Upcoming Christmas Activities

Tomorrow (Friday, December 19th) the Young Adults (college+) are going to be gift wrapping at Borders in Orland Park from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. This will be a free service to Borders guests, but we will be accepting tips. 100% of money that we receive will go directly towards Parker Road Bible Church's Outreach Ministry. We're all very excited about supporting this ministry.

Friday night or Saturday morning, Dan and I will be going to Wisconsin to celebrate Christmas with his family. The weather will determine which day we leave. We will be gone until early Tuesday morning, at which point we will both get up and go directly to work. Dan's family has a lot of fun activities planned for us and we're both super excited!

Dan and I are finished with our Christmas shopping and just in time! Once we get back from celebrating Christmas with his family it'll be time to celebrate with my family. We've got so much to look forward to! Plus, we're engaged... so that'll enhance the whole Christmas season that much more!

"One Week"

This "one week" rule is not the easiest thing, but I am very happy that we're doing it. Whenever my mind starts to wander and I start thinking about wedding plans I snap myself out of it and just smile. Another couple of days won't hurt me or our plans. Right now I'm just enjoying the thought of being married to my one-and-only prince charming!

By now just about all of our loved ones know the great news about me and Dan. I am very pleased to report that everyone has been very supportive of us! We are so blessed to have such wonderful family and friends who care about us so much. That will make the next couple of months so much easier.

Dan and I are Engaged!

So the past couple of days have been incredible! As you can see from my title, Dan and I are engaged and I couldn't be more excited! Here is what happened...

Last week my life was a constant rollercoaster of ups and downs. Sadly, more downs then ups. It seemed like one thing after another was going wrong. After a full day of working I would come home and stress over everything that was "messed up" and needed correcting. It felt like as soon as one thing was fixed another problem would emerged from behind the dark shadows that followed me. I was not a happy person, but I made it through each day.

Friday, December 12th, my luck started to change! Dan and I went to the mall before dinner so that we could try and pick up a few Christmas gifts. My lousy days encouraged me to treat myself to a new outfit for my special secret with Dan. I had gotten a Victoria's Secret "secret" gift card from a purchase I made last month and decided to use it. I was guaranteed it would have at least $10 on it (and possibly up to $500). I saw a shirt that I really liked and wished that they had it in a different color... I saw no such shirt anywhere, I assumed I had made up the whole existence of the shirt. When I was about to give up I looked up and saw exactly what I wanted on a manikin on a top display in the store! Not only was it the right color, it was also in my size! Not only was it my size, it was the only one in the store! Wow! So when I went to use the gift card I found out that my secret gift card had $50 on it! So I bought an additional top to go with my outfit and paid very little out of pocket! Wow........

Saturday, December 13th, Dan had a whole day planned for us and I knew nothing. Early that afternoon we took the train downtown. When we got down there we took the trolley to Navy Pier where we went to the Winter Wonder Fest! There, Dan and I went ice skating and decorated Christmas cookies!

From Navy Pier Dan led me to the Hancock building. It was slightly raining, but not bad at all. Once we were among the tall buildings the wind was almost gone and we could finally feel the 50 degree weather. As we got to the Hancock building Dan led me down the stairs by the big Christmas tree that stood in front of the building. By now the was little, if any, rain. As we got to the bottom of the tree Dan said, "Karolyn, what is that? Does that have your name on it?" I was genuinely surprised to see a single gift hanging from the tree with a huge tag that had my name on it! He instructed me to open my early Christmas present and I did just that. Inside was a small, wrapped box. It rattled, so I knew it wasn't a ring. Inside the box was a Mickey-shaped necklace with a heart. "Aw, look at that," Dan started, "Mickey came to wish you a Merry Christmas." I loved it! Dan offered to put it on me and I accepted his offer. Just as he finished clasping the necklace he released the ring and it slid down the necklace. I felt the ring and my heart just about stopped. I turned around and Dan got down on one knee. He made a beautiful speech and I started to cry some tears of joy. He asked me to marry him and I did not hesitate to say, "Yes!" Then, Dan got up, kissed me, and held me! Dan took the ring off my necklace and placed it on my finger. It's exactly what I wanted! I love my ring! Oh, but our evening wasn't over!

Dan took me into the Hancock building where I called my sister right away! She was excited to hear the news and honored to be the first one called. Dan's folks already knew what was going down... and so did my parents (for about a month).

When I got off the phone with Kathleen, Dan took me up to the 95th floor of the Hancock where we had dinner at the Signature Room. The view was breathtaking and dinner was delicious! It was all very romantic! Dan ordered us a bottle of wine and later we dined on steak. We spent the whole dinner smiling at each other from across the table.

At the end of the evening Dan notified me that he had rented a town car limo to drive us home. He did not want me to have to take the train back. "A pretty car for a pretty girl," is what he said. The car ride was great... we spent the whole time on the phone with loved ones, sharing the good news!

At home my parents waited anxiously for us to come home. They congratulated us and gave us our first gift. At home I was all smiles and felt like I was vibrating... I felt so alive, so happy! I got very little sleep that night.

Sunday, Pastor Scott announced mine and Dan's news to the congregation (with our permission). Everyone was so happy for us and made us feel very special. I am very grateful to be part of such a supportive church family!

Well, since Dan and I got engaged we have been on a "one week" rule. For one week we cannot make any wedding plans. Our only job right now is to enjoy being engaged and savor this time together. It's not the easiest (holding off on planning our wedding), but we are enjoying it!

Holiday Hustle and Bustle

The past couple of days have been filled with lots of holiday activities! In between working my various jobs I've found some time to do some holiday shopping.

Friday, December 5th I worked all day at Williams-Sonoma. Dan had his last day of classes and then spent the rest of his day studying for finals at my house.

Saturday, December 6th Dan and my dad went to the Men's Breakfast at church and afterwards they went to see the new James Bond. Once they got home Dan and I went out to Oakbrook Mall to do some holiday shopping. It was cold and there were a few flurries in the air, but it was all delightful. That mall looks so lovely at night when it's all lit up!

Sunday, December 7th I worked at Williams-Sonoma in the evening. The mall was open until 10:00 p.m. but there weren't many shoppers that late. I guess no one is in quite the rush... yet.

Monday, December 8th I worked all day at Williams-Sonoma. I did a lot of pre-wrapping so that we can stay ahead of the crowds. It did get too busy, but I didn't have to deal with many guests because I was in the back most of the time.

Today, I came in to work at church and was surprised to see my new work space all set up! All thanks to Anthony! It's still a bit disorganized, but Anthony came by and we got a lot done. We have so many ideas for expanding the church's media and web site so that we can better serve the congregation and the community! I'm anxious to see what God lays before us.

Also, today Dan made a surprise stop by the office to bring me some Starbucks! My dad went to pick him up at school and bring him to our house so that he could pick up his car from the shop. On his way back to school he stopped by and visited me for a bit. It was so good to see him! He's the best!

Merry Christmas from Parker Road

Here is our staff Christmas photo!

Merry Christmas from all of us at Parker Road Bible Church!

The Holiday Lite

It's that time of year! Time for Christmas decorations, cookies, shopping, and music! 93.9 has been playing Christmas music for a while and it's the #1 station that I listen to this time of year. You can listen too! Click the following link to listen live: 93.9 The Holiday Lite.

I know I've been horrible at blogging, but I have been extremely busy. I haven't been seriously in front of a computer for about a week. My schedule has been nothing but work. Last week I worked all morning into the afternoon at either church or Williams-Sonoma (or both) and then when I came home I would edit for several hours. Thankfully this week won't be as busy.

Thanksgiving was a blast! Kathleen, Jess, and I cooked Thanksgiving dinner (again). Jess and her boyfriend, Andrew, came over Wednesday night and we worked hard getting everything ready for the big turkey day! Thursday the rest of the Kovals came over and we had an amazing day. Dan was with us as well... I couldn't have asked for a better day with the people that I love! Saturday, the five of us went downtown to visit the Chriskindlmarket and shop at Macy's. It wasn't too cold and the shopping madness was rather calm. We had a great afternoon together! Kathleen started her journey back to school Sunday afternoon. I'll miss her, of course, but she'll be back soon! Yay!

Seasonal Work Begins

I had my first week back at Williams-Sonoma and everything went great! Things were super busy each day and I spent all of my time behind the register, but it was still enjoyable. I know that I'll have my good days and my bad days, but I'm just happy that things got off to a great start. I've already picked up a couple of extra hours! We'll see how things go throughout the rest of the season. If things stayed about the same as they are now I'd be happy. Of course, the more hours the better.

Suddenly

Today is one of those days... one of those days when I need to listen to "Suddenly" by Superchic[k] to remind me of God's plan for me. Here are the lyrics...

She feels lost in her own life
Treading water just to keep from slipping under
And she wonders if she's where she's supposed to be
Tired of trying to do it right
Her dreams are just too far away to see how steps she's making
Might be taking her to who she'll be

Chorus:
And suddenly it isn't what it used to be
And after all this time it worked out just fine
And suddenly I am where I'm supposed to be
And after all the tears I was supposed to be here

She feels locked in her own life
Scared of what she might lose if she moves away from who she was
And she's afraid of being free
There's a way she knows is right
She can't feel the things she knows
And so each step she's taking is a step of faith toward who she'll be

Chorus

And here where the night is darkest black
She feels the fear and the light is farthest back
And through her tears she can't see the dawn is coming
Skies will clear and the light will find her where she's always been

Chorus

Parker Road is on Facebook

Parker Road Bible Church is now on Facebook! Log on and become a fan of Parker Road! This fan page is designed to let church members look at pictures and videos, start discussions, get quick links to our web site and blogs, and basically keep in touch and connect with others.

This fan page is not just for people who attend Parker Road today. This is a great way to get back in touch with those who may have moved or are away at college. Anyone can be a fan and anyone can get in on the action. So click on the link below and become a fan of Parker Road Bible Church today!

Parker Road Bible Church Facebook Fan Page

See yourself in a picture... feel free to tag yourself so that it's featured in your profile!

Raking Leaves and Such

I think that I am all caught up on my sleep. Last week I was super busy and this weekend I had some time to catch up on my sleep. Monday I got another chance... so I think that I am pretty much back to normal.

Monday I spent the afternoon raking and picking up leaves. It wasn't too cold or too windy, so it wasn't bad. My parents were out sharing the work load, so we got a lot done. However, this morning when I left for work I saw that the tree in our front yard lost a lot of leaves overnight, so now it looks like nobody did anything. Bummer.

This weekend I start back at Williams-Sonoma, so I'm excited for that. They actually have me on pretty early for seasonal work and for that I am grateful. I got scheduled for hours that I did not list as available hours on my application, but I moved some stuff around to make it work this time. I've addressed the issue with my boss and in the future I should not have this problem.

Elected

Okay, I have a very good excuse for not updating in a long time. I have had a long and busy week of production work. The picture you see of me might give you a clue as to where I was this week... but of course there are more pictures below that I took with the camera on my phone. Without reading my blog or the picture captions I'm sure that you can figure out where I was and why I was there. A lot has happened and I'll try to fill you in with some details without making this entry too long.

Tuesday, November 4th and Wednesday, November 5th I worked on a Pilot for BET called "Elected." I spent both days shadowing Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. as a PA. Both days were long, busy, very tiring, but also extremely cool!

Tuesday, November 4th I got up at 3:00 a.m. to get ready for work. I was downtown just after 4:00 a.m. I stopped at Dunkin' Donuts to pick up coffee for my crew and then got ready to go out into the field. First stop, Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr.'s home. There I met him and he greeted me with a firm hand shake and a kiss. He was polite, friendly, and very professional. most of my day was spent going in and out of Grant Park. It was wild... I was in the heart of Grant Park where Obama made his speech. I was not there when he made his speech (the next crew took my crew's place), but it was still amazing to see it all set up. It was a long day but I still made it home in time to vote! I was cutting it close, but I made it!

Grant Park, where Barack Obama was going to make his historic speech and address the United States of America.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Press Bleachers in front of Barack Obama's Stage.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. takes a moment to sit with the production crew and munch on some chips in Grant Park.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Wednesday, November 5th my start time was 7:00 a.m. (which I didn't get confirmed until 1:45 a.m. when I was woken up by a phone call from my friend, Laura, the Program Manager). It was a long day with a lot of traveling around the city. That afternoon I got to sit in on the Governor's press conference. I'm not a fan of that man, but it was still cool to be a part of his press conference as he discuss the issue of filling the Senate's seat once President-Elect Obama takes his seat as our U.S. President. Again, my day was long and nobody even got a chance to eat! So late that evening me and my crew went out for dinner. We had a blast!

Press Conference for Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich addresses the media.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Thursday, November 6th I would have worked a half day on "Elected," but I was already booked for another shoot. Me and a crew of two other guys went to Starcom to interview some co-workers of a man who is being added to the Marketing Hall of Fame. It was a more laid back day and my start was 7:30 a.m. Still, it was a long day, but I didn't mind. It was a nice project.

Today, Friday, November 7th, I am trying to get things back in order at church. When I first arrived I got the music all organized for the Sunday worship service and right now I'm currently working on the Sunday bulletin, power point, and responding to loads of e-mails that have been loading up my inbox. Later this evening I am taking out my 12-year-old cousin, Michelle. We're gonna go shopping at have dinner. I'm excited!

Tomorrow I am looking forward to putting my feet up for a couple of hours. We'll see if that happens. I'm very tired.

H-A Double L-O-W Double E-N Spells Halloween!

The title comes from a song I sang for a play in elementary school. I was a pumpkin along with the rest of my 1st Grade classmates. The song has stuck with me since then and it always comes to mind around Halloween. I don't remember any other part of the song... just the chorus. Somewhere I have that play on VHS.

Also, in honor of this holiday, I changed my Facebook profile picture. The picture that you see below was taken during my first photography class in college (I think I'm 19). It was for a photo session assignment called Class Portrait. We spent a couple of hours taking photos of each other with different backgrounds and lighting. Towards the end, my teacher wanted to have some fun so he created one backdrop with "monster lighting." He called me over and wanted to use me because of my long hair and photogenic ability. One of my classmates took this picture and gave me a print once the assignment was over and graded. Another classmate took a picture where I had my head down but I was looking up and smiling at the camera. Oh man... talk about creepy! She also submitted the photo for the assignment, but I did not get a copy. Oh well, this one works.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!

Aston's Cool Pix

Have you seen those Nikon commercials with Ashton Kutcher? I love 'em! Not sure why... I guess because I think Ashton Kutcher is so funny! He's funnier now then he ever was in That 70's Show... maybe because he not always playing "dumb, funny" characters. Anyway, I uploaded some pictures at ashtonscoolpics.com and "told" Ashton what was in the pictures and he "responded." It's pretty funny... I laughed out loud when I he responded to Dan's birthday picture. Ha ha... oh, funny. Check it out for yourself: Ashton's Cool Pix.

Make one yourself... it's fun!

The Ups and Downs of My Weekend

Friday, October 24th the Young Adults were supposed to go to the Richardson Farm and do the Corn Maze, but the rain, thunder, and lightning forced us to cancle our plans. I'll admit that I was bummed, but I still managed to have a nice evening. Dan and I stayed in and baked cookies. Chris came over and we all watched Iron Man and then hung out until 1:00 a.m.

Saturday, October 25th Dan and I went to his school to watch four Saw movies on DVD with Myk. By the end we were pretty much desensitized to the gore and violence. The Saw movie marthon was in honor of Saw V... which we saw on the big screen as soon as we finished the first four. It was gross, of course, but I'm more into the plot and storyline. The mystery of who can really be trusted and where everything falls into place on the timeline. You have to see the movies to understand what I am getting at. The surprise endings and twists are the best part of the movie. Going to see these movies has become a Halloween tradition. Myk is wondering how we'll be able to pull it off next year when he is back in Colorado.

Sunday, October 26th I led the musical ministry for our worship service at church. June played the piano and I sang and led the congregation. It all came together at the last minute, but worked out nicely. I also ran AV with Dan that same Sunday. Thankfully, Anthony and Bill were present to fill in when I had to be on stage. Thanks guys!

Sunday, Dan and I also got to see his mother for a second time while she was visiting the Midwest. We met up with her in Long Grove and did some shopping. For dinner we ate at California Pizza Kitchen. CPK has sort of become a tradition for us. As usual, it was very nice to see her!

Monday, October 27th I spent most of the day editing. I got a lot of work done! I still have some work to do and I'm hoping that I can have more then one project done this week. That would be a bonus!

Teeth Issues

I'm a little tired of my teeth giving me problems. Really, I am doing a fine job at taking care of them... they just don't seem to be taking in all that I'm doing for them (how rude!). I brush with Sensodyne ProNamel at least twice a day (sometimes 3x), I use ACT Fluoride Mouthwash twice a day, and floss using my handy Reach Access Flosser every night! Plus, I always keep a bottle of fresh water close by so I can rinse my mouth after eating to foods, especially ones with acids.

I've been doing a lot of research to see where I may be going wrong and for the most part I am doing stuff right. Here are a couple of things that I found that could be helpful to anyone experiencing these same issues. Some of these suggestions I already knew and some are new to me. Here's the whole list:

1. Decrease the consumption of acidic foods and/or drinks, both in quantity and frequency. Try to have them only at mealtimes. Replace carbonated drinks with water, milk or un-sweetened coffee and tea, especially between meals.

2. Drink acidic drinks quickly and do not swish them round the mouth (to reduce the time that the teeth are exposed to acids).

3. Use a straw when drinking carbonated beverages or fruit juices, which are very acidic (at least to limit contact of acids with the front teeth).

4. After eating or drinking acidic foods or beverages, rinse your mouth with fresh water so that the acid is diluted and easier neutralized.

5. Because acids temporarily soften the tooth surface (de-mineralization), don't brush your teeth immediately after eating or drinking something acidic (or vomiting), as the softened enamel will be further damaged by the brushing and that will speed up the process of erosion. Wait at least an hour to allow calcium in saliva to repair tooth enamel after the acid exposure.

6. Chewing sugar-free gum can help reduce dry mouth and increase the saliva flow, allowing it to neutralise acids and help teeth to remineralize.

7. You should brush your teeth twice a day, with a soft toothbrush using fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride helps the remineralization of the tooth enamel and it is necessary for preventing tooth erosion.

8. Follow your dentist’s instructions in order to prevent further tooth enamel loss. Your dentist may also recommend the periodic application of fluoride gel or varnish in the dental office to restore tooth enamel and prevent dental erosion.

I never knew #5... so that may be a reason why I'm having some issues. However, the last time I went to the dentist he had a feeling that I had a cavity (where my tooth is a little achy), but looking at my x-rays he said it was hard to tell if it was through the enamel yet. Hmm... I'm scared to think that it already was and all of my care did nothing to help. Oh well, it's not like I have more cavities than the average person (I believe that I have less) and it has been years since I had a tiny filling, but still... I hate the whole process.

I do have moments, however, when I think that my teeth are just responding to the the area where my wisdom tooth was pulled in June 2008. Although, it is only achy on one side, not the other (where the other upper wisdom tooth was also pulled). I dunno. The next time I go to the dentist I'm anticipating the cavity but praying that it's nothing. Would a cavity ache everyday? Because my tooth doesn't bother me everyday.

"We're Still Having Fun and You're Still the One!"

Dan and I have officially been dating for 4+ years! On Friday, October 17, 2008 we celebrated our 4-year anniversary. I decided it was my turn to treat Dan for our anniversary so I booked us a reservation at Geja's Cafe in downtown Chicago. We had a wonderful night! We dined on wine, the Cheese & Chocolate Fondue Special which consisted of Geja's salad, cheese and flaming chocolate fondues, and coffee. When I made the reservation I made note that we were celebrating our anniversary, so our waiter surprised us with free Champagne! It was a beautiful evening!

Friday I also got a call from Nora. She got me some work filming a benefit for Sunday, October 19th. Saturday I spent the day getting all ready. My best camera started experiencing technical difficulties on Saturday as my dad filmed his cross country team, so I made a trip downtown to barrow a camera from Brian. Thank you, Brian!

Sunday, I filmed the Terry Horan Benefit on Chicago's north side. In the beginning I helped Nora and her co-workers get everything set up. Once things started to roll I pulled out the camera and filmed. I spent the day in dressy boots with heals... I still can't feel the bottom of two of my toes on my right foot.

Monday, October 20th I spent the whole day working on video stuff. I transferred the footage from the benefit onto DVD and captured footage for my dad's cross country DVD. Both computers got a good work out yesterday.

A Long and Busy Weekend

My weekend was so busy... I got about 4 hours of sleep within 48 hours of my weekend. I'll explain.

While at the mall on Friday I got my seasonal job back at William-Sonoma! I'm super excited... especially since they are not taking on as many people this year. I'm not surprised. Greg, the store manager, was very happy to hear that I wanted to come back. I'm looking forward to starting back next month.

Saturday morning Dan and I got up pretty early and made a quick stop at Dunkin' Donuts to get some coffee (for me) and two free donuts thanks to my awesome coupon. From there we made our way to Six Flags Great America for Fright Fest! We did some stuff around the park before we met up with his mom (who is in the Midwest area for 2 weeks) and his sister, Mandy. We ate lunch at Cracker Barrel (well, actually most of us had breakfast food) and then Carol and Mandy joined us in the park. We had a blast! It was a beautiful day! We didn't get on many rides, since it was so crowded, but we did have a wonderful time visiting with each other while we waited in 2-hour lines. Dan and I got home around 11:00 p.m. and went straight to bed.

I had trouble sleeping that night. I kept waking up, afraid that I was over sleeping and waking up late. I got about 2 hours of sleep before I had to get up at 3:00 a.m. for the Chicago Marathon. Blah! Dan, my dad, and myself left home and got to my dad's school (Lyons Township High School) just before 4:15 a.m. Once everyone was present (40 male students, 4 outsiders - me, Dan, Linda, and Michele - 3 coaches, and one bus driver) we made our way to the city. We got downtown around 5:15 a.m. and got right to work setting up the start hydration. Later, my cousin Jessica met up with us (yay!). Her boyfriend, Andrew, was running in the marathon for World Vision. Once the race started and we were done working we made an attempt to see Andrew running at the 12-mile mark. Sadly, we missed all him. Dan, Linda, Michele, and I did not have time to try and see him later since we had to get back to the bus. Lyon's Cross Country head coach, Mike Danner, ran and finished with a time of 3:16:49! That's amazing since he was sick, it was hot out, he had blisters, and he ran 10 miles the day before. He said he'd take it more seriously next year. Umm, wow. Andrew finished with a time of 4:22:51! Congratulations to Mike, Andrew, and all the runners who finished! As usual, volunteering at the marathon was a great time!

That afternoon I tried to nap. Got about 2 hours of sleep (again) before I had to get ready for the Youth Group all-nighter at Hidden Cove. I stopped at Dunkin' Donuts to pick up a large coffee with cream, sugar, and a shot of espresso. The guy at the window kinda chuckled at me. Not too many people have such an order at 9:30 p.m.

I stayed up all night with the youth group along with 140 other students and leaders. It was a good time. I just wish I wasn't so tired. No matter... I rode go karts, tried out the climbing wall, went through the bouncy obstacle course a couple of times, played some arcade games, rode the bumper cars, played Guitar Hero III, and played a random hand game with the our group. Whew! Oh... and I finished my book, Into the Wild. The event came to an end at 7:oo a.m. We took our students back to church and then I made my way home around 8:00 a.m.

I literally slept just about all day on Monday. Every time I woke up it was because someone was calling me. Well, my mom woke me up once for dinner. I stayed up after dinner. However, I still went to bed before my parents. I was tired!

Richardson Farm Corn Maze

For the past couple of years Dan and I have had the tradition of going to Spring Grove, Illinois to take on the challenge of the "World's Largest Corn Maze" at the Richardson Farm. We always go at night, so a warm jacket and a flashlight are a must (which makes it more fun). This year we're making it a Young Adults activity. On October 24th we'll be going out as a group to take on the 28 acres, 11.1 miles of corn!

Here is a bird's eye view of this year's maze!

Peach Prints

My good friend from high school, Peaches, recently launched her own web site! She creates custom invitations and thank you cards. Right now most of work has been created for children, but she has every intention of growing and expanding! Check out her web site at www.peachprints.net.

My cold finally seems to have come to an end. Took it lok enough! Two weeks... two weeks I was blowing my nose, coughing, and feeling achy. There seems to be a bug going around so be on alert!

Dan Gets Ready to Apply for Grad School

I wish that my cold would just go away! I feel like it's dragging out more then usual and it's leaving me feeling very groggy and blah. Lame.

Dan has started the process of applying for various grad schools. Most are local but he is also looking at schools in California and Minnesota. I keep praying for him and the school that will suit him best, all the while I feel rather content about any of the schools that he may choose. I mean, he has family in both California and in Minnesota... plus, if he stays in the Chicagoland area he'll have friends and family along with a great job! I just feel like no matter where he goes he'll be taken care of and that makes me happy.

If you think of it, please pray for Dan. Pray that he will feel God's light pointing him in the right direction. Pray that this process will be easy... well, as easy as it can be. Pray that God will make His plan for Dan clear and evident as he makes this important decision. Thank you!

New Web Site

I have a new web site! Be sure to check it out: http://karolynkoval.weebly.com/

I've been meaning to start up a new web site for some time now. Mainly because I want to promote more of my photography skills. While this web site is still under construction I still think that it is way better than my old site! So keep checking up!

This weekend I was sick, no fun. I slept most of the day on Friday and on Saturday I managed to get out of the house to catch my friend's band (((Last Call))) play at the Queen of Martyrs Fest. They did well, as usual. I just wish that I was feeling better. I probably would have had more fun with my friends.

Sadly, I am still sick but I am hopefully down to my final days. I've been coughing like crazy and my head hurts from all the pressure. Last night I was afraid that I wouldn't get any sleep due to my constant coughing, but thankfully I took some of my mom's helpful advise. I took NyQuil (which was a given) and then put some Vick's Vapor Rub on my chest and on the bottom of my feet, which was my mom's suggestion. She wasn't sure if it would work since she has never tried it, but I gave it a whirl and am happy to report that everything worked out perfectly! I got a good night's sleep and never woke up with a nasty coughing fit! Praise God!

Sore Throat

Dan and Myk were both sick this past weekend... so I'm not surprised that I woke up Monday with an itchy, scratchy throat. Yep, that's a sure sign that I am getting a cold. No fun. Anyway, I think that I caught on fast enough to fight it off. I've been taking Zitacam and a similar CVS band to stop my cold dead in its tracks. So far, so good. Yesterday my throat was so sore I didn't feel like talking at all and I would dread answering the phone at work. Today, my throat is still itchy but it's getting a lot better. Plus, my nose hasn't gotten stuffy or runny... ever! I've also been drinking a lot of tea and water, so I should be significantly better tomorrow. I hope.

Weekend in Milwaukee

Friday, Dan and I used our final American Eagle movie passes to see Burn After Reading starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Tilda Swinton, Frances McDormand, John Malkovich, and Richard Jenkins. It was... interesting. Not quite what Dan and I were expecting, but still had a number of laugh out loud moments. Brad Pitt was the best thing about the movie... by far! He was very animated and fun to watch. Once again, Dan and I were happy that we didn't actually pay to see this movie.

Saturday, Dan and I went to Bradford Beach in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with our friend, Myk, for the AVPNext Beach Volleyball tournament, AIAS UWM Sand Castle Competition, and Jigglesfest (Marquette) Music Festival. Myk played in the volleyball tournament with his boss from Colorado. They did very well in their pool, but didn't make it too far after that. It was still fun!

Dan, Myk, and I ended up staying the night in Milwaukee. Myk's mom was able to get us a sweet deal at a Hilton. That evening we went to Applebee's for dinner and then hung out at iPic Entertainment since we had some free bowling passes that I received at the volleyball tournament. We had a blast!

Sunday, Myk dropped off Dan and I at my house and later that afternoon Dan and I went to church to help with the Youth Group Scavenger Hunt. We drove around a great group of girls as they did random acts of kindness, found interesting items, and took goofy pictures!

It was a long and busy weekend... but it was a good one!

Young Adults Game Night

On Friday, October 3rd we'll be having a Young Adults Game Night at my house. It has been about two months since our group has had an official activity, so we're due. We'll have board games, air hockey, Nintendo Wii, and lots of other fun stuff between to keep everyone entertained. Friends are certainly welcome and food will be provided. I've been playing some more challenging levels of Rock Band, trying to unlock some new songs so that everyone has a wide variety to choose from. It has been tricky at times, but I haven't failed a song yet and I'm definitely getting better! I'm excited... it'll be fun!

Our Wednesday night Bible study meetings have been very interesting with a lot of great discussion time. We're currently studying the book of Ecclesiastes. "Is life completely meaningless?" is the over all theme of the book. We have been using the book Ecclesiastes: Chasing After Meaning by Bill Syrios (Author) and Teresa Syrios (Author) to fuel our study. The weekly topics really get us thinking. I'm really enjoying this study!

Rainy Weekend Days

Not too much has been happening lately... which is probably why I haven't been writing much these days. I've been slacking, I know.

Last weekend Dan spent most of his time at my house studying for an exam. Poor guy! Oh well, it rained a lot so there wasn't much to do anyway. We did manage to do a little bit of shopping and since we got free movie passes from American Eagle (for trying on their jeans), we decided to catch a flick and put them to good use! We saw Mirrors... a creepy, horror movie starring Keifer Sutherland. It was awfully gross but at times somewhat entertaining. The people we watched the movie with in the theatre were pretty chatty and freaked out at every possible moment, so that kinda took some of the "horror" effect away from me. I probably would have enjoyed the movie more if people weren't annoying. Oh well... it was free!

Sandwhich Fair

This past weekend was rather fun and enjoyable. On Saturday my aunt and uncle on my mom's side had a party. My family went over there in the afternoon. Dan and I stayed for a couple of hours before we left for the Sandwhich Fair in Sandwhich, Illinois. There we met up with my Jess and her boyfriend, Andrew. We had a blast! I've never been to the Sandwhich Fair, so it was a new experice for me. It was huge! Jess' parents and sister were also there, so I got to hang out with them for a bit a the fair and then later at their home.

Sunday Dan and I spent most of the day watching football. Well, I did some cleaning and organizing for part of the time. I became more focused once the Bears game started that evening. Over all, it was a nice weekend.

Birthday Activities

For my birthday Dan surprised me by taking me to see Blue Man Group in Chicago! Let me just start by saying, "Wow!" What a creative show! Dan got us seats in the poncho area... or as I liked to call it, "the splash zone." It was funny, interesting, and sometimes pretty gross. Over all, if you're looking for a fun night out this is the show to see!

Thank you to everyone who helped make my birthday special! I am very thankful for all the cards, phone calls, texts, e-mails, e-cards, and Facebook messages! Your generous contribution made my birthday a memorable event!

Friday, the day after my birthday, I met up with some friends downtown to have dinner at Ed Debevic's. I haven't eatten there in years, so I thought it would be a fun place to go. It was! The food service was fast, the food was delicious, and the waiter was... rude! Everything I expected and it was great!

"Happy Birthday! It's Karolyn's Birthday!"

This morning when I got up to fix my breakfast (birthday pancakes that I made for myself and my family last night) my dad came down the stairs dancing and singing the "Donald Duck Birthday Song," but replaced my name with Donald's. For those of you who did not watch Disney specials back in the 80's (I'm sorry), here is the song that I found on YouTube:

Donald Duck Birthday Song (originally aired in 1984)

Now, when my mom came down the stairs and sang the birthday song to me she sang it like I did when I was little... something like... "Happy birthday! I never seen a/no dino!" Um, yeah... not sure what I thinking, but according to my parents I belted it out like those were really the words! I can't believe that after over 20 years my mom still remembers my goofy lyrics I sang to the Donald Duck Birthday Song. Ha ha!

My parents gave me some wonderful birthday presents before I left for work. Later my mom will be fixing me a special birthday dinner and then Dan will be taking me out. I'm not sure what he has planned for us, but I'm sure that it'll be fun!

I'm still 25... and so is LeAnn Rimes

Well, tomorrow is my birthday! Did you know that I share the exact same birthday with LeAnn Rimes? To the day! So tomorrow I'll be celebrating my birthday with country-singing superstar, LeAnn Rimes. Well, not with her personally... but in spirit. Last year when I went to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina with my sister I came across the hand prints of LeAnn Rimes in some cement outside a Hard Rock Cafe. I placed my hands in the groves that shaped the singer's hands and much to my surprise I discovered that our hands are exactly the same size! It was a perfect fit! Who knows how much more we have in common! Well, I don't have a music contract, millions of dollars, or blonde hair... but in every other aspect, I'm sure that we're twins! Okay, maybe not... but sharing the same birthday with her is pretty cool.

Surprise, Dan!

Oh man... I have been holding this secret in all summer long! On Saturday, August 23rd I pulled off a surprise party for Dan at ESPN Zone in Chicago! I have been planning this party since April... and it feels so good to finally have it out! It's hard keeping in a good secret... especially when it is a secret that you have to hold in for months! The final moments were the hardest, but I am so grateful that I was able to keep cool and make everything work out. Whew!

So here are the details: On Saturday I took Dan downtown so that we could celebrate his birthday. Each year we a plan a little special something for each other on our birthday and since we were in California for Dan's birthday I pushed back our little celebration for him to the 23rd. I wanted to take him somewhere fun, so I picked ESPN Zone in Chicago. All along he thought it was only him and I going out... when actually his best friend from college (Myk) had a group of Dan's friends and family waiting for him at the restaurant! Dan was very surprised when we got seated at a table with 12 unexpected guests! His sister (Stefanie) came down with her husband (Thomas) from Minnesota, his other sister (Mandy) came from Wisconsin, and Myk came in early from Colorado just for Dan's party! There were also camp friends, school friends, church friends... it was a wonderful bunch!

A special Thank You to Myk for helping me plan this awesome surprise for Dan and thank you to everyone who came out and helped make Dan's 21st birthday a birthday he'll always remember!

California Adventure

Dan and I are back from California! We had a great time visiting his parents! Here is a breakdown of what we did while in California:

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Dan and I had short days at work. We had lunch at my house and my parents had birthday cake and birthday presents for Dan before we left for the airport. Our flight was due to depart O'Hare Airport at 6:50 p.m. (central time) We had to transfer planes in Phoenix, Arizona and then we arrived in Ontario International Airport around 11:00 p.m. (pacific time). You'd think we'd be tired from traveling, but we stayed up to chat and play Wii Fit with Dan's folks until about 1:00 a.m. (pacific time). I guess we weren't too tired... but Wii Fit kinda made us tired.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Late morning we departed for San Diego. After checking into our hotel we went to Seaport Village to have some lunch. We went over to Coronado Island to check out the Hotel de Coronado and do some shopping. Then, Dan and I did some more shopping at the Seaport Village while his folks went back to the hotel to get cleaned up for dinner. That evening we went to Ruth's Chris Steak House for Dan's special birthday dinner. The whole meal was perfect from start to finish. Of course Dan can always go for a nice steak, especially in honor of his birthday!

Friday, August 15, 2008

We left San Diego to go to a nice outdoor mall. After lunch at Ruby's Diner and some shopping we departed for Huntington Beach. Dan and I had a blast body surfing on the waves. At first I was a little nervous but I got used to the waves rather quickly. Dan's dad came out and joined us for a long time. We're still learning, but it is something that I would love to do again! Later that evening we did some shopping and had dinner at Huntington Beach before we returned to the apartment.

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Dan's 21st birthday! We got up bright and early Saturday morning to get ready for Disneyland. I woke up Dan by giving him his birthday present and birthday card... and I videotaped it just like he did last year when we went to Disney World for my birthday. We left for the park just after 7:00 a.m. so that we could be there when the park opened up promptly at 8:00 a.m. We had a blast at Disneyland! We got park hoppers so we hopped over to Disney's California Adventure for part of the day. There we had dinner at the Golden Vine Winery. After dinner we went back over to Disneyland. After the "Remember... Dreams Come True" fireworks Dan's parents went to chill at Downtown Disney while Dan and I went on a couple more rides. The park closed at midnight... so you know we were there as long as possible. We got back just after 1:00 a.m. and I surprised Dan with one last birthday gift before he went to bed.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

We were all very tired from our Disney outting (but it was totally worth it), so we slept in and went to a later church service. After church we went out for lunch and then did a little bit of shopping at a local outlet mall. We went back to the apartment to relax for a bit before we went to a different mall to shop and have dinner. For dinner we went to a Japanese sushi restaurant. I had sushi for the very first time! It was pretty good... I'd eat it again.

Monday, August 18, 2008

Our last morning in California. Sadly it was time to go home. Our flight left Onterio at 12:40 p.m. Again, we had to fly to Phoneix first, but we made it back to Chicago just after 8:00 p.m. (central time).

I'm still pretty tired and I still have to unpack, but it's all been worth it! I had a great time and I hope that I get to go back soon!

"California... California... Here we come!"

Today has finally arrived! This evening, Dan and I are flying out to California! Woohoo! Needless to say, I am very excited about this trip! I've been talking with Dan's mom (Carol) and she and her husband (Dan) have quite the itinerary for us! I haven't been to California in about 11 years, so I'm anxious to see the west coast again.

Well, if I don't write for a while it's because I'm having too much fun in Cali... and I'm sure that I'll recap all the fun and excitement sometime after I return (Monday). Until then... surfs up, dudes!

Missing My Sister

Kathleen left for Minnesota this past Saturday. I miss her so much already! Saturday morning the five of us (me, Kathleen, Dan, Mom, and Dad) went out for breakfast and then she left around lunchtime. She stopped in the cities for a couple of days to visit with some friends before she went all the way up north. She's back safe and I'm happy, but I miss my little sister!

Sunday was the church picnic. We had a very nice turn out and the weather was awesome! Dan and I won the bean bag tournament while my parents won one game of the water balloon toss. It was a wonderful morning/afternoon. I always look forward to the picnic. Last year Dan and I missed it because we were on our way to Florida (Disney World).

Tomorrow Dan and I will be flying out to California to visit with his parents until Monday. I'm pretty much all packed, so that's a major plus. I just have some odds and ends to wrap up and I should be good to go. Our flight isn't until tomorrow evening, so I'll be at work for a couple of hours before it's time to go to the airport. That means I'll be working on the Sunday bulletin tomorrow. I think I might even get a jump start right now, not much is going on.

Zach on American Idol

Well, some of you may know, but another one of my Phantom Ranch friends is trying out for a different reality show. Zach Mauga is trying out for American Idol in Kansas City, Missouri at 5:00 a.m. tomorrow (Friday) morning. He sent me a link via Facebook IM so that I could see him on Channel 4 FOX News which aired on Wednesday, August 6th.

For those of you who have attened the Something from Jessie Spaghetti Dinner, Zach was the first praise band leader when we officially switched over from Walk-A-Thon to Spaghetti Dinner.

If you're on Facebook and would like to show your support for Zach, join the group Support Zach Mauga The Next American Idol!!

Movie in Grant Park

Last night the Young Adults went to see The Day the Earth Stood Still for the Chicago Outdoor Film Festival in Grant Park. We had a great turnout despite the humidity. Some sat on blankets while others sat on chairs and we all munched on chips and cookies while we hung out and watched the movie. I recently heard that Hollywood is making an updated version of the movie starring Keanu Reeves (due to come out 12.12.2008). Anyway, as a group we've been doing a lot of activities lately. Just this past Sunday we had a cookout and bonfire at Chris' home. Tonight is our weekly Bible study... needless to say, we've been seeing a lot of each other lately and that's a good thing!

Dan and I leave for California in one week! I am so excited, I've been counting down the days on my Facebook profile. I'm trying to keep busy and not think about it so time doesn't crawl by too slow. Although, the anticipation is always a fun build up! Soon I'll have to do laundry and begin packing. Yay!

Timber!

Last night we were hit with a pretty nasty storm. Kathleen and I had just arrived at Oak Brook Mall around 7:30 p.m. to have dinner with our cousin, Jess, when things really started to rumble. Tornado sirens were blaring through the area as black clouds quickly engulfed the area we stood. There was some panic around us, but we remained calm and cool as we looked for the Thai place we had chosen for dinner. Thankfully we chose a place on the lower level and tucked away from all the nasty weather. The lights threatened to go out a couple of times, but we stayed put and enjoyed our dinner.

On our way home I asked Kathleen if she wanted to stop by where Dan was staying and surprise him with a visit. She agreed it would be fun so I called home to let the 'rents know we were safe and going to stop by Dan's for a bit. My dad told me that we lost power at home at about 8:30 p.m. Anyway, Dan was definitely surprised and happy to see us when we arrived in his room. Dan still had power at Jeff's, so we were able to watch the news and find out what was going on around the area.

This morning when I got up for work I was surprised at what I saw outside my bedroom window! Our neighbor has been working hard at taking down that tree all summer... I guess he got a little help from Mother Nature! Thankfully, it doesn't look like the fence is damage.

In other news, I got a new cell phone when I renewed my contract with Verizon! I got a great deal on the Venus and even managed to get some sweet accessories for free! I'm enjoying this new phone and so far have had no problems with it. The more I use it, the more I like it! It features a touch screen as well as a keyboard when you slide it open. I've already customized my phone with special ringtones (which Dan found for me for free online) and picture ID's!

Tirerack.com

While I was in Branson, Missouri on vacation I was flipping through the TV one evening and caught the final seconds of a Tire Rack commerical! This is the commercial that I worked on back in March for a couple of days in South Bend, Indiana. My role as a Production Assistant had me running around like crazy, but in the end it was worth it.

I was disappointed that I didn't get to see the whole thing so I checked out the Tire Rack web site and found the commercial in full, as well as a short behind the scenes look at how the commercial was made! I remember seeing a guy filming us with a little camera, but sadly I don't think that I made it into any of the shots that were used. Oh well... it was still fun to watch. Check them out for yourself!

Tirerack.com Commercial

Behind the Scenes

If your Internet connection is slower you can lessen the quality of the video for a smoother playback.

Lots of Camping

Before the camping got started we celebrated my mom's birthday (which was due to take place on Saturday). I made breakfast for everyone and after a rather large dinner we had birthday cheesecake (so good!) and then mom opened up a gift from all of us. I left behind a "sound" birthday card which included a recorded message from myself. My dad gave it to my mom on her birthday on Saturday.


From Friday, July 25th - Tuesday, July 29th I spent my nights sleeping and waking up on the ground. The past 5 days I have been camping! It started in Devil's Lake (Wisconsin), just outside the Dells. Kathleen, Dan, and I met up with Nettie, her housemate Kristi, and a family group put together by someone Nettie knows at Indiana Wesleyan to do some camping and rock climbing. Everyone arrived late Friday night at Nordic Pines. Saturday morning everyone was up with the sun and ready to climb! While the family went out for breakfast, the 5 of us ate our breakfast bars and protein bars at the campsite. The weather was perfect! Us Phantom Ranch folk were excited to try out some new climbs. The family group met up with us after they were done with breakfast. One group member is a very experienced climber, so he was the one who introduced us to some new climbing spots. Dan and I got in a couple of climbs before we moved on to our next camping adventure. We were on the road for the UP (Michigan) at about 2:30 p.m.

Dan and I met up with his family Stefanie (sister), Thomas (brother-in-law), Kate (cousin), Jeff (cousin-in-law), Carol (mom), and Dan (dad) at a Culver's about 2 hours from our destination. We arrived at the campsite owned by Jan (aunt) and Bill (uncle) at about 9:30 p.m. central time. Up there they go by eastern time, but we stuck with central time. Jan and Bill recently bought 3 lots off of Lake Superior and they wanted to celebrate by having their family come together for a nice family camp out. It was so nice to site by a bonfire, watch the sun set, go on hikes, and fall asleep to the sound of crashing waves off of the lake. Dan's Uncle Bill even took me, Dan, and Stefanie sailing! That was a new experience for me and I had a blast!

I am super tired from all the traveling that I have been doing, so I am thankful that I have 2 weeks to rest before I'm traveling again. My next trip will be to California with Dan to visit his parents! Until then... I have a lot of laundry and cleaning up to do.