Game Night with Tim, Emily and Rachel in STL

Earlier this month, Jon had a few days of meetings and training in St. Louis for work.  It was nice because he was able to see one of his closest friends, Tim Meyer, who was an usher in our wedding and lived with Jon for two years and played on the tennis team at Concordia as well.  Tim is currently at the Seminary in St. Louis and when Jon has to go to St. Louis for work, they usually try to get together.  Tim and Jon headed over to Emily Barlean's apartment to meet up with friends Emily and Rachel Woolery.

The fun evening included a snack run to Schnuck's (a grocery store), a few episodes of the TV show Happy Endings and playing board games, Wits and Wagers and Survive!  Tim and Jon devoured the Schnuck's brand of Pizza Rolls, all 40 of them.  :)

Tim introduced this new game to us.  It was great!

Tim making jokes while he was teaching us how to play.

Emily wasn't impressed with Tim's explanation of the game...

Tim and Jon

Jon, Emily, Rachel and Tim

Rachel thought it was going to be a funny face photo.  ;)

It was a fun evening hanging out and Jon can't wait for another game night in October when he goes back for another week of training and meetings!

Schmidt Family Visit to Nebraska

Three weekends ago, our friends Dana and Danielle Schmidt and their new son, Brecken, came to visit some family and friends back in Nebraska for the weekend.  The Schmidts live in the Des Moines area and it had been a while since we had seen them.  It was fun to hang out and catch up but also to play a game like old times sake.

On Friday night, our friends Nolan & Amy Harms, Drew & M'Leigh and Adelyn, and the Schmidts came over to our house for dinner and games.  Chelsea had volleyball practice after school so Jon made stuffed shells and grilled potatoes for everyone.  It was fun to host everyone at our place because this was the first time that any of them had seen our home.

From L to R: Amy, Nolan and Danielle w/ Brecken

M'Leigh and Dana playing with Adelyn

The "I Know You Are Taking a Photo" Picture.  Danielle intently
listening to Amy... :)
Around the table was Amy, Danielle, Nolan and Dana

M'Leigh holding Adelyn while trying to eat with Chelsea

Picture of a fun group game we played called "Whoonu"

Chelsea holding Adelyn and her giraffe who is
terrible at basketball...

Adelyn checking out Brecken with Drew and Danielle

Danielle and Brecken (he's huge!  :))

Danielle, Chelsea, Amy and M'Leigh (They miss you Amanda!)

Group Photo Time
From L to R: M'Leigh (Adelyn), Amy, Nolan, Drew, Jon, Dana and Danielle

On Saturday, we drove into Seward to watch the Husker Volleyball game at the Harms' house and we ordered Pizza Hut.  After dinner we went to Dairy Queen to get Buy One Get One for $0.99.  On our way to DQ, we stopped by the Walz Athletic Complex so Dana could get some Concordia Sunglasses that the tennis team had sold as a fundraiser last year.  

Dana was super excited to be back in the Walz after hours as he walked this hallway many times during his Cross Country and Track career at Concordia.  Chelsea also was excited to be back, but laughed at Dana.

Amy holding Brecken and Dana sporting his new shades

Chelsea, Danielle and Nolan

It was great to see the Schmidts and we are excited to plan a trip to see them in Iowa soon.  Thanks for the fun memories everyone!

A Surprise Visit

Over Labor Day Weekend, Chelsea's good friend and former roommate and volleyball teammate from college came up to Nebraska to visit us.  Alexa, currently teaching in Texas, also came up because her brother is currently studying at Concordia and she wanted to see him as well.

Alexa drove all day Friday after she was done with school
to arrive at our house at 2:45 a.m.!  Crazy girl.

On Saturday morning, Jon, Alexa and Valerie Schick went
downtown Lincoln to tailgate before the Husker football
game. Chelsea was busy all day coaching at a volleyball
tournament.... 

Alexa and Val in the parking ramp.

On Saturday evening, Chelsea, Val and Alexa went on a
Walmart run for old time's sake like they did in college.

Post-dinner photo. (We forgot to take a photo with our full
plates.)

After a long day, the three little pigs were all exhausted.

Sunday after church the three amigas went to Pepperjax for lunch.

Following lunch, the girls met up with our good friend, Jen,
to go shopping for the afternoon.
From L to R: Alexa, Chelsea, Valerie and Jen

It was a success.  :)

It was sad to see her go....

Thanks for a fun weekend Alexa and for bringing Chelsea's early birthday present with you!  We can't wait to see you again soon!

GreekFest 2012

Friday through Sunday, Aug. 24-26, Jon had the pleasure to be in Rochester, Minn. for GreekFest 2012. Jon has been a volunteer for several years at GreekFest and began going years ago through the family friends, the Maragos Family.  While making over 4,000 gyros in one weekend, Jon was also able to see Chelsea's good friend from Kalispell, Mont., Margaret Koenig.  Chelsea and Margaret went to Lutheran grade school, high school and church together growing up.  She is in her 2nd year of the Physical Therapy program at Mayo Clinic.  It is always nice whenever we are in Rochester to get to see Marge.  ;)

Jon and Margaret downtown Rochester Thursday

While Jon was waiting to be picked up downtown, Margaret randomly came walking out of one of the Mayo Clinic buildings... Who knew Rochester had such a small town feel?  Jon and Margaret hadn't planned on meeting up until Friday when she was going to help volunteer at the Gyro booth.  Thanks for helping out Margaret (and Mandy)!

John Maragos, Tia Maragos and Jon eating at Newt's in Rochester.
(John was an usher in our wedding)

One of the shirts we wore for the weekend at the gyro booth.
(For those who do not speak Greek, it is
pronounced YEE ROW.  ABSOLUTELY not JI ROW!)

OPA!  Making some Gyros!
From L to R: Nick Maragos, Margaret Koenig, Mandy Slater,
John Maragos and Mariya Maragos

From L to R: Margaret, Jon, John and Mandy

"RIGHT LEFT CROSS!"

Mariya serving up some fresh gyros.
This day's shirts were, "I'm a Gyros."

This video is the inspiration behind these shirts.  :)  Jon's shirt said, "The German" on the back because he is not a 'true' Greek.  :)

Michael Thomas (Cousin) and John working on the gyro line.

Papou and Yia Yia Zahhos (Grandpa and Grandma)

From L to R: Dena Zahhos, John Zahhos, Nicki Zahhos and
Maria Zahhos (Uncle and Cousins)

Greek Dancing in the street during a slow time at the booth.

Last year, Chelsea was able to make it up for her first GreekFest and we REALLY missed her this year.  She was a great worker and hopefully next year she won't have any volleyball the weekend of GreekFest.  Thanks Maragos/Zahhos/Thomas families for another great year and for letting Jon come and help again!  

Mom & Dad Schleicher Visit

Sorry we haven't posted in a while but school has started and volleyball is in full "swing."  Last year, the volleyball team at Raymond was 5-20.  So far this season, Chelsea's team is already 4-4.   Chels is doing a great job but is very busy.  For the entire month of September, she has a game on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday each week...  She is excited about how well her team is playing so far and can't wait to see how they do in the conference this year.  One difficult thing she is facing is the challenge to stay ahead on teaching and lesson plans.  However, she is balancing both jobs very well and rarely complains about being tired or feeling like she is behind.

Anyway, after moving in to our house at the end of July, our first overnight guests were Jon's parents  who came to stay with us for three days.  They came the second week of August and it was nice to have them here post move but they were also a great help in Chelsea's classroom as well, as school started the third week of August.

Chelsea and Mom putting together dinner one evening.

Sorry for the poor uploaded photo but here we are playing
some cards and Dad is finishing up his blueberry dessert.
Chelsea sure knows what her father-in-law's favorite desserts include!

The second day, Jon and Dad went to Menards and bought several items that were needed for first time homeowners.  The shopping trip was very successful!  Some of the items included: hoses, sprinklers, extension cord, broom, weed puller, work gloves, silicon sealant, furnace filter and the huge shelving unit for the garage.

Thanks Mom and Dad for the housewarming gifts!

Chelsea in her classroom by one of her bulletin boards.

Mom worked hard on another bulletin board in Chelsea's classroom.
She cut out the letters and stapled them on and it looks great!

While Chelsea and Mom were working on bulletin
boards, Dad built Chelsea's bookshelf for all of her
books that had accumulated over the past year.

It looks great and fits nicely in the back of the classroom.

Another part of Mom and Dad Schleicher's visit included watching three softball games on Wednesday night.  Chelsea and Jon played on a Co-ed Church League Softball team with their Bible Study this summer and the Semifinals and Finals of the end of the year tournament were that night.  The team consisted of members of their Bible Study, Young Roads, which Jon and Chelsea lead on Tuesday nights. The team had some ups and downs during the regular season but when the tournament came around, the team was unstoppable!  

After suffering their first loss in the 2nd round of the tournament to the #1 seed (the other team from Christ Lutheran), Young Roads had to work their way through the losers bracket as every game was a win-or-go-home situation.  On this Wednesday night, games were played at 6, 7 and 8:30 p.m., with the 7 p.m. game being the Championship Game against our friends from our church's second team.  Of the 10 total teams in the league, Christ had the two best teams, and we all were pretty proud of the fact that either way, our church was going home with a $250 check.  :)  

Back to the action, in Game 1 of the Championship, Young Roads got down 4-0 over the course of the first three innings.  In the home half of the third inning, Jon came up to bat with the bases loaded and dominated a ball over the fence for a Grand Slam!  It was his 3rd HR in 4 games and was his second of the night as he hit one in the semifinal game to help get Young Roads into the Championship.  The rest of Game 1 was close and Young Roads were down by one heading into the final inning.  Securing the game tying run, Young Roads and Christ 1 headed into extras!

In the extra frame, Young Roads held Christ 1 to only a few runs and then it was their turn to have some magic.  Chelsea, EASILY the fastest woman in the entire league, flew down the first base line to beat out a infield single to keep the team alive.  This started the momentum swing and the team was able to link a few more singles together to secure the 15-11 victory. 

Then, Game 2 started.  Christ 1 had not lost a game in the double elimination tournament and that meant that Young Roads would need to beat them again.  (Young Roads had lost to them in the regular season and the 2nd round of the tournament by several runs both times, so they were thankful to avenge those losses.)  Heading into the second game,  the momentum and confidence was with Young Roads as they were the younger, fresher, overall more athletic team top to bottom; with the oldest person on the team only being 28, they had the upper leg.

Game 2 got off to a fast start as Young Roads led from start to finish.  The final score was 8-4 and in the final inning, Jon turned a double play at short to seal the deal.  The team pulled together at the right time and played the best softball of the year in the two games of the Championship.

  

Our first Championship Plaque!  Currently in our basement...

Lincoln Church League Champions 2012
Christ Lutheran Church - Young Roads Bible Study
Back Row from L to R: Manager Benjy, Chad (Our Ace in the Hole),
Dustin (D-Town), Bryan, Aaron, Jon, Nate and Jimmy.
Front Row from L to R: Tanya, Valerie, Britney, Michelle, Bre and Chels.

It was so much fun having Mom and Dad Schleicher there to cheer us on and to celebrate with us in victory.  Dad got pretty into the game and a few times he would walk from the bleachers over to the bench to talk to some of the guys about what was happening.  :)  Thanks for watching almost 4 hours of softball on uncomfortable bleachers and for going out with us and the team afterwards!  It was fun for Jon to relive the days of baseball growing up and to have his Mom and Dad be there to watch.  Thanks for a great visit Mom and Dad Schleicher and we are excited to see you again soon!