Tyler Bender Band Wins 1st Round of Battle of the Bands

A week ago, the Tyler Bender Band played in the Battle of the Bands at Birdy’s and won 1st place! For those of you that don’t know, Brian is the amazing drummer for this outstanding band. Their next round of Battle of the Bands is October 15 at 10:00 p.m. If you’re free, come out and join us. In the meantime, check out some of their music. The first song is a cover of Usher’s OMG and the second is their song, Sound of Waves.

Cedar Point

The day after Cheese and Katie’s wedding, Brian, Jonathan and Kelsey headed over to Cedar Point! I haven’t been there in 10 years so it was exciting to get to ride some of the new rides. The fun actually started before we even got into the park. We checked into Castaway Bay (a hotel near the park) which had an awesome indoor water park and spent the afternoon going slides and playing in the water. They even had a roller coaster type slide which we road a few times.

That evening we went to the park to hit up a few rides while the lines were short. The first night we went on some of the wooden roller coasters such as Blue Streak, Mean Streak (evil ride) and the Gemini along with the Magnum, Iron Dragon and Mantis. The next morning we woke up early and headed out again. The nice thing about getting to stay at Castaway Bay was that they allowed us to enter the park an hour early. This meant we could get in line for some of the big rides before it got busy. The first stop of the day was Millennium Force, my favorite ride. After that we headed over to Maverick, Raptor and the turnpike cars just to name a few. The best part of the day had to be, without a doubt, going on Top Thrill Dragster. It’s a roller coaster that shoots you out at 120 miles an hour 420 feet straight up in the air. I recommend going on it if you ever have the chance. Here’s a picture just to show how intense it really is:

Top Thrill Dragster

All in all, this was an incredible weekend. We’re looking forward to going back again soon! There was just one last thing we had to share. Quite possibly the funniest part of the entire weekend is that we went to Prehistoric Forest. For those of you that have seen Tommy Boy, you’ll like this:

Ooooo, Prehistoric Forest

Wedding Weekend

A few weeks back, we had the pleasure of attending Katie and Cheese’s wedding. Cheese (known as Matt to some) has been a part of the Raves’ family since Brian and Jonathan were little kids. We call him Cheese, well, because frankly I’ve never seen anyone who likes cheese more than he does. In fact, they even had cheese curds with their cocktail hour! The ceremony itself took place on the beautiful shoreline of Lake Erie. It was a gorgeous wedding and the weather could not have been more beautiful! Here are some picture of Cheese and Katie on their special day:

The wedding party

The ceremony

As you can see, the setting could not have been more perfect. After the ceremony, we all enjoyed a cocktail hour outside while the Tyler Bender Band (yay) played some tunes for us. As usual, they were awesome. Here’s a picture of them playing in the gazebo:

Tyler Bender Band

Soon after the band was done playing, we went inside for the reception. I wish I had a picture of the empty hall to show you how gorgeous it was decorated. One of the best parts of the reception, besides eating and seeing the bride and groom, was Cheese’s mannequin. Yes, Cheese has his very own mannequin, Barbara. He brought her along for the big day to greet guests. She even got to wear her very own bridesmaid’s dress.

Barbara...need I say more

Another really neat idea that Katie and Cheese had was to set up a photo booth type area with a professional photographer. Here is the result:

The Raves and Woomers. I love these families!

Thank you so much Katie and Cheese for allowing us to be part of your special day, it was so much fun!

Top 7 Reasons Why I Love Working At Butler University

I’ve been at Butler for almost a year and a half and the time has gone by in the blink of an eye. As they say, time flies when you’re having fun! Coming from my last place of employment, Butler has made me even more thankful for the job I have now. There is not a single day when I wake up and dread going into work. I actually look forward to it and am so thankful to be the Electronic Communication Coordinator in the Office of Admission at Butler University. I thought it would be fun to share my top 7 reasons why I love working at Butler! Why 7? Because it’s almost my bedtime and I can add on to the list later:)

1. I love my job. I know that sounds all encompassing and it really is, but what I mean is that I enjoy my job functions. I get to do what I am passionate about on a daily basis and work with fantastic people while doing it. It’s so nice to work for people who recognize your efforts and reward you for the time  you put in.
2. I love my co-workers and boss. The people I work with are truly incredible. Each one of them brings such a uniqueness to the group and are some of the most genuine people I’ve ever known. We share our lives, lots of laughs and crazy stories together on a daily basis. Additionally, the women I work with are such strong women and great mentors. It’s also fun to work at a place that celebrates success in each other’s lives. For example, we had a wedding shower today for a co-worker, we do monthly pitch-ins and more.
3. I love getting an education. Working at Butler has afforded me the ability to go back to school and get my Master of Science in School Counseling. Education is the gift that keeps on giving!
4. I love Butler basketball. NCAA Championship…need I say more?
5. I love the students. Our students are some of the nicest and smarted young adults I’ve ever met. They’re never short on laughs and funny stories.
6. I love the  campus. Butler’s campus is simply breathtaking. Each season brings a different beauty and I love having an office that overlooks it all.
7. I love having a shorter drive. After working downtown and spending over an hour in the car each way, this career change was a welcome move. It cut my commute down by half! Additionally, I no longer have to pay $125 a month for parking, a definite plus!

Truthfully, the list could go on forever (really it could) but it’s my bedtime so I have to stop it there. Here’s to another year of fond memories at Butler University (a.k.a the best place to work ever)!

Brian and I before the Butler vs. Michigan State game

July 4th Weekend

Our 4th of July was pretty busy, which is why I am writing this a week late. I love July 4th weekend because it incorporates one of my favorite holidays and Brian’s birthday! This year we definitely had a weekend to remember. It all started on Friday when Rachel, my best friend since 4th grade, came to visit. Her husband, Ted, is in Jersey Boys so she was able to come for the weekend. On Friday, we spent a fun night together at Fox and the Hound. Then on Saturday, we all went to breakfast followed by the pool in the afternoon. That evening we headed downtown to have dinner with Ted. He introduced us to his favorite new spot, Saffron Cafe. It was incredible and is now one of our all time favorite Indy spots.

Rachel and I

Sunday was another fun and exciting day. Brian and I went to Symphony on the Prairie with a group of friends. We made a huge picnic and spent all evening listening to the symphony while playing cards and catching up with one another. My favorite part of the evening was the synchronized fireworks display.

At Symphony

At Symphony

Monday was Brian’s birthday so I got a group of friends together to surprise him. We all met up and went downtown to the Indy Indians minor league baseball game! He was pretty surprised and seemed to have had a good time. Like I said, this post was going to be short and sweet but here are a few more pictures for you to look at.

At the baseball game

Almost 2 Years of Marriage and it Keeps Getting Better

As I was sifting through some old emails today, looking for a few documents for our friend’s up-and-coming wedding, I ran across the following. It is a portion of the message that Aaron (my brother-in-law and best wedding pastor ever) wrote to us on our wedding day. I was so overcome with happiness when I read it that it almost brought tears to my eyes.  Here’s a part of it (for those who were not in attendance and missed quite possibly one of the most entertaining weddings of all time…or at least that’s what we’ve been told):

Brian, when we asked you about why you want to marry Kristen, you spoke about how Kristen makes you a better version of yourself…how she makes you a better Brian.

And Kristen…you are never going to be bored!!  You spoke about how much you love doing life together…how you have so much fun.  Even in these last few weeks, you spoke about how you are just looking forward to coming home in the evenings and being together and sharing life…together.

Almost two years later, I can still say the same things about Brian. Actually, I feel more strongly than ever and the feelings continue to grow each day. And yes, it is true, I have never gotten bored around Brian. How could I? It just made me think about the wonderful life we have built together with our family, friends and community. A shout out to the Elliott’s, Raves and Hanschu’s: Thanks for being the best support system and family ever. Those are just my random musings for today. Thanks for reading!

One last note, for those of you waiting for our wedding video to be posted…we are starting to work on it soon. Hopefully we will have it done before year 3:)

Yes, this is a photo from Christmas...we are horrible at taking pictures.

Camping

Last weekend Brian and I headed to Brown County State Park to do a little camping. This is about the third time we have been camping together and I always forget how much fun it is. We headed down (about an 1 1/2 drive) to the park Friday afternoon to set up camp. I must say Brian is an excellent tent setter-upper, he’s got mad skills in this area. See our tent!

B setting up the tent

Tent is set up

Brian had a softball game that night so he headed out for a while and I ventured off for a hike. 10 miles later I returned to the camp and hung out until Brian got back. We attempted to build a fire, but were unsuccessful due to wet wood. So, we just sat and talked and enjoyed one another’s company. It always feels good to get some alone time so we soaked in every moment.

The start of the first hike

Nearing the end of the 8th mile

Almost back to the camp site

The next morning we woke up, made breakfast (a.k.a. unwrapped a few breakfast bars) and set out for a mid-morning hike. Brown County has some beautiful trails. They even had a marathon that weekend so we got to see some crazy runners dressed up in some even crazier outfits along the way. Due to rain, we headed back a little earlier than planned but we still had a fantastic time.

Another hiking encounter

Brian being goofy

In other news…

• Jonathan (Brian’s brother) and Kelsey (J’s girlfriend) are moving to Indy in July!
• Kelsey (yep same one as above) got accepted to law school here in Indy.
• Brian celebrated his 1 year anniversary of being full time at Grace Community Church.
• I celebrated my 1 year anniversary with Butler University in March.
• We have a bunch of friends that are expecting this fall. (Don’t ask, we are not even trying yet:)
• My trip to Florida was a blast. It was great to spend time with people who have been through so much together.
• Summer is almost here…yes, that is very newsworthy.
• There is probably quite a bit of other stuff I am forgetting…

Thanksgiving, Christmas & So Much More

First, I must thank my awesome sister for finally posting pictures for me so I could write this blog.  Shelli, I appreciate you posting these for me and I promise to quit bugging you…next time I will bring my own camera:)

It has been two months since Thanksgiving, can you believe it?  Our parents came up this year for Turkey Day which was fantastic.  Shelli and I prepared a wonderful feast complete with brined turkey, sausage stuffing, devilled eggs, broccoli/cauliflower casserole, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes and more.  We are getting to be professional chefs if I do say so myself.  This is our third Thanksgiving at the Elliott’s and is now one of our favorite traditions!

The family

Mom, Isabel, Ducky and I

Next thing we knew, Christmas was knocking at our door.  Christmas was very special this year because we spent it at Shelli and Aaron’s place.  Christmas with three kids makes it so fun and really brings the magic back into the holiday.  Every year they have a few traditions that Brian and I got to partake in.  The first is the annual Taco Bell dinner run.  It was delicious!  After church, we got to experience quite possibly the best Christmas tradition in the world.  After the kids go to bed, the hang out and have wine and cheese.  Really, what is better than that?  You guessed it, nothing is better than that.  There was only one flaw in the cheese this year and that was Aaron deciding to bake one that ended up smelling like rotting broccoli and nasty feet covered in burnt hair.  Other than that, the rest were great.

On Christmas morning, Isabel and Sydney ran into our room to wake us up (we spent the night there) and let us know that Santa came.  We hurried down stairs and they tore open all of their presents.  Sitota wasn’t that thrilled with opening gifts.  He was more concerned about eating.  For Christmas dinner we branched out and decided to rotisserie a lamb.  Needless to say, it was very yummy.  Check out a few pictures from Christmas.  (PS, I promise the bottle is empty.)

Don't let Brian around your kids:)

The girls opening gifts

Two weeks ago Isabel turned 7.  She had her birthday party at Maggie Moos and even got to make her own ice cream.

The birthday girl

Syd is so goofy

Babies!

I thought that title might get your attention.  No, Brian and I are not pregnant.  Our friends, Blake and Cassie, had their twins this weekend!  We welcomed Halie Kathleen and Addison Hope into the world at 12:39 and 12:40 on December 19.  The girls weighed 5lbs 12oz and 5lbs 6oz and are without a doubt some of the cutest babies ever born.  It has been years since my nieces were that age so I forgot how small they are as newborns.

It was incredible to see how proud Blake was not only to be a dad, but for everything that his wife had gone through.  Cassie looked absolutely amazing when we saw her with the girls.  She even let us hold them…thank you Cassie!

Yesterday was one of those days in life that you can never forget.  Weddings and births are those rare occasions when everyone comes together in celebration and everything in the world seems right.  When babies are born it really makes me wonder how people cannot believe in God.  The process from conception to birth is such a miracle that there is no way that it is by chance.  It is exactly the way God designed it to be.

Yes, it will still be a few years for Brian and I.  We still want to travel and spend time with just the two of us, but I think my baby time frame went from five years to three.  For now, welcome these two bundles of joy, Halie and Addison!

The Anderson Family

Addison (left) and Halie (right)

Me holding Addison - I could get used to this.

An Indiana Fall

Yes, it’s December and yes our last post was in September.  Sad I know. Especially for someone who manages a team of bloggers.  Actually, I probably do less personal writing and spend less time on my own Facebook profile because of that reason.  All that said, we have had quite an eventful fall.

A few weeks after our anniversary Halloween began to creep up on us.  Nothing says Halloween like pumpkins so we went to pick a few with the Elliott crew.   As you can tell by the pictures below, we had a blast.  After selecting the most perfect pumpkins, Brian and I held our 2nd annual pumpkin carving contest.  Once again, I came out victorious.  Yes, Brian’s may be more Halloweeny, if you will, but mine had the detail. Ultimately, the detail in my pumpkin is what won out.  Brian is already contemplating what he will carve for next year’s contest.

Brian = Bat Pumpkin / Kristen = Cat Pumpkin

Helping Sitota find a pumpkin

Most adorable family in the world

A few weeks later, Jonathan and Kelsey came to visit us.  It was a whirlwind weekend that went by in the blink of an eye.  Deep down we both wished that they lived here.  (No pressure Kelsey, I promise.)  While they were here we took them to the Fox’s Halloween party.  We were all about making our own costumes this year for several reasons.  1)  Have you seen how inappropriate the costumes for women are?  I mean really, why does every single outfit have to be a “sexy” cop or a “sexy” teacher or a “sexy” whatever.  Why can’t people actually dress up as those things without making them trashy?  2)  Store bought costumes are very expensive.  Our costumes combined were around $35 (if that).  Brian and I first got the idea to dress up as a solo cup and pong table.  Once we told Jonathan what we were going to be, they were on board to join in.  You can see the outcome below.

Don't worry, the kids didn't go to the party

It is hard to believe that Christmas is just around the corner.  Work has been keeping both of us pretty busy.  We can’t complain, however.  We both absolutely love our jobs.  I do have to say that it is such a change from where I was a year ago at this time.  It’s nice working for a boss who guides me when I need it yet lets me be creative too.  I truly enjoy working for someone as talented as she is.  She knows her stuff and gets things done, its been a great 8 months thus far.

As soon as I get some Thanksgiving pictures (hum hum, mom), I will blog about that as well.  Mom, I do love you just trying to give you a hard time.  Till next time.