June Events

June has been a busy month and now that it is over, the weekends are starting to open up. Soon after our trip to Chicago, Karl started his job. After 4 years of undergrad at Purdue, three years of medical school at IU, and 2 years of masters work at Purdue he is out making money and trying to change the world. Karl is working at St. Elizabeth Hospital as the Lean/Six Sigma Coordinator, where he works to improve hospital processes and patient care. So far he has adjusted to the 8-5 lifestyle well and seems to be enjoying his projects so far. (Erin is happy about that as well as the serious income boost!) My dad and Patty came to visit the first weekend in June for the Good Guys car show in Indy. It was a short trip and the weather wasn't so cooperative but they had a good time and I think Patty enjoyed her first visit to our house. I left town that Sunday to head to Dallas for our annual marketing conference in Dallas. This was my first visit to a city in Texas other than El Paso (if that even counts!) and I enjoyed it. Its always fun to get together with other Big Ten marketers, we seem to be the life of most parties to tell you the truth and we come out on top for the awards each year as well. I was really excited because one of my women's basketball promotions was going to get an award. I knew it was top three but I didn't know where it placed until the awards lunch when I found out it won the gold so that was very exciting! If the team cant find a way to beat Tennessee on the court, at least I can be happy I beat them with my marketing genius! I really enjoy the time I get to spend with other people in my profession, I may be one of the younger ones but I can stand on my own and its always great to share ideas and pick up some new ones from other schools. Network, network, network!

After Dallas it was a few days at home before the craziness of Miss Indiana week got started. This is my third year as the director of Miss Purdue and each year it gets harder and harder to find the time and energy. Kelly was a great contestant and she learned a lot but I don't think she was prepared for the level of talent the ladies in Indiana bring to the pageant. It was tough competition! Running a college pageant means you get your winner with little time before they are off for the summer at internships or home so you cant help them prepare like you want them to. She performed well and won the non-finalist interview award, which certainly is better than nothing. Indiana got a very deserving winner in Katie Stam and I hope she will do well at Miss America.

Now we are at the end of the month and it seems like summer is just starting. My obsession with HGTV has led to the creation of a "project list" of things we would like to get done around the house in the next few weeks. We are looking forward to getting some professional landscaping done, building a deck, organizing the office and our messy closet. We hope to have the deck ready by July 4th but at this rate, the weather might be holding us up. Ella is adjusting well to not having her daddy around all of the time. She misses him but we still get to take walks every night together and he has been home most weekends. Karl is really making great use of the golf pass I bought him for his birthday and spends much of his free time at the course so that's fun for him. I have tried to learn but I have decided that the golf course is Karl's escape and I do not need to be there with him (and I am terrible and its frustrating!) Despite not having kids, I have no problems going to the little water park in town while Karl is playing golf. I love the lazy river and relaxing in the chairs even if I have to go alone. The busy weekends and rain have only allowed for one day there so far so I am hoping for another trip soon. This week we are looking forward to Cris and Emily's wedding and hosting a 4th of July BBQ at our house. I am hoping my Indy friends can make it because I don't get to spend enough time with any of them, especially my baby Paige. Hopefully some pictures of us will come after the holiday weekend.