The Engbers Blog

I know Jon mentioned in a previous post that I would be adding some pictures....I have not forgotten, so here they are!!! We had our first Christmas at the Eekhoff house on Sunday, December 23. The past couple years we have begun the tradition of searching for the "green pickle." I (Erin) have been the master at this game so far, however, this year I decided I should be nice and let someone else win. Travis was the winner....I guess Leah considered this HER victory as well. Opening our stocking gifts. Leah and I got matching North Face coats. I think my mom probably wishes she could still sew us matching sweaters for Christmas like she used too. The Thursday after Christmas we traveled to Sioux Falls and had Christmas with the Engbers Nick started off the night by revealing his annual Engbers Christmas Tradition. Nick wrote a Christmas short story and read it to us all in front of the fireplace before we opened presents. He tells us he will be writing a Christmas story...

Our Christmas celebration was cut into two this year, as Erin was scheduled to work the three nights surrounding Christmas. Last week, we went home to be punch pourers at Emily (Van Voorst) and Jon's wedding. While we were there, we were also able to catch a Western basketball game and celebrate Christmas with Erin's family. We watched Christmas movies, ate way too much food, and exchanged presents! Some of our gifts include an iPod nano for Erin, a coffee grinder and some classical CDs for Jon, and tickets to the Iowa vs. Indiana basketball game on Jan 2nd. We had originally planned to go home on Sunday night, because Erin had to work on Monday, but because it had snowed in eastern Iowa and the roads were still questionable, we decided to drive home Monday morning instead. I think it was a good thing we did, because Sunday night Jon Vander Vliet (a friend from high school who now lives in Virgina) stopped by for a visit, and Erin and I were able to attend the candlelight ...

M e r r y C h r i s t m a s ! ! !

Nothing quite says Merry Christmas like a new packet of notes for next semester two days before the last final exam of this semester - 1744 pages of pure fun. And the best part is that packet only goes through March so I can look forward to another one of similar size about the time of my birthday!

Every year I get it in my head that i HAVE to make cutout Christmas cookies and decorate them and every year I forget what a process it turns out to be. Well, last night I decided I was in the mood to do some Christmas-cookie-making and decorate them "perfectly." I even bought a special decorating tool with all different tips that was going to make frosting the cookies easier. Well, the cookie-making-process did not go quite as planned. My first mistake you see is that I did not start this process until about 9:00 at night...I know, I know WHAT WAS I THINKING! The rolling out and cutting of the cookies went pretty well (which isn't always the case). It was when I finally started decorating my cookies that I decided this isn't as fun as it looks. My special decorating tool - NOT so special. It had all different tips that were suppose to make fun designs...it worked OK for the first few cookies, however, at the rate I was going I knew I would be up all night frosting my...

....when I said December seems to be the month for ice storms in Eastern Iowa. WELL, we have once again been hit by this thing the meteorologists like to call "wintry mix." Everything seems to be covered in ice except the roads at this point, which is actually a very good thing for getting back and forth to school and work. The University of Iowa even called off all afternoon classes today, which was good news for Jon. He is now studying for his test that may or may not take place tomorrow morning! So far we still have electricity, but we have heard that parts of Iowa City do not! With the threat of the electricity going out and the cold weather outside we decided tonight would be a great night to have a fire in our fireplace. We have not yet attempted a fire since we moved here. It is a wood burning fireplace, so it is a little more work to clean up. However, we are REALLY enjoying the fire tonight and are thinking we may need to do this more often!

Not typically one to get overly wrapped up in political campaigns, I have been thoroughly dissatisfied with the Republican party's slate of candidates thus far. I don't have anything against Giuliani, Romney, Thompson, or McCain, I just don't feel they are what our country needs at this time, nor do I think any of them have much of a chance of beating any of the leading Deomcratic candidates. However, Mike Huckabee, ordained Baptist minister and former Governor of Arkansas, has recently made a dramatic surge in the polls and is currently the leading candidate in Iowa (statistically tied with Romney). I am very excited about this shift, and urge you to check out Mike Huckabee as a candidate, especially if you plan to vote in the Iowa primary on Jan. 3rd! :)

December is turning out to be quite a busy month for us. Due to the fact that December means CHRISTMASTIME, it has become one of our favorite months. However, it always seem to go by way too fast and I am afraid this year may be the same. Jon is in the final weeks of his semester which means 1) he is studying 24/7 as he prepares for 5 exams that are to come 2) he is almost done with another sememster of studying and soon will be on a 2 week break!!! I, unfortantely, have spent the first part of December with a bad cold. After going through 2 boxes of kleenexes I think I am finally starting to feel better. At least there have been a majority of Christmas shows on I can watch while I have been laying on the couch! I am hoping to do some Christmas shopping this weekend while Jon is studying so I hope I am over this cold by then. P.S. I added a new Christmas countdown. More lights are suppose to turn on as it gets closer to Christmas...we will see if it works.

December must be the month for ice storms in Iowa City. Last year about this time we had a bad ice storm that caused power outages and covered everything with ice. Today the sleet/little snow balls started falling at about 8:00 and hasn't stopped since. We did venture out a little bit ago to get some groceries to make chili soup tonight...luckily the Fareway grocery store is only 2 blocks away. The trees, sidewalks, cars, and powerlines already have a layer of ice over them. It is also very windy so we can hear the ice pelt against our windows. We are glad to have a warm house right now! The storm is suppose to continue throughout the night with rain/freezing rain. I guess it is a good night to stay inside and have chili!

Well, we are back home from Thanksgiving break. We had a very relaxing Thanksgiving...the break always seems to go way too fast! Thursday was a day full of turkey. We had two big meals...one with the Engbers for lunch and then to the Eekhoffs for supper. We found out that we had plenty of room in our stomachs for two big meals...no problem :) See pictures below from our Thanksgiving break! This morning we decided to go and cut down our Christmas tree. We never have quite the selection as we did in Sioux Falls, but we did manage to find a great tree again this year. Pictures below of our Christmas tree adventure:) I will post more pictures once the tree is fully decorated.

This year we got a Blue Spruce Christmas tree. It smells great...we walk into our house and can smell the pine scent right away! However, the Blue Spruce needles are very pokey, which makes stringing the lights somewhat difficult. Hot apple cider and cookies at the tree farm! We tied a blanket to our car first so the tree wouldn't scratch the top. Luckily, the tree farm is only about 2 miles from our house so it wasn't too long of a drive!

Working on a puzzle and watching Christmas movies. Nick and Rachel setting the table. Enjoying hot chocolate and pie!

As some of you may know, Jon and I went with my mom and brother to the hawkeye game this past Saturday. Unfortunately, the hawkeyes could not seem to do anything right and ended up losing. We did, however, still have a great time! Kinnick Stadium Thanks to aunt Rose and aunt Bon for visiting us too this weekend! Jon and I are now back in Hull for a couple nights and then will be heading to Sioux Falls to celebrate Thanksgiving with our families. More updates to come!

Intramural volleyball update: Jon's team diggity diggity is officially out of the tournament. They lost on Monday night in not-so-fair circumstances. The team they played had guys who have clearly played MUCH volleyball in their lives. . . at least that is what Jon gathered from their "Men's Volleyball Team" t-shirts....not to mention their ability to slam the ball through the court floor. With volleyball finished, Jon and his friends are now looking forward to some intramural basketball. In other news, we have an exciting weekend planned with Erin's mom, brother, and aunts coming up for the Hawkeye football game (and to see us of course :) ). And then, a trip back home for Thanksgiving break!!!

Jon's Intramural Volleyball Team It was a good night overall for volleyball. The Western girls won their match quite easily. It is always fun to be at the state tournament again...although it's never quite the same once your not in the student body anymore! Jon's team diggety diggety also won their first game in their tournament. They now play Monday night. Jon had approximately 10 kills in a row leading his team to their victory!!! His height has given him quite the advantage once again :)

I though it was about time for another update. . .although things around here have been pretty non-eventful. Jon is preparing for two big tests that he has next week and then he will be VERY ready for a week off for Thanksgiving break. He starts his intramural volleyball team tournament tomorrow night. If they win they keep playing through next week and if they lose they are out. With two big tests next week...I'm not so sure he would mind if they lost tomorrow! This week I have been taking PALS, pediatric advanced life support, classes. We pretty much review how we will react in cases we DON'T want to be in...you know those emergency/code situations. Overall though, it is good to practice and be prepared. Western's girls volleyball team has once again made it to the state tournament which is in Cedar Rapids. So I (Erin) am meeting my dad to go and watch a volleyball game tomorrow night at the Five Seasons Center. I can't believe two weeks from tomorrow is Thanks...

I just went out and got some candy in case we have some trick-or-treaters tonight. We had a few come to our door last year, so I thought I would be prepared. I am thinking it may be a good night to find a scary movie on tv. . .although I am somewhat tramatized yet from my father (Jim) allowing me to watch the movie Halloween at such a young age...so I may or may not be able to get through one completely. :) Jon's intramural volleyball team lost for the first time last night. However, the loss didn't matter too much because they are already out of their "pool" and in the final "tournament" next Tuesday. We will keep you posted on how they end up doing next week! Jon is also doing a fantasy basketball draft with some friends from school. I believe last night was the first NBA games of the season. Jon claims to me that having bball on the tv in the background helps him study BETTER?!?!

After church today we went with some friends to a pumpkin patch outside of Iowa City. We had not gotten pumpkins yet this year, so now I have two orange and one "albino white" (or thats what I call it anyway) pumpkins to set in front of our condo. There was also a corn maze to go through and farm animals to look at like any good Iowa farm would have. The closest I have ever come and will ever come again to a cow's head.

Our friend Brent called Jon this morning and said he had an extra ticket to the Iowa football game today and asked if he would want to go. Jon was a little hesitant of not being able to study all afternoon since he has a test on Monday, but he couldn't pass it up. The guy who gave Brent the tickets knows the coaches and so they got to sit in the end zone in the first row!!! Not only that, but Jon got to see a 2OT game and the hawks WON!!! What a game to get free tickets too huh? Maybe me and Erin (Brent's wife) will have to take our turns next time. Here are a few pictures I conviced Jon to snap. (Click on the pics to make them bigger)

I thought it was about time for another Engbers update: We are both LOVING fall right now. The trees are changing more and more everyday. Jon's favorite are the bright yellow trees and I like the red ones. It is definitely fall weather here as well. . .cold in the mornings and evenings and sunny and sweatshirt weather in the afternoons :) Jon had a pharmacology test on monday that he was quite happy with the results of! The countdown is now 5 down, 11 to go. He also had his 2nd intramural volleyball game last night which his team once again won!!! Go team Diggity Diggity (I am not quite sure who thought of this name?!?!?) I have had a busy week as well. This week I am taking classes at the hospital on how to read EKG (heart rhythm strips) and learning all the different rhythms the heart can be in. It will be really helpful as I begin to take care of more and more little "heart babies". This morning I also taught my MOPPETS class. Everyother Wednesday I teach a ...

Jon and I in front of the Iowa River in Iowa City Everyday we pass the Iowa River while driving around in Iowa City. It runs right along Highway 6 and between the hospital and downtown. The river also seems to divide the two sections of the University. While researching the Iowa River I found that it starts up in Hancock County in Iowa and eventually drains into the Mississippi. The "Coralville Dam" outside of Coralville/Iowa City uses the river to create a "lake" that many people boat on. The Iowa River also has many bike trails, walking paths, and parks along it. During the fall all the trees along the river turn bright red, orange, and yellow!!!