Welcome Back - Grand Re-Opening

I've decided something.  I need to make Illini6 my "Professional" blog.  I need to make that a website I can point strangers to and show off my writing work.  That needs to be the showcase of my writing brand with stories, essays, world building, and excerpt of finished works.  I will put professional goals and plans up there, but not personal ones.

I'm going to be using this blog more extensively and focused on personal as well as family matters.  Obviously I don't have to regurgitate things that are already on the web through facebook etc. but I can put goals, feelings, family events and such.

One thing I won't be doing here is using the flower code names anymore.  That was too cumbersome and kept me from posting more.  I'll be using first names and initials to keep the full and real names off the web as much as I can.

As part of re-opening I'm going to restate my personal goals here (I'll be tracking them here from now on).

By the end of the year I will:

1. Learn Greek - be able to hold a conversation in Greek
2. Guide the Aptakisic District Commissioner staff in achieving a Gold level on the Journey to Excellence program
3. Get a New Job
4. Go on Quarterly Dates

Also, not related to goals, I am going to be going to Tanzania as a volunteer mentor from work.  I'm going to hold off on some of the details for now, but I will be helping the technicians in a regional blood diagnostics lab to learn to use the computer.

Christina just successfully completed LTC for ROTC and we are very proud of her.  I'm sure most of you have seen her pictures on her facebook page / wall / thingie.

Summer Ending Update

Seeing as it is mid September and the summer is almost technically over (with the Autumnal Equinox) I figured I really ought to run down everything that happened this summer:

JUNE
- Star graduated from 8th grade at Santa Maria del Popolo. *Orchid played bells for the ceremony
*Star won the President's Award (from the President of the US). There were only two students who won.
*Star read the Reading at mass
- Star and I went to Washington D.C. for her 8th grade trip. She was one of four students who laid a wreath on the tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
- Star went to summer school for her state required Health class (she was the star pupil)
- Star's 14th birthday!

JULY
- Star, Orchid, Tulip and I got passes for our park district pool and we tried to go as often as we could
- Orchid got contact lenses (she's almost as blind as her sister Star).
- The Owasippe Trip

AUGUST
- A new flower blooms! On 4 August 2008 my brother, Ginger and his wife Holly added a new bud to accompany Lilac and Geranium. Let's call him PETUNIA!
- We added another flower, sort of, by marriage. Marigold married Apple Blossom. We never thought we'd see the day when Marigold got married. We all had a blast.

- Star
*Started High School (gasp)! She loves her teachers and classes
*Started Volleyball at school. She's on the Frosh B team (takes after her old man on the B team), but she has Volleyball as a specific gym class so maybe next year she'll move up.
*Isn't playing clarinet anymore. She had a good run there, from 4th to 8th grade.

- Orchid
*Started 7th grade. Just one more year to go. She's doing very well so far and has a great attitude toward school.
*Signed up for Track but switched to Volleyball. She dropped out of band, but says she'll keep up her flute. Let's hope she can.
*She's not going to be in Girl Scouts anymore herself, but she's going to be helping Tulip's Girl Scout Troop

- Tulip
*Started 2nd grade, but she still has the same teacher. We loved that teacher last year so this should be another good year for her.
*Still in Girl Scouts and still loves it

EARLY SEPTEMBER
- Bushia (aw heck, she doesn't need a flower name) went into the hospital. She's 88 and very weak, but she is home now and recovering.

- Star is now sharing her wisdom and holy graces with younger Orthodox youth by helping out as an Assistant Sunday School teacher
- Tulip started Sunday School and Greek School (actually tonight is her first night)
- Star has moved up to full fledged GOYA (Greek Orthodox Youth Assoc.) and has left poor Orchid in Jr. GOYA.
- I'm going to be starting adult Greek school on Thursday nights. Cross your fingers for me.

Congrats to Brother Rose!

Yesterday at Fort Rucker, AL my brother Rose graduated from the US Army Warrant Officer school. My dad, Papa Pansy, the retired Brigadier General pined his bar on.

Granny Begonia and sister Lavender went down with Papa Pansy for the occasion. Rose's Juniper and Jasmine were there too.

Rose will be home for a while before other Army commitments take him away again, including Military Intelligence Branch School. He's been a Secret Squirrel for a while, but now he needs to learn to be an Army Secret Squirrel and and officer Secret Squirrel.

Congrats again lil' bro!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving everybody! We are here in Mundelein today (and yesterday). Peony and Yarrow are here with us too. I (Daisy) went down to Oak Lawn to pick them up yesterday.

We called Begonia and talked to her at Ginger and Holly's. I hope she passed our Thanksgiving wish to everybody.

Everybody always asks me what the Christmas list is so I figured I'd post it here with everybody's Flower Name.

Pansy gives to Gardenia

Begonia gives to Daisy

Gardenia gives to Sweet Pea

Daisy gives to Daffodil

Sweet Pea gives to Rose

Daffodil gives to Juniper

Rose gives to Ginger

Juniper gives to Holly

Ginger gives to Marigold

Holly gives to Pansy

Marigold gives to Begonia

Trouble is, the list ends this year. I don't have one for next year. That's okay because I'd probably better update it for Marigold and Apple Blossom.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Welcome to Flowers of Mundelein

This is a blog to share the happenings and goings of our family, for the use and information of our family.

Each member of our house will have a "Flower" name to which they will be refered throughout the blog. If you know us you will know who is who.

When I figure out how, I'll be posting a "Flower" family tree with our extended family named in "flower."

In our house we have Daisy, Gardenia, Stargazer Lily (known as Star (she's a teenager, don't ask)), Orchid (not orchard Uncle Sweet Pea) and Tulip.