Getting Ready!

We have been tremendously busy these last few weeks, and although I was doing a pretty good job of posting almost once a week, I realize that I've completely neglected our blog lately! Here's a quick update, and I'll post pictures soon:

• May 19th - Brad graduated from Taylor University. We spent the weekend with the Livingston family at TU and had a great time celebrating Brad's last days at college.
• May 24th - Final walk-through of our new home in Wheaton. The sellers had scrubbed the house from top to bottom - it looked fantastic and even smelled clean!
• May 25th - 9:00am, we closed on our house (in 45 minutes).
• May 25th - 10:30am - Rob and I, the eager and proud homeowners, could be found pulling weeds and picking up our new yard.
• May 26th - Kelsey had her graduation open house and we celebrated her very successful high school career. Highlight: the slide show mom and Josh put together, a total tear-jerker.
• May 26th and 28th - Cheryl's brother Steve helped us paint the 2 guest bedrooms, guest bathroom, kitchen, and ceilings.
• May 27th - Carpet cleaners come! Christine (Brad's fiance) had her bridal shower in Naperville, which was so much fun. I got to catch up with my friend Brooke from Taylor.
• May 28th - I met our new neighbors, who are very nice. I also discover the chipmunk family living under our front porch. More house-stuff (cleaning, etc.) and packing at our apartment.

So now you know what we have been up to. The days ahead will be an adventure! Rob and I are both taking Friday off to pack up the rest of our apartment, and then the movers come on Saturday morning and we become Wheaton residents. I'm taking Monday-Wednesday off as well to unpack and settle everything into our home, because I leave Sunday the 10th for Seattle for 3 days (SOA Board meeting). That following weekend, we'll have a group of guys at our house for Brad's bachelor party, and then Brad and Christine will be getting married on the 23rd in Michigan! Hard to believe how quickly this spring has flown by...

We hope you are all doing well!

Friday May 11 - Kelsey Goes to Prom

Kelsey wrapped up her senior year on Friday night with Prom... she went with her good friend Chris again this year, who wore a powder blue tux to match Kelsey's blue and green dress! They were adorable, and we can't believe that she's off to Taylor in 3 months.

Chillin...
(Remind anyone of Jeff Larson at our wedding!?)



Mom and I snapped a few pictures before we saw Kelsey and Chris off... and landed in this one somehow.

Mom: "Hey Kelsey, walk over there and I'll take a walking-shot!"

Heading out - in style!

The Speeday - Sunday May 6th

So after the mini marathon was over, we discovered free day passes in the guys' gift bags to the time trials at the Speedway on Sunday morning - but what really sucked us in was the promise of a free pancake breakfast. =) Since we had nothing better to do, we (Rob, Dad Livingston and I) decided to check it out before driving back home to Chicago. It turns out that the Speedway is HUGE! And it was another beautiful day, so we hung around for a while and here is what we saw:

The Mini Marathon - Saturday May 5th

This past weekend Rob, his brother Brad and Dad Livingston all ran in the Indianapolis 500 Mini Marathon. (Christine and I cheered them on!) It was a really great weekend - beautiful weather, no injuries, and we were all very proud of the Livingston men for not only finishing the race, but putting out some pretty impressive times.

Here is Rob finishing the race at 1 hour, 31 minutes (6:58 per mile pace).

And below, Brad coming in just a few minutes later!

Christine and I were really excited to be able to pick Rob and Brad out of the crowd just 3/4 mile from the finish line and get some action shots!

At the Taylor Tent after the race...

Waiting for the guys to run by. See the greenish blue hydrant in the background? I ran into that just minutes before this picture was taken... and it left a goose-egg and bruise on my shin. Fantastic.

Pier weekend at the Lake House

A bunch of us met at the lake house in Indiana this weekend to install the pier (Mom, Dad and Kelsey; Rob and I; Uncle Dan, Aunt Joy and cousins Scott, Corey and Amanda; Uncle Kenny and Cousin Mike; friend Josh). We had a great time, and look forward to a summer FULL of lake house weekends!

Amanda was my buddy - she jabbers nonesnese if you're quiet enough to let her try and talk, and is the best baby I've ever seen!

"The Lineup"... Uncle Dan, Cousin Mike, Josh and Rob in their waders, getting ready to brave the freezing cold lake. It turns out that the waders are fantastic - they're waterproof, keep you warm, and also VERY attractive. (click this picture to enlarge it - very funny!)

This water is COLD!

Making progress... it took about 2 hours from start to finish to get all the pieces in the water and in their right place.

The boat lift was brought over by a couple of men on a pontoon-turned-barge, and they dropped it in the water for us. It takes 6 adult (and fit) men to lift it and install it by hand, so we were glad to let them do the work.

The finished pier, complete with boat lift. Isn't it beautiful!? (Who knew they were so much work or that you have to take them in and out? We'll never look at piers the same way again.)

Nephew #2 has arrived!!

We are thrilled to help welcome (from afar) James Robert DeBlock into the world and into our family - could anyone ask for CUTER nephews!? (Sidenote: Rob's getting concerned that Rachel's hogging all of the 'boy' genes.)

James was born on April 20, and was a healthy 8 lbs 11 oz. We can't wait to meet him! Look how handsome he is...

A very excited big brother... Nicholas getting to know his new brother James!

Rob and I loved this picture of Nicholas - he is so cute and fun. We love you DeBlocks! See you soon.

April Catch-Up!

Oops... Did I really let 23 days go by since my last post? Here's a quick update!

Rob celebrated his 27th birthday on April 4th. We went out to Rosebud with my mom, dad and sister to celebrate... many of his gifts were related to becoming a home owner (yard work, here we come!).




We also celebrated Jeff Larson's birthday with the Bellitos, Larsons, Brad and Christine in Chicago at the Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder (below).

Finally, a close up of the painting Becky commissioned me to do as her birthday gift to Jeff, in memory of Brad. Our prayers are with the entire Larson family, especially this week at the 1 year anniversary of the Taylor van accident.