Doggone it, dad.

My dad is the king of e-mail forwards. Some are funny. Some are not. Some result in the "your mailbox is exceeding its size limit" e-mails from IT. And some bring tears to my eyes. Like this one.

A Dog's Purpose? (from a 6-year-old).

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.

I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn't do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.

As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker 's family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.

The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker's Death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, ''I know why.''

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation. It has changed the way I try and live.

He said,''People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life -- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?'' The Six-year-old continued, ''Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long.''

Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.
Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure Ecstasy.
Take naps.
Stretch before rising.
Run, romp, and play daily.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you're not.
If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.

ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY!

Is it 5 pm yet? I need to rush home and squeeze widdle Macers.

Happy, happy birthday T Fitch!

He's officially 30 today! Man oh man how time flies. Macy and I are sad we are not in Yucktucky to celebrate with him today. (I'm kind of sick over it.) Photo birthday wishes will have to suffice.

Morning Observations

1. Dear woman that walked from the parking garage to the parking garage elevator to the building foyer to the building elevator ALL while reading a book: what novel is so good you can't take your nose out of it to push "9?" Just curious.

2. Dear sir that smells like Old Spice + cigarette smoke. Your scent is not pleasant at 8 p.m. after a cocktail let alone at 8 a.m. pre-coffee. Cologne or cigs. You make the choice, but one of 'ems got to go.

3. I really enjoy Pat & JT in the morning. And a lot of times they talk about stuff I want to call in about but I'd feel really dumb, so I don't. But that doesn't mean I don't answer the question to myself all the way down 480, 680 or whatever other way I decide to take into work. Today's question was which songs annoy you. My answer: Shout.

I

Freaking

Hate

That

Song.

You know it; the one that reunites every senior citizen at every wedding reception. You know: "you make me wanna SHOUT..."

It's more like, "you make me wanna poke my ears out with a cocktail stir."

It honestly makes me nauseous to think about.

So my question is this: what songs do you, oh fun readers, despise?

That darn Zappos.com

They got me again! 

A little history: I like to have fun with my gmail account. It's why the signature for that account from my blackberry reads: "I have big thumbs and this was sent from my handheld with itty bitty keys. Please forgive any typos."

Well, when I was on the Breast Cancer 3-Day a few weeks ago, I set my vacation notice (basically the out of office functionality for gmail) to read something like "Thanks for your e-mail. I am currently hitting the pavement in Denver, walking 60 miles in three days to put an end to breast cancer. I'll respond to your e-mail when I'm back." I then included contact information for Shannon in case someone was inquiring about Paint the Town Orange.

Fast forward to today when I just got our mail at home. Opened a birthday card for Trevor from Southwest. Cool. Behind it - an envelope from Zappos. I'm thinking it's a birthday card to me or a "thank you for a recent purchase" note. Nope. Not at all. It was so cool it made me tear up! (But I am lame like that sometimes.)

This is what the handwritten note read:

(Dated 8/28/09)

Hello Wendy!

While working through emails from our amazing customers, I came across your auto reply. Normally we mark them as auto replies, but yours caught my eye. I just wanted to let you know what an admirable thing you are doing! We at Zappos are proud to have you as a customer, and as part of our family. 

Thank you for being a wonderful person.

Ashlee - customer relations rep at Zappos

(With a big 'ole "THANK YOU" on the top)

I mean seriously. I can't get over it. I have friends, family and colleagues that didn't even acknowledge my participation in the Breast Cancer 3-Day, and I get a card from Zappos.com.

Zappos - you SERIOUSLY rock. I am in marketing/customer service shock. And if any of you have heard my recent complaints about Master Tailor and Urban Active, you know I was starting to lose faith in customer service. I love that I can now gloat about a company that has gone above and beyond. I've made one purchase from Zappos.com. One. And this is what I get. Unfreaking believable. Now I don't have to feel guilty buying shoes, 'cause I'm gonna go hog wild at Zappos.com. (

Trevor's Turning 30

Trevor is turning 30 in a few weeks, and since this was his last weekend home before the big day I orchestrated a surprise party. It was a homerun - literally! Trevor is a huge, huge MLB fan, so it was a baseball-themed party. He spent the day at the football game with our friend Sam, and around 7 p.m. finally walked into 30 of our closest friends and family members wishing him a happy birthday. His expression showed he was in fact surprised. Here are the details:

Event: Trevor's 30th Birthday 

Hosted by: His manager, Wendy 

Table scape:  Big props to my mom for assisting with this one. Since I was busy cleaning and baking/decorating a cake, she really stepped up to the plate (baseball puns never get old). She found some darling "take me out to the ballgame" ribbon, and also incorporated mini wooden bats and stadium snacks - think cotton candy, peanuts, seeds and big league chew - throughout. She used pages from newspaper sports sections as the base of the main table, which featured an autographed Derek Jeter baseball as the centerpiece. (Trevor's birthday gift from my parents.) My folks also had a special plaque made to go over one of my brother's old baseball trophies which was the centerpiece of the bar. Lastly, we printed off and framed photos of Trevor in his various MLB jerseys from throughout the years, and topped everything off with Baby Ruth bars. Appropriate for the soiree, and tasty too. 

Menu: Stadium food! In addition to the snacks, fans munched on hot dogs and turkey dogs; hamburgers, cheeseburgers and fries from Don & Millies (Trevor's favorite); nachos and popcorn. I made a jersey-style cake and decorated chocolate chip cookies to look like baseballs.

The invitations: The invitations were darling and made by Sabrina. I don't have an electronic versio right now, but will post it when I do. They looked like baseball cards, and a stick of gum was even included when they were mailed.

Photographic proof:

Alright Already

I've caught some slack for not updating the blog recently from my friend/colleague/personal shopper/fellow blogger Pammycakes. Truth of the matter, I've been a little busy and Twitter is much more efficient. But, I guess some pretty cool shit has taken place the last few weeks, so here goes nothing.

I've honestly been trying to compose a post recapping my 2009 Denver Breast Cancer 3-Day journey, but have been struggling to find a way to appropriately retell some of the best three days of my life. And as I sit at my computer Doogie Howser-style, deleting and rewriting and deleting and rewriting, I realize that I can't. No words I write will accurately describe tambourine lady's moves or demonstrate the support shown by the family with the two little boys. Nothing can depict the feeling radiating through us Sunday afternoon when we walked through those two inflatables to a myriad of clapping people, or how necessary that stop at Pete’s ice cream parlor really was. And I can't even begin to tell you how sick I am of candy.

What I can tell you is this:

Go Nike on me and Just Do It. If you get the chance to walk in the Breast Cancer 3-Day, do. It will push you physically and emotionally. You’ll have to work to raise $2,300 and complete 60 miles, but once you do I promise you will be changed forever and for the better.  And maybe it’s not the Breast Cancer 3-Day for you – maybe it’s a 5K or maybe it’s an Ironman triathlon. Whatever it is, if it’s something that pushes you as hard as anything has pushed you before, it will be life-changing.

Act like a bra and be supportive. Walking for eight hours straight three days in a row can wear on you. And one of the things that got us through was seeing friends and family at the public cheering stations. Kristi’s friends and family, Kelli’s family, April & Co., Steve and Mrs. Pickles…visiting all of them at the second cheering station on Day 2 made a world of difference. We had hit a low and that cheering station turned us around. And if you can’t be there in person, there are ways to show your support. Post-event pedicures. Voicemails and texts. All of that meant a great deal. So next time you know someone that can use your support, do something cheer them on. I guarantee it will be very, very appreciated.

"I'd like to thank the academy." I've always wanted to say that. But seriously. It's nearly an academy of people that helped me get to and through the Breast Cancer 3-Day. I couldn't have done it without the 40+ awesome people that donated to me or T. Fitch's help during the unforgettable garage sale. I couldn't have done it without training walk buddies - which includes but is not limited to the PALS, Shannon, Michelle (pre-break) and Meghan (you too of course Em - ours just got rained out). My rides to and from the airport. The Rubecks for watching Macy. I didn't do this in a silo. Thank all of you - and you know who you are - for making this happen.  You contributed in one way or another to an event that raised $2 million for breast cancer research and community education programs. Pat yourselves on the back, ladies and gents.

Team Footloose rocked. Seriously. Kelli, Rachel, Kristi and Sarah – what can I say. You will forever have a special place in my heart. The five of us did something incredible together, and there’s this sort of bond you form over Gatorade, moleskin and miles of sidewalk. Thank you for participating and sharing in this adventure with me. And I have to give huge props to my buddy Sarah. At 30 years old, she is a breast cancer survivor. You've taken a journey more challenging than any of us could imagine and you are a hero.

And with that, I've got a five-pound Maltese scratching at my leg. I promise to blog about Meghan's awesome wedding festivities very soon. And if I don't, I'm sure Pammycakes will IM me about it :)

Put Me In Coach

T Fitch loves MLB. I love Coach. That said, I think I just figured out another reason why we work so well.

Legend has it that many years ago, a Coach handbag designer was mesmerized by the aesthetic qualities of a baseball glove. Its supple leather and durable structure stood the test of time, and thereafter became the inspiration for Coach handbags. Coach has come a long way since then, taking a hint from one American pastime and employing it in another: fashion.

Zappos.com-er for LIFE!

I had my first Zappos.com experience, and I'm in love.

It all started last Friday when I was shopping for latte-colored shoes for Meghan N. Scott's wedding. I found a pair at Von Maur - these Me Too Jeanettes. They were super comfy and cute, and I remembered Brooke endorsing them. I had looked at a lot of shoes and decided I just wanted to get these and be done with it. However, they didn't have my size and I was slightly gun shy about spending $90 on them. That evening, I decided to give Zappos.com a whirl. I found a 6.5 and just decided to purchase. Shipping was free and no sales tax - so it was almost a bargain.

This morning, I was showing fashion-extraordinaire Pamela the shoes. (She had just shown me some cute shoes she found for Julia to wear when she is a bride in a few weeks.) She mentioned how Me Too was a good brand and I said I hoped so since I spent $90 on them. That's when she said, "did you pay that for them?" and pointed to the price. They were 19% off - marked down to $72! "OMG," I shouted in excitement and I immediately picked up my phone and called Zappos.com's customer service department. The phone number was right on the main page, so it took me all of about two seconds to get to the customer service department. I was connected with Kiesha right away and in about two minutes and explained the situation. I learned Zappos.com will issue price adjustments if the purchase has been made within the last 10 days. She instantaneously credited my card (of course reminding me it might take up to two business days before this is reflected in my account) and then told me I'd be receiving a VIP e-mail. I apparently should bookmark this URL because I'll get free shipping or something - I don't even know I was just like "What?!? This all seems too good to be true."

Zappos.com had me on a high; my phone just rang and apparently my "This is Wendy" answer was more enthusiastic than normal. T. Fitch was on the other line and his response was "hi, chipper" or something like that. I had to tell him the entire story. And it's true - Zappos.com just made my day and I'll definitely use their site when ordering shoes in the future. Zappos.com and I sure got off on the right foot - pun entirely intended.

Guilty

I sometimes feel guilty running errands or doing things solo when Macy could be a part of it. For example, I'll go out of my way to visit the bank or Walgreen's just so Macy can go for "a ride in the car." (Don't you wish your life was as simple that going for a ride in the car just made your day?)

I often feel bad she can't go running with me. But she just can't. Her two-inch long furry legs just can not keep up with my long and lean ones. (That's a joke if you didn't catch the sarcasm.) But alas - I've found a solution.

Insert this sturdy, lightweight, well-ventilated jogging stroller that holds up to a 45 pound dog. (That means Macy could being 39.9 pounds of toys along with her.) It's even got a Maltese model!

I e-mailed this to my family in case they were looking for birthday ideas for me. However, I have a sneaking suspicion I won't be receiving this considering one of the two criterion Trevor set forth before we got a dog was that I "not carry it around in one of those bags." (The other was that we pick up after every poop in the backyard. Come to think of it, I've broken both!) Anywho, I don't anticipate this being wrapped and tied with a bow come September 7. And I'm honestly okay with that. I actually admit I laughed at a lady with two Maltese in a stroller a few years ago at the Arthritis Foundation walk. I simply yearn for the day when I can jog with my dog!

Google Analytics

I recently installed Google Analytics to monitor site activity for The Honeymoon is Over. Don't worry, I can't see who you are or what you are thinking when you read my posts. (Or can I...?) What I can see is how many people visit the site, how long they stay, etc. One of my favorite analyses is the ability to see how people stumble upon this blog via search engines. A few of the top keywords are (totally unedited here): "oh pat" lyrics kkg, i am so happy that i am a kappa kappa gamma and freshmen 15.

"Freshmen 15" cracks me UP! I guess I should write more about being a chunky Kappa and maybe my site visits will increase!

In other news, I just had a conversation with a colleague about modifiers and dangling prepositions. Man I love grammar! (When writing anything besides blog posts, that is. Here I have my own permission to write, write, write and break all the rules.)

Damn it feels good to be a debt-free gangsta.

Well, not totally debt free, or really a gangsta for that matter, but I sure am feeling good!!

The credit card T Fitch and I used, ahem, kind of a lot when we first got married is paid off as of today! And man, does it feel GREAT! We only had a few thousand dollars on our credit card, which I know may sound like a lot to some people. However, we were way, way less than the average credit card debt per household - $8,329 at the end of 2008 (Source: Nilson Report, April 2009). And the few thousand dollars on our credit card - well I wouldn't change that for the world. Without it, we'd have never paid the bar tab on our honeymoon cruise, went to Florida for the Gustafson's wedding or on our December 2007 cruise. Totally worth it. But then the bastards at Discover raised our interest rate and we knew we had to do something. I admit I was late on a payment - it was due on Christmas day and that's back when I didn't know the luxury of automatic bill pay and was a slave to my checkbook for hours each month. The tipping point was when we paid $180 in interest one month! A few months ago we transferred our escalating Discover Card balance to a Citi card with a zero-percent rate for 12 months and paid it off in three months. Voila. And here we are today: feeling good.

In a sense, I'm glad we went through the ridiculous interest rate b.s. It was the eye-opening look into credit cards I needed. Unless you can pay them off in full, they are bad. It really made me understand how people can get buried and buried and buried in credit card debt. Recently I saw a couple on the news that was paying THOUSANDS of dollars each month in INTEREST. They just began to drown and couldn't get out.

In the end, I consider it to be a good learning experience, and I'm very, very glad to say we haven't used a credit card in at least one year. This experience has taught us to be better savers and planners. If we don't have the money saved, we don't do it. From what I am told, that philosophy appears it follows Dave Ramsey's advice. I need to read up on his suggestions, but I know two friends that have found it very useful - including Kerry. (In glancing at his Web site; however, I find it funny people are paying for materials to help them get out of debt. Almost seems counter-intuitive to me.)

All said, it's a happy day for the Fitch household and bank account. Maybe we'll go out to dinner to celebrate - using cash of course.

PS - Huge props to Citi. Without the Citi card, we'd be in a heck of a mess. In the meantime, our Discover card has been canceled.

Happy 60th Birthday Joyce

My mother-in-law turned 60 in February and we had a party for her to celebrate. Here are a few photos of the table scape. A tasty dessert bar was set-up in the basement, though we unfortunately did not snap a pic of it. The bright decor is always fun to use, and I am a HUGE fan of my darling present-shaped candle holders! Is it inappropriate to use them as a centerpiece for my own birthday? 

Born to Entertain

I love to entertain and host get togethers. I think it was ingrained in me at age one-day. My mom's kind of an entertaining pro. (She's blushing and smirking as she reads this.) No, seriously, she's good, and it's turned into a passion of mine. If I could, I'd love to own an event planning company. (And bakery. And dog boutique. Man, I have a lot to get started on.) Anyway, I thought I'd do a better job of sharing photos from festivities I host. I try to throw shindigs as economically as possible (T Fitch may beg to differ), so you're not going to see celebrity-status soirees here, but entertaining Wendy-style nonetheless. In this post I've included the most recent fiesta I had a hand in. (I'll start taking better photos later.) 

Event: A Couples' Shower for Meghan and Scott (Fiesta Theme)

Hosted by: The Fitches, the Rings and Kelly Slattery 

Table scape: Red and aqua dominated the table scape. It's such a great color combination and also matched the invitations. 

Menu: Spicy Corn Dip, Black Bean Salsa, Bean Dip, Rotell Dip, Chicken Quesadillas, Mini Shredded Chicken Tacos, Fresh Guacamole, Veggie Enchilada Spirals, Regular Margaritas and Wild Blue Margaritas 

The invitations: 

Photographic Proof: 

In the next few days, I will post photos from past get togethers. In the meantime, party on party people. 

Four Babies and a Wedding

Lots of exciting news in my friends' lives lately! First, a dear friend of mine was married in Colorado over the weekend. April and I actually lived just a few doors down from each other on the ninth floor of Sandoz in Lincoln, and we were both advertising majors so we'd see each other around Andersen Hall. She then got a job at Barkley - the job I was applying for, but that's neither here nor there. Luckily, I joined the firm a few months later and we became good friends. We had a few fun NYC experiences together - such as my Lion King of a makeover from Sephora (never get a makeover from a man that just got back from the GLBT parade in Chicago...I'm just saying), literally going to the Lion King together, being on The Today Show together and meeting Michael Keaton. April has a beautiful voice and also sang in my wedding. I wasn't able to attend her nuptials, but I did get to meet up with the newlyweds and a group of their wedding guests at the Rockies game Saturday evening. It was so great to see them! The last time April and I saw each other was during a brief rendezvous at DFW airport - thanks to Rachel's clever Facebook skills. I love that April is a friend you can go a year without seeing, and you can have a great time the next time you reunite. April is a dear friend and wish her and Matt all the best. Congrats.

And you know what they say "first come loves, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in the baby carriage!" Well, four other friends have fairly recently found love, then tied the knot, and now are new parents! Four babies between July 9-13. That's a lot. A huge congrats to Bill and Katy on the arrival of Miles, Sabrina and Tom on the arrival of Alivia Miyoko, Melissa and Ashley on the arrival of Will and Mike and Denise on the arrival of Katherine Eileen. I am so happy for each of you and wish your families the best. Can't wait to meet all of your little ones. It looks like a trip to Baby Gap is in my future!

Brush, Floss and Smile

One of my clients is the Nebraska Dental Association and today I witnessed their annual Mission of Mercy event. Wow. NMOM is a two-day event in which hundreds of dental professionals from across the state volunteer their time to provide free dental care to those in-need.

Did you catch that? Free.

I admit I take dental care for granted. I always went to the dentist twice a year (except when I had the tongue ring and I was trying to hide it from Dr. S.). I grew up around dentists and now have a lot of friends and family in the profession. I wanted to BE a dentist. (Still have the dentist Barbie Michelle gave me.) But there are a lot of people that simply can't afford a trip to the dentist or don't have access to good dental health. Take these two stories I heard today:

1. An elderly man who was told by his dentist he needed four crowns. They are about $600 each. He was saving up for them, until he learned about NMOM on the news this morning. (Yay for the PR team :).) He can now put that money to good use on something just as important.

2. A woman with four kids was nearly in tears she was so moved by NMOM. Her one year old had two open heart surgeries last year. Because of the medical bills, finances are tight and they had to cancel their dental insurance. Today she and her four kids were able to get a much-needed dental check-up.

I've never seen anything quite like NMOM. It transformed Papillion-LaVista South High School into a fully functioning dental office. Patients registered and then went for a medical and dental exam to determine the services they needed today. They then went to anesthesia, if necessary, and then it was off to their service - anything ranging from a simple cleaning to oral surgery. I wish everyone could have experienced if first-hand. Omaha media was all over this story. I'll post links to the most powerful clips as they are posted online.

In a related, yet totally unrelated note, dentist Barbie is going anywhere from $79.00 - $99.00 on Amazon and eBay. I'm glad I didn't toss her out 906's window after receiving my biology grade! (Michelle, Megan and Shannon - I know you are laughing right now.)

Chicago

I love Chicago. It is no Omaha, but it is right up there. I think I'd move to Chicago in a heartbeat.

For some reason, I feel right at home in Chicago. I don't know why. It is not like it's anything like Omaha. But I got to thinking, while strolling down Michigan Avenue this evening, I've been to Chicago a lot. Like really a lot.

1. I think the first time I was in Chicago was when we met the Hartfelders here (I'm in Chicago now, so it is the proper adverb usage) soon after meeting them in Florida. Memories from that trip: meeting Jim Harbaugh (I was 10 so I didn't see the "hotness" my mom and Debbie were talking about; but in looking at photos of him now...HELLO JIM HARBAUGH!). I digress; other memories of that trip: playing games at Excalibur, Ed Debevics, the kick-ass funky outfit I wore and overhearing a woman making fun of it, on the flipside of that outfit - the outfit of pumps (as in Nike, not heels), tightrolled overalls with one strap down, a hypercolor shirt and dangly peace sign earrings. As if that outfit wasn't bad enough - Amy and I BOTH wore it. The SAME day. Double dose of 1991 coming straight at ya! Last memory (I can't believe I have such vivid memories of a trip that was nearly 20 years ago) - running into my sixth grade teacher - the teacher I had at that time - in the lobby of our hotel. (To make matters more ironic, she was from the same town in Michigan the Hartfelders were from. Detroit is one thing, but we're talking Swartz Creek - population 5,000. Such a small world.)

Alright, this post is getting long already. Gonna speed it up:

2. High school prom dress shopping circa 1998. Five girls and three moms went. It was a great time, and most importantly, we got great dresses. I vividly remember taking a limo from the airport to the hotel (we were SO cool) and Kristina Conrad rolling down the window saying "Pardon me, do you have any grey poupon?" FYI - Trevor. Just be prepared I will be taking our daughters prom dress shopping in Chicago.

3. That trip was a bad influence for Emilie and I, as we then went to Chicago twice, if not three times, during college just to shop. One time we tried to add culture to our trip and visited the Art Institute of Chicago. We lasted, oh, I don't know, 20 minutes, and then it was to Michigan Avenue! Two places we always had to hit: Filene's Basement and Cheesecake Factory. That's good for the Freshman 15!! We would stay at her aunt and uncle's gorgeous home in the 'burbs. I laugh thinking about it actually - Em, you know what story I am thinking of. "Can you guys just hold him down?" Priceless.

4. Trevor and I took a trip to Chicago in college. I gave it to him for his birthday. I was actually really cute (go me) in giving it to him. I took him to Windy Cities, a hot dog store in Lincoln where he worked - for hot dogs, not money mind you - and told him about our trip then. (If any of you know me well, you know I don't eat regular hot dogs so it really WAS a big deal!) Anywho, we had a great time in Chicago. But, my most vivid memory was my credit card getting declined by the hotel. So, I s'pose, thanks for taking ME to Chicago for YOUR birthday, Trev :).

5. Again in college - this time we drove! Ugh. A few of us advertising majors tagged along with the AdClub to tour J. Walter Thompson (RIP). And of course we then hit the city. I vividly remember Cari xxxxxxxx Ferguson getting pulled over while driving the 16 passenger van from Lincoln to Chicago. Fake IDs might have also been involved at some point. Not really sure. The school trip to Chicago is a bit fuzzy, ironically enough.

5. We made a pit stop in Chicago in May 2004 on our way to South Bend, Indiana, for my cousin's wedding. Trevor was in Arkansas and I was in KC at the time, so we, and my mom, dad and Kalin, all met at Midway and enjoyed Navy Pier before heading back to the airport to pick up "the grandmas" and head to Notre Dame country. I should also point out it was in South Bend, at Olivia and Todd's reception actually, where Trevor asked my dad's permission to propose to me. Sigh. My folks and extended fam spent a few days in Chicago after the wedding, and apparently had a hoot. Trevor and I had to head back to bring home the bacon.

6. In September 2006, I walked 60 miles in and around Chicago with Lizzie, Shannon and Michelle during the Breast Cancer 3-Day. So, that was obviously a memorable experience in the city. The day before the event started - when we had to fly to Chicago - was my birthday so Shannon and I did some damage on, where else, Michigan Avenue. That was a fun day.

7. Last May, Trevor and I vacationed in Chicago for a few days and stayed with his sister Alissa. We had a great time and we both attended our first Cubs game, which I loved. That was a fun trip because we had a real life, local host to take us around, guide us on the L, etc.

8. I've been to Chicago a lot for work. We used to have monthly Breast Cancer 3-Day meetings here, but they were typically day trips. (Love the 5 a.m. flights!) But when we'd come with Blue Bunny for the FMI show, we'd stay a few nights and make the most of it. I think I attended FMI in Chicago three times. And then there was last May, when all of Barkley PR went to Chicago for the Cause Marketing Forum. And after the CMF, Sun Dee (with AMC), Kelli (with Kohl's then), Lindsey, Rachel and I all reunited for an evening of fun and Sex and the City. 'Twas the premier and we all dressed up like the characters we were most like (thanks to a quiz). No, those photos will never be shared. Ever.

So, while I'm in Chicago again tonight, I now remember why I feel so comfortable strolling around Chi-town's downtown area. I have a lot of memories here in what I believe is one of the greatest cities in the world: The Wendy, err, Windy City.

PS: Southwest, feel free to let me know if I should expect my free voucher at my home or personal address.

The Risleys

I've really enjoyed following my former boss' blog lately. His family has grown quite substantially over the past days - they have adopted two children from Colombia. This process began two years ago so it is simply amazing to see it all come to fruition.

I've been undecided on whether or not I would adopt children if we were unable to have our own. Of course we haven't yet been put in that situation. To me, if we were unable to have our own children I look at it as a sign we were meant to do something different with our lives. But seeing the joy these kids have brought to the Risleys and the Risley's devotion to these kids might just change my perspective.

These posts have given me chills, smiles and tears. It is such a heart-warming tale, and I invite you all to follow along here.

I will be so pissed if I get robbed on my way into work.

A 21-year-old woman was robbed at gunpoint this morning in the parking garage I, and many of my dear readers, park in every day. I am still very frightened by this. The garage is not necessarily desolate and I have, for the most part, always felt safe...sometimes even leaving at 6/7 p.m. by myself.

Maybe the Easter bunny was onto something with the stun knuckles. But even if you don't have 945,000 volts to carry around with you, let this be a reminder to everyone to be aware of our surroundings. I know I am guilty of talking on the phone when walking alone somewhere. (Have you ever walked into a store talking on the phone and then walked out not remembering where you parked? I sure have.) There are a lot of unexplainable people out there, and sadly we need to be cautious of them.

In the end, the woman thankfully wasn't hurt and the loser only got away with $12 or $21 or something ridiculous like that. I will say this: if I was robbed at gunpoint, well, I hope the burglars like nonfat skinny lattes because the only thing of value they'll find in my wallet is a Starbucks gift card.

Not feeling like a million bucks

I'd say I'm having one of those days. Back to back meetings. Deadlines. Told by a boss I need to "tone it down" when I'm talking on the phone. Cold sores. (Those pesky things seem to always be present when I'm having days like this.) But I can surely tell you I'd take all of those things over this:

Israeli woman loses $1M as daughter dumps mattress containing life savings

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- It was supposed to be a pleasant surprise, but turned into the shock of a lifetime.

A woman scours a garbage heap in Tel Aviv for her mother's missing mattress.

A woman in Tel Aviv, Israel, gave her elderly mother a new mattress as a surprise gift, throwing out the old tattered bed her mother had slept on for decades. The gesture ended up bankrupting Annat's mother, who had stuffed her savings of nearly $1 million inside her old bed for decades, Annat told Israel Army Radio.

A massive search is under way at the city dump, where security has been beefed up to keep out treasure-seekers who have heard Annat's story in Israeli media.

Annat, who did not want to reveal the rest of her name, told Israel Army Radio that she woke up early Sunday to get a good deal on a new mattress as a surprise for her mother.

She fell asleep that night, exhausted after lugging up the new mattress and hauling down the old one to be taken out with the trash.

When her mother realized the next day what her daughter had done, she told her that she had been using the mattress to stash away her life savings and had nearly $1 million padding the inside of the worn-out mattress.

Annat ran downstairs, but it was too late. The garbage truck had already taken away the money-stuffed mattress.

Annat alerted the two major dump sites in the Israeli city in an effort to locate the bed, but so far she has had no luck. Yitchak Burba, one of the dump site managers, told Army Radio that he and his men are working relentlessly to try to help Annat find the million-dollar mattress among the tons of garbage at the landfill.

The publicity has triggered a wave of people also trying to find the mattress and its contents for themselves. Burba has increased security around the dump to keep them out.

Annat told Army Radio that when her mother realized her queen-sized bank had been tossed, she told her to "'leave it.'"

"'The heart is crying but you know we could have been in a car accident or had a terminal disease,'" Annat said her mother told her.

Annat is also taking the situation in stride.

"It's a very, very sad story but I've been through worse," she told Army Radio. "It's a matter of proportions in life ... people need to know how to accept the good and the bad in life."

Don't be fooled by the thought that I got I'm still, I'm still Wendy from the blog

If you have forgotten who I am, I understand. It's been two weeks since I have blogged, and that wasn't even a legitimate blog post. I do thank Sabrina and Pamela for the blog suggestions. Sooner or later they'll appear.

For now, I have two quick things to say while I finish my diet Coke. While there is still diet Coke in my can, well then, it is still my lunch hour.

1. I love mixing corn and pasta. Just had it for lunch and mmm mmm good. Kind of like taters mixed with corn on Thanksgiving, or really anytime you have corn and taters. Why limit it to one day? But then again, what isn't awesome when you add corn? Pop + corn. Good. Corn + dogs. Good. Corn + bread. Good. Corn + hole. Good. Corn + husker. Good. Corn + on the cob. Good. Corn + acopia. Weird Thanksgiving decoration.

2. I had the privilege of checking out the Omaha Habitat for Humanity's Building Blitz today. Wow. In one week, three homes will be constructed by Sullivan Homes, Hearthstone Homes, and the M Group. The fourth home on the block will be completed as part of Women Build, a program in which only women build the home. (Don't women build every home?) tee hee hee go chicks. Anyhoo, like I said - wow. I became intrigued by Habitat when I went to the Women's Build lunch a few weeks ago. I had NO idea the people that receive the homes actually work for them. They put in 350 hours of sweat equity on their own home. They take classes ranging from how to unclog a toilet (I've never taken it) to personal finance. And finally, they actually make payments on the home. The thing I liked about that is it shows they are committed to their home. They take responsibility. They are vested in it and will not take their gift of a home for granted. Pretty cool. One of the things that surprised me, saddened me, the most, was the house on the condemn list across the street from the Building Blitz.

This picture doesn't even truly do the house justice. It was awful. My Habitat contact told me there are 400 homes on the condemn list (I got nervous I wrote condem list for a second but then realized condom is really spelled that way, not condem. Wow. You know you need to wrap up a blog post when you work in the word condom) around Omaha. Imagine a family living in that. Imagine living across from that. It was just really eye-opening for me. Normally I'd drive by and tell Trevor to look at that "piece" but today it hit me. That is/was someone's home. And Pavlov says a home is non-negotiable. HELLO COLLEGE PSYCH CLASS! See mom - I paid attention in school!

I learned two things about myself today:
1. I really hope to get involved with Habitat for Humanity soon. Maybe then my pink Kiewit hardhat will get some use.
2. I hope my kids never get "condemn" in a spelling bee.

Ahh. That was a good diet Coke.