A brave little bugger

I was sitting outside on Mizzou's campus and this little guy came up almost under my feet! I wasn't eating, I was just working on my computer, so it wasn't like I had anything to feed him. The squirrels on Stephens' campus were mean, they would chase you down the sidewalk. At Mizzou, they are brave but relatively friendly. There is also a baby bunny living outside the front door of my building, but he's really shy. Every time I try to get a picture of him he hops away. I captured one picture as he was going; but, since the iPhone doesn't zoom, he is really small in the picture.

An update on the in-laws' home!

Before:

After:

They are still finishing up the floors so we haven't moved everything back just yet. We also haven't started hanging anything on the walls. Soon they'll have the hardwood floors finished, the carpet in the bedrooms redone, and tile in the bathrooms! Can't wait to show you more updates!

Take Me Out to the Ball Game!

For Eric's birthday we went to a STL Cardinals game with his parents and his brother. It was EXTREMELY hot but we were lucky enough to have seats in the shade!!


We were all decked out in our Cardinals gear. Eric's brother, Evan, gave Eric that Cardinals Dry-Fit shirt he is wearing. I think it was one of Eric's favorite gifts this year.


I liked how I could see the ball park in Eric's sunglasses, very artistic, I know. I didn't even realize I got Evan in the background when I took this, it makes it just that much better!

The ride to and from the ball park was adventurous, sometimes I think the Nuvi causes more problems than it fixes! It kept wanting to take us on 40-64 but it is closed right now. There was a little bit of tension when we were trying to leave the ballpark and get dinner, but we made it! This picture is of me and my mother- and father-in-law. I love them!

I tried to take a picture of the two of us but it didn't work out, so Eric's mom offered to take a picture for us. This one looks much better!

Eric loves the Cardinals and baseball, so I think he had a really wonderful birthday! I still can't believe he is 24, that sounds so OLD! ;)

Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today...
In Celebration of Eric's Birthday

Outside my window...I haven't been outside but I can sense the hot and muggy weather from here.

I am thinking... I'm married to the best man in the world and I hope he had the happiest 24th birthday ever!

From the learning rooms... "The older the fiddler, the sweeter the tune" English Proverb (haha, not that Eric is old)

I am thankful for... another year.

From the kitchen... ha! If I only had time to think about the kitchen. I baked a cake, from scratch, it is a birthday tradition.

I am wearing... ordinary clothes, but yesterday I was sporting my cardinals gear! We went to a baseball game which I'll post about soon!

I am reading...all the birthday cards Eric got in the mail. We love getting mail so birthdays are the best!

I am hoping... year 24 is as great as year 23 was for Eric!

I am creating... a post about our trip to STL for the Cardinals game.

I am praying... hoping/praying...it is all the same to me. Here's to Eric's 24th year being the best year yet!

Around the house... recuperating from a fabulous weekend together...and...catching up on homework.

One of my favorite things... making my husband smile.

A few plans for the rest of the week... survive the last week of summer school!

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Today, he turns 24!

Hooked On...Picnic Baskets!

Birthday Surprise

My husband's birthday is in a few days....what better way to celebrate than cupcakes and high heels?


Birthday Surprise - by ashleyhasty on Polyvore.com

Progress!

My 30 page thesis proposal has been approved by my advisor- I may now submit it to my thesis committee!

Father's Day

The 3rd Annual
2009 Father's Day Golf
Tournament

I used to play golf, when I was in high school. My parents forced me to participate in a school sport (I was more into ballet and figure skating...but they thought it was important). I was on the golf team for two years and hated it. But my dad LOVES golf, and to be a part of the Steffes family you better learn to at least appreciate one round of golf a year. So I do. I show my dad just exactly how much I love him by playing one round of golf (a whole 18 holes! I don't skimp out by only letting him play 9) on Father's Day.


He really is a fantastic Dad. I couldn't have asked for a better one!

Interestingly, this year we went to Railwood Golf Course, the same golf course I practiced on every day in the morbid heat when I was in high school. Except, in high school we weren't allowed to ride the golf carts, we had to walk the course. I've decided riding the golf carts makes golfing way more fun!

This is one picture among many that provides proof that I actually participated in the golf tournament. Putting and chipping are my favorite parts of playing golf. Driving is my least favorite (as in using a driver on the tee box, not driving the golf carts)

We are a very plaid family. This is a picture of my mom, dad, and me walking in our preppy get-up. Eric looked good too, as you'll see...but no plaid! :)

This is how Mom and I spent most of the golf tournament...

while Dad and Eric did all the work...

but we work hard and play hard in this family. Here's a pic of them enjoying a cigar together. I love how close my family is!

We had fun, I'll admit it!

And of course we can't complete a Father's Day without a good hearty breakfast! Yum!

Love you, Dad! I hope you had a fantastic Father's Day!

Making Lemonade out of Lemons

My day started with this...

But ended with this!

I'm also a student this summer...

In addition to teaching a class this summer, I'm also taking a class: Introduction to Qualitative Methods. Unfortunately, this class meets from 4:15 to 6:45 in the evening, Monday through Thursday. YIKES! It makes for very long days.

I'm taking this class through the Education department, so it is a bit of a stretch to make what I'm learning in class relate to the Textile and Apparel industry. I also get extremely bored reading all of the qualitative research studies on education. The qualitative studies on the Textile and Apparel industry are SO much more interesting. I sense that when we are working in small groups my other group members’ eyes glaze over when I contribute; they feel obligated to include me in the conversation but as a non-education major they don't care about my opinion or thoughts on educational studies.

My classmates are primarily education majors, most of them are middle aged women; approximately a third are from China and the rest are local teachers and administrators. I tried to relate to them by giving my background with two parents as principals but they couldn’t have been less interested. As soon as they found out I was a TAM major, they wrote me off as not being beneficial to their field. They have their cliques, kind of like they are still living in the grade level that they teach, they don’t care what I have to say about public education, but I can’t blame them because I really don’t care what I’m saying about public education either except that it was required for the assignment. ☺ They also like to gossip, a lot, and I tried to tell them that I know several of the people that they are talking about but they didn't listen and/or didn't care. I also don't think these teachers have lives outside of their careers, the only thing they talk about is work.

However, I know the content is important to the success of my thesis so I'm sticking in there.

The class requires us to design and implement a research project, the goal of my study reads: The purpose of this qualitative study is to better understand how two white middle-class females between the ages of 21 and 25 living in a small Midwestern town experience shopping for, deciding on, and purchasing a wedding gown.

I'm only interviewing two participants because this is a four week class and I have very limited time. I'm excited about the study, but not the class. :)

Our Weekend with Ruby

Our friends Jacqueline and Brad were supposed to go to New York this weekend for a wedding and we were supposed to take care of our favorite dog to dogsit, Ruby. (This, of course, excludes The Presidents.) But due to bad weather in Chicago and a bunch of canceled flights, they were unable to get to the east coast before the wedding began. This means we only got one night with Ru, but it was a great night!

First, we took her to Treats Unleashed to get her a few tasty treats to enjoy during her visit. This is her checking out the ice cream cone.
This is Eric teasing her with the "chocolate" dipped dog bone.
We love to take her on walks. We walk her to the mailbox every day and one morning we took her on a walk around the 9-hole golf course that our apartment complex owns.

Ru definitely loves Eric. I'm amazed Eric is able to let her go back to Brad and Jacq after each visit. I think he secretly cries every time he has to say good-bye, even when he is just going to work and will see her that evening. :)
When we take her on a field trip she can't decide who she likes to sit with so she walks back and forth between the two of us checking out each window to make sure she isn't missing a thing!


Ru, we miss you! Come back to visit any time!