diff --git a/generator.rb b/generator.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..72eb4e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/generator.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+# run_generator prompts user for 2 words and prints a portmanteau of the words
+# to the screen
+def run_generator
+  # prompt user for 2 words to combine
+  puts "What is the first word to combine?"
+  word1 = get_word
+  puts "What is the second word to combine?"
+  word2 = get_word
+
+  # WAVE 1 CODE
+  # puts "Word 1: #{word1}"
+  # puts "Word 2: #{word2}"
+  # test_vowel = "i"
+  # puts "Is #{test_vowel} a vowel?"
+  # puts is_vowel?(test_vowel)
+  # test_consonant = "g"
+  # puts "Is #{test_consonant} a vowel?"
+  # puts is_vowel?(test_consonant)
+  # puts "in the run_generator method"
+
+  # calculate the end index of the first word by counting backwards. Default
+  # value is word length so that the whole word is included if there are no vowels
+  word1_end = word1.length
+  index = word1.length - 1
+  while (index >= 0)
+    if is_vowel?(word1[index])
+      word1_end = index
+      break
+    end
+    index -= 1
+  end
+
+  # calculate the start index of the second word. Default value is 0
+  # so that the whole word is included if there are no vowels
+  word2_start = 0
+  index = 0
+  until (index == word2.length)
+    if is_vowel?(word2[index])
+      word2_start = index
+      break
+    end
+    index += 1
+  end
+
+  # slice words and make the portmanteau
+  portmanteau = word1[0...word1_end] + word2[word2_start...word2.length]
+
+  puts "#{word1} + #{word2} = #{portmanteau}"
+end
+
+# get_word checks to see if the word length is greater than or equal to 2
+def get_word
+  word = gets.chomp
+  until (word.length >= 2)
+    puts "Please enter a word that is at least 2 characters long"
+    word = gets.chomp
+  end
+  return word
+end
+
+# is_vowel checks to see if a specific character is a vowel
+def is_vowel?(letter)
+  vowels = ["a", "e", "i", "o", "u"]
+  if vowels.include?(letter.downcase)
+    return true
+  else
+    return false
+  end
+end
+
+run_generator
diff --git a/generator_v2.rb b/generator_v2.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fb88cac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/generator_v2.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+# run_generator prompts user for 2 words and prints a portmanteau of the words
+# to the screen
+def run_generator
+  puts "What is the first word to combine?"
+  word1 = get_word
+  puts "What is the second word to combine?"
+  word2 = get_word
+
+  # WAVE 1 CODE
+  # puts "Word 1: #{word1}"
+  # puts "Word 2: #{word2}"
+  # test_vowel = "i"
+  # puts "Is #{test_vowel} a vowel?"
+  # puts is_vowel?(test_vowel)
+  # test_consonant = "g"
+  # puts "Is #{test_consonant} a vowel?"
+  # puts is_vowel?(test_consonant)
+  # puts "in the run_generator method"
+
+
+  # calculate the end index of the first word. Default value is word length
+  # so that the whole word is included if there are no vowels
+  index = 0
+  word1_end = word1.length
+  (word1.reverse).each_char do |letter|
+    if is_vowel?(letter)
+      word1_end = (word1.length - 1) - index
+      break
+    end
+    index += 1
+  end
+
+  # calculate the start index of the second word. Default value is 0
+  # so that the whole word is included if there are no vowels
+  index = 0
+  word2_start = 0
+  (word2).each_char do |letter|
+    if is_vowel?(letter)
+      word2_start = index
+      break
+    end
+    index += 1
+  end
+
+  # slice words and make the portmanteau
+  portmanteau = word1[0...word1_end] + word2[word2_start...word2.length]
+
+  puts "#{word1} + #{word2} = #{portmanteau}"
+end
+
+# get_word checks to see if the word length is greater than or equal to 2
+def get_word
+  word = gets.chomp
+  until (word.length >= 2)
+    puts "Please enter a word that is at least 2 characters long"
+    word = gets.chomp
+  end
+  return word
+end
+
+# is_vowel? checks to see if a specific character is a vowel
+def is_vowel?(letter)
+  vowels = ["a", "e", "i", "o", "u"]
+  if vowels.include?(letter.downcase)
+    return true
+  else
+    return false
+  end
+end
+
+run_generator
diff --git a/generator_with_enhancements.rb b/generator_with_enhancements.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..48404db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/generator_with_enhancements.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+# run_generator prompts user for 2 words and prints a portmanteau of the words
+# to the screen
+def run_generator
+  puts "What is the first word to combine?"
+  word1 = get_word
+  puts "What is the second word to combine?"
+  word2 = get_word
+
+  # WAVE 1 CODE
+  # puts "Word 1: #{word1}"
+  # puts "Word 2: #{word2}"
+  # test_vowel = "i"
+  # puts "Is #{test_vowel} a vowel?"
+  # puts is_vowel?(test_vowel)
+  # test_consonant = "g"
+  # puts "Is #{test_consonant} a vowel?"
+  # puts is_vowel?(test_consonant)
+  # puts "in the run_generator method"
+
+  # calculate the end index of the first word. Default value is word length
+  # so that the whole word is included if there are no vowels
+  word1_end = word1.length
+  index = word1.length - 1
+  while (index >= 0)
+    if is_vowel?(word1[index])
+      word1_end = index
+      break
+    end
+    index -= 1
+  end
+
+  # calculate the start index of the second word. Default value is 0
+  # so that the whole word is included if there are no vowels
+  word2_start = 0
+  index = 0
+  until (index == word2.length)
+    if is_vowel?(word2[index])
+      word2_start = index
+      break
+    end
+    index += 1
+  end
+
+  # slice words and make the portmanteau
+  portmanteau = word1[0...word1_end] + word2[word2_start...word2.length]
+
+  puts "#{word1} + #{word2} = #{portmanteau}"
+end
+
+# has_vowel? checks to see if a word has at least one vowel
+def has_vowel?(word)
+  word.each_char do |letter|
+    if is_vowel?(letter)
+      return true
+    end
+  end
+  return false
+end
+
+# get_word checks to see if the word length is greater than or equal to 2
+def get_word
+  word = gets.chomp
+  until (word.length >= 2) && has_vowel?(word)
+    puts "Please enter a word that is at least 2 characters long and has at least 1 vowel."
+    word = gets.chomp
+  end
+  return word
+end
+
+# is_vowel? checks to see if a specific character is a vowel
+def is_vowel?(letter)
+  vowels = ["a", "e", "i", "o", "u"]
+  if vowels.include?(letter.downcase)
+    return true
+  else
+    return false
+  end
+end
+
+# while loop continues to run generator until user inputs something other than
+# yes to "continue" prompt
+continue = "yes"
+while (continue == "yes")
+  run_generator
+  puts "Would you like to continue? 
+    Enter 'yes' to continue.
+    Enter any other input to exit."
+  continue = gets.chomp.downcase
+end