Elf Yourself

If you have not experienced one of these Christmas greetings yet, you are in for a treat...if you have, I hope you too have elfed yourself! You're just a click away!

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1133173078

Happy Advent!

Love, Lauren

The Tackiest of Tacky Christmas Party

The Catholic Young Adult group in KC is thriving. There are a group of girls that live together in Brookside and so they graciously hosted a large party, but the requirement was that you wore tacky Christmas attire. Here are a few pics of us prior to and at the party...

Turkey!

To celebrate Thanksgiving at school I decided to make my students some cookies on the last day before break. I knew that they could not handle them until the end of the hour. That way I didn't have to feel the repercussion of sugar and crumbs!

First hour had the best reaction. Near the end of the hour I told them that I had a treat for them. So out of the desk, I pulled out an aluminum turkey pan that was filled with turkey cookies....These students had the best reactions. One student yells out, "Ms. D, did you bring us turkey?" I responded, "Yeah, it's thanksgiving!" The student couldn't believe that I would bring turkey to class. (Keep in mind, it's 8:30 in the morning!). I had them so convinced that they responded, "Ms. D, don't you care about your other students? They are going to get food poisoning!" Upon that response, I came around with the pan and offered some "turkey."

Thanksgiving Round 1

Thanksgiving Day was filled with the Turkey Trot / CC Reunion...then off to the 100th anniversary of the Kirkwood HS vs. Webster HS Turkey Day Football Game....so I went to witness a little piece of history...then that afternoon, I stopped by Dad's to see the family, then that afternoon I headed to the Jamboretz's for the Carmody gathering! It was a full day, but a great day!

We also celebrated my grandparents' 53rd Wedding Anniversary!

Here's a glimpse!



Then onto celebrate with the Carmodys...

Happy Anniversary Grandma and Grandpa!

Thanksgiving Round 2

Just before Thanksgiving break I found out that Ami and Lori were going to be in town with their families! It was a pleasant surprise. We celebrated Thanksgiving on Friday and then spent a few more days together...We even had the opportunity to go to Chuck E. Cheese!

Nathan, Ashley, and I had some good laughs...let me tell you...they have some jokes...that crack them up!

Catching up with friends...

Girly Wine and Cheese Party

Some of my girlfriends and I decided to celebrate the feast of St. Gertrude by honoring her iwth a dinner/slumber/wine party. We began the festivities on Friday evening. The following afternoon we traveled to Weston, MO to enjoy some wine testing at a local winery. There we experienced the art of mulled wine! Here's a few pics from the weekend.....

Morgan Rechtein

My second cousin Morgan suffered a severe football injury a few weeks back. He broke his neck, but fortunately did not sever his spinal cord. Right now he is suffering from paralysis from the legs down. I ask you to keep him and his family in your prayers.

A man of good spirit and unshakeable faith.

If you want to be inspired, please click on the link below and watch the news coverage on his case. He is a remarkable young man of God and has inspired me in more ways than he will ever know.

http://www.ksdk.com/video/default.aspx?aid=62421&bw=

For more information, please visit: http://www.morganrechtien.com/

A Tribute to Veterans and Soldiers

Our high school honored the country's veterans today in an assembly. One of the social studies teachers made this tribute video. It is well done. Thanks to all those who have fought for our country and dreams, especially Grandpa and Andrew! God Bless the USA!

Some YouTube Classics

Here are some of my new favorites...

If someone sings to you like this....does it matter what they say?


Thanks mom!


What a life!


Here are some of my ultimate favorites....

I think this is my fav....it just brightens my day everytime!


Just some quality entertainment...


Thanks to those that have shared these with me....

incredible...

Last Sunday I had the opportunity to go skydiving!

It was incredible and virtually unfathomable.

Some friends and I arrived at the airport around 9:30am and I did not jump until about 4:30pm. Although I had all day to watch others jump and visualize my own experience, some how, some way I was never nervous...well until the door opened!

Here's my attempt to share every moment of the adventure!

As you may guess, the reality of this adventure did not come until I was in this small plane with 4 others. It took about 15 minutes for the plane to circle the skies to reach the desired 10,000 feet. The plane ride was enjoyable but somewhat overlooked by the expectations of the actual jump. Since I was jumping near the end of the daylight, it was a bit chilly as we elevated, but I forgot how cold I was becoming as we were prepping to take the leap of faith. As we elevated, my guide continuously showed me the altitudes we were reaching and giving me instructions. Once we reached 9,000 feet, it was time to get ready. That is when the Hail Mary began, the adrenaline set in, and the exit happened before I knew it!

We all received a quick training before we jumped. I was mostly concerned with making sure that I would have my body positioned correctly as we exited the plane. Although it took some concentration, most of the work was done naturally by the force of the wind and gravity.

Once we reached the 10,000 feet, the two individual jumpers exited the plane. That was the moment of truth...seeing, hearing, and feeling the door open and watching them exit with a glimpse of the ground below and a gust of wind. Immediately after they exited, it was our time to move. I had to swing my legs around the wall of the plane (as I am attached tandem to the guide) and hang my legs outside of the plane between the door and the wing. Immediately, the guide rocked us forward (READY) then back (SET) then forward again (GO). Go this time meant rolling out of the plane. Supposedly we somersaulted 2.5 times before being parallel with the ground....and so the free fall began...but I do not recall flipping!

From here on out I have no true concept of what took place, but I will try to share what went through my mind, and what I have reflected upon since.

I believe that the free fall is supposed to last for about 30 seconds, though it felt like about 1o. I believe they said that we fell at 120 mph. All I know is that I did not feel like I was falling, but I felt the pressure of the wind, went nearly deaf due to the quick change of elevation, the sound was loud, felt the skin of my face flying backwards and shaking, much like a cartoon would express, and enjoyed every second of it. All I really remember going through my mind was that "this is incredible"!

Shortly the parachute would fly out and change the experience immediately. During the free fall my body was in a somewhat arched position with my arms out like chicken wings, my neck back, and my legs arched behind me. As soon as the parachute was released, the entire experience changed. My legs flung forward nearly hitting my face (or though it seemed), the pressure lightened, the sound shut off, and we were floating. I just remember thinking that what I had just experienced was incredible and I already could not fathom what had just happened during the free fall.



As we floated down, the guide let me help him pull some of the chords to allow us to spin 360s while descending ...that was enjoyable.
The trip down, once we had the chute felt like five minutes...I wish we could have coasted more in the air on the descent.

As we prepared for landing, I was told to pike my legs up in order to allow the guide to land us.

We were trained to land on our butts, but a few that day were able to land on their feet. I definitely came in with the butt technique!

Here I am just after landing...all I can say is that it was incredible!

I could not fathom what I had just done, and the experience was so quick that it was almost as though I never did it. But now, when I look back, more of the experience comes back to me. But as my friends and I agreed, this was a sensation that you can never fully explain or remember until you are in that same situation once again. With that said you may ask, would I do it again? Today I would say yes, however, it's not necessary.

As I said before, the day I jumped I was never really nervous...but the day I said yes to do it, I was a little nervous because only one other time in my life had I signed a contract to acknowledge that I was putting my life on the line. [Note to those who are considering jumping: just as there is danger in any extreme activity such as skydiving, there are several methods to make a parachute release, so that should never be a worry!] Anyways, if you are at all considering, I'd say go for it! You will never experience an adventure quite like skydiving. Then again, if you never go, that's okay too, because it happens so fast, you almost don't even remember it!

Just today, I was looking in the sky and saw many traces of planes. It was then that I realized that when I watched my friends jump, it was not until the small flap came out, just before the parachute that I was even able to pick them out of the sky. I just can't fathom that we were free falling so high in the sky that no one could see us! Crazy!