Yes It's True...I Have A Tattoo

Last August I did something I never thought I would...I got a tattoo. I had always thought they were interesting, but never something for me. My dad got one many years ago when he was in the service, my brother...he is a living mural (so many tattoos I have lost count). So needless to say my family does not oppose the idea of body art.

I had always said, "If I get one, it will be for a reason." I believe all tattoos, no matter how silly, have a story to the person wearing it. My story is about where I come from and what I believe in... my family.

My dad and I share a special bond, and for awhile talked about getting matching tattoos, but nothing ever came of it. Partially because I was scared and partially because I wanted it to mean something.

My family is the most important thing to me...and my last name is a reminder of where I come from. Whaley may not be the most famous name in history, maybe it is even tarnished in parts of the world, but it is the name I have carried throughout my life. The family crest has 3 black whales, and the name is believed to be traced back to whaling origins. So the whale has always been a symbol of importance to my family. So what better image to carry with me...

The above picture is the whale I now have on my back, it is a humpback whale. I hand drew the picture taking ideas from other pictures I found, until I had something I felt was my personality.

A whale is an important symbol in many Indian cultures and stands for strength and wisdom. The whale is also considered the "great healer" in Indian legend. Whales are also one of the few animals that stays with the same partner for life, and always stays in pods with family. To me that is what I value...strength, wisdom, to be a good healer (physical therapist), and of course a family man.

To tie it all together, my dad and I got the same tattoo. Mine is larger and on my back, my dad's is on his forearm. It is a family bond we will always share, but the whale to me was always about family.

The Silver Bullet

Here's "The Silver Bullet"! I wish I had a picture or two of it back in its hayday but you'd have to see my mom for those. I had just turned 17 and we were out to get me a new car. I knew what I wanted and even though someone else was about to purchase it, they let me buy it because it was my first "new car". As you can tell, it's not that new anymore!

In November of this year, I will have had my car for 9 years and let me tell you...I'm ready for a new one! It definitely has character though. I have had a cracked windshield for almost 4 years, my air/heat fan for low levels hasn't worked for 2 years, my passenger seat is broken (the springs and the level to adjust it), the trunk doesn't like to close very easily, and my car is starting to rust along the bottom. (See two pictures below..sorry they're not the best because the were taken at dusk with my phone)

This past week was a biggie for "The Silver Bullet". I have never heard of hub bearings but my car needed 2 of them. And if you're wondering they are about $160 a piece...apparently my car has expensive taste! I noticed my car was making very loud roaring noises when I went above 35 mph so Zach and I decided it would be better to take it in then for it to stop working altogether.

Neither one of us like to do these kinds of things, but the cars are "boy jobs" around our house. My loving husband looked around and found a good place and got my car taken care of. It now runs as good as new (or as good as my car can run at its age) and hopefully it can get me through 3 more years! It's been a big part of my life so far and I love "The Silver Bullet" but I won't be sad when it's gone. I need an automatic car (automatic as in windows and doors), a 4 door vehicle, one that Zach is willing to drive, and an armrest that two people can use without touching each other! Until then, "The Silver Bullet" and I will be good friends and hopefully she won't cost me too much more money or hassle!

It's always an adventure!

Yesterday, I was over helping my friend Amy try on her wedding dress and she asked Zach and I if we wanted to go eat Chinese with her and Brandon. Of course, we couldn't pass that up! There is a place in Greenfield called the Bamboo Garden which we have gone to many times since moving to Greenfield so I thought it would just be a routine trip with nothing special. However, I was wrong.

When you are seated (like most buffets) they take a placemat (those little paper ones that are easily disposable) and your silverware. The man that was seating us was the owner's son and looked like he wasn't suppossed to work but got called in. He was wearing gym shorts, a cutoff t-shirt, and wearing sandals.

When he took us to our booth one of the placemats fell onto the floor. So this man took his foot, moved it over to him, picked it up, and put it back on our table. Now I'm not one to really complain or think this are nasty, but that is just plain DISGUSTING! And it's not like he couldn't go get another one. Thing the really got me was they pride themselves on being clean! It is even on their sign (check out below).

I'm totally grossed out, but still stayed there and ate. But I'm pretty sure they need to change their sign though!

One year from now...

Today I sent Zach off for his first day of clinicals for the summer and it got me thinking that in one year from now I'll be sending him off to start his first job as a certified physical therapist! The past two years of Zach's schooling has been a learning experience not only for him but me as well. I never knew what a tragus was or an antitragus before knowing Zach and I can go on and on with the knowledge my husband knows. I'm so proud of him and what he has accomplished so far and I know he'll do great when he is finally on his own. As for now, we are paying the money for all of his hard work but I know it is for the best!

Zach told me this morning that this is my "trial run" as a housewife to see if I can do it all before we have kids because it will only get more hectic when we do. I will have no problems keeping myself busy that's for sure!

I'm sure Zach will do a post at the end of the summer on how his clinical went. And since I'm Terry's daughter you know I couldn't let him leave for his first day without a picture being taken so make sure you check it out!

2 years...Not As Scary As An Indiana Summer

Monday felt like just another normal day in the Whaley household. However it was a special day to us, FLAG DAY and oh yeah...our 2 year anniversary. It had all the makings of an amazing and beautiful day. Below is a picture of the beautiful evening just prior to us leaving for dinner.

Our anniversary tradition is a special date night to a restaurant that neither of us have ever been. This year I chose a fun place in Noblesville called Mudsocks Grill. It is a really nice/upscale version of a Chili's or Applebee's (closest I can compare to). In the 1800's Fishers, Indiana was actually named Mudsocks, Indiana. The name originated from the farmers that left their horses in the fields. When the fields got muddy, the horse would get mud up to their knees, looking like they wore "mudsocks". A little history lesson on the origin of the name.

The meal was delicious and definitely a place I would recommend. They had very good food, but I also believe I had the very best company. It was a great anniversary together...too bad we had to rush home.

Below are pictures of the weather as we got home from our meal. One might say, "A little ominous". It is typical Indiana summer weather.

This is not fog...it really was raining that hard. We had pea sized hail and nearly 2 inches of rain in only about 15 minutes from the start of the storm. Gotta love Indiana in June, but especially June 14th...it is always a great day even if the weather disagrees.

Books, Books...Everywhere!!

On Saturday I was given the opportunity of a lifetime. My best friend Brandon and his fiancee's family wanted to go to a publisher book sale (all overstock books just $1). It was a sale that couldn't be beat...if you are into that kind of thing. It was such a sale I had no idea what I was getting myself into by agreeing to go along.

We left Greenfield at 6:00am for the book sale in Lebanon, it doesn't "open" to the public until 9:00am, but people actually camp out for this thing so we had to get there early for a great place in line. The weather was HOT and HUMID, not making the warehouse we stood in line at any cooler. I was sweating and miserable by 8:30 and we didn't get to the front of the line to look through the books until 10:00.

Below you will see a picture of the warehouse with their huge inventory of books in the background and the line wrapping through the warehouse. I would estimate they had around 2-3 thousand people at the event in total. As you can see the woman in the picture below is just flat out exhausted from the book scramble.

Ok...so let me explain how this thing works. You wait in line for an hour to be given a box that you write your name on, then you go "book digging". They have pallets of huge boxes of books in no particular order. There is no order to this thing, just total chaos...a free for all. I would describe it as a Walmart's $5 bin on crack cocaine. People dig through all the pallets and fill dozens of boxes of random books then drag them to the sides and "sort" through them. This sorting can take hours I found out. The people we went with are die-hard about this sale. They gave me a book sale education.

The below picture is hard to see, taken on my cellphone, but it is of the free for all book digging. People get creative with their techniques and down right mean about their stacks of books. Some people bought whole pallets of books and others only a few. I felt completely out of place because I only wanted to buy like 5 books and everyone else I was with had 70. I ended the day with a grand total of 18 books in my box for purchasing...most of which were future presents for family.

I have tried to describe this day, but the words to describe it are not there...this book sale was in one word...WOW!!! I mean you just need to see it to fully understand. I am glad I went to this once in my life, but I will NEVER go back. I am still recovering for the chaos. So if any of you receive a book from me in the near future...you now where it came from.

You never know with the Gray's

One thing I'm sure Zach has learned the past 5 years we've been together is you never know what the Gray's might be up to! I'm sure Dana, Anique, and Kara can all agree with that statement. Whatever it is, everyone ends up having a good time and a lot of laughs are shared. This past Saturday morning was "Chicken Killing Day". I'm sure most people don't understand the importance of this day but I've been doing it since I could reach the table...so probably 3 or 4.

I don't mind helping out because we get some of the profits and who doesn't love fresh fried chicken! Here are some pictures of the day courtesy of the best mom in the world!

Prior the being taken to Grandpa Kenny's dad catches all the chickens and puts them in crates.

Dad and Kyler preparing the chickens for their ultimate fate.

Grandpa Bud has the worst job in my opinion...actually killing the chickens.

Kyler looks super excited right now...who wouldn't want to be cleaning chickens at 7:00 in the morning?!? Where's Kara at?!? Guess she decided not the show up this time.

Don't we look like we're having fun. Zach is quite a trooper and one the only returnees on "Chicken Killing Day".

Nice hands Zach!

Dad, Uncle Kent, and Mom hard at work!

Chickens are done, in the freezer, and ready to be eaten. I'm sure it will take us a couple of weeks to be ready to eat some chicken after a day like that. Thanks mom and dad for sharing with us! For all those interested, next "Chicken Killing Day" will be sometime around July 4th and if you want to help, just let me know and I can get you the full details.