Some Christmas Fun with Flip

Cindy and I got a Flip video camera for Christmas.  We have been having some fun with it the last couple of days so I thought I would share it with you.  Enjoy!  This first one is of Cindy introducing the Christmas stockings.

The real classic is Cindy playing Star Wars with the boys.  You guys will love this one!

Merry Christmas

Here are a couple of pictures of us and our Christmas Tree.  Hope everyone of you enjoys the absolutely best Christmas ever.  As someone famous once said, "Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night."

Thanksgiving 2010

What a great day!  Thanksgiving 2010!  We had Thanksgiving at our house this year.  We enjoyed having Hillary, Mark, Jared, and Blake with us from Ohio.  We also had Warren and Marianne join us from Macomb.  Chase and Darla came out from Virginia.  Unfortunately Rachel, Adam and family were unable to come all the way from Idaho.  Here are some pictures of the Thanksgiving Day event as well as Jared's birthday celebration for all to enjoy.  I will put all of the pictures we took on Shutterfly as well. 

First Jared's birthday.

And now Thanksgiving Dinner

  

  Happy Thanksgiving to All!!










 

Twilight Parody

Okay, nothing about weight loss today (although it is going great!).  This video is hilarious.  Enjoy!


Twilight Years from Tom on Vimeo.

Eight Weeks of Progress

Notice any difference?  Cindy and Paul have been on Weight Watchers for eight weeks now.  Paul has lost 25.2 pounds (guys always take weight off faster than girls) and Cindy has lost 15 pounds.  Lots more to go but we feel great and are encouraged by the progress!  By the way the song was Cindy's idea.

Hello Again

Wow!  It has been over five months since our last post.  About time we got back with the program, don't you think?  Actually, since Rachel and Marianne are back into blogging and Hillary is thinking about it (or so I have heard) we thought it might be good to get a post in.

School is back in session at Harper College (it is nearly midterm) and Fall is in the air in Chicagoland.  This weekend we are supposed to have highs in the 50s and lows down into the 30s (might have to turn the furnace on).


Halloween is just around the corner and then it will be Thanksgiving.  We hope that all of our little (and not so little) trick-or-treaters have a great Halloween and that everybody stays safe!

Last month Cindy and Paul joined Weight Watchers together.  It is really making a difference.  Cindy thinks she has really created a monster in Paul and often refers to him as the point Nazi.  Paul has lost nearly 25 pounds already and Cindy has lost 12!  Amazing, don't you think?  Here is a picture of the two of us prior to starting the program.  And here is a picture Paul took of himself earlier today.  Maybe you can see a little difference in his face.











We will post an "after" picture when we have both reached our goals.  That could take a while so don't hold your breath.

Of Birthdays and Dining Rooms

May 1st Paul and I spent the day in Chicago. We attended the Matisse exhibit at the art Institute and ate at the Walnut Room- yum! And for my Mom I'm posting photos of the dining room that got a face lift care of Tom and Hans Reinhardt and myself. What a Difference!! That's all for now-ciao!

Chicago Botanical Gardens

April 15th, Joyce, Colleen and I took a field trip to the Chicago botanical Gardens. Colleen and Joyce have lived here their entire lives and have never been. I have a mild excuse, I have only been here 15 years and have never visited. So 3 silly ladies had a great trip and wandered happily through tulips, daffodils, and other green gardens. The weather was sunny and breezy and we had a great day! It will be even better in May and June.





The Japanese Gardens are encompassed on an island. Access is only available by an arched bridge.




Loved the tulips!!



This unusual flower was flying solo in this bright field of yellow and I had to capture the color contrast. It was alot of fun to use my new camera.

Springtime in Illinois

It looks like Spring may finally have arrived in Illinois. Amaaaazing!! Last week we actually had a couple of days in the 80s. Unusual, but nice. We will take it. Today it is going to be a more seasonable 60 or so. Another sure sign of a midwestern spring is the advent of severe weather, which is predicted for tomorrow.

Last week Cindy and I took Cindy's new camera to one of Illinois' more famous state parks and took some pictures. We completed some camera classes together in January and really wanted to try out our new skills. Enjoy these pictures of Starved Rock.





It is always great to see signs of new life. It reminds us of the resurrection of Christ which we celebrate on this Easter Sunday. Cindy did a great job in getting these two pictures.

And, of course , there are the waterfalls.





And the famous back side of a waterfall.



We also discovered that no trip to Starved Rock is truly complete without dinner at Hank's Farm Restaurant in nearby Ottawa. Meet Tom and Hank Turkey, residents of Hank's Farm.