Day after press

This from Chicago NBC:

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/sports/Theyre-With-the-Band-80290002.html?__source=Facebook



Part of the half time show taken from a cell phone:

http://www.videosurf.com/video/holiday-bowl-halftime-show-107752856

This is an updated one from earlier on the Lincoln Journal-Star site, the last bass drummer in the picture is Erik.

http://journalstar.com/sports/article_d797fe10-f4de-11de-a0fb-001cc4c002e0.html

Also from the Lincoln Journal-Star site:

http://www.huskerextra.com/articles/2009/12/31/football/doc4b3c3014a005c266470682.txt

Even more

I guess the band was on the Omaha TV last night too: (Note: They start out talking about the football game, but they do turn to the band during the story)

http://www.action3news.com/global/Category.asp?c=170799&clipId=4421423&topVideoCatNo=90442&autoStart=true


From the CBS station in San Diego:

http://www.cbs8.com/global/story.asp?s=11744056

Battle of the Bands

LSE participated in "The Battle of the Bands" yesterday. Here is some press from that.


First up NBC San Diego:

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/sports/Theyre-With-the-Band-80290002.html


The second one is from the Omaha World Herald. A quick quiz question for you! Can you name that hand at the 26 second mark of the video? If not, you'll see him strutting his stuff at the 1:02 mark!

http://www.omaha.com/article/20091230/NEWS01/712309923

More LSE Band press

Here is another article in the Lincoln Journal-Star. Both pictures and video on this one:

http://journalstar.com/business/local/article_d797fe10-f4de-11de-a0fb-001cc4c002e0.html?mode=story


Here is another one from the 10-11 folks (KOLN/KGIN). Both story and video (2) on this one:

http://www.1011now.com/home/headlines/80281387.html

They really are making a name for themselves. Christi and I are both VERY proud of the band and what they have accomplished!

Breaking News

The paper and one of the radio stations have had coverage... here's the article from today's paper!

http://www.huskerextra.com/articles/2009/12/28/football/doc4b3965793c176792425676.txt

and a report from the San Deigo paper:

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2009/dec/29/college-bands-snowbound-so-high-schools-bowl-bound/

WOW

Last night Erik called at 4:15 to share some AMAZING news!!! As I reported yesterday, the Cornhusker Marching Band was unable to get out of Lincoln with the storm. We knew that the kids would be practicing Hail Varsity to play during the game.... BUT..... yesterday afternoon the band director and then the band met with the president of the Holiday Bowl and were asked to perform in place of the UNL band. They will be getting all the VIP placement including playing for the pep rally before the game, sitting in the UNL band section during the game, playing March of the Cornhuskers, Hail Varsity and There is No Place Like Nebraska during the game and getting bowl shirts, hats, pins and patches. I'm not sure Erik has ever been so excited in his life, and to be honest, Brian and I are bursting at the seams with pride and excitement for him here at home! The game is tomorrow at 7pm central time on ESPN... enjoy =) If you are in town feel free to come over, we'll have snacks, drinks and non-stop coverage. So excited for Erik and the band. Can't hardly believe this opportunity!!!

Very Merry

Even a White Christmas can't get us down =) Thursday night we made it to all three services at church and enjoyed a houseful at dinner time. Friday morning when we woke up there was close to 8 inches on the ground and there was a blizzard warning in effect for most of Nebraska. Brian picked up my mom and his parents and brought everyone over for breakfast and presents. We had a great time and got some lovely and thoughtful gifts. In the afternoon we shuttled everyone back to their homes and picked up Jeff for dinner at Jim and Becky's house. It was a GREAT meal with a standing rib roast and then Erik, Jeff, Jim and I did dishes and watched a movie while Brian and Becky drove David to work and dropped off dinner at grandma and grandpa's house.

Saturday we got Erik ready for his trip to San Diego and in the middle of the night on Sunday we took him to Southeast and watched the bus get loaded. They landed without any excitement and seem to be having a great time. Sunday night we enjoyed Christmas with grandma and grandpa, Brian's Aunt Jenny and Uncle Brent, Jim, Becky, Jeff, David and his cousin Jessie, her boyfriend and his son. We laughed and ate and opened and enjoyed time with our families until it was time to get ready for bed.

As of last night, the official snow report for Lincoln is 12.8 inches and there's another storm scheduled for Wednesday. In December we've had 21 inches of snowfall, and unfortunately most of it is still on the ground. If you're coming to visit bring boots and a parka... we'll take care of the rest!

Merry Christmas

If you're in the Midwest with us break out your long under ware, hold your babies close and put on the coffee and hot chocolate. We're gearing up in Lincoln for 6-14 inches of snow by Saturday morning depending on which weather person you listen to. Tonight Brian's family and a few of our friends are going to be stopping over for chili and potato soup and tomorrow morning we'll see if Santa has made it to our neck of the woods, there are still spots left at our table for breakfast and lunch if you need a place to spend Christmas Day. In the evening we're hoping to spend time with Brian's parents and grandparents.

Saturday I'm planning to spend the morning playing video games with Erik and in the afternoon we'll celebrate with some more Moock's (weather permitting) and then it will be time to get Erik packed up and ready for his trip. He's leaving from Southeast in the wee hours of the morning Sunday (at school at 2:30 am) and we'll be without him for a week. Hopefully the band will have a BLAST!

4:30.... AM

This morning the Southeast Marching Band made the news =) Here are the two links:

http://www.1011now.com/video?clipId=4405150&topVideoCatNo=91962&autoStart=true - Christmas Music

http://www.1011now.com/video?clipId=4405160&topVideoCatNo=91962&autoStart=true - Southeast Fight Song

They had to be at Southeast at 4:30 this morning to film but they are GREAT clips and the kids had a good time!

4 days til Christmas

Wow!!! I'm so glad that we're on winter break from school because I'm not sure we would get anything done otherwise! Saturday morning Brian and I ran errands and then I did some quilting with my mom and went to a pet party (its like pampered chef for animals) at Marla's house. I got a few gifts for our animals and a fancy football for Chantilly (Brian's parents boxer) from Erik - but don't tell her! In the evening we went to a graduation party at the Zimmer's. The second little boy I ever babysat (I still call him little John) graduated from Creighton Saturday and is planning to go to law school!

Sunday was the Christmas program at church. Erik, Brian and I read this week's advent verses and prayers and then we raced home to change and get ready for David's (Brian's little brother) college graduation party. We enjoyed an afternoon there with family and then packed up to go to bell practice, help my mom pick out her Christmas present and eat dinner together. Once we got home we finished Christmas letters, made a few small gifts and fell into bed.

Tonight I have a few things to pick up and my goal is to finish wrapping presents... we'll see how far I get. After that we'll package up the office gifts for my mom and I (snicker doodle chex mix, also popularly referred to as cinnamon crack) and try to get early bedtimes. Cross your fingers, the Midwest is gearing up for an ice storm so hopefully we'll still be mobile by the end of the week!

The Grand Finale

It's finals week for Brian and Christi. We each have one assignment left and we can hardly wait to be done!!!

Last night the LSE Vocal Music groups put on their winter holiday concert and Madrigal Dinner. We had a LOT of fun as a family and then went home and finished the Christmas letter. We have started getting cards in the mail so we need to get ours out soon =)

Lincoln Public Schools have 4 more days before winter break and Erik seems to be looking forward to a week as a slug. The last two days Lincoln has seen high's in the teens and lows in the -3 to -5 range. If you have any extra sunshine please send it our way =)

Lets go bowling.....

For those that haven't been paying attention to college football this year, or haven't put things together, over the weekend a really cool thing happened.

Nebraska played Texas for the Big 12 championship. A win for NU would mean a trip to a BCS bowl game, a HUGE step from the loosing season a couple of years ago. A loss would most likely mean a trip to the Holiday Bowl in San Diego.

This is where it gets interesting! Last winter Erik's marching band at Lincoln Southeast had a vote amongst the families. They take a MAJOR trip every other year, and the two options this year were Hawaii, or the Holiday Bowl. With problems in the economy a majority voted for the Holiday Bowl.

Today's Lincoln Journal-Star has an article today about the band members, and parents, who had a hard time deciding if they wanted NU to win or lose last Saturday. You can find the article here: http://journalstar.com/news/local/article_451c2fd8-e51c-11de-9585-001cc4c002e0.html

Fast forward to the end of the game, and NU lost because of a rule in the rule book that most didn't know existed, much less it being used. With the loss they will be going to the Holiday Bowl. I encourage everyone to watch the game, and the half time show. Watch for Lincoln Southeast, and watch for the bass drummer with the biggest bass drum from LSE, and then scream at the top of your lungs...."LOOK I KNOW SOMEONE ON TV!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

How Much Snow???

Sunday after church it started snowing... if finally stopped in the middle of the night. Lincoln has about 2 inches. It was a good drill for our shovels and snowblowers. It was Brian's first dry run at snow removal for three houses. The final snow of the winter last year melted before we had a chance to scoop or snowblow at our new house. I had to be to work REALLY early for a physician meeting.

Tomorrow they are threatening a much bigger storm system with 6-10 inches possible for Lincoln. Erik and Brian's mom are both crossing their fingers for a snow day. I am thanking my lucky stars that we have two four wheel drive vehicles =)

Star City Parade

This was taken just outside Pershing center in Lincoln today, the Southeast Marching Band. Pay attention to the bass drum section, and see if you recognize anyone you know!



This was taken while they marched along O Street. Video isn't very good, but music was!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Thanksgiving Day was really nice =) We had 19 for lunch and 12 for dinner and everyone went home stuffed and satisfied. My turkey's came out well and we're having leftover turkey made into pot pie tonight! Hope everyone had a fun Thanksgiving!

Friday morning Brian and I did a couple hours in the mad shopping rush, seemed to go pretty well. Saturday afternoon Brian and Erik got the Christmas lights up on our deck. Sunday while I did homework Erik went to a birthday party and Brian fiddled in the garage getting our tree ready.

This Friday we have the CSI Christmas party and Saturday is the Star City Holiday Parade so we'll pack up and spend the day as band parents!

I have to finish wedding thank you cards this week so that we can get the Christmas letter done. There's never a dull moment at the Moock home =)

Let There Be Light

We are almost done lighting the house! Brian finished construction on our wedding lamps (Thank you Karen, Marty, Emily and Katie) and the living room looks fantastic, installed new light switches in the living room (much improved) and put up a new light fixture in the kitchen because it is much more exciting to see what you're cooking. (Thanks Roger and Celia) Today I'll be off at 1 to finish cleaning house and do some prep work for the holidays. Looking forward to a houseful tomorrow and some competitive shopping on Friday. Hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving =) We're planning to draft our Christmas letter over the weekend so you'll hear from us soon!

Our Fridge has a Shelf of Turkey!

Three more days until there is a whole houseful of family =) While Erik's room isn't ready yet (sorry monkey!) the living room will now accomodate a 10 foot table and the kitchen is all the way ready to receive the table that will live there permanently so we're ready for the holidays. Last night we went coupon crazy at Russ's Market and got our turkey's (one 12 pound and one 15 pound), the rest of the cheese and a little bit of soda.

Tonight I'm heading to the eye doctor and Brian will shuttle me home for a nap afterwards. I hate to get my eyes dilated. After dinner we both have homework to tackle and, weather permitting, we'll get a few more things in from the garage. The most remarkable thing that happened over the weekend is that we now have a working closet =) We both have all our clean and unpacked clothes hanging up and able to be accessed and Brian told me last night that once we move in two more pieces of furniture we'll be able to park one of our cars in the garage. How awesome is that??? If you are coming over for Thanksgiving make sure and tell Brian you noticed how clean the gutters are, he spent a lot of time over the weekend on a ladder.

Last chance reminder - if you are alone on Thanksgiving or don't want to make dinner for 10 for a family of three or four just give us a call. The more the merrier =) We have plenty of food and we can always add a table in the basement.

I Love College

And it's a darn good thing because Brian and I both thought I was going to be able to start my core program classes in the Spring (2010) but it turns out some of my "old" hours from the 90's didn't count as well with the board as we were hoping... so I'll need to take winter, spring and summer term and then start my program in September/October 2010 and graduate in fall 2011.

Brian is a lucky duck =) His microsoft certifications were worth a lot more credit than we had hoped for so we're going to squeeze him into a science class this spring (maybe we can take one together) and then he'll be able to start his program core in either April or June. We're glad to have a Bellevue team available to us in Lincoln... now to get the rest of the way done with school. The best news is that we will both be all the way done with our under grad programs when Erik starts college and if Brian runs fast enough he might be done with grad school by then.

Keep your fingers crossed for us. For those who didn't hear the great news, during the summer term (that was during our wedding and all the planning) Brian came out with a GPA of 3.86 and Christi maintained her 4.0!

Work Weekend

This is the first Saturday since the wedding that Erik hasn't had ANY commitments! No scouts, no ushering, no band, no football, no school, no church.... Don't get too excited, our lives pick back up again next weekend =)

This morning we slept in a bit, put away the pots and pans, the corning ware, the Pyrex and we made TOAST!!! If you have ever lived for 8 weeks without a toaster you will understand. Our kitchen is slowly but surely being unpacked and Erik will very soon have his real bedroom.

This afternoon during the football game we worked more on the yard and on thank you notes. We really are so very grateful for all of the lovely things that we received and I feel like a heel for being so tardy in getting thank you cards sent out. I know that Dear Abby says you have a year but that seems like an eternity. My goal is to get them all done by the end of November so that I can spend my writing time on Christmas cards. It is also rather embarrassing to run into people at church and the grocery store when they haven't received their card yet!

Now we're off to to grandma's house for homemade spaghetti and bread. It feels so good to have our happy family all together after a hard day's work!

Crabby Pants

I hate waking up on the wrong side of the bed.... I hate when the dog eats Kleenex and I have to pick Kleenex shreds out of the carpeting.... I hate when the cat throws up in the kitchen and I have to clean it up.... I hate when I forget to take the ribs out of the freezer the night before and then I have to beat them into the crock pot in the morning.... I hate when my shoulder hurts like someone tried to rip it out of its socket and I don't know what I did to it.... I hate when I do poorly on a class assignment because I feel rushed because of my other commitments and then I am restless all night because I did poorly.

I think that's it for this morning. I really do hate waking up on the wrong side of the bed though. I am generally a pretty cheerful girl, and I have, in the not so distant past, been referred to as an eternal optimist. But today... UGGH I just feel like a little black rain cloud. I'm overwhelmed and I want to blame other people and pout and carry on but instead I just have to keep working and putting one foot in front of the other... maybe later on I'll send the boys to buy ice cream or something and I'll throw a little tantrum and see if I can work it out of my system!

Domestically Yours

Brian and I are still trying to settle in to the new house. Erik seems to be loving every minute of it! Today after work Brian is working on leaves... even though it doesn't seem like we have a lot of trees we have an abundance of raking and vacuuming.

After dinner Erik will have two choirs and I have enough homework to keep me busy well into the next decade. Who would have thought there would be so much to do in Asian American Literature? At least the books are interesting. Hopefully I'll get done in time to watch Top Chef. And tonight I'm DEFINITELY going to stay up and see the end.

The rest of the week will be dedicated to unpacking (Superman took on the kitchen counters last night and you can actually see the corner now which I don't think has happened since March!) cleaning and getting ready for Thanksgiving. We're looking forward to a houseful.

The Best Husband Ever

Scored us three tickets to see U2 in Denver on June 12. We told Erik he's going and we're going to make it into a 4 day weekend! Should be an AWESOME trip!

Tomorrow morning we're planning a trip to Walmart for their early holiday sale, hopefully the prices won't drop lower after we make our purchase =)

What Do You Mean It's November?

I keep thinking that we only have one more week that's packed full and then we get to the end and sitting right there is another one. Monday night we had hoped to decide on the pictures for the wedding album. Unfortunately homework got in the way. Last night Erik had extra drum practice, Brian and I had bells (it's a REALLY hard piece) and we all had homework again. Tonight is the Reserve Football Banquet, we're taking apples and dip (if you like cream cheese let me know and I'll get you the recipe). Tomorrow night is scouts and Friday night LSE varsity has another playoff game. We have filled up Saturday with errands, band commitments, the Husker game, homework and a birthday party, and on Sunday Erik has a few things at church.

Someday we'll have a week with NOTHING to do and everyone we know will fall over in surprise. If there is something you've been waiting to get from us holler, sorry that sometimes it takes an extra reminder but darn it we try hard!

Today is Halloween

Well, we survived our first Halloween in the new house. We even handed out candy! Although, numbers were REALLY low, we did have fun looking at the kids that came to the door for their loot. We even managed to get the dog involved in our little fun:




We hope your Halloween was as fun and safe as ours was!

Tomorrow is Halloween

Wow!!! Here it is the end of October.... amazing! I guess it's true, time flies when you're having fun. I take off about two days a year to run errands, work on house projects and spend time with Erik. This morning I hit two grocery stores and I'm making my way through our stacks of laundry. In just a bit Erik and I will head out to Old Navy and Plato's Closet to get him some more fall and winter clothes and then we'll get to do lunch and get him to practice. The Southeast Varsity football team is scheduled for their first playoff game tonight at 3:30 and Erik has volunteered to play with the band in the stands. We're excited to be there =)

Once we get home and settled Brian will grill steaks and I'll spend the evening working on Thank You cards. I have about 15 to drop in the mail already. I'm sorry these are so tardy! I kept thinking that we were going to have more time before and it never really panned out. We are so happy that so many of you were able to come and celebrate our wedding and we have enjoyed all of the lovely and thoughtful gifts so much. This weekend and next weekend we're planning to work on unpacking and getting settled in our nest. (With dressers and everything!)

For all our out of towners, if you are going to be in or around Lincoln on Thanksgiving Day weekend please come over! We're having both lunch and dinner at our house on Thanksgiving and you know we believe the more the merrier. In fact, to all our friends in and around Lincoln, if you aren't planning a big holiday come on over =) We'll have lots of food, fun and football in the basement with Erik. We have so much to be thankful for this year!

Yawn and Stretch

We spent all day (no seriously, like 8am until midnight) at Seacrest Field with the LSE Band Booster's hosting the Nebraska State Bandmaster's Association Competition. Aside from a few bursts of rain it was a GREAT day. We recruited friends and family to come help us while the Marching Knight's went to Omaha for their part of the competition and as far as I know everyone had a great time. Sadly, none of the Lincoln schools (not even LSE) received superior ratings.

Yesterday was spent on church and homework and the rest of the week may be a bit of a blur. Erik is off on school break and looking forward to some relaxation and time attached to the TV and video games. Later in the week he will be going with the church youth group to play laser tag and go bowling. Friday the LSE marching band will be playing for the first playoff game.

On a humorous note we moved the dog over last night, if you'll remember he is the one we built a fence for! He seems to like the house and has already reserved space for himself to sleep next to Brian's side of the bed on the floor, Brian is adjusting well so far. This morning we let the dog out at about 5:30 while I was getting ready for work. A few minutes later the cat, who is generally quiet and reserved, started yowling and screaming. Brian raced out to the kitchen to make sure that she hadn't gotten hurt or caught by something only to find that she was announcing for us that the dog was ready to come in. Our life is very much like a circus these days.

We are the Champions!!!

The Southeast Reserve Knights won their last game of the season. They beat Lincoln High 14 to 6 in what can only be described as inclement weather. This makes them the City Champions, two years in a row. Erik informed me last night that this team of boys is now 15 and 1 over a two year span... which is pretty darn exciting! Hopefully next year we'll see more of the same.

I am officially going to take a day off next week to work on the house, put away the wedding presents, write thank you cards (I'm sorry to be so tardy!!!) and get Erik's room ready for him to move in to, he enjoys that basement but I'll feel better to have him sleeping upstairs with us. The rest of this week is packed full. Tonight I have loads of homework and more of the same tomorrow. Saturday we're at NSBA all day... if you are still reading the blog and you're free on Saturday night from 6-9 we are still in need of volunteers and we would love to see you! Sunday we'll have church and more homework. Next week is fall break for Lincoln Public Schools and this year Erik is REALLY looking forward to having some time off. I think he's planning to lay around and watch tv and play videogames. He has a few things with his church youth group that will be fun for him as well.

Our next wedding related project is to go to Bed, Bath and Beyond to finish getting our china and serving platters and to pick the wedding pictures for the bound book. Hard to believe that some people have that all done by the week after their wedding. Stay warm and well. And to the Duryea's, watch out... we heard there is 5 inches of snow headed your way by morning tomorrow... in OCTOBER!

So LATE

Sorry, we seem to be neglecting the blog... This past Saturday the Southeast Marching Knights competed in the Lincoln Public Schools Invitational Band Competition and was the only band to receive a superior rating for both the band performance and the auxillary. The kids were THRILLED!!!

This week we've been busy with homework and housework. Tomorrow is Erik's LAST game. We'll play at Lincoln High on Beechner Field under the lights at 6:30 pm. The kids are REALLY excited. It is supposed to start raining this afternoon or evening and rain clear through until Thursday morning. The anticipated rainfall for Wednesday is over an inch and a half so it could be a REALLY interesting game. The last marching competition is this Saturday. Brian and I are band vice presidents so we'll be working ALL day. If you need us come to Seacrest field between 9am and 9pm where Southeast will be hosting the Class B schools. It should be a lot of fun and running!

An Amazing Game!

Last night the Reserve Knights played Millard West in the rain. It was clear and low 40's until 4pm when a light mist started. The game kicked off at 4:30 and by halftime it was pouring rain and the kids were struggling to keep warm. The Knights defense returned two interceptions for goals and the offense scored two touchdowns of their own. The Millard West team was a "combined" team and had a mix of Reserve and JV players while the Southeast team is entirely Reserve sophomores. The final score was Knights 28 Millard West 27. We won in the end with a blocked field goal =) I'm not sure the parents section has ever been so loud!!!

Brian and I are looking forward to the end of football and band season. After Erik's game last night we had back-to-back marching band meetings and a walk through long term storage at the school. On Halloween night we're hoping to stay in, finish all our wedding thank you cards (there are really a lot left to go, and we apologize for the delay!) and unpack the kitchen and the office all the way!

Hope you're staying warm and dry!

From the Plains to the Pacific

What a weird weekend! Friday night Southeast Varsity beat the Southwest Silverhawks and the Marching Knights had a fair half time performance. The weather was cool but very fall like. Saturday morning we woke up to about a half inch of snow on the ground. I took Erik to football practice and Brian and I worked on homework. It continued to flurry off and on throughout the morning and early afternoon.

Erik and I went to my mom's to cook dinner at about 4pm with temps hovering in the low 30's. After we ate a pre-planned hot and hearty meal we donned our long underware, waterproof boots and winter coats and headed to Lincoln High School to participate in the "Links" marching band competition. We came in 4th place overall and received a Division One Rating for our band and our Auxillary (the flag line). We were pleasantly surprised to win best auxillary in the competition. Go Knights.

Yesterday afternoon it was cool still so we stayed in and did homework and laundry. This morning we woke up to rain and it's threatening to stay around for the next 3 days. Guess we'll be breaking out our poncho's for tomorrow night's reserve football game.

We Are the Knights

Had a VERY cold game last night at Southeast but the Reserve Knights won 27 to 0, and the boys always love a shut out. Erik played the offensive line the entire 4th quarter and a few minutes of the the third. Immediately after the game he had to change into his performance outfit for Excalibur and sing. He and four of his friends had a tenor quartet during one of the songs that was gorgeous!!!

This weekend Lincoln might see snow... I know, in EARLY October. So we have a little winterization to take care of. We're planning to spend Friday night picking wedding pictures for the bound book that the photographer will make for us and then Saturday and Sunday will be homework and marching band.

Waiting for Spring

My mom's best friend Carol came to Lincoln yesterday with two tubs full of plants and blubs to put in to our new yard =) Now we're just waiting for spring to show all our work. We added surprise lillies, iris, tiger lillies, aster, blazing star, lambs ear and hosta. It will hopefully be beautiful when it all blooms.

This week we'll run as fast as we can again. Brian will be installing more than 30 brand new computers at one of his banks, thank goodness his counterpart from western Nebraska is able to come down and help. And really thank goodness that it's a bank easily within driving distance. I'm hoping that we'll get to see both of the men one night for dinner.

Saturday we spent with the Lincoln Southeast Marching Band in Clarinda, Iowa. The Knights got first in their class for the field competition, second in their class for the parade, first place overall for the entire competition, best woodwinds and best drumline. The kids were SO excited and happy! (One of the awards is actually called the Glen Miller Band Award!)

Erik has football and a concert for choir on Tuesday, scouts, popcorn blitz, the oh so famous Thursday night Husker game and the Links Marching competition this week. If we didn't have marching band he would be at Senior High Youth Retreat for church. And if that wasn't enough Brian and I have classes again starting today. What would we do if we weren't so busy???

Thank You's and Shamless Plugs

We had AWESOME vendors for our wedding. Many people loved our flowers.... they were done by Kevin and his team at FlowerWorks in Meridian Park (66th and O Street). The guys were fantastic, they met our budget and far exceeded our expectations... and we love them!!!

Bill Wiley was the photographer for our engagement picture and wedding photos. He was a total rockstar. There are amazing pictures of every person who was a part of our special day and we cannot thank him enough. I had heard photograher horror stories and Bill made our day wonderful!

We got our cakes from the award winning bakers at HyVee at N 84th and Holdrege. I wish they had done a better job on getting things set up for us but the taste was AMAZING!!!

We used an internet vendor for our favors and Brian can give you their site and such. Except for having to triple check their spelling they were awesome.

Rick and the staff at Crooked Creek Golf Club were fantastic. We were almost at MAXIMUM capacity for the reception and they did a great job of setting up tables and keeping things moving all night.

We couldn't be more appreciative for Tom Fletcher from Fletch Tunes. We couldn't have had a better DJ. Tom was amazing, he had an excellent feel for the crowd and everyone had a great time on the dance floor.

We'll have more tomorrow... really everything went well and we were lucky to have such a beautiful day.

Pics Vol V

If I didn't know better, I would say there was a wedding going on! :)

Why yes, we did have to pastor's officiating our wedding! Pastor JP takes a turn in this one.

Pastor Jim talks about the rings and the symbolism behind them.

The lighting of the unity candle.

Us walking out hand in hand, to the tunes of a handbell quartet!

Let's make it legal here folks!

Out through the bubbles!

Pics vol IV

Ok up to the beginning of the ceremony now.

First Jeff escorts in my grandparents.

Then David escorts in my parents.

Nancy and Roger make their way in.

Soon after the Ring Bearer and Flower Girl ride their bikes in.

The Groomsmen and Bridesmaids are up next.

First we have David & Elizabeth

Greg & Sheree

Brian & Vicki

Best Man and Matron of Honor Pete & Diane

Then the main attraction, Erik walks Christi down.

A Quickie =)

Here are a few pictures taken by friends of ours, as those who were at the reception are aware we did a whole lot of group dancing and line dancing, including the flying Dutchman and of couse the Cha. Here are a few great candids!

pics vol II

Moving right along to the "before the ceremony" pics. Keep in mind, Christi and I decided VERY early on that we would not see each other on the big day, prior to the ceremony. This proved interesting that morning at the golf course, as I had to instruct Rich Lorenzen to be careful driving the golf cart as I was not to see the clubhouse! :)

Let's start with the bride, looking absolutely beautiful!!!!

Then the bride takes the stage with the girls.

The boys were up next.

Que the guests. They just lined right up for us!

While we didn't have the traditional soloist at the wedding, we did have a lot of music. Here is our string duet, or as I like to call them "our chamber orchestra"!

More updates to come later today! Check back in!! :)

pics vol I

Well, I know people have been waiting to see pictures so I'll get those posted! :)

I'm going to start with the outside and decor pics, then later today we'll post a few more times with some from before the ceremony, during & right after the ceremony, then from the reception.

I like both of these pics because they show the uniqueness of the church, but also show some of the work that young men in the church have done for their Eagle Scout projects at the church.

These two are some of the fun bicycle planters we were able to find to decorate with. We had a lot of fun with them, and hope that you did too! While I'm thinking about it, if you would like a marigold, as seen at the reception, please let us know. We seem to still have a lot of them around! :)

Coolio

We spent the weekend running for Erik and working on band props. Saturday morning found our family split between projects with Erik and Brian helping on an Eagle project while my mom and I and the band boosters painted props in the parking lot at Southeast. In the afternoon we met up with Diane and Greg so that we could spend the evening with Dava (I always love the opportunity to watch children's movies!) and then Brian and I hosted dinner on our deck with my mom and Roger. Dava enjoyed having 4 adults completely focused on her, but we would expect nothing less of the princess.

Sunday morning was the Hall/Moock marathon at church. All four of us played bells during the the first two services and then Erik sang at third service. In the afternoon Brian mowed all three yards and I went back to finish painting band props. We were able to meet with Bill Wiley briefly at church and we got our wedding pictures... which are AWESOME!!! Brian will post 4-6 this morning, more this afternoon and the more again tonight... there are some fantastic shots!!!!

Two Down - Two to Go

Brian and I each took a final last night, I have one more tonight and he has one assignment left and then this quarter will be done, and not a moment to soon =) Tonight is parents night with the marching band. Erik is in the front line percussion so we just stand next to his instrument and hope for the best, the other parents have to try to follow their kids during the formation changes on the field in the marching program. Honestly, it's among the funniest nights of the year. If you're in town stop by Seacrest field, it's worth the trip... and the kids love having a big audience to embarrass their parents.

Bearcats

The Reserve Knights lost their first game last night, but they went down fighting =) and they're still eligible to be city champions. The Bearcats won 15 to 10. For those who saw the Nebraska vs. Virginia Tech game on Saturday it was much the same =) We're continuing to stay busy (of course) and will get some more pictures up once finals are over. Keep your fingers crossed!

Finals!!!

This week is going to be gone in a blink!!! I have two finals due Wednesday and a project due tonight and Brian has two finals due on Wednesday and he had a paper due last night. Then we'll have a little better than a week off before school starts up again. Tonight Erik's reserve football team plays at 5, it's their first home game of the season. Tomorrow we all have practice, Christi, Brian and Nancy bells and Erik has pit (frontline) practice. Wednesday night is parent's night for band, Thursday night is the Southeast Homecoming Game for Erik and I and popcorn checkout for Brian and Friday night Erik will be going to the Homecoming Dance with friends. This weekend with any luck we'll be able to get the house unpacked, meet with the photographer, and spend some time having fun as a family. Keep your fingers crossed =)

Closer to the Weekend

Didn't get this update in yesterday morning, but, Tuesday night the Reserve team beat up the Northeast Rockets pretty bad. Final score was 35 - 7 Knights =) Erik's team is pretty excited! Tonight the boys are going to the scout meeting and I'm going to get started on my finals. Brian has two papers and I have to finish my project for Bioethics and take exams in both classes. We'll get some more pictures up over the weekend. If you happened to catch anything great during the wedding on a personal camera we would love a copy =)

Pics anyone?

We are waiting on the pictures from the disposable camera's as well as our photographer, but here are 4 pictures to get your appetite going! :)

First we have the girls looking pretty before all the fun begins!

Next we have Christi, Erik & Brian after the ceremony.

Then the entire wedding party after the ceremony.

Last we have Christi and Brian's FIRST dance at the reception.

Sick Sick Sick

My ear is still making me a little crazy. It's better and the antibiotics are helping with every dose but I'm ready for it to be over! Brian's stomach was upset last night but he seems a little better this morning. Hopefully we're on the right track to wellness. Lincoln continues to see cases of H1N1 and Brian is getting his seasonal flu shot Friday.

Erik had piano last night and tonight the Reserve Knights are taking on the Northeast Rockets.

We Are In

We have furniture! The cat seems to like it but sometimes its hard to tell with her! Brian and his parents did the great majority of the work since I have the most horrific ear infection. I think I was asleep more than I was awake the whole weekend. Tonight if I feel a little better I'll get some pictures up, it really was a beautiful wedding.

Five Yard Penalty - Delay of Game

Yesterday the guys from Nebraska Furniture Mart came and couldn't get the furniture down the stairs. A better statement would be that they didn't even try. But they got their tape measures out =) They will be back tomorrow to move the sectional in through the basement windows. They had problems with impatience! In the afternoon the movers will get the air hockey table, the tv, entertainment center and treadmill moved down. I doubt they'll be as cranky. Once we're all in Erik and his friends should be able to have lots of fun! Hopefully they'll let us come down and enjoy it from time to time as well =)

On the Move

Last night we got to watch the Southeast Reserve Knight's take on the Southwest Reserve SilverHawks. It was a great game with Southeast winning 35-21. Erik got a lot of playing time and we agreed sometimes its better if his mother doesn't watch! Today Nebraska Furniture Mart will be delivering our new basement furniture and we'll be getting ready to move into the house... SO exciting!

Back to Reality

Back to work... we seem to be experiencing some technical difficulties on the blog... hopefully we'll provide a better update and pictures soon!

It was a Beautiful Day!!!!

Ceremony went off yesterday at 4pm without any problems. We are however, having problems getting the slide show and video posted the way we wanted to. We are currently on our mini-honeymoon and will work hard to get them posted as soon as we return. Thank you so much for everything you all have done. It meant so much to Christi and I to see and hear from all of you.

Love,
Mr. & Mrs. Moock

Ahhhhh

We were scheduled for poolside cabana massages but the weather wasn't super cooperative so they put us together in the massage room inside. Brian went first and fell asleep and during my turn we talked about swine flu, wedding stuff and Mr. Young's 35th wedding anniversary. They had a potluck wedding reception with a high school marching band in Omaha, Mr. Young was their director and they wanted to be at the wedding badly.

Today we're both working half days and then we have mile long to do lists. We will see some of you today, some of you tomorrow and almost all of you on Saturday and we can hardly wait! Drive safe! And bring a poncho... Lincoln has some rain in the forecast. But we'll still have the most wonderful time!

Oh My EARS

The space across the hall from my office is being renovated for another department which is fantastic, however, they started construction this morning and they're using a "floor grinder" which makes it sound as though a plane is about to land above my office. I have never heard a more terrible noise. It's been going on for about 3 hours now and I have ear plugs in. They are estimating being done in three days. Have I mentioned how happy I am about not working Friday and only working a half day on Thursday? And this is our department's busiest week every month. Holy Buckets!!!!

Closer and Closer

3 Days til the wedding, the electronic billboard I found so endearing just a few weeks ago feels more like a stopwatch chasing me through the city these days. Erik had field practice last night so we ran, and then we ran faster and then we didn't get into bed until 11:00 last night, and to be honest, I'm not sure what I typed for the last of my homework, because I think I did it in my sleep! Tonight we are going to try relaxing together with poolside cabana massages at a local spa. After we find Erik a ride home from football =) At least we're only working half days tomorrow, Brian's mom has the week off to assist us and once the brunch is over on Sunday we'll get a few days of nothing but rest and relaxation together!

Happy Tuesday

So are you all packed and ready to come to the wedding? Did you pick up the dry cleaning? Do you know what shoes you're wearing/bringing? If you're all ready you're a step ahead of us =) Last night we had dinner with Brian's parents, worked on homework (all three of us) cleaned out the refrigerator, practiced our cupid shuffle and remembered that we had forgotten about punch for the wedding reception. Thank goodness for Brian's family! I'll have my mom call his mom today and they can talk punch. The good news is we have a punch bowl (Brian's grandparents) and somehow I got glasses for punch when I went to Sam's with Marla. Guess the powers that be were watching out for me.

Working for the Weekend

We had a WONDERFUL weekend packed full of time with friends and family. Friday night was Erik's first time playing cymbals for an "away" varsity football game. We sat with the band parents and cheered all night. Had a great time and the Knights won 50 to 7. We crawled into bed close to 11:30 and the next morning our alarms started going off at 4:45.

Saturday morning we got Erik up at 5:15, fed him a good breakfast and loaded him into the car. The reserve Lincoln Southeast Knights played Creighton Prep in Omaha at 9:00 and the kids had to be dressed, packed and on the bus by 6:30. This was their first game of the season and they were able to beat the Bluejays 21 to 13. The boys were exstatic, the majority played last year on the undefeated freshman team and they are coming along nicely.

In the afternoon Brian and I ran errands and worked on homework and wedding projects and in the evening the ladies took their "Bride Ride". We wore purple veils and there are a number of cute and fun pictures. (Don't worry, we'll get some posted soon!) At the end we toasted with pink champagne and cheesecake from my mom and then I went to see the band D Funk with two of the bridesmaids and we nearly shut down the bar.

Sunday morning we were once again up with the sun getting things ready for the Groom Zoom. Brian and I got the master bedroom finished off, I engaged in a little shoe shopping and then the boys started to arrive. Once they were on the road I did homework and when they got back Brian tested out our new grill. The boys had a nice dinner with steaks, baked potatoes, salad, girl scout cookies and beer and then we spent most of the evening with our guests.

Now we're to the "final countdown". Five days to go. Don't blink, you'll miss it! Tonight we're having dinner with Brian's parents and then working on wedding and homework details. Maybe we'll even be able to do a little mowing. Can't believe it's just around the corner.

So You Think You Can Dance

Last night I worked a short evening shift as part of our new physician reception. It was fun to see all the doctors enjoying themselves. Then we met up with Sheree, Brian S. and Brian's wife Lisa for a dance refresher. Brian (the groom) and I learned to waltz and two-step and we have tried the fancy twirl in the two step but don't expect to see that at the reception. Then we practiced the Time Warp, the Electric Slide, the Macarena and the Cupid Shuffle. The first time I watched the Cupid Shuffle I thought it was the Electric Slide... and it's similar but there are those little kicks before you turn. Lots of fun.... The cat hasn't had that kind of excitement in a long time.

Today I'm working a few hours at the hospital and then working the rest of the day at the house. Lincoln Southeast has their first varsity football game of the year tonight so we're packing up to watch Erik play the cymbals and tomorrow morning will be his first reserve football game. Watch for updates on the Bride Ride and Groom Zoom from this weekend. We're planning to have lots of fun =)

Tick Tock

Last night between my allergies and the exhaustion of running so fast these last few weeks I took some Benadryl and climbed into bed shortly before 9. I feel much more refreshed and I was doing quite well until the radio station this morning reminded me that it is only nine more days until the wedding. Will I be ready in 9 days? Will the house be ready? Will everything go as planned? Will the wedding be as fun and whimsical as I'm hoping? Hopefully everyone will arrive safely and have a great time.

Tonight I'm working the new physician reception and then we have a dance lesson with another one of the groomsmen. Hopefully we'll be able to get to bed early again. Friday I'm only working a few hours and then spending the rest of the day on homework and housework. Saturday is the Bride Ride, Sunday is the Groom Zoom and the we'll be at the end of our countdown. Hard to believe that very very soon I'll be "Mrs Moock".

Christi's Horoscope

Your idealistic tendencies have evolved into your own full-fledged philosophy.

How stinking cool is that? For several weeks now I've been saying "I'm just not that kind of bride" I haven't been stressed, I've kept everything moving forward, the groom and I are working well together, and the stars knew all along!

Yawn and Stretch

We finished meeting with the DJ last night at 9:45, and then did homework until 11:30, it was not the best assignment I've ever turned in. And now I'm SLEEPY!!! Tonight we have field practice with the marching band (we're going to be trying out the band props) and then we have to get things ready to send to family in Florida for the celebration there. After that we HAVE to do the program so it can be reviewed by the church secretary and minister and then printed this weekend...

I stopped on the way home and finalized the catering for the rehearsal dinner and Brian is finalizing with the reception hall this morning so everyone will be fed... and deep down in my DNA I'm a Kirkegaard so having everyone fed is REALLY important =)

Can't wait to see everyone! 10 more days!!!

Hey Mister DJ

So here we are, eleven days til the wedding. My dress fits and its going to stay at the bridal store until the day of the wedding, the RSVP's are counted, the showers have been held, we're trying to get Erik off the football field in time for the rehearsal dinner and tonight we're meeting with the DJ. The good news is it's our new next door neighbor Tom and he's the preferred DJ for the Champions Club in Lincoln. He's a REALLY nice guy and has a lot of experience doing weddings. Tonight after we finish our homework we'll head to their house with beer and pizza and take care of the last of the planning for the reception.

Cross your fingers for us, Brian is battling a cold and I am trying my hardest not to catch it. Silly airports anyway =)

Oh Wow

12 more days!!! This afternoon I have my last dress fitting appointment. I remembered to bring the shoes this time so that's a step in the right direction! The next two weeks are going to be fast and busy at work, school and with the wedding. Yesterday we had to divide and conquer to get through our to do list but it was worth it. Everyone that I talk to remarks on how "not stressed" I sound. I'm not sure if it's because we're really ready to get married, or if we're prepared for the wedding, or if we're just not close enough for the stress to have hit all the way. I guess we'll see how the next few days goes.

A Day of Rest?

13 days until the wedding. I wonder if this is how it feels for NASA engineers. We are on a tight countdown, with a to-do list a mile long and we know we just have to keep moving as fast as we can! This morning we are both working on homework and getting all three yards mowed. This afternoon we're entering the rest of the RSVP's, making the list for the golf outing, counting RSVP's for the rehearsal dinner, and the family brunch and hoping to get Erik ready for another week at school. I am sure that we're on track, at least most of the way. As I type Brian is taking out the garbage and changing the cat litter. This week will be over before we know it and then it will be time for the Bride Ride, the Groom Zoom, the wedding.... and the beginning of our lives under one roof. There is never any doubt that we live life to the fullest =)

Grin and Bear It

This morning didn't go exactly as planned. We were both tired from a long week and being vice presidents of the band boosters is busiest right at the beginning of the season. We met with three engineers and a few woodworkers this morning to develop the props for the band. I'm neither of these, for those of you who don't know, I was nearly ejected from home economics, wood shop let me stay for a quarter, but I wasn't what you would call welcomed back. The project took longer than we had planned and after lunch we voted for naps and homework. Now we have to run to the fabric store to get the materials for the ring bearer pillow, go to the grocery store to get the ingredients for a few things we're trying tonight related to the wedding and then come home and work on cooking, dishes, laundry, homework and getting Erik's book covers done. With any luck we'll be in bed before midnight.

14 days until we're Mr and Mrs, hopefully the days will allow us to get everything done before we get there!

The Groom's in the Air

Brian is on land for the few minutes that I'm typing. He had some delays in Indianapolis and is waiting for the tram in Minneapolis to get him to another terminal. I can't wait for him to get home!!!

Today we'll be doing homework and updating the RSVP database. If you haven't let us know and we really think you'll be coming don't be surprised if we call to confirm and get numbers from you =)

Tomorrow we're working on all three houses and making band props in the morning. I think the phrase is no rest for the wicked.

Don't Worry, We're Serving Cake

I wanted to share something with all of you. While it is definitely "novel" that we are having a bicycle theme wedding, complete with bike rides, we're serving real cake... and not this:

http://www.wkrg.com/alabama/article/i-dowith-an-omelet/100856/Jun-13-2009_8-40-pm/

Booster Bash

Does that make anyone else want to sing Monster Mash or is it just me??? Tonight I'll be working the Booster Bash from 5:45 - 7 and spending the rest of the evening on homework and trying a few new recipes. Last night we made french lentil and brown rice casserole and it was really delicious. Tonight the refridgerator pickles will be done so cross your fingers for me.

My personal attendant Marla and I ran to Sam's Club last night to pick up paper products for the bridal party dinner, the rehearsal dinner and the brunch. I think we're covered =)

Tomorrow morning I have an early morning meeting and some typing to take care of at work and then I get to go pick up Brian in Omaha =) So excited!!!!

16 more days until the wedding!

Maybe I'm Getting Old

Last night was incredibly busy, and I'm not exactly sure how we made it through getting everything done. I got off work, ran an errand, took care of the cat and got the mail, picked up dinner, did homework until 6:45, packed up and ran to Southeast to serve as the vice president of the band boosters, left southeast at 8:45, took my quiz, got Erik dinner, came home and finished typing my paper, did a load of laundry, did the reading and discussion post for my other class and finally slid in to bed at 11:45. This morning when the alarm went off at 4:45 I wished and prayed for an extra hour and then gave up and got ready for work. This evening is just as busy and Thursday night I'll be part of the concessions crew for the Booster Bash. Having a high school student is twice as much work as I thought it would be. Fortunately he's a great kid =) and we're blessed to spend as much time with him as we do.

17 days until the wedding! 5 days til my last dress fitting, 6 days until I get my teeth cleaned for the wedding, 13 days until Brian and I go for Poolside Cabana massages, at least I know there is relaxation ahead!

All DRESSED Up

The bridesmaids dresses are in =) The girls can go get fitted and get their dresses picked up. How exciting!!! Today is going to fly. I'm in meetings most of the day and Brian is continuing to work behind the scenes in Indy. Tonight Erik and I will be with the band and then I have a bunch of homework to take care of.

Unbelieveable that we're down to two and a half week's. Guess we better practice dancing this weekend too!

Gumming up the works

Here's our engagement picture from the paper =) http://www.journalstar.com/app/celebrate/index.php?fid=AN4a84e738b9e04

Yesterday was the last of the bridal showers, my bridesmaids (thank you ladies) threw a wonderful event at Sheree's house and we played two games. One of the very traditional toilet paper wedding dress games, and one in which Brian gave the girls preset answers, very much like the Newlywed Game. For each answer that I got wrong I had to chew a piece of gum. At the end of the game I lost =) 30% correct and I had a mouthful of gum to show for it! It was a wonderful afternoon and I really enjoyed getting to see everyone. It's hard to believe that we're down to 19 days until the wedding.

This morning Brian and I got up at 2:00 am and left Lincoln at 3 to get him to the Omaha airport. His company has an annual customer conference in Indianapolis. In years past Brian has driven the 13 hours but fortunately this year he found flights that matched up with when he needed to be there. Friday morning I'll leave work early to pick him up. While he's gone I'll be working on the house, schoolwork and wedding projects. When he gets back we'll get him moved into the house and then the wedding will be upon us.

Today and tomorrow are the last two days of band and football camps for Erik and Tuesday and Thursday night I'm helping with the booster clubs. Tuesday night is Band Boosters volunteer sign ups and parents night and Thursday night is the LSE Booster Bash. Lots of excitement!

It was... Fantastick

Today my mom and I headed down to Brownville, Nebraska to see their presentation of The Fantasticks. They did a wonderful job and we really enjoyed ourselves. We were able to talk about the wedding, work, and Erik and I moving into the new house. Had a great mother/daughter day and got to relax. Before the performance we went to Whiskey Run Creek Vineyard and sampled almost all their whites and one of their reds. The wine was surprisingly delicious. We came home with two bottles and snacked on Husker cheese, summer sausage and crackers on the deck. There is a beautiful man made waterfall and it was VERY peaceful. For those who have never been, Brownville is a historical little town on the Nebraska/Missouri border. There are adorable antebellum homes, a bike path, the vineyard, a music performance hall, a repertory theater and a Lewis and Clark Museum housed on a steamboat. It was well worth the 90 minute drive from Lincoln and we'll likely turn it into an annual ritual.

We counted our RSVP's today and came up with a lot of unknowns. The RSVP date is August 19 so hopefully we'll see a lot of action this week. Otherwise we'll have to call our reception hall and get their advice on an estimate.... If you're reading this, please let us know if you can make it, even if it's tentative. We want to make sure to have enough chairs and food =)

Now we're off to Ribfest. Tomorrow morning we'll stop at Great Harvest Grain Company to support their annual Multiple Sclerosis fundraiser and then head to church to meet with the minister and run through how our ceremony will go. In the afternoon I have a bridal shower with my bridesmaids and friends and Brian, Erik, Greg and Roger will be heading to Men's Warehouse for their tuxedo fittings. We are planning for early bedtimes since Brian is preparing to leave for Indianapolis for a week. Off to drink beer and listen to live music =)

Hip and Trendy

Last night the girl who did my facial told me all about her wedding planning. For a few moments I felt like I had lost all sense of hip and cool. She isn't getting married for another two years and they have already broken up three times, and he hasn't given her the ring yet, just told her what he wants to buy her.... so maybe it'll happen and maybe it won't. But... her groom and his men are doing to wear black converse sneakers and suits with no vest and no jacket. I thought that "suits" with no vest and no jacket was just pants and a dress shirt but evidently I am mistaken. Her bridesmaids will wear a jersey (t-shirt) material wrap dress with a colored sash and a peacock feather mixed in with their bouquet. I am so glad that my bridesmaids decided on something fancy... and pretty. I know that stylists are artists. Does this flow over to estheticians? Our wedding will be pretty and FUN. We want everyone to come and enjoy themselves. While it appears we won't be a part of the new wedding "scene" hopefully it will be wonderful for everyone involved.

Yesterday afternoon when I got a few things out of the downstairs freezer I noticed that the poor thing was completely covered in frost and was starting to feel rather desperate so I started the defrosting and Brian finished it. At least we're ready for Erik's next fundraiser =) Playing in a cold freezer on a hot day isn't as much fun as your would think.

For Your Entertainment

We needed a good laugh this morning, thought you might need one too:

http://www.weddings.sc/blog/2007/11/12/funny-wedding-photos/

Get With The Program

Last night after an especially delicious dinner of whole wheat spaghetti and fundraiser breadsticks Brian and I sat down and picked out the programs for the wedding ceremony. We went back and forth maybe a dozen times over the last few weeks and finally realized they're about 10 days to ship.... and the wedding is in 23 days. So we had to get them done. We finally decided on a black and white option. We looked at all the color options, went over verses, stared for hours and and hours at pages of options. Finally we decided that the black and white went better with our wedding than any of the color options and then we narrowed things down with verses. The one I loved best as far as the cover picture was entirely written in Spanish and I had no idea what it said so we decided that many of our guests wouldn't be able to read it and it was probably dangerous for us to order it not knowing what it said =)

Erik got done with band right at 8 last night and spent an hour or so cooling off and getting food and Gatorade into his body. There are only four more days of two a day band practices and one of them is the picnic so at least he'll have some fun.

Today Brian and I are going to pick up the wedding bands during his lunch hour. I'm getting off early and then going for a spa treatment. I think I'm doing really well with wedding stress, and I have managed to not channel Bridezilla in any way, but, every once in awhile I get nervous about what I may have forgotten or what has been neglected on the to do list so this afternoon I'm going to try for a little relaxation.

Game... What Game? I came to see the band!

As many of you know Brian and I have been abducted by the band parents =) We like to volunteer and we're having a lot of fun. (Brian likes to tell people that I couldn't say no to volunteer work if I was on fire!) This link will take you to this year's music for the marching band competition and it is a lot of fun. Last year Erik played the vibraphone and this year he and his friend Mark are playing Marimba. You can hear what his part will sound like at several different parts in the introduction. The piece is taken from a work about the Plains and it is a lot of fun to listen to. In high school I was "too cool" for band but Brian marched all three years. Erik is going on the band trip to San Deigo as part of his Christmas break so we're really involved. Hope you like this =)

http://www.lseband.org/music/score09/audio.html

Is It Fast Enough to Walk to?

Last night we met with more musicians for the wedding. Brian and I have both been involved in different kinds of music through our lives and we decided to have a lot of live music during our ceremony. The group last night did a fantastic job and we were so excited to see them. I think (everyone cross your fingers) that all the music has been selected and rehearsals are set up, and the musicians are as excited as we are.

Tonight we have to order the pew bows, a few things for the rehearsal dinner and get the RSVPs into one location. Once the wedding work is done all three yards REALLY need to be mowed and we took a vote for early bedtimes so with any luck that will work out.

We Made the Paper

This Sunday the "Celebrate" section of the Lincoln paper will have our engagement picture and today our marriage license is in the paper. Check it out: http://journalstar.com/news/local/records/marriages/article_1ca2c040-8620-11de-8423-001cc4c002e0.html

Yesterday Brian made a surprise trip to western Nebraska to resolve problems after a lightning strike in the area. Christi did homework and Erik had two rounds of football camp and two rounds of band camp. Today is a little calmer except that we're signed up for treats for the band at the end of the night =) The forecast for today is 91 so I'm sure they would love to see us with either popsicles or COLD bottled water.

There is also a new billboard on one of the main street near my office. It is an electronic one and has a countdown til the first Husker game of the season. As many of you know we are getting married 2 hours before the first game. In Lincoln college football is almost a religious experience. At any rate, this morning it was happy to inform me that there are only 25 days left until the opening game. Can that be right???

Don't Be So Melodramatic

Yesterday we spent the afternoon at Mahoney State Park going to the melodrama. The show running this week is called Two Gun Junction and it was VERY cute. Erik laughed most of the show and there was a cranky bride behind us.

Last night I had nightmares about the reception. The food order was late, and not just a little late. The cakes that are supposed to be delivered by 2 on the day of the wedding didn't make it until 9pm. The DJ didn't get set up before the ceremony so there was only a boombox when I got there and things were so far behind that I had to leave the church and not get pictures taken. The other interesting thing was that the reception wasn't at Crooked Creek, it was at a strangers house and they had a skateboarding park in their backyard that we were using for a dance floor. I fell asleep watching Bridezilla's, that is honestly my only defense... here's to hoping that all our planning will make things work out better than they did in my nightmare.

We Are Legal!!!

And Christi's mom Nancy is 60! Friday I got off work early and Erik and I met Brian downtown to get lunch and our marriage license. So now we're official!

Friday night we did our homework and yesterday found us flexing our new responsibilities as Marching Band Booster Vice Presidents. Brian learned how to paint the lines on the marching field (it was actually a lot of fun!) and Christi got a refresher on the Pythagorean Theorem. We also took a few minutes to meet with the wedding coordinator at the church and work on logistics. I think we are a little more prepared every day. Erik had 8 hours of music practice with the "pit" and is excited to be playing the marimba part this year.

Today we're heading to Mahoney State Park to continue the birthday festivities with the afternoon melodrama and we have to get the invitations out for the Bride Ride and the Groom Zoom. What a wild ride these next 3 weeks and 6 days are going to be!

Sad day for cyclists

When I started getting into cycling heavier, I started "hitting" some cycling community sites. One of my favorites was the "Clydesdales/Athenas" forum on BikeForums. Right off the bat one of my favorite submitters was Ben Dinger, of Lincoln. Ben also who has a blog Chubby Super Biker Ben has several links on his blog roll. One of them is for Fatty or Fat Cyclist. Fatty has captivated the cycling world lately. His wife Susan has been battling a very long, very hard case of Breast Cancer. Fatty (his real name is Elden), responded by not only supporting Susan, but also raising money for the Livestrong foundation. As of last posting he had raised $500,000 for the fight against cancer!!! Yes, you read that correctly, and yes I typed it correctly! To show you how much publicity Fatty has been getting lately, Lance Armstorng has tweeted about him on a regular basis for the past several months, and cyclingnews (the Wall Street Journal of cycling) had an article about one of Fatty's fundraisers earlier this week.

Ok, now that you have some background, here's why I'm writing this. Susan passed away yesterday (August 5th) at 7:25pm. Christi and I have both been deeply touched by Susan's passing. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family Elden!!!! While we've never met your blog updates have touched both of us in ways that are hard to comprehend.

Please go to his website and read their story. I will warn you though, if you do, make sure you have a box of Kleenex nearby, because you're going to need it.

In closing I want to leave you with two thoughts:

1. LIVESTRONG

2. FIGHT LIKE SUSAN

We Really Tied One On

Ok so we actually tied on more than 700 =) Last night seven of my girlfriends came over and we tied bows on the wedding favors and the wedding bubbles! I estimated that there would be 800 bows to tie and we came darn close. At the very end we ran out of ribbon but the last of the work shouldn't take more than an hour. We celebrated at the end with beer and pizza. Erik and his friend Jeremy played in the basement and the back yard and Brian got lots of work done outside. Tonight we'll get some exercise and do some homework and finish deciding on and ordering noisemakers... the wedding is right around the corner.

A Month Ahead

In a month we will be married!!! Tonight I have plans with a few girlfriends to work on some special things for the reception and the ceremony. Hopefully we'll get through our projects and have lots of fun! Brian and I moved over some folding chairs, lawnchairs and lamps to help with our efforts. The cat is a bit miffed but she'll adjust.

The RSVP's are continuing to come in and we're getting more and more excited about our big weekend with friends and family. Hope to see you all soon!

Hustle Your Bustle

I went for my first dress fitting after work yesterday. The woman at J Marie's who does the alterations was happy to tell me that I picked the perfect dress. She is adding a bustle, adjusting the button on the halter and checking over all the beading. Who knew that I would be almost exactly the perfect height for wedding dresses??? Now I have to begin hunting for jewelry and other accessories for the dress. We're getting closer all the time.

Last night we both worked on homework and Erik went to the Y with his friends. He is looking forward to drum and frontline practices starting tonight and band and football camps starting on Monday. We're almost up to full speed again. If you call and miss us it means that we're either shuttling, studying or sleeping =)

Housework

I finished up all the edging in our bedroom yesterday afternoon while Brian put together our new grill =) Unfortunately the second gallon of paint has a very slight difference in tint between the first gallon so I'm going to have to do some more roller work and get things evened out. I'm sure it will look lovely once its done.

We spent yesterday morning on homework and the afternoon on housework getting the lawns mowed, and such. Then we had a nice dinner at our friend Roger's with steak from Chicago, fresh corn and all kinds of picnic salads.

Tonight I'm going to work on the paint while Brian finishes the grill and a few things that need to be put together for the wedding and then we'll get back to working on homework. Can you believe that we started on the bedroom back in March and here it is August and we're not done yet?

Showered in Love

Yesterday afternoon Brian's grandma Drabant and his aunts Jenny and Kris threw a fun, happy, whimsical and loving Bridal shower for the two of us. We had almost all of Brian's mom's family, an aunt from his dad's side and then members of the bridal party. The day was wonderful, the company was superb and the gifts were thoughtful and will be of unbelievable use at our new home. Brian's aunt Kris set up games for our guests to play and they had a blast. All were bicycle and outdoor themed included a pipe cleaner competition which will be remembered by many =) His aunt Jenny designed the cake and it was absolutely adorable. There were two bikes, a lake, and edible chocolate rocks which were a big hit with the guests. All in all it was a great day with those close to us that we will remember for years to come.

Blueberries are Blue

As many of you know Christi's family vacations EVERY year in the north woods. There is a contingent of Kirkegaard's there as we speak. One of Christi's cousins published a VERY special book this year, entitled The Magic of Ely, MN... in haiku. The poems and pictures are absolutely stunning. To learn more check out this link :

http://www.blueberryislandpublishing.com/Home_Page.html

A few years ago Sandie, and her husband Craig, and Erik's great great uncle Wayne took Erik out to catch two different kinds of fish for his Boy Scout fishing merit badge. Erik was elated to have caught the first Northern Pike of the day and his special fish is featured in the book. The other book on Sandie's site is called "Yesterday... just yesterday" and it makes a great book if you are headed to any baby showers.

Enjoy. Ely is very special to our family and to many other people. If you are ever offered a week in the north woods take it =) In the interim, this book will take you on the introductory tour.

The Bride Ride

Last night after work we met my mom for dinner and then headed to the party store, the craft store and Shopko. We got the tulle for the ride veils (I thought long and hard about naming this posting "What a Tulle" or some other kind of play on words!), priced the plastic champagne flutes for the ride and picked up most of Erik's school supplies. I LOVE it when notebooks are on sale for ten cents each!

Then we finalized the invitations for the Bride Ride and asked for mock-ups of the invite for the Groom Zoom. Brian is getting excited about his ride too =)

Today we're going to meet with one more florist and then we'll make a final decision and get the order done. We're using Brian's lunch break to get our marriage license. These last five weeks are going to be gone in a blink.

Dance, Dance, Dance

Yesterday and today Brian and I have been working on picking dance music. For the significant things like "our dance", the parents dance, cutting the cake, throwing the bouquet, throwing the garter, and the all important "last song of the night" and also things that other people will have fun dancing to (the funky chicken, the electric slide). If you have something that you love to dance to at weddings or on a night on the town just let us know =) We'll make sure that your song gets added to the list. The DJ is bringing enough music to stay for a month so you can request live from him that night as well.

A little dance humor: http://www.qwantz.com/index.php?comic=1519

In between rain showers we met with Brian Spatz to get our wedding bands ordered. My engagement ring is AMAZING so we picked something simple to let it continue to shine on its own. Brian's ring is made out of a newer metal and a "secret" ingredient so you'll have to ask him all about it.

After dinner we went for a nice bike ride to the teacher's fountain and then voted for early bedtimes. Today we both have long days at work and then homework.

Have You the Ring?

I absolutely LOVE the movie the Princess Bride. Brian has been subjected to it more times than he will readily admit and he's still a good sport whenever it comes on. Today after work we are going down to meet with Brian Spatz at Sartor Hamann downtown to finalize things with our wedding bands. Brian and Brian designed my engagement ring and it could not be more gorgeous.

Yesterday was wild (that is the nicest word I have) at work and I spent 5 hours on homework last night so I didn't get the flower lady called. With any luck I'll be able to get a lunch break today and make a few phone calls. Tonight we're riding either to Buster's for a quick beer or to Cold Stone Creamery to split a dish of ice cream.

This is our 90th post to the blog.... I'm still surprised at how much I like it!