Smiths moved back to WI

It has been a while since I last posted and people have let me know. Now, I'll attempt to catch-up, at least a little...

The big news is that my brother and his family moved back to La Crosse this past weekend. Yeah! We helped them move and do a little bit of settling in (Joel did more than I did). The Smiths made the move so Travis can start is surgical residency @ Gundersen Lutheran in La Crosse. Yes, that means you can now call Travis--Dr. Smith. Sometimes I still can't believe it, my "little" brother is a doctor, now if he could just keep track of his keys (just kidding Travis!). I don't have any photos of the new house, but I do have photos from Travis's graduation from Mayo Medical School.


If you would like to order any of the photos use this link .

Road Trip--Jodi Picoult

Last night we (Christy, Lavon, Erin and my Mom) went to a Barnes & Noble in Madison, WI to see Jodi Picoult. As always it was a wonderful experience. This is the third time I have gone and this time I go to share it with friends and family. I even met up with friends down there (Juli and Brenda). There is something about hearing an author reading from her own book that just makes you want to read it. Jodi's new book Nineteen Minutes is about a high school shooting and bullying. The more I read the more disturbed I get which makes me want to read more, but also makes me think and feel uncomfortable. I can't wait to discuss this book and look forward to it discussion potential both in a class and in book club.

The photos I took didn't turn out as well as I hoped, but here they are anyways. Enjoy!!

For more photos check out the online album.

Fun in the Snow with the Nieces & Nephews

Check out more photos of our snow, but these are much more fun.

Last week, while Travis and Sarah went to look at houses (more on that when it is official), Therin, Kya, Louis (and his parents) came over to play in the snow. Grandpa Tom and Grandma Irma came to play too. Grandpa Tom took on the challenge from Travis to build a tunnel through our snow bank and succeeded



Joel and Therin enjoyed the hill using our laundry baskets for sleds. Yes, we are a pathetic aunt and uncle we do not own a sled.

A fun new tool...

Ok so those of you who use MySpace probably know about this fun thing and I know I have seen it before, but I have never tried it. I know you have seen these photos already, but I just wanted to test it out!

Cammie & the Dark and Snowy Night

This is my somewhat pathetic attempt at editing a video and making it a bit more interesting than it is...

The footage is from last Friday night when the La Crosse area received 12 inches of snow.

Skiing @ Mt. La Crosse

DSC02326
Originally uploaded by JenMac9999.

I just wanted to let all of you know we did have a little fun last weekend it wasn't all work. On Sunday afternoon we went skiing with Jenn M with the help of my friend and co-worker Ron F, who is on the ski patrol at Mt. La Crosse. At first it was a little rough skiing for me. I remember it being easier last year. No broken bones this year and one very minor head bouncing situation which almost completely mended already, right Dr. Wulf! Jenn and I stayed until nearly 6:30 p.m. when the visibility (at least for us) got a little challenging. Because it was snowing our glasses/goggles would get foggy and had water spots on them. In the last run down the hill I found myself removing my glasses then closing my eyes. Probably not the best idea I've had, so I decided to hang it up for the night. Thanks again to Ron F who got us discounted lift tickets and rentals, we had a blast!

A Dark and Snowy Night...and Weekend

What a weekend! We received more than 20 inches of snow in the La Crosse area. Joel and I shoveled and we shoveled and we shoveled...

From A Dark and Snowy Night...and Weekend

Yes this photo was taken at our house--on Sunday morning while we should have been at church, but it was canceled due the excessive snowing over the weekend.

On Friday evening (the dark and snowy one), our friends Peter and Emily Jantz came over after deciding not to take a road trip to their parents house because of the forecasted weather. We hung out and played Wii.

From A Dark and Snowy Night...and Weekend

If the photos were not enough to satisfy you here is a video of Peter and Joel boxing.

Before Peter and Emily could head home we had to shovel our driveway. The snow continued through the night. Our last time out with Cammie was little bit humorous and very snowy and cold!

From A Dark and Sn...

We have a video of Cammie bounding through the snow, but it needs some editing and will be posted soon.

On Saturday morning when we awoke we had more than 12 inches of snow and lots of shoveling to do. Check out the great present the plow left at the end of our driveway. Doesn't Joel look like he was having fun (I was helping when I wasn't taking photos!)


The weekend was a lot of shoveling and waiting for the next snow fall. Joel's in Lousiana where it is warm and 60 degrees F, while I am awaiting the next wave of wonderful weather. Maybe I should have insisted I go go with! Check out the rest of our Dark and Snowy Weekend Photos.

A Dark and Snowy Night... and Weekend

**3/1/2007--I was trying to fix something in this post and lost some of it. I tried to recreate it, but it may not be the same as it was, but now hopfully the video works.

Answering Hank Green's Survey

If you have been watching Brotherhood 2.0 where Hank and John Green have commited to not sending emails or other text communication for the next year, but communicating via video blogs you will understand where this came from if not...it still might be interesting.

1. Your name: Becky Rech

2. Your Web page: http://therechfamily.blogspot.com and work http://hhsreads.blogspot.com

3 What have you been up to this past year (please be as detailed as possible, because we actually want to know)?Working at Holmen High School in Holmen, WI. Where I try to turn kids on to reading. I love reading and I especially love to share books with young adults who like to read or turn a student on to reading that might not have read before. I also am an assistant photographer with Mueller Photography in La Crosse, WI which keeps me busy many of the weekends from May to October.

4 How much longer do you think you'll be doing what you're doing? I will always be taking pictures and sharing my love for reading with others, where and when I do that will be the question.

5 Why are you doing it? As I mentioned above I love to read, I go on adventures and have experiences through books that I would never, could never have (being that time travel is not possible and they don't yet install Internet feeds in our head-I've read Feed). I find life very inspiring and I love catching it in photographs. I love recording the history of my life and those of people around me.

6 What do you want to be doing? Reading or watching the Gilmore Girls Season 5 which I just picked up from the library last night or watching 24 Season 2 which a friend gave last night.

7 What's next in your life? Next month I am having surgery on my left foot that has been giving me issues for the last six or so months. I have a small bone fragment that has been hanging out and occassionally gives me pain, so I am having it removed in March. I am visiting New York City for the first time in over Easter Wknd (What should I do there? What can't be missed?)

8 How You Doin'? Great! I am surrounded by wonderful people and couldn't ask for more. God has truely blessed me.

9 What's the best book you read this year? Do I have to limit myself to just one???? I think I'll give my top 7 for 2006--in no particular order....

• Twilight and New Moon by Stephenie Meyer (I know these are two different books, but they really go together)--I even traveled to Cincinnati, OH from La Crosse, WI to meet the author--yes I am obsessed (but not as bad as some of the students I work with ;))
• The Tender Bar by J.R. Moehringer--an awesome memoir
• Nick and Norah's Infinate Playlist by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn
• I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak
• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (If I had to pick just one this would have to be it)--narrated by death, very creative, creepy and thought provoking
• American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
• An Abundance of Katherines by John Green (not just because John wrote, I loved it even before I fell in love with John and Hank)

10 Describe a perfect day? My perfect day would start somewhat early after a good night's sleep, it would occur during the summer. I would start the day in my backyard with a bowl of cereal and good book. I would stay out there until I got to hot. Then it would be time to hit the river with my husband and our kayaks (friends would be welcome, but not needed). We would spend the day on the river enjoying a nice Wisconsin day. For supper that night we would enjoy a nice grilled meal outside and for the evening's entertainment there would be a large fireworks display over the Mississippi River in La Crosse, WI where I would hang out with friends and family and take a lot of beautiful fireworks photos!

11 Assuming that all things come to an end...how do you think humans will go extinct? I think humans will eventually eat too much and eat themselves to death. I think we just like food too much and don't counter act that with activity.

12 How are you feeling about kids these days? Kids are good, but it will be a while yet before we have any of our own. It is a lot easier to hang out with the nieces and nephews and then return them :)

13 My Question: If you could travel through time, where would you go and why? (please for this questions puproses disregard the consequences of time travel)--this question is inspired by a recent discussion of Timeline by Michael Crichton I think I would travel to the time of Christ. I would like to think that I would be one of the people that would follow him and would have recognized him for who he is. I am not sure that I would have, but I like to think I would have. I also think it would have been interesting to be one of the women working for the right to vote and early feminist, but I am thankful for today and what they have done for us.

14 Ambrozzo tastes better than anything else, what does ambrozzo taste like? For me Ambrozzo tastes like a Chipotle Burrito made just the way I like it...Chicken, no beans, rice, lettuce, mild salsa, cheese and sour cream. Mmmmm, that is making me hungry just thinking about it.

15 If you were a cliché, what cliché would you be? Don't judge a book by its cover

16 What is your least favorite part of any given day? Getting out of bed

17 Do you enjoy science fiction? Sometimes

18 Cheese or Chocolate? Cheese (I'm from WI, you had to ask!)

19 Where would you live if you could live anywhere? In a motorhome traveling the country.

20 What was your first concert? Color Me Bad or Richard Marx, I can't remember which came first.

21 If you could start a business that would be instantly successful, what kind of business would it be? Reader's advisory/reviewing service (don't ask me what it would like, I just want to get paid to read)

22 Invisibility or Time Travel? Invisibility

23 What's wrong with the world? We don't accept people for who they are, we always want to change them.

I would love to hear your comments to the questions. So feel free to answer the questions on the comments!

HHS Reads Blog in the news

On Monday night, your very own me was on the news with Martha on My Community TV featuring us using the HHS Reads blog. So I thought I would share it with you...

Connect With Kids - Blogs Can Teach Writing - 2-5-07

So funny...

This has been my guilty pleasure for the last week. A young adult author, John Green, who I have grown to love and love even more this week, has created a video blog with his brother called Brotherhood 2.0. Hank and John Green made a commitment to not send any emails this year to only communicate using the videos and they have decided to share these videos with us. They started at the beginning of January and alternate each weekday. The videos are hosted on YouTube, but you can find them on John's websited @ http://www.sparksflyup.com/weblog.php. Take the time to watch these they are hilarious!

One commenter said they can't go to a book store anymore without smiling and thinking about one of Hank and John's videos, well I have the same problem going to work. If you want to know more watch the videos, you just can't imagine how funny they are. Today even featured John's Wii!

Fondue and Other New Year's Eve Fun

We enjoyed a low-key night with friends. Our first stop was at Adam and Anna Mueller's house where we experienced Anna's new Pirates of the Caribbean Pinball game. I think I could have gotten addicted!

Our next stop was Sara and Matt Bedalov's house for fondue and some Wii action.We had a blast!

Check out the photos from Sara and Matt's house as well as the Wii videos from ealier posts.

New Year's Eve

I know you wanted more...

Another video...

Our New Toy

It's been a while...
Christmas...New Years...and January is almost over too. I am trying to play catch-up. In November we got a new toy called Wii. Some of you have already experienced it for yourselves. It is a lot of fun and nothing like any other video gaming system you have ever played before. It is almost as much fun to watch people play as it is to play yourself. Check out the short video from New Year's Eve. From Left to Right it is Tom Davey, Joel, me and Jenn Macainag. There are more where that one came from I just need to figure out the best way to post them.

I've done it again...

Somehow I managed to break another bone. This time it is in my foot. I believe it is the same type of fracture as my thumb injury, but much less serious. I think it was called an evulsion (you medical types can help me with the correct spelling and name) fracture. A tendon breaks a piece of the bone off. So lucky me gets to where a lovely surgical boot so that I can't bend my foot. The good news is that it doesn't hurt any more and this hopefully will only be for the next two weeks. The bad news is I can't get out of dishes like I did last time!

I have no idea what I did to my toe originally--it has bothered me for the last couple of months, but not so much that I thought there was something seriously wrong with it. On Monday evening I played volleyball and could barely walk after the game, so I decided I probably should do something about it.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Celebrating 30!

Yes Joel is turning 30 tomorrow. He even started a blog to commemorate the big event! It seems like we've been celebrating all weekend and his birthday isn't until tomorrow.

Emily Jantz and I decided to try to throw a Surprise Birthday Party for our husbands. Peter turned 25 yesterday. The surprise didn't end up working out...the weather was rather disagreeable. Joel was scheduled to ref a basketball game in Holmen until about 7 p.m., so I was hoping to do my party prep and be ready when he got home. Due to the accumulation of snow on Friday the game was canceled and I spilled the beans! I understand that Peter started making plans for Friday evening that did not include going over to the Rech's , so Emily had to adapt her story as well. I have never tried to plan or pull off a surprise party and it is a bit of a challenge. Especially getting the "invites" out and responded to without tipping the surprisee off. I ended up sending out a mass email and have since realized that I did miss people while attempting not to use the groups that included Joel...I apologize. It was wonderful to have people over to celebrate Peter and Joel.

Today we had some of our family over for lunch. It was fun to have both our families together (We missed Ann, Mark, Louis and Sarah, who couldn't make it), especially seeing all of our nieces and nephews playing together. They also eagerly help Joel open his presents.

For more photos of these events check out this link...Joel's Birthday

New Online Scrapbook for Cornerstone!

Jenn Macainag and I (mostly Jenn) have been working on an easy way for us to keep the Cornerstone website's scrapbook up to date. We think we have it. We are using Flickr.com. Check out what we have so far. Feel free to make comments and suggestions!! Enjoy!

Check it out @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/cornerstonelacrosse/sets/

Birthday Packer Game

Green Bay Packer Game

We attended the Packer game on my birthday last week. My aunt Sandy invited my mom, Joel and I to tailgate with my Uncle Mark's family and use the Halada family's season tickets. The weather was great and the game was great until the last few seconds when the Packers fumbled the ball near the end zone! Check out the photos I took.

Trying something new...maybe

I am checking out a new blog service. There are a few things that I get a little frustrated with Blogger on, so I thought I would try something new. I haven't officially switched, so continue to check here for updates, but check out this link and let me know what you think!

http://rech.wordpress.com/

And now I am going to bed!

The Big Project...continued

I can't believe just last week we were still thinking about what we should do with our yard. Now, a week and a half later we have two new pieces of concrete in our yard. Tomorrow we will be able to start drivng on our new widened drive-way. Those of you who visit us often will be excited to note you can turn around and enter Losey facing forward instead of backing out onto the scary four-lane highway! We are excited that we will no longer park each other in and have to juggle cars or park on our lawn or across the street.

The back patio will be stained and engraved in mid-September. The concrete needs to cure for 28 days. Today we received some digital photos of what it could look like. We haven't settled on anything, but we are thinking a dark red flagstone look.

Unfortunately, I have more photos to share, but they are not downloaded yet. They will be coming soon!

The Big Project

This is our big project. Yes we finally are doing something with our backyard. You won't even recognize it when we are done. We barely do and we are only about half-way through it.

The first photo was taken after we and some very wonderful friends helped us pull out the sidewalk and part of the retaining wall in our backyard on Wednesday evening. Thank you so much Josh, Anne and Lance!!

On Thursday evening, the concrete guy came with a couple of people and took the roof structure. When we said we were going to use it as fire wood they said they'd take it which made our life a lot easier. Joel and I watched them take it down and transport it and it did not look fun (I do have photos).

Today, they came back with the bobcat and a dump truck. He made quick work of destroying our old patio which ended up being at least 8" thick! I am so happy we did not tackle that on our own. It took him an hour to remove it and then grade the yard so we did not have to replace the retaining wall. The were also able to use much of our existing stone and rock as fill. In the second photo, the bobcat is dumping that into a hole he dug.

Feel free to come peek at the backyard as we make progress. I will try to keep you all updated, but sometimes time gets away from me and I know I will have a lot of work to do in the next couple of weeks.