2010 - A Fabulous Year in Review

What a fabulous year 2010 was to our family! In brief, here's the recap on our 2010:

JANUARY - Elizabeth cheered for the West Liberty Hilltoppers! Her favorite players were Tori Hansen, Laura Malernee...and John Wolosinczuk! She loves watching John play so much that when he wasn't on the floor, she would often turn her back on the court in protest. (I mean seriously, with nothing but 20+ win seasons every year, what in the heck does Coach Crutchfield know about coaching hoops -- more Wolosinczuk!) Yes, she can say his name, too -- much to the delight of everyone and the demise of TV sports reporters! (wol-oh-SIN-chuck)

Elizabeth celebrated her 4th birthday (actual birthday) with a modest at-home event with Mommy, Daddy, and Grandma. We enjoyed dinner at Fusion with cake and presents at home where Elizabeth got her first Barbie from Aunt Anne (the start of another obsession I'm afraid!)

Three days later, Elizabeth had her tonsils and adenoids removed and tubes put in her ears. Her ENT told us that her poor little ears were more infected than he thought they were and that her adenoids completely blocked her nasal passage -- making it all the more amazing that she didn't complain (EVER!) about her ears hurting and that she has always been such a good eater! In addition to the obvious reasons for which we were thankful following her surgery, I am additionally thankful that she doesn't take after me with allergic reactions to pain medication...but also frightened that hydrocodone causes her to strip naked and dance late at night. (At least her last dose of the good stuff caused her to do that, at which point we made the executive decision to stop giving it to her!)

We rounded out the month with her Sesame Street 4th Birthday Party! We were so thrilled to have Grandma, Nana & Papa, Rikki & (a guilt-ridden) Doug, and the Koeglers - Jason, Sarah, Campbell & Will as guests. (Papi wasn't able to make it due to weather. Doug was guilted by Elizabeth into taking whatever measures were necessary to ensure coming as she gently pointed out to him that he had never been to her birthday party and that she wanted him to come and bring her Aqua Sand. He complied, but perhaps in future years, I need to train her to ask for more expensive presents like a car or a college education...)

FEBRUARY - We continued to cheer on the Hilltoppers (the men's team was undefeated in January & February!). E's man, John Wolosinczuk, was featured on the Dorm Room website on Valentine's Day no less! Elizabeth was the darling of so many admirers at the West Liberty games in her uniform (custom made by Nana!) She got so many compliments on her game-day attire!

We got pummeled with snow (I didn't consider that part of our good fortune, but Elizabeth did when we went to Oglebay to sled ride and play in the white crap!)

MARCH - We were so excited to have the Martin family (Jason, P.J., John Patrick, and Jackson) move from Florida to Wheeling!!!

The Hilltoppers capped off great seasons. Hansen was a DII All-American, Malernee DII's two-time 3-point leader, the men were the 2009-2010 WVIAC Conference Champs! Despite her love and adoration of John Wolosinczuk, Elizabeth still refused to talk with him and she cowered behind either Reid or me when he came over to say hi or give her a high 5. She has more of a long-distance love affair with John...

March was basketball heaven for the Amoses and our fellow Mountaineer fans! The WVU men's basketball team, behind the leadership of Da'Sean Butler, won the Big East Championship endearing the team to many more fans in the metro-NY area (as so many of the team members were from that area) earning them a new nickname in NYC, the Metro'neers...much to the delight of Anne, Sean, & Alex (who, at 2-1/2 does a mean John Flowers impersonation and when asked who his coach is will reply, "Coach Huggins.") We went C-R-A-Z-Y here in the Amos household when the #2 seed West Virginia Mountaineers upset the #1 seeded Kentucky to reach the Final Four!!!

APRIL - Reid & I made the trip to Indianapolis to watch the Mountaineers in the Final Four (while Elizabeth celebrated Easter with the Mortons). We were obviously disappointed that the Mountaineers didn't win the national title, but what a fabulous trip we had in spite of the team's loss! While enjoying a couple of beers at a pub before taking in the Indiana Pacers' game (thanks to former WJU men's basketball and current Pacers' assistant coach Jay DeFruscio for the free tickets, I took in my first NBA game!) we met Butler's assistant SID, Josh Rattray. He's a fabulous guy -- and gave us a tour of historic Hinkle Field House the afternoon before Bulter played in the championship game, which they ultimately lost to Duke (blech! I hate Duke after that weekend more than I thought possible!) On our trip back home, we stopped by Historic Hoosier Gym (where the home games for the movie Hoosiers was filmed) and got to shoot some hoops and hang out in the locker room before stopping at the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.

After having four previous miscarriages, we are cautiously optimistic when I get pregnant again. I teased Reid by telling him that we would be obligated to name this "Final Four baby" Bobby John Da'Sean Amos if it was a boy -- in honor of the Mountaineers...

MAY - Hans graduated from WJU with a degree in nursing! We're so proud of you, Hans!!! We're bummed that he would be moving back to Philadelphia, but can't say that we will miss his Communist soccer games ;-) Congratulations to Hans, too, for being named 1st Team All-WVIAC and 2nd Team NSCAA All-Atlantic Region!!!

We rounded out the end of May with a surprise 80th birthday party for "Grandma" Helen Wine and Alex's 4th birthday!!!

Reid got the opportunity to broadcast the MCLA Championship (lacrosse) in Denver, despite never having watched a live lacrosse game. He was fabulous!!! No surprise there as he is such a talented broadcaster! (Anne noted that Reid was the Keith Jackson of lacrosse -- "Woah Nelly!")

JUNE - My pregnancy progressed well, but we were still nervous...

Elizabeth got to watch her Daddy play golf (at least a few holes) for the first time. Mind you, I told her she HAD to be quiet...that she HAD to whisper...when Reid & Jason are approaching the area where we are sitting with Sarah, Campbell, and Will, and Elizabeth belted out a big "Hi Daaaaady!" before I knew it! Fortunately, he and Jason were amused by her...and they made the cut in the tournament...

Elizabeth got her very own set of golf clubs -- complete with the panda bear head cover...

Elizabeth was really taking off in the water with the help of her swim vest. She didn't at all complain with having wear the ear plugs, which we had our concerns about that being a battle before the start of summer...

JULY - We celebrated July 4th with the Cunninghams...getting to be with Alex for his first fireworks display (in the big town of Gassaway) was a lot of fun!

Elizabeth got to spend a week in Sutton with Grandma & Papi -- and Aunt Anne, Sean, & Alex! Swimming every day was the highlight of her time in Sutton! (In order to sound like Elizabeth, you have to make your voice rather nasal-ly and say "Aunt Anne" rather quickly, loudly, and very, very frequently! I don't recall her saying just Anne, it's always "Aunt Anne! Aunt Anne!")

Elizabeth began swimming independently (no vest!) E and I were at the pool at Oglebay and she said that she wanted to take off the vest to which I said sure. She jumped in and swam right over to me without hesitation. She never looked back at wanting that vest. A couple of days later when Reid was able to join us at Oglebay we surprised him when she jumped in and swam to me without her vest! She is truly remarkable!

Reid and I celebrated our 9th wedding anniversary! :-)

Late in the month I discovered that removing the wallpaper in the dining room wasn't going to be the complete headache that I was anticipating it to be...the exorcism began!

Reid began tearing up the bricks on the side of the back side "lot" at our house to make way for a small spot where we can get some grass growing to eventually put in a playground for Elizabeth.

AUGUST - My pregnancy was going well and we were able to breathe a bit easier with that!

We took Elizabeth to Idlewild for a day of fun. (I went along basically to serve as Reid & Elizabeth's personal photographer as being pregnant you aren't allowed on any of the rides.) Idlewild was great fun, but I cannot recommend it to anyone who is in the family way...

Elizabeth went off the diving board by herself! She was amazing!!!

We took Nana with us as we made our annual Amos family visit to "the Big City" of Washington, D.C. to spend some quality time with Rikki & Doug. Each year we take in the National Zoo -- the giant pandas remained Elizabeth's favorite. This year's trip was made even more special (Reid would say by his continuing bro-mance with Doug) with the celebration of Rikki & Doug's impending nuptials with a bridal shower in honor of Rikki! My favorite moment from the shower was when Rikki, with the help of Elisa, started opening the picture quilt that Carol made for her...and everyone that was there just got up and started gathering around the quilt. Everyone was holding a part of it and pointing out pictures -- truly sweet! Some other brief highlights of our trip: Carol learned from her future son-in-law that the public begins on the other side of the front door of their house...and we learned that Doug especially loves the adult mac & cheese...

SEPTEMBER - Reid interviewed the legendary Jerry West at the Greenbrier while at the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting and Business Summit! Awesomeness!!!

We took Elizabeth to her first Mountaineer football game...I thought I could pass out from heat exhaustion! Seriously...I don't think I've even been that hot before -- the extra weight from the pregnancy didn't help matters! WVU beat "the bad guys" (from) Maryland 31-17!

We traveled to The Homestead for the wedding of Rikki Amos and Doug Eckstein on September 25th! On the drive over the mountains on Thursday evening, I don't believe I've ever seen the moon look so large...unfortunately a camera wasn't handy for me to snap a picture of it! I wasn't on my camera A-game on Thursday at all, as I forgot to put the SD card in before we headed over to Sam Snead's Tavern...I wouldn't make that mistake again! Over the next three days, I took more pictures than could be counted. Elizabeth became instant friends with Lexi and Stella! After the rehearsal we all enjoyed getting to hang out at the Presidents Lounge (the boys enjoyed hanging out a wee bit more on the front porch...and raided the kitchen...and eventually retired at 4AM!), the wedding was simply beautiful and touching, we danced for hours at the reception...and before heading home, Elizabeth went bowling for the first time -- and even bowled a strike under the tutelage of Doug!

OCTOBER - We completed the dining room make-over (aka exorcism!) We love the room now (as opposed to cringing with the hideous 80's flowered wallpaper and border)!

We had a great time at my 20-year high school reunion! (20 years?!? Man, I'm old!) Everyone continues to Blame Palmer...some things, I guess, will never change!

We thoroughly enjoyed the time we had with the Perrys (Kristin, William, & Greer) as they were able to make the time to come to West Virginia during their trip to the US from Berlin! My friendship with Kristin is so incredible -- that we can have a great time doing nothing exciting (well at least "going Krogering" isn't exciting for me, but Kristin is excited to shop when she's in America as we have so much crap on our store shelves!) Reid took William out to golf with some of his buddies, who were all charmed by his Scottish wit! Elizabeth and Greer became great friends, too! It was especially fun to get to share my last big ultrasound with Kristin, who is preggers too (with an Alpha Gam legacy!)

Elizabeth dressed as Jessie from Toy Story 3 for Halloween! Nana, of course, was once again to thank for her over-the-top costume!

NOVEMBER - We were anxiously awaiting the arrival of Baby Cate...who gave us a "scare" that she would come sooner than expected. We quickly learned the efforts that people (not just family members) would go through to help us welcome our baby!

Reid and Elizabeth went to the Wheeling Christmas parade and got prime seating thanks to Bill & Debby Koegler!

We feasted at Thanksgiving (seriously feasted!) and were delighted to host Grandma (who had come to stay with us until some time after the arrival of Baby Cate), Nana, Papa, Rikki & Doug. We feasted (did I say seriously feasted?) on turkey (highly recommend brining the bird!), mashed potatoes, stuffing, oyster casserole, corn pudding, green beans, rolls, pumpkin pie, peanut blossom cookies, and Pilgrim hat cookies.

DECEMBER - Victoria Catherine Amos arrived at 11:00 AM kicking off the month and rounding out a quite perfect year! After all of the issues I had experienced the previous two years, we have felt additionally blessed with the addition of Cate! She brings us such joy!!!

Although we were most saddened with the news of the fire that destructed the Koegler's home, we were happy that no one was home at the time of the incident, no one was harmed...and happy to be a part of the group of friends that helped set them up in their temporary residence (before the real temporary residence) shortly before Christmas. Wheeling is a wonderfully friendly place to live and this effort was a testament to the people we have had the good fortune of meeting in our brief time here!

We celebrated the end of the year at Christmas getting to introduce Cate to her family and rang in the new year with just the four of us -- watching the ball in NYC's Times Square drop with Dick Clark doing the countdown.

2010 was a truly awesomely great year!

Playing Catch Up

For starters, I'm still damn proud to be a Mountaineer! Last week, Da'Sean Butler threw out the opening pitch at a Little League baseball game in Bridgeport and then stuck around to sign autographs. How cool is that?

In addition to work, which has been crazy...and Reid's schedule, which has also been crazy...and Elizabeth, who is growing like a weed and today (while Daddy was at a work function) had a crazy meltdown...we've been good. Busy, but good. I'm also trying to pick up some more skills on PhotoShop -- just in time for Alex's 3rd birthday party invitations.

I held my annual Champions Dinner this year on the Saturday of the Masters. Seriously, one of the best meals that I have ever made for the Champions Dinner. And, unlike Phil's 1st dinner (sooooo excited he won, BTW!!!) of the lobster ravioli, I didn't have to spend the entire day in the kitchen making the meal, which meant I actually tasted it and liked it! We were happy to have Johnny Lynch, Eric & Leigh Bovaird as guests this year. Unfortunately the Martins had to cancel out, but we're looking forward to them joining us next year... Anyway, here is what I served from 2009 Champion Angel Cabrera's menu:

• Locro (Argentine Stew)
• Carne Asada a la Parrilla (grilled meats with Chimichurri Sauce) -- the pile of Fred Flintstone-like meats took up my entire Fiestaware pizza tray...
  
• Ensalada (heirloom tomato salad with onions, green bell peppers and Sweet Ginger Vinaigrette Dressing)
• Potato Salad
• Sweet Bread (very dense beignets)
• Grapes in Grappa with Mascarpone
  

Speaking of the Martins, it's so great that P.J., Jason, John Patrick, and Jackson have moved back to WV...and are practically our neighbors! John Patrick and Weezie get along famously; and we're looking forward to getting to introduce them all to the Koeglers -- long over-due for that! Tomorrow night P.J., Jason, Reid, & I will be going to the Wheeling Symphony for the "Music of Champions."

Thankful Thursday

Today, I'm thankful to/for/about:

• My Mom - who is just a rock star. I miss her dearly but am so thankful for the time she was able to spend with us.
• Elizabeth's continued health. She's so amazing! She is all about smelling things these days - truly a new experience for her!
  
• The Amoses for coming to the Friendly City of Wheeling for Elizabeth's birthday...and Aqua Sand. The novelty has not yet worn off, so I'm thankful for that, too! (I'm not-so-thankful for Disney for still making crappy stuff -- as the arm from the replacement doll has broken...same way as the one she got from Santa. I hate Disney Store products!!!)
• The Koeglers for being fun to hang around with! Sorry, Campbell, that Elizabeth "had an accident with Spike." (She sat on the remote control for Spike the dinosaur, which turned him on and he started moving. To say that Cam isn't a fan of his remote-control dinosaur when he is on and not sleeping would be a great understatement!)
  
• The Toppers getting their quality win over A-B tonight -- and the Falcons for upsetting WV State in Fairmont. That combination puts the Toppers in 1st place in the conference.

Some Elizabeth funnies:

• Two days after E's surgery, Friday, January 22nd, we were watching the Haiti relief program on TV. She loves to dance and was ready to get down. I had given her a dose of hydrocodone just to "make sure" that she would be pain free for the night and would be able to get a quality night's rest. She eventually got the rest, but I'm pretty sure that the hydrocodone didn't play a big factor in it. She was so high off of the stuff it was the last dose we would give her. At 10:30 PM she said, "I don't need my undies on because I'm going to dance!" while she proceeded to strip nakey and dance.
• Tonight at the game, Elizabeth spotted a few girls that were dressed for the evening -- in a club, not so much for a basketball game. Regarding one girl who was in a halter-top, Elizabeth said, "Mommy, why is that girl not wearing a shirt with these?" (pointing to her shoulders.) I asked E if she liked that girl's shirt to which she replied, "No. It's not very cute."
  

Thankful Thursday

Today I'm thankful to/for/about:

• My health and the health of my family members. Some times I think I take this for granted...until something happens in the real world that snaps me back into reality.
  
• That the green m&m Elizabeth thought seemed like a good idea to stick up her nose on the car ride into Webster Springs last night came out without too much drama. And that, for at least a little bit, it caused her some discomfort - not because I'm sadistic, but so that maybe next time she won't think it is a good idea to stick something up her nose! (For those of you who are curiosity seekers, it was just a plain m&m...)
• For the good news from my dear friends and conspirators in "Team 911" - Shoog is preggers, Nicole is preggers, RFKM isn't, but his wife is...Katie-Kate, who clarified that she is definitely not preggers...and the rest of the general conversation that went back and forth this week (that doesn't need detailed here)...all of which has brightened my week! Miss all y'all as we are so far over-due for a get-together! Could it really have been that it was in 2003 that nearly all of us were last together??? We must rectify this soon...so we can really do something that will cause our children (and respective spouses) to need much therapy!
• Offense! Lots and lots of offense! The Toppers won last Saturday over Edinboro (84-63). I'll be very thankful if this winning streak continues on this Saturday over Cal!!! Go Toppers!
• Things that make me laugh...like the Liberty Mutual Football Coach of the Year voting. Not so funny in DII (vote now for Coach Waialae!)...but when I was checking the Division I leaderboard...who did I see in the Top 10 (#8, actually) -- Rich Rod. Hilarious! Nearly as funny as this little nugget that Ryan Zundell altered that also caused me to laugh (also at Coach Rod's expense)...

Thankful Thursday

Today I'm thankful to/for/about:

• Papa's (Reid's dad's) doctors - Sunday marked the 10 year anniversary of his quadruple heart bypass surgery. He had good enough doctors that caught the major blockages to his arteries - in time to prevent him from having a heart attack. I guess some times it takes more than an apple a day...
• Family - we are so blessed to have such loving, supportive, and fun families.
  
• My cousin, Hans, for getting some good (and deserved) press! He was named All-WVIAC 1st Team Men's Soccer!
• My LLBFF, Kristin...enjoyed the chat yesterday afternoon! I hate that an ocean separates us, making it impractical for a daily chat, but I do ♥ you!
• Getting to see two of my favorite AACE friends last Friday when they came to Morgantown (from Rochester & Edmonton, respectively) - Todd & Frickin' Lance. Reid was finally able to meet the infamous Frickin' Lance...who then made me thankful for the next entry...
• That Elizabeth hasn't fully picked up on any bad sayings as of yet. Lance was telling us that he got in trouble with his (4-year-old) son's daycare...and, as a result, his wife, when his son, instead of telling his teacher that he needed to "go poopy" or "go #2"...Jacob said, "I need to go squeeze a loaf!" I'm very, very thankful that Elizabeth hasn't dropped any such words of wisdom on us or the good folks at her daycare!
• Athletics! It will be a ridiculously busy (for Reid) next few days - men's basketball game tonight; football playoff game tomorrow afternoon; men's basketball game tomorrow night; women's basketball game Sunday afternoon; (Monday "off" - let's not go crazy!); basketball double-header on Tuesday night. It is an insane schedule, but oh how I do love college athletics!

Goooooo Toppers!

Thankful Thursday

Today I'm thankful to/for/about:

• Safe travels this week to & from Atlanta...and especially a score on a better timed one-way flight home (otherwise my plane wouldn't have yet departed).
• A warm welcome from my puppy...my Sweet Babboo...and my darling daughter (in order that I saw them!)
• Elizabeth who was quoted as saying at dinner tonight, "Ice cream will make me healthy." She so tickles me!
• My Sweet Babboo remembering to throw out the jack-o-lantern this week with the trash...it was quite rotten when I left for my trip, but I wasn't gonna touch it!
• Sesame Street for 40 wonderful years! What great educational fun for both young and old! (And for the free Google Sesame Street t-shirts that will be coming my way for a Christmas purchase or two for Elizabeth & Alex! Love a bonus gift!
  
• Elizabeth's teachers - she's doing so well writing some of her letters. (Darn us for giving her such a long name...some day she will have all of those letters licked...and in their proper order!)
• For all of our Veterans...and those who are currently serving our country. (Please pray for my friend Robbie Godfrey who departs for Afghanistan tomorrow - God speed, Robbie!)

Elizabeth gets a haircut!

I am so far behind on blogging, I forgot to post about Elizabeth getting her first haircut! She got her first official haircut over a month ago, September 20th.

Shame on me (let the screaming & crying begin since there is shame on me...I love that shame on you still works...)

Connie Abruzzino was kind enough on a very, very busy weekend (her niece got married in the eastern panhandle area...when she & Danny got home their freezer had quit working...they had to go to Clarksburg to replace the freezer...and then she cut Elizabeth's hair...on a Sunday, no less.) She was not only sweet enough to take the time to give E her first REAL* haircut, but she insisted on sending E back with a package of cookies (as opposed to just giving her a cookie)...and refused payment, despite Elizabeth's attempt to slip her some cash.

Also, don't think that we were punishing our kid (especially after looking at how pensive she looks in the first picture - of her getting ready for the haircut.) I can't remember the last time she got as excited about anything like she did to get her haircut.

The cut is super cute, and it makes her curls stand out a bit more. I still don't know what to do with Elizabeth's hair as it is sooooo thin. (My hair is ridiculously thick, so I'm going to have to consult with the women in my family for what to do with a thin head of hair.)

* Explanation of the "real" haircut. Since Connie's handy-work got Reid off of the hot-seat, I can now explain to everyone on the WWW what a sore spot with me the haircut issue has been. When I was in New Orleans for work just a few days shy of Elizabeth's first birthday, Reid took the kitchen shears to Elizabeth's hair. Yes, that would be the same shears that I use to open a package of bacon, or to cut up some raw chicken...so completely sanitary... (Reid has been made painfully aware of how miffed I was over the issue - not only the nastiness of the situation, but that I missed out on this "first.")

Things EJ Will Miss About West (by God) Virginia

With our dear friend, Erin, heading South for her internship at Disney's Wide World of Sports (soon to be ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex), I thought it would only be appropriate to give her a send-off Blog post...with some of the things she will most miss about West (by God) Virginia:

• Showing people where she lives while simultaneously flipping them off.
• Game days...nothing is finer than a fall in Morgantown on game day!
• Getter "Bonnie Blue Blazer" inspected by the Great State of West Virginia and declaring on an annual basis that she is not a farm-use vehicle.
• Pepperoni rolls
• Being bossed around by a 3-year-old that inquires, while EJ is bathing her, "Ya gittin' in???"
  
• A cemetery in her back yard.
• Country Roads -- and all of the beautiful scenery.
• The WVIAC Basketball Championship week...always a good time!
• The social scene at D-Lazy Lizzard, Bent Willies, and the other fine-quality establishments downtown...
• Coffee, free Wi-Fi hot spot, and excellent bridesmaid dress alterations thanks to the Fairmont Folks!
• Michael Walker...oh wait, that ship has already sailed!
  
• Clapper Burgers
• Easter celebrations with the Morton Clan in Webster Springs.
• Having to pay to get that savage tan...

Considering what goes on with the animals around here, she may be happy to be getting out of dodge!

Happy trails, Erin! We'll miss you!!! ♥

Elizabeth-isms

Sometimes it's just easier with the Cliff Notes:

• Last day = Yesterday (as in, "I played with the kids last day.")
  
• Yes I ma'am = Yes, I am!
• West Liderdee = West Liberty
• Pack Pat = Backpack
• Patapiller = Caterpillar
• Paint Nails = You have your fingernails/toenails painted
  
• I wanna watch 'The Kids' = Jon & Kate + 8 (one of her favorite shows)
• I'm going to 'The Kids' = Daycare
  
• Miss Frienda = Miss Brenda (her teacher at Daycare)
• Baseball Papi = Big Papi (David Ortiz) - still not to be confused with Papi (Rogers Cunningham)
• Lady = Erin Jones - she sometimes call Erin by her actual name, but for the most part, it's "Lady"
  
• Pewter = computer (as in, "Close your puter, Daddy.")
• Moat = remote
  
• Can I help you? = Move over, I'm going to do this...forewarned is forearmed.
  
• It's Wake-Up Time = daybreak (pre-cock-a-doodling of any roosters!)...yet, strangely, when the sun goes down, it isn't "Shhhh! It's sleepy time down South"
  
• Yellow is MY favorite = Yellow is my favorite color. Because it is my favorite color, it cannot be your favorite color. Additionally, I reserve the right to call certain foods that are yellow during certain times of the day (example: bananas at breakfast or corn during dinner) by the color "yellow" (typically stated, "I want to eat Yellow.") and you should know just what in the heck I'm talking about, because "Yellow is my very favorite!"
  

Thankful Thursday

Today I'm thankful to/for/about:

• Antibiotics, which are helping all sorts of nasty stuff go away ;-)
• Family recipes -- in this particular case, Clapper burgers (tonight's entree) and "Buddy's icing." Mmm, mmm, good! I made the mistake, though, in using a boxed spice cake mix (tisk, tisk!) There is a reason that Buddy didn't take a short cut on her raisin spice cake. Her cake is dense enough to hold the icing on the layer cake -- without splitting the top layer into thirds - having some of the icing and the top layer sliding off of the bottom layer. It's not so pretty at the moment, but satisfied my craving for a little trip down memory lane! (I have no idea how my tiny Buddy made this icing! It nearly overheated my Kitchen-Aid mixer whipping the stiff egg whites and the brown sugar syrup for over 25 minutes!) Amazing. Yummy! I could eat this stuff spread on anything -- seriously!
• Good friends who bring good beer -- thanks for the Yuengling, EJ! Delish! (Oh how I do love some of "America's Oldest Beer!")
• Elizabeth -- who has a conversation with me that goes like this: Elizabeth - "I love you, Mommy." Me - "I love you, too." Elizabeth - "I love you seven!" (Which, even by my calculation is greater than to...too...or two!)
• Reid - because he's needing a little lovin' right now. But as of this weekend, West Liberty will no longer be a college, but West Liberty University! Yea!!! We're so proud of all he has done for WLU in such a short period of time - not to mention that his other job, Small College Sports Web is broadcasting the WVIAC baseball and softball tournaments this weekend...and he's soon on his way to Glade Springs for the regional golf tourney as a member of the NCAA DII National Golf Committee. I'm getting worn out just typing about that...

CONGRATULATIONS Perrys!!!

A hearty congratulations to Kristin (Hinrichs) & William Perry on the arrival of their baby girl, Greer Auguste Perry!

Greer was goboren am ("born on" for those of you who don't speak German) April 24, 2009. Geburtszeit ("time") 12:04 PM...Kristin is likely still enjoying her national health care stay in the hospital and not yet able to confirm the time of birth...but that is for another day for yours truly to get on a soap box...in Berlin, Germany.

Greer weighed in at 3650 gramms (just over 8 pounds for those of us not on the metric system!) and is 51 cm (roughly 20").

What a cutie! I can't wait to meet her!!! (And isn't the little stuffed Strudel too adorable???)

Congratulations Chicken Noodle, Sweet William, & (Kennedy's LLBFF) Strudel!!! We ♥ & miss you guys!!! Looking forward to spending some quality time together soon!!!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful to/for/about:

• My family! This evening Elizabeth colored Easter eggs with Nana & Papa - after spending a great day with them. Sweetness arrived after a hard day's work looking all dapper in his US Open shirt from Oakmont...and we're scheduled to go to Webster Springs for some quality time with my fam. We love just getting to spend time with our families! We're quite blessed! (You can see the THREE dippers at E's disposal in this pic, yet she is using her hands!)
  
• Good conversation with Kristin! A surprise call last Saturday evening, when one would guess a preggo in Berlin would be fast asleep made my day! I love our chats...and hate that we live so far apart, but am so fortunate to have made a LLBFF (Kennedy feels the same way about Strudel!) Spanks girlfriend! Looking forward to what these next few weeks have in store for you...and I'm soooo looking forward to getting to virtually meet (before the actual meeting) of Sweet Baby Jennie Marie Cunningham Hinrichs Perry....it's not too late -- there's some Scottish in my blood (even if not in thy name!)
  
• Baseball season being underway. I love the sign of spring...Go Sox!!!
  
• Masters weekend. LOVE IT! ♥
  
• Easter eggs. E was quite intense this year coloring eggs here with Nana & Papa. Now if I can only get her to consistently use the dipper so as not to have her hands permanently dyed with the egg coloring.
• Giggles. There is nothing sweeter than the sound of a child, especially Elizabeth, giggling. Reid is currently giving her zerberts and she is giggling away. Pure joy.
• The color YELLOW. Elizabeth has declared over the last two weeks that it is her favorite color. She knows that purple is Grandma's favorite, green is Mommy & Daddy's favorite, and that blue is Nana's favorite. E says, "Yellow is my favorite!"

Thankful Thursday

Today I'm thankful to/for/about:

• A tot that makes me laugh (and quite a few others, so I'm told!) A couple of weeks ago, when Grandma was here, I was spelling out a word that I didn't want her to catch on to like C-A-N-D-Y. Elizabeth didn't like that she was being excluded from that part of the conversation and told me, "Mommy, don't say it like A-D-C-X-W-Y-Z. That's not very nice!" Or like this past weekend when she was staying at Grandma's house, she strips down out of her PJ's telling Grandma, "I get naked and dance." She's just a pair of light-up clear heels and a pole away from being a stripper. Wait, I need to correct that...a pole away from being an "exotic" dancer. (She has clear light-up princess heels thanks to Caylin Marie!)
• A thoughtful girl who told me that I wanted ribbit cupcakes for my birthday. We made them (rainbow cupcakes, actually), and they are quite adorable - photos below.
• A fabulous and talented husband. He debuted on CBS-C as a sideline reporter February 28th and was fan-freaking-tastic! I was so proud of him!!! And last week, he completed his 7th year of broadcasting the entire WVIAC tournament in Charleston...that is 14 games in 4 days...he did play-by-play on all but 2 games. And, I don't think I've blogged about his new position at West Liberty. He's now the Executive Director, Office of Communications for West Liberty soon-to-be University! He's the bomb!
  
• Picnics. E's been having a love-affair with having picnics this week. We celebrated my birthday with a picnic dinner. Too precious.
• The health of my dear Alpha Gam friend, Amy Speck Vinton (and Billy Vinton's) little baby. Alexandria Morgan "Alex" Vinton, born at 2:29 PM, on March 3rd - weighing in at 8 lbs., 15 oz. and was 21 inches long. A few hours after Alex was born, she was transported to Children's Mercy Hospital (Kansas City, KS) because of an abdominal mass in her stomach. Amy found out 2 weeks prior about Alex's condition - the doctors thought it was some type of ovarian cyst. Alex had exploratory surgery the next day, where 250 ml of fluid from a cyst (the equivalent of a can of Pepsi) was removed from her tummy. They kept Alex for a few more days to watch her, but now she is home and doing great!
• That I got a great birthday present -- the Mountaineers upsetting Pitt in the Big East Tournament 74-60! Woo Hoo! Let's Gooooo Mountaineers!!!

Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful for/to/about:

• Cards that make me giggle - like our Anniversary card from Anne, Sean, & Alex. Touché!
• My scrapbook space - it is shaping up, but I haven't yet gotten it to the point where I'm able to scrapbook...soon, I hope!
• Erin letting me crash at her place on Tuesday evening...and the yummy Thai noodles lettuce wraps! I am so about stealing that recipe!!!
• Catching up on missed TV shows on http://www.surfthechannel.com/ (thanks, EJ (assist from JP) for the hook-up!!!)
• The best hugs from Elizabeth when we picked her up from daycare today! "Mommy & Daddy you came and picked me up!"
• TV in my kitchen...
• In-laws that come to visit - and fix things!
• Clothes chute that help me stay on top of the laundry (who would have ever guessed that one?)
• EBay finds - I just got confirmation that my newest cookbook has been shipped - Amy Vanderbilt's Complete Cookbook (illustrations by Andy Warhol) - oooh...ahhhh....

Gone, But Not Forgotten

I say: Hello. My name is Jennie. It has been nearly two months since my last post.

You say: Hello, Jennie.

Well, I've done it. I've pulled a Reid - in not posting to my Blog in what seems like forever. Let's just suffice it to say that I have been a little preoccupied.

Since my last entry:

• We celebrated Father's Day...
• Aunt Anne celebrated a birthday...Elizabeth sang
• Reid celebrated a birthday...Elizabeth sang "Happy Birthday" a lot - except for when there was a birthday candle. Then she obsessed "Blow it out. Daddy burn his finger" while remembering that Alex had burnt his finger with his 1st birthday candle.
• Mom/Grandma had a birthday...Elizabeth sang some more... (I'm still behind in my shopping, if you can believe that!)
• I've survived the Annual Meeting from Hell - the attendees all thought it went swimmingly well, which is all good, but here's the brief low down on why the 2008 Annual Meeting will go down in infamy: 1.) a flood in the back of our registration counter, 2.) Christian got sick - really sick and had to spend 2.5 days holed up in his room, 3.) a fire in the same room where the flood had been, 4.) Marvin passed out at the bottom of an escalator and folks watched him ride it up to the next level...he was taken to the emergency room where he was treated for a virus and dehydration, 5.) Megan went out of commission - sick, shaking, unable to sleep...need I go on??? Some pretty funny stories, actually, and fortunately everyone managed to survive...
• The day (yes, that's right sports fans - the day) after my return from Toronto, the moving truck arrived...and we packed it up on Friday & Saturday AM...and it pulled out for a MOVE to Wheeling...
• We (and by "we" I mean we had a lot of help - from Nana & Papa watching Elizabeth...and giving Reid, E, me, and my folks a place to sleep, my folks, Anne, Jeff Creamer & his buddy that I met for the first time, Herb Minch, Mike Wehler (another lovely 'gent I met for the first time), Scott Cook (ditto), and Dave Flatley (and ditto), Dan Hopkins (ditto again), and two of West Lib's football players, whose names I didn't catch, but I will most definitely be cheering for this fall (like I wasn't going to anyway...even when they play my Bobcats!) - I certainly hope I haven't forgotten anyone as we were so very fortunate to have all of their help!!!) WE moved an entire truck load of stuff from Fairmont to Wheeling...then
  Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, Mom, Reid, Elizabeth, and I unpacked...Jeff helped Reid move more stuff around - or out...
• On Wednesday I drove (95 miles from driveway to door) to Morgantown for work...I worked the remainder of the week...went to Mom & Daddy's for the weekend (after giving the new yet eerily old Gabes in Clarksburg a little lovin')...then have been back in the office this week...will finally get back to Wheeling on Wednesday night.
• Reid is going to "go Jennie crazy" on the not-so-good folks at Comcast if we don't have our cable and Internet installed today. I'm not kidding. Today on the phone with the not-so-good folks at Comcast he told them if the situation wasn't rectified by the close of business today that they would have to (and I quote) "deal with my wife, who is much less rational in situations like this than I am." I may be setting up a Pay Pal account to help with the funds to bail him out. I cannot understand why on earth it is so darned difficult to get someone to show up at your house when you have an appointment scheduled to hook up a little cable for Internet and cable. How on earth are people supposed to survive without TV? Or the freakin' Internet? (Fortunately for us, there is someone in the neighborhood that has an unsecured network - crazy, I know, but it has been slow but helpful!)

And to conclude this most random of posts, a few pictures of Elizabeth & Alex that make me giggle!

E riding "Big Pink" at the Belmont Stakes

E obsessing over her Daddy's birthday candle and refusing to sing "Happy Birthday" for the first time in days

E (2.5 years) & Alex (13 mo.) playing at Grandma & Papi's this past weekend

my svelte nephew

New Book to Read - WV Author!!!

Yesterday's Charleston Daily Mail had a nice feature about a couple & their hurdle into marriage - which has been captured in a new book, Life with "Father" One man's journey into light...and love, written by Jacquie Switzer. You can get your very own copy of the book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, etc.

Here's the feature story from the Daily Mail if you aren't able to access it for yourself (I'll spare my friend & Student Council buddy, Richard, from posting the pictures that ran with the story, you'll have to go to the article to see those for yourself):

What do you want me to say — ‘I love you, Father?’
by Brad McElhinny
Daily Mail staff

Spectacular news brought a tangle of complications.

Roger Switzer pulled aside a young woman, Jacquie Terhaar, and said, "I think I'm in love with you."

At first, she was speechless.

Roger Switzer was a Catholic priest.

Finally, Jacquie spoke.

"What do you want me to say -- ‘I love you, Father?' "

He said, "Well, do you?"

"Yes," she replied.

Their exchange in the conference room of a summer camp for the Catholic Youth Organization of Rochester, N.Y., kicked off a year of internal, professional and religious struggle -- and then 24 years of marriage.

Every love story has complications. Because Roger's professional and spiritual calling ruled out marriage, theirs had more than most.

Father Switzer had to ask himself a lot of questions: What is right with the church? What is right with my relationship with this woman? How do you reconcile your love of a woman with your love of God?

Jacquie Switzer, now an assistant principal at Hayes Middle School in St. Albans, has written about the difficult choices in a new, self-published book "Life With ‘Father:' One Man's Journey Into Light . . . And Love." The 132-page memoir is available through outlets such as Amazon.com and Borders. Switzer published the book with the help of a company called AuthorHouse.

Back in 1965, the couple dared not breathe a word to anyone -- much less publish a book.
At that moment in the conference room, they shared a hug.

"Then we went into kind of a robotic state," Jacquie said. "We had to carry on the business of the camp."

Their love had built quietly.

Roger, 32, had been ordained as a Catholic priest in 1959, had worked as an assistant pastor at St. Mary's Parish in Horseheads, N.Y., and then was transferred in 1964 to become director for the Catholic Youth Organization. All signs pointed to a life in the priesthood.

Jacquie, 24, was a Latin teacher at Our Lady of Mercy High School, her own alma mater in Rochester. She accepted a summer job as director of nearby Camp Stella Morris, which was run by the Catholic Youth Organization.

And that was how she first got to know Roger -- from across a desk.

"You felt like you knew him so long, having just met. He was down to earth. He had a great sense of humor, a genuine love of people. It all came out in a very simple way. He would look nice but was never overly concerned with worldly things. You immediately felt like he liked you."

Initially, it was all business. Jacquie took the camp job in the fall, received a business letter from Roger in March, visited briefly in April to discuss progress in preparing for the summer and then showed up for her job as the summer began.

At the camp, she and Roger would have informal managerial meetings. They would share a coffee and talk casually.

"That essentially was our dating time or getting to know one another time," she said. "It was just this relating."

Once, when a chaplain -- who was a mutual friend -- came to visit the camp, he commented, "You have to be careful. Jacquie is the kind of person that you could fall in love with."
Roger thought: "Too late; already have."

The first people Jacquie and Roger told were her mother and father. They met at her parents' cottage not far from the camp. The couple explained that they were in love, that they planned to get married -- and that there was just one hangup.

Her father commented, "Yep, you do have a problem."

And then, as the summer camp came to a close, Roger returned to his organization's headquarters in Washington, D.C., while Jacquie returned to her teaching job at Our Lady of Mercy.

Their courting continued through the U.S. mail. In a series of letters to Jacquie, Roger described his conflict over how to move forward, his initial hope that the Catholic Church might change its policy on the celibacy of priests and his revelations, first to close friends and then to church hierarchy, about his dilemma.

Excerpts from the letters form the heart of Jacquie's book. She was inspired to write the book a couple of years ago after digging out the letters and reading them a day at a time, in the order that they had originally arrived.

"I saw this stream of a struggle, an anguish over this decision," said Jacquie, who is now 65. "I thought this would be a great story."

Roger spent about a year trying to untangle the situation. He still hoped to somehow stay in the priesthood while also marrying.

"There is no doubt in my mind my love for you," he told Jacquie. "Now the question is what do I need to do."

Friends in the church intervened on his behalf, asking the hierarchy what could be done. Roger met with a Cardinal in Baltimore to discuss the matter, but it was discouraging. He read books like, "Priestly Celibacy and Maturity."

For Jacquie, the situation was simpler. While Roger struggled over his decision, she just had to wait for him to make it.

She told him, "I don't want you to come back and say 10 years from now, ‘You made me leave the priesthood.' "

As the months passed, there was little progress to allow Roger to have life both ways. Finally, word came from the church: We have done everything we can. If you have made your decision, you have done everything you can. You need to leave.

"Roger was essentially fired," Jacquie said.

He still boldly predicted that within 10 years, the church would reverse its policy on priestly celibacy.

The couple married Sept. 3, 1966, in a private ceremony at her parents' house. Twelve people attended.

A friend from graduate school helped Roger find a new job in West Virginia. The Switzers moved to Charleston, where he became the director for Family Service of West Virginia. In later years, he worked as executive director of the Community Council of the Kanawha Valley and then was the director of the Charleston Housing Authority for 19 years.

The couple had six children -- Andrew, Michael, Anne Marie, David, John and Richard. The boys were all named for priests who had helped them through their ordeal.

Roger and Jacquie never regretted the difficult decision they had made.

"To me, it's awesome you can participate in the creation of a human being, and the commitment of yourself body and soul to another human being is awesome," Jacquie said.

"It's a gift from God -- the participation of human beings in the creation of individuals."

The family remained Catholic. They attended St. Agnes in Kanawha City, Sacred Heart in Charleston and Blessed Sacrament in South Charleston, largely depending on where in the Kanawha Valley they happened to live at the time. Roger didn't tell his fellow parishioners about his time as a priest unless they happened to ask.

Even as he moved on with his life, Roger had remaining issues with the church. He never received a response from his petition for a dispensation from his vow of celibacy. He also wanted his marriage to be regularized. He hoped to be assured of a Christian burial, and felt there was no guarantee given the strife the family had been through.

He did not receive a written response, but he did get an answer.

In 1990, Roger was diagnosed with colon cancer. Treatment provided no cure. He resigned from his job at the housing authority in September and died in late November. He was 57.

His worries about how he and his family would be buried were put to rest. He had a Catholic service at St. Patrick's Cemetery. The eulogy was given by a friend who had been with the couple when they first decided to wed. He, too, had left the priesthood to marry.

To Jacquie, the funeral was a sign of how far people had come. Although the church still had not changed its policies, people had become far more accepting. It was a stark contrast from the secret they had to keep when they first confessed their love for each other.

In the limousine on the way to the service for the former priest Jacquie commented to her six children, "Here we are headed to St. Patrick's Cemetery, and nobody really cares."

It's about time...

It's about time my DH's alma mater did something right...

Congratulations to the new athletic director, Rusty Elliott, and the interim head football coach, Mike Lopez. Read more about it on their athletics website: www.fightingfalcons.com!

We're doing the happy dance in the Amos household!!!