Go Hoosiers!

It took us 2 1/2 years, but we finally made it to our first IU men's basketball game.

Although IU has a storied basketball history, with Bobby Knight being its greatest coach, we have failed to make it to a game during the past two seasons, partly because they were not very good. We're told that the games nearly always sell out, regardless of the whether team is having a good, middling, or even a poor season. This year they are doing very well, even nationally ranked, and in early December I finally got (student) tickets, but by that time the best I could find were situated in the very last row of the main arena, much higher than we had anticipated! Next time, we'll bring the binoculars.

It was a lot of fun to experience, finally and in-person, Hoosier basketball - and it was even better to be out on a date with my lovely Julianna!!




Oh, and they beat Illinois, 84-71.

Instead of the Super Bowl

Play time and pizza with the Brasher boys, ending with Jim's attempt to get all 7 of us in a self-portrait. (Notice Jim's excited grin...)

Oh thanks Jim, finally we got it - now that you stood behind the camera.

Asher's shoes

- have been passed along to Gemma, a most happy recipient! The morning after they came in the mail, she woke up and immediately wanted to put them on (over her PJ's), chanting, "Asher. Shoes."

Here she is playing in the kitchen before breakfast, doing one of her beloved activities: paging through her box of photos and cards, pointing and saying people's names.

Good news for Jim - and sunny days!

Why the red plate, you ask? We were celebrating Jim's successful defense of his Dissertation Proposal!! He submitted his proposal - also the first 3 chapters of the dissertation - to his advisory committee (three faculty members at IU), and then set up the Defense. They talked through the chapters and his strategy to complete his research. Their feedback, in a word: Excellent.

Sorry, Jim, hopefully I'm not butchering the summary. The important thing is: he is now officially approved for his research! Now on to interviews and research and setting up his trip to Australia! More on that later.

(P.S. in the round dish is sweet potato spoon bread, a new recipe from the owner of Foster's Market in Durham. Quite tasty. And yes, that is Gemma signing "more" - she was hungry.)

On the home front, we have been really enjoying the mild winter - with the heat off, the back door open, and clothes & diapers out to dry on the clothesline!

Here's my new fun thing: re-growing green onions. Just keep them in water, snip & use as they grow, and they will continue to sprout.

Of course we also have been frequenters at the park on these sunny days. Say the word "park" or "walk" and Gemma races to the door, pointing to her stroller and ready to go. She is rapidly gaining new vocabulary and amazing us every day with her new words and sense of humor. New favorites: stuck, walk, Y (for the YMCA), outside, park, wet, achoo, pretzel, fast, snack, bath, bubbles and pizza. This afternoon when she got up from her nap, she said, "Momma, Daddy work?"

Here are some scenes from a sunny, windy afternoon at Olcott Park.

Happy Friday

Here is Gemma in the pink wool dress that her Nonna wore at this age. Smile please, Gemma. Sure! Sit like a butterfly and flap your wings, Gemma. Sure! (she learned this at her toddler tumbling class at the Y and now loves to sit like a butterfly and sing & clap)

And Happy 2nd Birthday today to her cousin Wesley Everett Welty down in Waco, TX!