about keeping up with a blog - I thought right. Some things worth noting... I am so excited to have accepted a job with Rock Springs 4-H Center as their marketing director! After a stressful and financially draining position with First Command Financial Services, I am ready for the move. There are lots of ideas swimming in my head about how I can spread the word about Rock Springs! (If you know anyone who plans a camp, conference or retreat, I would love to know them, too.) I start the position Monday... eek!

Cole and I had a very productive weekend. Cole shampooed the carpeting and I painted the livingroom... it's about time! We've been wanting to paint since we bought the house. The first bucket I brought home resembled mint-flavored ice cream. Not good. I bought a second bucket and the color was much better. Lots of pressure there - I always end up choosing funky paint colors, but am pretty confident the look is working. We wound up with a brown/olive color... Hmm... Now we need something to hang. Shopping, anyone? :)

Welcome!

2008-01-30T12:10:00.001-06:00

I surprise myself a little - never thought a blog was my style... but here I go! I'll do my best to update this regularly. As my life isn't terribly exciting, I don't intend to drop earth shattering news here, just fun facts in the life of Amanda. :)

Happy 2008 to you all!!! So far the New Year has been pretty uneventful for Cole and I - we've enjoyed the standstill of January after the hustle and bustle of holiday travel. I am working on (thinking about working on) my New Years Resolutions to: 1. Lose Weight and 2. Get Back in Shape. Original, huh - same as every other American... Cole, on the other hand is attempting to gain weight. Unfortunately, he is losing the weight that I wish to be losing. Ahh, the frustration!

In other news...

I am psyched about the possibility of the K-State men's team beating KU tonight... Go Cats!!
It's that time of year again and we're looking forward to hosting a small Super Bowl get together Sunday... who plays again??
Monday we have tickets to watch Will Ferrell in action! He's coming to K-State for a stand-up gig...

More on us later. For now, have a fantastic week!