Working on the Furniture

I spent the last days of March putting together the furniture we got from IKEA (which we are very happy with by the way).  Anyway the kids wanted to "help" with the dresser.  Emma actually did help quite a bit getting started but soon got bored.  Anyway, it was fun to work on these projects.

Enjoy the free gun show.  :)

A Day in Schaumburg

Heater and I went up to IKEA in Schaumburg to pick out some bedroom furniture for Emma. It was great to get away together for the day. We had a pretty successful trip to IKEA and then did some shopping around the Woodfield Mall area.  We went to the lego store and other fun stores.

The highlight of the day was dinner. We ate out at Texas de Brazil, a Brazilian steakhouse at Woodfield Mall. It was about the best food I think I've ever tasted, it was so good. We did eat at a similar restaurant on the Brazil mission trip a couple years ago but Heather wasn't with me then.

There were a variety of meats to taste, all kinds of beef as well as pork and lamb, etc. We both loved the lobster bisque, cheeserolls, fried bananas, shrimp, etc. Plus other scrumtious dishes to try.

A closer look at the delicious cheesecake!

Spring Break

The kids are on spring break this week. We didn't go anywhere or anything though. We've let them have friends over and they've gone to do stuff w/ their friends. It's a nice break from the routine. But, wow, I never had spring break in school. I didn't even sniff Spring Break until college.

Personally, I think it makes more sense to skip it and finish the year a little earlier in May.

We went to the DQ tonight after dinner. Nothing like the peanut buster parfait. Is that how you spell 'parfait'? Or is it 'parfey', or 'parrfay'? I think I was right the first time. I haven't known myself to be wrong...too often.

Doesn't it bug you wen people misspell words in email and blog posts? I meen, look professional. Come on!

Daddy/Daughter Date!

Emma and I got to go out for ice cream together tonight.  It's fun to have one on one time with the kids and Emma and I hadn't done anything by ourselves for a while.  She's a great daughter.

 

Big Ten Tourney

This weekend was the annual pilgrimage to the Big Ten Tournament where the "G6" meets up each year.  It's one of the best weekends of the year and something we always look forward to.  So far it's always worked out that we've gotten to see Illinois play one, but usually two games over the two days we are there.

We stayed at the Hilton downtown and enjoyed a couple fabulous meals...dinner on Friday at Harry & Izzy's and brunch on Saturday at LaPeep's.  Another long-standing tradition is the saturday morning run.  It's fun to get out together and push each other.  We ended up on a running track at IUPUI and raced a 400m run! 

This year the tournament was again held in Indy.  We spotted a few celebs over the weekend including Michael Jordan (pictured in the suite) and Roger Powell Jr. 

Illinois, a 5 seed, was 1-1 in the tourney beating Wisconsin 58-54 and losing to eventual champ, Ohio State in double overtime by a score of 88-81.  A good showing but a bit short against Ohio State.

Illinois does not make the NCAA Tournament this year, settling for a 1 seed in the NIT. 

More to Go to Heaven For

I remember one of grandma's favorite songs was "I've Got More to Go to Heaven For."  I remember listening to it with her on a record when I was little.  I specifically remember her telling me that my cousin Janice, who was my same age, was the new angel in the choir that the song mentions in the chorus.  One of grandma's sons' families died tragically in an auto accident in 1978.  Janice was one of his two children.

Now my grandma is the new angel in the choir.

I’ve been on my way to Heaven, for a long, long time
And many things have happened, that’s clouded up my mind
But I am more determined to walk the narrow way
I’ve got more to go to Heaven for than I had yesterday


     Chorus
     There’s a golden street to walk upon, a bell I’m gonna ring
     A brand new angel in the choir, and I'm gonna hear her sing
     There’ll be a lot of friends a waiting when I walk through the gate
     And, I’ve got more to go to Heaven for than I had yesterday


I’ve been through the lonesome valleys, I’ve climbed the highest hills
I’ve known the joy of living, in the center of God’s will
I’ve watched the angels come and take my loved ones home to stay
And, I’ve got more to go to Heaven for than I had yesterday

A Time to Mourn

We laid my Grandma Bauer's body to rest today, though her soul will live forever with Jesus in eternity! My heart shouts with joy thinking of her meeting Jesus face to face. What a blessed day that will be indeed!
My grandpa died over twelve years ago now, the day before Heather and I were married. What a strange emotional time that was! I think now with grandma's passing, it causes me to reflect more on the lives they lived and the influence they both were in my life. What a privilege to have them as grandparents! They provided so many fun, enjoyable and memorable experiences for us, giving selflessly and generously.

As people passed through the visitation line, there were so many kinds words and thoughts of not only grandma, but grandpa as well. Being the bank President, nearly everyone in town knew him and he helped so many people out. Most stories, I'll never hear.

Grandma was born April 1, 1917 and died February 28, 2010. Nearly 93 years. She was a godly example to us. She read through the Bible every year for some thirty years. She knew it well and was ready to go home.

We'll miss her but we look forward to seeing her again.