Little Puppy Lou Who

Just turned two who!

He was way more excited than this!

How's that for a stash of presents!?

Happy 2nd birthday to our sweet doggie!

Hang On Sloopy!

Sloopy hang on!  O-H-I-O!

How do I begin about the weekend?!  It.was.incredible!  For many reasons!  The main one being that my brother, Travis, and sister-in-law, Shanel, trekked out to Ohio to spend some quality time with us on our turf!  Just being together was the best part of the entire weekend, but, as you know how we like to do it when we have guests in town, we also got down with some trade mark Columbus activities!

On Friday night when Travis and Shanel arrived, we headed to downtown Columbus to catch a glimpse of Highball Halloween.  We stopped here for the first time together last year with my Grandparents, and we had to keep up the tradition!  We once again saw some amazing (and ridiculous) costumes!  But that is part of what makes Highball Halloween so fun!

On Saturday, after relaxing at the house (read: sleeping in) we grabbed lunch at Katzinger's deli and headed down to the tailgate to get ready for the Ohio State Buckeyes to take on the Wisconsin Badgers.  What a fantastic game!  We were bundled up and sat in a sea of scarlet while we watched the Buckeyes wallop the Badgers!  It was a very, very exciting game, and after an unbelievable victory everyone rushed on the field to celebrate and bask in all the Buckeye glory!  Some have even said it was the most exciting game they have ever been to in The Shoe.  (Brian ranks it in his top five for your reference.)  After the Buckeye game, we carried on downtown as usual after Ohio State football games and stopped at the Varsity Club to meet up with [some of] of the tailgate crew, where we also basked in the Buckeye glory!

Finally, on Sunday, we enjoyed each other's company while we made a big breakfast* together, popped into Jeni's for a quick sampling of Ohio ice cream**, and dropped my bro and sis-in-law back off at the airport.

We cannot begin to explain how wonderful it was to have both Travis and Shanel stay with us for the weekend.  We had 48 hours of uninterrupted togetherness, and it was positively superb!

Please come back again, Travis and Shanel!!!  We ♥ u!

*A big breakfast at the Hendricks Household involves: blueberry pancakes, perfectly fried eggs (compliments to Shanel), sausage, grits, orange juice, lots o' love, and good company!

**Jeni's slogan should be: "Jeni's.  That's how we do ice cream in Ohio."

Cases Closed

With respect to case #98713-T, the case of the missing tree tops, we hereby determine the loss of those tree tops (and trees, for that matter) to be due to the power lines that have taken precedence over the oxygen and sanctuary released and provided by said trees. Furthermore, any future occurrences with this matter and this case belong to the City of Upper Arlington; they are given the right to entirely rid the power lines of any and all tree limbs that may interfere with perfect power supply. With respect to the residents of such backyards that may have been affected by the removal of these trees, we are truly sorry, from the bottom of our hearts, that you live in 2011. For if you had only lived about 100 years ago, this case would have been in favor of keeping the trees the way they were, because there were no power lines to interfere with.

[Gavel and sound block smash.]

Note from the plaintiff with reference to case #98713-T: We miss our trees. They provided the perfect screen to make our backyard seem like our little oasis. We understand that we need power, as do our neighbors, but we will be revisiting this area with a solution to bring the privacy back to our backyard. And we will be doing it soon…we hope.

With respect to case #68432-P, the case of the inexplicable nibbles on and around the Halloween pumpkins on the porch, we hereby determine the culprit to be squirrels, of which you are not approved to hunt, capture, trap, torture, lure, or kill intentionally. Furthermore, any future occurrences with this matter will result in the occupants of each residence to remove any and all Halloween pumpkins away from areas that squirrels may traverse if pumpkins with little bites taken out of them are unacceptable.

[Gavel and sound block smash.]

Note from the plaintiff with reference to case #68432-P: Those little stinkers ruined all three of our pumpkins! We have no other comments...

Terms of Endearment

Pumpkin. Sweetheart. Honey. Baby.

Some people would argue that terms of endearment are a friendly way to approach people that you don’t know. I, on the other hand, think that terms of endearment should be restricted to close family and friends, and elderly folk.

Let me explain.

I was at Subway getting lunch the other day. The girl behind the counter, who looked like she was in her early twenties, asked me, “what can I get for you, sweetie?” I was taken aback and completely caught off guard. Did this girl just call me sweetie? I lost my train of thought. Now, I know that I may not “look” 29, but I certainly don’t feel like I “look” like I’m 7, and that’s how I feel when someone who appears to be younger than me calls me sweetie.

I stood for a moment while I gathered my thoughts (and my order) together and proceeded telling her what I wanted. I chalked it up to her probably just slipping up. When we got to the veggie section, she asked me, “what sort of veggies would you like, sweetie?” AGAIN! This was no slip up. And when my order was complete, she asked me, “will that be all for you, sweetie?” I was starting to feel violated, and it was very weird to me.

I left and, obviously, could not get the thought out of my head.

When I hear terms of endearment, I feel like they belong to close family and friends, such as a spouse, a child, a pet, etc. They are those words of love and affection that add a little touch of sweetness to your thought. I also feel like older people, as in at least two generations beyond whatever generation you happen to be in, are automatically exempt from my sometimes illogical thought process when it comes to the terms of the terms of endearment. Elderly people can call anyone by a sweet something. Twenty something year olds cannot. Am I the only one that feels like this?!

In addition, I've noticed people at work addressing one another by 'sweetheart'.  It really throws me for a loop.  I turn around expecting to see someone embracing their loved one, when what I really see are two coworkers deep in a work related conversation.  Am I totally confused? Have I misunderstood the correct time and place for these endearing terms? I don't think so, honey.

For the record, I am a fan of terms of endearment; I just feel like they belong to certain people, and strangers (and coworkers) are not on that list for me.  Unless, of course, it is for a purely sarcastic remark.  (Which I rarely partake in...)

So, the next time the girl at Subway feels the need to address her clients by 'sweetie' she may just get a piece of my mind.  A nice piece of my mind, of course, and it may change the way she does business.  And it may not.

Ain't that right, sugar?!

Missing!

Have you seen our tree tops?!


BEFORE - Exactly one week ago.

AFTER - Present.

Upon our arrival home this afternoon, we noticed that some of our tree tops had been removed.  In addition, there is a pile of wood in our neighbor's yard.

Our tree tops were last seen on Friday, October 21, 2011 in our backyard.  They had been dropping their leaves slowly but, until today, were still 100% there.

We feel naked in our backyard.

Any information is greatly appreciated!

Furthermore, if you could please tell us who/what is nibbling on our pumpkins, that would also be greatly appreciated.

FYI - It's not Jack.  He was simply investigating.

Crabcakes and Football

That's what Maryland does! 

(We didn't partake in either while we visited my home sweet home this weekend, but it is true!)

We left on Friday morning, with Jack in tow, and headed off to Maryland.  My parents, who have also just moved to Ottawa, Canada, were coming in town, and we were all under general consensus that it would be a lot easier to all meet up in Maryland versus Canada, so off we went!

On Friday night, Brian and I had the pleasure of catching up with some of my amazing girl friends - Tamara, Brandi, and Shalu!  We had an absolute blast meeting for dinner at the Greene Turtle!  I think all of our mouths and stomachs hurt from laughing so much, and even when we left we still could not stop laughing!  These are some of the nights I miss the most not living close to these fantastic girls, but living far away really makes the time that we do have together so special.  It was so awesome to hang with them, and that doesn't even do it justice!

Then, on Saturday, Brian, Jack and I met up with the fam at my Grandma's house.  Once again, it was simply fantastic to see everyone!  We spent the day chatting, laughing, and soaking each other in, and capped the night off with a couple bottles of wine and a lovely Italian dinner at Christina's.  (Side note: Christina's was amazing!  It was authentic, delicious, cozy, and the service was great!  It was as close as you could get to authentic Italian food in Maryland!  We highly recommend it if you are ever in the Wheaton, MD area!)

Finally, after we said our goodbyes and see you soons and we love yous, we all got on the road to head in our separate directions; Brian, Jack and I headed west back to Ohio; Mom, Scott, and James headed north back to Canada; Travis and Shanel headed south back to D.C.; and Amy headed west back to College Park.  It was simply fantastic to see so many people that we hold so close to our hearts, and we are highly anticipating our next rendezvous!  The countdown to Thanksgiving is on, and we are t-minus 31 days!

Enjoy our love below!

Leaf Piles and Pumpkins

We spent our weekend diving right in to some of our favorite fall duties and some of our favorite fall excursions!  First, we raked leaves upon leaves into to huge piles.  And pile by pile, we placed our leaves on a big, blue tarp and dragged said tarp to the street where the leaf vacuum will be making its rounds in the upcoming week.  Jack, of course, supervised our entire chore, so in between raking and piling we were also throwing the ball!  We were definitely happy to have cleared some of our leaves from our yard because we are still attempting to grow some grass, and we were slightly concerned that the leaves that had fallen may have hindered our grass from getting sunlight, water, air, etc.  Now, we are leaf free!  At least for the time being!  (This won't be the last time we rake and pile leaves this year!)

In addition to our pile o' leaves, we also headed to a local pumpkin patch called Kuhlwein's to pick out some pumpkins!  With all due respect to the Kuhlwein family, we were not that impressed.  We definitely picked out some winners, but the overall excursion could've been a little better.  Then again, we are used to heading out to Lynd's, which is a hard place to beat when it comes to fall activities!  We may still make a trip out to Lynd's.  Fall is not over yet!

Last but certainly not least, we added Monster Mash to our iTunes queue to start getting into the Halloween spirit!  And if you are looking for any sort of Halloween spirit, this song is your ticket!  It.is.so.much.fun!

Enjoy the album below, and Happy Fall!

Too Cute For His Own Good...

I once owned a pair of really cute shoes.
Until one day those shoes were misused.
A dog named Jack decided today was his day.
Today was his day to have his own way.
Off he went with my shoes in tow.
(This was a trait I thought he'd outgrow.)
And bite after bite he got into his groove.
Despite how much I disapproved.
I was left with a bit torn out of my shoe.
But I couldn't stay mad at such a cute Loo!

Underneath the Walnut Tree

We have had the most unbelievable fall weather recently!  This weekend was no exception - it was beautiful and perfect in every fall way!

With Brian out of town supporting the Buckeyes in Nebraska, Jack and I kept ourselves occupied making three separate trips to Northam Park to play ball!  It was fantastic!  The leaves are turning, the fall colors are spreading like wild fire, and the leaves are starting to pile up in the most perfect of fall piles!  We have been enjoying this fall weather thoroughly, and we plan to do so as long as we can!

Script Ohio Tradition

Celebrating 75 Years of the Incomparable Script Ohio!

Today we debuted Brian's ninth licensed print!

Congrats, Brian!  And GO BUCKS!

USPS versus The World

As I drove into work this morning, I was disheartened to learn that the average US household receives a letter once every seven weeks.  Compare that to 24 years ago in 1987 where the average US household received a letter once every two weeks.  In today's mail, junk and catalogs comprise more 'mail' than the actual mail that we look forward to receiving.  As a society, we are so focused on the "now" that snail mail has fallen to the wayside...way to the wayside.  News travels faster than it every has before, and each day there are advances in our system to get information to us even faster than the day before.  We are technology and information driven, and, in our world, the faster the better.

The thought of the demise of the United States Postal Service is very real.  For years, news broadcasts, radio broadcasts, papers, internet articles have mentioned the possibility of removing the Saturday mail delivery.  Jobs have been cut, stamp costs have risen, the internet has created a cheaper and faster way to communicate and pay bills, and debt in the postal service continues to rise. What was once an iconic emblem of our every freedom is becoming null and void.  And it is very depressing.

I can't imagine life without the ability to send or receive snail mail.  It is one of my favorite things.  I've grown up with the mail.  I received letters from Grandparents in the mail.  I received college offer letters in the mail, and I won't even begin to tell you how many times I've been to the post office in the last week mailing something else out.  (FYI, I've been four times, but, for the record, that is above average.)  After hearing the stats this morning, I'm beginning to wonder if my mail habits are keeping the USPS afloat.

What are we going to do at Christmas when everyone sends Christmas cards?  What are we going to do when we want to put a little extra effort in and actually hand write a letter?  How will we send our secret admirer or pen pal or family member or best friend a special little something?  What about postcards and invitations and birthday cards?  How will we explain the foreign concept of "snail mail" to future generations?  It is something that won't be around forever, but it certainly is one of those small things in life that really make it special.

Now, before you go and get me all wrong, I am all for conservation of paper and protecting the world and what not.  I could use 97% less fluff (junk mail and catalogs) and 150% more meat and potatoes (real mail) to save the trees and the backs of our postal service workers, but it's not up to me.  All I can do is write when I can, when I feel like it, and know that the unexpecting person on the other end is going to get a very special treat in a few days.

It's hard fighting a losing battle, but I'm comforted knowing that the USPS will not just close tomorrow.  We've got at least a few more years where I can find pretty stamps at the post office and send hand written letters to special someones.  (I know, soooo 1990's.)  And I look forward to those moments of sending and receiving a dying art - our old school form of communication!  I'm happy that I have been able to partake in snail mail firsthand!

Wonder Fall!

Today was the most perfect fall day!  The air was crisp, the sun was warm, our puppy played ball until he was tired, and the leaves fell gently to the ground.  It was a nice transition from the high of 50 degrees that we had experienced the day before!  My body typically needs a transition into the cold weather, and the sudden turn in temperatures threw me for a complete loop and had me wondering how I was going to survive the winter.  Fortunately, I was reminded today that while we have bid farewell to summer and our days are growing shorter, we do still have one of the best times of the year to experience!  Ladies and Gents, fall is upon us!

In addition to the most perfect fall day yet, we also updated our centerpiece to get a bit more into the fall spirit:

(I would just like to state for the record that while I have been accused of being akin to Martha Stewart this does not represent my interior decorating skills as well as it could have.  I could definitely use some centerpiece lessons... And, while we are on the topic (kind of) of who I have been accused of being, Monk is also on that list.  Both accusations were from my very best friend, Tamara, who sometimes knows me better than I do, so there probably is some truth in both.)

The forecast for the remainder of the week is for temperatures to gradually increase into the upper 70's, lower 80's.  Perhaps we've got a little Indian summer on it's way, but if not, we welcome fall with open arms!