NY Update

Hi!

Haven't posted in awhile so I thought I'd give you an update. Thanks to everyone by the way for their birthday wishes!

Rob and I bought a house in Ossining, NY. It's about 35 miles north of Manhattan in Westchester County. We are scheduled to close next Tuesday (6/22). We're getting really excited, but it's been a pretty chaotic process. The house is a 1600 sq ft colonial with four bedrooms and an awesome back yard. While we'll miss life in the city, we're not too far away. It will be nice to be around grass and trees again! We'll be moving in mid-July and we're really excited that Mom and Dad will be here for the big move.

Meantime, I've been continuing to do freelance PR --working from home. My project right now is the annual July 4th Nathan's hot dog eating contest (not sure if you're familar -- it's on ESPN every year). My client is actually Pepto Bismol who is sponsoring the event this year. Funny stuff.... Rob is still doing his thing at Showbiz and is oh so excited for his new commute. :)

We hope everyone is doing well and we are excited to see everyone at the end of July. I'm sure Devin has many stories to tell about her adventures in the southern hemisphere!....

Lots of Love,
Jeni and Rob

Happy Birthday Jeni!!

We miss you Jeni! We hope that you have a wonderful birthday. Wishing you all the best. Many, many more happy and healthy birthdays. With love, Aunt Jeri

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MATT!!!!!!

I cannot believe that you are turning 21 today! Where have the years gone? I hope that you have a great birthday! I am looking forward to celebrating with you on Sunday. This post is from your Mom who loves you very much.

HAPPY 15th BIRTHDAY, PAIGE!! Good luck on your permit test this afternoon!

love,

devin

Something's on my mind...

I don't know about you guys, but there is something on my mind...

Oh yeah, happy birthday Darren!

From,

The 80's

Also Matt ;)

Happy Anniversary Grandma and Grandpa

Hope you guys have a great day! Hope Grandpa is feeling good today, gets his exercise in, and I hope the Comcast stuff gets sorted out :)

Matt

Our visit to BA

First Happy Belated Birthday to Sara as well, sounds like you had a fun birthday weekend! We had a great time visiting Devin in Beunos Aires, Argentina. She looks great, seems to be adjusting to their culture which means eating late, going out late, and sleeping little! We enjoyed her being our tour guide around the city and we also explored some places that she had not been yet. Our former exchange student from years ago, Eze also showed us around and his family took us to a tango show and also to a soccer game which was a lot of fun. His mom also took Devin and I shopping! Its the end of their summer there now, so the weather was perfect! We will miss her but know she will enjoy her next few months there! We also got to see Jamie a little bit during spring break and Kim and some of her friends coming and going through Atlanta on their way to their cruise. Look forward to being in Chicago for Passover!!!

Happy (belated) Birthday Sara!

Matt was supposed to have posted yesterday for Sara's birthday, but he had some kind of lapse. So, although I am a day short, I wanted to take a minute and post to wish Sara a very happy and healthy birthday with many happy returns!!! I hope that you did something fun on your birthday. With much love, Aunt Jeri

2nd Semester at U of I

Hello everyone,

I thought that I would just take a few moments to update everyone on what I have been doing for the past couple of months. To say the least, it certainly has been a busy semester so far.

On the academic side of things, I am taking 5 classes. I am just beginning to start some of my business core classes. Right now, I am taking Accountancy 1, Economic Statistics, and Microeconomics. These three classes are part of the the business core curriculum; so all business students must take these classes. These classes are not super interesting, but I do find them enjoyable and very applicable. I am also taking two general education classes in Social Psychology and World Religions. For all of my academic classes, midterms are finally over, so that is quite the relief.

Outside of the classroom, I working hard to get involved. Both this semester and next fall semester I will be the Vice President of Job Placement for Finance Club. Basically, I am responsible for handling the mock interviews and the resume critiques for the members of Finance Club. Working with Finance Club has been a great experience, and I hope to add to the club in my upcoming years at U of I. In addition to Finance Club, I have also started working on a project for Illinois Business Consulting. Right now, I am working on a team that is made up of 7 students ranging from PhD's & MBA's to undergraduates like myself. Our specific project involves helping a specialized gas company introduce a product into a new market. I am extremely excited to be gaining some experience working with real businesses in the community.

And now for the fun stuff! A few weeks back BJ, Matt, and Jakey all came down to Champaign for an Illini basketball game. We started the day by having lunch at Firehaus, and then we made it over to Assembly Hall for the game. Unfortunaltey, the Illini came up short as they were defeated by Minnesota (and thus explains why Minnesota is in the NCAA tournament, and not the Illini). Even so, we had a great time. After the basketball game, we took a tour around campus, seeing such landmarks as the Business Instructional Facility (BIF), Foellinger Auditorium (or just the Auditorium for the pre 1985 alumni), the Illini Union, and the ARC. To sum up, it was a great time, and I look forward to many more visitors in the future!

Well, last, but certainly not least, is the fact that tomorrow signals the start of my Spring Break. It is a much needed break, and I look forward to catching up with everyone over the next week or so!

I hope everyone is well,

Love, Daniel

Get Well Soon, Grandpa!

Matt

Adios Devin leaving Atlanta

Adios to Devin who left last night for Argentina! She arrived today in Buenos Aires, so far so good, she has met her host mom, and sounded very happy. Hopefully she will be posting her own messages and pictures for us all to see.

Update from NYC

Hi all,

Just thought I'd post a blog since it's been awhile. Was great seeing everyone in December!

So if you haven't heard, the biggest news is that I was laid off from my job...again. The budget for our account was cut significantly and they had to let people go. In all honestly, it was a blessing because I was beyond miserable. So now I'm back to being unemployed. I'm actually considering going back to school and changing gears completely. I've applied to NYU to enroll in their drama therapy program (something that has really peaked my interest). I'm also taking one class at the City College of New York to explore their Theatre Education program. I'm trying to create some options and explore new directions because the lifestyle of a PR professional just doesn't jive with our long-term goals.

Rob and I actually just got back from the Dominican Republic for a much needed 5 day rest. We had a great time. The weather was perfect, the beaches were gorgeous. The food...eh..not so great. But it's what you expect from an all-inclusive. I must admit though it was sort of bizarre lounging at a resort when we were only a few hundred miles away from utter destruction. I wondered if any of the left over food from the buffets were going to Haiti. But no-one in the resort wanted to discuss it....

The biggest news is probably that Rob has decided to follow in Uncle Mike and Uncle Shel's footsteps and has grown this hideous gotee. :) Maybe you'll all get the privelege of seeing it soon. We're considering coming back to Chicago for Passover. We'll keep you posted. Our next trip is to Raleigh, NC in March for Rob's cousin's bar-mitzvah.

Other news.... Despite my employment status, Rob and I are still actively on the house hunt. This has been a grueling process and we still are spending most of our weekends in Westchester. We are now widening our search to Jersey, but it's definitely not our top choice. Hopefully we'll find something soon. Love Saric's house! :)

As far as the Abbey vs. Ostoff controversy, I will first not try to be offended that the NY area was not included in the poll. :) All kidding aside, I think we need a change of pace so my vote would be for the Ostoff. Are there any other places that we haven't considered? Isn't the American Club in Kohler supposed to be nice? Is there anything to do there?

So that's that. My longest blog ever. Hope everyone is doing well. Miss you! Love, Jeni

The poll

See adjacent poll- you only get to vote once, so make it count.

Matt

We Didn't Start the Family (video)

We Didn’t Start the Family (lyrics)

We Didn't Start the Family

<30 sec. intro>

Grandma Grandpa met one day, celebrating to this day

Morton Grove, Thanksgiving, Singing Dummyline

Aunt Laurie killed the cake, B-J went to Drake

SHS, DHS, Ettlesons not on time

<break>

Barbeque, blogspot, BJ's got a sure shot

Tea-chers at the school, playing Scrabble by the pool

Camp Slaw, pok-er, Grandma's a love-stroker

Taxi Story, Leonardi, Cruise -- Slaws super-cool

Chorus:

We didn't start the family

It was always growin'

And it won't be slowin'

We didn't start the family

But we come together

Times we'll always treasure

Hell-o Beautiful, Devin's Great and Powerful

Lemon Jello, Halloween, Lake-Bluff-Golf

Pass-over Piano Benches, Mon-keys, Mitzvah Menches

B-B-Y-O, Eric likes to frolf

Dan Dan Birthday Man, tic tacs, marathon man
Volleyball, man child, Grandpa doesn't like it mild
Drought in the best hunan, Aunt Joan cookie plate
Jamie Sings, Golden Rings, water sports on the lake

Chorus:

We didn't start the family
It was always growin'
And it won't be slowin'
We didn't start the family
But we come together
Times we'll always treasure

Face-book, flag cake, Christmas Carols, skirt steak
Osthoff tubing, hawthorn lanes bowling
CCD, Grandpa's toast, Monte is the best host
Show-biz To-night, Jeni can't get a flight

<break>

Hotlanta, Dream cookies, is it a medium?
Summers at camp barney, Jeri wears a schmoti
Uncle Shel's wild ride, cubs win, Julie's pied
Fat head, tooth picks, Lake Geneva, Bulls Tix

Chorus:

We didn't start the family
It was always growin'
And it won't be slowin'
We didn't start the family
But we come together
Times we'll always treasure

Deer-field Pa-rade, Aunt Laurie's Lemon-ade

Zu-baz, a lotta lox, Simpsons, Toe socks
Gen-er-al Hos-pit-al, Slaw Invitational
Bull dogs, secret shake, tennis tourney, donut cake
Hula Hoop, Be-ology, barbeque pit, the abbey
26, to this day, what else do I have to say?

We didn't start the family

It was always growin'
And it won't be slowin'
We didn't start the family
But we come together
Times we'll always treasure

Kleen-ex, ice cream man, Scrapbooking, Braves fan

Sagaunash, birthstones, watching slides, smashed phone

Car guy, U of I, driving range, gift exchange

Email-ing gift list, oh my gosh I ordered this!

Georgia visits, pumpkin pies, m&m's, paige's prize

Chick-fil-a, switched entrée, TAS, ribs, coco cay

Climbing up a waterfall, Matt Matt slippery cat

Resting eyes, Craig's tall. That's it, we got it all.

We didn't start the family
It was always growin'
And it won't be slowin'
We didn't start the family
But we come together
Times we'll always treasure

gobble gobble!

Happy Thanksgiving!!
We are so thankful for our wonderful, loving family!
Love, the reunited Lincenbergs

Veteran's Day

They are liberators and they are enforcers.
They are warriors and they are peacekeepers.
They are attackers and they are defenders.
They are young and old. Men and women.
Sons and daughters. Parents and grandparents.
Some are with us, others are memories.
They are all heroes.

It feels like veterans are for history books and black and white videos. They exist in a different time worlds away from our lives. And yet, they do not. Rarely in our lives do men and women demonstrate such courage and ask for so little in return. Maybe that is why they are so easy to forget. That is why they are so important to remember.

So we say thanks where no words will truly suffice.
We try to imagine an experience we could never really visualize.
We promise to remember them- those that ask for nothing in return.

To our friends and family,

Have a memory-filled Veteran's Day.

Matt

New addition to the family!

I adopted a baby kitten yesterday! Her name is Bellaluna, but I'm calling her Luna. She is black with yellow eyes, 3 months old, and I love her so much already! She is the sweetest thing, but can also be a little fiesty...and right now she's giving me the sweetest kisses!

My roommate Bethany adopted a kitten as well, a little orange boy named Louis. We are one big happy family!

Here are some pictures!

Of course, now that I have my baby it doesn't seem that life can get better, haha.

Just a small update while I'm here:

Anatomy is over!!! I am in a few regular science classes now, so at least for the rest of this semester, school will seem like a breeze.

And next week, Zack is coming to visit!! He is coming in on Thursday night and staying until Monday morning, so we will get to party together for Halloween and also we can watch our biggest football game of the year together, Georgia vs. Florida, to keep up our tradition of being there together the last two years.

Hope everyone is doing well!

Love,

Kim and Luna!

You’re invited to the White Family Pumpkin Party!
When: Sunday, October 25, 2009
Time: 4:00 pm – For Carving
5:30 pm – For Dinner
Where: White House – 6 Court of Mohawk
BYOP (Bring your own Pumpkin if you’re interested in carving)
We will provide snacks, dinner, dessert, patterns and tools for carving pumpkins!
Costumes Optional!
RSVP via email (Lwhite267@comcast.net) or call 847-940-1668

A Taste of Champaign

Well, I know that this post is long overdue, as I have been at U of I for close to two months now. I just wanted to give an update as to how things are going down here in Champaign.

First off, classes are going well. I just had most of my midterms this past week, so that was a little stressful. Right now, I am taking 5 classes: Introduction to Professional Responsibility (Intro to Business), Public Speaking, Calculus 2, Macroeconomics, and Computer Science. I would have to say that my favorite class is Macroeconomics. However, my Intro to Business class is also very interesting.

Outside of classes, I am trying to get involved in some student organizations on Campus, mostly business related. I am a member of Finance Club, and I am applying to be a member of an organization called the FIRM. The FIRM is an investment banking student group on campus. I also am applying to be a part of Illinois Business Consulting, which is a student run consulting group where students analyze real business problems in the community. Most of these organizations are very competitive though and require a series of interviews before acceptance into the organization.

In my free time, I like going to the ARC (Activities and Recreation Center). I usually play basketball, volleyball, or racquetball with my friends at the ARC.

Well, once again, I am sorry for the tardiness of this post. I hope everyone is doing well at home, and I look forward to seeing everyone soon!

Love, Daniel

Pink Ribbons 2009

Pink Ribbons 2009, our 15th year was a huge success! The fashion show was fabulous, the food divine, the silent auction outstanding, the jewelry for the raffle was beautiful, the speaker was inspiring. All in all a lovely afternoon, in which we hopefully raised a lot of money and awareness. I am so proud of my husband and everyone who contributed.

On another note all is well here after the flooding. It was quite scaring watching the river approach the house. Hopefully its another 100 years before we get rain like that again! Julie

Happy Birthday Lizzy!

Happy 15th Birthday Lizzy!!! We wish you all the best! Love, Mom

kim's life in the lou

I have been living in St. Louis for 10 weeks now (WOW) and I haven't really talked about it on here yet!

My roommate, Bethany, and I get along wonderfully! She is one of my closest friends and everything in the apartment is going very well. There are very few things we have done without each other. I am so lucky to have ended up living with someone who is so much like me! I've never had such an easy going living situation.

School is going well, in general. I have made a group of great friends; we got close very quickly because we are all going through the same thing and spend all day together at school and in the library. On an average day I am at school from about 8am-6pm, but there are plenty of days that I stay until 10 or 11. I have been trying to mix up where I study, but the school library is convenient, my classmates are nearby, and there's free coffee down the hall, so I usually stick around there. My only real class right now is Anatomy. The course block is 10 weeks long, so now I only have 3 weeks left! I cannot wait. This is by far the most difficult class I have ever taken.

Once a week we also have a class called Applied Clinical Skills, which is when they teach us the non-scientific things about being a doctor: how to take a history, how to treat special issues, etc. Also, my school sponsors a student-run clinic, and I volunteered there a couple weekends ago. It was amazing because I basically got to play doctor! We had licensed doctors there as well, but I greeted the patient in the waiting room, did the initial physical exam (eye test, hearing test, blood pressure, pulse, temperature...), and took the history. I really loved doing that!

We just had our second (out of 3) anatomy exams yesterday, so I am taking this weekend completely off. This is the first official weekend of fall, and it couldn't be better timing for me to finally have time because the weather is beautiful! I live near a huge park...the biggest one in the country...so I plan on taking advantage of that at some point. I have been there a few times already- when BJ came to visit we checked out the art museum there, my mom and I went to the zoo, and I've wandered about with my friends. I haven't been able to do nearly as much St. Louis exploring as I did when BJ was here...we had such a great visit! We went to that museum, had stl-style pizza in the italian neighborhood known as the Hill, did the touristy arch thing, and went to a Cardinals game! With a group of school friends I went to a concert under the arch, I went to the Anheiser-Busch brewery, and we've done some exploring of the nightlife.

Even though school is so much work, and at times I feel like I have no life at all, I am very happy here. It's hard being so far away from my family, but I try to stay caught up on what everybody is up to. I would like to congratulate Jamie for being initiated in SDT today! And it was strange hearing about the Atlanta flooding and knowing I wouldn't experience it at all. Seriously, though, I feel like I have really found my place (not St. Louis, necessarily, but med school...) and I am looking forward to every step of this long road.

I hope everyone else is doing well and I would LOVE to have a good variety of updates to read on here...how else am I supposed to know what's going on in your lives??? Even if you think it's not worth writing about, I think most of us would disagree.

I LOVE YOU!!!!!!

Kim

Happy New Year!

L'shana Tova, I wish everyone a happy and healthy upcoming year!

Love, Paige

Happy Birthday, Jessie!

Hope you have a great day!

Camp Slaw 2008

Matt

Whew- ok I think we're covered on the birthdays for at least a little while...

Happy Birthday, Devin!

Hope you have a great day and a good start to the school year. Looking forward to you keeping us posted on what's going on in your life on the blog.

Matt

Happy Birthday Kim!

Happy Birthday, Kim! We hope your first birthday as a medical student has been a good one. It was great seeing you last weekend, and we can't wait to see you in December if not sooner. Have a wonderful birthday!!! Love, sara and eric

Happy Birthday Grandma Bobbie!!!

Grandma, we wish you a very happy and healthy birthday. We hope that you have a great day. We love you very much!!!!!!

Photoblog: Camp Whittleson

Matt p.s. new post below

Kim gets her white coat!

It was  a very special weekend in St. Louis watching Kim get her prestigious white coat! It was a somber yet celebratory ceremony where the Dean of St. Louis Medical School addressed the students and welcomed them to St. Louis and encouraged them on their upcoming journey to becoming a doctor.  The only disappointment was that Shel was not there as he could have participated in the ceremony by putting her coat on. He'll get a second chance at graduation and the coat will be longer.  Ironically, the dean was preaching about how becoming a doctor gives you a chance to help other people, and Shel missed it because he was helping kids in Ecuador. All in all it was a proud moment in our lives!

Love, Julie

ATL -> STL

I plan on writing a much more extensive and descriptive post when more starts happening, but for now I just wanted to announce that I now live in St. Louis!

Two fridays ago my dad and I drove up and he spent the weekend here helping me get settled. For the last week I have been by myself, which allowed me to get my room all set up and run some errands that needed to be done before everything gets crazy. 

Here are a few pictures of my room! 

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2576313&id=4901793&l=5398447145

BJ is coming to visit me tomorrow thru Thursday, although I'm not supposed to write about that until he has proven his visit to be successful :) Then my roommate (Bethany) moves in on Thursday, and everything will finally get settled. 

On Sunday I have a White Coat Ceremony, which is when I officially become a medical student. My mom is coming to attend that ceremony. Then I have a week of orientation and I begin classes on Aug. 10....anatomy lab, here I come!

I am so glad that I get to see everybody so soon after I start my new life so I have a chance to talk to everybody about it! 

Hope all is well!

Love,

Kim

the blog

I've been thinking there's not much action on the blog anymore. Since around January everybody pretty much stopped. So what I'd like is for everybody to start making posts again about family categories.




From,
Jakey

Lincenbergs Get New Addition!

This past Sunday, Lizzy flew through the sky and landed at the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (aka ATLANTA!!) Right now, we are stuck in the house on a rainy day so we thought we would say hey! Although, we've only had a couple days together, they have been funfilled and action-packed. including swimming, playing games, watching movies, and eating A LOT. Jamie just walked in and she says hey to everyone! More details will come when I (Lizzy) reutrn to Chicago, but for now, we are going to get back to our activities. We just wanted to update everyone about the trip. Can't wait to see everyone at Jeni and Rob's wedding in August. Until then, the Lincenbergs send their love, and I (Lizzy) will see everyone soon!
Love,
Paige & Lizzy

Downtown at the Sox Game and Navy Pier

Over the past week, I've been in downtown Chicago a couple times, taking in baseball games, fireworks, and fireworks at baseball games (they have fireworks at U.S. Cellular Field where the White Sox play).

Attending the Cubs-Sox affair were myself, Dad, Jake, and my friend Brian. We left just early enough to miss the White Sox win the game, and we beat out most of the traffic after the game, so that was a win-win scenario.

On July 3rd, I was downtown with some friends, hanging out at my friend Michael Kryger's apartment/patio. We had some bbq before walking through the streets of the city and enjoying the Indepedence day festivities at Navy Pier. (And we couldn't help having a little fun before the fireworks, too.)

Matt

Bobbie Takes a Bite of Big Apple

Hello!
Greetings from NYC. After reading BJ's fabulous (as always) message, I felt as though I needed to respond with a blog posting of my own, so I can fill you in about this weekend and to express my gratitude to everyone back home for making it happen.

As you may or may not know, I had a shower here in New York City on Sunday, given by Wilma. We had more people on our turf this weekend then ever before with Mom, Dad, Jess, Grandma and Aunt Laurie... all accounted for. Not to mention, family members of Rob's from North Carolina had also flown in for the occasion. We actually had our first NYC family party here on Saturday night when we decided to bring in desserts after dinner (that was the best we could do - this is me we're talking about). Would have loved to have Mike E. for the ice cream :) All in all, we did a lot of EATING. Back to the shower. It was really nice and I loved having the Chicago Slew's (sorry BJ, I stole it) meet some of the Sirota's and some of my friends for the first time. The guys, including Dad, also bonded over a steak lunch while us girls were having our tea and finger sandwiches.

But I'm burying the lead. While the shower was wonderful (just like the one in Chicago was), the true highlight of the weekend did not happen until last night when I insisted that we take Grandma to Times Square. Earlier in the day, Grandma would "ooh and ahh" over a double decker bus, the architecture on the Upper East Side, or even just marvel at how many streets looked just like Michigan Avenue. She also was THRILLED to be on the subway and said "this is just like six flags". But again I bury the lead. When we got to Times Square, my mom describes it best, "she was like a little girl at a candy store", I've never seen her face light up like this. I wasn't sure what was the more amazing sight...Times Square or Grandma's reaction.

It really made me happy to see her so excited and I wanted to try to capture this for the rest of you. I owe so many of you my gratitude, including Grandpa and especially BJ, for your help, so everyone could make the trip. We all had a great time and now I just have to get the rest of you out here. :)

The wedding is approaching fast now! We can't wait. Much love, Jeni and Rob

B's baaaaaaaaaack

Dear esteemed members of the SLEW clan,

Greetings to all. BJ here, with an incredibly overdue post to the fam blog. As we near the mid-point of June, there is much to report...

First off, my spring academic quarter just concluded at Northwestern last Wednesday. It was a stressful term with a lot of schoolwork in my 3 classes, but I think my grades will turn out alright. I have now completed 9 of the 15 required courses in the master's degree program in higher education administration. I have a weeklong break before I return to school for the six-week summer session. I will take two more courses for sure, and am still mulling over the possibility of an internship at Northwestern. I am meeting with my program advisor next week to discuss some options for internships and jobs. I expect to return to full-time work in the fall, even though I will not earn the master's degree until June, 2010. If anybody has any questions about this, feel free to ask.

Second, I wanted to let you know that I broke up with Krista a couple of days ago. Although I liked her very much (and still do), she was far more invested in the relationship than I was. I recognized that I had been pushing myself away from the relationship for quite some time. It simply wasn't fair to either of us to keep the relationship going. Krista was understandably saddened, but acknowledged that all the points I was expressing were true. Unlike my past relationships, I very much hope Krista and I can remain close friends. She's in the same master's program at Northwestern as I am, so I'll still be seeing her in future classes. I now view this summer as an opportunity to stay focused on my academics, yet also make sure that I continue to meet new people and get involved in some fun, social endeavors.

On a lighter note, this is a weekend for our family to celebrate! Jeni's second bridal shower is hours away. In fact, I am writing this post from the G's house. I am Grandpa's roommate while Grandma and my Mom are out in New York City helping to represent the Slaw side of the family. Don't worry about Grandpa and I, we are going to have a great time. The Ettlesons are going to have dinner with us the next couple of nights so we will be in great company.

Okay, it's time for me to entertain Grandpa. Hugs and kisses for all, and let the countdown for the Slaw-Melstein wedding begin!

Love,
BJ

Daniel receives 4 awards, Lizzy gets nominated!

I wanted to let everyone know that Daniel received 4 awards last week at Stevenson's Senior Award night. He got an award in English, Chemistry, Math, and Spanish. This was very exciting! We are incredibly proud. I know that he will continue his stellar academic career at U of I.

Lizzy is one of 10 nominees for Daniel Wright's most prestigious student of the year awards. It is a big honor to be nominated. The winner will be announced at graduation. In any case, she is already a winner in my book! There will be no stopping her at Stevenson!!

Just wanted to share! Jeri

time for another change

The last time I really wrote an update was in January when I moved to Augusta.

Well, the time has come when I am leaving Augusta!

Tomorrow is my last day working at Logan's Roadhouse and then I will be on the road to Atlanta for Jamie's graduation weekend and the rest of the summer!

I plan on taking a couple of classes at the community college, maybe getting a part-time job (Georgia Plastic Surgery will usually hire me back ;)  just kidding) and spending time with my family and friends before I move again.

I am officially going to attend Saint Louis University School of Medicine!

I am so, so excited and I can't wait to finally be doing what I have been waiting for for all this time. I will be moving to St. Louis sometime in mid-late July and my white coat ceremony (when I officially become a med student) is August 2. 

I can't wait to be able to talk about my first couple of weeks in med school when I see you all at Jeni and Rob's wedding!

Speaking of which, I will see a bunch of you next weekend at the shower!

So...that's my life!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JENI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Taking a page from Jake's book. Looks like its up to a sib to post the "happy birthday" message! As Jen's one and only sib by blood, excluding inlaws (sorry Darren), here it is!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Although I'm sad this is yet another birthday we won't be able to spend with you, I know Rob will make it a special one. And its not like we're not going to see you in like 3 weeks!

I love you,

Jess

Happy Birthday Matt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HapppppppppppppppppppppppppYyyyyyyyyyy
yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyybbbbbbbbbbbbiiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrrrttttthhhhhhdddddayyyyyyy Jakey

I Got Myself a Job!!!!!

Family,

Its been a while, but I thought I'd share my excitement with you. I just accepted a job offer as an Underwriting Examiner with Allstate Insurance. For those of you who didn't know, I have been working on a career in insurance for the last year or so. My layoff at Smurfit in February was just the jump start I needed to really agressively pursue it and now it has paid off. I will keep you all posted on how it goes, but I really do have high hopes that this is going to be a great opportunity for me. Stay tuned.... Love, Jess

Israel!

Hey eveyone. Thanks again for yalls thoughtful birthday wishes. Tomorrow I am leaving for Israel for the first time with the entire eighth grade at my school! We tour the entire state within two weeks. I return home on May 15. I am extremely excited and I will definitely post pictures on the blog when I return! Love, Paige

Happy Birthday Paige!

Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday to you!
You look like a monkey!
And you smell like one too!

Happy Birthday, Paige!

Matt

You're still into monkeys, right?

Wordle.net

Above are these really neat images of the words used in the titles of the posts on the Blog. The larger the word, the more often it is used (obviously, we use the blog a lot for birthday wishes). My roommate Scott introduced me to the website (wordle.net), and I thought theses images it created from our blog were really neat.

And here's a tip: click on the picture for a closer view so you can read most of the words!

Also, happy 200th post!

Matt

Congratulations Sara and Eric!

What an amazing day!

What an amazing couple!

What an amazing ceremony and party!

What an amazing demonstration of love!

What an amazing display of creativity in this post!

Anyways...for those who would like to see it again, here is the montage from the rehearsal dinner:

Matt

Happy 60th Grandma and Grandpa!

Happy 60th anniversary Grandma and Grandpa!

Hope you guys had a great day, and here's to what is going to be a very special year for the family!

Love,

Matt

Stop motion fun!

Cousin Hale and I made this video, which I think is pretty fun to watch.

Matt

Its due time for a new post

Hello everyone! In addition to us needing a new posting on here, I thought I'd share with you something interesting. Yesterday, I attended a Holocaust Survivor's Luncheon where I got to speak with Survivor's... it was really amazing. The Michigan Daily (our school newspaper) wrote an article about the luncheon, so I'm going to attach it here.   CLICK HERE! 

If you watch the Multimedia video about halfway down the page, I'm in it for a split second, as I was given the honor to light one of the six yartzeit candles.  It's a close-up on my face, so don't be scared! 

Also, incase you're wondering (since I know some of you already know), the guy named Alex in the video speaking is the Alex that I was dating for a while.  

Anyway, thought I'd share this with you! 

Can't wait to see you all SO SOON! 

- devin 

the snowfall in atlanta

i know it doesn't look like much, but the flakes were huge and we were really excited!

Happy Birthday, Jamie!

Happy Birthday, Jamie!

I hope you have a great day!

Can't wait to see you (and the rest of the fam)!

Matt

kim's new address

Kim Lincenberg

2716 Ridgecrest Dr.

Augusta, GA 30907

yay write me letters!

Valentine's Day!

Hello everyone! 

I just thought I would wish you all a happy valentine's day! 

How is everyone celebrating? I am going out tonight with a bunch of girls and getting some chocolate fondue! 

I hope you have a LOVEly day! 

<3, 

devin 

Volleyball Team!

Hey everyone! Hope all is well, and I can't wait to see some of you for Sara's shower next weekend! Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday were my volleyball tryouts for the eithgh grade Daniel Wright team. The competition grew from last year, but I pulled through. On Thursday night, I found out that I made it! Volleyball was so much fun last year, so I am really glad I get the oppurtunity to play again this year. Out of the 40 some girls that tried out, 24 made it. There are two teams; I am on the white team. If you are interested in a schedual let me know, and I will be happy to get you one. Scheduals are also posted on the Daniel Wright website at http://www.daniel-wright.district103.k12.il.us/athletics.htm. Hope you all are having a good weekend!
Love, Lizzy

first blog in 2009!

Seeing as no one has posted anything in almost a month, and things in my life seem to have finally come together, I thought I would update the blog!

The big news that I'm sure a lot of you already know is that I have moved to Augusta, GA!

One of my best friends lives here and is attending the Medical College of Georgia, which I would really like to be accepted to! I am living with one of her classmates in a two-bedroom apartment.

I got a job as a server at Logan's Roadhouse- I don't know if you have that up north, but it's basically a burger and steak place that is usually really busy! I have started training this week and I actually think it's really fun. I've been craving a job with this kind of fast-paced environment. 

And of course, the question I know you are all wondering, is that, yes, Zack lives here. I figured since I have this block of time open, I preferred being near him while I could be. 

I interviewed at MCG (the aforementioned school) last week, and I was told that my interview was great, so hopefully in the next couple of months I will hear something good! As of now I will be attending Saint Louis University in the fall, but we'll see if I have options come available this spring.

I love and miss you all, and I will be in Chicago in just a few weeks to see you!

Kim

Camp Slaw Montage (fast version)

Matt

p.s. Don't blink or you might miss one!

Jamie's exciting news!

Hey Everyone! There hasn't been a new post in quite some time, so i decided to fill you all in on my exciting past 2 days. Well, as most of you know, I had a nose job done on wednesday morning. I am healing really well, with little pain, so that is good!

I have even more exciting news though! I GOT INTO UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN TODAY! 

WOOOO! So, now we might have 2 lincenberg girls up north! 

And maybe I will get to be at school with daniel next year?!?

Well, just thought I would share that exciting news with all of you!

We will all miss you over the holiday break, don't have too much fun without us!

Love, Jamie

Happy Thanksgiving!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

or TURKEY DAY- if you prefer

FROM MATT and JAKE

P.S. can't wait for Chanukah!!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Matt

Happy Birthday Leah!

Hopefully I'll be the first to tell you: HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I hope all your wishes come true and you have great day! See you soon! Happy Birthday! I love you!

drum roll please....

I GOT INTO MEDICAL SCHOOL!

I received a phone call yesterday from Saint Louis University telling me that they were very impressed by me last year (I interviewed in March), they were sorry they couldn't take me from the alternate list, they were excited that I reapplied, and they wanted to offer me a position in the class to begin in August 2009!!!!

Just to clarify, I will not be in St. Louis definitely, but at least now I will definitely be going to med school next year!

love,

kim

Wedding Update

Just wanted to let everyone know that Rob and I have a wedding Web site. Feel free to check out http://jeniferandrob.weddings.com Save the dates will be out in the next couple of weeks so keep an eye out. Hope everyone is doing well.

Miss you!

Love,
Jeni

Paige's most recent achievement

Hey! So I know someone already posted about me receiving my black belt but I thought everyone might be interested in how I achieved it. I began taking tae kwon do classes six years ago in second grade so there was a long process building up for this. My tae kwon do dojo (school) hosts promotions every three months but every student is not invited every time. The instructors watch us during class to decide if they believe we are ready to promote. At the promotion, you perform everything you have learned in front of everyone. To train for one's black belt, one trains for at least nine months in between getting the advanced red belt (the level below black) and the black belt. Usually, most students do not pass their black belt test the first time they take it because one must perform difficult tasks. First of all, one must display all 24 different kicks numerous times. Also, one must break 8 boards with a different movement every time, 3 of those boards are double boards. To break the boards one must use at least one type of kick, knee strike, elbow strike, and palm strike. In addition, we learn forms/routines that we must perform with perfect technique and power.
Unfortunately, I was out of town when the formal black belt test took place so I attended a private one with only my instructor, my parents, and me. Surprisingly, I passed my black belt test the first time I took it. I broke every board on my first try and I really tried my best. I wanted to attach some pictures but they will not upload to this post but maybe I'll try again later! Love, Paige

CONGRATS Paige!

Yesterday, 

Paige earned her BLACK BELT in Tae Kwon Do!!!!!

YAY, PAIGE! We are soooooo proud of you!

Now, go kick some butt!

love,

your fam

Devin's Here!

Devin made it! After a long trip from Michigan yesterday, she finally made it to Lincolnshire! I was so lucky to already see her, but for those who haven't she will definitely be at Sunday night dinner! I'm so excited!

Love, Lizzy

Happy Birthday Lizzy!

Well, Happy Birthday to my Lizzy girl! I cannot believe that she is 14 years old. Wow! Seems like I just birthed her not that long ago! Each year goes by faster and faster! She makes me smile. Thank goodness for Lizzy! I wish her a very happy and healthy (dislocated finger notwithstanding) birthday!

happy new year!

L'SHANAH TOVA!!!

it seemed that this past year was pretty sweet for all of us and we know a few people who will have an extra special upcoming year, but I just wanted to wish the ENTIRE family (all 26 of us!) a sweet, happy, and healthy new year!

with so much love,

Kim

Happy Birthday Jake (and Liz)

Happy Birthday, Jake!

Hopefully you had a great day yesterday, and I can't wait for the birthday celebration for you and Liz at our house next weekend.

For those interested, the slideshow on the right side of your screen has been updated to feature photos of Jake and Liz.

Matt

Matt and Mike at the Ryder Cup

Louisville, KY: Dad and I visited Valhalla golf club last weekend in what turned out to be exciting, while, at times, tense, U.S. victory over those crumpet-eating, brightly-clothed Europeans. Boo Weekley, Hunter Mahan, Anthony Kim, and of course, captain Paul Azinger, led an inspired U.S. team to at 16 and 1/2 to 11 and 1/2 victory over Faldo's European team (and if you don't know any of those names, well, you probably don't really care about this that much anyways :) ).

Besides closely advising Paul Azinger on how to best pair his players (oh wait, the was Ray Floyd and Dave Stockton, never mind), Dad and I played a couple rounds of golf at some great local courses and attended an outdoor pep rally in downtown Louisville to liven up the American crowds during the cup.

And the crowds were loud: there were many cheers and chants of: "U.S.A, U.S.A, U.S.A," while joyful chanting of: "Ole, Ole, Ole, Ole" were sung whenever a European made a birdie putt. Overall, the venue was great, the competition was great, and we, as the trend suggests, had a great time (Dad even got to meet Michael Jordan, who was in the NBC tent with us.)

Matt

You can go home again

As I am making this announcement from work, I am not going to wax poetic. However, I wanted all of you to know that it is official--BJ is moving back to the Chicago area. I'm not joking Grandpa, but I can sign a contract with the family if you'd like.

Around 3:30 yesterday afternoon, I got an e-mail from Northwestern University confirming my conditional admission into their Master's Program in Higher Education Administration & Policy. After a night of volleyball and sleep to think things over (and dodging the persistence of Detective Leah Marie), I decided to accept Northwestern's offer. I met with my boss this morning and submitted a letter of resignation.

The timeline at this point is as follows--My first night of class is September 23. I will work through September 19, come home that weekend, attend my first week of classes, drive back to Des Moines to work at Drake September 25 and 26 (my last day) and then complete my transition back to Chicago. Everybody got that? Following Rand has never been more riveting, I know.

More details to come. Stay tuned SLEW. For now, save a spot for me at Sunday dinner on Sept 21.

Feeling and spreading the love,
BJ

Happy Birthday, Jessie!

Happy birthday, Jessie! Hope you had a great day. See you soon, and we all hope Darren is feeling well and has a quick and speedy recovery.

Matt

Jessie and Darren, Camp Slaw 2007

Happy Occasions

It is certainly a time for many happy occasions, engagements, birthdays lots going on. I just want to congratulate Sara and Eric on their engagement, we are very happy for you. And I want to wish my daughters, Kim and Devin a very Happy 22nd and 2oth Birthdays, and Happy Birthday to Jessie tomorrow! Julie

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEVIN!!

I hope you have had and continue to have a great day! 

Love, Paige

The announcement.

And now, the long anticipated, “Eric’s First Blog”….

Some people say that when you get married you not only marry that person but their entire family.  It's amazing to think that it was a year and one week ago, that Sara and I went on our first date, and it was only one week later that I was so warmly welcomed by nearly the entire family and met everyone else shortly thereafter.  Most people would probably say that meeting the family, not to mention grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, after the first week is crazy.  Well, they would probably be right, and for the younger audience, I'm not endorsing this move by any means.  However, after meeting Sara, the idea didn't seem that crazy.  It's funny, and usually sounds cliché whenever you hear a couple say, "we just knew it right away," but I guess that's what true love is.  It's this funny, cliché thing, that given serious rational thought would seem impractical and not make sense, but somehow it does.  And we knew it right away.

I also knew right away that I was loved and accepted by Sara.  It's like that feeling that can only be matched by being home, surrounded by family and those you love.  As quickly as Sara and I fell for each other, I cannot describe the warmth and love that I felt from every member of the White, Slaw, Ettleson, and Lincenberg families right away.   From that first game of Scrabble last Labor Day, to experiencing my first humanistic high holiday service with the Whites, to pumpkin carving on Halloween with the two of the coolest grandwitches I've ever met, to Thanksgiving (dessert) at the Slaws, the many birthdays, Sunday dinners, and every other family gathering both big and small, I left every event with the same feeling of warmth, love and acceptance. 

Sara and I were so happy to announce our engagement to everyone this weekend.   From the very bottom of my heart, I am beyond grateful for the love and support you have all shown Sara and me this past year.  Thank you, and I love you all.

-Eric

Happy Birthday Kim!

Well, it's September and that means Happy Birthday to Kim!!! We hope that you have a great birthday! Hopefully you are doing something fun and exciting on your special day. We love and miss you so much! Love, Aunt Jeri

"Iowa So Far" lyrics and video

"Iowa so Far" lyrics:

They say great cousins come once in a lifetime
and even though we’re from opposite ends of the family,
my heart tells me you’re the one for me.
B-J

I remember when it started, saw you in your room.
you were playin’ games, I was eating food
but I was feeling you, and even though I didn’t understand almost everything you said
you ain't wrong to me, so strong to me, so tall to me
The oldest boy cousin of the family
BJ makes my eyes pop right out of my head
Shot’s impossible- but it’s in instead
Can do anything, the only problem I see
is the chance of you not coming home to me.
Big, big loader- lot’s of fun- that’s not lie
Can’t express how I feel
Yo Daniel let’s ride

And Iowa, Iowa so far away
is your home, but in my heart you’ll stay

Ping- pong- he has no replacement
We could play for hours in our basement
my man, BJ is known for bowlin’
Rollin’, if he can still do it then I can
they call you Bowls, they say your skills are unmatched
When you dunk the ball, the rim never stays attached
Playin’ volleyball in the sand
And another nickname, some call you Rand
So I try to stop admirin’ but you can still see
with your sleepy brown eyes, butter pecan thighs
And your hairy legs…Yeah.

And Iowa, Iowa so far away
come home, and in my house you’ll stay
Used to look at the stars and dream
round the world same stars were seen
And a twinkle in your eyes B—J—.

Talk smooth to me, without a tie
jump to spike the ball, damn so high.
We can take a trip to the baseball game
Triple A cubs—it’s all the same
Hot dogs out of a cannon, and other food
hope you look in my eyes and say I’m havin’ fun too
They say Iowa don’t have the bomb but they already do
They should know by now, it’s you.

And Iowa, Iowa so far away
is your home, but in my heart you’ll stay

You crazy for this one BJ
you can deny Chicago all you want
but you can’t deny that there’s something between us
I know you say you might stay in Iowa
but you’re in Wisconsin now baby

it’s time to stop hiding,
and start living


Video:

Click the following link to view the original SNL version of this song:

http://www.hulu.com/watch/16771/saturday-night-live-snl-digital-short-iran-so-far

Hope everyone had a great Camp Slaw and had a few laughs along the way,

Matt

happy birthday BJ and Uncle Mike

Live from Camp Slaw 2008:

Happy birthday BJ and Uncle Mike! Hope you have a great day and a great Camp Slaw!

Matt

Happy Birthday Daniel!

...because somebody had to do it.

Just kidding. Have a good one, Daniel.

Matt

P.S. new slide show feat. Daniel

What to do on Saturday night of camp slew. August 9. Please say suggtions. love Jakey

MY AMAZING TRIP!

Hey, fam! I hope everyone is enjoying their summer so far because I sure am, especially this past week I spent in Atlanta with the wonderful Lincenbergs! I had so much fun spending time with just the girls (and Uncle Shel). Everyday was funfilled and packed to the limit with excitement. All the Lincenbergs so kindly took time out of their days to spend time with me, but it was easy to see they all have hectic lives. I loved the constont friends and action happening at the Lincenberg house, and there was no doubt it was very different from the Ettleson lifestyle.


First things first. Packed and ready to go, I said good-bye to Mom, and Dad and I were on our way to O'hare airport. We were able to cut right past the long check-in line, to a short line were they allowed Dad to accompany me to the gate. We found our gate, devoured a huge Cinna-bun, and it was time for me to board. Good-bye Chicago, hello Atlanta! The plane fortunately took-off on time, and with a smooth flight, I landed safely at the Atlanta airport. I walked right of the ramp be warmly welcomed by Aunt Julie and Paige. Yay! I made it! We went to get the luggage and we were on way...to Subway! After Paige very maturely ordered 8 subs to go over the phone, we stopped at Kroger (the grocery store) and picked up the sandwiches. Little did I know, tonight we were going to Stone Mountain! We continued to the Lincenberg home where I was hugged by 4 more, Uncle Shel, Kim, Devin, and Jamie. But wait there's one more! Jonathon, Devin's boyfriend, was already at the house, and I learned that I was the second Slaw cousin to ever meet Jonathon (BJ was the first). We caravaned over to Stone Mountain were we saw a huge "mountain" of limestone" and an unforgetable lasershow. By the time we arrived back at home, everyone went straight to bed.


On Sunday morning, Aunt Julie made us butterscotch and chocolate chip waffles. They were delicious! In the afternoon, we toured the World of Coke. I have never tasted such a variety of drinks in my life! I also liked the commercial room where they showed many old Coca-Cola commercials. Of course the heavy rain and storms slowed down the travel time, but we managed to stop at Roaster's were we had the most incredible hostess. I will never forget her, or maybe it's because she was Devin! We also fit some Singstar, ping-pong (Paige-pong), and fooseball in as well.

On Monday, Paige and I made ourselves breakfeast and soon we were off to the neighborhood pool. Aunt Julie joined us when she returned from work. After our relaxing afternoon, it was off to Kroger to get tonight's meal. We were joined by two of Kim's friends for a dinner of spaghetti. Yum! I can't exactly remember if it was this night or last night that we watched My Best Friend's Wedding, but we watched it. We also rented P.S. I Love You and watched that which ever night we didn't watch the other movie. Although I fell asleep during this one. Ooops.

On Tuesday, Paige and I played a few games, watched a little TV, and we were headed to the ortho. After waiting a few minutes we continued to the Perimeter mall, conviently located right across from the W hotel that most of us stayed at just a few short months ago. Paige and I each bought something, and then, I saw this one coming, Aunt Julie couldn't resist from buying us matching shirts. You'll see them at Camp Slaw, don't worry. Aunt Julie also bought us Frappuccinos from Starbucks-very good! We stopped and visited Kim at the Atlanta Scrapbook Connection (where she works), and Paige picked up a few things. We stopped at Kroger to prepare for a delicous BBQ dinner.

On Wednesday, we woke up bright and early, around 9 am. We put our bathing suits on and grabbed some towels because were all ecstastic about our day at White Water! We went on a bunch of really fun rides. The Tornado was my favorite! Featuring a short yet steep drop and a side to side thrill ride, the Tornado was nearly an hour wait. Finally it was time to go home. We popped Paige's Bat Mitzvah Video in the DVD player and Kim made us all pizza.

On Thursday, I went with Aunt Julie to unfortunately her last tennis match. She played doubles, and I was very impressed. I has so much fun, especially since right after I got to play tennis at the neighborhood courts with Aunt Julie, Kim, and Paige. Then Paige and I went to the pool until it was time for our Girl's Night Out. Aunt Julie and Uncle Shel went out, Jamie was home on her day off, and the five of us went to Sweet Tomatoes for dinner. After, we just hung out at the house, and I played with Joey the gerbil.

On Friday, we spent a lot of time at the pool just fooling around and having tons of fun. Then with a little minor miscommunication we finally made to Nancy's Nails for a relaxing and enjoyable pedicure. Then we made on last trip to Kroger. Devin and Kim were out and about, and a wonderful Shabat dinner was prepared. We lit the candles and enjoyed a beautiful dinner. After, Paige, Aunt Julie, and I went for a "power" walk. We deserved ice cream so we drove out to Carvel. Mmmmm. To finish the day off the four of us watched Juno in their theatre.

Unfortunately Saturday came and it was the final hours, but we made the best of them. Aunt Julie made Rocky Mountain Toast. Then, Devin, Paige, Aunt Julie, and I went the Northpoint mall. We shopped around for about an hour, and came home to quickly change and head for the pool. After spending about hour there, we came home, and I finish packing up. We began our trip to the airport, but it was soon halted by heavy traffic. Jack, the GPS, helped us get out of our tricky situation. We got to the airport in the knick of time and ran to check-in. We raced to the gate only to find my flight had been delayed a half an hour. Ha! Finally, I said good-bye and boarded. My flight was further delayed while I was on the plane, but eventually I made it home. Dad was waiting at the gate and we both gave a big hug. I had so much to share with everyone, and I hope this got the job done for most of you.

Love, Lizzy

P.S. Thanks Jamie for taking your days off from camp counseling during the week I came to visit. I was really glad I got to see you. For those who don't know, Jamie is a counselor for Barney overnight camp so I didn't get to see her as much as the others, but I was happy to see her for short while than not at all.

P.P.S. As Paige has mentioned, she is running a very successful business by caring for people's homes in their absence. I enjoyed tagging along to all of the different houses and playing with their adorable pets.

25 days

Camp Slaw is only 25 days away.I hope everyone is excited.I alsaw think everyone is pumed about Rob coming! Camp Slaw 14 will be a blast August 6 to 10 at the abby!!!!!!!! Love Jay-K

Thirty days to thirty

Hello fam. As I begin to contemplate the meaning of hitting the big three-o, my first thought was that it would be fun to post a rhyming blog on the Dummyline. Then I started to think of words that rhymed with thirty--dirty, flirty, nerdy, squirty. Suddenly, that train of thought started to lose some steam.

A wordsmith I may be, but no assortment of words can express just how fortunate I feel that I will get to celebrate my thirtieth birthday in the presence of all the loved ones I care about most. Iowa has been good to me, but there just aren't any Slaws, Ettlesons or Lincenbergs around. There are a few Whites, but they're just pretenders.

You are all always so good to me when I'm up at Camp Slaw. I hope to elicit some smiles and laughs in return. Perhaps there will be another song, game show (a Monty revival!) and/or comedy act in the works.

Until then, I ask that you all soak up every last drop in this next month of summer. Some of you are already doing just that, which pleases me greatly. My parents are taking the cruise of a lifetime in the Mediterranean, Lizzy is packing her bags for Atlanta, Rob and Jeni are in the honeymoon period of their engagement, and so much more. I am giddy with delight knowing that each of you will be arriving at Camp Slaw with stories to share.

Camp Slaw aside, many of you are wondering if BJ is taking his nomadic act back to the Chicago area. All I can say at this point is that it's a serious possibility. I have applied for a Professional Academic Advisor position at the College of Lake County, which looks intriguing to me. I should find out in the next week or two if I'll be asked to come out for an interview. A lot of chips would have to fall in place. There is a lot to my Des Moines life that I enjoy. The whole notion of starting graduate school all over again is another wild card that is infiltrating the mix. I could spend the next year researching and applying to top-notch Higher Education Master's degree programs, then go somewhere in 2009 and complete the Master's full-time in two years. I have to lay out all the cards on the table and try to ask myself which one is the best hand.

I can tell by the rumbling in my stomach that I have rambled here long enough. I hope all of you had an explosively fun 4th of July and I will see you down that long lonesome highway.

xoxoxoxo,
BJ

Blog version 2.0

To begin, see above on the top of the blog for an introduction to Slaw Dummyline v2.0. I hope these changes result in a more multimedia based blogging experience that everyone can enjoy. If you look to the right side of the blog, you will see the addition of the logo (The Dummy, Dummy Line f. Grandpa Bob), the poll and the slideshow features.

My hope is that (with the exception of the logo) you guys (and not just me) will be able to contribute to these new applications. The poll is not just there for people to vote (and to be hilarious... but seriously), it would be great if others posed their own questions and answers as well. Even though the vote says there are about 30 days left, it can be changed at any time. To do this, simply log on (username matt@ettleson.com, etc.) and then view the blog. In the upper righthand corner of the screen is the underlined word "customize." Click that. From there, you can edit the layout of the blog and the slideshow and poll apps.

The slideshow app is particularly interesting because it is a part of a larger project I have of creating an online collection of web photos (using a google program called Picasa) that all of the family members can contribute to and have access to. Part of the result would be a much more interesting and varied slideshow, but there would be other possibilities as well. I know we share photos online already, but having them all in one place in the future may be helpful.

Finally, let me know what you think about the blog. I think someone (BJ) suggested a blogging tutorial this camp slaw. While that may not be necessary, I would certainly answer any questions and concerns you folks have so that everyone is capable and comfortable with blogging (if they want to in the first place, of course :) ).

Matt

Atlanta Here I Come!

It's official. I (actually my mom - thank you so much!!) have booked my flight to Atlanta for Saturday July 12th. I am so excited not only to flying by myself for the first time but to see the Lincenbergs for an entire week! I am coming back on July 19th, but I'm trying not to think about that. I'll be sure to blog and tell in person all about it. Can't wait!
Love, Lizzy