Sorry my entry is so late!

First of all CONGRATULATIONS Lauren!! I'm very excited for another of us to join the club!

Secondly, sorry to everyone that this blog entry is so long in coming. I know my month was November, and I was hoping (in the spirit of Erin's grandma) that will all say something we are thankful for. And let's all assume we are greatful for our family (I've met them all, they are awesome and hilarious) and friends (yes, we are equally awesome and hilarious) in the most general terms and come up with some specifics!
I am greatful for the fact that although at the end of every winter I am so sick of snow I could cry, every November and December I wake up with the renewed excitement that, although the weather channel has forcasted unusally balmy weather, there is freshly laid snow on the ground. It is a feeling that has never left me since my first winter in new york almost 19 years ago. I am greatful that life is cylical and that my memory is so terrible that each year is surprisingly fresh and new to me.

Everything has been good in the Richards household. Kev is done with football and we are both adjusting to the new way of life. But it is a fun adjustment, this week he just has two nights of class and no work so we get to spend some carefree time together, discussing plans for our first Christmas and making grocery lists. We equally love Christmas and food. I have been interviewing for the supervisor position at my job in Vanderheyden. It's been going well, so hopefully I will find out soon if I have the job or not. Basically the position entails me assuming a more prominent leadership role not only in my cottage where I work everyday, but also on the campus as a whole. As a supervisor you are responsible for being the Residential on call (the ROC) and for that shift you are responsible for the entire campus. So you are the go to if there is any sort of emergency, that kind of thing. It's a little intimidating because I know that I have been in situations where I have had no idea what to do, have called the ROC and they have come in a completely difussed the situation. It's a little nerve-racking to think that other people would assume I had the same magical powers. But, finally, my college degree is paying off, and puts me on a new playing field with the others who are supervisors. Why my degree in humanities makes me more able to handle crisis situations is beyond me, but I am not one to question how things are done (haha yeah right).

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I had to work, but Kev got to eat with my parents. And last night my Mom made another Thanksgiving dinner for Ben, Casey, Kev and me so we could all celebrate together. So I am feeling the effects of the dinner a few days later than most.

I have put in a request for some days off with my boss. I haven't heard any final words on it, but I don't think it should be too much of an issue going through. I have requested of January 7-12. It's a Thursday to a Tuesday, so hopefully everyone will have some time during the weekend to hang out with me and Kev for a meal or a drink or a snowball fight or something. I'll let everyone know if and when these dates get finalized.

Love you guys and miss you and cannot wait to see you!!!

Maria R

People are staring

Oh yes, that’s exactly how it was. I had to keep saying, Erin please take your straw hat off, it’s really embarrassing. People are staring.

Oh, please. Erin, you are the classiest person I know. I fit in there even less than you do. I love that we are Midwestern hillbillies. Plus, among other things, I am a full blown Disneyland junky – that’s hard to beat on the scale of "hillbilliness". For the record though, some of those people could stand to have a little Midwesterness kicked into them.

Good luck with the job fair tomorrow! You will rock it! I would leave the straw hat at home, though.

LC, thanks for the update on Mark. I keep meaning to ask you about him. I’m glad he is doing better! I’m thinking about him!

Amy 

P.S. In case anyone is curious, here’s a link the pictures I took in LA. I’m still anti facebook albums (weird, I know) so they are on Picasa instead. It’s actually kind of cool to use because you can apparently easily post photos directly on our blog since they are all google programs.

http://picasaweb.google.com/AmyCHorn/LAWithErin?authkey=Gv1sRgCKG5msTb9fvKMQ&feat=directlink

Hi All!

Hi All!

Life had been pretty good here in the Miff, although everything kind of seems a little boring when compared to the trip to LA. At a few points I felt like Ellie May Clampett from the Beverly Hillbillies except maybe not as cute. I definitely had a few moments of culture shock, but classy Amy pulled me up to her level and I worked through it. Amy pretty much filled you in on all of the details, so I won't blab on, but I really did have such a great time...and was so grateful that Amy let me barge in on her time with John.

I am going to a job fair tomorrow, so tonight has been spent polishing my resume, doing mock interviews with my parents, and frantically calling Lauren for advice. As I have said many times before, I need a job...a good job...like really. I am now a trainer which means that I go to the manager meetings. Last week, we had a big corporate meeting where everyone talked about how to increase business, and how everyone could lose their jobs, and how the economy is terrible...and then they gave us beer haha. Maybe this is just me being a grandma, but maybe serving alcohol at a meeting that is meant to discuss the seriousness of our jobs isn't the best idea. Oh the irony.

Maria, did you get the insurance job and did you figure out anything else about you visiting in January?

Happy belated b-day LC!!!!

Erin

Get down on it ! Get down on it!

"How you gonna do it
If you really don't want to dance
By standing on the wall
Get your back up off the wall!"

Ha! I don't know why but I have beeeeenn a jonesin to just all out dance to this 70's funk song with all of you...or perhaps it would just be me putting on a ridiculous display of very not-hip dance moves while you all cast strange but adoring (of course) glares in my direction.

Annnnyywayys...phew. I miss all of you lovely ladies. Truly, no one is as cool as any of you. I mean, I know this is common knowledge but I just wanted to reiterate.

So, here comes a brief update of my life. Firstly, as most of you know, I got a job at not-crappy Irish Pub also known as Haugland Learning Center. Basically, it's a school for children diagnosed with Autism or Asperger's. I am a teacher for these lovely little rascals...I have my own classroom and everything. Which is caarraazzyy...yeah let's talk about that. They hired me as an assistant teacher/behavioral specialist and then they were like "oooohh just kidding I am going to make you a full-time teacher and throw you in a classroom even though you have never taught before". Hmmm interesting. I am assuming they made this rather wild decision because a lot of the teaching challenge is behavioral stuff (aggression, self-harming, arm-flapping, and other generally inappropriate behavior). Thus far it has indeed been challenging, but I am hoping the kids are just getting used to me. I can't wait to tell stories :) But all-in-all, these kids are just wonderful and I really enjoy being around them.

Also, my birthday was good good good. Maria J and Eric made Kelly and I dinner on Friday night (Thank you again my lovely!) They both prepared a rather impressive spread. Also, Maria made me funfetti cookies classic 1806 style...really brought me back to the olden days of roomie love. On my for real birthday Kelly took me out to the Black Olive right across the way in the Sho No. We had so much fun. The food was delish and this bohemian of a man was playing beautiful piano. We thought they paid him to do so, but then later discovered that he just came in for a drink and decided that he wanted to serenade us all for a couple of hours. oh the short north.

We've all received a few letters from Mark in boot camp which is uuubber exciting :) He seemed really down at first--likely due to the terrible case of ammonia he developed at the beginning of camp. Apparently, he was very very ill, but is well on his way to recovery. In one of the letters I sent him, I included (oooffff course) a poem by Billy Collins entitled "Victoria's Secret". In the poem, he basically describes the looks of models in a Victoria's Secret Catalogue in a comical manner...kind of observing their expressions as an aliem would do, having not been familiar with the ins and outs of earthling fashion. I thought Mark would appreciate it since he always took my mom's catalogues when we were younger. In a letter, he said he gave the poem to his drill Sergeant to see what he thought of it. I was like "yes" I'm infiltrating the army with Billy Collins--a true feat considering the only book they are allowed to have is the Bible. We're all really proud of Mark, though, what he is accomplishing on a daily basis is beyond my comprehension.

Okay this is just too long of a blog so I shall end here with love...lots and lots of love for all of you!

Keep me updated on your lives :)

LCbomb

Disney pic!

I just wanted to see if this would work! This is Erin and me at Disneyland!!

California

Hey all,

MJ- That weekend totally works out for me because I was actually already thinking about coming up to Columbus that weekend (I think I told LC this but forgot to say anything to the rest of you…) A family friend is swimming in Junior Nationals that weekend at OSU and I’ve never gotten to see her swim so I figured why not kill two birds and see her and you guys! So that definitely works out that you were planning that!

And, that’s so big for you and Eric! How exciting!!! I can’t help but say this with only the very smallest amount of jealousy :)

So the big trip to LA… I think we both had a blast. We got back last night. We did an incredible amount of stuff, I think, even for the go-go-go type of vacationers we are. Poor Erin had to sleep on a yucky old futon in the living room the whole time but as usual she was a trooper… with the help of the earplugs. I convinced her to go to Disneyland haha. It was a lot of fun and it helped that it was free. Mickey touched her butt, too. I’ll let her tell that story… We watched the Buckeye game with the Orange County OSU Alumni Club (It was apparently an unusually small crowd of 150!). In typical fashion a few things were a bust, like, we tried to go whale watching but instead we got up early to see a bunch of sea lions. 

We saw the worst movie ever- Couples Retreat. Don’t see it. I don’t think it’s even worth renting. Erin was scared by people dressed up as Elvis, Johnny Depp, Darth Vader and the like in Hollywood and disturbed by the paparazzi and $12,000 sweaters on Rodeo Drive. (If anyone watches Modern Family we are pretty sure we saw the woman who plays the Columbian wife being hounded by a couple paparazzi.). We did get to go to the Jay Leno Show- a story in itself. We walked around Laguna Beach and Huntington Beach (John’s home). We went to the very moving Tolerance Museum and saw a Holocaust survivor speak (she was in the movie Freedom Writers!). John got to hang out with us when he wasn’t working, which was basically Saturday and Sunday and after 8 or so the rest of the days. All in all it was a really fun week. I hope Erin agrees J Of course, feel free to add your version, Erin! I kept thinking of you all at different places we were throughout the week! John has said you all are welcome any time…

Now it’s back to getting my ass in gear and finding a job! Wish me luck…

Amy

I already have my christmas tree up!

Hey Girls!!!

LP I am loving the blog excitement! And congrats on the job!!! and congrats to LC and ME on the job too!! Amy and Erin I am dying to hear about your trip to the west coast!

Sorry I have been MIA lately. I have still been crazy with schoolwork and such. Yesterday was Eric's birthday so I did that whole deal with him. We went to Brazenhead for burger madness night! You all (sans LC) have to go! They were only 3 dollars for a burger and chips. bomb-dig! It was kind of lonely to celebrate his birthday without a whole group of people (it was a wednesday and no one could go out), but we made do with just the two of us. I am wondering if this is how it will be in the future though... because it definitely did not compete with the best birthday ever and actually made me somewhat sad.

On a happier note, I am considering subleasing my apartment and moving in with him for the winter and spring quarters. It would be a nice way to save money and I practically live there anyway. Besides I would have a safety net, because if the first quarter didn't work out, I could just move back in to my place the next quarter. Things have been so great, I don't predict that being a problem though. Lately we have been looking up puppies online (LP I'm sure you love this!). We have found some really cute rottweilers (?) at petfinder.com. I think it would be cool to have another puppy for Jax. But I would rather wait till the summer to get one, so we aren't potty training in the winter.

Side note: Gina, my mom, is allergic to dogs and has never had one. Therefore, she really has no idea how to care for them. She absolutely loves Jax though. I swear she thinks of him as a grandson and she is always pampering him. Anyways, she gave him a toy that he quickly demolished about a week ago. And she gave him some Tbones from steak a few days ago. Poor Jax has been sick since. Good news though: We figured out the culprit two days ago when he threw up a piece of the plastic toy : ( So if you have any dog advice, I am willing to hear it.

Enough about dogs!

I would really like to have a Thanksgiving/ Christmas pot luck! . I would love to see everyone! Especially around the holidays. How would Dec. 11th work? I know that everyone will be busy thanksgiving weekend, and then the next weekend I'll be studying for exams. So the 11th seems like the best weekend. Plus, I have surgery on the 14th and will be laid up after that (yes, I am finally having that shitty nose surgery. I would love visitors though!!). Just let me know if you can make it, and if so we can all discuss bringing our "specialties"! And of course, my place is available for a sleep over!

I love you all and can't wait to hear back!

Love, MJ

Good news!

I officially got hired! That means I get all the perks now! Enough said though. Amy and Erin I expect full detailed blogs about your trip! LC any big birthday plans? You me and Maria should get a margarita!! Woo! MR any news about that job with Prudential? MJ how is school without all those roommates to distract you? Can you administer a perfect iv now?love you girls-I am dying to hear about the exciting and mundane!

LP

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