We've Closed

We closed on our new home earlier today, and moved a few things in with the help of my Mom and Dad. Little did we know, but their help has been crucial to our ability to get ready for this move, and our ability to spend some time with our friends and coworkers as we say goodbye.

The closing went smoothly, and we are ready to begin moving more things this weekend followed by the big move early next week. We are ready for the move to be over with!

Luckily for us, Amy's Mom and Grandfather are coming for a visit tomorrow, so we'll have even more help with packing a few things and looking after the kids.

More to come...

Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk

Dear Family and Friends:

I will be participating in the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk August 10-12 in Chicago with my mom and Shawn (my sister-in-law). The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk is a walk to raise money to defeat breast cancer. Participants walk about 20 miles a day for 3 days! Participants camp out each night in a tent city. (If you know Shawn, my mom, and me, you know THIS will be interesting!)

I am walking in memory of my Grandma Elaine Stellmacher. She died in 1993 from breast cancer. I miss her. I missed her when I graduated college and law school. I missed her when I married Paul. I missed her in 2000 when Emily Elaine was born and in 2005 when Adam was born. She was a GREAT grandma, and would have been an AWESOME great-grandma!

I'm not only walking for my Grandma. I’m also walking for my 7 year old with the hope that she'll never have to hear "You have breast cancer."

Please consider helping me to meet the minimum amount each walker must raise to participate in the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk. I know times are tight, but even a small donation can make a difference. By doing so, we can make the world a better place for our children and their children and maybe, one day, those children will live to see their great-grandchildren grow up, something my Grandma never had the chance to do.

You can donate using either the enclosed donation slip or through my webpage on the 3-Day website.

Thank you for your support! Wish us luck as we undertake the Chicago 3-Day in August!!


Amy

More Key West Marlin Tournament Roundup...

From FishingWorld.com: http://www.fishingworld.com/News/Read.php?ArtID=000020665#

From the Gary Post-Tribune
7/24/2007

Local grocery exec lands big fish(http://www.post-trib.com/sports/480970,marlin.article)
July 24, 2007

By Brian Hedger Post-Tribune staff writer

Jeff Strack and his mom, Cindy, have a little ritual before every sport-fishing venture they take.
They both have their first beers of the day at about 10:30 a.m. They both pour a little beer into the water for the "fish gods," along with any loose change Cindy finds along the beach. And then, they set their lines.

This past weekend, the ritual paid off -- both in marlin and first-prize cash in the 25th annual Drambuie Key West Marlin tournament in Florida.....

Friends

Although Emily prefers to play with friends her own age, she does spend time with her little brother. Today they had a picnic with their toy tigers under a tree on our front lawn. I know he drives her up the wall some times, but she's a good sister and enjoys Adam very much.

Stracks Stake Claim to Fishing Immortality

Miami Herald

July 22, 2007

MARLIN TOURNAMENT
A few months ago, after four consecutive years of fishing the Drambuie Key West Marlin tournament with lackluster results, Islamorada resident Jack Strack told his son Jeff he was indecisive about competing in this year's tournament.

But the owner of the Giggling Marlin, a 56-foot Viking sportfishing boat, decided to enter the tournament anyway.

It's a good thing he did. Jeff Strack released a blue marlin Saturday, released a white marlin and caught a 22.6-pound dolphin on Friday, to give the Giggling Marlin team a total of 822.6 points and the top $25,000 cash prize in the tournament's marlin division.

The blue marlin hit a skirted horse balao at about 9:30 a.m. Saturday, the third and final day of the tournament.

''My mom and I moved up our first beer from 10:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., gave a little to the fish Gods and threw some money out like we always do,'' said Jeff Strack, a Chicago grocery executive. ``I didn't even finish [the beer] and the marlin hit.''

It took Strack about 25 minutes to bring the fish to the boat.

After that release, they continued fishing without success except for a small dolphin that was below the 15-pound minimum required for weigh-in.

''That last two hours [of the tournament] was pretty nerve-racking, because we didn't have any idea where we stood in the rankings,'' Jeff Strack said.

Meet us in...St. Louis!

Well, that's it.

Everything is final.

The Kreidler's are loading up in the first two weeks of August and moving to Glendale Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis. Paul has accepted a job as the Budget Director for St. Louis County in Clayton, MO.

We are very excited about what lies in our future, but will miss our friends and neighbors from Springfield terribly. Since Paul moved here in 1995 and Amy in 1998, we have gotten to know tons of great people in our professional and personal lives. We hope to see everyone when they visit St. Louis, and we will certainly stop by on our many trips to Chicago.

Stay tuned for more details.

Invasion of the Banachs, Part Deux

All of greater Springfield (including Homer, Marge, and Bart) was on alert this weekend, as the Banachs invaded once again.

Luckily, no major incidents were reported (i.e. arrests, diaper failures, broken bones, etc.).

Emily was excited as her ballet company performed one of their pieces from their upcoming Summer Showcase, and the Banachs were there to see it. Despite Jason's threat of throwing rotten tomatoes at the stage and the 90+ degree temperatures, the group gave a great performance during the "Taste of Downtown" event.

Emily asked me to write that she was the best dancer, and that Conrad is awesome.

We're looking forward to the next visit already.