A Glass of Wine A Day Keeps the Doc Away

Okay, okay...I know the saying is "an apple a day keeps the doctor away," but there are proven benefits from drinking a small amount of wine regularly. I am a huge fan of wine!! Ever since my Niagara Falls trip with Zach a few years ago, we have been wild about wine...haha My family and I have become novice wine enthusiasts and are always looking for our new favorite wine! I am a lover of dry wines and semi-sweets. Zach prefers semi-sweets. Jenna and Mom love the super sweet dessert/ice wines. Luckily we live in a part of the state that is home to several small wineries and it has been fun checking some of those out. We still have quite a list of places we want to go! As I sit here enjoying a glass of white vidal from my Canada trip a few years ago...I am so excited about the trip to Gatlinburg! There are a few well known wineries in the area and we are all looking forward to checking it out and bringing home some new wines! haha

So drink up everyone! Be merry and enjoy the health benefits! *wink*

The Happenings

Well, after my birthday...things really picked up! haha It's so sad to say that, but it's the truth! Oh well, I figure birthdays will be better again (if & when) I have someone to share them with...


This past weekend was really nice. The weather wasn't unbearable and I didn't have to work on Saturday, so it was all in all a good time! Jenna came home for the weekend, so she joined mom and I at The Grub for dinner Friday night after I got off work. Saturday morning we lazed around the house and entertained Toby. haha Saturday afternoon/evening we attended Sara & Andy's baby shower. I can't believe it's getting close to the time we'll all get to meet Baby Comer (Oct. 9th is the due date)! It was a nice "family" baby shower with everyone there. Neither Sara or Andy like to be the center of attention/have everyone watching them, so it was funny to see them open gifts! Mom had her 30th HS Reunion Saturday night as well...she got home well after we did...those old folks sure know how to party! *wink* haha Jenna and I ran errands in Greensburg after the baby shower and when we got home, Zach came over to hang out for awhile. He's been traveling ALL the time with work now that he's in Lexington, so I never get to see him anymore! Actually, while we were waiting on mom to come home from the reunion, the 3 of us planned a mini-vacation! We'd been talking about it with mom, but since Zach was here, we just decided to make the plans...and we did!! I'm really excited...actually, we're all really excited...about taking an extended weekend to Gatlinburg, TN in the middle of September! It'll be nice to just get away for a few days and not do the usual routine. We stayed up way too late Saturday night, but it was fun! Sunday morning we did our usual and had breakfast at Crossroads. I had to work in the afternoon, but mom and I managed a DQ trip for dinner! ha


We're back to the grind of the week...although today it is pouring down rain, and luckily I'm not having to work right now! If it ever stops (which it isn't supposed to today) I'll have to go work League tonight, but if I don't have to - mom and I are going to Greensburg just to break up the monotony! Can you tell we're getting tired of everything around us?!? ugh! It's frustrating and usually I'm so busy with a million different things that I don't notice the "tied to a place" feeling, but I am feeling trapped in this town right now! haha


On a side note...lots getting ready to take place...my Purdue course starts in 2 weeks (I paid for all that stuff yesterday), State Fair has finally arrived, Mom's birthday will start September off with a bang, and each week I seem to learn of friends expecting little ones! This year has truly been one of baby mania...at one point I counted around 25 babies due this year and already know of 10 for next year! And for us single people, it makes being single that much more lonely. It's one thing to hang out with couples, but once they start having babies, you tend to get left out of the circle of friends.


Sara & Andy (aka Big Daddy)

Happy Birthday to Me!

Another year older...I'm not so sure about the wiser part! A lot has happened in the past year. I thought my 25th year would be the best ever and while it had a few shiny spots, it also had many dull patches. I thought by now I'd have the answer to a lot of things in life, but I'm learning that I have the answers to nothing...maybe that is what we learn...that we just have to go day by day, month by month, and year by year.

I have lots of goals for myself in my 26th year... I know they always say, find someone to be accountable to and it will help you succeed. Well, I know my goals are the scary make you wanna throw up if you have to tell someone, but what the hell...you are my friends, and I may just need some encouragement from time to time!

1. Finish my degree - I'm taking my last course at Purdue this fall via the internet
2. Lose weight - I've never been one to really eat lots of unhealthy stuff, but I do need to work harder at the exercise thing. It's been tough since my elliptical got moved to my aunt and uncle's when I moved home since we don't have room for it here, but I have to find time to go, even if it means more driving (sad face due to gas prices!).
3. Earn a FREE MK car - My goal all along in Mary Kay has been to earn a free car and become a Sales Director. I know in my heart that it is what I need and should be doing in my life. Being a director will give me the opportunity to do the things that I have always wanted to do...public speaking on a greater platform!
4. Find a big girl job - Don't get me wrong, I am so thankful for having friends/family who hired me when I didn't have any other options...but it's time for me to move on and do my own thing again. I love the country, but I miss the city! I am starting to feel trapped in this little town...

Okay, enough of my birthday ramblings for now... Hope everyone else is having a good year, no matter what year it is for you!

Fair Week Survivor

haha...anyone who truly loves county fairs are the only ones who will understand what I mean by fair week SURVIVOR!?! Each year the fair is like a safe haven, a return to childhood and all that was fun about growing up on a farm, but it also reminds me that I'm getting older and do not have the same energy I once had! ha For me, fair week was a daily barrage of things to do...take care of the animals, get ready for the show, show my animals, cleanup, hang out with friends, sleep and repeat the following day! On top of showing pigs, cattle, rabbits, sheep and even ducks...I always had numerous non-walking projects to get ready for fair - flowers, genealogy, photography, child development, etc, etc, etc... Now when I attend the fair, I barely get myself there long enough to watch parts of a few shows and eat a meal or two! ha Somehow they always seem to wrangle me to announce a show or two and the Auction. I've always loved doing it, but this year it was extra tiring for some reason (just not sure what it was!). ha We survived the typical fair weather...a storm blew in Sunday night and we watched trash barrels roll across the fairgrounds, but drove home going 40mph in a torrential downpour. (I've had a bad experience with being stuck in the bathrooms at the fairgrounds during a tornado and will never repeat that! ha I'll take my chances going home!) It rained again Monday night, but not until really late. The rest of the week was hot and humid per usual, but it did cool down some for the Auction on Friday, which made me happy since I had to sit in the same spot for 5 hours!! :p


All in all, the Ripley County Fair went pretty smoothly this year. Here's a picture of the Queens (and King) goofin around after the Swine Show, the longest day of the week for them!

Hope everyone is having a nice weekend! I'm heading to work here in a little bit...let me say that working 7 days a week is exhausting!

Woah! It's been awhile...

No excuse for my lack of posts! I've been extremely exhausted lately, which I'll reveal all here in a bit. I could make this several posts, but I'm too lazy to break it all up! ha So, sorry in advance for the lengthy post.


My baby, Toby
As my last post stated, I was waiting for Toby to arrive back home after being neutered. Luckily, he bounced right back! Unfortunately, I see no end in sight on the whole hiking his leg to pee issue. He has become downright defiant on the potty training. All the puppy training books I've read say that they can get a little awnry around 6-9 months...oh yeah, did I mention that he's about 7 months old now! ha We continue to praise him for good behavior and discourage the rebellion. I'll keep ya posted! And on another note with his surgery...they had to remove a row of baby teeth because they weren't coming out on their own and his adult teeth were ready to pop up. This of course cost me quite a bit more than I had anticipated and although the vet tech said he shouldn't chew as much anymore, we haven't seen anything to backup that promise!! He's pretty good by only chewing his toys, but if he gets distracted and finds your fingers...watch out!


There she is...Miss Ripley County
My last pageant as the director/committee member is officially over! I have one final event to attend, the opening ceremony at the county fair on Sunday night where the Court members will be introduced. It was a truly awesome pageant and we received many compliments that night and I still have emails rolling in daily! I am proud of all we have accomplished. As I said on-stage during my committee thank you (yes, I brought out the ugly cry! darn it! I thought I'd be able to do it without tears, but no such luck!) it was a bittersweet night knowing that all the work I've done is now over, but that I no longer get to work with the girls. We had 17 past queens in attendance and even surprised the first Miss Ripley County with a sash and crown! There were over 400 people in attendance and our audience donated almost $1,800.00 to the local food pantries through our penny wars! Talk about an amazing community! All in all, the 50th Miss Riplcy County Queen Pageant was a success! When one door closes, another will open...


Doctors
The week before the pageant I got a terrible case of poison sumac. Luckily Dr. Mulford gave me a shot to clear it up. I had to use the cream a little, but after the shot, I really didn't itch any until the very end of it cleared up! While he was checking out the sumac on my throat (it completely covered my throat, covering from ear to ear) he mentioned that he thought my thyroid was enlarged. Now recent events tell me that this may very well be a Menchhofer family trait. My cousin Sara, who has had to undergo extra sonograms and testing during her pregnancy, has a thyroid problem. Sara's brother Zach, my partner in crime, was also tested but they said his levels were fine. Our Grandpa had many health issues concerning allergies and what not when we were young and it seems that everything he encountered, I have as well. I'm not sure if they really diagnosed thyroid problems back then, but they do now. I've saving up to do the bloodwork to see if it is my thyroid...it's about $300 and I don't have insurance. *sad face* So, we'll see what happens! This could explain why I have such a hard time losing weight. I really don't eat all that unhealthy and I'm pretty active, so I should not be as heavy as I am!?!



That's all folks...enjoy a pic of the new Queen's court! Check out our website if you want more info! http://www.ripleycountyqueen.com/

Oh Toby!

My little boy had surgery yesterday...he will stay a BOY. hahaha I took him to see Dr. Rimstidt and mom picks him up today. I can't believe he's already 6 months old! It has been strangely quiet around the house for the past day. He sure keeps the place hopping!! I won't get home til late tonight so I won't get to see my baby until he's all settled in at home. I told mom Toby will think I'm the evil one for taking him and leaving him...mom gets to be the hero because she's picking him up and bringing him home! ha He hasn't spent a night away from his two homes. He was always with the breeder's family, Bridget, until we got him and he's spent every night with us since then. I'm sure he thinks he's been cut off! He won't have his toys, his comfy couches, or his towel and puppy pal that he sleeps with every night. I'm sure he'll be glad to get home! We are just hoping that having him neutered helps with his potty training. He did so well at first, but is starting to revert to bad habits!?! He started hiking his leg and like most men...he has terrible aim! haha I'm hoping the surgery has him back to squatting like a good lil boy!



I'll keep you posted...

"My" Girls

So...the madness of the summer rush began a few weeks ago. It was a sweltering hot June day, but we survived it! Each year the first annual event for the Queen Pageant is the Queen's Tea, a mother/daughter event, where the girls learn what will be happening the rest of the summer and get tips on how to do makeup and hair! This year we have 31 girls...yes, thirty-one, a staggering number for us! We are extremely excited about the contestants!!


I may have mentioned it before in a blog, but this is my last summer with the Queen Pageant. I have lived it, loved it, and possibly even disliked it at moments....but all in all, it's been a pretty awesome 5 years. I've seen girls go from quiet little seedlings to fully blossomed roses. I know that sounds corny, but it's true! Most moms would be surprised to find out that several of the girls have stayed in touch over the years. We (the committee & contestants) really do become a family throughout the summer. There are several girls that still come to me with life's problems and joys, and like any big sister would do, I try to help them the best I can. That's why I call them "my girls." haha The past few years I've gone to telling everyone at the Tea that this is like a sorority...the committee acts as the older sisters, watching out for the younger girls and helping them along the way...but we are also the ones who will hand out the harshest punishments should the girls break a rule. That's the way sororities work and I think it works well with the pageant too. Anyway, back to the story...


So the Queen's Tea went off without a hitch! After the event was over, all the girls are invited to a slumber party at one of the committee member's house. It is by far the most fun we have all summer! It would shock you to learn the things I've learned over the past few years...the girls are brutally honest about all aspects of their lives, something I love about them. I can say that we've truly gotten to know these girls, they trust us, and we would never do anything to break their trust. Many of the girls had to work the next morning, take SAT's, or prepare for their graduation parties...so we pigged out on pizza, breadsticks and ice cream cake, then played a bunch of icebreaker games, then stayed up all night talking and sharing our lives. It really is the ultimate slumber party! haha


Here are 30 of the 31 girls...Ash had to work late, so she didn't make the picture!

The 2008 State Fair Queen, Kristen Schmitt, also joined us for the Tea! She is such a sweetheart!

And last but not least...the girls who came to the slumber party working on an icebreaker!