Michigan Rained on Our Boiler Parade

Saturday, Jenna and I once again ventured to West Lafayette to cheer on our beloved Boilermakers...icy rain and cold winter wind didn't dampen our spirits as the Boiler football team fought hard and kept the W within reach! It was the 4th quarter and we had reached our limit of fun for the day. When we got back to the car (on the other side of campus, of course) and tuned into the Big Ten Network XM Radio station, we heard the last few seconds of a disappointing loss.

We literally had to wring the water out of our clothes before we got in the car. We were still wet when we made it back to Indy, but were oh so thankful for dry clothes! haha Unfortunately the rain seemed to follow us....when we made it to Indy, it started to rain there as well... oy vey.

I'll just let these few pictures we managed to snap show our game day experience!

before the game...nice, partly cloudy, fall weather

icy rain...dripping off my face it was coming down so hard

we were cold and about to the breaking point...the rain just wouldn't give up!

SHOUT! and who waved the American flag? NEIL ARMSTRONG!

in the parking garage, ready to squeegee out our clothes before the drive home

I posted 2 things today...aren't you surprised?!? haha

Be sure to scroll down and read both blog posts! Lots of pictures! I realize I've been slacking on my blogging lately, but I'll try to keep you updated...lots of stuff happening every weekend from here until the first of the year!

French Lick

There's nothing quite like the drive through beautiful southern Indiana....

This weekend, I spent 24 hours in beautiful French Lick, IN. It was our annual Toupin Area Fall Retreat with Mary Kay. Our National Sales Director has been holding Fall Retreat at French Lick Springs Resort (not West Baden, the one we're at is now the one with the casino) for the last 15-20 years. This was the first time I'd been there since it was renovated, but it's still the same gorgeous hotel it always was, just updated! ha

It is a jam-packed weekend...it is an inspirational, motivational, energizing, memorable whirlwind of a 24 hour period. It used to be a 2 day event, but our NSD Linda is so smart and managed to pack it into a shorter amount of time. I was one of the official photographers of the event, which was fun and exhausting all at the same time. I always love time spent with some of my favorite people!

Here are just a few of the people I enjoy spending my time with... :)

Katie Toupin & her mom, NSD Linda Toupin

Shonda Durham & Christy George

Sheila Schuler & Shelly Martinez

Elaine Hipsher, Kristi Copas, Ashley Cunagin, Misty Lakes, Jessica Lewis

Vonda & I

DeVota Dean & Kathleen Erickson

Do you have a Fairy Godmother (western-ized) at your work? ;)
Chatney Gelfius

Linda & Joni Helton
(I worked for Joni in her MK office this summer)

Do you have Look-A-Like contests at your work retreats? ha
Minnie Pearl, Gretchen Wilson, Dolly Parton, Laura Bell Bundy, Taylor Swift

I get to hang out with some sharp women!
ReNee Hooker with the mic

What's life without a few surprises? haha

Curtis J (our sound guy) dressed up as a conglomerate of stories Linda always shares with us...this was TOO funny!

Packin' Up & Headin' Out

Last weekend I spent my time helping my cousin, Zach, move from his first apartment into his first home! That's right...he's a homeowner now! It was an exciting weekend...and EXHAUSTING! haha

Thursday afternoon I headed down to Lexington...luckily they drive fast in KY, so I zoomed right on down! ha ;) I beat Zach to his place (he was at a meeting at work), but made it there shortly after I did. We finished packing all his stuff up. Leave it to a man to only have emptied the filing cabinets and save EVERYTHING else for me to help with. :p But, I got him motivated and we finished it all up! As a reward for getting packed, we took a drive to his new house since I had only seen pictures online. On our way back, we decided to stop at La Hacienda for a yummy Mexican dinner. In all the time he's lived there...and all the times we driven by it (it's at the end of his street), we had never eaten there before. Boy oh boy! It was yummy, authentic Mexican...AND it happened to be Buy 1, Get 1 margarita night! Who could pass that up?? Oh...and those margaritas were D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S! Thankfully we didn't have far to drive to get back to his apartment. haha





We had to sleep fast, since we had to get up early Friday morning. I trekked along with Zach when he went to do the final walk-thru at the house. It truly is a beautiful home! After that was over, he dropped me off at his apartment so I could load my car up and be there when his mom, sister, and niece & nephew arrived to help. He went to the mortgage company office to officially sign away his life (or at least the next few year's worth of salary! ha). When he got back, we loaded his truck up in record time and make the drive to Georgetown to start unloading stuff in his new digs. :)





After several trips, lots of child drama (we had Ethan-7, Callie-2, Henry-6wks), exhaustion, shopping, appliance delivery, etc....he is moved into his place! I slept 12 hours straight Saturday night. haha I am glad I had the opportunity to go help him! Zach is like my brother and has helped me more times that I can count, so it was the least I could do. Mom, Jen, and I contributed to his new home...his house warming present was stuff for his second bathroom. I went with him to pick out a shower curtain, rugs, towels, etc.





And now...we're ready for a trip to Georgetown to stay in the new place (since mom and Jen haven't been there yet) and the Menchhofer side is ready to enjoy the first Christmas celebration there!



Fun times!