Dance!

make a gif

 Kelsie dancing...

Pigs; for Real?!

One of my favorite things about having Kelsie in town was the funny things she says. It's exhausting keeping her entertained, then keeping her awake when she's too tired to be in a good mood, then dealing with her random bursts of energy when she decides you are her personal jungle gym.

We were driving in the car and Kelsie mentioned that she was going to eat her arm, and I asked her if she was a cannibal.

"What's a cannibal?" She asked. (I love when she doesn't know a word, she'll ask what it means.)

I tried to explain to her that it meant eating a person the same way she eats cows, or chickens, or pigs.

"Pigs?!" She said, with a weirded-out look on her face. "For real?"

Later in the week, we went to IHOP (because, embarrassingly enough, Amy and I cannot stay away), and Kelsie was eating her bacon.

"I'm eating a pig!" She shouted, and took another bite.

Home for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving has long been my favorite holiday. It probably has something to do with the fact that it always falls near my birthday (though, that has made my birthday somewhat less desirable sometimes) and the fact that it is about food and family. Not necessarily in that order. Our Thanksgivings are also like mini-reunions, since we used to all get together for Thanksgiving.

Of course, when I moved out to Utah in 2004, going home for Thanksgiving was out of the question, if I wanted to be home for Christmas. So I've spent the past seven years in Utah or California celebrating with different families and friends. It was always great, but never quite the same as what I remembered.

This year has been pretty tough on our family. We've had a lot of disappointments and heartaches and we are no where near the end of dealing with them. I don't think I've wanted to go home more for Thanksgiving. Although, I think that every year, it seemed important that I be there, and yet impossible on how to figure out how to get there. I toyed with the idea of charging a plane ticket... and then, I got an unexpected phone call from my cousin, KC, and he made it possible for me to fly home for the week.

It was so great to be there! Everything was perfect and it seemed like everyone who could be there, was there. My cousin who just got back from serving in Afghanistan was there with his wife and baby. My brother and his girlfriend were there. All of the cousins that I grew up with running around on Thanksgiving were there. They shot guns. We ate. We played cards. The rolls tasted better than I remember.

I was just so grateful to be there for a few days, to spend time with my family who I love so much. I miss their company terribly, and I really, really hate having to leave them behind.

Five days in Ohio is hardly enough time to do everything I wanted to do. But I started out the trip playing with Kelsie while Amy and Mom were at work. We galloped around like horses, fed cows on CastleVille and put on make-up. Then Amy and I took Kelsie to get her first haircut. She was so good by sitting really still, but I think she was more nervous than anything else. We didn't take off a lot of length, but we evened it up and got rid of the mullet.

Mackenzie had a basketball scrimmage, so I took the opportunity to watch her play. I am fairly certain that it is the first time I've EVER seen her play basketball. It was really fun. I don't know how to convince her that she needs to be more aggressive, though. When we weren't watching Kiki on the court, we were watching Kelsie make friends with the little boy that was near to her in age. They were having staring contests, and at one point Kels grabbed his little face and shook it back and forth. Dad yelled at her to stop and we explained that he didn't seem to mind, his mother didn't seem to mind so what was the big deal? "That's harassment!" he said. And we laughed.

I went to Friendly's with my friend from elementary school, Kate, and I got my usual candy shoppe sundae. Of course, I had to argue with the waiter about what the sundae was called, since they've changed the menu so many times since I've been away. Kate and I sat and talked for hours and it was great to catch up with her. The waiter happens to be the same guy Amy and our friend Esther often has when they go to Friendly's, and he commented on how Amy and I look alike and also how we drink water like it's going out of style. I probably had seven full glasses of water just because he continued to fill it up. At some point, it became a science experiment: see how long my bladder could hold out. I did want the waiter to think that he bested me, so I finished my glass and insisted that Kate and I get home quickly. It was a close call.

To celebrate my birthday, we (Mom, Amy, Chloe, Julia and me) went to go see Breaking Dawn. It was terrible as expected, but somewhat entertaining. Then we met up with my cousin KC and his parents and brothers at El Sombrero, a favorite Mexican restaurant in Troy, and had a birthday meal. The only picture I got was of Kelsie enjoying her sopapilla.

After dinner, we went home and had tons of desserts to make for Thanksgiving dinner. While we were making apple cheesecake, pumpkin and pecan pie, as well as apple pie, oreo dessert and heaven knows what else, Mackenzie and I decided we needed to give ourselves a little facial.

Brad walked in from work, so we told him to sit down and he did. He let us slather the honey, cinnamon, nutmeg concoction onto his face and then let it stay on there for the allotted time. He's a really good sport. Considering the ingredients, it doesn't smell as good as you would think. But I do love the way it made my skin feel after.

Thanksgiving day consisted of finishing up preparations. Rolling out rolls, and helping Mom in the kitchen as best we can. Then we drove over to my Uncle Craig's and the boys were already out shooting.

As I mentioned, dinner and family time was fantastic. The weather was great, so we were able to take some family pictures. Brad ate his entire dinner like a barbarian. He didn't touch his silverware.

It was so, SO great to see everyone and be home! I just can't believe I was there and I don't think I can ever pay KC back for his kindness. I miss everyone already.

A Party A Party A Party

I took some videos of Kelsie while she was in town. That girl cracks me up. She certainly has a cute sense of humor and says the darndest things.

She was playing with our Peep Show, mostly because it was the only thing that resembled toys in our apartment.




We (my roommate and I) really miss her around the house. Come visit us any time, little girl!

Good-Bye, So Soon

The last few weeks have been hectic and busy, and wonderful. I started out the craziness with a trip to Ohio to see my brother graduate. Brad gets cooler all the time. He's so easy going and hilarious, and fun to be around. He's so good-natured, and he gets along with everyone.

Graduations are pretty boring. I don't recommend them. I do recommend trips to the motherland whenever you get the chance, though. It was fun to be home, see everyone, and participate in a the time-honored tradition of going to Kentucky to decorate headstones of family members past. I haven't been to my grandmother's gravesite since she died in 2003.

You know you are in Kentucky, because they memorialize your rockin' mullet when you die.

It was great to be around cousins and aunts and uncles. I grew up with them always around, and these last seven years, I haven't been as much a part of all the traditions and get togethers that we have, and I've missed it. The weather couldn't have been more perfect - mid-nineties with only a titch of humidity - and the only thing that was really bothersome was the discovery of ticks. Yes, ticks! [Take the time to shudder. It's appropriate, I promise.] We found one on Kelsie's back two days later! And it was probably more traumatizing for the adults than it was for Kelso; she was so good about leaning forward and letting everyone inspect and work to get it out.

I started reading the book Creeker while at my Aunt's house, and found that Memorial Day has long been called Decoration Day in the hills of Kentucky. The explanation the author gave of what the holiday consists of: decorating graves, talking about loved ones passed, etc., coincided with our own family tradition. I love that we have just a little bit of hillybilly roots.

I stayed for almost a week, and was still sad to leave. I just missed the Troy Strawberry Festival, which was sad. Even more so, because I didn't get to go pick berries like I wanted to. It helped to know that just a week later, my family would be coming to visit me in Utah. All except Mark, who is recovering from ACL surgery.

We started out their visit with a trip to Bear River Lodge. If you are ever looking for a beautiful area to ride ATVs or get away in a luxury cabin in the mountains, I recommend it. It was beautiful. And just a little bit cold. There was still snow, and Brad's shorts froze over night after he hung them out to dry. We went for a mini-hike, took a couple ATV rides, sat in the hot tub and had a really good time. The owner is a friend of my dad's (an old mission buddy) and he totally hooked us up.

Kelsie was hilarious because she climbed on the king-sized bed and immediately did this little dance and laughed.... non-stop for five minutes as she shifted from one foot to the other. It was contagious, and we were all doubled over, laughing.

Afterward, we headed down and spent some time with my Grandparents in Clearfield. We went to church and then headed down to hang out with some friends, the Belnaps. They have been friends with my parents  for some 20 odd years.

The Bollschweiler Family Reunion started on Monday in Bryce Canyon area. We stayed at the KOA. I don't have tons of experience staying at KOAs, but this is by far the nicest one. The restrooms were remarkably clean - which is the most important factor of anywhere I "camp". (I'm no camper.) Much to Dad's chagrin, we did a lot of hiking. But the area is beautiful, and unlike anything I've ever seen before. We made sure to take lots of pictures (Amy and Mackenzie, you need to get me copies of the ones I don't have ASAP) and hang out with the family. All the siblings were there, and with only a few cousins missing, it was really great to having everyone there and Utah really is a geologically interesting place. There are so many different places and things to see in one state - all different. It is incredible.

Mackenzie had to take off a day early because she was headed to basketball camp, and so Dad, Brad, Mackenzie and I left and stayed in a hotel in order to get them to the airport in time the next morning. Only, ask my dad, flying stand-by is a pain in the rear, and even though I had to go to work, their flight wasn't set to take off until later that night. I left them in Salt Lake to visit Temple Square, and decided to show my face at work.

Mom, Amy and Kelsie came and stayed with me for a few days. It was fun having Kelsie at church with me, because she's a turkey. I had to take her on the elevator in order to find a suitable place to change her diaper in between classes. She decided that the elevator was super fun, and later told us that she needed to be changed again. We believed her. So I let her push the elevator button, and up we went, only to discover that she really didn't need to be changed at all. When I said, "Kelsie! You just lied to me! You don't need to be changed!" She responded with laughter. Peals of giggles, that made me laugh right back. Because she's sneaky and cute.

She obviously had too much energy to go back to class, so I stood in the hallway while she ran up and down saying, "You can't catch me - I'm a gingerbread man!"

Everyone at church thought she was cute. And of course she is, but she is also distracting. I didn't mind, though.

Mom left Amy down in Provo so that she could spend some time with her parents, and so I went back to work while Amy met up with some old friends. We made sugar cookie dough, that has yet to be transformed into actual cookies.

It was just so great having them all around, and now that they have left, I wonder what the heck I'm still doing in Utah? Who's idea was it for me to come out here in the first place! Why am I so far away from my family!?!!! It is torture to say good-bye, and I swear it gets harder every time.

I miss them already.

Happy Birthday A-Mong-Yong!

I just wanted to wish my sister and her adorable not-quite-a-baby-anymore baby a happy birthday! I love these two to death, and I only wish I were there to celebrate with them.

Kelsie is in her terrible twos, but she's so dang funny about it, that who can begrudge her this milestone? Of course, I live over 1,500 miles away, and so all I get to hear are cute stories about her and her cute little voice in the background whenever I call.

I do not often hear Amy's cute little voice in the background. She is not in her terrible twos, but she is dealing with Edison (community college) and all the stress that comes with being a student and working mother.

But I just wanted to let them both know how much I love them! I hope you have a great day, Amy, and that you and Kelsie party it up all day - even if you are barricaded in the house because of the freakish amount of ice out there.

Brrrrr....

Graduation, Family Reunion and Kelsie

I just returned from our annual Armstrong Family Reunion in Winchester, Kentucky. This year was awesome because it seemed like almost everyone was there (we missed my Uncle Eric's family and of course, Bradley!) and the weather was practically perfect.

The trip got off to a rocky start, and ended up costing me more than I anticipated. Of course, I could have chosen to wait the extra day and waste a perfectly good work day... but I opted to buy a new plane ticket and get the dodge out of Utah and to Ohio on time. I'm glad I did it, but things are going to be financially tighter than I was expecting due to other unforeseen charges that I didn't know I had. Darn.

Anyway, after dealing with trying to find a flight that would get me to Dayton; a delay in Chicago and then having then board the plane only to turn around and empty it again in order to change a tire and then reboard -- and then leaving my luggage behind --; my mom getting pulled over for speeding at 1:30 a.m., etc. I made it.

Wednesday I spent the day watching Kelsie. And honestly, if she isn't the smartest, cutest baby in the world... well, there is no if. I mean, I'm sure she isn't like a prodigy or anything. But she's dang smart. And way cuter in person (which I didn't think was possible). I had so much fun playing with her and interacting and just watching her. She's funny, too. (YES! FUNNY. I don't care what people say, babies are funny.) Ashley came down from Columbus and I got to show her all the major landmarks of my childhood. She bore it well, and I was so happy that she was willing to come visit me. We went to El Sombrero's -- delicious.

Thursday I went shopping with Amy. She has a really cute figure, and so she can wear some really fun dresses. Kelsie went with us and entertained me in between Amy changing in and out of dresses. Then we went to Friendly's -- delicious.

Friday it was off to Wesley Woods for the reunion. The cabin seemed to be full by the time we got there, and people were taking other people's bunks and messing up what our family has done for years. Which meant, I got kicked to the top bunk. It wasn't as bad as I was expecting. We ate like kings - like we always do and played Banana Grams. It was too cold at night to go swimming, which was different. And I was too lazy to change in and out of my swim suit.

My family is incredible. I don't know if I've mentioned that before, but they totally surprised with me with my very own mock graduation. Of course, we were at camp, so I looked like trash and that was really appreciated. Chloe distracted me by making me play at the playground with the kids and then when we came back up they had the graduation march going and made me sit and watch a video that Camille made. Craig emceed the whole thing and my Uncle David and Dad got up and spoke. I felt embarrassed and ugly and foolish and sorry for everyone that had to sit and watch the whole thing. And I felt completely overwhelmed with love and support. When I got up to accept my "diploma" I was, of course, crying. My family is just really awesome and supportive and proud each other's accomplishments and I like it.

When we got back from the reunion I tried to renew my license, but I shouldn't have been surprised that the system was down state-wide and I couldn't do it. So I went to King's Island instead and rode many rides, including the Flight of Fear, which is my favorite. We saw gross people, fat people and lots of white trash people. Seriously, we were the most attractive people there. There was absolutely no eye candy. Which means, even if I want to move back to Ohio, I can't. Because if there aren't attractive non-members, then there certainly aren't going to be attractive members of the church. Sad. Of course, King's Island isn't really the best sample of people seeing as how amusement parks tend to attract the unattractive. I don't know what it is...but it's true.

After King's Island, Sabrina took me to Bob Evans -- more delicious than I even remembered, which considering how I crave their cheesy potato soup and rolls on a regular basis, is saying something.

Over all the trip was too short, very pleasant and worth every penny. I just wish I had taken more pictures.

I'm in Love with this girl

Florida 2010

I had the opportunity a few weeks ago to go to Florida and visit one of my best friends who's husband is studying at Ave Maria Law School down in Naples. It was so good to see her and spend time in the warm weather (I heard it snowed in Utah while I was away, and I was not sorry to have missed that...)

While I was there I got to just relax, which was fabulous. I read out by the pool. We played tennis. We went to the beach. Walked through a nature preserve on Sanibel Island. Got attacked by a shark....that turned out to only be a friendly dolphin. And I met Jessica and Tyler's friends from Mississippi: Amanda and Daniel. They were really fun!

I haven't seen my uncle Fred for years, and so I called him up and he offered to take us out on a little boat ride. It was really pleasant, and beautiful to go through the "no wake" zone and then just relax on our own little (literally, very little) beach. Jess and Amanda are the most economical, frugal people I have ever met, and so we did everything for basically free. Which meant, the only money I spent was on my ticket and a few books to read at the pool and on the plane. Fabulous.

I got some sun. And I've been molting for the past two weeks, though I've kept some of the color thus far. I really didn't want to leave. ESPECIALLY when I checked in at the airport and the monitor read, "Current temperature in Salt Lake City: 42 degrees." It's taken these two weeks to actually start warming up...UUUUGH.

On my lay-over in Cincinnati, I was able to switch my flight to a later one and my Mom, sisters and baby Kelsie came to see me for an hour. It was seriously almost the highlight of the trip, because I really do miss my family on a daily basis.

I can't wait until the next cheap plane ticket to pop up! Maybe next time I will go visit my cousin Simon in North Carolina!

I am Biased (offensive)

Considering the timing of several very cute arrivals to some of the coolest people I know... this blog post could offend some people. Don't let it. I am posting this on my blog but I am not necessarily posting about you. Most of my friends/family are pretty good about not annoying me with their kids. It's just random people, friends of friends, etc.that really annoy me. (But if you see yourself doing these things... maybe, tone it down a bit???)

So... it's official. I hate parents (not mine, of course). I hate the new moms that post on their Facebook every "cute" thing their baby does, how much their head circumference is, whether or not they've gone #2 today or not, and how just perfect, awesome, amazing, incredible, etc. their baby is.

I hate waiting for two or three moms all pushing their baby strollers across the street in the morning. (This is an irrational irritation... so if you do this, don't feel bad. I understand you want company while taking your child for a walk. It still bugs me though.)

I hate blogs that are ONLY about the baby and say everything the Facebook statuses say only much WORDIER. Trust me, every kid learns how to say, "da" and "ba." It is also part of human development to learn how to crawl, pull yourself up, eat with a fork and stack blocks. We all did it as children. Our grandparents did it. Cain and Abel did it. Your baby is not really that special because at 5 months he learned to crawl. Turns out most babies learn to crawl at 5 months. If it were 2 months, when he's barely begun to hold his head up but still managing to crawl... well then, that is pretty spectacular. One could say that I should stop reading the blogs (or block the Facebookers) but I continue to read on the off-chance that you will post about something else in your life. Because I'm still interested in what is going on in your life, even if you've turned completely lame since having a baby.

I hate moms that refuse to get a babysitter because they don't TRUST anyone to watch their baby (or are too cheap to get a babysitter) or are offended because you don't want their little tyke coming to the opera with you (I don't go to the opera, but you understand my meaning, I think...)

I hate the moms that are so consumed with worrying about germs reaching their baby. Hello. It's called an immune system. Your baby will die if it doesn't learn how to fight a little bit of germs.

Has anyone noticed that parents have the grossest conversations, ever? And they put it on the web, even though it should be private information. Your nips are chapped? No one needs to know that. Your baby is constipated? Wow, who cares? Normal people don't walk around complaining that their uterus feels like it is about to erupt or that they are so gassy or have the runs so bad they've had to change their pants twice today. Ok - I do know some people like that. But really, they don't post it online, which is one of the most public places ever these days. There are some things that really should just be kept to themselves.

Of course, none of this applies to my sister, Amy. Because I can't get enough of Kelsie stories. I would sit on the phone and listen to her talk and scream and cry the whole day. I can't get enough pictures of her. I look through them 100x a week. Kelsie actually is the cutest, smartest, most advanced baby I've ever seen. I don't want to know if she throws up or poops - but if that's the only story you got for me, go ahead and give it to me! (Maybe not....I'm just trying to prove a point.)

Also, Amy is probably one of the more normal moms I've ever met. (Except the whole fear of flying to Florida...............) She tries to stop Kelsie from eating the dog food, but you know, isn't ridiculous about it. She doesn't mind if someone, like a little kid, wants to talk to Kelsie. She'll let her run around and play. She'll get a babysitter (granted, usually my mom or Mackenzie) when she needs to. She's not afraid of germ, of Kelsie dying spontaneously. She's fairly laid-back. Much like my mom was when Brad and Mackenzie were babies.

When all is said and done, babies are funny creatures. They are so dependent. They are terribly easy to make fun of. If you aren't making fun of your kid, then you aren't doing something right. Lighten up and laugh a bit. And do try to remember to retain your personality. You've had a kid. You aren't brain damaged.

All of this just goes to prove that I am extremely biased and obviously not a mom. I love that Kelsie baby more than anyone else's kid. So, sorry. 

I guess that means that I am giving you free leave to not be offended and to take what I write with a grain of salt. Because even if you are a crazy mom, and I claim to hate crazy moms, I more than likely don't hate you. You're probably one of my most favorite people in the world.

Clothes are for...someone else

From Amy:

Kelsie wants nothing to do with shirts.

 




















And now she is trying to take off her pants.

Kelsie Story

I had to work today.

Somehow I can't bring myself to be sad about that - mostly because I get a couple of hours of over time. And I feel really good about the work that I did. I got to design two covers for an RFP that is going out, and I don't care how simple it is, I really enjoy doing that sort of thing. Plus, Kevin even complimented me and said I "really have a talent" for it. It made me sort of puffy. Also, Kevin bought us all lunch. So that was really nice of him.

When I checked my Facebook last night, Amy's status read something pretty interesting.

Amy Patrick is so excited that little miss Kelsie woke up at 2 in the morning and decided that she wanted a bath? What the heck, kid!!!! So she had a bath in the dark and then played for about an hour and is finally deciding she might be tired again!!! AHHHHH

It was posted around 1:40 a.m. MST, so that means Amy was up really late. I couldn't help but laugh. How did Amy know that Kelsie woke up for a bath? It seemed so funny. And so like Kelsie. Perhaps Amy just thought that if she put Kelsie in the bath, it would calm or soothe her enough that she would go to sleep. Well, I know for a fact that 2 a.m. is a GREAT time to take a bath (I've taken many at this time) so I'm not really surprised that Kelsie would be smart enough to figure that out. I was still skeptical though, that this recently turned one-year old would be able to communicate such a fact.

When I checked Facebook again later, Amy had responded to my questions:

She woke up and screamed bloody murder till I got her... I tried to get her to go back to sleep, she would not. I let her down on the floor in my room, she got the door open walked down the hall, stood in the kitchen doorway pointing at the bathroom saying, "mamamamamammama" then she came back to me. I was sitting on the floor in the front room watching her in the dark, she gave me a hug, and walked down the hall again pointing at the bathroom, i followed her into the kitchen, she went into the bathroom saying, "ba ba ba ba..." she tried to climb in, I said, "a bath?" she tried to take off her clothes, I assisted she climbed in and had a bath.

Also, it was all very random. and then as I sat there watching her walk up and down the hall in the dark, I think it must have been my eyes playing tricks on me, but she looked either like she was walking in a strobe light (you know how like you see something in one place, then all the sudden it is right next to you not the flashing light part.) I don't know how to explain it, but she like waddled up and down the hall in her little feety pajamas like something had possessed her! lol. like a small gremlin or something. 

I couldn't help but giggle. I love Kelsie stories - they are the best! And since Amy doesn't blog religiously about her daughter (I may or may not be the only one who would obsessively read it, but I still think she should take up the past time. Hint. Hint) I thought that this particular story should be recorded.

Also, Amy said that Kelsie was really confused by my birthday gift I sent her. I found that Target (and probably other places, but that is where I bought it) is selling retro Fisher Price toys and decided that I had to get Kelsie something that we all remember having as a child. The toys these days are not nearly as fun as the silly ones they put out when we were little and our parents were little. Anyway, I found the hand dial phone that you pull with a string and the eyes move up and down and thought it was SO cute that Kelsie just had to have it. AND it was her first birthday on February 2, so she deserved it. (Whether or not Mom and Amy say that Kelso has too many toys or not.)

Anyway, Kelsie has never used a phone with an actual CORD before. So Amy said that they tried to show her how to use the phone, but she didn't want to pull it - but she did because that is what they showed her - but she knew that you didn't PULL phones, so she just laid her head on it.

Gosh, I love that girl.

Trade Off: Shelli's Version (Don't read this Meghan!)

My friend DeeAura posted this same blog post a few days ago...but, it is SO true that I couldn't help do the same.

Yesterday was a bad day. There were tears, frustration and phone calls made to Mom that included tears, complaining and frustration. That's the sort of thing that stats does to me on a regular basis. Of course it was made worse by seeing a low test score that I had hoped would be much higher. I had been almost confident when I went in to take the test, and then realized that no matter what I do or how much I know the material - I will still probably just barely pass the class. It squashed any type of motivation I had to move on to Unit 2. Gosh I hate stats.

So I was in a fairly bad mood. Emotional, bitter, resentful, angry, frustrated and anti-social. But I popped online and my sister's "For Shelli" folder of pictures had been updated. A new album had been created for Halloween pictures.

And I got to look at this cute thing for half an hour:

 

S

She's just stinkin' adorable. I can't even stand it. I could look at her all day. Seriously Amy, anytime you want me to take her - I will. You just have to get her here. :(

Check it

Brad doing crunches on the kitchen floor...while the rest of us die laughing. Because we are immature and we do think the farting sounds are hilarious


Kelsie eating baby food. This makes me laugh every time I watch it.

Birthday Girl

Happy Birthday baby girl! I am so excited that you are here and a part of our family. You are so gosh darn cute already.

Your mom is a pretty excellent person. I've known her since I was fourteen months old. She's been one of my greatest companions and friends throughout my whole life. She underestimates herself a lot, so just keep in mind that you have one of the coolest moms in the world.

Life is hard; but that is why God gave us families. Heavenly Father knew what he was doing when he sent your special spirit to us. Just know that He is aware of you and your mom, and He will be there to help and aid throughout your life. He's also given us to you, and as your family, we will be there to watch you grow and succeed in life in whatever you choose to do.

I love you already, little one.

Love,
Aunt Shelli

Amy - happy birthday to you too, kiddo. I love you VERY much. You don't know how badly I wish I could be there to share this experience with you. You are in my thoughts and prayers. Let me know if there is anything I can do for you - even if I am 1,600 miles away.