Monday, March 31, 2008

Spring Break-Cleveland Style

Today was the first day of mine and Em's Spring Break Baseball Extravaganza. We traveled to Cleveland, OH for opening day at Jacobs Field (now Progressive Field). The game was great and we finished the night off at the Blind Pig on W. 6th Street and a crazy bus ride back to our hotel. We're having a great time and I'll update more later (including pictures).

Baby Videos

Jen, Mark, and I were sitting around watching YouTube videos the other night. Mark always finds the really cute baby videos for me because he knows I love them. Here's two of my favorites that we watched. A lot of people have seen this first one. I had so many people tell me to watch this because they said I would think it was so funny.



The next one was one that Mark found and I think it's hilarious.

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Personality Test

I love to take personality tests. I got this one from Cameron. I found out that I'm a type 3 (The Motivator) and a type 5 (The Thinker/Observer/Investigator). Here's the description of Type 3 and here's a description of Type 5. I definitely think I'm more of a Type 3, but I see the Type 5 side of me as well (especially socially). Take a look and let me know what you think.

Mark was a Type 7. I guessed it and I was right. We are so opposite, it's ridiculous. But I would NEVER want to be with someone like me and I don't think he'd want to be with someone just like him.

Take the quiz and let me know what you are!

Remodeling

For Mark's birthday this year (in May) I promised that I would purchase all of the things necessary to makeover his music room/computer room. This included paint, ripping up the carpet, getting new flooring, new curtains, blinds, and crown moulding. We started the painting recently.
So far, the walls have been painted, the trim is being re-painted (sanded down the glossy and putting up a flat paint), and Jen graciously donated some flooring that she will no longer need (that saved me so much money).

I'll update as we get more done.

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Batters Up!

As soon as Em and I found out that we would have the same spring break, we knew we wanted to go somewhere fun together. We couldn't figure out where we were going to go until a few weeks ago while sitting over dinner at Mi Casita.

Baseball.

I can't think of anything I'd rather do over my spring break then to go watch baseball games on on opening week.

On Monday, we're going to Jacobs Field in Cleveland to watch the Opening Day game between the Indians and White Sox.
Tuesday is an off day so we're going to drive to Chicago and spend the day there. We're going to Wrigley Field (I've never been) on Wednesday to see the Cubs play the Brewers.
We're staying with my brother in Cincinnati and going to watch the Reds and Diamondbacks play at Great American on Thursday. Daniel and Jen are going to come with us and we may even have some others come up to join us on that day.

Overall, I am SO excited to watch baseball over my break with my best friend! We can't wait!

All Things Guinness

Our life has been all things Guinness lately, so I thought I'd include some more pictures on here of our not-so-little puppy.

Helping his mommy get ready in the morning

Taking a break between playing


His whole world is happy if he has his hamburger!

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Think Spring!

I love when my Grandma sends me these.

Click on this page. It will come up as black, but click your mouse anywhere on the page and see what happens. You can even click and drag.

I can't wait for spring!

Sunday, March 23, 2008

It's a Bouncing Baby Boy!!!

For quite a while, Mark and I could not decide on a dog that we both liked. We knew we were both "dog people" but we couldn't agree on a type of dog. About 2 years ago, we decided that we both would LOVE to have a bulldog and all of our closest friends know it has been our desire to get an English Bulldog.

As of today, I am happy to present the newest member of the Bennett family....Guinness!


We have been waiting for the perfect opportunity to present itself and as of today Mark and I are proud parents. I am definitely a proud momma!


Guinness has already met both of his Grandmas, his PaPaw Durick, Auntie Em, Uncle Chris, Aunt Jen, and Uncle Jon, and Aunt Darlene.
He was worn out!!!

(His pictures were also sent to Uncle Dan, his other Aunt Jen, and Jordan who couldn't be there to see him personally)

Help A Girl Out

My friend Cameron is doing a piece for her final in her Gender & Women's Studies class (I loved that class by the way) and needs input on her article about what makes women strong. Take a look here and tell her what you think!

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Week update

Following KTIP, my week turned out to be a whole lot easier. I left the school building everyday this week before 4:00 (something I have never been able to say this year). Mark and I have started the weekend painting his music room (bold but looks great) and I'm heading to church tonight to both work in Tyketown (like old times) and attend the Easter service with my whole family. I've got more updates to follow along with pictures as soon as I can find a time to break away from all the fun!

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

KTIP OVER!!!!!!!!!!


As of 3:45 yesterday, I finished my teaching internship. I am now, officially, one of KY's finest!

I can't even tell you the excitement I have!

This has just been a great week thus far
(if only I could get rid of my little head cold)

Sunday, March 16, 2008

March Madness

Kentucky's in the NCAA tournament which means it's time for March Madness!

Bring it on!

Answered Prayers!

As many of you know, this last 6-12 months has been particularly hard with my Grandpa Durick getting lymphatic cancer and my Grandma getting squamous cell cancer. Both were very serious, but my Grandma's had a grim diagnosis. They had said she would live no longer than 5 years and that would be with the help of treatments to prolong life. These were especially crushing blows to our family.

After 6 months of long car trips, grueling chemo AND radiation on a weekly and daily basis (respectively), feeding tubes, scary phonecalls, hospital trips, lots of tears, and MANY, MANY hours of prayer, my Grandma got her PET scan results back and the tumors are....

GONE!!!!

Gone, gone, gone!
Every last one of them! If that does not convince you that there is God who loves, protects, and is here perfoming miracles on a daily basis, I don't know what else would! It is truly by the grace of God and faith that my Grandma is alive!!!!

This week at church, we talked about we don't celebrate enough in what God has done for us. That's exactly what I'm going to do....celebrate!

I'm going to quote my Grandma once again on one of the most powerful things I took out of this situation,
"Don't tell your God how big your trouble is. Instead, tell your trouble how big your God is."

Irish Holiday

If you know me, you know that I love St. Patty's Day.

I am Irish and VERY proud of it.

Saying that, I'm going to give the link to sign
http://www.proposition317.com/
to make St. Patty's an official holiday. Guiness has to have 1 million signitures by midnight of tonight. You could sign up online or any place Guiness is sold.

You can even upload a picture and tell why YOU love St. Patty's Day.


This is Mark's favorite of the commercials.

Sunday, March 9, 2008

Catching Up on SaTC


Much to Em's pleasure and Mark's chagrin, I have started watching re-runs of Sex and the City on TBS.

I always made myself believe that I would not like the show and that it wasn't my style. Over and over again, I've had people tell me they love the show. A long time ago, I rented the 1st season at Blockbuster. I'll be honest, it was too raunchy for me. However, because my best friend loves it so much, I tried again. Luckily, TBS plays them in order and edits certain things out which makes it easier for me to watch.

Now, I know that when the movie comes out I'm going to have to see it with Em so I figured I might as well catch up. Thanks to DVR (so I can watch it later when I don't have to deal with that awful, judgmental look of disgust from Mark) I am catching up on episodes.

It has been very humorous and I enjoy it. And I'll just say that I love my friends. It reminds me how important it is to have a few girls that you can say anything to and they will love you despite it all.

Saturday, March 1, 2008

Jon & Kate + 8 + Us + Ft. Wayne Families = Roadtrip

Our long-awaited trip north finally happened last week as Jen, Em, and I went to see Jon & Kate Gosselin from Jon & Kate + 8 on TLC at a church in Defiance, OH.

Of course, we couldn't make a trip that far north without visiting the family up in Ft. Wayne, IN. Ft. Wayne is only about an hour from Defiance (a town in the middle of nowhere) so we stopped in to see my Grandma and Grandpa Osborn. We loved seeing them! Then we went to see my Great-Grandma Dorse (the one who turned 100 in December) and she looked great! After that, we went to my Aunt Pam and Uncle Eagle's house (where we were staying for the night) and spent time with Grandma & Grandpa Durick (Grandpa is truly my dad in 25 years) and my cousin Missy. We had dinner, went shopping at Meijer, discussed basketball (UK being better than IU naturally), watched some home videos, and even did some line dancing. That's right, line dancing. I think this was truly the highlight of the evening seeing as Em, Jen, and I learned 2 new dance routines from Pam & Eagle (who are part of a line dancing team).

The next day, we drove to OH (to a church that was reminiscent of early Crossroads), listened to Jon and Kate, and Jen even got to ask them a question. Let me just say that I underestimated them. I knew that I really liked them from the show and I think they are hilarious. But I never realized what a strong family they are and what an amazing faith in God they have. I have a WHOLE new respect for them! On a side note, the church was wonderfully gracious as well.

On the way home, we stopped in Lima to have lunch with my cousin Andrea, her husband Reid, and their still-incubating daughter, Trinity Rose.

Here's some pics from the weekend...


Line dancing

Jen relaxing at Aunt Pam's

Em resting peacefully after a long day of driving and dancing

The Trio in Defiance, OH

Andrea and Reid (and baby Trinity)