Memorial Day Work!

Today we had a work day with my parents. Mom and I took all the items we will be selling at our garage sale next week over to my house and labeled and sorted all of them. That took a really long time, and we will have a ton of stuff to sell. Incidentally (shameless plug), the garage sale is next Sat., May 30, from 8-2. We have a fridge, tv's, dvd players, vcr, lots of kitchen stuff, and furniture!

Scott and Dad spent the day cutting down the apple tree. The electric cables were running through it, so MidAmerican came last week and trimmed. Most of the rest of the tree was already dead, so we decided to take it down. We now have a lot of apple wood to burn!

USA Volleyball

Last week I was in Minneapolis for USA Volleyball meetings. USAV just completely restructured, and this was the first meeting under the new structure, so it was pretty interesting seeing how things are working now. It was also great to see friends from other Regions. The last night there, USAV had the Boyce Banquet, where they give out annual awards, and have a silent auction. We got all dressed up!

Tori Hoke, Michelle Goodall, and I at the banquet.

We got our picture taked with Lloy Ball and Doug Beal! Lloy has been the setter on the USAV men's Olympic team for the last 4 Olympics, including the 2008 Gold Medal winning team in Beijing! He also plays professionall in Russia. Doug Beal is the current President of USA Volleyball, and also was the men's Olympic coach in 1984 when they won their last gold medal!

Sinjin Smith was also there! He was an amazing beach player, and with his partner Randy Stoklos was one of the winningest beach players ever. We ran into him at the hotel restaurant, and got our picture taken with him as well!

Skunk!

Last night we went to Sarah & Jimmy's house for supper. They live on a farm outside of New Sharon. We were in the kitchen, and suddenly Scott said, "There's a skunk!" It was in the driveway running from car to car. Jimmy ran upstairs to get a gun (I guess that's what you do on a farm when you see a skunk...), and we brought the dog inside, and tracked the skunk (from inside) around the house and to the field. Jimmy ran outside and shot it as it ran across the corn field, saving us from any danger of being stinked!

Then they reloaded the gun...
...And Scott shot the skunk a few times just for fun. He was a good shot, as he should be after 21 years in the Army.

Then they gave me a quick lesson in shooting a rifle, and I took a few shots. I have never shot any sort of gun before in my life!

I never actually hit the skunk, although I was very close, and wasn't totally awful. I guess I have to spend more time in the country shooting at small critters. Or join the Army...

Spring Weather and House Cleaning

Last weekend the weather was absolutely beautiful! It was sunny and around 70 degrees all weekend. On Saturday Scott had to work in Fairfield for half the day, so my family came to Osky and we cleaned at my house (which is still on the market...), mowed the lawn, painted both porches, and did some other outdoor work. When they left, I went home and Scott was mowing the lawn, so we finished up that, cut some wood for our fire bowl, and hung up our new bird house and wind chimes on the front porch.

University Park ordered a couple dumpsters for residents to get rid of house hold stuff. We were finally able to get the old, huge console tv out of the spare room.

It just barely fit in my car...good thing the dumpster is only 3 blocks away as we couldn't shut the back hatch!

Scott gave the tv a fond goodbye...the tv belonged to his great-grandmother, so it has been in the family for a while!

A Few More Pre-Wedding Pictures

Here are a few pictures from right before Carrie & Tim's wedding. Lynn came to my parent's house with Rhea and Olivia, and they helped put bubbles into baskets...even Olivia could do that!

Grandma had to move the snaps on the neck of my dress, so Scott asked if she would do some work on his cap for the Army. He got a promotion and had to put his new patch on. Grandma did it with only a little mumbling...she was very nervous as the patch had to be EXACTLY in the right place.
Tim spent the days before his wedding working on Mom's car. He put in a new exhaust system. You can see the old, rusty one next to the nice, new shiny one!

Look at that huge hole!

Carrie & Tim's Wedding

My sister Carrie married Tim Klinge last weekend on April 25. They got married in Pella at Third Church and had their reception at Grace Fellowship. The weather was beautiful the days before their wedding, but a little rainy on Saturday.

Here is Amber putting candles up at the church.

Here I am at Grace hanging lanterns from the front of the bridal table. Thanks for taking such a lovely picture of me, Scott...
Dad and I at Third waiting patiently for the rehearsal to begin.

Wedding Day!!! They did pictures before the wedding, then we all went downstairs and at a light lunch before the wedding started. Tim is one of 7 kids (5 boys, 2 girls), and had his dad as his best man and his 4 brothers as groomsmen. Lynn and I were bridesmaids, along with 3 of Carrie's friends. All the nieces were in volved in the wedding as well. There were a lot of family members!

Scott's camera has a cool feature that allows you to highlight a certain color in the picture. We thought it would be cool with their red flowers and ties...who knew that Tim's lips were so very red?

Evenhouse family photo:

Carrie wanted the bridesmaids to do a series of "Vogue" photos where we would all strike a pose...I don't know if we look sexy, but we all got the giggles!

Scott and I

Scott didn't have an official role for the wedding (except to take lots of pictures!), so he helped Doug keep track of the nieces after the walked down the aisle, and sat with them at the reception as well. Olivia spent the day with her favorite Uncle Scott!

Carrie is a lab assistant, and Tim is an engineer, so they are both "science nerds." So, instead of lighting a unity candle, they did a "unity experiment." They had 2 clear liquids in the side beakers. And then when they poured the two liquids together...

...the liquid turned purple!

It wasn't raining after the ceremony (it was pretty cold and damp, though!), so Carrie and Tim could ride away to the reception on his motorcycle.

Dad and Carrie dancing together.

This was their cake topper...very appropriate!

Wedding cake, yum yum!


We know that Tim will truly blend into our family, because shortly after Scott took this next picture Tim smeared the cake all over Carrie's face.