The Jungbauer Family Website

Forever 16

. . . and forever celebrating!

Sarah's 16th birthday celebration continued this weekend with a special get-away weekend in Indy with Bubby and Sissy. Tracy drove up from Atlanta for the weekend and we all met for dinner (after a few gigs on Rock Band). Sarah, Tracy and Angela then had a girls-only day and looked for bridesmaids dresses (for Eric and Angela's wedding) followed by a trip to the spa and a girls-only dinner. (Can you believe that none of them took any pictures?!?!)

The next day, it was off to the races: The INDY 500. Eric assures me that he never let Sarah look at the infield with the binoculars.

Steve, Rachel and I drove back to Indy Sunday morning. Rachel surfed the cable channels while Steve and I cycled the Monon trail and then Rae and I shopped while Daddy surfed....

We had Bazbeaux pizza waiting when the crew returned from the race. They were so tired they acted like they ran the race, rather than watched it. Not much post-race commentary, but it was definitely a winning weekend. (I'm sure Rachel is wondering what Bubby and Sissy will do when she turns 16!)

We ended up spending the night so we could jam some more on Rock Band and we definitely ended on a good note.

The Princess goes to Prom . . . for everything else there's Mastercard

We knew it would happen, but we still weren't prepared. We only had 16 years to get ready!

About two months ago, Steve heard a knock on his door at work.

"Mr. Jungbauer, may I talk to you?"

"Oh . . . "

So Steve quickly switched gears and proceded to inform Dylan of what he expected from any young man that thought he wanted to date his daughter. I'm sure anyone else would have called it a lecture, intimidation or an outright threat and might have never called Sarah again or come within 100 miles --- especially if they also knew about Grampa David, big brother Bubby and Uncle Barry.

When Steve told me about his visit from Dylan that day, I was caught off guard.

"Oh my gosh! We have to let her go, don't we?!?"

We knew it would happen, but we still weren't prepared. We only had 16 years to get ready!

My 16th Mother's Day

My first real Mother's Day was 16 years ago. Today we celebrated that anniversary by also celebrating Sarah's 16th birthday (again) with (almost) the same nucleus of family that welcomed her into the world.

None of us will ever forget Aunt Penny's first remarks upon seeing Sarah for the first time: "Wow! What a cone head!" She also proclaimed that even though she vowed to love Sarah, "All babies are ugly." Five years later I had the privelage of being in the delivery room when Penny delivered Samantha . . . . Penny's first words when she saw Sam were: "She's so cute."

Perhaps one of the reasons tradition has such a stronghold in our family is because some of us never forget.

So, in keeping with tradition, we celebrated with a dinner of Poppyseed Chicken and the birthday number made out of bread . . . . followed by presents and cake.

Grampa David helped uphold a tradition older than me by presenting Sarah with a "closet gift." The #16 brass key chain was an "artifact" from the famly rendering business that was founded in 1917. Grampa David was the third generation to own and operate the ultimate recycling business and so another three generations later, this bovine ID tag was recycled into a key chain for Sarah. (I'm still not sure if the brass ID tag was worn in the cow's ear or around its neck, but we lead Sarah to believe the latter.)

One of the best gifts I received for Mother's Day was that Sarah helped get everything ready for her own party while Steve and I were playing in Chicago.

She even made a 3-layer cake all by herself to rival the fruit-jeweled crostini Rachel made me for my birthday.

I've said it before. I'll say it again. Life is Good!

Tour de Chicago

We saw Chicago from a brand new pesrpective yesterday with a group from church (WCC) and 2nd Mile Adventures.

I've been to Chicago quite a few times, but enjoying the lakeshore and exploring the city by bike is definitely the best way. I never realized just how awesome the lakeshore really is and I felt much safer cycling the streets of downtown Chicago than I do on the country roads in Indiana.

Chicago has a wonderful network of bike paths. Highlights of our tour included the site of the first sustained nuclear reaction, a Frank Lloyd Wright home, China town and Wrigley Field.

We also had a few detours.

Fortunately, you can find a Starbuck's on almost every corner and almost anything else you can imagine in the city . . . . . so even if the guy on the corner couldn't have given us directions, we conveniently stopped right in front of The Map Room --- good for directions and re-fueling.

Confession

I submitted to peer pressure.

I was totally overcome by group-think.

I was totally selfish, self-centered and self-serving.

I left my children and husband behind.

I tried to justify it because it was my friend's birthday.

I was totally out of my bubble and totally out of my comfort zone.

But I did it anyway.

My five fellow spamates shall remain anonymous but it took every bit of our four decades of wisdom, experience, education and artistry to successfully conquer the challenges before us that day:

I was Pinking of You and a Strawberry Margarita while looking for Keys to My Karma in Blushingham Palace. It was Not So Bora Boring Pink and I'm not Just Teasing that I'm India Mood for Love because You Rocka Pulco Red! but Susie Sells Sushi by the Sea Shore . . . . . . . and that sold me on my pedicure color.

I don't know what I would have done without such good friends to help me through such a difficult decision --- but Joe's massage after my pedicure sure helped too!!!

On Track and on Top

This weekend we returned to Geneva College in Beaver Falls, PA for the National Christian School Athletic Association Track and Field Championship. Last year we only had about a dozen athletes, but still made our presence known. This year our travel team doubled in size and more than tripled in performance.

The Junior High Girls and the Junior High Boys both won their division championships and the Senior High Girls (with only 4 girls) placed second.

LCA's Daniel Zuercher place second in individual scoring for the Junior High Boys and Jamie Duchane placed first for the Senior High Girls for the second year in a row. Our princess, Sarah, was crowned third.

Kudos to a wonderful group of athletes that represented LCA with distinction and to the wonderful coach (that's you Steve) that built this program from ground zero.

May Day Sweet 16

I knew this day was coming, but it still happened way too fast!

At 1616 today, Sarah turned 16. (I think this is more difficult than childbirth, but equally as miraculous.)

May Day started with plenty of sunshine. Sarah popped up out of bed early and without any prompting and was greeted by a new full-length mirror. At 7 am, her boyfriend, Dylan, greated her with fresh flowers......and chocolate. Breakfast was a freshly-baked, warm lemon poppyseed muffin with the obligatory birthday candle and a present from Sarah's favorite little sister, Rachel. So far, so sweet.

We kidnapped both girls from school and the four of us had lunch at everyone's favorite: Cerulean. The complimentary chocolate-mint gelato was divine.

When Sarah arrived back at school, she was called down to the office and for a bouquet of 16 ballons (and chocolate) from our friends Courtney, Barry and "little e."

A few hours later, we headed off to a track meet. At Sarah's first meet this year, she set a new school record in the high jump at 4' 10". The only thing better than icing on her birthday cake, would be to break the 5' barrier..............Close, but not tonight.

So we ended a nearly perfect day eating dinner at Wendy's with the track team and then warm, molten lava cake at home.

What more could a girl want?

Oh, yeah . . . .

I guess Sweet 16 does mean
some kind of driving machine,
but she'll just have to wait
while we procrastinate.

Remember poor Dad and Mom
still aren't ready for prom,
so please let us get through the first date
and then we'll negotiate.

(Sorry for the bad "poetry")