Funding Status and Moving – K&R July 28, 2007

Hey, family! I just wanted to give you a quick status report on us (and will explain more on the other blog when I have time for people who care to know more).

- Kurt is funded! Also, the bridge project is completely done for him… he is no longer on that project. So from here on out, he will be paid from the project that will get him graduated!!! … no more side projects, unless he is helping someone out for a few hours in the lab, which is considered the normal research thing.

-Rachel is not currently funded for the Fall semester, and will probably not know until ~Aug. 17th. I’m trying to get a Teaching Assistant (TA) position either in the Civil Engineering (CE) Department (I’m 3rd on a waiting list) or the Mathematics Department (I need to go through a Screening process before they say if I’m hired). As far as research funds are concerned, there is no more $$ left. There are a couple details about both prospects (see other blog for details).

-We are getting ready to move on Monday (July 30th)!!! Yay! So today we are packing! I think we will have at least 3 people beside K & R and our parents helping us for a little bit with the heavy/awkward things.

Food and What-not July 23, 2007

OK, so it really seems to be just the ladies of the family that are into the blog…somewhat counter-intuitive due to its techno-savvy nature. But whatever. So I wanted to share a couple thoughts with you gals (and guys if its not too boring).

First, I made a yummy dinner tonight which you guys should try (Rach, maybe you could surprise K with this one!). I totally can’t take credit for this because it is a Rachael Ray recipe, a lot of mine are I find. It is a roasted eggplant marina sauce. I have never been able to make a marinara sauce from scratch to my satisfaction, but this really fits the bill. Its easy, nutritious and delicious. The sauce is almost meaty in consistency, so its very satisfying. I put the recipe after the jump (click on “more” at the bottom).

Second, I just started a fabulous book (after Harry Potter I needed some non-fiction). Its by my favorite, Barbara Kingsolver. Its her new one called “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle” and its about how her family tries to go a year eating only local, home-grown food. Besides her beautiful writing, it is an informative and interesting take on the American food industry and how our food usually comes from all corners of the globe, costing us oil for transport as well as flavor and nutrition.

Third, I just got my order in the mail from reusablebags.com This site has loads of great…well…reusable bags! I have been using my canvas grocery bags for a couple years now and just love them, except that I was filling them full of those ugly little plastic produce bags. So I spent a few bucks (if I can afford to save the world, who can’t?) and bought a bunch of cotton mesh drawstring produce bags. They are quite nice and come highly recommended from yours truly. OK, I know I sound like a commercial, but whatever.

In other news with me, I’m getting my stupid paper ready to submit by the end of the week. Greg comes in this coming Sunday so I plan to take most of, if not all of that next week off to relax. I am enjoying an uncharacteristically cool and rainy day here, and I’m still doing without a TV altogether, which I’m actually starting to like. Been much more productive lately! Did everyone finish HP#7…and mom, are you still carrying it around the house with you? Hope you try out and enjoy the recipe!

B

2 years… July 16, 2007

As of today, Kurt and I have been married for 2 years, yay!    We are going to see “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” today… well, more like right now (~3 pm).  Since nicer restaurants are closed every Sunday and Monday in this little city, tomorrow (Tuesday) we will go have a nice dinner at McGraw’s Steakhouse (it has a nice view of the Wabash River).

Oh, if ya didn’t read all the comments I made under ‘K & R Move,’ this past Friday (July 13th) we got access to our new apartment and have moved one carload of winter stuff over there so far.  We didn’t think we would get it until July 28th (free rent until August 1st), and we have a rental truck reserved for July 30th.  The piece of mind is nice seeing that the rooms are 50% larger than I remember (they kept shrinking in my head ).  We have a nice dinning area space that Kurt has begun to start claiming as his new and improved bike maintenance area… we’ll see about that.

Kids’ race in Soulard July 14, 2007

Everyone,  Kris and Jennifer are taking the boys over to the Soulard bike races tomorrow.  I am going to see them race.  I think they will both be racing on bicycles.  Last year Jonathan was on a tricycle and not happy about it.  Ron doesn’t get to go since he has to be at the airport around the time the boys will be racing.  He is flying to Tucson for the week on business.  Becky should be getting a few free dinners out of that!

I will try to take a few pictures.  I will encourage Kris or Jennifer to do the same.  Then I will  have to see about trying to put a photo on this blog.

I guess I better make hotel reservations for West Lafayette soon.  Rachel or Kurt, any hotel preferences in your area?

I almost forgot again.  I told Kris and Jenn, but not everyone else.  Clary and Travis are going to have another baby, in January.

Kris and Jennifer’s Anniversary July 12, 2007

Everyone say happy anniversary to Kris and Jennifer today.  It is their 10th anniversary!  Congratulations to both of you!!

K’s and R’s Move July 10, 2007

Ron and I are looking forward to seeing Kurt and Rachel at the end of the month.  We will be only staying Saturday night through Tuesday afternoon.   It will be fun to spend time with Becky and Steve.  We don’t get to see them often enough.  We’ll  be working hard, but it will be enjoyable all the same.  And we also hope to have an accident free move.  No smashed fingers, no strained backs.

K & R – first post July 6, 2007

Hey, this is Rachel. I just wanted to let you know that I’ve started up a WordPress blog to post stuff about us (someone more WordPress savvy want to put a link to it on the “blogroll,” please… thanks ). So to commemorate my first post on the Henkhaus Family Blog, I wanted to share with you one of my favorite pics from our wedding of us: K&R-Wedding. Hope all is well with you, family.

A Dry Heat July 2, 2007

Mom and Dad, you will have to report how great the Police Concert is tonight.  Did Sting need a walker to get out onto stage?

You’ll all be delighted to know that Tucson is predicted to have its hottest July 4th ever, 114 degrees.  So one of those fireworks you see might just be me bursting into flames.  It is a dry heat after all.

B

The Fourth of July July 1, 2007

Dad and I are going to have a barbeque on the Fourth. All of you in the area – Kris and family, are invited. We still don’t know exactly what time we will be eating, but it will be probably mid to late afternoon. 3-ish. Dad has to let me know when the bike ride will be finished. We are going to invite GG(great grandma), but haven’t as yet. Kurt and Rachel will be with us! A fun time will be had by all! Sorry Becky and Greg won’t be here. We’ll miss you.
Rachel, if you are reading this, give me a call about the house key, in case we aren’t here when you arrive. Hope you have had a great time with your family.