Da Hoosbund

Ok so I am doing the bloggers husband survey. Every once in awhile these things are fun and revealing. So read mine and then tell me about yours.



What is his name?

At work he is know as David. Around here we call him the oldest 11 year old. (He rolls his eyes but acknowledges its accuracy.)



How long have you been married?

Almost 11 years.



How old is he?

Just turned 40 in May. Yes, I robbed the cradle.



Who eats more sweets?

In general or at one time? The first would be me, the second would be him so it evens out. He is the large portion hungry man, I am the small scoop, small slice girl who sneaks chocolate and hard candy sometimes. (Ok, alot)



Who said I love you first?

That was him after our first date. Ok, so we had a 5 day long first date.



Who is taller?

That would be him. Not hard as I barely qualify for 5'4".



Who can sing better?

He is a talented engineer who is good at many things but when it comes to singing he can't even find the bucket in which to carry his note. His mother once commented to me that he had such a lovely singing voice and I wrinkled up my brow and wondered to my self, "Did you raise this man?" Then we went to church with them and I realized that she was as tone deaf as he is. He cannot hear the similarity in two c notes an octave apart. Might as well be c and g.



Who does the laundry?

I think he is aware of where the washing machine is because he put it there when we moved and I know his memory is good. When I attended an out of state wedding a few years back he decided that lightening must have struck the washing machine because it wasn't working. But to be fair, it is a front loader with a freaky little feature of not starting back up for nearly a full minute after you open the lock to add a sock or something. I didn't blame him for that one but it was funny. He puts away his socks and underwear without too much complaint. And he will usually haul the laundry basket upstairs for me. Thanks honey. I don't mind laundry much though. Except I just hate putting it away. Don't mind sorting, treating, washing, drying, or folding, but hate hangers and drawers. Weird huh?



Who sleeps on the right side of the bed?

I have always taken the side closest to the door/Miranda's room. That has always been the right.



Who mows the lawn?

We share that. Although this year I think I have done it about 80% of the time. 3 times while we were out of town we hired it done. That is sooooo nice. But gets expensive when it is a landscaping company.



Who cooks dinner?

That would be me mostly but he likes to concoct in the kitchen on occasion. And he is great about taking me out when I have been working or doing some extended project or yard work or something. I like to cook but I HATE cleaning the kitchen. I'll take a toilet brush over a pile of dishes any day.



Who pays the bills?

We each have our set but he takes the lions share of that chore.



Who drives?

He does mostly, when he can't get me to do it.



Who is more stubborn?

Oh that would be him.



Who kissed who first?

He was being the gentleman so I kissed him.



Who asked who out first?

I don't remember who brought it up first but we were living on opposite ends of the country so it was pretty much a mutual decision.



Who proposed?

All him, on Christmas eve in a small church he attended as a child after a Christmas eve service. The pastor got very excited when he realized what we were doing.



Who has more siblings?

That would be me but he borrows them quite regularly.



Who wears the pants?

That is shared. He has his moments and I have mine.

The Catch up

Ok so I am not as avid a blogger as some but I thought I would catch up on some of our summer events.

In June we went to San Diego and Los Angles. We had a great time….mostly. We stayed with my friend Shannon in San Diego and also in Los Angeles for 3 days in the middle.

Laguna Beach

Little Star Peyton

Miranda and Maddison at the Padres/Mariners game.

Miranda and Reina Kropf at Disneyland

Two little peas in a pod even though they hadn't seen each other since they were 3.

The Howells and Kropfs at Cinderella's castle

We had dinner with my cousin Ronda and her family and went to Disneyland with our old friends the Kropfs. Also, Ronda’s youngest daughter, Felicia, works at Disneyland and served as our tour guide.

It was so much fun getting to know her.

She reminds me a great deal of Jeanie, and also of me 20 or so years ago. Miranda and Reina

Kropf, who were two little peas in a pod when they were 2 and 3, picked up right where they left off.

Disneyland was crowded and we really didn’t get to do much, but we were really there to see our friends so we had a good time. After waiting in line 45 minutes for space mountain, it broke down and we didn’t get to go. Miranda was really disappointed. So was I. It was so crowded it was almost hard to move around. Much more so then when I was a kid.

Our last day there we also had lunch with one of my old roommates from Florida in 1984/85, Shari, and her husband and son. I haven’t seen her in about 18 years and it was nice to renew the friendship.

In San Diego we went to the beach and pool several times and also the San Diego Zoo. We took Shannon and Doug to dinner at a Brazilian restaurant in Down Town San Diego and Shannon got tickets for us to go to a Padres/Mariners game. It is the first professional baseball game I ever went to. We have since gone to two Iron pigs games here in Allentown since then. We decided we like baseball games.

We had a wonderful time visiting with Shannon and her family until the last day when it became clear that we had overstayed our welcome. I should have planned our vacation a couple days shorter, but that was why we had gone to Los Angeles in the middle to give them a break. Long story short my pregnant little Shannon had an angry outburst at David and we ended the vacation on a sad note. She has not responded to any of my emails or text messages since then. I don’t even know if her pregnancy is going well and it makes me incredibly sad. I keep her and her family and the baby in my prayers.

But moving on to happier things, in July Miranda turned 10 years old. Several days before her birthday we took her to Great Wolf lodge in the Poconos with her friend Lauren. They have a large indoor water park. They had a great time. She also had a sleepover on her actual birthday. We did movies, at night and then nail polish and Henna tattoos. Miranda had gotten one in the San Diego Zoo and it lasted almost a week. I ordered the stuff online and we did pretty well with them. They had wanted to sleep out on the trampoline, Miranda’s early birthday present in the spring, but it rained. It was fun but I, for one, have had enough of sleepover birthday parties. With more than two additional kids it is just too crazy. Miranda has picked a Jump U. Birthday for next year.

Miranda and Lauren at Great Wolf Lodge

In late July we went to an amusement park called Knobles. It specializes in old fashioned rides, the kind we all grew up with as kids. Old powerful bumper cars, an old fashioned carouselle, wooden roller coasters, etc.

In August Miranda and I went to Utah to visit my brother and his family. Miranda has two little cousins now. Esther was 2 in July and Taemarin, or Tae Tae, will be 1 in November.

We went to the Moab area and saw just a few things in Arches that would not be too far away for little girlies, and we also stopped at Dead Horse point in Canyonlands. On our way out we stopped at Goblin Valley. Other than a windy canyon that forced us to pack up the tent and run for the hotel in town and cranky girls on long car rides, we had a really nice time. Our favorite moments, I think, were playing in the cool moist sand under Sand Dune Arch. We must have all sat there and played for about an hour. Miranda and I had sand mountains constructed, with everyone’s help, on our legs. Miranda dubbed mine Mt. Momsuvious, and Heather called hers Mt. Mirandamunjarro. Both of the little girlies were in heaven playing in the sand. We were all kids for that hour.

On our way home we stopped by for an overnight visit with Lalagene. She fed us well and we had a nice visit. I worry about her there all alone. At least she has the two cats for company, and I know that Ivan is close by when she needs help.

At the end of our trip I rented a car and Miranda and I spent two days in the Bountiful area. While there I showed her the places I knew as I grew up. What used to be a laundry mat is now a chocolate shop. We definitely stopped there. I also took her to see where Grandma and Grandpa Calkin are buried. That was harder on me than I expected. I don’t think she has ever been in a cemetery before. On the way out she was reading some of the headstones and was wondering how young people had died. We even found one baby. Death hasn’t been a big part of her life yet, only my Dad, so head stones were something new for her. She traveled out to say

goodbye to Grandpa but she stayed home for the funeral. We knew that it would be a long hard week for her. So she got to see where her flowers had gone to.

The next day I surprised her with a river trip down the Weber canyon. That was a first for her too. She even got brave enough to climb out of the raft and float in the river for awhile. We both had a really great time.

Just after we arrived in Utah, Volvo Trucks announced that they were moving the Mac World Headquarters and Engineering/ Testing center to Greensboro, NC. So we wrapped our mind around having to move. Just after we returned from Utah we made a trip down there to house hunt. We wanted to have possibilities if David’s parents got an offer on their house. We planned for them to move into our house while theirs is being built down there. We were in the process of moving them closer to us up here when the news came down. We were hours away from finalizing an offer for the house they wanted up here. But their house was already on the market so we are trying to juggle the schedule of their move, their build, our move, etc.

We put an offer in on a house which is currently under construction but the builder wanted his full asking price, plus the cost of upgraded appliances and one addition, plus $15,000 for us to choose paint and carpet colors. Not upgrades, mind you, just custom colors. He wouldn’t budge so we walked away. You don’t get to expect your full asking price in this market and then try to rape your buyer for choosing their own colors. We decided we didn’t need it that badly. We also have quite a few months till we are moving and so we could afford to hold our offer firm. Even our realtor was telling him he was being unreasonable. I say, good luck getting that price in this market. There are many homes, with nothing wrong with them, that have been on the market for 6 or more months. It’s his loss. I hope he likes the landlord business. Actually, I am sure he will sell it, but will probably be more reasonable with the next buyer and by then the house will be finished his way and he won’t have deal with someone’s customizing wishes. After telling us he could do this and that and no problem, he seemed to be fussing at every choice we were making. It is just as well. We really wanted the house but it was up in the range where it was going to be a financial stretch so it is just as well that we aren’t going to get it. We will look for an existing house and paint and carpet it our way before we move in.

STRAIGHT A YEAH'S ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Miranda brought home a straight A report card this week. We were so excited. She has struggled so hard with learning and she worked so hard to get all the projects done and tests studied for this quarter and we were all thrilled when she brought home the report card. No one more than her. She was just beaming. David was out of town this week so we will be celebrating tonight. She gets to pick a resteraunt to go out to and I will take her shopping next week at the mall. We have what we call mall bucks that she earns mostly for reading during the summer. She and I get some girl time at the mall and she gets to buy whatever her heart desires. She usually picks build-a-bear or earrings. The materialism is less important than the bonding, although she might have a different opinion. I like to think not though.

We had a nice girly Valentines this year. Miranda and I had dinner with Jeanie. David was out of town, and Bendix sent me Chocolates (like that's gonna make up for them stealing my husband for the 2nd year in a row on Valentines). The Bendix annual sales meeting was in San Destin, Florida this week, which would have been great for David.....if he liked heat and didn't care about Valentines. Actually he doesn't really care if a celebration takes place on the actual holiday/birthday. I was the one inscensed that they stole my Valentine. Last year the meeting had been scheduled in December but for budget reasons was postponed and they said Valentine week was the only week they could reserve. There was no such explanation this year. They sent a box of chocolates both years but I was not impressed. David and I got to go out last friday before he left and we will have the A dinner tonight. So I guess I will survive.

Happy New Year

Miranda and Rusty 12-07



















So, I'm starting early on my new years resolutions to keep a blog and also to read the blogs of other family members and friends.

Christmas is always so hectic but I love Christmas day itself. Can't say that about the rest of December. It is stressful but worth it in the end.

I took a few days off in December to get things done but when all that last minute stuff came up I was working the 3 days before Christmas eve and was still scrambling to get things baked, wrapped, and delivered Christmas Eve. We were in an extra hurry as a friend from work had gotten us tickets (free but hard to get) to a Moravian Church Christmas eve service in Bethlehem, Christmas City, USA. (About a half hour from our house). It is rated in the top 10 Christmas Eve services in the US (US news or something). It was beautiful. They had string and wind instruments and a choir in a balcony in back and above the congregation and although much smaller than the tabernacle it was an open (pillarless) chapel with a large lighted belfry up on top. Pretty old building that dates back to 1804 I believe. We got to do the candlelight ceremony. I remember attending one with my cousins when I was young and thinking that was the neatest part. Miranda was just afraid of the candle and blew it out when she got it. Oh well. It was fun to do once in Bethlehem.





Jeanie came over to stay with us for Christmas eve and Christmas. We got up and did the stocking and present thing, watched a religious movie (Evan Almighty ;) and then hooked up the Wii. I had tried to get a Wii twice at Wal-Mart. Stood in line for over an hour each time and the shipment didn't come one day and then there were only 9 the next, so I gave up. But at achievement days last week one of the advisors said that she had stood in the same line the next week for someone her husband worked with who ended up not wanting the thing (go figure), so I told her I would buy it. She has an infant and wanted the money more than the unit. So it dropped into our laps and we got our Wii. When I gave up on the Wii I had gotten an Ipod for Miranda so she got both big gifts that she wanted. We set up our Wii and David and Miranda proceeded to get sore muscles on bowling and baseball. Miranda also flung some cows on Raymans Raving Rabids. I only got as far as making a mii, which bounced happily in the background when Miranda was bowling. We like the Wii and it has already proved to be a great source of exercise. They were both still sore three days later. Jeanie played some too. She got her wheel covers for Christmas for her new (used) car that had lost it's wheel cover just after she got it. She was very happy about them. She had gotten us tickets for a NY tour for Cirque de Soliel - Wintuk at Madison Square Gardens. We had a few hours to go shopping at our favorite gourmet cheese shop at Grand Central Station. We have cheese, crackers, meats, fruit, and hummus for Christmas day. We put out a spread and then I don't have to cook for Christmas. It is a Christmas day tradition at our house. So we did NY in early December and we had also been a couple months ago on another gourmet shopping tour. There is nothing like breads and bagels and cheese from NYC. It just isn't the same other places. We put bread in the freezer and bring it out when we have spaghetti.

Anyway, I had to work the day after Christmas and when I got home we got on the road to come down to spend 3 days with David's parents. They have 4 acres of land and Rusty loves to run wild and free (leashless). Mom Mom adores him and gives into his every whim. He manipulates her terribly, begging to be let out about every 10-15 mins. and begging for treats. She gives in every time.



















David and his dad bury themselves in the basement and look at gun stocks and scopes. Miranda burried herself under the dining room table with new nintendo DS games and her new Ipod, happy as a clam. In between listening to Mom Mom update us on their health issues and their friends, interspersed with telling me every few minutes what a smart, intelligent, wonderful, nice, super, sweet dog we have, I caught up on some mail reading, email, and reading. At 4 am when my insomnia gets me out of bed, I came out and watched my blockbuster movies on my computer. Pre dawn is my time for me. It is quiet and peaceful (at least when the dog and the cat settle back down to sleep on my lap or the couch).

We exchanged gifts there on Thursday the 27th and then drove down to Delaware to visit Dolly and Olga, Miranda's two favorite waitresses/owner of the Glass Kitchen, a diner near the church that Mom Mom and Pop Pop sometimes attend. Miranda had gotten the ladies Christmas gifts and we had lunch there. Mom Mom stayed behind as the medication she is on has her immunosuppressed and she can't take the chance to be out in public for very long.




Three days was just long enough on our back in the strange beds (not that the beds themselves are strange, just not our nice mattress), and just long enough for the two of them to get grousy. Mom Mom had wanted us for 5 days but we knew three was long enough. Between work and church we didn't have that many to give her anyway.


They are slowing up and having some health problems, though none terminal. Pop Pop got a pace maker last year after having a heart rate of 28 for 2 days. They weren't sure how he was still concious, but he was too stubborn not to be. He has to take it easy but is now doing fine. Mom Mom fights with Fibromyalgia and Lyme. Both are not life threatening but cause her a lot of pain. The two diseases are combining in some rare way and she is on steroids for 6 months and can't go out in public. The doctor lets her go grocery shopping once a week but tells her to stay away from other shoppers and wash her hands really carefully. We spend as much time down there as we can as we know the years we can do so are waning. I took the opportunity to document a photo tour of the house inside and out with my new digital camera. It is something we will want to have in years to come and I don't want to have to think about it near the time of their deaths. I got the house and grounds as well and will take some more in the spring or summer. Pop Pop is a taxadermist (not really my thing but he does beautiful work, fine details on the faces, etc. ) There must be nearly a hundred scattered around the house, including a full size mountain goat and stone ram and also a small bear and a bobcat. There are grouse, an owl, ducks, a fish David caught when he was 5, a beautiful golden pheasant, carribou, elk, antelope and deer mounts. There are about 6 carribou and elk heads in the basement and even a dear butt. At one point David, in high school, had strung fake poop off the deer butt. It isn't there anymore. He has also made many deer foot lamps. I don't know what we are going to do with all of it when they are gone. I am thinking Cabela's may get some of it. They would be lucky to have it. It's nice work as that stuff goes. I find myself looking at other mounts as we come across them in lodges or resteraunts, etc (not that I eat in a lot of resteraunts with deer heads) and the work is not near so detailed and realistic. When we do sell some of it we will put the money towards Miranda's college fund. I can't think of a finer tribute for his work.

We are home now and enjoying our last few days of vacation. I go back to work tomorow and work both NYE and NYD. David and Miranda will go back wednesday. Then maybe I can get to know this new Wii better..... and maybe I should scrub my kitchen floor. Maybe I'll make time for both.