Gerkin Around

Lily is 2 months old!

2007-08-24T12:11:00.000-06:00

2 month Stats
weight: 12 lbs. 2 oz. (75th percentile)

height: 22 1/2 in. (50th percentile)

head: 15 3/4 in. (75th percentile)

We've been very busy for that last month and Lily has been growing like a weed! She's already grown out of her newborn clothes and is wearing 3 to 6 month sizes. Her little personality is starting to come out as well! She is so sweet and happy. She coos and squeals with delight all the time, especially when Mommy and Daddy are talking to her. Last week she started at Gymboree and did really well. She loved looking at all the other babies and really seemed to enjoy the songs and activities.

At 6 weeks old Lily made her third appearance on local TV! My station sent a crew to our home to do a live update on my maternity leave. Lily was good as gold until they said stand-by! She would start crying, almost on cue! It was too funny. I'll try to post the video.

The first week of August, my cousin Liz came to visit from Pensacola. We had a fun time digging through boxes of old pictures. She was such a help with Lily. It was so nice having her here. She just graduated from The University of West Florida and is getting ready to go on several job interviews in California, so I'm glad she got to visit before she gets too busy with her PR/Marketing career!

August 7th was our neighborhood National Night Out party and Lily's first time meeting many of our neighbors. We are so blessed to live in a neighborhood with so many friendly people!

Ben's parents came down from West Virginia last week to see their new granddaughter for the first time. Of course, they fell in love with her! I don't think Ben's Mom put Lily down for more than 5 minutes the entire time she was here!

This week we had to say good-bye to two of the best friends we've made in Shreveport, Dave Schwartz and his wife Shannon Slatton-Schwartz. Dave, who was the Sports Director at my station, took a new job at KARE in Minneapolis. This is such an amazing opportunity for him and we are thrilled for his success even though we know we're going to really miss him. Shannon was our Morning Anchor and is following her man to the Twin Cities. I'm sure it won't be long till she lands a great TV job there as well. Some of you may remember her name from my shower invitations. She was one of the hostesses and really made sure it was a special day for me. She was also responsible for picking my Mom up from the airport and getting her to the hospital the day Lily was born.

On Tuesday, Lily had her 2 month check up with Dr. Pace, which included her first round of vaccines. She got two shots in one leg and one in the other, and it probably goes without saying, she was not happy about the ordeal! She fussed for the next 24 hours, but has made a full recovery and is back to her happy little self! Dr. Pace seemed happy with her development. I've posted her stats at the top of this post.

Lily is now sleeping 7 to 8 hours through the night which makes me sooooo happy since I will be returning to work in a few weeks. Hopefully we'll both make it through that adjustment without too much drama!

Lily's Professional Pictures!!!

2007-08-05T21:03:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago we had local photographer, Hannah Parker shoot Lily's first professional pictures. They were taken one day before she turned one month old. We are so happy with how they turned out! To check them out, click the link below:

LILY'S PICTURES BY HANNAH PARKER

We hope you enjoy them as much as we do! Don't forget to let us know what you think!

One Exhausting Month!

2007-07-23T15:54:00.000-06:00

Last week Lily turned one month old and to mark the occasion we took her for her first professional pictures. Local photographer, Hannah Parker did an amazing job dealing with our baby girl, and from what I saw of the pictures as they downloaded to her computer, they're priceless! They should be available to view online sometime this week, so I'll post a link to them once they're available. Also if you'd like to view our personal pictures from her first month (and in the future), let me know and I'll include you on our snapfish email list.

This past month with Lily has flown by! She is now up to around 10 pounds and 22 inches after dropping almost a pound from her birth weight during a bout with jaundice. We spent the first week at home with her on a bilirubin light 24 hours a day, which was taxing, but did cure the jaundice.

Our Lily is a sweet baby (most of the time), but when she wants something, she let's you know! We joke that she has two sounds, silent and scream! When she wants something she has very little patience (like mom). She loves to snuggle. Loves her swing. Loves music. Loves bathtime. Loves Daddy.

Last week, at one month and one day, she rolled over from her back to her stomach. She's also starting to hold her head up on her own for short periods of times. Unfortunately (for Mom and Dad), we're still trying to get her days and nights straight.

I also want to share some good news about a few of my friends. My college friend, Barbi (Sorenson) Smole and her husband Kevin are expecting their second child in January. Another college friend, Courtney (George) Abels and her husband Rowdy are expecting their first child, a baby girl. And my high school friend, Kristie (Spence) Jones and her husband Ben are expecting their second child.

I'd also like to congratulate my cousin Heather on the birth of her third child, Cole Ramone. He was born May 27th. He weighed 8lbs. 6oz. and was 20 inches long.

It's a Girl!!!

2007-06-22T01:12:00.000-06:00

Lily Amelia

Just wanted to give you all a quick update since I've been MIA most of my 3rd trimester!

On Tuesday, June 19th our little girl finally made her way into the world! After almost 17 hours in labor I gave birth to an 8lb. 3oz. baby girl who Ben and I named Lily Amelia. She was born at 7:57 pm. She's 20 in. long and has big blue eyes with long lashes and a head full of silky black hair.

Ben and I are so in love! We are also totally consumed with taking care of her, so please forgive us if we've promised you a phone call or email and haven't gotten around to it yet...we'll get caught up one of these days!

Here are links to my station's website. They've posted a few pictures and some video! Enjoy!

Video: http://arklatexhomepage.com/media_player.php?media_id=2209

Pictures: http://arklatexhomepage.com/content/fulltext/?cid=4518

Big Week (and big belly) Ahead

2007-04-09T06:33:00.000-06:00

the belly at 28 weeks pregnant

How about that belly! The picture was taken when I was 28 weeks along, and just in case you're wondering, those aren't mosquito bites, they're scars from when I had my gall bladder removed last summer.

Since my last post Ben and I have been busy getting ready for the baby. We've just about finished the nursery and we're really happy with how its turning out. I'll post some picture of it soon.

Two weeks ago I took the glucose tolerance test, which checks for gestational diabetes. As far as I know I passed. My Doctor said he would call if anything showed up. He never did, so I think I'm in the clear. I have my 30 weeks check up this Friday. That's right, 30 weeks! Just 10 more to go!

My Mom is coming to visit this Thursday, so she'll get to go with me to my check up. She'll also be here Saturday for my shower; which is the main reason for her visit. I'm really excited that she's coming! At first she wasn't sure if she'd be able to make it because she's having a pool put in and the work is starting this week. But everything worked out and I booked her a flight on Saturday. Needless to say, I'm counting the days till she gets here. She hasn't seen me since I was 16 weeks along, so I'm sure she'll see a big change! We've also made a ton of changes to our house since her last visit in October, so I'm anxious to hear what she thinks.

That's it for now. Check back soon for the nursery pictures and pictures from my shower!

23 weeks and going strong

2007-02-27T23:19:00.000-06:00

I had my 23 weeks check-up today, and everything looks good. My next visit is in four weeks and at that point they'll test to see if I have gestational diabetes. After that I'll be in my third trimester and will start going to the OB every two weeks. Yes, we are fast approaching the final countdown!

In other baby news...Baby G's first toy arrived today! It's a cute little stuffed butterfly with a music box inside. Ben's mom picked it up while shopping and sent it as a surprise. It's nice to finally have a toy in the toy basket!

Also, I've got some more "Pregnant Heidi" video to share. You can really see the bump in this one! Look for the second shot of me in the tan sweater....enjoy!

http://www.arklatexhomepage.com/media_player.php?media_id=656

Holy Cankles, Batman!

2007-02-23T00:16:00.000-06:00

Our Director, Josh Stanley took these pictures with his cell phone on Wednesday. I was having some serious swollen feet issues and the nurse at my OB's office instructed me to keep my feet elevated. So I rolled out my file cabinet and, well, you get the picture. I'm not wearing any shoes because my feet wouldn't fit in them....ahhh the joys of pregnancy!

Everyone knows now (As if they couldn't tell)

2007-02-22T12:08:00.000-06:00

After much coaxing from my co-workers and employer, I finally gave in last night and mentioned that I'm expecting during our 10pm newscast. I didn't tell anyone I was going to do it beforehand, just in case I changed my mind.

So why last night? Well, I was reading a health story about a study that found women who have heartburn are more likely to give birth to a baby with a full head of hair. If you've been around me for the past 5 months than you know heartburn has been my #1 pregnancy woe. So I guess that means our little one will have a full head of hair; not that I expected anything else since Ben and I were both born with thick, black locks.

Anyway, you can watch the video on my stations website. The link to the actual announcement is:

http://www.arklatexhomepage.com/media_player.php?media_id=589

If you want to watch the story that lead into the announcement, the link is:

http://www.arklatexhomepage.com/media_player.php?media_id=585

Enjoy!

PS...I was told these clips will be combined, so if you click on them and they don't work you can go to www.arklatexhomepage.com and click on news, and look for the "Heidi's Big Announcement" video.

Happy Birthday Mom!

2007-02-21T00:12:00.000-06:00

Today is my Mom's birthday. I'm not going to give her age away, but lets just say it's a big one! And here's another hint, she doesn't look even close to her age...hope I get so lucky! I wish I could be with her on her special day, but she knows she's in my heart. She'll get the gift she really wants in June!

The picture was taken in October at The Louisiana Boardwalk during her first visit to Shreveport. This is one of my all time favorite pictures cause it's of the two people I love most in this world!

The Count Down

2007-02-15T20:43:00.000-06:00

Thank You

2007-02-10T11:51:00.000-06:00

Ben and I are overwhelmed by all the wonderful messages and emails we've received since announcing my pregnancy. There have been almost 200 hits on this blog in the past two days!

Isn't technology amazing? Our little baby hasn't even arrived yet and all of our family and friends across the country have already gotten a glimpse of him or her! It's so nice to be able to share our excitement with everyone; especially since it's just the two of us here in Louisiana. We are so blessed to have all of you in our lives!

Yesterday I ordered the furniture for the nursery; my mother's gift to her first grandchild! Everything should be in in about 4 weeks. I can hardly wait! I'll be sure to post some pictures once it's finished. But for now, it's off to Lowe's to pick out paint!

Baby News of Our Own!

2007-02-07T23:35:00.000-06:00

Profile at 20 Weeks

Hand in a fist at 20 weeks

11 weeks

7 weeks

I'm sitting on the sofa enjoying a big bowl of ice cream, with my very swollen feet (which I can no longer see when I'm standing) propped up. Yes, I'm pregnant!

Ben and I are very excited about our new edition; who is supposed to show up some time around the end of June. I'm 20 weeks along this week, so we're half way there. We had another ultrasound yesterday and can't believe how much our little one has grown. You can check out the progression in the pictures above.

We've had scans done at 7, 11, and 20 weeks. Each time the baby has had a strong heart rate; which is very comforting. This time it was 157, and according to the measurements our baby now weighs 13.5 oz and is about 10.5 inches long. The baby was very active during the ultrasound, which seems to be the norm. I've been feeling a lot of movement especially at night and in the morning.

We're far enough along at this point to find out what we're having, but we've chosen to wait until the birth to find out....so check back in June!

I'm going to try and keep our blog updated with baby info for the rest of my pregnancy, so check back for updates. Maybe I'll even post a belly picture! YIKES!

PS...congrats to my cousin Heather who is expecting a little boy a few weeks before me!

Congrats Carly!

2007-02-04T13:36:00.000-06:00

I'd like to congratulate Carly Stephenson on a job well done in the North Carolina Junior Miss program. Carly was an Interview winner and a Poise winner in the competition which was held in Greensboro over the weekend. If you like to see pictures from the program log onto www.ncjuniormiss.org and click on "orders".

Introducing Bree Elizabeth Harmon

2007-01-24T12:34:00.000-06:00

Congrats to Robby and Jesika (Henderson) Harmon on the birth of their beautiful baby girl, Bree Elizabeth. Here are her stats: 7 lbs. 3 ounces and 20 inches. Mom and Dad say she's got tons of hair! Some of you may remember Jesika as America's Junior Miss 2000.

Taylor Anne Balbuena

2007-01-15T19:24:00.000-06:00

Born: 01-07-2007

Birth Time: 1:37 pm

Birth Place: Wilmington, NC

Weight: 8 lbs 6 oz.

Length: 20.5 in.

I'm an Aunt!

2007-01-07T15:17:00.000-06:00

My sister-in-law gave birth to an 8lb. 6oz. baby girl today! Taylor Anne Balbuena arrived around 2:00 this afternoon. Mom and baby are doing well. I'll post pictures as soon as I have them.

Introducing Carter Winland

2006-12-17T12:33:00.000-06:00

Congrats to RD and Stephanie (Meisberger) Winland on the birth of their son Carter. He was born December 14th at 9:15 pm. He weighed in at 8lbs. 5oz. and measured 22 inched long. Both Mom and baby are doing well!

Carly is Charlotte's Junior Miss

2006-12-16T16:07:00.000-06:00

Congrats to Carly Stephenson on being named Charlotte's Junior Miss. She'll be competing in the North Carolina Junior Miss program in February.

Carly is my friend Terri's daughter. Terri was West Virginia's Junior Miss 1978, which makes Carly's Junior Miss experience even more special!

I've known Carly since she was a little girl. She's grown into such a beautiful and talented young woman who truly exemplifies what Junior Miss is all about.

If you attended my wedding you may recognize her. She and her brother Brady we're my guest book attendants.

Good Luck to Carly at the state program, and welcome to the Junior Miss sisterhood!

51st Miss Clayland Crowned

2006-10-15T11:55:00.000-06:00

Congrats to Allie Krucek, the new Miss Clayland. The above picture is from The Times-Reporter, and shows outgoing Miss Clayland, Kasey Wilson crowning Allie.

Allie, if you happen to read this, I wish you the best at Miss Ohio. You are so very lucky to have the "Clayland Crew" behind you!

Withie comes to Shreveport!!!

2006-10-07T21:12:00.000-06:00

My Mom made her first trip to Shreveport on Thursday. She'll be here till Wednesday. I haven't seen her since last December; it's the longest stretch I've ever gone without seeing her!
So far we've been having lots of fun visiting all the antique shops. Today we had this picture taken at the Home Show, and tomorrow we're hitting the casinos!!!

Sissy heading for the Big Time!

2006-09-22T15:34:00.000-06:00

My dear friend and fellow Ohio Junior Miss alumni, Sissy Schaefer is leaving Cleveland after many years to become one of the hosts on a new show NBC is launching in December. Below is an article from the Cleveland Plain Dealer with all the details.

Sissy and I exchanged emails today, and she seems very excited about this new opportunity and her upcoming move to Orlando!

For those of you who don't have the privilege of watching Sissy (aka Stefani Schaefer) on the tube in Cleveland, make sure and take the time to watch her new show if it airs in your market. She is one of those "true talents" and is one of the sweetest, most down to earth people I know.

All the best to Sissy and her beautiful family!

Schaefer leaving Live on 5' for national NBC show
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Julie E. Washington Plain Dealer Reporter

"Live on 5" co-host Stefani Schaefer is leaving Cleveland for a new village.
She will co-host "iVillage Live," a new NBC national daytime program based in Orlando, Fla., and launching in December.
The magazine show has been described as a cross between the female-driven talker "The View" and the often-wacky "Live With Regis and Kelly." It will offer celebrities but will emphasize Internet interactivity with viewers.
"Obviously, we're really proud of her and excited," said WEWS Channel 5 general manager John Butte. "She's so excited."
Because of the ongoing negotiations with NBC, Schaefer said she couldn't comment. An NBC representative said the company had no official announcement about "iVillage Live." The show will be broadcast from Universal Studios, which is NBC's corporate sibling. The one-hour program will air at noon on NBC's owned-and-operated stations across the country. Schaefer will be one of three hosts.
It won't be seen on Cleveland's NBC affiliate, WKYC Channel 3, because that station is owned by Gannett Broadcasting. However, Internet-savvy viewers will be able to see the program at www.ivillage.com. That site offers chat and expert advice on jobs, parenting, health and other topics aimed at women.
NBC hopes to put "iVillage" into syndication next year, Butte said. Schaefer's not going anywhere immediately. The new show launches in Decem ber, and Channel 5 is angling to keep her through November sweeps. Butte said he didn't know when her last day at "Live on 5" will be.
The move will take her away from her Northeast Ohio roots. Schaefer grew up in Alliance and studied communications at Mount Union College there.
Cleveland viewers first saw Schaefer on WJW Channel 8 in 1992. She co-hosted the morning show before shifting to Channel 5's "Live on 5" in 2002. Most recently, she was paired with Leon Bibb.
There's no plan yet for replacing her on "Live on 5," Butte said.

Missing Posts

2006-09-14T10:49:00.000-06:00

If you're looking for a post and can't seem to find it any more, it was probably deleted. For some reason a few of my postings were causing formatting issues on my blog and I had to delete them. I've saved them on my computer and am working on restoring them. Sorry for any confusion.

John Dahlia to Run for Fairmont City Council

2006-08-24T11:13:00.000-06:00

I received the press release below this morning from my friend and former News Director, John Dahlia. It comes as no surprise to me that John has thrown his hat into the race for Fairmont City Council. In the seven years I've known John, he's always had a passion for the betterment of Fairmont. Good Luck to you John! If I lived in Fairmont you'd have my vote! (John is in the center of the above picture which was taken at the WV Associated Press Awards is 2002)

Fairmont, WV – John Dahlia, Morgantown Avenue resident and longtime supporter of the City of Fairmont, announces his candidacy for the First District City of Fairmont Council Seat. Dahlia says he wants to put his passion for Fairmont’s future to work.

"I love Fairmont," Dahlia admitted. "I’m proud to say I live here. Now, I want to help this community reach greater heights as a member of its city council."

Dahlia officially filed on Tuesday, August 8, 2006 for the open seat in the city’s First District.

"There is much to be done for this great city," Dahlia said. "I believe it’s time for all of us to join together and help make Fairmont the community of choice for business development and where families can live comfortably. If the voters of Fairmont will have me, I will focus every moment on doing what’s right for the good folks who live here."

About the candidate

John Dahlia lives on Morgantown Avenue with his wife Gina Martino-Dahlia and their two children, Sabrina, 10 and Nicolas, 2.

John’s employment background includes three years as an award-winning television reporter, anchor and producer at WDTV-Channel 5. In 1996, John was hired by Main Street Fairmont to become its second Program Director. In 1998, John left Main Street Fairmont and headed back to WDTV to become its News Director for six years. In 2000, John was also awarded the prestigious West Virginia and National Region III Small Business Journalist of the Year from the U.S. Small Business Administration. In 2004, John left WDTV and television news to work for Wade Linger and TMC Technologies, Inc. as its Director of Business Development and Communications. In March 2005, TMC Technologies was acquired by Global Science & Technology, Inc. and John was named its Director of Corporate Public Relations.

Aside from his beautiful wife and two children, John is proud to say his parents Robert and Lena Dahlia retired to Fairmont in November 2005. He is also proud to be the son-in-law of Frank and Rina Martino of Fairmont.

For more information, please contact John Dahlia at (304) 363-8947 or at work at (304) 368-1862 ext. 14 or e-mail at: jdahlia@hotmail.com.

To see John filing for office on WBOY go to the link below:
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=1086757730

New House & the loss of an Internal Organ

2006-08-10T11:35:00.000-06:00

Ben and I closed on our new house two weeks ago and since then we've become quite the DIY team. Our "new" house was built in the early 60's, so we're doing a few updates before we move in, and a few more once we've moved!

So far we've painted most of the rooms, and we're almost finished with our kitchen makeover...slate tile floors, white tile countertops, white cabinets against navy blue walls, and all new stainless appliances...I LOVE IT!

The next big project; gutting the bathroom! That will have to wait until we're moved in because I lost an internal organ yesterday! Don't worry it's actually a good thing, or at least it will be once I get over the pain and heal. After months of pain and digestive problems, I had my gall bladder removed. Inside was a gall stone the size of a shooter marble! No wonder I was in so much pain! OUCH! I'm very sore today and still a bit groggy, but it will be worth it when I can eat without pain! Can't wait!

Yet Another Beautiful Baby Girl!

2006-07-10T17:39:00.000-06:00

After 21 hours of labor, 2 epidurals, 4 additional shots to the epidural, and only making it to 9 centimeters, Barbi (Sorensen) Smole finally had her first child via C-Section. Samantha Ann Smole was born 6-26-2006 at 11:12pm and weighed in at 8 pounds 5 ounces and measured 21 inches long.

Congratulations to Barbi and Kevin on their beautiful little blessing! If you'd like to read more about Baby Sam, and check out lots of adorable pictures, click on the link to the Smole Family Blog in the right hand column of my blog.

By the way...can't help but notice that all my girlfriends keep having baby girls. Something in the water maybe?

America's Junior Miss

2006-07-02T16:24:00.000-06:00

Congratulations to the new America's Junior Miss, Taylor Phillips of Kentucky, and to all the state Junior Misses on a job well done. I was honored to serve as a judge for this year's national finals, and I must say it was an experience I'll never forget. Being on the other side of the table gave me a whole new perspective on Junior Miss. Even though I've judged state and local programs, this really was a whole new ball game! Every one of the state Junior Misses were outstanding; it was such a tough job to pick just one. I encourage anyone reading this blog to log onto www.ajm.org and get to know these young women. They're all going places and I'm sure we'll see many of their names again.

I also want to thank the AJM staff and the Judges Committee for showing all the judges such a wonderful time. It was wonderful to be back in Mobile, and great to see that the America's Junior Miss program is truly making a rebirth.

Pictured above is America's Junior Miss 2006, Taylor Phillips with the Judges Panel.

Can't believe it's been a Year!

2006-06-20T10:03:00.000-06:00

On June 11th, Ben and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary. I can't believe it's been a year. Time really flew by, and we've packed so much into that year! I never would have guessed when we took our vows that we'd be celebrating our first year living in Louisiana, but here we are!

We actually spent our anniversary in Dallas. We originally had a trip to Branson planned, but had to scrap it at the last minute because of Ben's work schedule. We ended up having a fabulous dinner at "III Forks". It's the largest steak house in the country, and the food is amazing. Ben especially enjoyed the Cigar Room! The next day we did some shopping, which is always fun in Dallas, then headed back to Shreveport.

Right now we're working on a few BIG projects. We just put an offer in on a beautiful home and should hear by the end of the day tomorrow whether or not we got it. We're both very anxious to get out of the loft! Downtown living has been fun, but we've had our fill and are ready to get back into a place of our own.

On Sunday I leave for Mobile, Alabama. Next week I'll be judging America's Junior Miss. It's such an honor, and I can't wait to go through the AJM experience again. Hard to believe it's been 12 years since I was Ohio's Junior Miss! I had a wonderful time competing in Mobile, so it should be fun to be on the other side this time

Congrats to Brandon

2006-05-31T19:11:00.000-06:00

Congratulations to my former co-worker Brandon Butcher. His last day at WDTV is tomorrow. He's leaving to become the Chief Meteorologist at WSHM in Springfield, MA. His first day there is June 5th.

Brandon and I worked together at WDTV in Clarksburg, WV. He stuck it out there for many years and this move up is well deserved!

Charged with Neglect!

2006-04-25T22:04:00.000-06:00

That's me. I apologize for neglecting my blog. And I have a confession to make. I haven't been blogging because I've become addicted to myspace! I know what you're thinking. But really, it's great. I've gotten in touch with so many friends I'd lost track of over the years; old neighbors, high school classmates, miss ohio and junior miss contestants, college friends, work friends, even relatives! So please forgive me. I'll try to do better!

New Webshots Albums

2006-03-25T23:53:00.000-06:00

Sorry I haven't been posting much in the last few weeks. Things are rolling right along, and going well, but I just don't have anything super exciting to post.

I've spent the last hour trying to play catch up since I didn't post much during January because of the move. I'm not going to bore you with all the details, but this was a busy time! I posted several new albums on my webshots page. There's still more to add, but it's a start. New albums include, my last day at WWAY, my 30th birthday, New Year's Eve, and my pre-Christmas visit to see my mom in Florida.

If you'd like to view the albums go to:
http://community.webshots.com/user/gerkinaround

I'll be adding more to the birthday album soon. Ben took me to Myrtle Beach to celebrate my 30th. We stayed right on the ocean, enjoyed an awesome fondue dinner, and went to "Medieval Times" (which made for some great photos that I still need to scan).

"The Guardian" Wrap Party

2006-03-05T13:34:00.000-06:00

We're back from the wrap party. It really was amazing. The party was in one of the ballrooms at Sam's Town Casino. There were two giant movie screens at the front of the room which had clips showing from the film and also pictures from behind the scenes. The pictures above are shots I took of the screens. There was also a giant spinning ice sculpture with the movie's logo carved in it. I could go on and on about the decorations...but I'll get to the good stuff.

After about an hour or so, I spotted Ashton Kutcher two tables away from us. Some of the people we were with went over to get a picture with him, and he said he wasn't taking any pictures during "his party", so I didn't even try. Later in the night Ben ended up in the bar line with Ashton and handed him a Heineken! At one point I was going to the bar and Ashton was walking away from it and we literally "rubbed elbows"!

Unfortunately, I never spotted Kevin Costner. I'm not even sure he was there, but there were so many people, it's possible I just never saw him. One of the women we were with said she saw Demi Moore with Ashton's entourage, but I never saw her either. I did spot a few of the other cast members. I recognized them from the movie clips, but don't really know their names.

Ben's boss was nice enough to get all of us rooms at Sam's Town. We stayed there last night, which is funny, because it's within walking distance of our loft. We actually had a view of our place out of our hotel window!

"The Guardian"

2006-03-04T17:49:00.000-06:00

Tonight Ben and I are going to the wrap party for "The Guardian"! I'm pretty excited about rubbing elbows with the "other half"! The film stars Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher. I think Sela Ward is also in it, and I'm guessing there's a good chance Demi Moore might be there tonight with Ashton.

So how is it that we're going to this shindig? Well....Ben's been running cranes on the set of the film, which happens to be shooting in Shreveport. A few weeks ago he spent a Saturday afternoon holding a helicopter in the air! I love hearing all his behind the scenes stories. He loves movies, so he's really enjoyed getting to see how things work behind the scenes!

I'll try and snap some pictures tonight, that's if I can do it without looking too much like a crazed fan! For now...I'm off to iron Ben's shirt and gussie myself up!

After 22 hours of labor.....

2006-02-27T18:50:00.000-06:00

Leanne and Wassim welcomed their first child to the world, a little girl named Amira Leigh, on Feb 17th. She was 7 lbs 10 ounces, 21 inches long.

Leanne says, "She is such a blessing, I can't believe how in love with her Wassim and I are!"

Congrats to the Fakir's on the birth of their beautiful baby girl!

Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler

2006-02-26T17:42:00.000-06:00

Let the good times roll! That's what they say here in Louisiana during Mardi Gras! This weekend the good times continued with the Krewe of Gemini Parade. The weather was rainy, but much warmer than last weekend.

During the parade, we also enjoyed a "King Cake". This is a traditional Mardi Gras cake. It's kind of like a pastry filled with your choice of fillings (ours was cream cheese), then frosted and coated with purple, gold, and green sugar. A plastic baby is also baked inside the cake. Whoever gets the baby is supposed to bring the cake to the next Mardi Gras celebration.

And I can't forget about the Boudain! This Cajun treat is sausage filled with rice, pork, and pork liver. Our new friend, Clint grilled a few before the parade. We liked it so much that we went to the grocery store today and brought some home!

Check out my Mardi Gras webshots album for pictures from The Krewe of Centaur and Krewe of Gemini Parades.

http://community.webshots.com/album/548030060zMUBgh

You know you grew up in the 80's if....

2006-02-22T21:20:00.000-06:00

My childhood friend, Liz Rissover sent this to me in an email today. Oh, how I wish I had a picture of us all decked out in our 80's gear at Hidden Hollow Camp to post with this list! Those of you who knew me in the 80's will remember that I was a major victim of 80's fashion and hairstyles! So here it goes...

You know you grew up in the 80's if......

1. You've ever ended a sentence with the word "PSYCHE".

2. You can sing the rap to the "Fresh Prince of Bel Air" and can do the "Carlton."

3. Girls wore biker shorts under their skirts and felt stylishly sexy.

4. Two words: Hammer Pants.

5. You wore a ponytail on the side of your head.

6. You made your mom buy one of those clips that would hold your shirt in a knot on the side.

7. You wore stone washed Jordache jean jackets and were proud of it.

8. L.A.Gear....need I say more?

9. You remember reading "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing" and all the Ramona Quimby books.

10. You know the profound meaning of "WAX ON, WAX OFF."

11. You ever wore fluorescent clothing. (Some of us...head-to-toe).

12. You can remember what Michael Jackson looked like before his nose fell off and his cheeks shifted.

13. You still get the urge to say "NOT" after every sentence.

14. You ever owned a pair of Jelly-Shoes (and probably in neon colors, too).

15. After you saw "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure" you kept saying "I know you are, but what am I?

16. You remember "I've fallen and I can't get up."

17. You remember going to the skating rink before there were inline skates.

18. You ever got seriously injured on a Slip and Slide.

19. You have played with a Skip-It.

20. You had or attended a birthday party at McDonalds.

21. You've gone through this nodding your head in agreement.

22. "Don't worry, be happy."

23. You wore, like, EIGHT pairs of socks over tights with high top Reeboks.

24. You wore socks scrunched down (and sometimes still do).

25. You remember boom boxes.

26. You remember Alf, the li'l furry brown alien from Melmac.

27. You remember New Kids on the Block when they were cool.

28. You know all the words to Bon Jovi's "SHOT THROUGH THE HEART."

29. (You just sang those words to yourself.)

30. You remember watching Magic vs. Bird. Oh yeah............it will never be that good again!

31. Homemade Levi shorts... (The shorter the better.)

32. You remember when mullets were cool!

33. You had a mullet!

34. You still sing "We are the World."

35. You tight rolled your jeans.

36. You owned a banana clip.

37. You remember "Where's the Beef?

38. You used to (and probably still do) say "What you talkin' 'bout Willis?"

39. You had big hair and you knew how to use it.

You're still singing "Shot through the Heart" in your head, aren't you!!!

"Throw Me Something Mister"

2006-02-19T15:00:00.000-06:00

Ben and I are enjoying our first Mardi Gras in Louisiana. Last night we went to The Krewe of Centaur parade, and despite the unusually cold weather, we had a really good time.

As you can see from the picture above, Ben wasn't really into catching beads, but I got into the spirit and forced him to wear a few that I caught. In the second picture are a few of my new co-workers, (L-R) Dave Schwartz, Shannon Slatton, and Laura & Austin Kellerman.

It's a Girl!

2006-02-04T23:43:00.000-06:00

Looks like two more Kappas are on the way!

Kevin and Barbi (Sorensen) Smole found out on Thursday that they're having a girl. Samantha Ann Smole will make her debut in June! That's her in the picture above.

Wasim and LeAnne (Sturdevant) Fakir are also expecting a baby girl! Amira Leigh is due any day now!

Congrats to the Smole's and the Fakir's! Sam and Amira are lucky little girls to have such wonderful parents!

Watch Courtney on HLN!

2006-01-29T21:39:00.000-06:00

Looks like everyone is on the move! My KKG sister and former roomie, Courtney George is now doing sports for CNN Headline News. I spotted her from my hotel room* tonight, and quickly sent an email her way to find out more about her new gig. Turns out she left SPEED January 1st and is now filling in for Larry Smith while he's off the desk and reporting for 8 weeks.

Courtney truly deserves this success. She is such a hard worker. I remember how dedicated she was to becoming a sports reporter when we were in college. She was always working crazy hours as an intern at one of the local TV stations. I admired her then, and still do!

I just love to see my fellow Buckeyes and Kappa Sisters doing well! Way to go Courtney!

*BTW: Ben and I made it to Shreveport! So far, so good! I start my new job at KTAL tomorrow!

On the Road AGAIN!

2006-01-23T20:04:00.000-06:00

Well it's that time again...time to pack up and move on to the next TV gig!

Friday was my last day at WWAY. On Wednesday, Ben and I are pulling out and heading to Shreveport, LA. We're both very excited about the change of scenery; although we will miss living at the beach. We're also excited about a change in my hours. After three years doing the morning news and getting up before the sun, I'm moving back to the afternoon shift! I'll be anchoring the 5:00, 6:00, and 10:00 news.

Tomorrow we're disconnecting our internet service, so this may be my last post for a few weeks. See you on the other side of the Mississippi!

Molly hits the Big Time!

2006-01-18T07:41:00.000-06:00

I'd like to send a big congratulations to my dear friend and former co-worker, Molly Line. You'll soon be seeing her on a television near you!!! She's accepted a position with Fox News Channel and starts next Tuesday as the cable channel's Northeast Correspondent.

Molly and I started our broadcasting careers together at WDTV in Clarksburg, WV. Her success comes as no surprise to me, and as far as I'm concerned it couldn't have happened to a nicer or more deserving person! Way to go Molly!

Another Beautiful Baby!

2006-01-12T06:44:00.000-06:00

Congrats to my friend Christi and her husband, Peter on the birth of their second child!

Sofia Faith arrived at 12:23 a.m. on Friday, January 6, 2006...a belated birthday gift for Christi, who's birthday is January 1st!

Christi tells me that "Sofie" has black silky hair, big midnight blue eyes, and a little dimple on her right cheek when she smiles.

The above picture is of Christi, Pete, Sofie, and big sister, Ava.

Sago Miners

2006-01-03T10:26:00.000-06:00

Please pray for the 13 miners trapped inside the Sago Mine in Upshur County, West Virginia. These men have been underground since early Monday morning, and so far rescue teams have been unable to make contact with them.

As some of you may know, my first reporting job was at WDTV in Clarksburg, WV. I was a beat reporter back then, assigned to Lewis, Upshur, and Randolph Counties. My husband grew up about 45 minutes from Tallmansville, and went to college in Upshur County. I can tell you that this area is a very tight knit community, filled with some of the friendliest people you'll ever meet. I consider West Virginia my second home, and so I'm following this story with a heavy heart. Please keep the miners and their families in your prayers.

Below is a partial listing (from the Associated Press) of the 13 missing miners:

Alby Martin Bennett, 50, of Buckhannon

Jim Bennett, 61, of Philippi

Junior Hamner of Gladyfork, age unavailable

Terry Helms, 48, of Newberg

David Lewis, 28, of Philippi

Randal McCloy, 27, of Simpson

Fred Ware Jr., 59, of Tallmansville

Jack Weaver, 52, of Philippi

Marshall Winans, 49, of Talbert

***********************************UPDATE*************************************
All 13 miners have been found. Only one of them survived. 27 year old, Randal McCloy is in critical condition at Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown, WV.

A Beautiful Baby!

2005-11-16T20:12:00.000-06:00

Congratulations to our friends Matt & Dorene. On Nov. 1st, they welcomed their second child into the world. Angele Peta Field was born at 7:52 AM and weighed in at 7 lbs. 8 oz. Dorene says Angele looks just like her big sister Kate!

Miss Clayland

2005-10-22T15:51:00.000-06:00

October 15th marked the 50th anniversary of the Miss Clayland Pageant. I was Miss Clayland 1996 and was honored to come back and serve as one of the hosts for this years show. It was also great to see many of the former winners and volunteers that I hadn't seen in a long time.

Congratulations to the new Miss Clayland, Kasey Wilson. Best wishes to all of the young women who competed for the title. You are all outstanding, and any one of you could make it to the Miss Ohio stage, so keep following your dreams!

For more on the pageant check out :

http://www.timesreporter.com/left.php?ID=46812

Martha Campbell has promised to send me a CD with all of the pictures from the pageant. So I will post more once I get them. For now, these will have to do. The battery in my camera died, so this is all I could get....sorry:)

PICTURES:

Top: Miss Clayland winners (L to R) Courtney McCreery, Lisa Huelscamp, Stephanie Meisberger, Heidi York, Julie Imboden, Kasey Wilson, Kim Baker, Amity Sites, Cindy Straub, Anesia Kimbrough, & Patty Bowman.

Left: with Terri Stephenson (judge) and Stephanie Meisberger Winland (Miss Clayland 1997 & Miss Ohio 2000).

Middle: with Stephanie Meisberger Winland at the Wine & Cheese Reception

Right: with Terri Stephenson after the pageant

Protect your skin & your EYES!!!

2005-09-08T10:00:00.000-06:00

It's no secret that unprotected exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays can cause skin cancer. But the next time you're lathering on the 30 SPF, remember to protect your eyes from the sun too!

In August my Mom found out that she may have melanoma in her eye! After a sudden spell of blindness, she went to an opthalmologist and found out that she has a mole inside of her eye. She was then sent to a Retinea Specialist who took special pictures of the mole which were used to take measurements. Now we'll have to play the waiting game to see if the mole grows or changes shape. Of course, a change in the mole would indicate melanoma, so we're hoping that it stays the same. Either way, we've learned something very important from this experience...use sunscreen and protective lenses every time you go out in the sun.

Please keep Miss Withie in your prayers:)

The Straub's Wedding

2005-08-22T08:12:00.000-06:00

On August 20th my sorority sister, Victoria Swain, married David Straub (brother of Suzy & Cindy).

The wedding and reception were just amazing! And Vicki looked beautiful, as always. It was also great to catch up with some of my KKG sisters and to see Carol, Suzy, Cindy, Christy, & Jazmin.

PICTURES-Top Left: Victoria & David...Top Right: Victoria & Me ....Second Row: with KKG sisters, Gillian, Molly, & Rebecca...Third Row: with KKG sister LeAnne...Bottom:...with Suzy Straub Kiefaber

City Champs!

2005-07-02T10:39:00.000-06:00

In June Ben's team won the City League Men's Softball Championship! It was his second season with the team, and their first ever league win. Let's hope they can do it again in the fall!

Honeymooners!

2005-06-22T11:03:00.000-06:00

We're finally back from our honeymoon, and I must say, we didn't want to leave. We spent a week in Cape Cod, with day trips to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. It was just beautiful and we had a wonderful time. I'm going to miss eating lobster every day!

Congrats Natalie!

2005-06-20T10:54:00.000-06:00

Congratulations to my friend Natalie Heileman on her Top 10 finish in The Miss Ohio Pageant!

Airlie Gardens

2005-03-08T10:36:00.000-06:00

To mark the one year anniversary of our engagement, Ben took me to brunch at Boca Bay and then we spent the day at beautiful Airlie Gardens.

Top: The Minnie Evans Bottle Chapel

Middle: The Pergola

Bottom: Face in the Fountain

Polar Plunge

2005-03-06T09:58:00.000-06:00

On March 5th I took The Polar Plunge! What is a Polar Plunge you ask? It's an icy cold plunge into the ocean...no wet suits allowed! And while I will admit that I am crazy, this was actually to help raise money for Special Olympics. About 100 plungers, including Chad Michael Murray from the WB show, "One Tree Hill", and yours truly, joined a group of about 30 Special Olympic athletes, for the 1st Annual Polar Plunge at Wrightsville Beach.

I have to admit I was pretty nervous about the whole thing, but once I was in the water, it wasn't that bad. Getting out of the water was another thing! Thank goodness Ben was waiting with a towel and dry clothes!

Favorite Crockpot Recipes

2005-01-01T07:12:00.000-06:00

I love cooking in a crock pot. It's just so easy, and everything always turns out perfectly! Here are some of my favorites....

FYI-when it comes to cheese, I think you can never have too much! In these recipes you'll notice that I use the term PLUS after all measurements for cheese. Basically the measure given is the minimum you'll need to make the dish...but you can always use more!

CROCK POT LASAGNA
Yes..this really works! It's one of Ben's favorite, and it's sooooo easy since you don't have to pre-cook the noodles. This makes about 10 servings and I think it works best in an oval shaped crock pot.

1 pound lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 (29 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (12 oz) package of lasagna noodles (uncooked)
12 ounces cottage cheese
1/2-plus cups fresh grated Parmesan cheese
16 ounces-plus shredded mozzarella
TIP: get some extra cheese and set it aside for a topping at the end

In a large skillet, cook ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat, until brown.

Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt, and oregano. Stir until incorporated and cook until heated through.

In a large bowl mix cottage cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, and shredded mozzarella cheese.
TIP: Use your hands...this stuff is just too thick for a spoon!

Coat inside of crock pot with a non-stick cooking spray, like Pam.

Spoon a layer of the meat mixture onto the bottom of the crock pot.

Add a double layer of the uncooked noodles.
TIP: You'll have to break them to fit into your pot.

Top the noodles with a layer of the cheese mixture.

Repeat the layering of sauce, noodles, and cheese. Make sure the top layer is meat!

Cover and cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours.
TIP: Cooking time will depend on how hot your crock pot gets; each one heats differently. I usually cook mine for 5 hours, then let it stand in the pot (with lid on) for an hour. Because of the heat in the crockery, it will continue cooking, but will set up to make it easier for cutting.

About 15 to 20 minutes before serving, layer shredded cheese over the top and allow it to melt.

TIP: To serve, use two spatulas. Slice the entire lasagna by pushing the spatula from top to bottom. Then pull the slices out using a spatula on each side of the slice.

CROCK POT BREAKFAST CASSEROLE
This is a great dish to cook for company and also for office breakfasts. Let it cook overnight, and you've got a hearty breakfast ready to go in the morning!

6 eggs beaten
7 to 10 slices of bread (depending on size of crock)
1 1/2 cups of milk
2-plus cups of grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 package Jimmy Dean Regular Roll Sausage
1 package Jimmy Dean Hot Roll Sausage
salt and pepper
yellow mustard

Brown and crumble the sausage. Drain fat.

Spread mustard on one side of the bread slices and cut the bread into quarters.

Beat eggs and milk together with salt and pepper to taste.

Spray inside of crock pot with non-stick cooking spray.

Layer meat, cheese, and bread in crock pot. Start with a layer of meat on the bottom.

Pour milk and egg mixture over everything.

Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours depending on how hot you crock pot cooks.
TIP: as with the lasagna, let this dish stand for about an hour before serving. It will continue cooking because of the heat held in the crockery.

15 minutes before serving cover top of dish with a layer of cheese and allow to melt.

FALL-OFF-THE-BONE RIBS
This is another of Ben's favorite dishes.

FYI: One rack of ribs will serve 2 people; 2 racks will serve 4.

1 rack of pork ribs (2 racks if you are using a large crock pot)
1 (28 oz.) bottle of your favorite BBQ Sauce (I like KC Masterpiece)
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 heaping tablespoons of peach preserves
2 heaping tablespoons of pineapple preserves
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
garlic power

In a large bowl, mix half the bottle of BBQ sauce with minced garlic, peach & pineapple preserves, honey, and Worcestershire sauce. (these ingredients can all be adjusted to your taste)

Sprinkle ribs (front and back) with garlic powder.

Coat rib portions (front and back) with sauce mixture, and layer in crock pot.

Pour half of the remaining sauce mixture over the top of the layered ribs.

Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Ribs should be served when they are just about to fall off the bone!

Mix remain sauce with a cup of the BBQ sauce, heat, and serve with ribs.
TIP: You'll need a fork to eat these ribs!

KIELBASA AND KRAUT
This is a Sunday staple in our house because it's super easy and delicious! This dish will serve two, but can easily be doubled or tripled to serve more!

2 large cans of Sauerkraut
2 packaged Kielbasa Sausages
1 bottle/can of beer

Slice Kielbasa into 2 inch pieces.

Drain juice from Sauerkraut and discard.

Place Sauerkraut into bottom of crockpot.

Mix slices Kielbasa into the Kraut.

Pour just enough beer over the mixture to make it moist.

Cook on low for 8 to 12 hours, stirring occasionally, and adding beer (as needed) to keep the mixture moist.
TIP: You'll know it's done cooking when the Kielbasa is deep brown and the kraut is golden brown.

Serve with brown mustard if you like!

ALTERNATIVE: If you don't want to use beer, save the juice from the Sauerkraut and use it instead.