Happy Anniversary Nichole & Randy!

Weekend Update

This weekend started out wonderfully. I had a wedding rehearsal Friday night and then the wedding on Saturday. I played piano for a lovely couple (that I don't know ... the bride's mother used to work with my mother) and Dustin assisted me. The photographer came over while I was playing the prelude music and took some close-up shots of my music. He also took some close-ups of my hands while I was playing. I'm hoping that I can track him down and maybe buy a couple prints. It would be cool to have something like that hanging in my piano room! After the reception, Dustin and I went home where we enjoyed a fire on our patio and some NASCAR/football. We're both so ready for football season to start!

Today, we picked up the house and got some laundry started. Then we headed out to run some errands. I stopped and bought a couple books that my book group has selected and got some new kicks too (thank goodness for my paying piano gigs!). Then off to get groceries, etc. Just your average, run-of-the-mill Sunday.

We returned home to water in our basement ... again. Ugh. We're pretty sure this keeps happening because of our tree in the front yard. So, we do the roto-rooter (??) thing and get some root killer for the pipes and then we're good for a while. Our plan is call the city and see who might be responsible for the sewer line. If they are, we get a new line. If we are ... we buy stock in root killer stuff. :)

To make ourselves feel better, I made some fresh salsa (with tomatoes and jalapenos from Dustin's garden). Yummy!! Now we're relaxing before we have to go back to work tomorrow. Weekends are never long enough!

Happy Birthday Grandpa!

A little belated, but better late than never! My grandpa and his twin brother just turned 87 the other day. And grandpa is finally home now after staying at the hospital and nursing home following a hip replacement. Love you grandpa!

Miss Allie

Mom was able to get these photos of Allie the other night at the farm (normally she can't be bothered to sit still for a picture - always on the move, I don't know how she has the energy). This little girl is so darn cute!!

Getting Ready for Baby

I am now 30 weeks (only 10 more to go), so Dustin and I thought that we should at least do something to let people know that we are preparing for this baby! We headed out on Saturday and got ourselves this nursery set. Grandma and Grandpa Beringer (aka Jeff and Cindy) helped us with this little purchase ... Thank you so much!!

Dustin and I are quite the furniture-assembling team. We have a nifty little system in place, so this took no time at all. And we didn't have any arguments either! :)

Dustin hard at work with the dresser. I helped with the drawers!

Crib is almost finished!

Here's the dresser ... now we finally have a place for all the clothes that Jeff and Cindy have sent us!!

The finished nursery set

The next step is to buy the bedding set that I've had my eye on for quite some time. Then Mom is going to help paint (at least I hope you are Mom!). I cannot wait to get rid of that awful striping!

Rachel's Shower

Last Sunday we went to a bridal shower for my sister's best friend Rachel. She's getting married in September. It was a nice afternoon with a lovely game that Nichole and Laci had us play.

Congratulations Rachel!

Nichole, Rachel, Courtney and Laci

And of course, Allie!

Sioux Valley High School - Class of 1998

I sometimes have trouble believing that I have been out of high school for 10 years now. Either way, my 10 year reunion came and went. We all got together the first weekend of August and we had a great turnout. My graduating class had about 60 students and we had around 30 show up for the reunion (plus a few significant others).

We started out Friday night at Cubby's with an informal gathering, followed by a school tour and golfing on Saturday (I missed out on those to attend my cousin's wedding). Saturday night was dinner at the golf course in Volga and after dinner, we all headed to the bar on Main. We were pretty much the only ones there and, true to form, we closed the place down. Let's talk about the last time I stayed up past midnight, or even 10. I finally crawled into bed a 3 a.m. Exhausted!

All in all it was a great weekend. I wasn't sure if I was looking forward to it or not. Now ... I can't wait for the next one!

Me and Jason Kratochvil - Jason was our class president Senior year

Chad is trying to rival my belly ... close, but no cigar!
Chad Nielson, Heidi Meyer, Randy Santema, me, Nathan Schumacher, Jeremiah Norwood & Jason Kratochvil

Chad Nielson, me & Pat Hanson
I spent a majority of the weekend with someone touching my belly waiting for the little bambino to kick!

Told you we had a good turnout ... here's the majority of my classmates
We sure missed those of you that weren't able to attend!

We had to move it outside to get the class and their significant others

Happy Birthday Nichole!!