Kidney Donation on "The Today Show"

This is a really great story that I wanted to share with everyone who was interested. It was covered on "The Today Show" this morning and it is especially worthwhile because our friend Jordan Brough is one of the features in the story. It tells of how many people are in need of kidney donations to survive and how many strangers reached out and donated because they wanted to help people in need. This is not a simple surgery, by the way, and required 2 hospital days for Jordan and a bit of recovery time, but I'm sure it is someth ing that both he and the woman he donated to will remember for the rest of their lives.

Jordan, you are awesome and such a giver to those in need! You're an inspiration!

Whip up something Great!

I just had to share this really great website with anyone who is crafty and even for all of you who are just like me and aren't quite so crafty! It's called whipup.net and is chock full of amazing ideas for lazy day craft making.  It is such a wonderful resource blog that compiles some of the best craft ideas from individual's blogs into one website. I can't wait to move to California and have some spare time to whip up some really great things.  Some ideas I'm excited about making: 

a passport holder

a peasant blouse from an old men's shirt

a polka dot quilt

First on my list will be to buy a sewing machine so I can actually make all of these great things!

Europe and Back...

So, It's been few weeks since we have been back from our long-awaited trip to Europe and with so much to do to get the house ready to sell, I haven't had much time to post, but I just couldn't put it off any longer.  We went to Germany, Austria and Italy for a couple of reasons; to visit my parents who have been serving a mission for our church for the past year as well as a graduation trip for Michael and me.  We went to so many places so fast, I don't think I can really  cover everything in less that 3000 words, so I will just post the pictures and let them speak for themselves.  Some captions will be provided for further explanation.  I hope you enjoy!  

One of the many, many castles we saw along the Rhine River in Germany.  We saw at least 12 of them! They were so beautiful, even the ones that were in ruins.

Michael and me at one of the castles in Germany.  You can also see another castle behind us through the huge doorway.

Michael and me in Munich, Germany

Me and Tish! (Michael's twin-sister, who we went to Europe with.)

All four of us, excluding my parents, at the top of the pathway to the Neuschuwanstein Castle in Bavaria.  Tish, Trevor, Me and Michael.

The Hohenschuwangau Castle

Innsbruck, Austria.  Absolutely Beautiful!

Michael waiting at the train Station.  I think in total we took nine trains!!

Venice

Michael and me in the Piazza de San Marco, Venice, Italy

The Cinque Terre region of Italy.  We stayed in Vernazza and I think this was my favorite part of the entire trip.  It was amazing!

Along our four hour hike through the Cinque Terre.  Michael and I ended up seeing all five towns.  They were adorable!!  You can kind of see one behind us...

Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre

After a long walk across Florence and up multiple stairs we were rewarded with this amazing view of the city!

Michael sitting down in the middle of the Piazza sketching.  Classic.

One of the beautiful Florentine Piazzi.

The Ponte Vecchio in Florence.

The Colloseo. 

Rome, Italy

Michael and the Roman Forum

The Pantheon

The Sistine Chapel at the Vatican City.  If you look closely, you can see Adam and God in the painting.  Fabulous!

One of the ruins found in Rome.  Yes, it's a foot.

The Trevi Fountain.  This was our very last night.  :( But what an amazing experience!!!

Happy Fourth of July from Rome

Since we weren't in the United States on the Fourth of July we decided to celebrate while in Rome, Italy the best way we knew how.  With a good ol' great American Hamburger and a Coke.  Thanks McDonald's for helping us feel like American's on Independence Day.  We could not have done it without. (Well, actually we could have...)

FYI - Pictures and stories from our Europe trip coming soon!

Graduation from The University of Cincinnati

So, Michael and I have officially graduated from the University of Cincinnati and we are truly enjoying our summer and having a lot of fun! We leave for Germany tonight and it is off to Italy on Sunday and we will be sure to post plenty of pictures when we get back, but I had to post these graduation pictures before leaving.

Michael was the only one of us that actually walked in the Ceremony on the 13th of June and I sat in the stand and took pictures but I was sure to buy my tassel so I could atleast wear a cap and take part in all of the fun afterwards!

Michael now has a Degree in Architecture from UC's DAAP Program and I have mine in English Literature from the Arts and Sciences Department, hence the signs.

Pizza e Gelato! Il Più Delizioso Cibo!

I believe that my first meal when I arrive in Italia in a little less than two weeks will look something like this...


True Italian pizza and a heeping helping of the most delicious gelato that beats American ice cream hands down. Now, if only I could find a way to bring some of this home with me to Ohio. I guess I will just have to eat as much as I can while I am there!

Michael and I leave for Europe in exactly two weeks and I can't wait!  I have been looking forward to and planning this vacation for the past year and a half with Mike's twin sister, Tish, since the four of us, me, Mike, Tish and her husband Trevor, will be going together.  We fly into Frankfurt, Germany to visit with my parents for a few days, where they have been serving a mission for the church, and then we head down to Italy where we will be visiting Venice, Florence, the Cinque Terre region and Rome.  I would love any suggests for great restaurants, parks, gelati spots that we could visit on our trip.  I sure hope the past year of taking Italiano at UC will pay off at least a little bit!  Ciao and any suggestions would be great!

Mr. Tilney!

I'm looking forward to reading some really great books this summer and I've decided to pick up where I left of from last August and finish the rest of Jane Austen's novels that I never read. I took a really great class a year and
a half ago on Jane Austen and her books but we only had time to read four, so I now only have Sense and Sensibility and Mansfield Park left to read.









To get me ready and in the Regency mood, I've rented Northanger Abbey and watched it with my niece Aubree. This is definitely one of my favorites of Jane Austen's novels and I do believe that Henry Tilney is my favorite of her male protagonists... Oh, and the 2008BBC version of Northanger Abbey only makes me enjoy him even more. Just imagine his wonderful facials expressions in the movie as an added appeal to his charm, an early 19th century Jim Halpert character who becomes even more cute with each smirk he gives!

Sometimes...

Sometimes life just makes me want to smile. I had one of these moments today. Nothing specific, just the thought of how happy I am right now and how wonderful my life can be. It made me smile.

Dying of Anticipation...

I don't know if anyone has noticed my countdown timer but as of now I have roughly 6 days until graduation but this is not exactly as great as it sounds. I still have to look forward to three papers to be finished, two of which are due on Friday, a final in My Discourse Communities class on Thursday (probably the most boring class I have ever taken in my college career) a final on John Milton's Paradise Lost, and another final on Italian that is comprehensive and spans all the way back to September of last year. I don't think I have ever dreaded and hoped for something so much in my entire life. Number 1 on my list of things to do this summer is enjoy a good ole meaningless summer novel that I can unabashedly devour by the pool.

Michael on the other hand has technically already graduated and is currently 'vacationing' in Mexico since his final day of work was last Friday. And I can't wait for him to come home this Thursday! The first thing on his list of things to do this summer? Mow the lawn.

The Greatest Love Triangle in History

After 60 years Archie has made up his mind.  Is anyone else a little put-off that he chose Veronica over Betty?

Why Do They Do This To Us...

I have to share my point of view right now about how disappointed I am with NBC for canceling one of the only mildly entertaining comedies on television right now, Samantha Who?. Not that I have much time to watch television lately anyway, but finding out that this cute little show with a cute little actress, Christina Applegate, and an even cuter leading man, Barry Watson, will not be gracing us with a third season put a frown on my face and made me think of all the other cute little shows that didn't last but should have including the series Pushing Daisies and even a little known series called Love Monkey that showed a whole 8 episodes in the later winter of '06. But it's my belief that CBS had too high of hopes putting a new series on against the Winter Olympics! I mean, I know not everyone has a tiny little crush on Tom Cavanaugh like I do(also known as the star from the series Ed) but the music of Teddy Geiger should have made it last more than 8 episodes.
Wouldn't it be great to turn the channel from the many reality television shows that are pointless and rediculous and just get back to watching a great sitcom again? Maybe in the future they can cancel some of the terrible shows that are on television now that make me wonder who in the world could be watching this crap! Don't get me wrong, I love reality tv (I'm a shameless watcher of America's Next Top Model, American Idol and The Bachelor/Bachelorette, but sometimes enough is enough.)

*For a list of some other great short lived television series, check out this link.