Enhance your LindemanLife experience with a new (to you) iMac

Just in time for Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, New Year's, Bodhi Day and Festivus we're offering up something that's sure to be perfect for a special someone on your gift buying list.

A while back we upgraded computers and we're now ready to part with our trusty—and I might add, pretty tricked out—G5 iMac.

Here's the lowdown.

20” G5 iMac
1.8 GHz
2 GB RAM
250 GB Hard drive
SuperDrive (DVD/-R/CD-RW)
Wireless keyboard and mouse
OS 10.5.4 factory settings (I've done a clean install of the operating system, so it's just like it was when it arrived on our doorstep, ready to be registered by its new owner—plus it's even in its original packaging.)

This would be the perfect computer for the whole family or a great "school" computer for the student in your life.

And it all could be yours for the low, low, price of $700.

All proceeds will go toward feeding one hungry boy.


How can you resist that?

7 years, 2 dogs, 1 kid and countless laughs later ...

Craig and I celebrated our seventh wedding anniversary yesterday. Seven years seems like nothing when we dated for 9 years before our short 3-month engagement, but still, it's seven years. And every one of them counts! I can't speak for Craig, but the highlights from our romantic celebration for me include installing a few storm windows together that needed replaced, not having to take Craig to the hospital after sitting on a ladder for the installation process, watching Park take several steps all on his own and driving around looking at Christmas lights - it's the first year Park can see them since his car seat is facing forward and he's very aware of lights. There's nothing like a little one saying "ooh" to some poorly hung icicle lights with Christmas music playing on the radio.

Thanks for an exciting seven years, Craig! I look forward to many, many more.

Carrie

My Life on the Run: A partial account

I've had my current Garmin Forerunner* a couple of years now, but the other day I stumbled upon a feature I've never noticed before, one that displayed my overall distance, time and calories-burnt totals. It was pretty amazing and kind of inspiring, especially considering 1) I haven't trained for a marathon using it 2) a lot of my training has been either indoors or on a track where it is completely useless and 3) I took about five months off this year.

Basically, I've run from Wichita to Fisher Branch, Canada (plus a few extra miles) and burnt enough calories to eat 753 Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies, which despite what my mom says, I probably actually consumed during the summer of 1988.

*A little side information, Garmin is founded by a Wichita State alum and their world headquarters is just down the road from Carrie's parents.

Happy Barfday, Craig!

I can't speak for the guy, but I'm pretty sure Craig had a crappy birthday yesterday. It all started late Thursday night when he woke up not feeling quite right -- achy, sweating and sour stomach. Within an hour or so, he said goodbye to his 15-year no-barfing streak. Yes, 15 years and the guy hasn't vomited. Can you believe it? He spent all day Friday under the covers, trying to get back to normal before his birthday on Saturday. Saturday came and he put on a happy face for the few minutes we saw him, but his appetite and energy weren't up to speed. He was able to exert just enough to open gifts late yesterday, but the chocolate I'm-going-to-have-to-run-10-miles-to-work-this-off cake I made is just sitting there uneaten. I didn't even take one photo yesterday to capture the un-birthday spirit. Pathetic.

On behalf of all birthday lovers everywhere, I'm demanding a do-over.

Happy birthday anyway, Craig. Here's to many, many more. May they all be 100 times better than this year's.

Shocker Fever

As of last night, basketball season has started for the Shockers. I'm not sure what Park enjoyed more, the loud jock jams or the cute girl sitting behind him. Go Shox!

Sew and Tell: Tie T-shirt

When my friend Jenna enlisted my help to create a t-shirt for her son William, I was both flattered and completely nervous. Yes, I made a shirt like this for Park's halloween costume last year and this year (I'm obviously lacking originality), but this task came with pressure. I couldn't mess up! I had no back-up shirt to count on and every stitch would be seen by someone other than me. Yikes! But I did it. I thought of adorable little William and how cute he'd look in the shirt and fabric combo that Jenna had picked out. I tried a few other tricks that I didn't do on Park's version last year, and I'm pleased with how it turned out. It also helps to have a great photo of the end result. This is just one example of the talented work Jenna produces with her husband through their photography business. She's got a great eye, a super cute model and style! Check out more of her work here.

The diaper was actually part of the costume

Halloween is difficult for us, mainly because we make it difficult. Like most things in our lives, we tend to over think it. Last year, even though we had pretty much settled on Park being Toy Boy early on, we re-evaluated and critiqued our decision right up to the last minute. This year we didn't know what he was going to be until four days before Halloween. We had a couple of ideas floating around in our heads but ultimately, when push came to shove—and just as time was about to expire, we decided to play to our strengths.

While Park may not be the most mobile kid around, he just might be the friendliest. Take the kid to the grocery store and he'll say "hi" to everyone he sees … at least five times each. And when it's time to go they'll each get an equal amount, in both quantity and volume, of "byes."

So of course, Park had to be a …










Walmart greeter.












Carrie made the vest and shirt (which, if you can't tell, features a tie much like last year's Toy Boy costume) and I made the flair by creating the graphics on the computer and then printing them out on iron-on transfer paper.

As for Halloween itself, we first hit up an elementary school/middle school/high school party before heading over to the parents' house of some of our oldest friends before our little greeter got so wound up we weren't sure we would ever be able to actually get him to bed.

Oh, and the true spirit of procrastination, we also went to the pumpkin patch (or depending on how you look at it, the side yard of a church) the day before Halloween.