Friday, July 27, 2007

Done!

At 5:00 p.m. today I officially ended my training week! Of course, I am no where even remotely close to being an expert in my new field and will continue to ask many, many questions, but I am done with my official training and begin in my new role on Monday. The week flew by, although I am exhausted! It's not like working 40 hours a week isn't something that almost everyone does (or even many more hours!) but it's just rough adjusting to such a different schedule from what I'm used to. It'll be no problem soon.

Nonetheless, the week was great and I am excited to be on my own Monday, as well as finally get my desk, computer, etc., as I have been floating amongst the members of the department all the week, rolling my lonely little chair from cubicle to cubicle with my little notebook, ready to take notes. Yes, I know I'm a dork, but notes always help, especially in a situation where there are so many little details you want to get right.

Below is a staff picture from the AuthorHouse website... I have no clue when it was taken, but you can at least see where I work:


- Stacey

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

New Beginnings

I must say that I love sitting on the newly finished porch at night because it gives me the feeling of something completed. The relaxation that it gives is immense because at night you can hear the crickets chirping, the birds calling, and feel the cool night air push away any humidity in the atmosphere. Stacey and I really have no doubts about living all the way out here at Eagle Pointe because even if you work a lot the benefits of living in such a relaxing environment are countless. I can't tell you how many times we have told each other when we walk at night how much this place seems like a vacation home. The plus side to that comment is that the same feeling can last all year.

Also, some people told me that our relationship would be different after we lived in the same household, but really it hasn't changed much for us. I still feel that we are the same people before and after. It's just that we get to call each other husband and wife. We had a strong connection before we got married which is something that most people don't. I couldn't be happier with the decisions that I've made and I could say the same for Stacey. Just watch well be an old married couple before you know it!!!!!!

- Gearry

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Adjustments

Since I wrote last I did something... I can't put my finger on it... oh, yeah! I turned 23 and started my first "career" job. It's been a big week so far, and it's only Tuesday!

So my birthday was Monday but Gearry and I celebrated on Saturday in anticipation of me being exhausted on Monday, and that was a good plan! Monday after work I was absolutely wiped out just from thinking so hard all day, trying to learn all these little details that I will need to know in order to do my job. Mental exhaustion turned to physical exhaustion and I was ready to crash by the time I got home at 5:15, but we managed to drag ourselves to town to enjoy some tempura, sushi & wine at Domo, our favorite Japanese place. We crashed into bed shortly thereafter, Gearry having also worked all day helping out his friend Tim on his farm, where they are doing some outdoor work and also some renovations on Tim's house. So, the actual birthday, not terrific but not bad... hopefully just signifying another day older and wiser and better as a person.

My job is going well. This was day number two and I have already learned a ton in just 16 hours of work. There is a lot more to learn, however, before I am ready to take over the position (next Monday!) so I have lots of observing and practicing and "studying" to do these next three days. It is a very corporate-America type job, cubicles and all, but I really like the job, and the people in my department (there are only 6 of us) seem great; they've been fun to talk to and very helpful answering my billion-and-one questions.

I know it will take awhile to adjust to this new schedule when for the last two months I have been going to bed super late and waking up super late, like a total-just-turned-ex-athlete-ex-student bum. It's been a nice vacation, but readjusting to this whole getting up early thing is rough! Haha... lots of coffee for me! Starbucks donations welcome ;)

- Stacey

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Just Like the First Day of School

In the two days since finding out I had been hired by AuthorHouse, I've decided that starting a new job is just like getting ready for the first day of school. I start tomorrow and the mixture of excitement and jitters I'm experiencing is something that I've experienced before, but something about it is also different... I think it is the realization that I'm not in school anymore and that I am officially entering the working world. This is the beginning of my career, not just a summer or part-time job to make money. It's scary and nerve-wrecking and yet kind of fun. Yesterday and today I even went shopping for cute work clothes, just like shopping for cute back-to-school clothes. Luckily the dress code there is right up my alley (despite the professional environment, jeans are OK!) and it was fun picking out new outfits. It's funny how much clothing can affect 1) how other people view you and 2) how you feel about yourself. So, there is no doubt about it that I am going to look good... now I just have to worry about performing well! *Fingers crossed* I am going to relax tonight (as I am now, sitting out here on the back porch with Colby & my laptop & a Diet Coke), get to bed early, and make the best of a scary/nerve-wrecking/fun day to be had!

- Stacey

Saturday, July 21, 2007

Great News, Great Day!

Big news here in the Young-Caudell household: I finally landed my job! Well, so long as I pass the drug test I took yesterday but, trust me, there shouldn't be any problems! I had another interview on Tuesday and received the call on Friday for a position at AuthorHouse, an international book-publishing company headquartered here in Bloomington. This was my top choice organization to work for, so I am very happy. They have to get me trained pretty quickly because of an employee who is leaving at the end of next week, so I actually start on Monday, my birthday! I don't mind though; finally having this piece of mind and this responsibility to look forward to is a good birthday present.

In celebration of the job news and of my birthday (I will turn 23 on Monday but I will be working all day) today is an official Stacey Day. Gearry woke me up this morning with french toast and omelets from our clubhouse here at Eagle Pointe. We ate it out on our back porch (which looks fantastic now that it's done, by the way!) and enjoyed some iced coffee. Next on the agenda is a trip to town for some shopping... Gearry is obviously doing whatever I want today since shopping is probably the last thing on his list of things to do for a great time. I'm not a huge shopper myself, but I'm mostly excited about getting some cute new clothes for work. This afternoon we plan on hanging out down by the lake, laying out and swimming and such. And this evening we have a 7:00 reservation at one of our favorite restaurants, the Story Inn in Story, Indiana.

- Stacey

Friday, July 20, 2007

Come on in!

To our master bedroom... which, after receiving our lamps in the mail this week from Linens 'n Things, is finally just how we want it! Here are some before and after pictures of our room, which turned out fabulous!




The livingroom, kitchen, bathrooms, & guest bedroom are currently semi-trashed thanks to our work on the porch and thanks to the fact that Gearry and I are possibly the slowest unpackers ever. But those pictures soon to come!

- Stacey

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Home Improvements

Since the majority of you haven't had the opportunity to see our place, we'll be putting up a big post in the next couple of weeks with lots of pictures of our new neighborhood & house, before and after we worked hard to make it our own.

But for today I thought I'd post a couple pics from our current project: de-carpeting, stripping, & staining our back deck. We made a trip to Lowe's tonight and got all the supplies, as well as an awesome iron & stone tile patio tables and chairs. Gearry is in staining progress as I write:


It will dry much lighter, obviously, but it should be just about the shade we were looking for. We love our porch and can't wait to have it all done so that we can spend more time out there. It will also help when all of this awful humidity passes!

Yesterday Gearry's project-of-the-day was to hang our kayaks so that we could store them on the porch but have them out of the way. They ended up fitting perfectly just above the doorway (mine, of course, is the pretty blue & white one)...


The porch is pretty much our last big project, other than finishing out the office/guest bedroom (which is currently the disastrous holding area for all things unpacked and all things from the porch while we work on it!). Working on things to improve the house is usually fun, but we are very, very glad that we decided to buy a home that was in really good condition, rather than a fixer-upper. There are so many little things to tackle! It will nice to be able to just sit back and enjoy it all once it's done... although, as most homeowners seem to agree, it's never really done. When one project is complete, you always find something else you want to make better or just different.

One last picture for the road: a product of Gearry's green thumb. This year we grew lettuce, green beans, dill, and strawberries. A few days ago the strawberries finally showed up!

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Rainy Day Recipes

It's been raining since I woke up (which, OK, wasn't really that long ago since I am officially a lazy bum and have been crawling out of bed around 10:30 for the last month or so) and the weather shows a chance of thunderstorms and rain showers for the rest of the day. Other than a long run later this afternoon, I have no plans for the day, so the rain is actually a nice change of pace from all this dryness and heat that we've been dealing with this summer. I know the grass and the trees and the fruits & veggies in our little porch garden are probably loving this!

In honor of being "stuck" inside on a lazy summer day, I thought I would post a couple of recipes that Gearry and I love, and hopefully you may enjoy as well. The Pierogi Casserole is a dish from Gearry's best man Tim's mom. We had it at Tim's house once and I insisted on getting the recipe. I made it yesterday and it turned out really well! Unfortunately, it is beyond not-healthy... buuuuuuut, it's a nice treat every once in awhile. The Youngs' Salsa recipe was made famous at various rowing regattas over the last few years and continues to be a summer favorite... tasty and good for you.

Pierogi Casserole

3 cups mashed potatoes (give or take... instant work best)
1 lb. grated cheese (shredded cheddar works great)
2 onions (Vidalia or white)
Lasagna noodles
1 stick butter

1. Boil lasagna noodles & prepare potatoes.
2. Saute onions in 1/2 stick butter.
3. Add onions to potatoes.
4. Butter 9 x 13 casserole dish with remainder of butter.
5. Arrange noodles on bottom of dish.
6. Top with potatoes.
7. Sprinkle with cheese.
8. Repeat layers. (I got about 4 layers out of this...)
9. Bake 25 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees.



Youngs' Salsa

1 can Hunt's diced tomatoes with chili's (drain these just a tiny bit)
2 cans whole kernel corn (drained)
2 cans black-eyed peas (drained and rinsed)
1/2 of a green pepper
Fresh onion (chopped)
Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing (to taste)

Mix everything together, adding the dressing until you get a consistency and taste that you like. Best if made the night before.

Well, there you go! Enjoy today, whether it's raining where you are or bright and sunny or something in-between. There are special little things inside everyday... unfortunately we're all either too busy or too distracted or too down on ourselves and the world to see them most of the time. As a very wise eight-year old girl I had the pleasure of meeting once told me, "I think everything in the world is beautiful if you just look at it in the right way." Wow.

- Stacey

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Say, "Cheese!"

The proofs from our professional wedding pictures are finally up online and they turned out great! As my Maid of Honor Hillary said when I talked to her about them earlier today, they really captured the emotion of the day. Our photographer was very talented; she didn't have to resort to lots of intricate angles and flashy effects to make the photos look good. You can tell right away how happy we all were for the day to have finally arrived... I have never seen so many smiles that big! To check out the professional proofs, visit www.littlelightphoto.com, click on "View Your Event," and click on "Stacey & Gearry."

In the meantime between the wedding and receiving the pro photos, I've been receiving tons of photos from various guests & bridal party members. I have some talented friends, apparently! Here are a few of my favorites, for those of you who haven't checked out my albums on Facebook:

Our beautiful rehearsal dinner at Oliver Winery.

The fabulous Colleen doing my hair.

Primping for another round of pictures.

Our first dance.

Dancing with Makayla, our little diva flower girl.


Sunday, July 15, 2007

Beyond Spoiled

If you have ever talked to Gearry or me for more than five minutes, chances are we have mentioned our baby at least once, maybe twice, or likely more. His name is Colby, and for those of you unfortunate enough to have never had the opportunity to meet the little guy, here are a couple of our favorite pics:


And here is one that was taken last night, as Colby slept soundly (blue polo shirt with collar popped and all) in Gearry's arms:



Hopefully you are a "dog person" or you are probably rolling your eyes. But that's OK, too. To each his own. Colby may definitely vie for one of the most spoiled dogs in the world, but he's worth it. The joy he has brought into our lives since we adopted him from the Bloomington Animal Shelter in January is hard to explain. He may wake us up in the wee hours of the morning for a potty break and he may enjoy turning parts of our Berber carpet into shag, but we can't help but love him. He loves giving "kisses," going for rides in the car, and playing with his stuffed duck. A "real" baby may be a long way off, but for now we are having a ball sharing our love with our furry little guy.

And one more, for the road:



- Stacey

Saturday, July 14, 2007

Wedding Month

I can honestly say that this is the first wedding season in 4 years that I have been able to participate in. Since I've been working in the restaurant business for nine years, I haven't been able to have many weekends off for weddings. I had forgotten about the smell of the fresh flowers, the anticipation of the ceremony, parents of the bride and groom waiting to release their children into the world of marriage, but most importantly those magical moments that the bride and groom feel about ten minutes before the ceremony starts. Those last ten minutes are the most emotional because you remember all of the reasons why you chose to ask each other on the first date, when and how you proposed to her, and in my case remembering all of the written letters and special dates we've experienced.

I am so happy and sad for all of our old high school friends getting married because we can spend the happiest day of their lives so far with them. However on a sad note, this also means that they are growing up and moving on with their lives. I would like to say that we were just so happy to spend that special day with them.

Congrats to all!!!!!!!!!

- Gearry

Friday, July 13, 2007

Bicycles & Babies

Last Saturday, on our way up to Carmel for our friends Sarah and Jeff's wedding, Gearry and I got the chance to stop by my cousin Ashley and her husband's house in Indy to see the newest addition to our family, Shayna Stevens. I'm not a baby person -- as you probably know -- but she is honestly one of the cutest babies I have ever seen! This picture of her was taken when she was still in the hospital. I actually worked up the nerve to hold her and it was actually hard to put her down! Uh-oh... maybe I am finally developing that whole maternal instinct thing? Eh, it's possible, but I promise, folks -- unless God has other not-so-funny ideas -- it won't be for several years.

If you have checked out my goals for this summer in the right hand column of this blog, you might have noticed that one of them is complete my first triathlon. After I graduated in May and rowing was through, I thought that I would just run to stay in shape and for fun, since it is something I really enjoy, and maybe swim from time to time. Well, the competitor in me went with that idea for about two whole weeks and then I realized I am the type of person who needs something to train for; needs that element of athletic competition to be happy. I made the decision to start training for triathlons, since I love swimming and running and have always wanted to get into biking. I have the best place ever to train for them here at Eagle Pointe (where our new house is... but more on that in another post!) and a great cardio and endurance fitness base on which to build from my last four years of intense training. Today Gearry and I went bicycle shopping, as I need a good road bike for training and competition. It's incredible how much competitive racing bikes cost, but I think we found "the one" and I just have to wait until Monday to see if I'm going to be able to make it all happen. It's a Giant OCR3, a great entry-level road bike for a good price:



I have *fingers crossed* that I'll be able to get it... for now I have borrowed my friend Carly's road bike for the day so that I can go for a long training ride with Stebby, who is on her way in as I write from Columbus, Ohio! We're meeting friends tonight for some Dave & Rae fun at the Bird and then getting an open-water swimming lesson tomorrow before she heads back. She is also training for a sprint triathlon (we didn't realize we both were until today!) so it is nice to have a periodic training buddy, even if they do live 3.5 hours away.

- Stacey

Thursday, July 12, 2007

The First One

Alright, so as I have officially abandoned my "single" life (legally, anyway... I haven't been single in a loooong time), I have decided to abandon my Xanga blog (come on, how often did I really update it anyway?) and start fresh. I'm hoping to use this blog as a way to keep all of our family and friends updated as Gearry and I carry on in our "new" life together. My little written version of Nick & Jessica: Newlyweds, minus the mansion and the singing-abilities and the tuna/chicken confusion. And, of course, that whole little divorce thing...

So, first post, a small one. I'm calling this thing We'll Just Laugh Along because it's part of a line from a song that Gearry and I really like, "Delilah" by Plain White Tee's. In full it goes something like, "Our friends will all make fun of us and we'll just laugh along because we know that none of them have felt this way." There have been a lot of points in our relationship where I think Gearry and I have both felt like this, so fortunate to have found each other and so wishing that others around us could have the chance to experience such an incredible feeling.

-Stacey