amberWIRE

Varmint - The Rest of the Story

noreply@blogger.com (amberWIRE) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:56:00 +0000

HERE's the beginning of the story

and HERE's the middle...

So.... who wants to know the rest of the story??

_______________

Some people may have chosen NOT to video tape something like this, but I'm not some people.

Enjoy!

Thank you Mr. Critter Control guy!

Varmint Sitch"eww"ation - the continuing saga

noreply@blogger.com (amberWIRE) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:30:00 +0000

Ryan closed the door to the laundry room last night - because we just were not too sure that the little varmint was going to stay in the pipe. Ryan said he saw the little paws poking through between the bottom of the pipe and the top of the water heater. Closing the door was the best precaution we could think of.

This morning before MOPS I went downstairs to throw in a load of laundry, and when I saw the closed door I remembered he might be in there! I slowly bent down and peeked through the crack under the door to see if anything looked out of place, as if the squirrel would rummage through my laundry. Everything looked fine, considering my vantage point through the crack of the door. I proceeded to SLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWLLLLLLLYYYYYYYYYY opened the door, assuming at any moment a chipmunk would jump on my face... but nothing happened. So I quickly opened the dryer door and ducked (in case he was in the dryer). Luckily at that moment I heard the scurrying scalliwag in the pipe again. I knew I was safe.

I think when the little guy fell into the chimney thing on our roof he had a bunch of nuts with him... because he is still making a racket in that pipe! He's got enough food for survival - which is fine, except that the guy is coming to get him out at 4 today and is expecting something dead.

Should be interesting.

Sitch"eww"ation

noreply@blogger.com (amberWIRE) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:02:00 +0000

We've got a varmint in our house...

I was working out this morning and heard a weird sound... then I heard it again and again - so I slowly began walking around with my ear sticking out trying to ID the location. I quickly realized it was coming from the laundry room in the basement, and more specifically, from the pipe that is on top of the water heater.

Here's what I heard:

(This video is for listening purposes... the visual is bad because I didn't turn the light on the tried to fix the footage afterward.)

There seems to be something furious and furry stuck in the pipe. What do you think? A chipmunk? Mouse? Squirrel? He seemed to be getting madder and madder as time went by, but I didn't know what to do, so I went out for a walk with my friend Emily and her daughter Madelyn.

About an hour later I came home and took Emily downstairs to let her listen to the little buddy... but we heard nothing. Not a peep, squeak, scratch, or thump. So I reached out my hand and knocked on the pipe... still nothing.

Emily looked at me like I was crazy, so I showed her the video - then she said "Maybe he got out" which led me down the following thought path:

The varmint is loose, scurrying around my house and is probably going to jump on my face tonight while I'm sleeping.
The varmint fell into the water heater and is polluting tomorrow's shower time. Perhaps we need a "boil water" ordinance.
The varmint is dead in the pipe - and the pipe is pretty warm, so he's probably going to be stinking up my house really soon.
The varmint is not alone - he has a family with 106 baby varmints and they're probably in the walls throughout our house.

What should I do about this sitch"eww"ation?

________________UPDATE_____________________

I heard our varmint in the pipe again! Hooray! He's not loose in the house... however, I heard something running in the ceiling while I was in Ruby's room this afternoon. YIKES!! We've got an infestation!!

_____________another update________________

When Ryan got home from work I told him all about my adventures with the varmint and how it is probably going to jump on our faces tonight. His response, "Hunny, this isn't Christmas Vacation."

All I have to say is, 'Won't he feel just like Chevy Chase when a squirrel jumps on his face tonight!'

...and now I am going to try to go to sleep.

Afternoon Distraction. You're Welcome

noreply@blogger.com (amberWIRE) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:16:00 +0000

Colbert Nation | Winter Olympics

noreply@blogger.com (amberWIRE) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:46:00 +0000

I love Stephen Colbert. Last night on his show he announced that the Colbert Nation will be the official sponsor of the U.S. Olympic Speed Skating Team for the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. Here are some quotes if you missed it:

"On their enormous, billboard thighs, it will say, 'Colbert Nation.'" Colbert said in an interview before Monday evening's taping. "Be looking for that logo as it comes around the final turn. It will be easy to see because it will be in first place..."

"My character sees the Olympics as war, but nobody gets hurt," Colbert said. "It's a way to peacefully figure out who has got the top country."

"It still tragically involves a lot of Canadians," the comedian said. "It's kind of unseemly how many Canadians I'm going to have to be dealing with."

Fall Photos | Chris Cox

noreply@blogger.com (amberWIRE) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:59:00 +0000

Don't these pictures Chris took make you want to be sitting on that bench by Amanda? I love it!

A bunch of Chris Cox Photography is hanging on the walls at Lemonjellos Coffee Shop in Holland. Stop in and check it out. Many of the pieces are available for purchase at rediculously low prices. They won't be so cheap for long - Chris is going to be a professional you know.

Weekend in the Windy City

noreply@blogger.com (amberWIRE) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:03:00 +0000

Since Ryan has to work a couple of weekends each month, we've made it a habit of taking full advantage of the few weekends that he has off - and this weekend was no exception.

Friday night we drove to Chicago to stay with our friends Bryan and Michelle. They were our neighbors during med school and both graduated from Hope. Amazingly, we did not know them during college even though we were all there at the same time. Needless to say, we met them at church and became fast friends.

Michelle is a whiz with kids. She has lots of experience as an aunt and I loved seeing her with Ruby, and seeing Ruby's reactions to her.

Ryan and Bryan enjoyed all the things they used to do together - here they are getting ready for a run with Bailey the dog. You wouldn't think a tiny little dog could run 4 miles, but this one likes to!

Saturday afternoon we met up with Aaron, Ashlee and their 2 year old daughter Hannah. Aaron and Ryan were roommates during their first year at Loyola. Ryan and I got married and moved down the street from Aaron - then he married Ashlee and we all got to hang out all the time together. Ashlee is expecting their 2nd little girl in February. So exciting!

We went downtown for the architectural tour up the Chicago River and into Lake Michigan. It was chilly.... really really chilly - which is why Aaron is wearing a ski mask. Also, he is a dermatologist and is good at protecting the skin on his face.

We all had dinner together at Claim Jumper Saturday night, then after church Sunday morning we went out to brunch at Redstone. Our time together was short but we packed in lots of laughs and great conversation. We are so blessed to have these friends and are thankful for whatever time we get to spend with them.

"It's better to have a partner than go it alone. Share the work, share the wealth. And if one falls down, the other helps. But if there is no one to help, tough!" - Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (the Message)

The Good with the Bad

noreply@blogger.com (amberWIRE) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:44:00 +0000

Last night was a crazy night... Ruby has been waking up at night for a week - I don't know if she's growing or if I've created a bad habit, but she has been eating twice a night and seems to still be hungry in the morning. This has been the most sleepless week of my life since Ruby was 8 weeks old. She had two great months of sleeping 7-10 hours at night, then BAM - this week happened.

Today, however, is a good day. To make up for last night Ruby has been nothing but cooperative in every way. She is currently playing in her room by herself, squealing, hiccuping, and generally enjoying the sight of her own feet and the sound of her own voice. Her demeanor today has given me time to work out, pack, clean and do a couple loads of laundry. Thank you dear child!

We introduced Rice Cereal on Monday, and Ruby has been steadily gaining skill in the "using a spoon" category. Today was the most successful yet - she nailed about 1/4 cup of cereal and apparently loved every minute of it. When I wipe her face off she sticks her tongue out. The thought of the taste of paper towel makes me gag, but she doesn't seem to mind it.

To top it off, we get to see Bryan and Michelle and our friends Aaron and Ashlee this weekend! It's always fun to visit our old stomin' grounds in Chicago.

Leaves, Leaves and more Leaves

noreply@blogger.com (amberWIRE) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:28:00 +0000

Ryan worked hard all day yesterday, then came home and worked some more. He spent hours raking and mowing the yard... unfortunately, this is the view of our yard today.

I have a feeling Ryan's not gonna like what he sees!

How many leaves can fall overnight?

Apparently A LOT!!

My friend Missy

noreply@blogger.com (amberWIRE) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:25:00 +0000

Yesterday morning I got to hang out with Missy, my roommate from Hope! When we lived in Chicago I got to see Missy more often, but it's been a few years and was fun to catch up. She is superb, and I'm thankful she's my friend.

Scut Monkeys - The Final Game

noreply@blogger.com (amberWIRE) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:53:00 +0000

The Scut Monkeys were brutally defeated during tonights single-elimination tournament. The team they played hit 4 home runs over the fence... we are going to petition that they move up to the next league level next year!

We bundled Ruby up in a little knit number that Ryan wore when he was a baby. She enjoyed watching her dad and her Nana and Grandpa Cox had fun with her in the stands.

Ryan was on call and happened to get paged during the 4th inning, that's what happens when you're a team full of doctors. He returned the page, took care of things, then got back out there for the finish.

It was an incredible season... that just kept going and going. Next year the competition better look out! Residents have a lot of free time for softball practice... (yeah right).

Comfort

noreply@blogger.com (amberWIRE) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:02:00 +0000

Ruby loves to have her blankets all up in her face. As soon as she was old enough to grab stuff, she would get ahold of her blanket or her shirt and pull it up on her head. This is how I find her most times she wakes up from her naps. I've learned that she falls asleep well when I help her put her blanket on her head. Then I just walk out of the room and she's snoozing in no time.

Happy Birthday Sista Sista!!

noreply@blogger.com (amberWIRE) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:43:00 +0000

I love you so much Angela. You make me laugh more than most people on this planet and the bond we share is something I cherish. I am so thankful that you're my sister, so thankful that you're Ruby's Aunt Gela and I'm so excited for the sweet baby girl you'll have in March! You are going to be an awesome mom and I can't wait to be with you through this phase of our lives!

Rice Cereal

noreply@blogger.com (amberWIRE) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 01:38:00 +0000

We gave Ruby Rice Cereal for the first time tonight. Mom and Dad were here for the fun. She actually did pretty well considering she'd never had anything grainy in her mouth before. The biggest problem was that initially I didn't quite get the consistency right so I was basically spoon-feeding her breastmilk. Ryan helped me get it right and it went much better after that.

Here's a video for ya.

Ada Bible Church

noreply@blogger.com (amberWIRE) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 20:00:00 +0000

Today was a very special day. My mom and dad got to come to my church with me this morning... typically they are pretty busy on the weekends with the whole "Pastor of Granger Community Church" thing, so it was really awesome that this worked out! Dad had been training United Methodist Pastors earlier this week in Northern Michigan, so mom and dad stopped by GR on their way home today.

I took them with me to the 11am service at Ada Bible Church. I'd told dad before about how much Ryan and I love Jeff Manion, the pastor and how he is an outstanding teacher who makes us want to dig deeper into the Bible and learn all we can. Jeff's sermon this morning did not disappoint! We're in the middle of a 14 week series about the Travels of Paul. Jeff has really brought the book of Acts to life during the last 7 weeks and I'm excited for the next 7!

You can listen to pervious weekend messages HERE.

Squealing

noreply@blogger.com (amberWIRE) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 16:06:00 +0000

Ruby has discovered that she has a voice... so she's been trying it out a lot. Apparently high-pitched squealing is her favorite thing to do. She did it about once every hour last night from 11pm-7am. Usually when she makes sounds in her sleep they don't wake her up, but the squealing is so loud she ends up startling herself awake. Any advice on how to get her back to sleeping through the night? This has been happening since we got home from Washington.

It's pretty funny though, so here's a little sampler for you:

Fall

noreply@blogger.com (amberWIRE) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 14:36:00 +0000

It's Fall where we live... and this fiery Japanese Maple in our front yard is my favorite thing to see when I open the blinds each morning.

Kyle Took These Pics

noreply@blogger.com (amberWIRE) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 13:48:00 +0000

I Love Local Commercials

noreply@blogger.com (amberWIRE) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 01:33:00 +0000

You can thank Ryan for this little beauty. He showed it to me when he got home from work tonight and we've been laughing ever since.

Happy Birthday Mom!!

noreply@blogger.com (amberWIRE) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:00:00 +0000

You are the most incredible woman I know. I want to be just like you when I grow up.

We're home from DC!!

noreply@blogger.com (amberWIRE) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:40:00 +0000

Amazingly, we made it home from Washington DC late last night after driving ALL DAY. In a weak moment we thought it would be a great idea to drive there. We would save lots of money by not flying... except that parking our car downtown was $33 per day and gas prices spiked right before we left...

Either way, we had a fun time together in the car, telling stories, laughing, listening to Ruby blow raspberries and stopping along the way to enjoy the many visitor centers along the Pennsylvania and Ohio Turnpikes. It was an absolutely GORGEOUS day yesterday, which made it harder being trapped in the car instead of hiking around in the woods. I'm praying for another few beautiful days this fall.

At least we had some good tunes for our listening pleasure:

Bon Iver
Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Ryan Adams
Fleet Foxes
Matt Kearney
Hillsong United
David Gray
Martin Sexton
Imogen Heap
Coldplay
Bic Runga

Arlington

noreply@blogger.com (amberWIRE) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 01:00:00 +0000

We had such an awesome time in DC! This has been a great city to spend a week in. Our hotel was right downtown, so we could walk out the front door to everywhere we wanted to go. Also, all the museums and tourist spots were free to get into - so we saved a pile! Awesome places to eat, incredible places to see and my absolute favorite people in the world to spend it with!

Roll Baby Roll

noreply@blogger.com (amberWIRE) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:18:00 +0000

Ruby rolled over for the first time yesterday at the hotel!

Check her out!

Washington DC

noreply@blogger.com (amberWIRE) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:05:00 +0000

yacktastic

noreply@blogger.com (amberWIRE) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:45:00 +0000

Ryan totally deserved this for doing the airplane with Ruby right after I fed her! She was giggling and squealing, then yacked, then giggled and squealed some more. Hysterical!