Found in Fishers

Time for Cake

Over the weekend, my two brothers, sister and I hosted a special dinner to celebrate Mom's and Dad's 50th Wedding Anniversary. Mark took the weekend off to cook and help us prepare for the meal. My mom's sister, Marilyn, and her husband Dave also joined us in the celebration. They celebrated their 50th Anniversary last year.

The morning started with Mark making his famous homemade rolls. They are so amazing! One sheet came out a bit too brown for his liking so Sarah and I had to have them for lunch. What a pity. We also spent the morning running errands prior to meeting at my parent's home to make dinner. Sometimes we buy the goofiest things when we are together. I bought light and tulip bulbs :)

Mom and Dad posed together for their special day with her wedding veil. It was in great shape for being 50 years old. Everyone took a turn trying it and Grandma's mink stole from the wedding while waiting for the food to cook. 

Sarah's house is a bit too small for the expected company so we went to Mom's. The inspiration for the meal was a pear jello that Sarah had a taste for. Sarah bought a spiral cut ham, we made party potatoes, a relish tray, deviled eggs, and corn. Mark made an amazing red cabbage side dish that he was afraid most would not eat. It was gone! Red cabbage, bacon, braised in wine. As a matter of fact there were not many left overs of any kind.

The highlight of the party was the cake. Of course, the cake. Sarah ordered it from our favorite bakery, Calumet Bakery. She just asked the bakery to use lavender colored flowers and that it was for a 50th wedding anniversary. It was just amazing. It had a beautiful bouquet of icing flowers in the center and sparkling edible glitter. A white cake with raspberry filling. Wow, that is all I can say about the way it looked and tasted. 

My youngest nephew Devin showed up all dressed in his tie. He picked it out to wear to the party. He was adorable. At one point he thought
it was a birthday party for his grandmother. We kept trying to explain it was an anniversary but he is too young to understand and just wished grandma a Happy Birthday asking where the candles were. He was the life of the party because he has such a contagious laugh. To add to it, it is easy to get him to laugh. 

Happy Corn Day

As I have previously posted, my sister is obsessed with pandas. So much so she buys almost anything that has a panda on it. She even had a panda-themed birthday party. We all feed this frenzy by purchasing her just about everything we find that has a panda on it. My last purchase was a panda lunch box I found in Minneapolis.

This week she had a cake at work. I know, you are not surprised. She does indeed find just about any occasion to have a cake. But this cake was a special one because she and her co-workers were celebrating the first birthday of the baby panda at the Atlanta zoo. After all it was this particular panda that started the craze. 

While I often tease her about this obsession, I also shared with her my envy so she decided to have a themed birthday for me too. The problem was it was ridiculous. Corn.

So the story goes on this week and she texts me a picture of this birthday cake for the panda and I am feeling that jealousy again about not having a theme to celebrate. She quickly responds wishing me Happy Corn Day. What?

Well, according to my sister, Christopher Columbus discovered corn in the Americas on November 5th, 1492 and that it is an actual holiday. I of course asked her to get me a cake which she responded I needed to make corn bread with the special iron mold she gave me. I did not but I did go grocery shopping today and got quite a Corn Day surprise.

While at Kroger I filled out a raffle ticket for one of many specialty baskets they had as they were previewing some holiday foods. Tonight I was called and I won the Popcorn Basket! I was quite surprised but laughed out loud because it was a corn themed gift on Corn Day. It is a nice popcorn bucket with all kinds of candy treats, nuts, beef jerky and popcorn along with the new Cars 2 movie. I feel pretty luck to have won on this special holiday. Off to pop some corn.

Family Halloween Campout

Time for the annual family Halloween Campout. My sister and her family, by brother and his family, and my parents all met in West Lafayette at Prophetstown State Park.

John, Mark, and Liz all had to work so I was off to represent the family during this holiday tradition. What is really neat about this trip is that the entire camp ground celebrates Halloween. The Saturday event started with the costume contest. There are several categories from infant to adult, groups and even pets. Most years the pet contest has only dogs but this year there was a guinea pig dressed as Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. It was adorable and quite honestly would have won but the prize was dog treats. My nephew Max and his dog Charlie won dressed as Shrek and the Donkey.

My nephew Max has a white boxer dog that looked perfect as Shrek. My other nephew Devin dressed up as Mader from Cars. He had the best time checking out the costumes. Two other favorite costumes were of groups. One was a brother who helped his little sister as Cinderella. Their dog was pulling the carriage. Another great costume idea was two sisters who dressed as a chicken and an egg. 

Once it got dark outside we took a hike to the haunted trails. This is another annual event or should I say opportunity for the boys to hear Grandma and Aunt Flora scream. Once again, no one would go first so my mom and I had to take the leave. Funny how those brave boys have to hide behind the oldest woman in the group. As we walked through the trail people would walk out of the woods or were set up in stations with scary scenes. Based on last year's trail, we expected a man with a chain saw to scare us at the end of the trail. We talked about it as we ended the trail and were thinking they must have changed the trail this year. We walked out of the trail end and were talking about how it must have changed when all of a sudden the guy came running after us with his chain saw. I think he heard us talking about him so he delayed his arrival. Sarah and Liam took off running like you would not believe quickly passing me and my mom. Great times.

When we arrived back at camp we sat around the campfire for a bit but were all so tired. That fresh air is exhausting. We were also cold so we ended up in the camper cleaning up and watch TV. Sarah and I had to laugh that the way we camp is not exactly roughing it. Wait, we were roughing it. We could only get CBS in the camper!

Fall Break 2011

As tradition, I spent Fall Break in St. Louis with my friend Katie. We did not leave as early as we have in the past as I had to work an extra day to attend a workshop but we stayed through Sunday.

We were so lucky to have wonderful weather. This was especially a blessing since the week prior was cold and rainy. When telling Katie's cousin, Jo Ann, that we would be in town again, I asked we try something new. She did not let us down as we went to visit a small town called Kimmswick, Missouri. Kimmswick has several blocks of historic homes with unique shops. There was so much to look at. The following week they were going to have an Apple Butter Festival so I was able to purchase some Apple Butter early.

We stopped by their local restaurant, the Blue Owl, for lunch. There were so many great choices but we knew for sure we had to leave room for the pie. Their carmel apple pecan pie was quite popular. Katie tried that. I had a coconut cream. It was tasty, however, I must admit, Mark's is far better.

On Saturday, we traveled to downtown St. Louis for a trip to the Spaghetti Factory. It is a great restaurant and although we have one in Indy too, it was nice to take Jo Ann as she can only have gluten free pasta, which they serve. Later that evening, we attended a fundraiser for the local fire station. Trivia Nights are quite popular in the St. Louis area. Basically there are many tables of 8 people. Each group has ten questions to discuss and answer turning in our answers after each round. This goes on for 10 rounds with some breaks in between with extra games like a purse scavenger hunt.

While at the Trivia Night, they were showing the World Series. That was a must since the St. Louis Cardinals were in the game. It was an exciting game! Katie and I sported some Cardinal's gear so that we felt a part of the crowd. You cannot tell from the picture but I have a Rally Squirrel hat on which was equipped with its own tail hanging off the back.

In the end, our trivial team won 3rd place in the game however since we had 9 players (1 over the limit) we could not win a prize. We were fine with that as we only wanted to enjoy the evening. Katie and I got up early Sunday and were off back to Indy. Another great Fall Break!

Celebrating 50 Years

This weekend was an exciting one for the family. Mom and Dad celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary on Friday, October 14th. It seems like yesterday we celebrated their 25th and we are already at 50!

Dad arranged a special mass today where he and Mom renewed their vows. Mom was a bit nervous about having to talk in front of the entire church but it was rather painless for them both. They did not have to repeat any lines just agree to them by saying "I do". We did joke, Sarah and I that is, that Mom was not going to agree to any old fashioned vows such as obeying. Whew, she did not have to because we were afraid she might just say "I don't".

I arrived in town on Saturday. When I spoke with LIam I told he we were going to Grandma and Grandpa's wedding. He looked at us a bit perplexed because he just could not really figure out what we were talking about. It did not help that we said he was going to be the ring bearer. Instead he brought up the gifts during church.

Mom and Dad met each other while Mom was a receptionist at Brooks House in Hammond where people came for day care, help finding jobs and taking classes. Dad was there because he was a Boy Scout leader and his pack met at Brooks House. Mom and Dad were married at St. Joseph's Church in Hammond with a reception at the American Legion Hall.

We will be celebrating their anniversary with a special dinner in November. The weekends in October were not good for many of us so Sarah and I are hosting a special dinner in a few weeks to continue our celebration.

Our Can't Miss Indy Hits

Seems it's about time we start expanding Found In Fishers to include some of the great things to see and do in around our little neck of the world. So without further ado...and in no particular order...here are some of our best recommendations for things to see and do when you find yourself in the Indy area next time.

Canal Walk: Dating back to the 1800s, the Canal Walk in downtown Indy is home to walkers, runners, lovers, sight-seers...well, you get the idea. The walk stretches north from White River State Park to 11th Street. You can walk, rent a paddle boat or take a ride in a old-fashioned gondelier. Be sure to check out the USS Indianapolis National Memorial which is open 24/7, 365 days a year. Just a short walk from the memorial you can enjoy a bite to eat at the Creation Cafe & Euphoria. Other sites to check out along the canal include the Congressional Medal of Honor Memorial, Indiana History Center and the Indiana State Museum. Be sure to bring your camera for some great shots of downtown Indy from all along the walk.

Mass Avenue: Known as the city's Arts & Theatre District, Mass Ave (Massachusettes Avenue) features an eccletic mix of shops, restuarants, pubs and performing arts venues. Beginning at the intersection of Delaware and New York streets, Mass Ave takes off at a  45-degree angle...giving the street it's marketing tag line of "45 degrees from ordinary". We like Comedy Sportz, a family-friendly comedy club...except for its late-night shows and adults-only holiday show.

And for those who'd like to avoid the city you might want to check out downtown Noblesville. Unlike so many of Indiana's small downtowns, Noblesville's downtown district has managed to attract and maintain a vibrant business environment that includes galleries, a wide variety of dining establishments, antique stores and much more. During the summer and fall you'd likely to catch a live music performance on the historic downtown square, take in a parade or enjoy a street dance. Among our favorites is the Noble Tea & Coffee Company where you can sit indoors or out and enjoy a fresh-brewed beverage and free wifi, or Matteo's Ristorante Italiano, where we guarantee you'll be blown away by the food, service and ambiance. And I'd be remiss without mentioning one of my favorite spots in downtown Noblesville: Carmack's Cigar Shop where we regularly solve the problems of the world while enjoying a wide variety of top-quality handmade cigars.

If you happen to have a favorite Indy-area destination or activity be sure to share it with us. And check back next week for more of our can't miss Indy hits.

Donuts, and Cakes, and Pies OH MY!

There are some serious benefits to have a culinary student living under your roof. Week after week for several months now the family enjoys fabulous pastries and desserts. Mark is in culinary school and when he goes to class and bakes most of the morning, we get to taste all the homework. One week we were treated to donuts and apple fritters. That cooking day led Mark directly to the electronic store where he purchased a fryer for the house. 

Another week he made fruit pies. John and I just loved the apple cranberry pie but the pumpkin was outstanding and the blueberry was just plain beautiful. Mark is interested in becoming a pastry chef however the job market is not that great for that particular specialty. He is considering a dual chef major. Well, I guess what that would be what it would be called.

The next pies were cream pies. Coconut Cream, Key Lime, and Lemon Meringue. OMG the Coconut Cream was amazing! There is no use trying to watch what you eat or diet in our home right now because the desserts are far too tempting. However, if you should happen to want to visit Central Indiana, next semester sounds like a good gig too as Mark will have two morning classes that start at 6:00 AM with Breakfast cooking!

After the pies came cakes. Too bad Sarah you were not around. The Italian Creme Cake was rich and just perfect. The cake itself was so light and flavorful. Amazing how much better cake tastes when it is made homemade and not made with Betty Crocker's help. We still have a big tub of Italian Creme in the refrigerator. Bring a spoon!

Cooking has become the big topic in our home. Mark talks nonstop about cooking. I have never seen him so excited and passionate about something. And, I love the conversation as an amateur cook myself. We spent 2 straight hours earlier in the week just talking about soups. He was excited because in class the chef ranks the students and Mark won the best consistency for a split pea soup. He often wins the best tasting food of the day. Funny when you hear him talking about how "something tasted like it needed a bit more acid so I used some Sherry vinegar which really made a difference". I am SO proud of him.

I came home from work very late last night as I went to dinner with a couple friends. While I was gone, Mark texted me that he bought something big. All I could think of was yet another kitchen tool. Nope, I was wrong. He bought 75 pounds of flour! Who needs 75 pounds of flour? 50 pounds of cake flour and 25 pounds of high gluten bread flour. He was practicing last night making cookies in a particular time frame. Drats, we had to eat yummy chocolate chip cookies last night. He said he needs to keep practicing his cake baking and perfecting his yeast rolls.

Ok, people you are going to have to start helping us eat all this food!

First Day

Today was my first day in my new school corporation. I felt like I just got there this morning and it was already time to go home. My brain is super full. I suspected that would happen when starting a new job the last week of September with school in session for just over a month. Usually administrators start July 1st.

I met lots of very very nice people today who are really quite talented at what they do. Although there are many things in common in the school business, there are always new things to learn and new initiatives to focus on as well as ideas for me to gather, lead, and share.

I decided that I would be more comfortable starting today with my office done. Boy, was I glad. It was the easiest office to move into because I already had everything I needed except just a couple odds and ends. The size of the office was about the same size as my old one. Add to it the walls and carpet are blue so my clay colored curtains looked great against the light blue wall. As a matter of fact, one gal asked if I was trained in interior design. That made me laugh out loud! You will notice from the photos that my American Girl collection came with me again and was the highlight of the office today.

My first meeting with the administrative team this morning yielded a much coveted award! I was given this prestigious award by the other assistant superintendent for my office makeover. He shared that when he came in on Sunday and saw what I did in just one day he felt compelled to award me this traveling award asking me to integrate it into my new office. Of course once I actually saw the award, I busted out laughing. The actual award is for the Fourth Best Kitten from 1984. I guess in FTCSC if you do something worth being recognized for, you are to be honored with this award. Mine for now but I can pass it on to the next deserving person no matter the category of excellence! Believe me, I will start looking hard for a deserving individual.

Time to Say Good-Bye

This is the first time I changed jobs while school was still in session. Usually though it is spring not fall when people are changing positions in the education world. All my other moves occurred over the summer not allowing me time to say good bye and thank those I worked with.

This time it was different for me and I was happy to have a chance to get some closure before moving on to a new venture. HSE hosted a special reception for me last week allowing people from other schools to stop by and visit. I enjoyed myself. I think it was pretty funny though that they presented me with a puppy. Well, sort of anyway.

Jackie at the administration center had a little beagle puppy she was trying to find a new home for. Her son found it wandering on the side of the road and for the last few months she has not been able to find "Lucy" a new home. She tried very hard to get me to take the dog but really, I already have three dogs. When I walked into the reception, there she was with a bright pink bow. A gift for my departure!

Thank goodness it was a joke. Matt in technology was actually taking Lucy home to his family. Of course when I got home both John and Mark were disappointed that I did not take the dog. Easy for them to say since I do most of the caregiving! 

I spent the weekend finalizing my move out of Brooks School and into Franklin Township. I am so excited to start tomorrow in my new job with my office done thanks to my friend Katie and her husband Jeff. As retired Coast Guard folks that have moved numerous times and are pros at moving! I could not have done it without their help. What a great way to start my new job tomorrow.

Today's Big Announcement - NUMBER 500

It seemed almost too obvious to celebrate my 500th post with something about the Indy 500. After all, we do live in the Indianapolis area. My 500th post does not have to do with racing but does have something to do with Indianapolis.

At their board meeting tonight, the Franklin Township Community Schools named me as their Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction! My passion is curriculum and instruction and I look forward to this leadership role with Franklin Township. I start September 26, 2011. TIme to pack up my American Girls and move on to my next journey.

Franklin Township is located on the southeast side of Indianapolis and the highest performing school corporation in Marion County! Thanks to all who have supported me throughout the years to prepare for this position.