1st Annual Indy Gang Christmas Party

Over the past few years, Ryan and I have grown very close to a group of friends who we have shared all kinds of fun and experiences with. This year, we all decided to get together and had a Christmas celebration. My pictures are not in order, but you'll be able to see that we were having fun from end to beginning and beginning to end this way :-)

We had a little dance party in the living room. Danced to some Cake, Niel Diamond, Beatles, Cage the leephant, and several others. The music never stopped!!!

Beardhead was a big hit with all the guys!!!

Everyone wanted a piece :-)

I think the beard really bring out Nick's eyes!!

Matt and Liz looking all good and stuff!!

We ate and ate and ate!!!

Beardhead and reindeer antlers were a great combo!!

These pics are gonna make great memories!!!

Somebody stole my antlers and ran off to the bar!!

Yes!! I still have a VCR and use it proudly!! Always happy to have a new Grateful Dead VHS to add to the collection!!!

We did some re-gifts just incase some people didn't have gifts!! The COLTS beer cozy was tricky with beardhead :-)

You can never go wrong with a bottle of Chardonnay!!!

Smooches for beardhead!!!
Everyone had to get a swig of the champagne!!!

OMG....Ashley got and MJ DVD!!!!
DAnce Party again!!! And Ryan was even smart enought to bring his comfy pants!!

Who you double doggin'?!?!?!

Makes Daddy proud!!!

Liz, Me, Ashley and Anglea

Here's most of the gang: Me, Kelly, Ashley, Matt, Ryan , and Jamie!!

Just look at that sweetie pie!!!
Shakin' it to Shakedown Street

Matt and Liz and Me and Matt Helton

Jamie and Ryan love eachother!!!

Bill......I know you're not nearly as innocent as you look!!!!!

Ashley and Joey Salad

Mickey stole my antlers!!!
And Ryan stole them back!!!

First on the Scene

Jen always tells me to be prepared for the unexpected!! I had her voice running through my head the whole time Ryan and I were helping at the scene of a wreck last Saturday.

We were on our way home driving west on Alto road when we saw a full size truck lose control on a bridge, do a 360 degree spin on the road, and then flip over into a huge ditch.

I was in Trauma mode in an instant!! My adrenaline was pumping so hard I could have jumped out of my car while I was still driving. We got pulled over, I grabbed my rescue mask out of the glove box, and Ryan started to call 911. As I stepped out of my car, another car lost control on the black ice on the same bridge. They almost slid into us so I jumped into the ditch and slid down the hill to the truck. Ryan was so into talking to the dispatcher that he didn't even see the car that almost slid into us.

As I slid down the ditch, I was checking out the truck's position to figure out if I was safe to get close. It looked like it could flip over onto it's top at any time. It was laying on the passenger's side. The woman driving was wearing her seatbelt, so she was hanging sideways from her seatbelt towards the passenger's side window. Her airbags didn't go off, which I thought was weird, but luckily she didn't seem to be hurt too badly. She wasn't responsive when I first started talking to her, but after yelling through the window for a only a minute or so, she regained consciousness. I wasn't sure what to do since she was suspended from her seatbelt.

I just kept talking to her and reassuring her that we had help on the way.

At some point before the police first arrived, she un-did her seatbelt and fell into the passenger side window. She was able to get the window down and Ryan and I pulled her out of the vehicle. I threw my coat on the ground and layed her down and told her to hold really still. I wasn't really thinking like I should have at the time, plus I was telling Ryan what to say to dispatch and to the daughter when we called her. Now that I look back, I realized I should have had ahold of her neck right away so she couldn't move it.

She wasn't out of the truck for long when the first police officer got there and he got ahold of her head right away so she couldn't injure her neck. It seemed like a long time while we were waiting for the cops and ambulance, but in all reality, I think it was only about five minutes if that.

I'm really thankful that she was alert and conscious by the time we got her out of the truck, but I was prepared to do CPR if I needed too. I have never been in a situation quite that scary before. It made me really want to become an EMT or paramedic. I personally thought I did a better job of talking to her and making her comfortable with my words than the others did. That's just my humble opinion :-) PLUS.....the firetruck that showed up didn't have a c-collar (neck brace) stocked. They only had a back board. I guess that's better than nothing, but technically, you're not supposed to put someone on a back board without bracing their neck first if there is any possibility of back or neck injury.

I only got her first name, and didn't feel comfortable calling her daughter the next day, so I don't know how she is. I really hope she is OK and have been praying for her since Saturday night. It was scary for all of us. I'm just glad she wasn't hurt more seriously.

I always say there's never a dull moment in my life with Ryan...I never meant it like this......now that phrase has a whole new meaning!!!!I know it is really bad that we took pictures, but Andrea has taught me to always have my camera with me.....You never know what you might come across. You can't see it very well, but in the picture above, we are looking at the underneath side of the truck.Here you can see the truck and the rescue vehicles in the road. The height of the road in comparison to the truck should give you an idea of how deep the ditch was. I barely remember jumping down there!!It looked so awful when it was happening right in front of us. I was really surprised that the lady wasn't banged up more than she was. Relieved and surprised!!!

It looked like quite a scene by the time we pulled away. They had Alto road closed in both directions. Like I said before, I am just very thankful that she wasn't hurt too badly and that Ryan and I escaped the other car sliding around while we were getting out to help. The night could have gone a whole lot differently for a lot of us that night. Someone was watching and protecting us :-)

Time to Give Thanks

Once again, Thanksgiving has popped up with what seems like no warning at all!!! Luckily, I had zero responsibilities this year as far as cooking goes. All I have to do is finish out this midnight shift I'm working right now, go home and sleep a couple hours, then get up and eat.

Now THAT'S something to be thankful for :-)

Seriously though, I feel like I really do have a lot to be thankful for this year. Looking back since this time last year and seeing the things that have changed around me makes me take a step back to look at things a little differently.

One year ago, I was spending the night with our friends Matt and TeShannah before going to the Drumstick Dash on Thanksgiving morning. Since then, Matt and TeShannah have gotten married......and filed for divorce.

As sad as this makes me for them, it really helps me to appreciate Ryan and our relationship even more.

One week ago, I was praying that my Mom would be released from the hospital in time for the holiday season. Today, she is at home safe and sound. Taking her meds and doing very well again. I am so thankful for her speedy recovery this time. It has been a hard year for her. She has had a few battles with her illness that were beyond her control and put her right back in the situation she tried to escape for so many years. There was talk at one point this year of Mom going back to the state hospital. Luckily, she became more cooperative and able to understand her illness and got out of the hospital before that ever happened. I am so thankful for that. With the potential threat of going back to the state hospital for a long term stay, my heart was slowly wilting into that of a lost child again. I don't know what I would do if Mom had to go back long term anywhere. I love her like my child, and I have so much empathy for her and Will that it hurts me so much sometimes to know how much they both suffer because of her illness.

Our friends Jeff and Karen have brought a new addition to this world, so Ryan and I are considering ourselves a new Aunt and Uncle again. They delivered a healthy baby boy at home last week. It sounded like everything went very well. I was extrememly relieved. Being a healthcare worker, I like the convenience of having a doctor at my beck and call when ever I need them, and especially if something goes wrong. I have the utmost respect for anyone who is willing to go through such a huge ordeal at home, but honestly, I was worried sick. Today I am very thankful that Byrne Rathmann came into this world without any complications. He and his Mommy and Daddy are all happy and healthy.

Of course, there is my family. How could you ever get through Thanksgiving without getting a little warm and fuzzy about the family. I have some mixed feelings about Thanksgiving this year because my Uncle Dale passed away last May and this is the first big holiday without him. I feel for Andrea, Brent, Rosie, Rich the girls, and especially Aunt Sissy. I know this will be difficult, but I also see this as the perfect opportunity to see how wonderful our family really is. Even though we have a huge part of our family missing this year, we will be there for one another, and we will be just fine. I am thankful for the healing that has covered us over these last few months without Uncle Dale. He would feel better knowing that we were going on with our routines. I will always mourn the loss of my Uncle Dale, but this year, I'm especially thankful for the relationship I had with him. I would be a different person without Uncle Dale's influence.

So much to be thankful for......so little brain space to acknowledge it all.

I love you guys!!!!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!

Christmas wish list

So....I found this really cool scarf I think I would like for Christmas..........................

Let me know whatcha think!!! :-)

Everyone needs a set of these!!!

Our friends in Portland sent us a care package the other day. They are so thoughtful!!
Ryan got a ninja launcher, which is just what he needed, and I got the salt and pepper shakers.The salt and pepper comes right out of their cute little butts. It's awesome!!

You know you all want some :-)

They also came along with lots of CD's. They are into a lot of really cool unique music, and I always love it when they send us the new stuff they're listening to. Sometimes they will just send CD's of local musicians from the west coast. You never know what kinds of surprises are coming when the Rathmann's are in charge!!

Thanks Jeff and Karen!! We love you guys and can't wait to see you this winter!!!

Little Nashville Opry Fire

It was a little less than a year ago when I took what turns out to be my last trip to The Little Nashville Opry. This photo was taken just after Ryan and I saw Loretta Lynn last year in November. On the wall behind us, you see lots and lots of old album covers. All of which came from artists who have performed there over the years.

I am so sad that the Opry burned down last weekend. I have been seeing concerts there for nearly half my life. My first show there was Tanya Tucker, I think. In high school, when I was dating Matt Kinslow, we used to go down there all the time to see country artists perform. I just can't believe it's gone now.

I really hope Nashville Indiana can stand strong in the economy through this. It's really sad for all the business owners in that area. It would be such a shame if any of them had to shut down because of lost business due to the fire.

I am reallly upset that there has been news regarding the owners not paying taxes too!! That just makes the whole thing seem a little suspicious to me. The news has said that they owe nearly 70,000.00 in back taxes. No taxes have been paid on the property since 2005.

The real kicker here is the fact that the owner has had some unexplained trouble with fire in the past. According to one news report, his home burned to the ground in the mid 80's and it happened again in just the last few years. No cause was ever determined for either of those fires. I fear that will be the case for the Opry as well. I really do hope someone is able to find the cause AND I hope that the owners are NOT responsible.

I am so thankful that Ryan and I took a trip down south last fall and visited the Opry one last time. We already knew the night was special because we were actually getting the chance to see Loretta Lynn, but we had no idea how special it really was until last Saturday night.

RIP John Bonham

Nearly 30 years ago today, one of the greastest drummers of all time passed away. John Bonham was the drummer for Led Zeppelin. He died at the age of 32 on September 25th, 1980. I am very thankful for the contributions he made to music. I grew up listening to all kinds of music. Led Zeppelin included. I can remember singing D'yer Maker (pronounced with an English accent as "Jamaica") with my Dad when I was little. It wasn't until later in life that I realized that this song was much more than just a little catchy tune. Dad taught me that it was the first introduction a lot of people had to reggae music.

Led Zeppelin's music has always been in my life. When I hear them now, I find myself remeniscing and becoming very nostalgic about my Dad. Sometimes it's hard to believe a lot of the music is older than I am.

So, today I am thankful for John Bonham and his music, and I pray he is at peace.

House Corn

Everyone knows I love corn.

Apparently God wanted me to have my very own corn stalk this year:-)

So He made one pop up right at my front door.

Now I can sit on my old lady swing and watch the corn grow.

Summer re-cap

Hello faithful followers!!! I know it's been awhile since I stopped by blog land, but I'm gonna do my best to catch you up on what's been going on with Alli-Gal this summer.

Let's see.......when we last left off, it was Spring Hookahville which is over Memorial Day weekend.

The next weekend was our friend Liz Giblin's birthday. She had a private party with one of our favorite Indiana artists named Derick Howard. He has been the opening act for Ekoostik Hookah several times and plays frequently around Indiana. For just a little food, beer, and gas money, he came up to Indy from Columbus to play her birthday party for us. He is a one man band of sorts. A very talented man.




Not sure why these pictures turned out so tiny, but I think even with the small size of the picture you can see that Ryan and Liz were having BIG fun!!!

The following weekend was Cinco De Mayo, so we had our friends Dave and Kelly come up to Kokomo to celebrate with us. I had to work, but met them and Ryan at Hacienda afterwards to catch some of the live music. My friend Craig Miller is playing guitar for the band called The Fins. They're probably the most well known band in Kokomo right now. We had a bon fire that night. One of few that we have actually made time for, and had a few drinks by the fire when we got home.

A couple weeks later at the end of May, we went to Deer Creek to see Nine Inch Nails and Jane's Addiction. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I loved seeing Nine Inch Nails live. They totally rocked my socks off!!!

Trent Rezner is a beast these days. His voice is as strong as ever and his build has about tripled in size since I saw him back in the late nineties. His arms and legs looked like Popeye's!! But, more importantly, he sounded fantastic!!!!Our nieghbor Marcus tagged along with us and we ran into another aquaintance named Brian on the left. I also wore my favorite Johnny Cash t-shirt, which I just had to point out. No reason, really.Dave Navarro is now playing guitar for Jane's Addiction which was totally awesome to see and hear!! He used to be the guitarist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Jane's Addiction was one of my favorite bands in the late nineties, so I was absolutely thrilled to get the chance to see them a decade later!!! In fact, my Cat, Maceo, is named after a Jane's Addiction song. They didn't play that song, but I still had a great time!!
About a month later at the end of June, I took a trip up to Northern Indiana with Aaron and Marcus to a music festival called Hookahnanny. It featured my favorite band in the world, Ekoostik Hookah, of course.It was a two day festival over the hottest weekend we've had all summer. This tractor tram served as our main source of entertainment for the weekend. "Grandpa" drove it around while people jumped on and off with drinks in hand. He would take you anywhere in the campsite you wanted to go. Hog Hill was the name of the venue. It was in Hamilton, Indiana. Beautiful, beautiful grounds.
Our close friend Bobby Blue played a gig with his band at the bar called Mulligan's here in Kokomo. I regret that I have missed several of his shows this summer, but this one was a good one. I was really happy to be there!!

This is my friend Amanda Campbell playing the keyboard and singing. She has so much talent, it's sickening!!! She has been playing with Bobby's band for awhile now. Having a female in the group has added a lot of charachter to the band. LOVE IT!!!
Over the fourth of July weekend, we saw a couple shows. Dave and Kelly joined us for the weekend and we all had a blast together!!The first show was on the Fourth in South Bend. It was called Willie Nelson's Family Picnic. It was Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, and John Mellencamp.We got rained on while we were there. Mostly through John Mellencamp's set.The rain didn't stop anyone there from having a good time!! We just kept on rockin'!!!Bob Dylan put on the best show I have seen him put on in all the times I have seen him. He sounded fantastic!! I hate to say it, but I was surprised :-)There was a small fireworks display after the show. It was pretty nice.

The next day, we took off and drove to Columbus, Ohio to see Ratdog, Jackie Green, and The Black Crowes. We had such a good time there. Jen and Chad met us at the venue and finally got to meet Kelly and Dave. I have no idea where the pictures went from that trip, but for some reason I can't find them right now. I'll see what I can dig up :-)

At the end of July, TeShannah and I headed up north, met our friend Trina in Goshen, and drove to Grand Rapids, Michigan from there. Ekoostik Hookah and Devon Allman (Greg Allman's son) were playing at a venue called The Intersection. We had a fun little girls night out and stayed with Kelly Jo, who lives up there.Devon Allman put on a good opening show. I didn't know any of his original tunes, but he did cover a couple Allman Brothers sangs including Midnight Rider. He sounded great!!Cliffy wore his Thundercats shirt for the show. He rocked it hard!!

A couple days later, Ekoostik Hookah came to Fort Wayne, Indiana for a show. It was a freebie which made it even better. Unfortunately, Ryan had to work, so I drove up solo. It was a great show other than the big drunk girls in the front row that got all pushy. Dave had to step in as my bodyguard a couple times. It was nice to have him there.

Regardless of the pushy people up front, it was a lot of fun. Plus, you can always expect that to an extent.

Right before the Grand Rapids trip, Ryan surprised me first by actually having a Saturday afternoon off work, and secondly, by buying us tickets to see the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. It was such a perfect and sunny summer day. We haven't had many of those this year, so I really appreciate that day looking back at the pictures now.
If you look real closely, you can see the conductor (I think he's called a conductor) of the orchestra is wearing a Grateful Dead t-shirt. They also had some pretty cool lights during Sugar Magnolia, which is what was playing when I took this picture.

The fall season is filling up with plans already. Every weekend in October is booked. I'll try to keep up a little better next season :-)

Happy End of Summer Everyone!!!