Recently in Friends Category

Loooooong day at work on Friday then a busy day catching up on things around the house on Saturday followed by a birthday party for my nephew and a drive to Indy to spend the night. Sarah was kind enough to drive so I could prep for a meeting I have on Monday and prepare for a test I have on Wednesday. We watched Rachel play in a volleyball tournament this morning (awesome) and then enjoyed brunch with Eric and Angela. Finally home and realized it is an hour later than I thought due to DST!

Whenever I think my life is hectic, I read Keely Quinn's journal on CaringBridge to help put my life back into perspective. Keely is the 3 year-old daughter of one of my classmates from medical school and residency. She has 6 (yes SIX) older brothers, ages 5 to 15, and is proving to be tougher than all of them combined!!!

The girls and I actually got to meet Keely for the first time today. She is at Riley's Children's Hospital in Indy fighting leukemia.

Unfortunately, Keely and her family know Riley all too well. Keely was born in Indy after a complicated pregnancy and spent many months at Riley. She was born with Down Syndrome and had many complications including congestive heart failure. She eventually required open heart surgery to correct the congenital problem that caused the heart failure.

She has continued to have many ups and downs, but is still one of the most charismatic little ladies I have ever met. Sarah and Rachel were equally amazed at her power and personality that wraps EVERYONE around her little finger.

Meanwhile, Dad and the 6 boys are trying to maintain some sense of normalcy back home in South Bend while Mom is in Indy with Keely 24/7. I have a hard time imagining a single hour in either of their lives even when things are "normal" and everyone is healthy and at home!

Even though most of you don't know Keely and her family, please keep them in your prayers. Despite all their hardships in the past 3 years, they have given endless amounts love and laughter to everyone they meet - even if it is just through Keely's journal. (I encourage you read even just a few pages --- be prepared to laugh and cry.)

After a long day at work on Friday, I admit that I was feeling a bit like Eeyore, but I am back into perspective: the glass is half full, (not half empty). I was even lucky enough to catch Dad visiting today so we got to catch up on life after residency. His is much different than mine, but still . . . . . . Life is Good.

I know I am dating myself (which is easier and easier to do these days) but do you remember Hawaii Five-O? Can you hear the theme music? Can you feel your heart beat and the surf break? I still can - but Hawaii Two-O is even better.

Well, even if you missed the epic TV series Hawaii Five-O, here is a glimpse of our epic: Hawaii Two-O.

2010 is an epic year for us. We will celebrate our twentieth year of marriage. Sarah will graduate from high school. Rachel will start high school in the fall. Tracy and Nate will bless us with our first grandchild any day.

2009 was kind of rough: Sarah rolled her Jeep, Tracy had gallbladder surgery, Eric was laid off, my nurse of 17 years retired, Sarah injured her knee and spent most of her summer recovering from surgery and in a full-length knee brace, Steve tore his Achilles, Steve spent 5 days in the hospital with pneumonia, Grampa David was in the hospital, Gramma Jane was in the hospital, Gramma Bev was in and out and in and out of the hospital, Shadow (our dog) was in the hospital, Gramma Mary died, Rachel entered the public school system, Steve turned 50, Steve tore his Achillles again, Steve had his Achilles tendon repaired........

Nonetheless, we also had some very positive things happen: Sarah and I went to Guatemala on a mission trip with Hands of Hope, Eric and Angela were married, Sarah was honored with the Hearts of Gold award and my parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

Although I am a firm believer that "the glass is always half full," I will admit that I was not disappointed to see 2009 come to an end --- and did not set any high expectations for 2010.

Ergo Hawaii Two-O was an especially nice surprise Christmas present from Steve. (After all :o) I think he deserved to take me some place really nice.) This was not even touted as an anniversary trip, but that's OK. I won't even pout if he forgets Valentine's Day this year . . . . I'm just happy to be with my hubby. (Being in Paradise is just a perk --- as is having friends invite us to join them in Kawai!)

Now that you have made it through my long-winded preface, I hope you enjoy the rest of our journey . . . . we did.

Hawaii Two-O began with a few days alone on Maui.

The lava fields..........We saw an octopus while we were snorkeling!

The road to Hana (Nothing much there, but the road around the island is spectacular --- and an adventure!)

Then we headed to Kauai to spend a week with some very gracious friends (and mentors).
This was our home for the week on Poipu Beach.

. . . and my favorite surf shop.

Of course, I didn't spend a lot of time just sitting on the beach.........

One of many awesome running trails.

Our hosts, Brent and Karen, on our hike along the Napali Coast. (We left Steve on the beach down below.)

Spectacular even though it was hazy. (Gotta go back!)

Java stop :o)

Puff the Magic Dragon lived by the sea

and frolicked in the autumn mist

in a land called Hananlei . . .

I didn't see Puff, but I would go back in a flash to continue my childhood quest --- that I didn't know was real until now.

Thanks for Hawaii Two-O, Love

The Edgewood Tigers 8th Grade Volleyball Team finished their season today with another win.
Rachel, #13 and a newbie on the team, earned her spot as setter on this almost perfect team.
Today's victory in the conference championship put the Tigers 29-1 for the season.

Only one problem..............the #13 jersey was empty today because Rae was home sick with the swine flu :( As you can see, though, Rae's teammates kept her jersey on a chair during the entire tournament and even called her during a huddle!!! It still hurt to miss the grand finale to such a great season, but #13 still felt pretty special.

Rachel's setting style stuns the other team :)

The team, with #13, celebrating a victory earlier in the season

Today was also the finale for the Lakeland Christian Academy Cougars which means it was the final volleyball game of Sarah's senior year. (GULP!)

Unfortunately, the Cougars lost in the first round of the tournament. Unfortunately, (or fortunately) I was not there to see the end of the season because I was at home in the H1N1 infirmary with Rachel.

It was a tough season for the LCA volleyball team, but even though they did not close with a winning record, I saw Sarah come out victorious in every single match.

Despite the attitudes, antics and drama of her teammates (remember, they are teenmates), Sarah rose above it all in every single game. Despite being a strong hitter, she changed to setter early in the season to provide more leadership on the court. More importantly, however, she was the team's spiritual leader on and off the court. She never stopped cheering them on and her words of encouragement could always be heard above the crowd during every point of every game.

We all wish the team could have scored a few more points, but the most important victory was Sarah's.

When I suggested going to Portland for the wedding of my partner's daughter, my husband lovingly agreed:"As you wish." I knew he really wasn't excited about going to Portland, much less a wedding, but we both needed an excuse to get away for the weekend.

Little did he know that Portland was just a sprint away from the home of NIKE, an hour from the ocean, an hour from the mountains and just minutes from sidewalk cafes, waterfalls, rivers, gorges, glaciers, fine dining, Fifth Avenue shopping,and of course, extraordinary people watching. Steve was even impressed with the coffee :)

We couldn't do it all, but we sure tried. (We'll be back.)

The wedding was elegant, simple yet sophisticated and just a whole lotta fun.

We especially enjoyed the company of Peter and Virginia from Austria. (Virginia is my partner's sister.) At the reception, they treated everyone to a Vienna waltz. Now we need to brush up on the waltz as well as the opera.......Peter and Virginia insist on taking all their guests to the opera in Vienna and you can be assured that we have every intention of being their guests!!!

Until then, something seems to be calling us back home...........

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.

Doctor, lawyer, and Indian (YMCA) chief . . . PLUS a preacher, computer guru, 6-time BMX national champ/bicycle salesman, and a college student.

This unlikely mix of testosterone was actually a father-son ski trip to Steamboat.

Unfortunately, the doctor and the preacher arrived a day too late - the day after Steve and Eric arrived.

The GOOD news: this is NOT a picture of Steve.

The BAD news: this IS a picture of Eric's shoulder after his second run of the day. The rest of the day was spent in the Yampa Valley ER and then trying to dull the pain and sorrow. (Eric and Angela went to Utah to ski in February. They never got to hit the slopes because they both got hit by the influenza instead.)

So what do you think happened the next day? (Steamboat had a record-setting snowfall this year and unprecedented fresh powder even for spring skiing.)

Yep, Eric skied. (But he did admit to his lapse in judgment - and the painful price he paid.) Surgery is April 17th.

. . . and don't let yourself be subject to peer pressure, even if it is a cute blonde!

Little Miss E makes an adorable chickadee!

The annual Cancer Gala included the annual black tie cruise. Just moments after we picked up Buzz and Jane, we felt a few raindrops. We didn't even have time to leave the pier before we were showered and soaking wet. Thanks to Steve for covering the cockpit while the rest of us ran for cover.

The Lake City Skiers had their final show of the season over Labor Day weekend before an overflowing crowd. Here are some highlights of the National Championship show.

In the exhibition "junior show" before the main event, Sarah decided to jump. She had tried it 3 times, so why not?

(Hey, we're a low budget club . . . so I don't get to quit my day job!)

 

Division I, here we come!!!

We all have friends that we love to hate.

You know, the ones that are perfect, but they're SO perfect that they're genuine and humble.

Well, my perfect friend Carole hosted a little surprise birthday party for my other perfect friend, Lynnette . . . . . . and it really was a perfect surprise!

The birthday girl was prepared for a casual boat ride, but she looks perfect for the party, doesn't she?

Notice the perfect table setting and the perfect weather! I'm sure can guess how the dinner and dessert were too!

Carole and Lynnette. (They, along with Marsha in Steamboat, are the top 3 hostesses in the world!)

Dave shows his soft, sentimental side and raises a toast to "The Love of My Life."

And as Dave frequently says,"PERRRRRFECT!"

School's out for summer . . . and while everyone else was enjoying 90 degree weather in Indiana, we enjoyed an unexpected winter squall on our way to Steamboat Springs, CO.

The climate (and temperament) however, quickly changed.

Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Everyone says that if you love Colorado in the winter, you will love it even more in the summer.

I first fell in love with Steamboat as a teen. For almost twenty years, our family spent a week every spring skiing in and out of Townhouse 28 in Storm Meadows. We made moguls of family memories together and my dad and I celebrated many birthdays together on the mountain. Steamboat and I even shared our 40th together a few years ago --- and even though it had been almost ten years since we had been there, it still felt like home.

So . . . for a homesick, homebody like me, I was elated when our friends invited us to be their guests on Storm Mountain.

The unexpected winter weather proved to be short, but dramatic.

Our hosts, Bill and Marsha, redefined "all-inclusive" by showing us overwhelmingly genuine hospitality and 10-star accomodations. We quickly felt at home and immensely enjoyed their company over gourmet dinners, hiking, horesback riding, fishing and while simply enjoying the view. I truly believe that they enjoyed pampering us as much as we enjoyed being pampered!

Marsha and Bill in the kitchen --- one of Bill's favorite spots.

Brandy (and Rachel)

We were also blessed to share this time with my parents.

(Mac always goes on vacation with us too.)

HIKING

HORSEBACK RIDING

MORE HIKING . . . more challenging

TRADITION: Stones from June Falls

Along the way . . .

FISHING

CATCHING!!!

Life is Good!

ONTO THE NEXT ADVENTURE:

White-water rafting down Clear Creek in Idaho Springs.

Rachel had a BLAST and is ready for bigger rapids. Sarah doesn't like the wetsuits, helmuts or cold water, but still had fun too.

From Clear Creek, we headed to Longmont to visit our friends Brandon & Kim and their girls Sydney & Reagan. We were greeted with HUGE hugs and kisses from the girls even though the last time we visited, Sydney was just a baby and Reagan wasn't even a twinkle yet.

Our reception was so warm (94 degrees) that we headed to Water World for the day.

The Lazy River

The Lazy River ala Reagan & Steve

The next day was 50ish and raining --- a good day for 4-wheeling.

Steve and I chickened out when we hit these rapids the first time, but Brandon and Steve went back and powered through it.

Sarah and Rachel were content to stay on the fire trails while we chased in the Hummer.

We also amused ourselves playing Nintendo Wii on Brandon's BIG screen . . . . and playing with Sydney and Reagan.

Our last look at the Rockies: the view from Brandon and Kim's house.

" Messy Eggs" at the Brown Bag Deli for breakfast
New polka-dot shoes
Chocolate chip star-shaped muffins from Kaila
Birthday serenade from Mr. Shafer in the cafetorium at lunch
Four tests and a pop quiz in geometry
Flowers from Jamie, Kaila and Josh
Driver's Learning Permit (but after "beauty mark" on lip goes away)
New slippers for Princess from Daddy (Nike high jump shoes and Nike throwing shoes)
Track practice in the rain --- muddy new shoes =:o(
Dinner at Cerulean with Mom, Dad and Rachel
New clothes
Old movies: "Breakfast at Tiffany's" (Also one of Tracy's favorite movies)
New old movies: "Dream Girls"
Heartwarming movies: "A Walk to Remember" "The Noteboook"
Dance movies: "Step Up"
Silver cross
Steady faith
Chocolate cake

* * * CELEBRATE ! ! !

And we're not done yet!!!

Poppyseed chicken for classmates at school tomorrow
Family festivities TBA --- and TBSIS (to be squeezed in somehow)

Sarah and I spent the weekend near Michigan City at a volleyball tournament. The girls played 8 games on Saturday and were so pooped that they could barely even shop the outlet mall. Even with three teens (Sarah, Logan and Kaila) in one hotel room, it was a quiet night.

This morning, while the girls were still sleeping, I headed to Lake Michigan for a run. I pulled into the park at Mount Baldy where I have been several times before, but was amazed at what I saw.

Full-grown trees were "swimming" in the sand. (The early morning lighting was so awesome it even made a great photo on my cell phone, but unfortunatley, I left my real camera at the hotel. I went back to Mount Baldy about an hour later, but the lighting wasn't nearly as good.)

My running trail . . . . .came to an abrupt halt.

The living dune smothers anything in its path; the shifting sand is stunningly and clearly powerful.

Don't let the 2-D photo fool you. These dunes are definitely, dwarfing 3-D!

I was surprised to discover that neither Logan or Kaila had ever been to The Dunes. I drove them by for a quick peek but I'm sure they still cannot fathom what is on the other side and beyond.

Meanwhile, Rachel stayed home so that she could go to her friend Miranda's house for the night . . . and spend the night on the town in the limo!

I left her my camera.

(There were lots more.)

Steve was left behind to do guy stuff --- clean the garage, fertilize the yard, play with fire . . . . .

Still not sure what happened, but soon after we got home tonight, the back forty was in the midst of a wildfire. The Jungbauer fire department responded promptly and decisively. No casualties or property damage other than an acre or two of burnt grass.

LCA went to the Final Four last weekend. We ended up #4, but still had a season to be proud of.

Speaking of four, here are the Fab 4 Freshman.

Sarah, Kayla, Logan and Jamie

Now we're off and running again . . . (track season), but the ice came off the lake on the 15th and Steve put the pier in on the Saint Paddy's Day.

We're all ready for more GREEN!!!

Tradition with a Twist

We began Rachel's birthday celebration last week at Winona Lake's newest Mediterranean-Sushi fusion restaurant, The Cerulean.

Rachel began planning her sushi celebration a year ago. Every year she puts a new twist on tradition, and every year the celebration seems to last longer and longer.

The traditional slumber party: complete with Poppyseed Chicken, Hide-and-Seek, facials, a dip in the hot tub, "The Worst of American Idol," charades, Silly String fights, ice cream "cake," cinnamon rolls and hazelnut chocolate chip scones for breakfast and a fresh bouquet of roses from Big Sissy, Tracy.

Rae ended the day with an afternoon of shopping in the city with Mom, Dad, and Sarah.

Just one of many rainbows we saw that day.

We closed the week-long celebration with home-made sushi and Gramma Stands' chop suey.

Since we somehow missed the traditional breadstick birthday photo, the chopsticks worked just fine!

Last weekend I taught a barefoot clinic for the Lake City Skiers.

I had a dozen footers from fourth grade to forty-something . . . I didn't make any money, but the pay-off was still great.

I had so much fun, I barely had time to get cleaned up for the 10th annual Cancer Gala.

Steve and I always go by boat and it is about the only time that I actually get in the picture!
(Who wouldn't want to be photo'd with such a handsome guy?!?)

First Day of School

Rachel and Kensea, 5th Grade

From the Central Region Show Ski Association . . .

Lake City Skiers Win DII Nationals

The Lake City Skiers gave a stunning performance Saturday at the 2006 Nationals held at the Water Hawks show site in Evansdale, Ia.

With only two falls in their entire show the Lake City Skiers brought the crowd to their feet from the opening act as they did a barefoot pyramid slingshot around the jump. Things didn't stop there as act after act left the dock and returned to the main stage.

The Lake City Skiers won with a score of 1704. The team also took home every piece of hardware at the tournament with best male skier going to Jakim Wilson and best female skier going to Angela Malcolm. If you missed this tournament, you missed one of the best water ski shows ever performed. Congratulations to The Lake City Skiers from Warsaw, In.

The Ski Broncs finished 2nd with 1428 points and the Bayside Skiers finished 3rd with 1344 points. The Hartwick Huskies rounded out the competion with 1284 points.

Lake City Skiers Win Malibu Division 2
Show Ski National Championships

The Lake City Skiers of Warsaw, Ind., won the team title Saturday at the sixth annual Malibu Division 2 Show Ski National Championships at Eagle Lake in Evansdale, Iowa. Lake City swept all of the team box scores and tallied 1,706 points to win the title in convincing fashion. Hosted by the Waterhawks Ski Team, the tournament featured more than 300 athletes.

So . . . we didn't make the front page of the Times Union, but we will have a feature article and photos in Thursday's "Leisure" section. Stay tuned.

Details to follow tomorrow . . . . . on the front page of the Times Union!

Despite high winds, river currents, recreational boaters and a few unexpected guest appearances by the LCS swim team, the Lake City Skiers still held their reign as the Central Region Division II Champs.

We are proud to announce the graduation of Eric Steven Jungbauer
from the Mississippi College School of Law.

It was a weekend of celebration with an extended, blended family plus two special friends.

But there is something extra special about sisters . . .

. . . and that "something" is part of the reason why we also packed a U-Haul to move Bubby back to Indiana.

Not only will he be completing another year of post-graduate work in healthcare law, but he will also be busy keeping an eye on his two littlest sisters. (As you'll see below, it seems that someone else is keeping a very close eye on his other little sister.)

(Hopefully his friend Angela, won't get jealous.)

So after all the work was done, we played . . .

We ate . . .

And we finally got to meet Nate!!!

(I think he was a bit overwhelmed, but not enough to sway his unofficial, but honorable intentions.)

Law and Order . . . . . . Celebrate!

Every year the 4th grade class at Sacred Heart takes a 3-day camping trip to the Indiana Dunes. Although they sleep in cabins and have indoor plumbing including hot showers, this is still quite an adventure for some of the kids. Highlights of the trip include the solo night hike, the eight-hour day hike, running down the sand dunes, playing the "Salmon Run Game" at the lakeshore, and, of course, the campfire with silly songs and S'mores.

(Rachel is on the left in the cowboy hat.)

Everything they do from dawn until dusk for three days has an eco-lesson hidden in it somewhere, but they're having so much fun, they don't realize how much they're learning. They even look forward to kitchen duty and were sucessful in not having ANY food waste at meal time.

The last day of the trip, they met with a park Ranger. They split into groups and were each assigned a "dilemma" for which each group had to present a skit on how to solve the dilemma.

Some of the dilemmas were erosion and biochemical waste. Rachel's group had to solve the dilemma of what to do about the over-population of deer. They definitely walked away with the Emmy Award for "Deer or No Deer," a take-off of the popular (for reasons I do not understand) TV show "Deal or No Deal."

(A hunter and a frightened deer are on the left. Rachel is in the back holding one of the "suitcases.")

This week was Catholic Schools week at Sacred Heart. It's a week full of special activites that highlight and promote the virtues of Catholic education. It's also a week of fun stuff for the students and teachers to help fight the winter blues.

Each student was asked to write something about Sacred Heart that is special or important. Two students from each class were then chosen, based on what they had written, to go down to one of our local radio stations, (WRSW, 107.3) and record their "blurb" that was then broadcast all week long to advertise for Catholic schools and Sacred Heart.

In case you weren't tuned in, this is what Rachel had to say: " At Sacred Heart, even though I am not Catholic, I feel accepted for who I am."

This is Dr. J on "parent day" with Chef Kensea.

O my gosh!!! My daughter will most likely threaten to disown me (again) for posting this, but how could I resist? (Please help me out and cast your vote of support by posting lots of comments.)

New Year's Eve is typically a non-event for Steve and I. (Steve can barely stay up past 9 pm on a "late night," so New Year's Eve requires an extra-rigorous training schedule of multiple naps before midnight.)

New Year's Eve IS a big deal to Sarah and Rachel. When they were younger, they loved the challenge of trying to stay awake until midnght. They quickly learned that "if you stop, you drop." Staying up past midnight is certainly not a challenge anymore -- except for Steve.

Several years ago Anna (who is also my Godchild) came over for New Year's Eve and another tradition was started. Apparently, Anna is the only one her household that likes to stay up late --- or perhaps it's just that Anna is the only one her house that doesn't need beauty sleep????

Enough rambling. Here's what I found in my camera from New Year's Eve.

(Steve was sound asleep on the couch and I was at the hospital waiting to catch the New Year's baby. I had 2 ladies close to delivery at midnight and then my colleage did a C-section to bring in the first baby of the New Year. I hate cheaters!)

Not bad for amatuers, eh?

It wasn't officially homecoming, but it certainly felt like it when Steve took us back to Minnesota this weekend.

Steve was invited back to his alma mater to be inducted into the Hamline Athletic Hall of Fame. We received red-carpet treatment including brunch at the President's house, priority parking, tail-gating passes and seats on the 50-yard line to watch the Hamline Pipers football team.

At halftime, the Hall of Fame inductees were introduced on the football field. Almost before the announcements were over, Steve and team-mate David Wenberg were greeted on the track by their mentor and coach, Kent Stahly. Even Coach's wife remarked on how good it was to see "her boys" again.

The day culminated in a dinner ceremony and each inductee gave a tribute about their experience at Hamline. No one talked about winning, but each one talked about the wealth of love and learning outside the classroom at Hamline.

For Four years, Steve was a point-producing member of the Hamline Track and Field team which earned him four varsity letters. Steve's event was the pole vault and during his time at Hamline he set the school record for both the indoor and outdoor events. He also added numerous meet and conference records to his resume during that time. For his accomplishments, Steve was honored as a four time All-MIAC performer and awarded All-American status in 1979 and 1980 at the national indoor and outdoor meets.

Team-mate, fellow pole vaulter and and co-inductee David Wenberg '83 also publically recognized Steve at the Hall of Fame ceremony for teaching him how to break Steve's records. Steve was also inducted into the Hamline Hall of Fame several years ago with the 1980 Men's Track & Field Team.

Appropriately, Steve's Hall of Fame plaque will hang in the original field house and in the same corner where he used to pole vault.

Both girls have decided against going to Hamline --- It's too cold!

We saw Steve's dad who was just around the corner from our hotel in a rehab center recovering from a hip fracture and we even connected with the Senator and the Sister too.

The rest of Mike's clan even met us for an early breakfast before we headed back home. (I'm not sure if they really got up early to see us or because they were headed to the Packers' game.) Nevertheless, we enjoyed reminiscing and razzing together. I'm always amazed at the stories that surface when they get together.

The Lakeland volleyball season closed this weekend. In stark contrast to last year, this year's record was almost flawless.

LCA went into the final tournament as the #1 seed. Although the photos make it appear as though the tournament was won by just one player, it was a great team effort.

The fans also put forth a great deal of effort in the championship match as they cheered the team on to win 25-23, 24-25 and 15-14! WHEW!

Today was Rachel's birthday. She is as old as the rest of us now, you know . . . . . double digits!

She will also remind you that she is not merely 10. She is a "Zero Teen."

She hosted her birthday party in Hollywood and --- you guessed it --- took center stage.

Here is an unusual package . . .

Amazingly, Rachel's cousins, Samantha (8) and Jeff (5) are both comfortably inside this box that is not much bigger than a microwave!

The annual Cancer Gala was held at Tippecanoe Lake Country Club again this year. My favorite part of the night is the boat ride to the Club in our formal attire.

This year we had the pleasure of escorting Bill & Krisce Myers and Bart & Cinda Culver.

We found the quaintest little B&B. It's set back from the rest of the world down it's own private, tree-lined lane. The rooms have lakefront views, sizzling sunsets, cool evening breezes --- and even wireless internet access (but no cable TV). Other ammenities include the lakefront hot tub, free pontoon and Jet-Ski rides, unlimited pier access and sundeck time, and even an old-fashioned porch swing. Other activties include sailing, skiing, tubing, cycling, or just relaxing while the waves hit the seawall and the boats pass by. You can get a cappuccino in the morning, a cabernet at night and even a personal trainer if you time your visit right. (There is even an in-house physician.)

The guestbook shows visitors who have traveled from as far away as Minnesota, Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi --- and even England and Iceland!!!

Aren't we lucky to call this B&B home?

We had the pleasure of hosting Carol and two of her friends from Iceland, Maria and Loa , for about a week. I must confess, however, that the reason for their visit was not because of our B&B's reputation. They came because Clay Aiken was touring and made two stops in Indiana.

Nonetheless, we still exposed them to some of the more important things here in our little world --- The Wagon Wheel Theater, The Lake City Skiers ski show, Poppyseed Chicken, and Sweet Corn Charlie's corn-on-the-cob.

Although our guests did enjoy several of the other ammenities, they spent most of their free time on the internet checking out the latest Clay-crazy web-sites.

They definitely got Clay's attention at the Indiana State Fair concert with these signs.

I think we might see them again.

Rachel and her buddy Kensea started fourth grade today.

(Make-up, hair and costume design by Tracy.)

Ya'll just missed a great weekend in Rock Island, Illinois. The 90-plus degree temps fired up the Lake City Skiers and they won second place at the Division II National Show Ski Tournament!!!

Seven teams and nearly 1000 skiers competed in the two-day showcase of amazing "feets" on water. We were by far the smallest (yet mightiest) team with approximately 30 skiers. Most teams were at least twice our size.

Our show director, Jakim, also won the most prestigous award of "Best Male Skier" and another LCS team member, Tracey, won the individual swivel ski competition.

For those of you unfamiliar with show skiing, it is a unique multi-generational, co-ed sport that requires more than just doing tricks on water. There is a theme or story that ties all the stunts together into a great, entertaining show even if you don't really appreciate all the talent on the water.

This year the Lake City Skiers present: The Dukes of Hazzard.

Unfortunately, our dukes took the hazzard theme a little too seriously.

Just about a week before Nationals, Angie took a fall off the top of the barefoot pyramid that took everyone's breath away and probably cracked a few ribs. She was tough enough to get back on the pyramid at Nationals, but another fall made her a spectator for the rest of the show.

During our practice time on Friday, Enus (Keaton) flipped off the starting dock and hit his heel on a rock. His heel immediately became one big blood blister with a nice slice too. So much for any barefoot acts.....

Saturday was Kim's turn with a migraine. It resolved by Sunday morning, but left her still heaving and weak. Thanks to my hubby/GOFER Steve and a quick pharmacy run to get a "magic bullet," Kim was looking pale pink instead of gray green before showtime. WHEW!!!

BUT..........Just minutes before the show, Bo Duke (Jakim) was helping another team get their boat out of the water . . . . he stepped on something in the water and sliced open his heel! OUCH!!! I was in the stands waiting for the show to begin when I got the 9-1-1 call. With a little modern medicine and a lot of duct tape, Bo was back into action just in time for the show.

Did you notice anything unusual in the pictures?!?

Yeah, you got a rare glimpse of my mug but . . . . Did you really look at the picture of Rachel up above?

It's Rachel sitting on Bubby's lap!!!

Bubby surprised us and flew up from Mississippi for the weekend just to see his littlest sister compete. It was a great surprise for all of us. He was already Rachel and Sarah's favorite brother, but this just secured his standing in first place.

SHOWTIME!!!

Here are some highlights from Nationals.

All lined up . . .

Barefoot pyramid

Opening pyramid (Rachel is in the middle doing an "angel.")

Enus and Daisy as little tykes

Little tykes Bo and Luke get scolded by Enus

Enus takes mug shots of Bo and Luke Duke

The Ballet Line at the Boar's Nest

You girls need to find yourself a dancin' partner

How 'bout them two studs in the cowboy hats?

Roscoe goes fishin'

Boss Hog and Lulu join the dance competition

There seems to be a little mix-up

Uncle Jessie gives Roscoe some "advice"

Bo does some fancy dancin'

Staggered pyramid (slightly abbreviated)
(Rachel is on top of the right 3-tier pyramid)

Swivel ski

Tracey shows off her award-winning swivel ski form

Roscoe looks worried

Barefoot line

Daisy calls the Duke boys

Bo and Luke jump over Hazzard Hill

Jail break

Footloose

Time to raise that stoplight

Yee-Haw!!! (Rachel is the top of the right pyramid)

Celebrate!!!

Sound crew

Coordination crew (youngest LCS member enclosed)

Clean-up crew

LCS Crew and Support Crew

Time to relax and cool down

Oh yeah, Sarah came along too, but she didn't spend much time with us.
(Did I mention that this was a co-ed team?!?)

Our Star on the Water with Bubby and our host for the show, Ty

You can still see The Dukes of Hazzard on Hidden Lake every Sunday at 5:00 pm and every Tuesday at 6:30 pm through Labor Day.

*** (I apologize to all the LCS stars that didn't get highlighted in any photos, but LCS couldn't do it without you!!!)

Rachel spent the week at Camp Crosley with her cousin and cabin-mate Samantha.

In their words, "It was a blast!!!"

Meanwhile, Sarah entertained a dozen of her closest friends . . .

The "big girls" camped too --- but only as far away as the extension cord would reach!

This is my idea of a foot spa!

Guaranteed to give you the best foot massage money can buy --- or the most reknowned barefooter in history, Ron Scarpa, wouldn't drive one!

WHOA!!!!

CAUTION!!! DANGER!!! WARNING!!!

Please sit down before you read any further!!!

If you didn't already notice, I changed religion! After years of agonizing, my Nautique freak days are over and it's Malibu instead. (I'm certain my gray hairs have doubled because of this stressful dilema.)

For those of you who are clueless as to the magnitude of my Malibu moment, it would be like the Pope changing from Catholocism to Buddhism . . . . like my dad changing from Mac to IBM . . . . like my husband changing from Nike to Addidis!!!!

NOW do you get it?!?!

So . . . . . since I made a leap of faith, I decided that I should let the Almightly Barefooter himself, help me break it in.

Ron Scarpa was here for a week-long barefooting clinic again this year.

Here he is driving my boat =:o)

. . . and being goofy with my girls . . .

Even Sarah and Rachel enjoyed the "foot spa" with Scarpa.

Here's Sarah barefooting in "the swing."

Rachel shows off her form on "shoe skis."

Relaxing (and warming up) between sets.

Now whatchya doin' Rae?!?

When we broke for lunch, Rachel decided she wanted Ron's autograph.

Rachel has barely take the shirt off since!

I guess we're all a bit goo-goo over Ron, but as tempting as it sounds, I promise I won't shave my head! (Like my buddy Bob)

I got an autograph too --- when Ron came over to personally adjust the Scarpa barefoot plate on my boat.

Now I have a Limited Edition Ron Scarpa Signature Series Malibu Response LXI.

Not bad for amatuers!!!

Here are the spa queens, Anne, Renee and Sarah all dressed up for the Graduation Ball at Culver Academy. Anne's sister just graduated from Culver and was kind enough to allow her little sister's friends to join the celebration too.

The day at the "spa" was actually after the Ball --- proof that these ladies DO NOT NEED a spa!!!

. . . so the girls decided they deserved a day at the spa!!!

Sarah enjoys a manicure. Another potato chip, Madam?

Anna relaxes in the foot spa while waiting for her facial to reverse the aging process.

We spent the last few days of spring break with a small circle of girls in Circle City . . . aka Indianapolis.

We stayed within a few footsteps of the city's icon, Monument Circle, and since we had to walk around the Circle to get to the Circle Center Mall, I circled the girls up for a photo.

Rachel, Johanna, Sarah and Kaila

If you're dizzy just reading this, think how we felt . . . especially when they hailed down a limo!!!

(Not really, but they wanted to!!!)

We also spent some time at the world's largest and best children's museum that Indiana can proudly claim as it's own. I was amazed to hear soon-to-be-thirteen Sarah suggest the Children's Museum herself as we were planning our trip.

Hopefully none of us will ever be too old for carousel rides, Connect Four, Mr. Potato Head, Tic-Tac-Toe, or Puppet shows!!!

. . . and never too old to hold hands.

Believe it or not, this photo of Sarah and Rachel hand-in-hand was NOT posed!

Here are the results of Sarah's fashion show and "photo shoot" back in August.

Fortunately, she did capture a glimpse of our enduring moment on film.
(Click on "enduring moment" to refresh your memory.)

Notice the fan AKA "wind machine" behind Judge Rachel and the lights on the runway.

No school today because of snow!

Since it also happened to be my "day off," I took the girls BOWLING!

(For me, this was quite a sacrifice. There are not very many things in life that I really dislike, but bowling is one of them. It's the whole atmosphere that is appalling to me: the smoke, the shoes that hundreds of grungy feet have worn before me, the "athletes" who have more tatoos than teeth . . .)

As parents, we make incredible sacrifices for our children.

Rachel shows off her perfect bowling form . . .

. . . and finishes in style!

Sarah bowls a STRIKE!

Obviously, these are not ordinary bowlers . . .
Only teenage girls have to make a fashion statement when they bowl!

Do you know the way to San Jose?

If we did, we would have been a lot happier . . . seems we had a little problem with our flight reservations.

When we broke the news to the girls, they wanted the good news first, so I asked:

"Where is the one place in the US that you would most like to go?"

Sarah immediately replied, "California!"

"Where in California would you like to go?"

"San Francisco!"

"Well, the good news is that we are going to San Francisco. The bad news is that we aren't going to Costa Rica with the Myers."

Because of an airline snafu, we accidentally ended up in San Jose, California rather than San Jose, Costa Rica.

BUMMER!!!

Did you hear about the record-setting rainfall in California last week?
The mud slides? The flash floods? The washed-out roads? The earthquake?

In keeping with the Jungbauer vacation "adventure" tradition, we were there!

(We don't expect sympathy --- we felt sorry enough for ourselves.)

This pretty well sums up the majority of our trip.

Did you know it was warmer in Indiana than it was in California?

Notice the flood of water that is making a 12-inch wake around the sign post.
At the coast, what was once a trickle of a stream eroded away a four-foot wall.

A refreshing wet picture.

It stopped raining just long enough for a rare family photo
at the Golden Gate Bridge.

A brief glimpse of Napa - and a brief glimpse of sunshine!

Monterey is a quiet little coastal town about 60 miles south of San Francisco. This is "home" to Cannery Row, about which the infamous novelist John Steinbeck wrote.

The infamous cypress tree of Pebble Beach.

One of my favorite parts of the trip was driving on US 1 along the coast. Unfortunately, Rachel turned green in the back seat and Sarah, like Grampa David, couldn't watch. The photos fail to do justice to the dramatic coastline drive.

Photos don't do justice to the redwoods either.

If you look, you can always find something positive.

It has become a Jungbauer tradition to build gingerbread houses before Christmas. In years past, we have transformed the entire garage into a gingerbread studio --- and filled it with a flurry of giggly, wiggly girls.

The tradtion actually began with our friends, the Myers, who hosted our first gingerbread party. It was a wonderful multi-generation afternoon of making memories with our dear friend Pat Oppenheim and her 90-some year-old father, Mr. Harrison.

We quickly discovered that the adults were much too helpful --- and needed their own gingerbread houses to build!

Here is Steve's masterpiece from last year.

This year was just as chaotic as always despite a smaller number of construction workers. My nephew, Jeffery was definitely the most intense worker, and also the youngest at age four. He outlasted all the girls and paid the most attention to detail.

Jeffery proudly displays (and tastes) his masterpiece along with his sister Samantha.

Obviously, all that work was exhausting . . .

Sarah's basketball team rang the bell for the Salvation Army at Wal-Mart today. Passersby were also treated to Christmas carols and lots of great smiles. There weren't very many people that could pass by without dropping something in the bucket. One gentleman was so inspired their good will and cheer that he dropped three one-hundred dollar bills in the bucket!

One of our newest traditions is to attend the hospital's Cancer Gala each year. It's a fund-raiser held every September at the Lake Tippecanoe Country Club. I refer to it as "Prom Night" as it is usually the only black-tie affair we attend each year. Even Steve enjoys donning his tux . . . and I adore how he looks in it!!!

The most important part of the tradition, however, is that we ALWAYS arrive at the Gala by boat. I'm sure that some people just think they have sun stroke, but others give us a toast of approval as we cruise by. Even the fishermen are briefly distracted.

The pre-Gala cruise is definitely a highlight of the evening, yet very few believe us when we tell them how we arrived, so here is the photo to prove it.

We talked our friends, Buzz and Jane Kauffman, into joining us for the pre-Gala cruise a couple of years ago . . . and they have not missed it since.

In years past, we've also had some wonderful post-Gala cruising . . . sometimes with a boat full of friends and other times just with the full moon. One year we skiied five guys in tuxes after the Gala!!! (That was before Steve bought a tux.)

Last year's Gala was memorable for a very different reason. One of the auction items was a new pontoon. We had actually been thinking of upgrading our "vintage" pontoon for something a bit more spacious, comfortable and "Shadow friendly" i.e. it had to have tan carpet to conceal our Golden Retriever/Lab's hair. The pontoon had ALL the features we were looking for. It also seemed like the perfect time to make our donation to the Cancer Care Fund as my grandmother was dying from colon cancer.

She never got to take a ride on the "Marge Barge" and died only a few weeks later on September 18th, but we all remember her fondly on every cruise we take.

Today I barefooted with Ron Scarpa. In fact, I spent the last 3 evenings sharing dinner and life with him as well.

To most of you, that means nothing. Many of you may not even know what barefoot waterskiing is . . . but it is one of my passions.

To put things into perspective, Ron Scarpa is to barefooting what Tiger Woods is to golf, what Michael Jordan is to basketball, what Jeff Gordon is to NASCAR, what . . . Do you get the picture?!?

Scarpa is THE greatest barefooter of all time and I had the privelage of just hangin' out and footin' with him.

The real credit and gratitude goes to my footin' buddy (and Scarpa look-alike) Bob Ragland who arranged for Scarpa to come up here and teach a clinic for 3 days. Unfortunately, Ron had to head back home to Florida a little early to help his wife with the aftermath of Hurricane Charlie. We all enjoyed his companionship and coaching and certainly hope to bring him back next summer. It's really inspiring to work and play with a world-class athlete.

Here are 3 of my footin' family members pictured with Scarpa: Bob Ragland, Jon Mark, and Kyle Downey. (Not pictured: Patrick Pfefferkorn) Obviously, that is me with Scarpa in the corner photo. I think it's safe to say that I am the only one that Ron kissed good-bye . . .

Sarah started 7th grade today. It's Jr. High at Lakeland Christian Academy and she was definitely high with excitement.

LCA Rocks!!!

A picture is worth a thousand words but a thousand words could not begin to describe what I saw in my living room this morning at 4 AM.

Imagine 2 pre-teens girls and one wanna-be little sister who just returned from an evening of shopping . . .

They were delighted to model their bargains --- and indeed, they were frugal, not foolish in their expenditures. (Steve and I were delighted that they were finally home so that we could go to bed.)

We then agreed that they could stay up until 11 PM. (Next time I will be sure to specify in which time zone.)

By the time I realized why my sleep was so fragmented, it was 4 AM and my living room had been transformed into a fashion stage complete with runway lights and a wind machine. It was a colossal mess with clothes, furniture, clothes, food, clothes, CDs, clothes, make-up and clothes everywhere!!!

Finally at 5 AM, the girls tucked themselves into bed and Steve and I started our day. Steve went downstairs to let Shadow outside and returned. "You've got to go downstairs and see what the girls did." I cringed at the thought of the mess that was left behind despite my no-nonsense orders to clean it up.

Much to my surprise, the fashion stage was miraculously transformed back into my neat and tidy living room and despite the restless night, I still went to work refreshed and with a smile.

1 Mom
2 Shots of espresso
6 Twelve-year old girls
100 Stores to shop in
1000 Dresses to choose from

I had the privelage of making memories with my daughter and her friends on Memorial Day. We shopped 'til we dropped in a mission to find the perfect dress for Sixth Grade Graduation.

I had no idea that Sixth Grade Graduation was such a big event. In fact, I doubt it means much at other schools but it is a special milestone in the lives of those at Sacred Heart. Most of the 24 graduates have been together since pre-school. They have shared First Communion, Thanksgiving Feasts, Frog-in-the-Bog, reading buddies, family groups, countless Prime-Time Sleep-overs, Hot Dog Days and Masses, plus an entire week together at Camp High Hope. They have been eating, sleeping, playing and praying together for more than half their lives . . .

They graduate with a priceless gift of Sacred Memories from Sacred Heart.

Oh . . . and we did find the perfect dress.
Believe it or not, it only cost $30 --- and 300 gray hairs!!!

It has become tradition to take a wildflower walk every May with our beloved friend (and local wildflower expert) Pat Oppenheim. In years past, she has always blessed us with a personally guided tour --- and quiz --- on all the different wildflowers. This year, she's nursing a broken hip but was still gracious enough to let us enjoy her sanctuary.

We went a little later in May than usual and missed the triumphant display of trillium, but saw an entirely new blanket of wildflowers instead.

Below is the "sugar shack" (where maple syrup was once made) with a blanket of nameless and numberless wildflowers in the foreground. My buddy Rae joined me on the hike and then enjoyed a chat with Pat by the pond.

And . . . believe it or not, Pat usually pays us before we leave --- with fresh produce from the garden!!!

We have a group of 4 couples that get together for dinner every couple of months. This month our hostess challenged our taste buds and culinary skills with an ethnic flare.

I was in charge of the appetizers . . .

Despite the chilly water temps, Sarah and her buddies wanted to tube at Sarah's birthday party yesterday. All but one took the plunge - unintentionally. Even though they wouldn't stay in the water long enough for me to take their picture, they were good sports.

Not pictured: Erin pouting because Sarah got to"ski" before she did!

(About an hour later, I finally got my feet wet for the first time this year. It just doesn't seem right that my daughter should tube before I get to barefoot!)

Our neighbor's nephew, Jay Reed, tried out a new fishing lure yesterday. Four casts later, he caught a 13 pound muskie - off the end of our pier!!! Jay's dad, John, stands proudly on the left while Uncle Mark King braving holds the trophy-worthy catch.

By the way, it hit 85 here yesterday. It was great to taste summer again!

Displayed here are 2 of the hottest (coolest?) items at Sacred Heart School.
The shoes have also taken the school by storm! Fortunately, the dress code does not address shoes. (My guess is that the nuns are wearing them under their habits too!)

It takes 1 week to get ready for vacation and at least 2 weeks to catch up after vacation . . . hence the time delay in posting our latest adventure.

In March, we travelled to Longmont, CO where we met Bubby (aka Eric) and his friend Stephanie. Steve had an Orion Software board of directors summit at Keystone. Brandon Fuller, the President of Orion himself, along with his charming wife and daughter, hosted our short break from reality.