To prove just how ready I was for the weather, I decided to start off the new season with a run. That was Monday- and I am still sore. (And by run, I mean a walk/jog for less than 2 miles.) But I had just bought new running shoes, so I had to get out there. (Take that people who laughed at me when I bragged about my new shoes- see? I run…)

While running, I got to thinking about goal setting. Every time the weather gets nice “becoming a runner” seems to be my goal. It’s a small goal, I know. But after doing a follow-up story on Mark Stiles and his family, I realized that even the tiny goals can make a huge difference.

About a year ago, Mark went in for a “routine” back surgery. He was a football player in high school, and still had some back pain because of that. It seemed like an easy fix, but there were complications. Now, months later, Mark still can’t walk. In fact, he can barely move. I first met mark a few months back, when he was still in the hospital. Now that he’s home with his family, I met up with him again. I noticed the differences right way. He was moving his upper body a little more- he could actually lift his arms shoulder-height. And he could stand up from his wheelchair. But that’s not what I was most affected by. I was most affected by Marks and Jody themselves. They were so honest with me about their journey- they never said it was an easy one. But they are so positive- so grateful for Mark’s improvements. They celebrate each small step towards getting back to normal, instead of focusing on the fact that they have to make those steps in the first place.

I naturally was curious about what they thought of the surgery. In what I sometimes feel is a “sue-happy” country, my mind automatically took me to that place. But theirs never did. They said they never really got a straight answer about what exactly went wrong, but that’s as far as they dug. They are instead focusing on moving forward- getting better.

Mark’s goals seem so small- raise your hand, stand up, take a step. But really, they are huge. It’s something I will now always keep in mind, thanks to this inspirational family.

That story aired last night- take a look by clicking here.

And HERE is the original story I did with the family awhile back.

For the Crise family, it’s not just a hypothetical scenario. All four of them graduated from DMACC tonight- mom, dad, 18 year old Amanda, and 20 year old Josh. I don’t think Amanda and Josh’s first reaction was “yippee!” exactly, but they said overall they enjoyed the experience. Sure, it was a little embarrassing at times (sounds like their dad is a lot like mine- loves drawing attention to and embarrassing his kids- not that it’s a bad thing, dad, if you’re reading this) but it also taught them a lot. Seeing their parents so dedicated to something they were passionate about inspired them. As Amanda said, “To me it means they have the motivation and determination. I want to be like that. I really look up to them.”

The Crise family in their graduation gowns

And of course, that’s becoming the trend more and more- people going back to school. Jeff Crise said it took some getting used to, though. He made the comment that a lot of his professors were his age or younger. But once he got over that, he said it turned out to work in his favor- he got some good friends, and contacts along the way.

Being at the ceremony tonight brought back some memories of my own graduation. It seems like it was decades ago, but really it was six years ago. (Although my 10 year HIGH SCHOOL reunion is coming up this year, and that’s weird.) I don’t remember the ceremony being very long. To be honest, the thing I remember most about it was the dinner with my family afterwards! (I had seafood- my favorite.) But I do remember the feeling- one of accomplishment, pride, relief and happiness. And I suppose if I could have shared that with my mom and dad, as the Crise’s did, those feelings only would have intensified. So, maybe this family is on to something. I wonder how my 21 year old sister would feel about us all joining her at school…

Flashback to 2007!

Do you remember your graduation day? What are your thoughts? Let me know!

I had been conducting interviews and getting video for the past few hours, for a story I am working on for May. I hadn’t even looked at my phone in that time, so I had no idea what she was talking about. I immediately logged onto Twitter, hoping not to find anything, but unfortunately bracing for the worst. The words starting jumping out at me- “injuries,” “bombing,” “panic.” It was hard to believe. As many terrible things and tragedies we see, or report on, these horrific events always catch me off guard.

As the news slowly sank in, my mind quickly went to my runner friends. I didn’t know anyone running in the Boston Marathon, but I do know plenty of people who love to run. And therefore I know that an event like the Boston Marathon is an amazing opportunity- something many of them strive to do themselves someday. I see it as an enormous accomplishment, and a celebration- for the runners and for those watching. I know the feeling I get when I see people compete in the Hy-Vee Triathlon, or the Twin Cities Marathon, and I imagine the Boston Marathon to carry that same, if not bigger, inspirational feeling. So to see something so horrific and senseless occur here (anywhere, for that matter) really hit me hard. And when I logged to Facebook, or Twitter, I could see I wasn’t the only one.

If you watched your local news tonight, I am sure you saw a story or two about the “local connection” to the tragedy- someone who was there, or had family or friends there witnessing the terrible event. I can’t imagine hearing the news of something so terrifying and gut-wrenching, and then realizing that someone you know and love or care about is there seeing it, and living it.

When Terril VanderKallen came to that realization, she fell to the floor. She knew someone running in the- someone that was running for her 4 year old son Kingston.

You may remember Kingston- I did a story with him and his family about a year ago. (CLICK HERE for that story.) Kingston was born blind, and deaf. He born with a cleft lip, nose pallet, and then he had some issues with his diaphragm. He wasn’t able to eat anything without a feeding tube. The doctors said he could never communicate, walk or talk. But Kingston has proved them all wrong. Kingston still cannot see, and is legally deaf, but he is walking and communicating.

Kingston when he was born

Kingston a year ago, when I first met him

I recently caught up with Kingston and his family again- to see how much has changed in just a year, and follow up with how their lives are now. It was amazing seeing this inspirational family again- especially little Kingston. Besides Kingston’s progress, we also talked about all of the support the family has received over the years. Many of those prayers, thoughts and help come from complete strangers. One of those one-time-strangers is Susan Kakaitis. Terril still has never met her in person (Susan lives in Tennessee)- but they talk every day. Terril says Susan is an amazing support system for her and Kingston, even with the distance. In her latest show of support, Susan decided to run the Boston Marathon, for Kingston. It was an incredible show of support and love.

Kingston a few days ago

Thankfully, Susan was not hurt in today’s explosions. She was stopped at mile 20. But how many people were like Terril and Susan today? Running to show support and love, and hope, only to reach the finish line and be met by horror. It has turned into another day we will never forget- but not in the way it was supposed to be- not as a day of overcoming odds, showing strength, and striving to be great- but of fear, and death and pain. As I hear the reports, see the pictures, and even share people’s stories myself, I will try to remember those who are still overcoming the odds, still showing that strength, and are still striving to be great through it all. I will focus on the stories of those who ran towards the explosions to try and help someone in need; believe in the stories of runners going straight to donate blood at the local hospital; and keep my faith in humanity when I hear of people opening their homes, giving their time, and doing whatever they can to help a complete stranger affect by this terrible event.

CLICK HERE for a recent story about the Boston Marathon Explosions.

I am working on that second story about Kingston in the days ahead. Right now it is set to air on the 13th of May. So make sure to tune in to see how Kingston is now giving back, and what his sacrifice means to his family and to him.

The Lohse’s the day they received their $202 million.

First of all, yikes, that’s a lot of money! It’s one of those sums that I don’t think I would be able to wrap my head around if all of a sudden it all belonged to me. Because of that, I didn’t know what to expect from the Lohse’s. When we pulled up to their house- in your typical Iowa neighborhood, filled with kids outside playing, and parents on their front lawns talking with each other and smiling- I found myself looking for a sign: something that would shout “millionaires live here!” But of course, there was nothing like that. Again, I didn’t know what to expect, or why I was expecting anything at all, but the moment I met Mary and Brian Lohse, I was instantly at ease. These were normal people- extremely kind, genuine and humble, normal people.

I started the interview with questions about the reason I was there- they decided to use some of their winnings to build the city of Bondurant a new grocery store. As of now, the town doesn’t have it’s own grocery store, and even though the closest one is only a few minutes away in Altoona, it’s not in Bondurant. The city has been wanting their own local store for quite some time, and coincidentally the Lohse’s have always dreamed of owning one. Brian had often joked to people that if they won the lottery, they would build the city a grocery store. And now that they have won, that’s just what they plan to do.

The plans for what the store will look like

The land they plan to build the store on

But a few minutes into the interview, my curiosity got the best of me. I just had to know about them and how their lives had changed, and how did they still seemed so normal even though they were $200 million dollars richer? They were honest- things are different now. They can do things they’ve never done before, without worrying about “can we afford that?” and “if we spend money here, we have to cut back there.” But they are not letting that take over. They are making sure, for their kids sakes and their own, that they don’t let the money change who they are. They have also begun to realize who their real friends are. Money will do that, it seems.

I could go on and on about this family. I am not one to judge who deserves or doesn’t deserve something like this to happen to them, but I can tell you in my opinion this family is a shining example of how I would hope to handle something like that. They are still having fun with it (they recently went on a family vacation they never could have done before!), they are following their dreams (starting a family business) and they are helping their community (not only are they building this grocery store in Bondurant, but they are also helping to fund a new stadium for Bondurant High School.)

Have you ever thought about what you would do with that much money? Do you think your plans would change at all if it actually happened?

I think if I won that money I would try to have the same balance as the Lohse’s- have fun with it (I would like to take my family and friends on a vacation to Greece or Rome or someplace tropical), follow my dreams (I would open my own cupcake shop with a close friend of mine- we always talk about doing it someday, I would do it!), and help my community (this one is still kind of fuzzy. Would I start a scholarship fund? Donate to my high school? Help some charities? I’d have to think about this one a bit more).

It’s always fun to think “what if?”, and it was equally as fun to meet the family that is now living that dream.

Mary and Brian during Friday’s interview

I ended up getting called off of my first story for some breaking news. There was word on the police scanner of shots fired, so we took the live truck and just went. When we got there, police told us they were trying to piece together exactly what happened. Police said based off early investigations and reports, 3 people showed up at a Des Moines man’s house. When he opened the door, they shot him in the stomach, or chest area, and then took off. As the police officer was telling me this, I couldn’t help but take a small step back in shock. How terrifying!

The scene near SW 42nd and Park Avenue tonight after the shooting

Just a few minutes before I went live, I spoke with the mother of the 25 year old victim. She said her son’s girlfriend just called her and said she had to come pick up her grand daughter- the young girl was home when her father was shot. I felt so bad for this woman and her family; she looked so scared and confused. She knew as much as we did at that point, if not less. I was just glad I could tell her that police had told me her son was in stable condition. Click here for my 6:00 story.

Police carrying the young daughter out of the house

Once we left, I returned back to the station to finish my first story- about an officer who rescued a teenager from a burning car last night.

According to police, an 18 year old had been doing “doughnuts” in the parking lot of Urbandale Baptist Church, when he lost control of the car and struck an air conditioning unit. Officer Zack McDowell was only a few blocks away from the church when the call came in, but by the time he got there, the car was completely engulfed in flames. The officer ignored the dangers on the off chance that someone was still inside the car. The driver owes his life to the officer’s selfless decision.

“The vehicle was filled with smoke from the floor board up to the ceiling of the car, so I broke out the side window, still couldn’t see anything,” Officer McDowell remembered, “I was no more than a foot away from the driver and I still couldn’t see him, but when I looked down I saw part of a hand, so that’s when I saw that he was still in there.”

Officer McDowell Runs to the burning car

During the interview, I asked him several times, “did you ever think of what you were doing? Ever think that you were running into a burning car?” We’ve all seen the movies, the TV shows- a car on fire isn’t anything to mess with it. All I kept thinking as I am listening to him tell this story, is “weren’t you afraid it was going to explode?”

His answer was very honest, very genuine: “The situation presents itself and you just know that you have to do whatever it takes to get it done. There’s a guy inside a burning car. Anybody in that similar situation would do exactly that. You just got to get them out anyway you can.” He said it wasn’t training, it wasn’t the fact that he was a police officer- to him it was an was just an indisputable fact. He kept saying “anybody” would have done the same thing- but would they? Would I? Would you? I just don’t think this officer gave himself enough credit- and to me that honest modesty just adds to what a hero this man truly is. What a great example to live by!

Officer McDowell and an intern from Iowa State drag the driver from the burning car

The driver is in serious condition tonight at Mercy Hospital, but thanks to McDowell, he is alive.

Click HERE for the full story.

The indoor water park. Doesn’t it look inviting?

The funny thing was, stepping into that tropically warm pool area, with a tiki bar surrounded by people with smiling faces, actually had the opposite effect on me- it made me sad. Sad, becuase I was jealous! I wish I had an excuse to hang out in a warm water park all day as I watched the snow fall outside.

The tiki bar at the Ramada. It’s the first thing you see when you walk in.

As I longed for that excuse, I thought about all the other excuses I had been hearing lately. The excuses from people not to go to the gym, to school or work because of the weather. Now, I’ve never been able to blame the weather on not showing up to work. My job kind of requires me to be there rain or shine. If my car won’t get there, someone will pick me up. There’s always a way. But it got me wondering- when we live in the Midwest is “bad weather” a good enough excuse to cancel our days?

The interstate during the storm

Now I’m definitely not condemning anyone for doing it. I see the roads and the accidents- it can be dangerous out there. I’m simply just wondering. Have you found yourself in a spot where you have had to use bad weather as a reason, or are you an employee who won’t take that as an excuse? When is it valid, and when is it considered just that- an excuse?

I know one thing for sure. Days like these make me desperately miss snow days as a kid. Only leaving the house for a friendly game of touch football in the snow, followed by hot cocoa and movies? Um, yes please!

Me in the snow today all bundled up

What’s your ideal snow day? Has it changed since you were a kid?

If you haven’t heard, on Friday, Ames Police Department dealt with a series of prank 911 calls. Using services designed for the hearing impaired, somebody reported two alleged break ins and shootings, and one hostage situation at three separate locations. It basically had police on a wild goose chase around the city for about an hour. And since the allegations were pretty serious and they couldn’t risk that, they dispatched almost all of their officers and used a lot of resources.

Of course I applaud the police for treating it like a real emergency, because you just never know, and for following up and working hard to catch the person responsible. That person, by the way, they think made the calls from New Jersey. While that was unusual in itself, what surprised me most about this situation, is that apparently, it’s not that unusual.

Officers told me today that police stations all across the country deal with this type of thing, and it’s often done by kids. It’s called “swatting.” “Swatting” is an attempt to trick any emergency service into dispatching any emergency response based on a false reporting of an incident. Those incidents can range in size and severity.The name ‘swatting’, comes from SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics), which is a team that often reports to such situations.

I just couldn’t wrap my head around why somebody would want to do that. When I asked what the possible motive could be, the investigating commander in this case said, “I think they were just trying to have some fun. It’s a prank phone call.” He said usually it happens in the same city the caller is from, so they can watch the response. But now with technology, there are websites you can go to to listen to scanners from police radios from all over the country, so the caller can hear the response no matter where he or she is. 

How is that fun?

I remember way back when at our girls slumber parties, we’d sometimes get really daring and make prank calls– to our parents or friends. And they consisted of things like “is your refrigerator running? Well you better go catch it!” (no joke, we thought that was hilarious.) But now, THIS is the idea of a practical joke? How is using up a city’s resources and putting people in danger (what if a real emergency happened when police were out dealing with this prank?) an idea of a good time? It NEVER would have crossed our minds as kids. We had it instilled in us that 911 was for emergencies only, it was NOT a joke. So now I wonder, is this a change in the times? Is it just “what the world is coming to?” Or am I just noticing it more now that I am an older?

Luckily, this game of “swatting” has some very serious consequences, including possible criminal charges. But unfortunately it’s not always easy to catch the person responsible, especially when they don’t live in the state. First of the calls can be from anywhere, and once (and if) police figure that out, they often have to deal with jurisdiction issues, and issues with state lines. I personally hope the person responsible for the incidents in Ames gets caught- if nothing else than to prove that serious actions like that have serious consequences.

Check out the whole story by clicking here.

I know, I know, it’s not that bad, but all joking aside, it was pretty tough doing my job sounding the way I did. (Some days my co-workers compared me to Marge Simpson… other days, they said I just sounded like a man, haha.)

I’ve lost my voice in the past, but it  has never been gone for so long! There were some days where I could only be heard when I screamed! Eventually, it wore on so long I had to go the doctor (I had some accompanying symptoms that also weren’t going away like a cough and sore throat.) But when I asked him (no, begged him) “what can I do to bring my voice back quicker?” His response? A chuckle, and “just rest it.” Ya, that’s impossible with my job. I basically talk for a living. And, if I’m being honest, it was more just impossible for me. I love to talk, and telling me not to talk was like telling a chocolate addict they couldn’t eat the chocolate bar right in front of them.

So I tried everything. I drank more tea with honey and lemon in 5 days than most people do in a year (to give you an idea just how much I really drank- I bought a package of lemon tea for my Kuerig and now only have 1 left), I tried fresh ginger, candied ginger (gross by the way), lemon water, echinacea pills, echinacea teas, several different kinds of cough drops, “all natural remedies” promising a quick recovery from illness, Vicks vapor rub, vitamin C drops- you name it, I was willing to try it.

But I don’t know what it is about this season’s sicknesses going around- they are brutal and they hang on. It’s been going on 3 weeks now and my silly “cold” hasn’t left yet. But from what I hear, that’s the trend. But I’m not giving up. I will beat this thing. And in the meantime, maybe I’ll learn a thing or two. Like, maybe talking is sometimes over-rated. I think we can all make a point to just listen to people a little more. I know I can .

What about you? Anyone out there dealing with this annoying bug? What remedies have you tried and how have you beat it? Let me know! I’m curious.

Wednesday night, as I was getting ready to go out to the studio to be live for my story at 10:00 about… um, you know what? I can’t even remember what it was about. (Oops, that’ll happen.) Anyway, as I was getting ready to go out there, we get a call in the newsroom about a Mercy Hospital Medical Helicopter that may have crashed near Mason City. It’s the kind of phone call you get where you think “oh please, let this be a false alarm.” Because how awful?! But, as I found out after my live in the studio, it wasn’t a false alarm. It had happened.

Without really thinking about it, I volunteered to go with the photojournalist on the two hour drive. I say without even thinking about it, because first of all I had just finished a full 8 hour workday, I hadn’t eaten dinner yet, and by the time we got there it was around 1 am. Not a lot happens around 1 am. But we were there.

We pulled up to the crash sight and talked with the trooper parked on the side of the road, standing watch. He confirmed- 3 fatalities. My stomach dropped. A nurse, a paramedic, and the pilot. On their way to get a patient- on their way to save a life.

But it was late. Nothing more was really going to be done that night. Still, my photographer and I made a decision. We were there. We were going to stay and cover the story- share the stories of the people that died, and keep people updated as much as we could.

The next couple of hours consisted of a lot of driving (the crash sight and the hospital were pretty far from each other) and information gathering. We met with some of the hospital staff, which was hard, because they had just lost their loved ones. Then we drove back to the crash sight where we went live for the morning show.

That night (early morning) it got cold. At one point the people back in the studio thought my microphone was cutting out. Nope, just my teeth chattering. After the show, I gave a live phone interview to one of our sister stations who was covering the story through us, and then we waited, and watched the sun come up.

I remember sitting there, trying to plan out our next move, when Randy my photographer groaned: “You can see it. You can see the debris.” It was awful. Especially in the dull light of the rising morning sunlight. Even from a distance.

Once the sun was up we got our video, talked to the Deputy Sheriff who first responded to the scene, and then knocked on some neighbor’s doors. Not many answered. I don’t really blame them. Some knew the victims. Others, well, they saw too much. For those that did answer, I was amazed how thoughtful they were to us, in the wake of a tragedy in their their tight knit community. But I think they just understood- that we weren’t there to exploit the story or sensationalize it. We were there to tell how three loved people, who spent their lives saving and helping others, tragically lost their lives.

After a press conference and some more driving, we were back at the station. After 27 hours straight of work, I was pretty loopy. My emotions were definitely heightened and to say I felt out of it would be an understatement. But I wanted to be sure not too complain about it- because as tragic a story it was, I was grateful for the opportunity to cover it, from beginning to end, and to meet the people I did. Stories like those are never easy, but covering them gives others the opportunity to hear about the people that too soon lost their lives, and maybe, hopefully, makes a few people stop and think about how unpredictable life can be.

On the flip side to how unpredictable life can be, is my story from tonight. A really incredible story, about 10 strangers, and a “pay it forward” situation that literally saved lives.

First of all a little something about kidney donation I learned tonight. It’s a major surgery, complete with risks and substantial recovery. Of course now with the technology they have it’s a lot less invasive, and safer, but still, it’s a big procedure. Second, there are more than 500 people in Iowa alone waiting for a transplant. And even though a donation from a deceased person does work, the best chance for survival and a full life is to get it from a live donor. Well, you can imagine how much that happens. I mean, sure, we hear about the mother, father, sister brother who donates, but even blood related, they are not always compatible. Or a patient will use their family members ofr donations, but years later their body will reject it- their new kidney will fail. Can you imagine the feeling of hopeless? One woman described it- saying she was ready to give up. She had told her mother that she was only going to fight until her daughter graduated. Then she was done. It was too much pain, too much suffering, just too much. But then, a phone call saved her life. It told her about this chain of donations that she was going to be a part of. Let me start from the beginning:

It all started with Tyler Weig. A 30 year old man who stepped up and said” I want to help someone, by donating a kidney.” He didn’t know who he would be giving this gift to, and didn’t care. He just wanted to make a difference in someone’s life. It turned out the life he changed was Lance Beyer’s. Lance’s wife, unable to donate to her husband, was so moved by this act of kindness from a stranger, she decided to pay it forward.  A man named Jay Lindahl was compatible with her, and received her kidney.  Mike Dodge had heard of Jay’s need from his brother, and had planned on helping him, but wasn’t a match. But then he heard about this chain of donors, and he decided to donate to a stranger as well. That stranger ended up being Nick Titus. Nick’s aunt (who had wanted to donate to him for years, but wasn’t compatible) then donated, to Nerissa March, whose husband Peter then donated his kidney to Dawn Inman, the woman I spoke of earlier.

Seeing and hearing those stories, and the emotions as they shared them was incredible. The donors had never met their recipients until today, and now, they will be forever connected. One of the doctors said it best- something like this really restores a person’s faith in humanity. It makes us realize how good people can be- how selfless, how thoughtful. The doctor also said he hopes this will encourage others to help out too, and to donate- whether it’s something as big as a kidney, or bone marrow, or blood. I know it worked on me.

I hope you get a chance to watch the story. It’s on tonight at 10:00 (Friday) on WHO (the show live-streams on our website too) otherwise it will be on our website to read and watch. (CLICK HERE)

Happy Weekend all.

Looking back on all the stories we did about those murders, and digging up past interviews and video, it made me think twice about my own year- and the one that’s to come.
It also made me “tweak” my New Year Resolutions a bit.

Looking back at my 2012, I realized there were a few instances where I let things get to me too much. To over-use one of my favorite sayings: Life is too short. So going into 2013 I am going to take more deep breaths- work on enjoying what I have and not get so overwhelmed and worked up over the little things.

On a more fun note, I also want to try some new things this year! Whether that’s a trip to a new place to see a friend (I have one in mind for May already!), or cooking some new recipes- which there in itself is two things since I’m not usually found in the kitchen, unless it’s to eat of course! Maybe I’ll get really ambitious and try a race of some sort- like a Tough Mudder, or Mini Triathlon. I’m trying to keep an open mind about these “new things” so if you have any thoughts, or ideas, I’m all ears!

Another big one on my 2013 list- connect more with friends, old and new! I didn’t do that bad of a job in 2012, but I know I could do better! Whether it’s through emails, texts, visits, or lunch dates, I want to make an extra effort to know, see, and talk to those people I’m grateful to have in my life. I think sometimes I get so wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of life, work and responsibilities, I forget to just enjoy it! And what better way to do that than with the people that make those moments worth living?

Well, I am ready for 2013! Ready to bring it in, in the comfort of my own home with my 2 cats, fish, and boyfriend, with some good food and Welch’s Sparkling Grape Juice (yes, you read that right- it’s a tradition my mom started when we were little and I just haven’t been able to let it go.) What I am ready to let go of- some of the rough times in 2012, for all of us. Not going to forget, just ready to push forward to better, brighter, happier times.

Please, tell me your New Years Resolutions, your News Years Eve plans, and what you are happy to leave behind as we go forward to 2013.

That got me thinking about my family. If that’s true, my parents are going to live to be like 200, because their lives revolve around family. My family is always together- cousins, aunts, uncles, we all gather at any opportunity we can. And I mean any (for some people it might be a little much, but for us it works.) We hang out so much, the normal holidays and birthdays just don’t seem to be enough- we even make some up.

This past weekend I actually got to be a part of one such holiday, one which just so happens to be my favorite holiday. It’s called “Pre-Christmas.” This holiday has been going on for over 30 years in my family. Every year, you pick a name, and keep it secret. Then you have that whole year to make a gift for your person. The first weekend in December we all get together, for food, family time, and to open our gifts. This year, they seemed to be even more thoughtful and creative than ever.

My family at Pre-Christmas

About to open gifts at Pre-Christmas, we all sit around and say something we love about our person without giving it away yet who that person is.

I had my cousin (and one of my closest friends). She is a huge Packer fan, so with the help of one of my very talented friends here in Iowa, I made her a T-shirt Dress!

The T-Shirt Dress I made my cousin

I received some homemade leg warmers from my aunt (that have buttons from my grandmother’s button collection she had passed on to her), as well as an incredible “picture” to hang in my apartment- a collage of some of my stories and blogs.

My little cousin Tyler got a spy kit from his uncle

Other gifts included homemade candles, for my mom who has about a zillion of them in her house, a purse for my sister, and a spy kit for my younger cousin (see picture above). The gifts were great, but this “holiday” isn’t about the gifts- its about the thought behind it. And if that sort of thing is the secret to living a long happy life, then count me in.

Let me know about your family/holiday traditions! Or what you think the “secret” to a long happy life is.

Tonight, a story I have been working on for quite a while is airing. I sat down with the family of Charles Freeborn, to talk about life after the trial. A quick refresher of this story for you: Last August a drive-by shooting killed 28 year old Charles Freeborn as he was watching television. Nearly a year later, police’s prime suspect, Richard Polak, was tried for his murder. A jury acquitted him of all charges. Earlier this month I sat down with Polak to talk about his life since the trial. For tonight’s story, I sat down with the Freeborn family to find out all the ways their life has changed.

I don’t think it will ever be easy for me to sit down and talk to the family who lost a loved one. Each time, my heart aches for their loss. This time was no different- but they had an had an additional component to discuss: fear. There is no one in jail. No one answered for the crime. No one has been caught- there is still a murderer out there. It’s scary enough to think about how this happened- so suddenly. He was sitting, watching television in the comfort of his girlfriend’s home, a place he thought to be safe.

As I am putting the finishing touches on my story tonight, a photojournalist sitting next to me says “did you hear about the Missouri man charged with plotting another movie shooting?” You have got to be kidding me. I, like many others I am sure, will never be able to be completely at ease in a packed theater again, thanks to the shooting at the Batman movie this year, and now, someone was plotting a similar mass murder? At the Twilight Premiere?! I feel like this question is asked more and more now- but what is wrong with the world? Is there no where we are safe?

Occasionally my friends and family will say something to me like “I can barely watch the news anymore. Why do you always have such terrible stories on there?” It’s because people keep doing the terrible things, and it’s our job report the truth about them. I wish there were less things like that to report, trust me.

USA Today article on the shooting plot

So here’s the weird part of this post I promised you from the beginning- talking about fear- real fear- made me think about irrational fears. And boy, do I have a list of those.

But I feel like I am not alone on that one. I feel like just about everyone has an irrational fear or two. Now, I admit, for some people what I refer as an “irrational fear” is a true, honest to goodness all encompassing FEAR. So if you are one of those people- please don’t take offense, i am not trying to trivialize your fear! For me, they just fall in the category of “irrational.”

Take spiders for instance. They terrify me to the core. I can barely breathe when I see one. And forget about getting close enough to it to kill it! I have even jumped out a moving vehicle to get away from one! (True story!) The irrational part? They are SO small- most of them (thank goodness) smaller than a fingernail! But still, no matter what their size, I can’t help it- the fear controls me.

Another one for me- elevators. They freak me out. I have a nightmare at least once a week about being trapped in one and then falling. It is a terrible feeling, let me tell you, and I always wake up right when the elevator hits the ground after an excruciating long fall- no sooner. So whenever I get in an elevator I tense up- sometimes hold my breath without realizing it. A lot of people try to calm me by reminding me it’s nearly impossible for a elevator car to fall. There are emergency cables, and plenty of other safety measures put in place. Plus, many of the elevators I go in are only for a few flights, so it’s not like there would be far to fall if the impossible happened. See? Irrational.

And clowns. I do not like clowns. Can’t tell you where this stems from, but they give me the he-bee-gee-bees.

Last year, I had some of these irrational fears played out in a worst case scenario while I was doing a story at the state capitol. I was trapped in an elevator- with about five clowns. Yup. Worst. Day. Ever.

Please share your irrational fears, I am curious!

Judging from Facebook and Twitter, many people have had just about enough election talk, so I will keep it short and sweet on that topic. Last night, I was at the Republican Headquarters with Sonya.

Sonya going live before the crowds started piling in

What I found interesting was what happened to the crowd as the results came in. At first, it was packed in there- a lot of excited volunteers, and supporters. But once the race clearly started leaning towards President Obama, the crowd severely thinned out. Congressman Elect Tom Latham even addressed that in his victory speech, saying “Nothing has really been called yet, but you folks are kind of thinning out the place so we wanted to come down and say thank you to you.”

Congressman Latham talking the stage with his family

I don’t know why I was surprised to see the crowd dissipate so quickly- maybe because as is the case with any busy event, it seemed as if I had only took my eyes away for one second and when I looked up again it had all changed! : One minute it was packed, and the next – not so much. I did talk to some volunteers afterwards (who had spent months and countless hours on the phones and knocking on doors in support of their candidates.) The ones I spoke with said although they were obviously disappointed with the presidential results, they in no way regretted all their hard work. As one woman put it, “It’s a sense of accomplishment for everyone that’s worked really hard for something that we had a passion for which is our country!”

At the end of the night, doing a quick stand up for the morning shows about Congressman Elect Latham’s victory. (Kind of a weird picture, I know- I grabbed a “freeze frame” from my story. You get the idea, though, right? )

Me listening in on the head set during our election coverage. So many people”behind the scenes” at our station really help make nights like this possible!

On a completely different topic, I thought I should just mention my weekend (two weeks ago now) when my parents came to visit. I talked about it in my last post, and never followed up on it. Well, in a nut shell, it was a great weekend. My parents got to see the station for the first time (I am pretty sure they thoroughly enjoyed themselves) and I got to show them off to all my co-workers. So that was fun.

My parents looking like naturals sitting at the desk in the studio

My mom and I also participated in the Susan G. Komen event, and we ran into the ladies I had just done a story with the day before!

Me and the “Dirty Skirts”

It was an incredible event- very inspiring to see all of the supporters, and survivors and hear their stories! Next year, though we decided we are definitely doing the 5K- the mile walk went by way too quickly! 

Mom and I at the Race for the Cure. What an awesome event!

And it started pretty early. Man you Hawkeyes like to get an early start on your tailgating! But what I noticed as we were setting up the grill and laying out the snacks, was just how diverse a crowd it really was. I think it’s so cool how every age is drawn to this team, and just how into people get! I love all the Hawkeye clothes, and games, and grills and signs and hats- it not only gears you up for the game (even me – an Iowa transplant! I’m a Gopher, went to the University of Minnesota) …

All ready to go in our Hawkeye gear!

  ….it’s also really neat to look at! (see picture below).

The view from my 9th row seat!

Well it was fun, but of course the fun had to end, and I had to come back to work… no, just kidding. I actually enjoy what I get to do. And this week hasn’t been an exception. My week started off with a story about the new bus depot downtown. If you haven’t seen it yet, I recommend taking a gander. It’s really neat looking. And besides how it looks, it’s going to be so much safer than the set up that’s happening now on Walnut Street.

DART Bus Hub Downtown Des Moines

But what that story really opened my eyes to, was just how invested the city of Des Moines is in furthering and growing the city, specifically downtown. Growing up in the Milwaukee area, and then going to school in Minneapolis, the term “downtown” always seemed to carry a certain weight with it- a certain exciting quality. It always seemed like that’s where things were happening, that’s were you wanted to live, where you wanted to shop. I really give leaders and local groups credit for their efforts to make that happen here. I’ve always appreciated the downtown area since moving here (the downtown area I was used to in Sioux Falls was kind of tiny- super cute, but tiny.) But now it’s definitely on my list of places to show visiting guests.

Which brings me to one more personal point- I have some guests coming into town this weekend. As a matter of a fact they just got here! My parents! Any suggestions on where to take them to “sight see”, eat, or explore? I’m open to suggestions! Saturday during the day my mom and I are walking in the Susan G. Komen event, and at night we are all attending a Halloween benefit for JDRF (any guesses as to what I’m going as?) but they are here from now until Monday, so that gives us some time to explore and enjoy Iowa! I’m looking forward to it for sure.

Color Power:

I know it was almost 7 days ago, but I have to mention last weekend’s color run! First of all, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I am NOT a runner. I am not fast, I get bored with it pretty easily, and I tend to look kind of funny when I do it. But a few months ago, I was “tricked” into signing up for the Color Run 5K in Des Moines. My friend was telling me about it, and all I heard was “they throw colors at you.” I immediately signed up. When my boyfriend got home that night I was like “Oh! Guess what I did! I’m going to do the Color Run!” He responded with “you know there’s running involved with that, right?” Oops. The next weeks were filled with worry for me as I fretted that I might not even be able to finish the 3 mile jaunt. But then, the day was upon us. And…. it was AWESOME! If every run was like that I would run all of the time! I really recommend it for anyone, even the non-runners out there, like me!

Me and my running buddies after getting doused with some blue and pink color

Hooray I finished!

Strands Of Strength:

One Wednesday morning, we went to Moda Salon in West Des Moines for a story about a new organization that works with cancer patients. It’s called Strands of Strength. Unlike Locks of Love, it doesn’t collect hair and make wigs, it purchases brand new wigs and styles them for people who can’t afford them. There are more people who could use this service than you may think. First of all, wigs are really expensive, especially high quality ones that look real. Talking to the organizers, and specifically the founder of this Iowa based organization who is a cancer survivor herself, I realized just how much help having a nice wig could be. As Deb Pulver, the creator of Strands of Strength told me, when you are fighting cancer, you want to do just that. Attack it, beat it, conquer it. The last thing you want is people to feel sorry for you- making you feel different – (there’s a difference between supporting someone and pitying them.) A wig, that looks like your real hair, and makes you feel more like yourself, can do just that- it can help you take that control back. Now I am not speaking from experience, I can’t even imagine what that would be like, but I won’t stop being awed by those that get through it, and conquer it.For the story, click here.

October is Salon Month, which means dozens of local salons are collecting donations and donating some of their proceeds to the cause.

The other thing I loved about this organization is that it’s local. Sure, there are organizations already out there that can help, like Susan G. Komen Foundation and Locks of Love, but Deb wanted to help in a big way, and she wanted to directly help people in her community. It’s got to be an amazing feeling to see it really starting to pick up speed. Just talking to Deb- starting an organization from scratch is no easy feat! (Think legalities, paperwork, connecting with hospitals, getting the word out, funding, and the list goes on!) For more info on how you can help or spread the word: click here.

Coach Fired:

Wednesday evening, I covered a preview of a school board meeting scheduled for later that night. The future of High School Football Coach Tim Mihalovich was to be discussed. Coach Mihalovich had been under fire for weeks, after making a player run for a half an hour as a punishment, among other things. For more details and the full story that aired Wednesday click here.  The whole thing just got me thinking about back when I was in high school. I was in track and swim, not football obviously, but even those sports included experiences like that. If you had a bad attitude, you had extra extra laps, if we lost, we might have to swim non-stop all practice, or if you were late you had to run a ridiculous amount of “ladders” or do stairs for what felt like forever.  This decision made me wonder- is coaching changing? Will we see the effects of a decision like this spread farther than football, farther than Iowa? Basically, this decision left me with a lot of questions.

To see Dan Winters’ story on the coach’s reaction after being fired, click here!

Excuses, Excuses:

Yesterday I was able to anchor the 9:00 news, which was awesome. Besides having fun with it, it was my first hour show and on a weekday, so it was a unique experience. As you can imagine, there are a lot more stories in an hour show as opposed to a half hour show (duh, captain obvious, right?) One story that came up near the end of the show, was about the excuses people give to get out of work. They were definitely creative! Some of the ones that stood out – “My toe is stuck in a faucet” and “My dog is having a nervous breakdown.” Huh. But it got me wondering what other excuses people use, and how elaborate will they be? I know someone (no, its not me and no, I won’t name names, don’t worry) who has been known to go very far out of their way to get a sick day. One time, this person was convinced they wouldn’t be able to get the day off. So they showed up to work, but then part-way into the day, devised a plan (warning-it’s kind of gross). They went to the cafeteria, ordered a burger, smooshed some of it up, and then rubbed it on their shirt. They then went to their boss’s office looking “sick” and tell the boss they threw up and would probably need to go home. Of course when the boss pointed out they may have gotten the vomit on their shirt, they acted embarrassed like it really was a total accident. Elaborate, huh? How far would you go? (Or have you gone?)

Dynamic Gymnasts:

Today’s story is pretty fun for me. I haven’t done it yet, but I’m on way! I get to meet Olympic Gymnasts Gabby Douglas and Shawn Johnson. Should be fun. I’ve been preparing some questions for them, and even prepared my outfit just for them (I wore flats- gymnasts are tiny!) I’ll let you know how it goes!

Addition:

Just got back from interviewing Shawn Johnson and Gabby Douglas. At the risk of sounding too starstruck, it was pretty neat. Both the girls are very sweet and great speakers. They definitely know what they’re doing in front of the camera! And as an added bonus, I got to meet Derek Hough too. (Also really nice, by the way). So not a terrible night over all.

Each of these people inspire me in some way- their strength, their optimism, their selflessness, their faith. But one woman in particular has just left me in awe from the beginning of her battle.

My aunt and godmother, Terry, was diagnosed with breast cancer about 8 years ago now. I remember when I found out that first time. I was devastated. I remember exactly where I was when I found out it was now in her brain, and she needed immediate surgery- I was in Florida on vacation, and I felt like the ground had dropped out from under me. I remember feeling physically ill and completely helpless when I found out it had spread further, to her stomach and lung. But then, I remember her strength and her smile, as every year she continues to defy the odds, even to the surprise of some of her doctors.

As I said, it’s eight years later. She is still on medication, and sometimes, as she admits, the side effects and the pain nearly take over. But her strength is unwavering. It’s more than strength. It’s faith. She believes God has healed her. Now don’t be mistaken- it’s not denial. She is seeking medical help and advice, but it’s her faith that gives her strength. It gives us all strength. It’s hard to explain really, how that fear that so often accompanies the terrible disease of cancer can subside when she smiles. It’s probably because it goes straight to her core. It’s not a “don’t worry I’m fine smile” plastered there just to calm all of us that love her. It’s genuine calm. It’s genuine peace. And it is truly inspiring.

My Auntie Terry and I when she came to visit just a few weeks ago

Terry and I earlier this year

Before I went out to shoot my story, I had some extra time to do some research. What I found, specifically for Iowa was a little overwhelming. I included some of these stats in my story that aired on tonight’s 10:00 and 9:00 newscasts, but they didn’t all fit, so here’s a few more stats about cancer in Iowa.

Some of the top causes of cancer deaths in the United States:

• Tobacco    30%
• Adult diet/obesity   30% (more than 60% of Iowans are overweight or obese)
• Sedentary lifestyle 5%
• Occupational factor   5%
• Family history of cancer   5%

The “top three” cancers (estimated) in 2012:

• Prostate: Approximately 2,640 diagnoses
• Breast: Approximately 2,350 diagnoses
• Lung and bronchus: Approximately 2,330 diagnoses

16,000 Iowans were diagnosed with cancer each year between 2004 and 2008, and each year 6,000 lost their battle. That’s 30,000 Iowans total over those 4 years.

Those numbers are rising. In 2012, it’s estimated that 17,000 will be diagnosed. That’s 47 people a day that will hear “you have cancer.” More than 6,000 of them will die. That’s 18 deaths every day.

Keeping my aunt in mind, and the fact that it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I looked up Iowa’s stats when it came specifically to that. In 2012, it’s estimated that more that 2,000 people will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and there will be about 400 deaths.

Those numbers are nothing sort of terrifying in my opinion. But like the woman I interviewed today pointed out:

“It is scary to think about all that you can and should know about how to prevent cancer, but again the more we can bring people together and put our work together the more effective it will be.” (Kelly Sittig, ICC)

I knew the job market was bad. I report on that sort of thing on a weekly basis! But today I got to feel that panic.

We went to an engineering job fair at Iowa State University, and it was JAM PACKED! I mean you could barely move through the sea of students, all dressed up and professional, walking around handing their resumes to future employers and really selling themselves- some just for unpaid internship opportunities.

A view of how packed it was in there. On a side note, look at that one guy just staring the camera down. Whoa…

It brought me back to when I was that age (which, admittedly really wasn’t that long ago. I graduated in 2007) and made me think- I mean, I know I had to work hard to get a job (took me a year after college) but when did it become a requirement to work that hard just to get an opportunity?

And talking to the students and employers, that’s what it is now- it’s just expected of you. Even the over achievers are just “middle of the row” now. Forget about that one internship to get your foot in the doors, some are collecting as many as 4 or 5 throughout their college career. One recruiter said, “There’s been a few stand outs, but I mean a lot are just on the same playing field.To be considered there’s got to be some stuff that stand out or some leadership qualities, even overseas assignments they’ve done, and studying abroad helps as well.”

View from above at the job fair. What a sea of people!

Standing above the crowd, looking down, another thing occurred to me, along with the fear and worry I felt on behalf of those trying to enter the work force- admiration. If this is the type of dedication out there just at a job fair, the very first stop on the interviewing journey, then just imagine what we have to look forward to as the younger generation takes over.

Watching the crowd at the job fair at ISU

I’m not saying this stress is a good thing, it definitely makes me even more grateful for my job, but maybe we can all get something good from it, and be reintroduced to “work ethic” and “hard work” and just good old fashioned determination.

First of all, I don’t do library books. No, I’m not being snooty… it’s a germ thing. I like to get very up close and personal with my books. I read them everywhere- at the gym, in the bath, in bed, everywhere! And I just don’t feel comfortable not knowing whose germs I’m sharing. Plus, I’m not a Kindle-girl. I like my solid, page-turning, old fashioned books. So, I drop the $15-$25 at Barnes and Noble every time. And yes, I have a bunch of books on my shelves I swear I will “definitely get to someday soon,” but as usual, I am first drawn into something that has a way of jumping to the top of my “must read list.” It’s an expensive habit, let me tell you!

But no matter how much I spend on a visit to B&N, I can justify it- I am buying books. I am challenging my mind. I am doing myself a favor. Yeah, not so much. Many of the books I get sucked into are for pure enjoyment. As much as I wish I would read more “substantial” books (I did join a book club to expand my reading horizons) I always find myself drawn in to the entertaining series.

Hunger Games: Read this series twice. It’s a quick read (and technically a “young adult series” but so good!

Something Borrowed/Something Blue: Only read the first two of this series, but read them both like 5 times each. They are THE definition of “chick-lit” and I recommend for anyone wanting to lose themselves in a romantic comedy, the book version.

If you are into the “vampire thing” and love some action/fantasy with a little side love story, I recommend this series. I think the author is up to book 12 or something now and still going. But warning- each book (like the television series based off them) ends with a cliff hanger so you might not be able to stop once you start!

My latest “binge” is the Divergent Series. I was up all night finishing book number one (until 5 a.m.). I just could put it down! And now, of course, I need to race back to my favorite store and get the second, of course only available in hardcover.

Excellent book, and a promising series! Again, found in the “young adult” section, but it’s a very entertaining read. I put my money on this as the next book turned movie franchise!

My boyfriend often shakes his head at how quickly I will go through a series like this, asking me if I ever considered just slowing down and spreading the book out over a longer time, so I don’t go through $30 plus dollars in a few days. I, of course, just can’t even imagine that! I can’t control it. I must keep reading. It’s just that good. (Plus, another one of my justifying techniques- I bought the book- I can read it again a million times in the future! Totally get my money’s worth, right?)

So I ask you, what is your “vice,” your “harmless addiction” that you just can’t seem to shake. And should we feel guilty about these little indulgences? I say no. Now bring on the justification.

I stumbled across this quote recently and it got me thinking. Thinking about change, new things and leaps of faith. The meaning of this quote was really driven home for me after the story I did about Deana Williams. If you didn’t catch the story, click here to watch it.

To recap: Deana grew up with horses. She rode them daily, and often raced them in barrel racing competitions. Last time I saw her, there was a little boy (maybe 5 years old) that was learning to ride. Deana was asked if she was that young when she started. She just smiled and said, “oh, I was younger.”

Basically, it was in her blood. So, when a freak accident left her in a coma, the worry wasn’t just about if she would ever recover, it was also was she ever going to ride again.

The first story I did about Deana was when she was still unresponsive in the hospital, a few days after her accident. Her family never left her side. It was scary, even as a stranger, to see someone I had heard was once so full of life and passion, just lying there, her future so undetermined. But her family was strong, and they knew Deana was strong, and they knew that life and passion would soon return.

When I got the call from her sister that Deana had woken up, I was so happy for them. When I heard she was riding again I was in awe. But where I was pretty much shocked that someone who faced such a life threatening situation could literally get back on the horse that threw off, her family wasn’t. 

I had the honor and privileges of seeing one of her first few rides- one of Deana’s therapy lessons. First of all, it was amazing to see her walking, and talking, and smiling. But then to see her with the horses- well, that was incredible. She was so calm, so natural, so at home.

Deana at her equine therapy lesson

Admittedly, I don’t know if I would have the strength for that. When I was younger, my dad I were rafting, and he was thrown off the raft. He broke his back, and nearly drown, and I know I will never get those images out of my head. That accident didn’t even happen to me and I still question whether or not I will ever go rafting like that again.

But not Deana. After watching her for awhile and seeing how she was interacting with the horse, I started to realize something. Deana wasn’t just getting stronger by getting back to riding, the riding itself was making her stronger. She admits it was scary at first. She says it was almost a whole new experience, but now it’s as if she never left. And that was very clear seeing her with the horses.

Deana after her ride

Looking back on Deana’s story, it makes me want to fearlessly try new things, new experiences. My new adventures most likely won’t be as monumental as Deana’s and probably not even comparable, but I look forward to them none the less.

One thing I did recently, was get a new kitten. I know, it sounds pretty insignificant, especially when you know that I love cats, already have a cat, and always go nuts when I see a kitten. But it really wasn’t that easy of a decision for me.

A few months ago, one of my co-workers told me there were some stray kittens living under her porch. I went over one day to “ooh and ah” over them. Before I even realized what was happening I was on my way home- with a very tiny, scared, and meowing passenger in my front seat.

When I got her home, I immediately started questioning what I did just did. She was terrified. She wouldn’t let me near her, she wouldn’t eat, she cried all the time. But I stayed strong- I stayed diligent. And in less than 24 hours, she was eating, purring and snuggling with me.

I couldn’t believe it- it was like it meant to be. I already loved her. So when I took her the vet, full well knowing it was going to cost me a pretty penny, I didn’t even care. I was on cloud nine. But then the vet told me my new kitty had FIV. Normally, not the worst thing, but when you had a second cat, like I did, it was devastating news. She told me I had two options- find a new home for her, or put her down.

Thankfully, we found a new home for her, but not before I had to face the very real possibly of putting her down. It was emotional, and on top of that, she wasn’t mine anymore.

After that, I wasn’t in a rush to get another kitty. I didn’t think I could go through that again. But then I went to the ARL for a story just last week. One of the volunteers was holding a teeny tiny, very adorable long haired black kitten. She was perfect. And her name was Crystal! Meant to be! ( I renamed her of course- two Krystle’s running around would be too confusing!)

We named her Mileena.

Long story short, I had to have her. And so far, she’s wonderful. Lesson learned- never let fear of failing stop you.

Mileena snuggling in her bed

This summer has been packed! Almost every weekend was spent out of town for me. Not that I’m complaining- it was definitely the most I have been home to Wisconsin in at least 5 years. 

I love going home- seeing friends and family and just catching up. But a lot of times it can get kind of hectic. There’s inevitably lots of people to see, lots to do, and usually there’s a specific reason to visit so there’s that taking up some time too. But this last time I went home, I kept it relatively simple. I had a wedding to attend, so that took up my Friday. But then Saturday me and the fam hit the state fair.

My parents and I at the Wisconsin State Fair

And I decided something- I wasn’t only going to keep it simple, I was going to go back to my roots. I was going to hit the fair with a fun, “kid-like” mentality!

My sister and I (I’m on the bottom!)

We started with the animals (pigs are my favorite. I will own a pig someday and name her Princess. Or Bacon- it’s okay! I don’t eat meat! )

Had to get a picture with a pig.

Then ate our way through the rest of the fairgrounds. We stopped at the cheese curds, deep fried potato chips, deep fried green beans, cotton candy, pickle on a stick, bacon wrapped tater tots (not for me of course), baked potato, ice cream sundaes, chocolate covered strawberries…it was delicious.

Pickle on a stick- one of my favorite fair foods!

I also did something I have always wanted to do. I stopped at one of those “guess your weight/age/birthday” people. I often get mistaken for younger than I actually am (I’m 27, if you are wondering.) But that’s not what I wanted her to guess. I walked up to the guessing lady and she jokingly said to the crowd, “I bet you want me to guess your weight, don’t you.” My response? “Yup!” Anyway, long story short, she guessed, and was wrong! (she guessed much lighter than I normally am, which usually happens, so I won a prize!)

The prize I won! I was very proud. And also a little tired from our more than six hours at the fair…

By the end of the day I was a little worn out, but it was definitely a blast. Well worth “channeling my inner child” for the day.

I often get asked which state fair I like the best, Wisconsin or Iowa, and honestly I can’t decide! This year both surpassed my expectations. I am excited already to see what next year will hold.