A Day is Short

I AM WARRIOR!

2012-01-23T10:09:00.012-05:00

Yesterday my brother, Mark, and I ran the Warrior Dash near Lake Wales. It was incredible! It's described as 3.02 hellish miles with about 12 obstacles along the way. Kari and Mark's wife, Nicole, came to cheer us on and take pictures. The race is arranged into waves of a few hundred people every 30 minutes on Saturday and Sunday. We had a 12:30 time and were both driving in to meet up around 11:00. The fun started when we happened to find each other in the massive parking lot (think thousands of cars), parked just a few cars apart. And then Mark and I ended up in matching blue shirts and black shorts, totally unplanned.

There were a lot of costumed runners: superheroes, girls in prom dresses, jailbirds, a penguin, a bride (I don't know how she got through the mud in such a big dress), etc. Here at the start you can see some spartan-like warrior running backwards in front of me with his sword and taking pictures.

The race was more challenging than I imagined. I actually thought it was harder than a half-marathon. It was a different kind of challenge. With the half's, I was also better-trained, but the Warrior Dash still required more muscular strength and heart-pumpingness. I felt like I was out of breath the whole time; whereas with long runs, you can get into a rhythm and cruise without feeling that taxed.

About a quarter mile into the race, we turned a corner, out of view of spectators, and hit a 100 yard stretch of mud. Mud like I've never seen. There are no pictures of this mud. It is not on the Warrior Dash website. I don't know if people would sign up if they saw this mud. It was thick, black, heavy, and deep. I plunged into the middle, thinking I could just power through. My leg sank with mud above my knee. As I tried to pull my leg out, it felt like my shoe would pop off. After a few steps like this, I thought I would try to spread out my body weight and crawl. Bad idea. Now my legs and arms were stuck. Runners were stuck everywhere. Shoes were left here and there all along the course. I made my way to the edge where the mud wasn't quite as deep, but it was still challenging.

By the time I emerged from the pit, I was out of breath and black from my shoulders down. We proceeded to run, but I soon discovered that almost the whole running trail was that fluffy, sugar sand, like you can find at a beach, but gray. The sand clung to my mud shoes, forming heavy little bricks. I've run the distance of a marathon, but here, in the very first mile, I needed a walk break. A few obstacles in, we had to swim across a cold pond. The cold didn't really bother me, though, as I appreciated being able to get some of the black mud off my clothes and shoes.

Besides that initial mud pit, the constant sugar sand was the hardest part to overcome. Mark was so impressive. Nothing seemed hard for him, and he was zipping through the sand. But he was such a good sport, waiting for me when I got behind and didn't complete an obstacle without me. He always made sure I was okay and I watched him for a better strategy as to how to tackle an obstacle. At one point near the end, there was a pyramid of large concrete pipes - like something they would use in construction. I opted to walk across the lowest one, as I watched Mark leap onto the top pipe, run , and jump off like a kid on a playground.

We finished the race leaping over fire and then crawling through "nice mud" under barbed wire in front of the spectators. This is nice mud because it is liquid on top of a gummy mud bottom and you can actually move through it.

It was so fun to finish with my brother and celebrate together. After it was over, I immediately thought I would do it again. But I'd train better. I want to do it and be able to legitimately keep up with Mark. We hung out for awhile, got Kari a smoked turkey leg, and then tried to hose off as much mud as possible for the ride home.

And I want to thank my ever-encouraging wife, Kari, for making this happen. When I first learned about the Warrior Dash over a year ago, I wanted to do it. I always put it off, not sure who I could run with, not sure if I could do it. Kari never stopped prodding - lovingly pushing me to make my dreams happen. She never thinks my goals are too big, and shows me every day that abundant life comes in the journey of trying to meet your goals. When I first mentioned the race to Mark in November, I even spent the next month wondering if I could still do it. By the end of December, I was still hee-hawing. I am so glad for Kari's, "Do it. Just do it. Call Mark and sign up today."

However, as much as I love it, Kari does not want to get dirty.

Getting Healthy: Not Just a New Year's Resolution

2012-01-08T10:36:00.003-05:00

I have never been one to make or keep New Year's Resolutions. So, I'm not going to start. But Kari and I are starting a new commitment or re-commitment to getting healthy. We've been talking about it for months, years maybe. We were pretty healthy when we ran the marathon in February 2010, although our eating was out of control. When I ran that many miles, I could get away with stuffing my face with Little Debbie's and anything I wanted.

But the marathon ended. My running ended. But the eating didn't. I gained almost 20 pounds in the months after the marathon. For the most part of 2011, we tried to get back into running. In September, we even got up to 5 miles. But the process has been painful, discouraging, and choppy. I did not exercise with consistency and let stress dictate my eating choices.

We lost some weight in 2011, but have a ways to go to be truly healthy. And happy. I need to lose weight for so many reasons. I tend to carry my weight around my belly: aka, heart attack fat. Those awful words should be motivation enough.

I also need to get healthy because the things in life that I enjoy the most involve activity. When Kari and I vacationed in Vermont in 2007, we explored Montpelier by running (literally) for over 8 miles. I like to hike, bike, and climb. One of our dream vacations is to go to the Grand Canyon and hike to the bottom of it. I don't want to miss out on life because I am not strong enough or conditioned enough to do something. I don't even want to physically struggle with the "chores" in life, like mowing the lawn, cleaning the tub, or fixing up the house.

I also want to live long with a high-quality of life. I don't want to be chained to medication or sidelined with knee pain. I don't want Lupus to get control of me. I don't want to develop diabetes. I love food so much (part of the problem) that I don't want out-of-control eating now to force me to eliminate entire foods later. If I cut back on the cake now, will it allow me to have a small piece every now and then the rest of my life?

I want to have children. I want to be healthy enough to conceive and grow a healthy baby without complications. I want to be able to take care of and play with all of our kids. And I don't want to pass my issues with food onto our children.

So, here are some changes that I am committing to. They are kind of listed in order of importance to me, but can occur concurrently. I am not waiting to master Step 1 before I move onto Step 2. But I also know that I probably can't get a grip on Step 7 before being comfortable with Step 1. Through all the steps, I know the main work that I need to do is to understand why I struggle with food. I don't want to use food for comfort anymore. When I feel stressed, I want to break the link that makes me automatically want chocolate. I still want to enjoy food and cooking, but I don't want to abuse it and be addicted to it. I need to pray and receive help from God, because I know I can't do it alone. I'm glad Kari is here to help, too - although she can be a little dose of Jillian sometimes. As she said to me the other day, "You can whine about it when I'm kicking your butt in circuits today."

Step 1: Increase exercise to 4-5 days per week. Vary routine to include weights, circuits, boxing, biking, and running.

Step 2: Decrease dessert to 1-2 times per week.

Step 3. Increase vegetable intake. I already eat 2-3 fruits per day. Most days I get between 1-3 vegetables, but I know I can do better. I want to use my Vitamix more to get more green leafy vegetables into my diet.

Step 4: Eat out less. We probably go to a sit-down restaurant once a month, but we tend to get fast food once a week (pizza, Chipotle, Chick-fil-A, Chinese take-out, Five Guys, etc.). I think something is out of whack in my life and priorities if I need this much convenience food.

Step 5: Control my portion size.

Step 6: Decrease processed foods. The main problem here is snack bars, like Luna bars or granola bars. I eat one a day. They are just so easy. And I also like crackers and pretzels. I've also been giving in to my love of chips lately, too. I don't eat them every day, but I think we've had at least one bag of chips in our pantry for 8 months. Chips used to be a rare occasion.

Step 7. Add vegetarian options for dinner that are bean-based, not cheese-based. It's easy to go vegetarian when I'm eating a pizza or grilled cheese, but those foods aren't any better than eating meat. I don't know how this step will work. We eat vegetable soup for lunch most days, but if I don't have some kind of meat at dinner, I feel like I haven't eaten. I get angry. I know it has to be mental, so my mind needs to start telling my body that beans are not the enemy.

I am blogging this to help me with my commitment. It's easy for me to sabotage my goals if no one knows about them. So, now they are published. You can ask me about it. Encourage me. But please, I already have Jillian, so try to be more Bob.

Fall Favorites

2012-01-02T20:02:00.016-05:00

Back in the beginning of October, I woke up and told Kari how excited I was that Fall was finally here: college football, cool weather, the Saturday Morning Market, holidays, etc. Then, I got sad that October would be over soon. She said, "What?! It's October 1st! Don't worry, you have the whole month to go."

It's hard to believe that it's now January. And that I haven't blogged since September. So, here is a recap of some of my favorite things from this fall. And I'll tell you up front, although college football is one of my favorite things (especially when I get to make a special snack, like Ultimate Nachos or chicken wings), it will not make the list because I did not get to watch one Gator game that we won. Not ONE. I heard that we beat Ohio State today, though, so I will take that as a consolation and wait for next Fall.

Here are the Fall Favorites, in no particular order:

1. We got bikes! After a few days of test-riding, we decided on the Trek Neko S. We had to wait a week for the bikes to come in, but were at the store 2 hours after they came off the truck. I hadn't really ridden a bike since 1993, but that didn't stop us from riding to the Saturday Morning Market (9.5 miles round trip) for our first ride. In our 2 months of being bike-owners, we have ridden downtown multiple times, which includes a meandering path right along the water for about 2.5 miles. We even got to ride downtown for First Night, the St. Petersburg New Year's Eve celebration, and avoided the crazy traffic and parking.

2. This is also about biking, but deserves it's own slot. Over our break, we woke up on a Thursday and decided to ride to Weedon Island (approx. 14 miles round trip). The weather was perfect with clear, blue skies. Kari packed us a picnic and planned the route. We did a short hike to a 45-foot overlook tower, where we ate our lunch and enjoyed the views. On our way out we even saw a huge gopher tortoise.

3. Sister Weekend in Orlando! My sister, Jen, and I took a weekend trip to the Caribe Royale in Orlando in mid-October. I got to order French Toast from room service and the room had two TVs! The pool with a waterfall was warm enough for a swim and a trip down the 75-foot slide. We went to Downtown Disney to see Cirque du Soleil La Nouba - an incredible show that everyone who comes this way should see. I hope to take Kari to see it one day.

4. We went to the Saturday Morning Market's opening day in October. This was unusual for us because October is still normally too hot for me to be outside for very long. But this October started cool and dry. I love buying local organic produce and perusing all the food vendors. Kari picked out a great fig empanada from Empanada World.

5. On both Thanksgiving and Christmas break, we put some effort into home improvement. We painted the kitchen bright orange, which we had bought the paint for back in July. Kari did an amazing job reaching all the hard places above the cabinets.

And we just finished up hanging up pictures on our hallway wall. We've lived here over two years and finally have some pictures up! We are just waiting for Snapfish to deliver a photo of Kari's sister's kids for that one empty frame.

6. We took our last trip to the Lowry Park Zoo with our annual zoo passes. It was a longer than usual trip because we don't plan on getting passes again until our children are old enough to enjoy the zoo. I said goodbye to my Siamangs at Primate World, but didn't spend much time there because that's where I spent most of my time this year. My favorites from this trip were the Clouded Leopard cubs, which were chasing, playing, and climbing all over the place, the frogs in the Discovery Center, and riding the camel. If you ever get a chance to ride a camel, do it! And sit in the back. The camel's hump is very soft and it is so neat to sit up that high. (It makes me think that a goal for 2012 might be to ride a horse for the first time.)

7. We went to Jen's annual Pumpkin Carving Party before Halloween. It is always a fun event to kick-off the holiday season.

8. The week after Thanksgiving, we put up our Christmas tree, decorated the house, and made Christmas cookies.

9. Nature-running near Tallahassee! We visited Kari's dad for a long weekend and got to run the trail at Leon Sinks with Kari's step-family. It was fun and challenging to run on a trail instead of our usual neighborhood road and sidewalks. It kind of felt like boot camp, jumping over roots and pushing it uphill through sand. The many sinkholes along the trail served as picturesque resting points. We also ran and hiked about 6 miles while Kari's dad rode his bike through the woods to find Shepherd Springs. There was not another person in sight or sound of traffic in earshot. And the night stars at Shell Point (quite far from a busy, bright city) were incredible.

I loved this Fall, and already look forward to next year's - I'm especially hoping that the Gators can win a good game or two. But in the meantime, I sure do love this cold Winter weather!

My family will think I am crazy

2011-09-09T17:32:00.006-04:00

Growing up in Jamaica, we often had lizards that got in our house. Big lizards. Giant lizards. With the bright pink croaking things on their necks. When I was under 5, I liked the lizards and tried to catch them to take them for a walk on my self-made leash. But I soon learned that lizards were, in fact, vicious creatures who were trying to hide in my shoes, jump on me as I walked into a room, or bite my face while I was sleeping.

None of these things ever happened. However, once in second grade, a wayward lizard somehow managed to crawl onto my shoulder while I was sitting quietly at my desk doing math work. I felt a little tingle on my crisp, white uniform blouse. I glanced over and saw two eyes staring at me from 3 inches away. I jumped out of my seat, waving my arms wildly, until it flew off into the bookcase. Stranger than that, though, was that Mrs. Samuels didn't even notice.

So, my whole family has always had a thing against lizards. In Jamaica, it wasn't uncommon for us to be crouched behind my dad as he aimed his BB gun into a bedroom to take down a giant lizard that was poised for a nighttime attack. My sister has been known to empty a can of Raid on a lizard that was on its way to try on her shoes. And you should have seen us trying to get into the house with a lizard (or worse, a frog) sitting in ambush (or eating mosquitoes) above the front door. We would all gather our thoughts, make a plan, stay focused. Dad opened the front door and shout, "Go, go, get in!" as we scrambled, sometimes squealing, with our hands over our heads, rushing into the foyer. The door slammed behind us.

When we moved into our house two years ago, the only drawback was that our house was a lizard haven. There were more lizards on our porch and hiding in the shutters than anything I had seen before. I got used to them, and even grew to appreciate their insect-eating ability. But I still didn't like them and freaked at the thought of one getting into the house.

Until I met this guy:

I spotted him one day and noticed his little pink-orange head. Then I saw him again. And again. He was always hanging out on the garden hose. Soon, I realized that I was looking for him. When I went out to grill or to water my plants, I wanted to see Pinky. I discovered that he lives in a small hole on the water hose cart. Today I was kind of upset when I went to say hello after work and he jumped into a nook in the hose where I couldn't see him. Kari says that he's scared. But how could he still be afraid of me when I am not afraid of him anymore? We've even had a photo shoot.

I'm trying not to get too attached. I don't even know how long lizards are supposed to live. He's wild, I tell myself. Wild, but definitely not vicious.

Spontaneity, months in the planning

2011-09-03T11:50:00.006-04:00

If I have had the pleasure of your company in the last several months, then you have probably had the pleasure of hearing my Vitamix infomercial. Last May when I was visiting my sister, Jen, in Naples, she was showing me the wonders of Sur la Table and Whole Foods when we stumbled upon a Vitamix demonstration. I am always up for free food samples, so we decided to stick around for a little. After tasting the piping hot tortilla soup, the juice made from whole limes, apples, spinach, pineapple, and other fruits, and a frosty cool fruit and kale (yes, the green leafy so-healthy for you kale) sorbet, we were both wooed.

However, we both walked away from the demo sans Vitamix. It is quite an expensive kitchen appliance and it was hard to make that kind of an investment so quickly.

But the Vitamix itch did not go away. Jen and I both could not stop thinking about it. And then I started noticing it everywhere. Gwenyth Paltrow, featured in my Bon Appetit magazine, touted its magnificence. I read an article from pro chefs about how it is a kitchen must-have. And you really can't look at them in a store without a current Vitamix owner stopping to sing its praises and encouraging you to fork over $450 for 3-minute sorbet. It is more than a blender. It is not a gimmick.

So, last weekend, Jen called me on Saturday afternoon and said she was at Whole Foods and the Vitamix guy was back. They were on sale until Sunday. But I had been back at school with students for a week and swore that I would not do anything but rest for that weekend. That first week of school is exhausting like no other...

Thirty minutes later, Kari and I were in the car and heading down to Naples. We have never packed so quickly in our lives. After a few hours, we were all standing in Whole Foods watching Kari be mesmerized by the fresh veggies turning into hot soup in 5 minutes. And it is not only fast, but it is also convenient. There are no parts to unscrew and wash like the traditional blender or juicer. It comes with an 8 year warranty. Did you hear that? 8 years for a kitchen appliance! I think my parents go through 2 toaster ovens a year! The Vitamix is supposed to easily last 30-40 years with its powerful, industry-standard motor. I could go on and on - it's a whole other blog just to consider the health benefits.

But now if you want to hear my informercial, you can come and see a real demonstration. Saturday night, Jen bought the last red model available, and Kari and I took a brushed stainless! Sunday morning, Jen returned to Whole Foods with my mom and she also ended up with the stainless. With Jen we made Baked Potato, Bacon, and Cheddar Soup, impossibly creamy hummus, salsa, sorbet, and fruit and spinach juice. And this weekend, Kari and I have made Roasted Pepper Alfredo Sauce and a strawberry and key lime sorbet (it was supposed to be juice, but I put in too much frozen strawberries, so we had sorbet for breakfast - either way it's still healthy!).

Now my countertop babies are making friends.

Summer Camp

2011-08-21T19:30:00.006-04:00

During one of our last weeks of summer vacation, Kari and I got to go to Summer Camp! Well, not really, but that's what it felt like. My brother and his wife went to Hawaii for a week and Kari and I had the privilege of watching their 3 kids for a week. It was awesome! There is Chris, 14, who was helpful and easy as he was pretty independent. The last time I babysat Chris he was 5 years old, so it was cool to see him grown up and into his own things. And then there are Kai, 7, and Marley, 6. Thus, the feeling of Summer Camp.

We had Experiment Day at my parent's house with my sister, Jen, and the kids. We made Oobleck, a volcano, and ice cream in a bag. Marley loved playing with her Oobleck (a mixture of cornstarch and water that acts as both a solid and liquid) for days and Kai was the reigning survivor in the volcano explosion (his paper clip man didn't get hit by lava). We also challenged our observation skills with a little detective game.

We also had field trips to the zoo, bowling (Kari won with an impressive 119 after taking a 10+ year break from bowling), and an awesome water park that is actually part of the county park system. At the zoo, the lions were actually running around and playing! I don't know if I have ever seen a big cat awake at a zoo before. It was pretty impressive.

And during the animal show, they brought out a big and a baby sloth, which were super cute. I had never seen a real sloth before as they are really hard to spot in their zoo habitats. I think Kai and Marley were equally impressed with their shaved ice. Marley actually later that week asked to go back to the zoo to get an icee.

The water park was all day fun. Kai was tall enough by 1/2 an inch to get to ride down the big slides - which Kari took him down as the twists and turns in an enclosed tube kind of scared me. We enjoyed the lazy river, jumping off the diving boards, and playing in the kid's pool, which was equipped with big spray guns, all kinds of waterfall spouts, and these floaty things that you try to balance on and then get knocked off.

Our last day there we stayed home and had Carnival Day. We mimicked a fishing game with some of my Dad's wiffle balls, played a pyramid knock-down game, and pinned the karate belt on the Karate Kid (think Pin the Tail on the Donkey with life-size kid cut-outs).

The daily life stuff was some of the most fun for me, though. The kids were all so easy and listened to any directions. Plus, they let us sleep in! They would wake up at about 8 and would play quietly until Kari got out there around 9 to make breakfast. Almost every night, we would play outside before bath and bed. Four nights they rode their scooters for 2 miles while Kari and I ran. It was fun running while hearing them talk and watching them play.

And before bedtime, we had storytime every night. We got to share some of our favorites, like Monkey with a Tool Belt, Catching the Wild Waiyuzee, and I am Dodo. Sometimes Kai and Marley wanted to read the books out loud and they both did excellent. Kai even read Swim, Little Wombat, Swim! all by himself. One night they asked us why we like storytime so much and if we read out loud at home - and we do! Kari loves being read to - from children's picture books to our current ongoing read aloud of Anna Karenina (I think I figured we will get that done in about 5 years).

My parents also helped us out a lot by having us over for dinner multiple times. They also treated everyone to a sushi and Chinese food buffet, which was Marley's special dinner request. Jen also got to hang out with us and provide gourmet mini-cake donuts and a giant mall cookie cake.

Another blessing was getting to take the kids to their karate class three times. We could watch through a glass wall and I was so impressed with their focus and intensity. All three of them did great and I am sure will be able to beat me up in another year.

Now, summer has been officially over for a week. I miss the kids and am so thankful for our week of Summer Camp.

Ten

2011-08-03T21:23:00.006-04:00

Today I celebrate 10 amazing years with my wife, Kari. We spent the day at a water park with my niece and nephew, and then had grilled steaks with my parents and sister, Jen, who also provided a gigantic cookie cake. But I think an anniversary like this deserves more than one day of fun, so we hope to try a restaurant this weekend (Berns? Bailey's? Bella Brava?).

Sometimes I struggle to express how much Kari means to me. She is so dynamic and still surprises me with the things she can do and how awesome she is. Just the other day, she was coloring with my niece and nephew, and then showed me her work: it was the cutest picture of our house. I was like, what? I didn't know you could draw!

So, for our Tenth, here are my Top Ten Reasons Why I Am Still Head Over Heels for Kari (these are in random order and do not at all encompass all my reasons):

10. Kari loves being involved in my family. She is so willing to do activities with, learn about, and be a part of our extended family. For example, she lovingly spent today playing with my niece and nephew, getting sprayed with water guns, recoating sunscreen, and smiling at all the jumps and splashes.

9. She rubs my feet every night. If my legs are hurting from a run, she will also use "The Stick" to roll them out. In fact, if you have ever mentioned that you are having leg pain around Kari, chances are you have also been offered a massage or a roll with The Stick.

8. She loves food! She enjoys trying new flavors and makes eating each meal so much fun.

7. Snuggly, snuggly, snuggly. We love our cozy time. And in ten years, we have probably spent less than 10 nights apart from each other.

6. She is humble and teachable. Kari asks God (and me) how to improve and ways she can change. It is so comforting to know that if I ever have a problem with something, she will be willing to work on it.

5. Kari challenges me to be the best that I can be. She believes in me and encourages me to reach for my dreams. Like, helping me to figure out how to publish a children's book and pushing me to run even when I don't want to (because I really want to).

4. She says what she means and means what she says.

3. Our days are filled with laughter. I love that Kari's doesn't have to have the spotlight and she doesn't speak in punchlines, but rather has a dry, subtle sense of humor. She sneaks jokes in, teases affectionately, and never laughs at someone else's expense.

2. Her standards are high (and this isn't just a compliment to me!). Rather, she expects herself to do excellent work and she appreciates high-quality work in others, whether it be a job, food, literature, paint, etc.

1. Her confidence. Kari knows who she is and is not afraid or ashamed in any way. She loves people and is secure enough to be herself. That confidence drew me in over ten years ago, and still captivates me today.

This picture is on one of our hiking trips in the Great Smokey Mountains this summer. Which is one more wonderful thing about Kari: she loves travelling with me and doing adventurous things. We never tire of being together.

I love you, Kari! Happy Anniversary!

Vacation Continued

2011-07-12T09:31:00.009-04:00

After our time in Asheville, we headed down to Dalton to spend a week with Kari's mom, Donna. The first adventure was the finding of a lost dog. A cute puggle was lost and hungry, having spent a few days around Donna's condo complex.

Donna, being the care-giver that she is, coaxed the little puppy out from under the car with some roast beef. After a bath and a night sleeping with Donna, that dog had picked its new owner. We drove the surrounding neighborhoods, went to all the vets in town, and called all the animal rescue places, but no one reported a missing dog. Now Baby does not like to leave Donna's side - well, more like her lap.

We also went to Amicalola Falls with Kari's brother-in-law, niece, nephew, Donna, and Baby. We went up a short, but steep trail and then about 175 steps to get to the mid-point of the falls to take pictures. Then Kari and I climbed the remaining 425 steps to the top of the falls.

We had a nice picnic lunch and then let Kari's nephew play on the playground. The swings seemed to be just as impressive to him as the falls!

Our last night in town, we went to see a local production of Hairspray by the Chattanooga Theatre Centre with Donna, Kari's sisters, Allison and Ashlyn, Kari's niece, and Ashlyn's husband, Jon. It was amazing! The talent of the cast rivaled any big production that I've seen. It makes me want to check out any local theater companies in Tampa Bay. Plus the setting was beautiful - along the river, across from Chattanooga's River Arts District.

Then we went to Kennesaw to stay with Ashlyn and her family for a few days. Our first night there, Ashlyn took us to the much-anticipated "The Varsity." It is a local, but way bigger than local, hot dog and hamburger joint. I saw it on the Food Network the summer previous and have been waiting a year to hear them take my order with a "What'll ya have! What'll ya have!" The Frosted Orange (think an orange creamsicle in shake form) was a delightful surprise - thanks Ashlyn!

We went to Ashlyn's in-laws for their annual 4th of July party - the pulled pork that smoked in a Big Green Egg for 20 hours was delicious as always. I also liked just hanging out at home with them. I got to read my nephew a bedtime story and Jon, taught me how to play college football on Xbox (I think it was an Xbox). Those video games are harder than they look! I led my Florida Gators to a horrible defeat, despite the fact that Jon took it easy on me up until the last 2 minutes of the game!

Ashlyn was so gracious in letting us invite some of our friends to her house to hang out. I spent a day catching up with my high school friend, Andy, and a couple hours with my college roommate, Melissa, and her boyfriend. It is such a blessing to be able to see so many people!

Now we are back home and starting to tackle some projects. If you've seen "The Room" before, the one where you couldn't walk in the door, you'll be happy to know you can now walk in and see carpet!

Summer Starts

2011-06-29T12:49:00.008-04:00

I haven't blogged in awhile, but I think summer is a good time to start up again. Now that Kari and I are both working in the school system, we have the whole summer together.

So far we've enjoyed spending time on the Rainbow River with Kari's side of the family: boating, swimming, kayaking, rope-swinging, eating, running (Kari made exercise a family event with her sister, Ashlyn, brother, and brother-in-law), snorkeling...

and watching how cool Kari is scuba diving with her dad. It makes me want to get certified.

We visited Emily and Mike in beautiful Asheville. It's our kind of town. And we love trying new restaurants, like Early Girl Eatery with all of my Southern favorites. Fried green tomatoes, stone-ground grits, biscuits, smokey bacon gravy - I love the South.

We got to do our favorite pastime of hiking to waterfalls. This is Mouse Creek Falls in the Great Smokey Mountains National park. We hiked to four other falls a few days later. Thank you, Emily, for sticking with us through the rain and mud!

And we even did a little rock jumping into the icy cold Midnight Hole. And even though I was holding my nose, I screamed the whole way down. (Kari does a great job of capturing these action shots!)

And all that was less than two weeks into our summer!

Through the eyes of 8-year-olds: More Kid Quotes

2011-01-28T16:18:00.003-05:00

After a night of tremendous storms earlier this week, a student came in the next day all worked up. "Did you see those tornadoes last night? Hey, guys, did you see those tornadoes?... I thought tornadoes were fake." Reminds me of two years ago when a student was shocked to learn that trains are real, not just rides or part of movies.

***

One of my brightest girls compiled a list of her top 26 questions that she was thinking of and wanted me to look them over in case I could answer any.

"Why don't rich people like to help poor people?"
"Why do men make more money when women work just as hard?"
"Why do some of the most important jobs get paid the least?"
"Why do we eat animals? They don't eat us."
"Why do people kill each other?"

Not exactly easy answers. We talked a little, and then I told her to stay kind, keep thinking, and one day I'd vote for her for President. She said, "I didn't know a woman could be President!" "Sure she can," I replied. "Then why are they all men?"

Natural Beauty

2011-01-18T12:47:00.006-05:00

On Sunday, my dad treated the family to a relaxing day on Sanibel Island. We went to the Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge to take a boat tour of Tarpon Bay. The weather was gorgeous and I had forgotten how peaceful it is to be out on the water.

Before the boat tour, our guide gave an informational session about the wildlife and shells in the area. And there was a touch tank. I had never actually seen the live gastropods that live inside the shells. They are quite slimy and squishy - they look like a creature from a sci-fi movie.

Out in the bay, we saw White Pelicans (I'd only seen the more common Brown Pelican before). And there were white osprey (it was osprey, right?) perched in the mangroves fluffing out their feathers, trying to attract a mate.

I really enjoy being in nature and learning about wildlife. I've always liked going up to the mountains and hiking for waterfalls, but I want to spend some more time exploring the beauty of Florida. It is harder because when I have off in the summer, it is too hot to do much here. But I want to try. I hope Kari and I can do another camping trip this Spring, staying fairly local.

Here is my short list of places I want to see in FL in the next year or so:

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park - for the snorkeling
Hillsborough River State Park - for camping (maybe in March) and canoeing
Starkey Wilderness Park - for hiking and bicycling: there are over 25 miles of trails!
Torreya State Park - for the view and hiking
Blue Springs and Manatee Springs State Park - for the breathtaking, clear spring water and the manatees
Hontoon Island State Park - for camping and canoeing in a remote location, feeling away from everything, surrounded by water

Kid Quote of the Day

2011-01-14T15:56:00.003-05:00

Or "Why We Should Teach More Social Studies."

Today after watching a video about Martin Luther King, Jr., my third graders started looking around our room and announcing who wouldn't be in our room pre-MLK and how they are happy things changed. Which led to some informal discussion about culture and racial backgrounds.

Besides clearing up the belief that all my Hispanic students are from Puerto Rico, the funniest quote: "I think I'm half German Shepherd."

Lowry Park Zoo

2011-01-09T10:45:00.006-05:00

Yesterday, Kari and I went to Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo. She went a week ago with her visiting sister and family, but I was not able to attend. So Kari bought the Annual Zoo Pass so we could go back all year - just 2-3 hour trips at a time, without the pressure of having to see everything all in one day. And it is a good thing she did because yesterday I spent our whole 2.5 hours in the Primate World!

My favorite were the Siamang Gibbons, a type of ape (which I learned is different from a monkey because it does not have a real tail). There was a mom, dad, and their 17-month old baby.

These apes are amazing tree climbers and swingers. They were so active: swinging around their island by their arms, balancing across ropes 30 feet in the air, and leaping from trees to poles.

We were also privileged to hear them "duet." The Siamangs are monogamous for life, and when they find their mate, they form a unique song that they sing together. One of the keepers said that before the baby was born, they would duet everyday at 10:00, like clockwork. But since having the baby, they sing more sporadically. We were lucky to be there for the whole duet, which lasted about 30 minutes.

You could hear their song across the entire zoo, which drew quite an audience. My favorite part was at the end of the song where they gave a loud call that sounded just like "Yaaaahoooo!"

On a side note, before they started singing, we were watching one Siamang make lap after lap in the air, swinging and jumping. The baby was in a palm tree, trying to get to an adjacent tree. And the third was sitting in the grass watching. A mom with a 3-4 year old girl next to us asked her daughter, "Which do you think is the mom and which is the dad?" She said, "Oh, that's the mom!" pointing to the one in the grass. "Why?" "Because she's just sitting around doing nothing." The mom turned to those around her, "Do you hear that? All day long I'm cooking, cleaning, and doing laundry... but the mom has to be the one doing nothing!" (Stay strong, Stay-at-Home-Moms - they will know what you do one day.)

I was also fascinated by the Orangutans. They are also excellent climbers and like to play with human clothing, boxes, spoons, and whatever else they get. It was Didi's 31st birthday, so we got to be there for her party as all the orangutans received boxes to unwrap - I think filled with peanuts. And Didi got a special spoon.

They also seemed to be more aware of the crowd than some of the other primates and would sit on a perch near us to interact or pose. Orangutans are 97% genetically the same as humans, so they give them the same medicine as us. But as Kari said, "That's an important 3%!"

I can't wait to go back and see more of the zoo! Although, Kari thinks I will have a hard time not going back to see the primates again. She might be right.

Two weeks off

2011-01-04T16:26:00.005-05:00

It was fantastic to have two weeks off with Kari over the Christmas break. We managed to go the entire time without having one day where we did not visit with anybody - well, except the last Sunday, Kari just say goodbye to her sister, brother-in-law, and nephew in the morning before I even woke up. I spend many weekends not even going outside, just resting or doing stuff around the house. So, for me, it was a really busy and really fun vacation.

Here are some of my favorite moments:

Climbing in the "Water Cycle" nets at the Children's Museum with my nieces and nephew.

Having a Florida White Christmas: two trips to Ft. DeSoto beach! The first time it was sunny and chilly - perfect for a picnic and throwing the frisbee.

The second time was sunny and warm - perfect for watching kids dig in the sand and brave the frigid water.

Going to see The Nutcracker at The Straz Center. (Kari already posted the picture I wanted to use.)

Watching the Gators beat Penn State in Urban Meyer's last UF game. I made Ultimate Nachos and Five-Spice Chicken Wings with Cilantro-Sour Cream dipping sauce to distract me from the chaos that was Gator football this season. This was the only game I watched this year that we won. I have no photo of this - just picture me smiling.

Donut Day! The tradition lives. Since I was about 11 or 12 I have celebrated New Year's Eve with an indulgence of donuts. It all started when I was too young to go out for New Year's, but my siblings weren't. I was home with my parents, wanting to celebrate. The wait at a restaurant was too long, so my mom took me to Publix to buy and eat as many donuts as I wanted. There's something special about getting to pick out lots of different kinds at once. Nowadays, we head over to Fray's, but I still pick out whatever I want. The surprising favorite this year was my Powdered Jelly donut.

Out with the old

2010-12-11T10:31:00.017-05:00

Hellooooo out there! If there is anyone out there, I'm still here. It's been quite a few months and blogging just hasn't made it on my To Do list. But I think things are settling down a bit and I should have more time and mental capacity to think about more than just house and work. Or I am just a little euphoric with Christmas Break being only 1 week away.

We have accomplished several house projects in the last few months. It may not seem like much, but for people who usually take 1 year and several trips to the store just to buy a pair of pants, these major changes came fast.

1. First up, we remodeled a bathroom! This project started in August and was supposed to be finished before I had to go back to work... the Final inspection was last Thursday. But we love it!

The old bathroom.

The new. (Thanks, Mama, for the idea to tile in the cabinet cut-out!)

2. We removed the illegal, makeshift electricity running to the mildewy shed (well, the electrician did it), cleaned out leaking chemicals and rusty shelves from 1978, and replaced the whole shed. Now we can get bikes because we have somewhere to put them!

Going, going, gone!

The new, shiny shed.

3. We always wanted to get a new shed, but it probably wouldn't have happened for many years. The replacement was hastened because we were replacing our A/C and the old shed was in the way. Our old 1987 A/C wasn't broken yet, but it had its scares and we never knew when it was going to go. We wanted to replace it on our terms and not in a mid-summer 100 degree panic - plus the tax credit is ending.

The new A/C is so quiet! The old one went BOOM when it clicked off and rattled when it came on. It's nice not wondering if every time it comes on if it will be the last.

We also redid the kitchen sink plumbing and faucet, got a pantry light installed, and fixed the bathroom sink plumbing and faucet in the other bathroom.

And last week, we put up our first Christmas Tree. Now I just want to make Christmas cookies.

Seriously

2010-08-19T18:21:00.004-04:00

School started for teachers last Monday and I have enjoyed getting back into the swing of things. I like setting up my room and planning new lessons. The District also has a new integrated information system with all our grades, attendance, student info, etc. It is actually a really good program...

However, we have to do 6 hours of training to learn how to use the program. Nevermind that I've been using the program all week without a hitch without doing any training. But it's mandatory. It's monitored. And it is so insulting.

I've spent the last two hours watching riveting videos showing me how to use a dropdown menu, how to navigate to the home page, how to check my email with the button that says "Webmail", and how to print in Adobe. It is seriously going to drive me to break our new "Don't Eat Dessert Until Saturday" rule. And the rule just went into effect yesterday.

Summer Grillin'

2010-08-12T10:08:00.003-04:00

I think the Florida Fall and Spring is really the best time for grilling because of the perfect weather. But Summer brings the late sunset so that I have time to grill while there is still light out - especially when it's Kari's late nights and we're not eating until 8:30 or 9:00.

HOWEVER, summer also brings rain. And it's been raining a lot lately. Yesterday, it rained the whole first half of the day. At high tide, the water started rising in our streets - I haven't seen it get that high since we've moved here. The neighbor's yard on the corner lot was under water. But the water subsided, the sky cleared, and we were left with a rather "cool" night for some grilled tandoori chicken.

There was about 15 minutes left on the chicken when I heard a little drizzle. The sun was set and the murky gray twilight was fast fading into black. I stepped outside and the clouds didn't look too bad. The drizzle was already ending. Inside as I was tending to the naan and green beans, I heard the patter picking up again.

I went with umbrella this time. Still a light drizzle. I thought I would pull the grill under the oak tree-covered part of the patio to give it a little shelter for the last 10 minutes. As I was moving the grill, the hesitant sprinkle turned into sheets of rain. I was stuck at the back of our driveway/patio, umbrella over grill, with rain pouring down my back. I didn't have a pan or tongs to grab the chicken off. I didn't even have a potholder or glove to close the vents so that water didn't drench the drumsticks.

So I waited. Kari was on the phone and computer - she didn't know I had gone outside. About 10 minutes later, her head was peeking out the side door. She had this quizzical "where did the grill go" look. She spotted me in the dark under the tree and came to my rescue.

I was drenched, but the chicken was tasty!

Bear With Me

2010-08-05T15:44:00.007-04:00

Usually I don’t blog or even speak much about same-sex issues. Kari can more easily express her thoughts and frustrations, but I tend to bottle things up and really only unleash my thoughts, anger, hurt, etc. to Kari. However, with the momentous ruling that happened yesterday, I can’t help it. Yesterday, Judge Vaughn Walker ruled California’s Prop 8 unconstitutional, which overturns the ban on same-sex marriage (in CA). Now, there are appeals and more fighting until the case will most likely be decided in the U.S. Supreme Court in a few years.

There are people who are ecstatic. I had such a feeling of relief and hope when I heard the ruling. And there are people who are angry. Take a look at any discussion board surrounding this issue and you will see people from both sides behaving very poorly.

I had to stop myself from reading the discussion posts because it was making me so upset. A few years ago, I would have been an opponent of same-sex marriage (yes, even though Kari and I were together) and I harbored many of the misunderstandings and ill feelings toward those that identified as LGBT. It was a long process of examining my own belief system, understanding how I came to believe those things, and forming what I believe now. Now, before you stop reading because you are one who disagrees with the ruling, please know that I am not trying to convince you about the morality of same-sex relationships in this blog. Rather, I am considering how I view the different arguments and what arguments I think the law should be based on. And I am willing to be wrong.

I have come to see the arguments against same-sex relationships in three categories: “It will harm society,” “It’s icky,” and “It’s against God.” Please hear me that I am not making fun of anyone who holds beliefs in any of these camps (I held beliefs in all 3), but rather I wish that people would take a look at their beliefs before they write comments on discussion boards or send money to anti-same-sex marriage campaigns, and, mostly, before they vote.

First, many of the “Society” arguments try to come from a logical or scientific standpoint. However, these are the ones that seem most illogical to me. I have heard things like, “It’s not natural.” Well, there are over a thousand species in the animal kingdom that exhibit homosexual behavior. However, this argument is silly to me anyways because I hope we don’t base the complexity of human relationships on what animals do. Most animals have many mates to have as much children as possible throughout their life – it’s natural. But we don’t encourage this behavior, at least not with marriage. Animals also naturally go to the bathroom in public, we don’t. To millions of people, loving someone of the same gender is as natural as breathing.

I’ve also read, “It will break up the traditional man and woman marriage” or “It will discount gender.” What? How? There is no foundation for these arguments. I think heterosexual marriage has already had many struggles (and successes) before any same-sex couple wanted to get married. And no one is discounting gender. I am not asking anyone to stop being a man or a woman.

I also read, and I’m not making this up, that granting marriage rights and, thus, health benefits to same-sex couples will drive up the cost of jeans. So, if this were true, would our society prefer to deny health care to a committed, hard-working couple so that the Levi’s are a few bucks cheaper? Could you say this out loud to an LGBT person you know? Could you say to someone in a committed relationship, “Your full-time job does not provide health insurance, but your partner’s job does. Everyone else gets married and gets to share in the health benefits. I would rather you go in debt or not receive medical care because I need more jeans.” Or say it to me. “Debbie, if you could not work because of Lupus, I would not want you to get on Kari’s health care because it might make my shopping trip more expensive. I would rather you miss out on life-saving treatment than pay a dollar more for designer jeans.” It sounds extreme, but it’s not my argument. I don’t think it makes sense – and I don’t think I know anyone who would say that.

Some other Society arguments I’ve heard: “Children will be confused,” “They want to make everyone gay,” “ It’s a slippery slope and next they will want to marry animals,” “They are all pedophiles and can’t be trusted,” “Same-sex couples can’t be monogamous anyways.”

I believe that most of the Harm to Society arguments are based on fear. Fear of our own financial and physical security. Fear our children will be gay. Fear someone will think that we are gay or question our masculinity/femininity. Fear of the unknown. There is no logical or research-based foundation for these arguments.

What’s tricky is that I think that the beliefs in each category often get intertwined and mistaken for each other, which makes considering the beliefs or even possibly changing that much harder. For example, the Icky group of arguments are basically those that show how we feel icky thinking about or simply seeing same-sex couples. I have heard these as expressed in many ways: “It’s just not right,” “It makes me uncomfortable,” “Why are they flaunting it?” “I don’t want my kids around it,” “It’s not normal,” “I can’t imagine them together,” “It’s not traditional.” Now, just because I am uncomfortable around something doesn’t mean it should necessarily be against the law. I am uncomfortable seeing extreme body piercings. Tongue piercings ick me out. But that doesn’t mean I have to hate, stereotype, or outlaw those with tongue piercings. I think the Icky group stems more from what we have or have not been exposed to. Our human nature drives us to define ourselves and our group, which often creates an “Other.” If we have not been around many LGBT people, it is much easier to see them as an Other and then heap on a whole lot of misconceptions. It's also hard when someone who we classified as Other is now trying to say that they are really the same as us. The same kind of feelings and separation has existed among the races throughout history, but is hopefully improving as we come to know each other and experience the rich diversity of people.

The Icky group often gets intertwined with the God group. I believe that this is dangerous because then tradition can get confused with morality. Don’t get me wrong, I love tradition. But just because another family doesn’t have turkey at Thanksgiving or hand out red envelopes with money or shave their legs doesn’t make them a second-class human. When Icky and God gets confused, instead of recognizing that maybe we should treat someone with respect and decency (and offer them the protection of the law), even though they are different than what we are used to, it can turn into “It’s not right because God says so and I’m not going to think about it anymore.”

However, I can understand the God group the most. I know what the Bible verses say and through my research and my own understanding, I may have a different interpretation than you. If anyone ever wants to discuss it, or just see what I’ve found, I will be happy to share. But I’m not going to beat it into anyone. Rather, I can understand the sincerity and conviction of those that are against same-sex marriage because they believe that God is against it. To me, these arguments make much more sense than the Society or Icky arguments. However, if you separate the God arguments from the Icky, then the thought is more like, “It’s not right because God says AND because God commands us to love, I am going to love you and serve you and pray about what God wants me to believe and do.” That’s a little different than the Icky way of not wanting to see someone in public or treating them like a disease “because God says so.”

But should faith determine law? Many of the arguments again start mixing tradition and faith here – the “Our country was founded under God” argument. But our nation was founded with religious freedom and freedom of many types, and not all founding fathers were Christian (nor did they all behave like God intends Christians to behave). The “under God” part in the Pledge was added in 1954. I am a Christian, but I think it can get real tricky to mix Church and State. I am thankful that many of our laws reflect the way that I believe that God would want us to behave – but the law certainly cannot capture the entirety of God.

Nor do most people try to make the law fit all of God. Right now, people just want their Biblical interpretation to fit with same-sex marriage laws. God has an exact commandment about not committing adultery. Is there a law against that? What about divorce? What about pre-marital sex? What about not going to church? What about dishonoring your parents? Where are all these laws? I think they are absent because tradition mixed with religion. Those in charge or with power or the dominant culture have traditionally committed adultery, gotten divorced, or skipped a Sunday. No laws were made against it – or they changed to allow it – and no rights were denied because less and less people were “icked” out by these traditionally accepted vices. (Of course I don’t even consider a same-sex relationship a vice or sin, but like I said, that’s a different discussion.) We don't deny rights or privileges to people who are considered traditionally normal in society, even if they do not conform to every word of the Bible. And tradition changes over time – like living with someone before marriage is way more accepted now than 50 years ago.

Also, don’t we tend to go to war with countries that mix religion and policy? If we don’t agree with their discrimination or denial of women’s rights or killing for their God, why would we allow these things for our God? Most people believe that racial and gender discrimination is wrong, so we don’t believe that anyone should do them for God... but that’s just our current tradition. In the past, people had slaves with the backing of the Bible and today, people discriminate and demean same-sex relationships with the backing of the Bible. My point is not whether same-sex relationships are right or wrong, but that religion should not determine policy.

So, I do not see a rational reason, either Societal, Icky, or God-based, to deny same-sex marriage. I do see a reason how denial of marriage and even just granting civil-unions is harmful. In a nutshell, lesser rights equal lesser status; a separate name, means separate status. A lack of equality means just that. Which means that people are able to justify hatred, discrimination, and slander. It means that people can use terms like gay synonymously with stupid to name-call. It means that I have to consider the backlash and even losing my job if parents find out about my relationship because I have no protection under the law. It means that I let the sales clerk selling me bathroom cabinets and the nurse at my doctor’s office refer to my “husband” because I was afraid of how I would be treated if they knew my ring was for a woman. It means that if I don’t hide my relationship, I am pushing an agenda. It means that LGBT teenagers are 3-4 times more likely to commit suicide.

Thank you, Judge Walker.

Landscaping

2010-08-03T11:05:00.003-04:00

For anyone who read it, our yard reminds me of the prank in Kathryn Stockett's The Help. If you haven't read it, it's a really great book. One of my favorites that our book club has read.

Demo Day

2010-07-29T17:08:00.004-04:00

We started remodeling our bathroom today. In the past year of homeownership, I feel like I have learned so many things - or at least realized that there is so much I don't know. The past few weeks have been a crash course in bathrooms. What are the pros and cons of different vanity tops? What kind of tile do we need to buy? How many thousands of shades of brown can a cabinet door possibly come in? What can give us the cleanest, most durable, most mold-resistent bathroom possible?

We are still sorting through the information, but have begun the purchasing. I think the hardest time will be picking tile because neither of us have a great sense of design. And then, do we go with a trendy splash of color with those little glass tiles that everyone is using? Or keep it simple so that in a few years people don't look at our bathroom and say, "Oh... they must have done this in 2010"?

Here's what the bathroom looks like now. As a fun part of demo, we discovered that there is a window in the wall! I guess we were right that the other side of the house really was an addition.

New York Review

2010-07-10T14:44:00.016-04:00

Kari and I planned our New York vacation for months. We knew we wouldn't have much time (3 days upstate, 2 days Manhattan), so we wanted to make sure we chose the things we wanted to do the most without overloading and exhausting ourselves. Planning Manhattan was especially tricky because Kari had never been and there is just so much to do. I decided that the three things that we would for sure do were go up the Empire State Building, do a double-decker bus tour, and see the Statue of Liberty.

We didn't do any of them. Once we got to New York, we realized that we just wanted to take time to explore. As vacationers, we tend to really dislike lines, crowds, or anything too touristy. Rather, we like to be outside, walking around, and just taking our time. And we really love to eat. I spent more time researching Manhattan restaurants than anything else. And whatever we do, it is made better if we can visit with friends.

So, here are the Top 10 highlights of our trip:

1. We got to hike through a forest and along the Hudson River at the Samuel Morse home with Kyra and baby Nicolas. Nico found time for a nap as we walked under the cool shade of the trees.

2. Kyra beat both Kari and me in races along the walkway over the Hudson.

3. And then after some more hiking with Kyra's parents, they treated us to a fantastic dinner at The Tea Room, a restaurant featuring local ingredients. We had a roasted vegetable platter, roasted organic chicken with a rhubarb chutney, and the best mashed potatoes I've ever had.

4. Central Park was probably my favorite part of the city. It was bigger than I could have ever imagined. We got lost (just for a little bit) in the labyrinth of paths that cut through the park, which is half like a forest. There's even a mini-castle in the park that used to be a lookout.

5. We got to eat at the Shake Shack that was right next to Central Park. I wouldn't wait the 1 hour or more long lines that this place is famed for, but it was definitely worth the 20 minutes we spent. If you go, make sure to get one of their frozen custard treats - either a shake or concrete.

6. That night we got to eat at Momofuku Ssam Bar with Kyra, Hector, and her brother. Kari tried stuffed quail and sauteed soft shell crab for the first time. Afterward, Kyra's brother took us to the Spot Dessert Bar for creative desserts, like Butterscotch Torchon with gingered pineapple macademia thai tea whip (my favorite) or the White Miso Semifreddo.

7. We got to walk the Brooklyn Bridge at night. The lights were spectacular and we got to see the Empire State Building all lit up. (Don't worry, Dad, it was completely safe. Tons of tourists on the bridge.)
8. Chinatown was a fun experience. It almost felt like we were not in America. We ate at the Dumpling House (so inexpensive compared to the rest of NY) and had a sao bao (steamed bun) just like I remembered from childhood. I was jealous of the variety of produce available at the markets that were on every corner, but not so jealous of the chickens and ducks hanging in the windows with their heads still on.

9. The closest we got to the Empire State Building was from the rooftop patio of our friend's apartment in Chelsea. (It's the tall one.) We had not seen her since our undergrad days at UF, so it was great to catch up and get her perspective of NY.

10. My sister, Jen, arranged for us to have lunch and a private tour at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park. I once considered going there before I chose teaching, so I always wanted to see it. It was the most beautiful campus I had ever seen! And the food was fantastic - and all prepared by the students. My favorite was the Wild Hive Polenta Cakes and the ravioli appetizer special. And the bakery made the best croissant I've ever had.

We also loved the old architecture, especially the churches in the city. Oh, and we had the best donuts at the Doughnut Plant. I had seen it on Food Network twice and we just had to go there. I can't wait to explore and eat my way through New York again!

We're back!

2010-07-05T22:57:00.002-04:00

After 18 days of traveling, Kari and I are back. I had forgotten how much I love our home. As we were getting near, I started getting nervous. I wondered if we would come home to a flooded house (it happens in our area) or if someone had broken in. Suppose Kari's car was stolen? Suppose a tree limb fell on our roof and it had been raining inside our house for a week? Suppose the power had cut out and everything in the fridge was melted or rotting? How many dead roaches would we find?

But all was well. Well, except for the yard. Yikes. Florida grass/weeds grow fast. And there were only two dead roaches... so far.

I had an amazing vacation, but it's good to be home.

I ain't saying she's a gold digger

2010-06-18T14:14:00.003-04:00

When I opened the carton of cookie dough ice cream, I noticed a deep hole mined right down the middle, going straight to the bottom. There were also some offshooting crags to the right. Kari sure loves the chunks in her ice cream.

I admit that I, too, sometimes go digging for cookie dough or brownie bits that are not technically part of my serving. However, I try to take the gems that are just on the surface. Like when I get my scoop and reveal the ribbon of fudge or cluster of chunks that's buried right below, it's a little hard not to do a little picking.

Take deep breaths and walk away

2010-06-14T11:24:00.003-04:00

I hate my printer. It has decided to randomly print what it wants to print. Odd pages. Even pages. Now every other odd page. Or just not at all. It gives bits and pieces. Why, oh why?! And when it does print, I can choose photo quality and a photo looks more like a finger paint smearing that's been left in the rain. How can our technology be so advanced, yet I've never had a printer that didn't make me want to do this:

School's in for the summer!

2010-06-13T10:56:00.004-04:00

So, I am done with another year of third grade. And I am pretty much done with my UF work - I have to go up and defend my Portfolio next week, and if that goes well, then I graduate in August with my Ed.S. (Specialist) degree. Now we have time for a different kind of school!

Kari has been wanting to learn how to cook for quite awhile. But it all came to a head the past week and a half when I was working round the clock to finish my Portfolio, and I had a cold. We ended up having to go out to eat like nine days in a row. We used to go out to eat less than nine times a year! Half way through, my body was rebelling and wanting fresh vegetables and homemade food. But it didn't happen.

Now, Kari does work many nights until 8:00 p.m., so I don't blame her for not being able to cook after a long day. However, she wants to learn some staples and feel confident enough to pull together meals when I cannot. I think she already knows a ton. She's been helping me for 10 years. She just needs a little experience of being the one near the oven and flipping the meat. Not like she has just been sitting around before, though. Usually when I cook, she cleans constantly, gets stuff for me, and chops stuff.

We had our first lesson last night. She made a fabulous Shrimp and Pancetta over Polenta. The shrimp were tender and the polenta creamy. I hope we can do cooking school night at least once a week during the summer so that Kari gets a good list of things that she feels like she can whip up. She's already quite the Teacher's Pet!

Pick a Side

2010-06-10T16:19:00.003-04:00

Now, I know I might be stepping on some toes here, but you have to pick a side. After my final party with my students on the last day of school yesterday, I came home full from kid food. I get very excited about our parties because I get to try lots of junk food that I would never buy for myself. But there are some definite winners in the bunch. Pick your side.

Cheetos: Crunchy vs. Puffy. It's hard to start with this one because I love all things Cheeto. However, I think that Crunchy Cheetos are the true cheesy snack. Crunchies come in all varieties of twisted, bulging, branch-like shapes. Their nooks and crags get filled with intense doses of orange cheesiness. You cannot eat these without the evidence of cheese coating your fingers. All Puffies really look the same - little tubes with a mild orange dusting. Their light crunch can make them too interchangeable with forms of puffed rice or corn snacks. They do make good smiley faces, but cannot compare to the Crunchies.

Oreos: Original vs. Double-Stuffed. I hadn't had a Double-Stuff Oreo in years, but a student brought in a pack for our party. After three of them I remembered why Kari and I used to eat a pack a week. Double-Stuffed are so good! You still get that distinctive Oreo "chocolate" crunch taste, but with a shot of vanilla flavor in the smooth, thick cream. The cookie in the Original is good, but overwhelms the whole middle.

Cheez-its vs. Goldfish. Both of these snacks turn my stomach when I am not working. But during the school year, I enjoy a handful when the kids have them as their "healthy" snack. The winner here is clearly Cheez-its. Again, Cheez-its have the more powerful cheese flavor and their greasiness is very satisfying. Goldfish always taste a little burned to me. Like they are baked too long, and then someone covered up the taste with heavy doses of salt.

Graham Crackers vs. Animal Crackers. Unless you have a batch of marshmallows, some dark Hershey's bars, and a campfire, Animal Crackers will win every time. I do like grahams for a pie crust or with some cream cheese, but do you see how you always have to add something to them? Animal Crackers can stand on their own. They are crunchy and not too sweet. Plus, I love seeing the different animals I get. Even though they are small, it is still fun to try to eat them in multiple bites - should I take off the head first? then the legs? I've also noticed that all brands of Animal Crackers taste slightly different. I love the original in the little, red circus box. I also like Fresh Market's or this brand that maybe they sell at Sam's because parents always bring them to class in these huge bags half the size of my body. And Publix's version has these unique lemony, coconuty flavor. I love them, but don't get them if you want the pure Animal Cracker taste.

Take a stand. Choose your side. (But it's still okay to eat from either side.) And thank you for bearing with my mindless post. I was up until 3:30 a.m. finishing my Portfolio last night and am feeling a bit delirious. If you need to read something more serious, check out Kari's blog. We have a lot on our minds.

I Can See the Light

2010-06-07T23:09:00.003-04:00

At the end of the tunnel. After the rain. Or just outside my front door. However, you want to look at it, the end is near. Thursday is my last day of the teaching year; Wednesday is the last day with kids.

And for the last month I have been holed up trying to put together my Final Portfolio for my UF program. Our goal most weekends has been for me not to step outside the front door from Friday evening until Monday morning. Even when we went to Kari's Dad for Memorial Weekend, I had to stay at home and type while they went to St. George Island State Park, which happens to be my favorite beach in the world.

It's been quite an intense amount of work - and a rather emotional journey, too, as I have had to synthesize and reflect on everything I've done the past two and half years. A lot has changed in that time. Professionally, this program has been incredible and I have grown so much. As much as I'm ready for a break, now that I see the end in sight, I am a little sad to not have the classes and comraderie and goals.

But it's not quite done - I just see the light. My Portfolio is due to my reviewers on Wednesday, which means a crazy Tuesday tomorrow. And then next week I have to go up to Gainesville to defend my Portfolio. Hopefully that goes smoothly and I can just enjoy my summer until our August graduation.

Kari says she's even going to try to take me to the beach when my work is done. It may not be St. George, but I haven't been in two years and I would like to make a sand castle before sand gas stations are more appropriate.

Kid Fads

2010-05-27T18:46:00.002-04:00

I saw this article on yahoo today and had to laugh. If you don't want to go to the article, it is basically about Silly Bandz - the newest kid fad. They are colorful rubberband bracelets that take the shape of animals, stars, etc. The article reports that the bands are being banned across the country by administrators and teachers.

I banned them in my classroom about a month ago. They really came out of nowhere. One day, someone had on one; the next day, two more kids had them; then, bam, half the class's arms were covered with Silly Bandz... but so were their work and their desks. Kids love to take them off and spread them all around, comparing and commenting. Good for social interaction, not so good for independent reading time.

But the dealbreaker for me was the day three kids were ready to punch it out over a trade gone bad during lunch (which is also in the article). In case you aren't around elementary school much, kids are very bad at trading. I see about 1 in a 100 deals actually work out and not end in, "She's not my friend anymore," or "I just said he could borrow it," or "My mom says I have to get the $10.00 back because it was for lunch."

I was too busy to handle bad Silly Bandz deals, so they went on my forbidden list. If I see them, they are mine until the end of the school year. I never understand how this rule actually works out. The kids never question it and it really helps get rid of distractions. I hope parents never sue a teacher over taking away a toy in class because right now, the kids know if they are messing around with something, it's one warning, then see you in June.

Outside of class, I like the Silly Bandz. I think every generation should have some fad to reminisce and send "You know you grew up in 2010 if..." forwards. My favorites were Hypercolor, slap bracelets, and tear jerkers (they went down like drug deals on the bus ride home).

Thinking it through

2010-05-10T10:06:00.002-04:00

Two basic science concepts that I teach my third graders:

1. Liquid will spread to take the form of whatever container it is in.
2. Frozen water expands.

I ignored them both.

When we went camping a couple weeks ago, it was going to be warm and I wanted to keep a cooler full of ice and cold food. I love big ice bricks to help slow down the ice-melting process. Usually I make a bunch of bricks in old Cool Whip or sour cream containers. But we didn't have any.

So I had the bright idea of freezing water in gallon Ziplocs. They would be nice and big. I could throw away the empty Ziplocs. The bag would seal closed if for some reason I didn't want the ice to get out.

They also sank in between the wires of the freezer shelf. The two bags nuzzled together and then expanded to lock tight. They are frozen and wedged to the freezer walls. And they have a pie crust and some ravioli trapped beneath them.

Kari says that we cannot have a whole shelf taken up by my ice bags for 20 years. I have no idea how to get them out. We don't want to defrost the whole freezer. I don't have an ice pick and am afraid I would make it worse anyway - like poking a whole in the wall. And the bags are too full to add any hot water to them - that's the whole water expands thing.

Any ideas?

Change of Pace

2010-04-28T19:15:00.002-04:00

For most of the past six years, I have used running as my primary mode of exercise. In the beginning I did a Tae Bo video (the hilarious original one in which Billy Blanks is wearing a low-cut unitard) and I have lifted weights off and on. After spending the past three years dedicated to either training for a marathon or recovering from injury to get ready to train for a marathon, I am a little burned out from running. It has been very hard to run since the marathon. And because I have not been doing much exercise, but still eat like I am running 30 miles a week, I have gained 7 pounds since the marathon! There it is! I have to be honest and put it out there so maybe I can gain some control over this weight climb.

Thankfully, I think I have hit my peak and have now found some new motivation. Kickboxing! Kari and I have been members of a wonderful gym for about 3 or 4 years and I have always been interested in this class, but was too intimated (and busy running) to give it a try. Well, I sucked it up and went last week and I LOVE it! It is so much fun... and incredibly hard. I have the endurance to run for hours, but this punching and jumping and kicking non-stop had me bent over gasping for air.

This week I even bought my own gloves! The communal gloves at the gym smelled like mildew and dirty socks. So, I am not giving up on running, but I think I am going to keep it to low mileage runs for awhile and mix it up a little. I do need to work on my form, though. Today when we were doing roundhouse kicks, I missed the pad and kicked my partner in the wrist. It's a good thing I don't have much power... yet.

Into the Wild

2010-04-25T18:38:00.010-04:00

Last weekend Kari and I went camping at Oscar Scherer State Park. I love camping, but was always afraid to camp in Florida because I feel like there are more creepy-crawlies down here. I envisioned snakes sneaking in the tent, frogs hopping in the bathroom, spiders getting cozy in my towel, etc. But it has gotten harder to drive 20+ hours to find a mountainous camping spot and I really missed it, so we decided to finally try it out in Florida. I figured that if it was too terrible, then at least we were only an hour from home.

To my delight, I discovered that I love camping in Florida! You have to pick the right time of year for sure, and get a little lucky with the weather. We had a little rain, but nothing we couldn't manage, and it stopped when we were trying to pack up. The cloud cover for most of the weekend kept the temperatures comfortable. Kari already wrote a good synopsis of our trip, so I'll just go over some of my highlights.

Not all campsites are created equally. We lucked out with a very large, private site. We use a tarp to both help keep moisture off the bottom of the tent and as a little front porch. Even though I love to be outside, I can't stand dirt on me or in the tent. The porch gives us a place to take off shoes and clean feet before entering.

The other side of the site had a picnic table and grill. And it overlooked a creek and Florida greenery. At night, an armadillo emerged from the brush to look for any food that campers left around.

We got to grill dinner both nights. I love not using a stove for dinner! It's fun to sit around and watch coals get hot, knowing that there are no other chores that you're supposed to be doing. And after dinner, the only dishes were a knife and my tongs.

And after dinner, Kari made the most perfect S'mores.

We got to canoe through the whole park. I can't recall every canoeing before. I used some back muscles that have been dormant for awhile! The creek was so peaceful. It was lined with mangroves, palmettos, and oak trees. I saw a frog swimming in the shallow water and a giant crab on a sandbar. Kari did a great job of steering in the back, although she did run me through one small spider web (on accident).
We also hiked along the bank of South Creek and through five miles of scrub-jay habitat and mesic pine forest. Besides listening to the birds, we discovered that if given the chance, I can talk non-stop. It 's a good thing Kari likes to listen.

I was very happy that this little guy was hopping along the trail and not in the bathroom! I might use this picture to teach camouflage in our current 3rd grade Life Science Unit.

I can't wait until our next camping trip! I would love to go on one with a Florida spring. Let me know if you know of any good campsites.

Spring Things

2010-04-13T17:39:00.002-04:00

Owning a home has caused me to notice and appreciate more the life of Spring. Kari and I have been fascinated by the cycle of growth in our 3 baby fruit trees - all of which have different patterns. In December and January, we hounded the tree seller for a replacement for our "dead" sugar apple, which lost all its leaves and looked like a large twig in the ground. She assured us that it would start growing by the end of February. Well, I think with our harsh winter made it take a little longer, but sure enough, it is now covered in tiny green leaves.

And the dwarf avocado looked like it was rotting 3 months ago. Its thick, bright leaves became spotted and limp. The leaves dropped and it grew hundreds of clusters of little buds. Not flowering buds - just clumps of lumps. It doesn't even look like a tree. But that's supposed to be normal, too.

My favorite, the Persian lime, stayed the most vibrant through the winter. It didn't lose leaves and stayed green for the most part. In the past few weeks it sprouted little white flowers. Now, the petals have fallen and in the middle of each flower is a tiny green ball. Is this a baby lime? Or part of the flower? We were told not to let the trees bear fruit for the first two years, but if I pluck off these cute little buds, will it hurt the tree?

The aloe plant in the back, which I thought died in the winter, as it was slumped over on the ground, now has a beautiful red shoot that stands about 4 feet tall and flowers at the top. The hedges are covered in a new layer of young leaves. A few weeks ago, the plants that I have entirely neglected right off the front porch, bloomed these amazing white flowers with purple things in the middle. I really don't know my plant anatomy. The flowers only lasted for a few days. Anyone know what these are?

As a bonus, I think the oak trees have finally stopped pollinating! I can't wait until one day when I can start a little garden: basil, cilantro, rosemary, chives, mint, sage, tomatoes, and maybe peppers.

Senate Bill 6

2010-03-25T22:39:00.002-04:00

If you have not heard, Florida is trying to pass some groundbreaking and quite scary legislation. Now, I admit that I have not read the exact bill nor do I understand exactly how government carries out the legislation that it passes. However, I do know that most teachers, teachers' unions, and teacher groups are going crazy to stop this bill. And from what I do understand, I think parents, grandparents, or anyone that lives in America should join the cause.

Here's why:

1. The bill will tie teacher pay to student performance on standardized testing.
2. It will eliminate pay increases for advanced degrees and years of service.
3. No teacher tenure.
4. Retirement benefits will decrease.

Now, my real beef is with the first two items. I understand that they want to get rid of tenure to make it easier to dismiss ineffective teachers. I am not threatened by this because I know that I am effective. However, it is a little scary to think that perhaps they will impose some unattainable measure of effectiveness - such as No Child's Left Behind's goal of having all children be above average by 2014. The law of averages tells me this will not happen. In my District, we don't even have real tenure anyway. But I imagine that whatever this bill wants to do will involve more bureaucracy, paperwork, and people that are not trained in education making decisions about education.

I am a little concerned about a reduction in retirement because I want to retire one day! Teachers don't exactly get paid that much to begin with, so it's a slap in the face to think about taking away this benefit. I mean, the nation is trusting us with their children! I would think that we would get a little more respect - and I think that respect in a profession is often shown with pay. But, I don't actually know the details on this, so it's not why I am mainly opposed to Senate Bill 6.

The reason why I am mad, worried, and up at 11:00 at night on a school night typing this is because of the political hands once again manipulating education - people with no training in education or no experience with teaching and children making decisions that impact the life of us all. Oh, yes, everyone is impacted by the tidal waves in education.

Here's why these components of the bill are ridiculous and wrong:

1. You might say, well, why not tie teacher pay to student performance? If students are not scoring well, then why should the teacher get paid? Well, a teacher can do a marvelous job and still have students that do not measure up to the standards. Just because students do not meet the requirements on a standardized test does not mean that the teacher is not working her or his tail off and doing a great job. For instance, when I have a third grader who was born a crack-baby and has gone through life circumstances that I could not begin to fathom and comes into my class at a Kindergarten reading level and, now, in less than a year, has grown to a 2nd grade reading level, but will still not pass the 3rd grade FCAT, does that mean that I failed? Should I get paid less?

And sometimes student success cannot be measured by a test. Sometimes my work with a student focuses on behavioral or emotional needs that must be met before the academic success can take place. For example, last year "Avery" came to me from another school. His father was recently imprisoned and he was a ticking time-bomb, ready to fight and explode on whoever came his way. I poured all I had into this kid. Yes, we worked on reading and math, but my first goals were to provide him with safety, acceptance, and some coping skills. He failed FCAT, which he took in March... but he was making great strides in his behavior and emotional coping. By April he was getting along with others and starting to care about his learning. By May, he no longer had behavior problems and made big enough gains in reading to be passed to the 4th grade despite failing the standardized FCAT test. Now in 4th grade he is an Honor Roll student. Did I fail? Should I be penalized for working with this student who could not pass FCAT? I am sure most teachers have stories like these.

Basing teacher pay on test performance will encourage high-quality teachers to give up on these kids that need the extra help and time - these kids who need the best teachers. Who would want to teach in low-income schools, which are known for having students with more challenges and having more difficulty with standardized tests only to be penalized with less pay? Are these teachers working less hard than others? Are they less effective?

The bill will also encourage unhealthy teaching habits - like teaching to the test and competition among faculty. Competing for the "best" kids or for the best scheduling or the best resources. Competition in a school in which there are not really supposed to be winners and losers is a negative force that will harbor bitterness and burn-out.

I could go on, but I must go to bed. If you have read this far, then thank you. I will have to write about my issue with "#2. Eliminating pay increases for degrees and years of service" later.

Lastly, though, what really gets me, is that they say it is all in the "best interest of the children." It just twists the knife. Just be honest. It's about money. Politics is always about money or power.

St. Paul's Festival

2010-03-22T16:32:00.011-04:00

Every year, Kari and I join my sister, Trish, and her family at her church's annual festival. I am not big on state or county fairs - too crowded and dirty, plus I can't really go on many rides due to motion sickness. But the St. Paul's Festival is clean enough, close enough, and just the right size for me. And they always manage to have at least one day with the most perfect weather of blue skies, cool breezes, and low humidity.

Kari and Dagny were brave enough to do the Super Flyer (or something like that). I like going high on rides, but can't do the round and round.

Trish also got to take a turn.

I am more of a "running through the fun-house with the kiddos" kind of girl.

Or "help Anders down the Big Slide."

And I am always good for a corn dog... or two.

I love Springtime in Florida.

Old dog and new tricks

2010-03-19T17:06:00.002-04:00

I love to play games. I was raised with card games, board games, word games, and puzzles. I like games of logic, like Connect Four and Mastermind, and trying to solve riddles. In my adulthood, I learned how to play Mancala and Othello, and, although I have not mastered them, I feel proficient enough to win a game or two.

But there is one game that I wish I could turn back time and learn as a child. Chess. My nemesis. I just learned how to play this week as I discovered an online version at mathisfun (which has lots of good, killing-time games, including Connect Four) and I looked up the rules on wikipedia. I have never lost at a game so much in my life. After the first few games, I started to get the hang of which pieces could move where, but I am way behind in strategy. I can only see one or two moves ahead. Plus, playing against the computer, I feel like it never makes a mistake. I wish I could have spent my childhood racking up all those losses and learning from my gracious mother some tricks on how to see the board and how to counter each move.

If you play chess, try out this online game and let me know how difficult it really is. I have only beaten it once when I played on the "Stupid" level - even I could see how the computer could have won, but it was holding back. So, try the "Middling" level and let me know if it is indeed challenging and I would have a better time with a real person - or if it is easy and I'm just a little late in learning a new trick.

Why didn't I think of that?

2010-03-14T09:56:00.002-04:00

Last night as Kari and I were lamenting our upcoming lost hour of sleep, she said, "People would feel a lot better about this Spring Forward thing if we did during the day on Friday." Brilliant! Americans are already notoriously low on sleep, but who wouldn't mind the 2:00 workday all of a sudden becoming 3:00? I married a genius!

Something strange and new

2010-03-11T18:16:00.004-05:00

I saw something for the first time today. We were under a tornado watch at school (thankfully after the kids were done with the FCAT), but I had to go get the kids from the cafeteria in the middle of lunch. Some students were not done eating, so they brought their lunches back to class. One girl had a tangerine or tangelo (couldn't tell which). She peeled it with her fingers and then she ate it apple style. I had never seen that! Or thought of it myself. I always cut my oranges into wedges and I eat tangerines in their own easy-to-pull-apart pieces. But she just bit in, not caring at all about the natural division of segments, or the little white strings in the center, or the seeds, or the juice. I don't know if I'll try it.

But what I have been trying more of lately is sleeping in my car. I guess I need more sleep because twice this week I took a 25-minute nap in the driver's seat. And today I wasn't even in a parking lot - I was in my own driveway! I just couldn't make it inside! It is so much easier to tilt the seat back, roll down the windows a little, and listen to the wind as I doze off. I hope the next door neighbors (who are trying to sell their house) didn't see! First, we're those neighbors that kept a dining room table on our front porch for a couple months and, now, we're the crazies that sleep in the car!

Accomplished

2010-03-02T17:31:00.004-05:00

If you haven't heard by now, Kari and I finished our marathon! It was an unbelievable experience - and not just race day, but also now looking back on the roller coaster of emotions and struggles and successes since we first dreamed of running a marathon 3 years ago. I also thought 3 years ago that we could run it in about 4 hours. After all, I could handle a 9-minute mile pretty easily.

Oh, I've learned so much since then. Through busted up knees and feet, overcoming disappointments, and battling training runs that were physical and emotional war, we learned what it really takes. I am very proud of our 5:19:10. And I am very proud that we crossed the line together.

But, just so you know, Kari could have easily finished in under 5 hours. She really pulled me through the race and most training runs. When my knee gave out around mile 23, we had to move to the side to try to loosen up my IT Band that was pulling my knee out of place. Race officials pulled up in a golf cart to collect my ragged body, as they had done all day with other runners, but I knew that neither Kari nor I would let them take me. We were going to finish together, no matter what it took.

So, I am very proud and a little dumbfounded. It's almost like I don't know what to do with myself now that this goal has been accomplished. But I guess I'll just enjoy the rest and recovery process - it may take a few weeks before my legs are back to normal. I can barely move and my quads do not support any weight. I think I tore every quad muscle - which makes teaching interesting. My kids watch in awe/terror/comic delight as I hobble down the stairs or stumble around the room. The line leaves me behind as we walk to lunch. At least they know to wait for me at the door.

9-year-olds also have interesting reactions to a marathon. On Monday, I was asked repeatedly if I won. I don't think they believed me that my goal really was to finish.

"Did you win?" No. "Oh... did you come in third?" No. "Well, at least you tried."

"How far did you run?" 26.2 miles. "Oh, that's not so far."

"You know how your leg hurts? Well, I bet mine hurts more. I fell off my bike on Saturday and my leg went like this (Alan contorting himself) and I almost broke it. And, look, I cut my hand."

"Why did you do it if it was going to hurt you so bad?"

"Oh, I've seen people run. You know that place by the Walmart? They ride bikes there, too, and have the Olympics and stuff."

It's Here

2010-02-27T15:18:00.002-05:00

After 3 years of dreaming and 18 weeks of training, the Gasparilla Marathon is finally here and we are ready. I have some lingering foot problems with plantar fasciitis and Kari has some shin splints, but nothing we cannot manage for 26 miles or so. It will start out cold, about 43 degrees, and dark at 6 a.m., but right now we have sunny skies and no rain forecasted. I don't mind the cold so much, especially now that I have appropriate running clothes, but nothing can really help if it is windy and raining.

I am excited and nervous... which doesn't happen much in my adult life. As a kid, I always had some basketball game or other event that would make me excited and get butterflies in my stomach. But adult life is pretty routine. It's a good and happy routine, but this big goal and all its anticipation is a nice change.

Bedtime tonight is around 8:00 and we'll be up at 3:30 (hopefully) to start getting ready. Think of us if you are up!

Spoiler Alert

2010-02-20T08:21:00.003-05:00

I imagine that most of us have stories of how and when we discovered that Santa Claus was "real in our hearts." For some, it was a sudden, heartbreaking discovery (talk to Kari) and took some of the magic out of Christmas. For others, they had been suspicious for awhile and were glad to have their detective skills confirmed. For others, like me (and I haven't met many others like me), Santa was never a big deal and we can't even remember believing in him in the first place. But please don't confuse this with not caring about Christmas. I LOVE Christmas and it is still very magical.

Anyway, I didn't think I would have to talk about Santa in February. It usually creeps up in the classroom as soon as Halloween is over and I have to quickly divert many students' conversations debating Santa's existence. But by now I thought I was free from the awkwardness of students looking at me, begging me to confirm their side of the story.

Then on Friday, as I was eating lunch with some students, Raquel dropped the bomb on our whole lunch table. Now mind you, I was dining with four very sweet, well-behaved girls.

Us: Eating, someone talking about food they like, someone talking about worms, etc.

Raquel: I know that there is no Santa Claus.

Helen: What?! Why would you say that?

Raquel: My mom told me that there is no Santa Claus.

Helen: Well my mom told me that there is Santa.

Me: Ummm...

Raquel: No, there's no Santa. It's just our moms that buy the presents.

Helen: That's not true. I know there is Santa because he comes every year. Right, Ms. Chin?

Me: Ummm....

Raquel: I used to think there was Santa. But this year my mom told me there wasn't a Santa and that's why when we woke up for Christmas there was no presents. He didn't forget about us. She didn't have any money this year.

Me: (heart breaking, why didn't I know that this sweet, kind girl didn't have any presents at Christmas? why didn't I recommend her for the Angel tree?)

Helen: Hmmm... do you think it could be that it was because you were naughty?

Me: Okay, no more Christmas talk, it's February!

Christina: Yeah! Let's talk about Easter!

Asleep at the Wheel

2010-02-17T21:33:00.003-05:00

I've been really tired lately from the increase in running mileage and from being sick off and on for the past 6 weeks or so - with it more on than off. Today I could barely keep my head up as I was trying to get my students' report cards together. I was supposed to meet Kari at the gym after work, but I got there a little early. It was nice and chilly outside, warm and cozy in my car. So, I leaned my chair back and was going to rest my eyes for a minute or two until Kari arrived. By the time I woke up, Kari was already inside ready to run. I thought she would wake me when she got there, but I guess my car was hidden in the parking lot. It was the best nap I had in a long time.

Love... and Hate

2010-02-09T17:10:00.003-05:00

Kari and I have now completed 15 weeks of marathon training and are just 3 weeks away from the big race. Everything has not gone quite as planned, but we have never made it this far without injury before, so that's a good sign. It has been a very emotional and challenging training period. I have learned a lot about running, overall health (or lack thereof), and relationships. Right now, I both love and hate running.

I love having a long run each weekend, knowing that I will have a few hours to just be with Kari: no chores, no schoolwork, no anything else. Sometimes we talk, sometimes we cry, and sometimes we have to pull each other to the end.

I hate that my knees have been giving me a hard time and I can't seem to finish a long run without a lot of pain and walking.

I love enjoying the Florida winter outdoors. Blue skies and pink sunsets give me so much peace.

I hate that this has been the coldest, craziest Florida winter ever! Last night, when the perfect 62 degree day turned into a dark, windy night and we still had 3 miles left to go, I didn't know if I would make it. My hands and forearms were completely numb by the time I hobbled home. It didn't help that I was in a tank top. I've never seen so many Florida days not make it out of the 50's.

I love getting to eat lots of food and not gain weight. Well, I've gained a little, but I really have been eating everything!

I hate being "out of shape" and running. It seems contradictory, but I am probably in the worst shape I've been in since Summer 2007. I'm just very conditioned to running... but the extra pounds and flabby abs are taking its toll.

I love the feeling of accomplishment after doing a long or hard run.

I hate the lingering fear that we won't be able to finish the marathon - with all knees still intact.

I love exploring my neighborhood and downtown St. Pete on foot. This city is beautiful.

I hate dodging cars. I especially hate it when I am waiting to cross a road and a car, which has the right of way, slowly comes to a stop for me. Don't stop! I'm not going to jump out in front of you! It takes way longer for you to slow down and for me to be sure you are actually stopping for me than it would take for you to just zoom on by.

I love running shoes and running shorts.

I hate washing out all the little fuel belt bottles after a run.

I love the instant connection with someone else who runs.

Just three more weeks. I think I'm going to miss it.

Quick Question

2010-01-23T15:02:00.004-05:00

Wow! Two blogs in one day... Kari answered one of the questions from our party on her blog. So, she wanted me to answer it, too, before I could read her response.

The question is, "Who is the decision maker?"

Well, we really try to make decisions together. And we try to think of what the other person wants. Which can complicate things a little for simple decisions. Like, if she asks, what movie do you want to watch? Do I tell her what I want to watch or tell her what I think she may want to watch? We could end up watching something no one wants to watch! But we generally end up with things that we both enjoy. And if Kari ever does decide on something that I originally didn't like, I start liking it after she picked it.

For bigger decisions, we respect each other's perspectives. I want to hear what she thinks and what she wants. We never go forward without praying about things. If I have to pick someone, though, I would say that, for the most part, the final "yes" or "no" comes to me.

So, I guess this means, if you read my previous blog, I get to pick the island. :)

Trial Run

2010-01-23T08:23:00.005-05:00

Last Sunday, Kari and I spent another 4 hours at IKEA. Shopping for furniture and other big items has been one of the most fun aspects of buying a house. But we certainly are not quick with it. We like to investigate all the options, do a little product-review research online, and visit the store multiple times before we make a decision.

So, now we are trying to pick out some kind of kitchen island or kitchen cart. Our kitchen has a nice open space (as it was originally used as an eat-in kitchen), but it does not have much counter space. I originally thought we would get some kind of rolling cart that I could pull up next to my primary workspace, but now we are thinking of something more substantial. The problem is, we don't have that much space. And it is harder to find available options in stores than I thought.

We have it narrowed down to two options from IKEA. The pros of the Stenstorp are that I love the idea of having a place made to sit-at in the kitchen - especially with counter-height chairs (they are so much more comfortable for my short legs). You can't really see in the picture, but the half of the island without shelves is made for sitting. And I love the oak top and the whole white leg/stainless shelves look will go nicely with our kitchen. The island also will jut out into the kitchen enough so that as I am chopping and cooking by the oven, I can turn and put things on it without having to take a step. The cons are that the way we would have to turn it, the island would block the straight path from the living room to dining room. And its size will cut into our dance floor.

The other option is the Varde base cabinet. This one will fit more flush against the window, so that it doesn't really block the cut-through path. It has 3 deep drawers and 175 sq. inches more of counter space. But, the shelves, although longer, are more narrow. And it is not made to sit at. And may not leave room for the existing white shelf for my cookbooks and our "coming home" junk or the microwave cart.

We are leaning toward the Stenstorp, but because it is the more obtrusive design for our space, we did a trial run this week. We taped together some paper to make an outline of the island and put it in the kitchen. I've only "bumped" my knee on it once or twice and have found it is not that awkward to cut around, instead of going straight from living to dining room. Only once did Kari say, "I'm tired, I'm just walking through the island." There were also many times when I wanted to put things on the island - bowl of cilantro slaw waiting for dinner, hot pizza from the oven, marinating chicken waiting for the grill, etc.

Our trial is almost complete. I'll listen to any advice, especially if you have experience with IKEA products and/or kitchens. I think we will be able to make our decision soon. However, soon to us could be one week or two months.

It's safe to say...

2010-01-09T10:44:00.002-05:00

that Kari and I will probably never move north of Florida. Not that we were thinking of it. We love our new house and could stay here forever. But, I've always had the notion that it would be fun to live somewhere different. Have four seasons, Fall colors, maybe some mountains.

But, no. After about a week of this arctic blast that we all can't stop talking about, I know I am made for Florida. I don't think I could live somewhere else on purpose to knowingly have this unFlorida-like weather every year, for months! I mean, even though we are going crazy with our highs in the 40s, I know some other places just call that Fall weather.

I have always enjoyed a little cold weather. Like how most years we dip into the 40s, and then are right back up within a day or two. Or on vacation, like our Denver trip in October where we got to hike in 20 degrees and play in piles of snow (thanks to generous friends who equipped us with appropriate clothing).

But I am not made for this continuous cold. In one week at work, I have already worn all my "warm" clothes - and even those had to be layered with thermal underwear. I don't have any closed-toe black shoes, so I am stuck with just brown outfits. We have had to do all our runs on the treadmill at the gym. And we've had the heat on for over a week - which means more times of running the heat than the rest of my adult life combined (the apartment never got cold).

I am thankful for flip-flops in January and tank top runs outside throughout winter. I love traveling north for the summer, or even Fall, but I think I'm a Florida girl for good.

Customized

2009-12-28T15:28:00.002-05:00

For Christmas, my sister, Trish, gave Kari and me a gift certificate to make our own customized energy bars. I had never heard of it before, but we had a lot of fun playing around on the Element Bars website last night testing out possible creations. You get to pick your base, fruit, nuts, sweets, and boosts (like fiber or antioxidants) to best suit your energy needs. When we were done, the website said, "Wow! You sure found a lot of great things to put in your bar"... and then went on to recommend that we put a little less. I guess you can't add everything and it still taste good. So, we'll try again soon. I want to make a bar that is optimal for running recovery and call it I Run for Food. And what's really neat is that as you are adding ingredients, it shows you the nutrition label for your bar and how it changes with each thing added. Fun, fun!

The down side

2009-12-18T16:17:00.003-05:00

Kari and I had to say a very sad good-bye last night. I have learned that I am a very guarded person. I am slow to open up and really be myself. I get along with people, but true friendship doesn't come easy. So, as Kari said yesterday, "this is when friendship sucks."

Over the past four years, I have gotten to know, trust, admire, and enjoy Kyra's friendship. Kari first met her in grad school, they started a carpool, and they ran together. I don't know if Kyra knows this, but her friendship to Kari came at a very critical time in our life. She was an answer to prayer. Kari and I were going through the lowest points of our marriage. It was a daily struggle dealing with issues and wounds... and because we had not revealed our relationship to anyone, we were struggling alone. We were most angry and hurt by each other, yet we were still trying to be the confidant and shoulder for each other - or not, which felt even worse.

We had been living in St. Pete for about 3 1/2 years and hadn't made any "daily" friends. We knew people, had people over, went to church stuff, but we didn't have that friend that we could count on for the daily stuff. Kyra became that friend for Kari. Kari didn't talk about us, but could talk about everything else and listen and be normal.

Soon Kari started a book club and I got the chance to know Kyra more, too. With time I opened up and made an irreplaceable friend with Kyra. I am still a rather shy friend - I leave it to Kari to make most of the phone calls and I hesitate to invite people over or out (even though I love it).

But that was part of what is so great about Kyra. She is always so accepting of me just being me. She is straightforward, but kind. She listens without judgment and is easy going. She is open and willing to share her life and struggles. (There's something so special and life-giving about having friends to share struggles and joys with.) She is funny and so exciting to be around. She would drop by mid-week - never caring that our house was a mess or that I always looked like I am in pajamas.

She brought me cold medicine when I was sick and Kari couldn't get to the store. She brought me cake when Kari was away and I was lonely. She lent us money at a critical time in our house-buying process. She was the first person I told that Kari and I are a couple. She let us be part of her growing family - from Kari taking engagement and pregnancy photos to letting us babysit and bringing her adorable baby boys over all the time. She is a friend to us, to me every day.

I will miss her and her family. Thank you, Kyra! You will always be family.

Really?

2009-12-06T10:15:00.003-05:00

That was our attempt at winning an SEC championship? I don't want to be too hard on the Gators because if I am this disappointed, I can't imagine how they must be feeling. But... that was a really sad game to watch. Was our defense awake? They looked like they had never seen a team run the ball before! And since when did we think that Tebow is Peyton Manning? Why in the world did he stand in the pocket throwing the ball the whole game - well, for the few minutes we actually had the ball on offense? What happened to the option? The shovel pass to Hernandez? Catching the ball? Stepping up and running for 5 or 6 yards? Did we forget that we had guys named Demps and Rainey?

I have a hard time coping with loss. It's really weird how hard I take it. Especially since the Gators have done so well the past few years, I've sort of become accustomed to winning national championships. I think part of my disappointment stems from my own unfulfilled dreams of having sports success. You know, vicariously living through the new team. And I realize that it might be a while before we have another team that is this dominant and has a chance at a championship. So, it's very sad that we couldn't get it done when we had a chance. I could be wrong, but I think that I would cope better if we had at least played a good game. If Alabama didn't completely outplay and outcoach us. If we looked like we had deserved to be there.

And I feel bad for Tebow. I have always liked him, but have not liked the expectations put on him. Championships are won by teams, not individuals... like we did last year when we relied on our whole team.

Anyway, I was hoping that writing this would make me feel a little better. I'm glad that Kari doesn't care too much about football so that we are not both distressed. I hope we show up for our Bowl game. Or I don't know how I'll recover.

Fear

2009-12-04T18:03:00.002-05:00

I have a special kind of fear for rainy days at school. The kids are wound up by not getting to go outside, they squeak their wet sneakers on the tile, they are continually distracted and amazed by the falling drops, some begin to panic about how they will walk home (even if it is still hours before dismissal), and I never know when one will splash in a puddle right next to me as we walk in line.

But the real fear is when it is time to go home and 750 students converge on the covered sidewalks, half with umbrellas. Have you ever seen a kid with an umbrella? I can't believe that we all made it without any eye-gouging. They have absolutely no awareness of their umbrella space or whose face they are popping it open in front of - even though we are still under the cover! It's like driving down the street and watching a kid on a bike glance behind to see the approaching car - they have no idea that they are swerving right in front of you.

Don't they make kid umbrellas? Like with little rubber tips instead of the pointy metal? If not, someone should really look into that. (Another Christmas invention, Jenny?)

The missing curriculum

2009-12-02T18:00:00.003-05:00

Today, I had a small group of students reading an Anansi folktale from Ghana. I pointed out a little map with Ghana highlighted to show them where it is in Africa.

One girl (who is one of my best students by the way) said, "Oh, I think I know about that... that's where the African Americans did the Trail of Tears stuff!"

Hmmm... what impact do you think a lack of social studies education will have on this generation? Or more importantly, how will it affect me as I get old and they become the leaders and decision-makers?!

**Note: We are still "supposed" to teach social studies, but with the testing pressures now in elementary school and the emphasis placed on the other subjects, it's hard to find anyone who still teaches it (or has time to). I think most social studies boils down to holidays. In fact, if my administrators found out how much time I do spend on social studies - a lot compared to others because I have a thing for culture and history - I bet they would ask why I wasn't using that time for science.

Where shopping is a pleasure

2009-11-25T09:31:00.002-05:00

It's no joke. Publix is one of the best places on Earth, at least as far as shopping is concerned. I went in there yesterday afternoon. It was pouring rain and I was tired from a rather boring training that day. I was anticipating the pre-Thanksgiving mad rush to the supermarket, with lines down the aisle and items out of stock.

But not at Publix. Oh, no. They had sample people all over the place to take off that low-blood sugar edge. Wine samples to take off a different kind of edge. The lines were moving and everyone was friendly. But the best part was the bakery. I was searching for ciabatta for our dinner last night. There were lots of dinner rolls and pies galore, but no ciabatta. So, I asked the bakery lady if by chance they had any. She disappeared back behind the racks, to a section of busy-looking bakers.

They didn't have any made, but would put some in the oven for me if I had 10 minutes of shopping to do. I couldn't believe it! The hardest part was leaving Publix without tearing into that fresh, warm loaf.

What I Meant to Say

2009-11-15T11:07:00.003-05:00

It has been quite a busy month. October started with a 10K race for Kari and me. The following weekends had us go to Denver for a wedding, go to a co-workers potluck birthday party, take several trips to IKEA, host good friends for an entire weekend of furniture assembly, prepare for our party, have a wonderful Housewarming/Coming Out/Anniversary Party (that we are still recovering from), and attend Emily and Mike's wedding last night. With all this going on - which is really a lot for me because I am a true resting-on-the-couch, chilling-out, don't-leave-the-house homebody - my head has been in a swirl.

So, last weekend at our party, we did a question and answer game, and the next day, I realized that there were many things that I wished I had said. Some questions were quite deep and with all my head-swirliness and a bit of stage fright, I couldn't think of a response. Unless I am teaching 8-year-olds, I am very bad at thinking of answers on the spot. Kari realized the same thing, so we decided to blog some of the things that we meant to say.

She already blogged her answer to this question, but told me I couldn't read it until I wrote my own answer. So the question: What has been an area of disagreement between you two that required major working out or compromise? Do you ever argue, get mad at each other? (Note: this answer got really long, so if you are in a hurry, skip to the last paragraph.)

This question has multiple levels. And it has been a process of growth in our relationship over the past 10 years. Of course we have gotten mad over things, but right now we are at a point where disagreement does not mean conflict. I enjoy compromise. When we have different ideas or things that we want, it is fun to give and take. Like, I got to pick out the couch and Kari picked out the ottoman - but it feels like we both picked both things out together. Kari is so generous and selfless - I know she is always looking out for me and wants good things for me - and I also want to look out for her and give her the things she desires. When I give up my way, I feel good that it means she gets her way. It's not an unhappy compromise. We also pray about most of our decisions (big and little), which takes some pressure and "self" out of the decision-making. We trust that we will be okay when God is leading the way.

Aside from decision-making, though, we have had more conflict that needed major working out in emotional issues. We have learned how to help each other work through baggage, instead of blaming or taking it as a personal attack. For example, if I start doing this annoying question thing where I ask the same question over and over, Kari knows I am not trying to doubt her or frustrate her, but we now recognize something else is going on - usually I am trying to control a situation or I fear something. Like yesterday when I asked Kari 5 different ways in 2 minutes if she had toll money, she knew I was dealing was some other issue and I recognized that my questions were annoying and would make it seem like I didn't trust her. So, we paused and were able to see that really I was freaked out about running late and taking a different driving route that I was not used to (and I am a little controlling about driving directions) - and I was a little nervous about going to a social event. It wasn't about toll money at all, but about my nervousness and controllingness. A few years ago, it might have turned into an argument about being ready on time, or why don't I trust, or who should be in charge of directions - which would be a futile argument. Instead, yesterday Kari was able to assure me that we would be okay driving and that my food for the party would be just fine, and I was able to assure her that I trusted she can take care of things and I was sorry for doing the annoying-question thing. A little assurance about the real issue goes a long way.

It has really been a blessing to have someone by me that is willing to see the truth and look at the root of issues with me. Of course we still make mistakes and hurt each others' feelings, but with that, too, we look at what is really going on, recognize we're not trying to be hurtful, and work it out. And Kari is the best apologizer in the world. If she ever hurts you, especially on accident, just tell her and she will be truly sorry without making excuses or having defenses. This is something I am still learning from her.

But we have gone through major disagreements. A few years back you might remember seeing Kari and me and thinking something was "off." We may have seemed grumpy or pouty - we were dealing with a lot. I had severe anger issues (i.e. I didn't know how to deal with being angry) and was learning how not to think everything is doomed if one little thing goes wrong. Now I have learned how to feel two emotions at once - I can be sad about something, but still happy. It was a huge life-changer, and relationship-builder.

So, the short answer is yes, we have gone through big disagreements - but they were more of an issue of dealing with emotional wounds and rebuilding our character and coping mechanisms, rather than an actual disagreement with each other. It was a lot of work and pain and choosing. Choosing to not give up, choosing to trust, choosing to forgive, and choosing to pray. It was more than worth it. We go to bed each night with a "clear account" - no grudges, no buried hurts. I love feeling that I really do want the best for Kari, and knowing that she wants the best for me.

And now that I posted my answer, I finally get to read her's!

Who's up there

2009-10-18T09:51:00.003-04:00

Sometimes when I hear a little squirrel scamper across the roof, I mistake it for neighbors upstairs. It is always such a nice realization that we are not in an apartment anymore and there is no one to stomp and run and pound on our ceiling.

Yesterday I also had the joy of opening windows and letting in fresh air for the first time in 7 years. In the apartment, the noisy, dirty air conditioners were right outside our windows, so we did not like to open up. Plus, we didn't get much breeze, so it seemed to just let in pollen and dust without actually cooling us off. And they were a pain to get open and then we didn't feel safe leaving them open during the night.

But in the house, we have a large, new, double-paned window in every room. They are easy to open and close and I don't feel like they are dirty. The fresh air inside with our first Florida Fall day is wonderful. I love that smell. Kind of earthy, but fresh. I wonder if we'll be able to make it most of winter without running our air.

Hungry

2009-10-02T16:41:00.002-04:00

By 3:30 every day I am quite hungry and don't know what to eat. The first half of my day is pretty consistent on weekdays: Kashi Go Lean cereal for breakfast (with blueberries or strawberries when on sale); a banana, 1/4 cup of trail mix, and 3 dried apricots for morning snack; homemade soup, 6 pretzels, and a fresh fruit for lunch.

But then, after school, I am hungry. It is too early for dinner, but I am too hungry to do anything else and wait it out. I crave carbs and protein, but probably should have some kind of vegetable or fruit. I don't know what to eat. I really just want cake (that's what I had today).

Any suggestions?

Sometimes I think we might need cable

2009-09-30T15:23:00.002-04:00

I love crime shows and law shows - mainly CSI and Law and Order. But I haven't seen a Law and Order in probably over a year because the new episodes come on too late, and our DTV converter doesn't get NBC (or much else). This summer I got my fix of crime drama with online episodes of CSI. We pulled the giant bean bag in front of the computer, and watched more than a whole season in a couple months, with limited commercials.

Then to my horror, CBS removed all the old episodes of CSI from their website with the start of the new season. I have already contacted them about this mistake.

So today I had jury duty. In the crowded room of about 200, most people look bored and just wanted to leave. At first, I, too, wanted an early dismissal, so I could go home and do my UF work. But by the time I was called to the courtroom for jury selection, I was a little excited. Of course I still had to look like I was bored, glancing at my watch and staring at the walls. But when I saw those lawyers in front of me in their nice suits and the judge in his black robe, I was ready to get my dose of crime drama. Now, I know that real-life court is not the drama of TV, but this was as close to Law and Order as I'm going to get.

People gave their excuses to not serve - claustrophobia, schizophrenia, flu, hate policemen, love policeman, drink with policeman, can't-judge-others-because-of-religion, etc. But not me - I couldn't wait for my chance to be picked. I even started getting that shivery feeling in my stomach like it was a competition. I looked around to see who I was up against. Would they want the old guy who can't hear? What about the person with pants falling off? Maybe I shouldn't have dressed so casual. That other lady said she was a teacher, too. They probably won't pick two teachers.

And then, after being there for most of the day, right before the jury selection process, when I would get to hear the attorneys speak and we would do fun court-like stuff and I could answer questions and prove my worthiness as a fair and impartial woman with keen reasoning skills... they sent us home. The trial was postponed because a stinking witness was too sick to testify.

At least they could have made up a more interesting reason - like witness tampering, missing evidence, escaped prisoner (whom they would catch later of course).

So, now it's back to UF work. And maybe I'll start catching up on The Biggest Loser online.

More to Love

2009-09-23T18:16:00.004-04:00

As we settle into our home a little more each day, and the small improvements get made, the boxes get unpacked, things get cleaned, I am loving it more and more. Here are some things that have made me fall in love our home even more since we bought it:

1. Sleep. I always thought I was someone who woke up a lot during the night. Wrong. I was someone who woke up a lot during the night because I heard neighbors stomping above me, the apartment tennis court lights glared through the bedroom window until midnight, and I could hear cars racing (literally) down 4th St. at 3 a.m. Our home is dark, quiet, peaceful.

2. Dance. Our open, tiled kitchen is a perfect roomy spot for dancing around. Here is my current favorite cooking groove: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoaTl7IcFs8

3. Eat. We are currently looking for furniture and I love that we have a 19 ft. dining room to outfit. Our dream is to have a table that seats at least 10, a buffet/server piece, and another shelf, bookcase, cabinet type thing to hold my cookbooks and magazines.

4. Grow. I never liked helping in the yard as a kid, but now I love it. I can't wait to plant our fruit trees (we think we finally have them picked out) and soon I want to start some kind of vegetable or herb garden. Plus, I love mowing the yard and I even spent an hour weeding last Saturday.

Stumped

2009-09-18T16:54:00.003-04:00

Me: How's that story going that you're working on?

Student: Good... it's about the fire alarm on the first day of school.

Me: Oh, good idea. That was a big day.

Student: Yeah, but I have a question. Why do they say that the fire alarm goes off or went off?

Me: Well, that's because go and went mean the same thing, but in different tenses. If something is in the future, we say go, like we will go to PE in a few minutes. And when we come back, we'll say we went to PE.

Student: No, why do we say that the fire alarm went off when the loud noise comes on? We should say the fire alarm went on.

Me: Hmmm... good question. I don't know.

We converted

2009-09-15T17:54:00.002-04:00

When I was growing up, I was blessed to have a mom that was at home waiting for us when we got home from school. I loved having her to help me with my homework, to encourage me and my sister, Jen, to play together, or to be there so that my best friend, Leilani, could stay over to play. I also loved when she made a homemade afterschool snack. I grew up loving her standard Nestle Toll House chocolate chip cookies.

Then in college, Kari began making cookies with me. Sometimes we used chocolate chunks instead of morsels, but it was still the same old Toll House recipe.

Those cookies were always a guaranteed comfort. And they are so easy to make. If I was tired, but craving something sweet on a Wednesday night? No problem. Just soften some butter and in a few minutes, we'd have warm cookies and cold milk.

So, it was not an easy decision to let these cookies go. After a lifetime of memories, it has taken many months of deliberation to finally convert. But we just could not deny any longer that Ghirardelli semi-sweet morsels actually taste better... and that the Cook's Illustrated "Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie" recipe results in a superior cookie. (Thanks, Marc and Bridget!) It is a little crispy on the edges, chewy inside, rich toffee-butterscotch flavor, with clean, not-to-sweet chocolatey bursts. The only downside is that the recipe is a bit more involved, but we'll learn.

Good-bye, Nestle Toll House. But perhaps we will see you again on those crazy mid-week days, when we need some cookie comfort and need it fast.

My first taste of Shore Acres

2009-09-12T09:08:00.003-04:00

Since I moved to St. Petersburg 7 years ago, I always heard about the flooding. In my first year here, I saw news coverage of Shore Acres during some heavy days of rain. Homeowners were barricading their front yards with sandbags, paddling down the streets in canoes, and some were standing in a few inches of water in their tiled living rooms. I wondered why anyone would ever live there.

So when Kari and I were looking for home several months ago, at first Shore Acres was off limits. But then, we couldn't find a home we liked at the right price that would actually sell this year. And then, the little 70's and 80's construction of the neighborhood started to look cute (before we only liked the charm of the 20's and 30's). And we found that Shore Acres is incredibly safe with, I believe, the lowest crime rate in the city. Almost all of the 2,500 homes are well-maintained. And the neighborhood probably won't change that much or go "downhill." Streets of modest, middle-class type homes are surrounded by million dollar homes on the bay and half-million dollar homes that get their boat access on the vast system of canals.

But there was the flooding and flood insurance to consider. I read that St. Pete had poured millions into the neighborhood gutters, drainage system, etc. over the past few years. Plus I read that our street was labeled as "high and dry" (at a whopping 3 ft. above sea level). The previous owners said that our house had never flooded.

Last night, I think the rain started coming down pretty heavily at 2 a.m. I woke again at 4:00 to the continuous pitter-patter. And again at 6:00. I finally awoke at 8:15, wondering how the new gutters were handling 6 hours of rain.

Well, it was a little scary. The street was covered all the way across. By the corner, it was getting pretty deep as all the water came rushing to the gutters. It was not coming up our sloped driveway, but the neighbor's lower yard was collecting water. I got visions of it downpouring all day and Kari and me trying to block the water with towels under the door. Or if it's bad enough, does someone come to bring us sandbags? Are we supposed to have our own? People always ask us, "How's the flooding?" Well, now I can answer.

However, my fears have been relieved. I was worrying for nothing. Within the last 30 minutes, as the rain has let up, the road has almost completely cleared! Those new gutters are working! Thank you, St. Pete!

But I'm still glad we have flood insurance.

It's Not Political

2009-09-10T18:32:00.002-04:00

I know that people will forever disagree. There will be two sides to every argument, and people on each side will believe that their point is the more logical, truthful, moral, beneficial, etc. So, this is not a post about politics, health care, agendas, or anything. This is about what we strive to teach every day since Kindergarten.

If you missed Rep. Joe Wilson heckling President Obama during his health care speech, basically Obama was presenting his clarifying points when Wilson shouted "You lie!" What I'm most concerned about, are people rallying behind Rep. Wilson, touting him as "the only one with guts" or "for standing up for what he believes in."

Whether you agree with Wilson or not, the teacher in me just says this is a no-no. Quite the bad example. Something that would cause some children to "move to yellow" for the day or in the old days, to get their name on the board. Every day I must teach and instruct children in not just the curriculum, but also in respecting others while they are speaking and using self-control to not blurt out everything in their heads. There are plenty of times when children disagree with me or when they don't want to do what we are doing, but could you imagine if they were encouraged to shout out their disgruntled opinions?

It's not about truth or reform or health care. It's about respect. It is something I battle for everyday. If my children don't learn to respect themselves and others, their potential for reflective thought, problem-solving, conflict resolution, and overall success plummets.

I know there are many people who agree with Rep. Wilson's opinions, but are also embarrassed or shocked by his outburst. But I am scared of those who will teach their children that Rep. Wilson's actions are to be emulated. I don't think it is okay to interrupt and shout at the President. I don't think it is okay to interrupt and shout at teachers. I don't think it is okay to interrupt and shout at children or any other person.

(On a lighter note, teachers are notorious for interrupting each other, talking during a speaker, goofing off during presentations, etc. I always think, if we do it, how can we tell our students not to?)

A Little Therapy

2009-09-08T16:33:00.002-04:00

One of my favorite things to do after a busy day with my class, when the kids are dismissed, the room is quiet and, hopefully, clean, and I have turned off the harsh fluorescent lights, is to sharpen pencils. It is so therapeutic. They go in all ragged and broken, and with a quick whir of my EXACTO School Pro electric sharpener, they are fresh and sharp.

I like the sound of the sharpening. The whole process is so methodic and mindless, yet so productive. It's a couple minutes to gather my thoughts and relax. Sometimes my officemate and I both stand in the office, silent except for the pencils.

I have a student assigned to sharpen pencils, but I always manage to do it myself. For some reason, I can't stand the sound of the sharpener during the school day. It is loud and obnoxious. When students are there, I feel like it brings chaos. Especially because kids tend to hold the pencils in for too long, and I hear the EXACTO crying out. One student even put a pencil in eraser-first, just to see what would happen.

And, just a little tip in case you need to buy some pencils. Go Papermate all the way. Nothing else compares. Sure you might be able to save a little money up front with a generic or store brand, but they break easier, they don't sharpen evenly, and some of the lead is so light and soft that you get a cramp trying to write. Some things really are worth the money.

Countdown

2009-09-01T17:12:00.002-04:00

I love those crosswalk signs that count down the time you have left to cross the road. They are great for the rare occasions that I am a pedestrian or when I am running, but I especially love them when I am driving. Because I am habitually late, it is very important for me to make green lights as much as possible.

I love winding down a busy road, trying to get past a slow driver who is probably habitually early and taking their sweet time because they probably don't have to be at work until 8 or 8:30 while I am scrambling to make my 7:45 meeting, and seeing the blinking neon countdown in the distance. I love seeing 16 or 25 seconds still on the clock - knowing that I will for sure make the light. It helps me breathe a little easier.

Kari, on the other hand, likes the challenge of seeing a count under 8 seconds. She likes to push her limits and squeak by under the yellow.

The countdown is even nice when I am waiting at a light. I don't have to stare at the light, begging it to turn green as if my gaze can speed it up. I don't have to wonder and worry how long it will be. No. The little box knows and tells me - and it's never really that long. So, I can just sit and relax, watching the time tick down... before I have to race to make it to the next light.

Green! Red!

2009-08-28T16:58:00.003-04:00

Kids are such an easy crowd. Well, I can say that this year because my first week with students is over and has gone very well. I am tired from the adjustment back into the routine and non-stop action from 7:30-3:30, but, overall, I am extremely happy. After last year's challenging class that pushed me beyond my behavior management skill level, I am pleased to have a class that seems sweet and easier to handle.

But even with last year's kids, I would have to admit that they are an easy crowd to get riled up. There is one sure-fire way to get every kid excited and paying attention: The Graph. All you have to do is start putting information, especially info about them or info that they help generate, on a graph - bar graph, tally table, line graph, anything - and they are hooked.

Today I put 2 green tiles and 2 red tiles in a brown paper bag. We were going to each pull out a tile and then graph the color that came out. You would have thought I just announced a field trip to Disney. They got so fired up about their predictions. "I want red to win!" "Go green!" "They're going to tie - they're the same" (from my advanced mathematicians). As more and more tiles were pulled, they could hardly sit to see how the graph was coming along. When the last tile came out red (to take a lead of 3), hands went up and cheers spread around the room. I apologize to the classroom next door.

We will repeat the "experiment" two more times, for a total of 60 pulls. I'll let you know how it turns out. I know you can hardly wait.

Withdrawal

2009-08-25T17:20:00.002-04:00

I haven't baked something in over four weeks. I'm starting to go crazy. The last thing I made was chocolate chip cookies a few days before we moved. And since then, we've been so busy with the move, vacation, trying to get settled, starting a new school year (today was my first day with the kids - more on that later), that I haven't baked anything. I've barely cooked either.

But don't worry, I've had plenty of sweets. We found two cupcake shops while in Chicago, I got Publix donuts one time, we've stocked up on ice cream, and there always seems to be some kind of treat at school. But there's just something about baking it myself. My favorite part is mixing the dry ingredients into the wet - especially if I have to do it in 3 sessions, alternating with another wet ingredient, like buttermilk. I love mixing in vanilla or almond extract, too. Mmmm. They smell so good.

So, I am bringing some butter to room temperature right now. I don't know if I'll be too tired or if I'll actually have time to make something, but I'm hopeful.

Shopaholic

2009-08-19T18:16:00.003-04:00

I have probably been to home improvement stores more in the past 2 weeks than my entire life combined. I guess that makes sense because this is the first time I've had a home to improve. What's interesting, though, is that it doesn't matter what I buy at those stores, the list never gets any shorter. I think it might actually be growing.

But it's been a lot of fun. I have never been a big shopper. I prefer to wait and save and see what kind of deal I can get. Or just do without. Plus, I don't think I'm particularly good at picking things out, unless it's food. So, it's been fun to go and get things that we need, without waiting and waiting.

My favorite items that Kari and I have picked out so far: a storm door (still needs to be installed), a dish drainer, blinds (no more sheets on the windows!), a big, custodian-like broom (the big, fuzzy kind - I've had a fascination with them since my days of cleaning the North Hall dorms), and a washer and dryer. Of course, that last one is a dream come true. Thank you to everyone who has let us cart our laundry around to them through the years. You can bring your laundry over anytime.

A Lot Like Christmas

2009-08-11T20:51:00.004-04:00

Kari and I just returned from a week and a half vacation, greeted by our cute new house and stuff thrown everywhere. We didn't come close to unpacking before we left and made a minor mess trying to pack for our trip. But it was still wonderful to come home to our home.

Seeing all the mess reminded me of the fun of moving. Yes, fun. The whole house-buying process was overall exciting and joyful. And moving was a lot like Christmas.

People invite you over for holiday parties = People invite you over for dinner because you are exhausted and all your stuff is packed.
People bring you little gifts or treats = People stop by with boxes, chocolate, wine.
People, even strangers, greet you with "Merry Christmas!" = People, even strangers, greet you with "Congratulations!"
You get to visit with family and friends = Family and friends come from near and far to help with the move.
The house is covered with wrapping paper and new things = The house is covered with packing paper and all our things.
Kari plays lots of Christmas music = Kari plays lots of Christmas music.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this move possible! I love being home for the holidays.

A Dream Come True

2009-07-29T15:51:00.007-04:00

In 2005, when home prices were soaring and nearing their peaks, I thought that Kari and I would never be able to afford a home - at least not in Florida. But then as the economic turmoil began and housing started to fall toward the end of 2007, we had a glimmer of hope. We realized that this economic downturn could be our only chance to get into a Florida home. But back then, we had no idea how long a recession would last, how long interest rates would stay low, or when home prices would start rising.

So, in March 2008 we tested things out. We started reading up on the homebuying process and saw a loan officer, Amy, at Bank of America. I had no idea about all that was involved in buying a home and had a ridiculous notion of what we could afford. Amy set me straight and we left realizing that we were not ready. Our apartment lease was up at the end of June 2008 and we decided to renew for one more year. Give ourselves a whole year to save, get things in order, look around, and take our time moving in.

By the end of 2008, as home prices continued to drop and mortgage rates were reaching all time lows, I started panicking thinking that we were waiting too long. I was afraid that we would miss our chance. We looked at homes on realtor.com and tampa4u.com. But the timing just wasn't right. We would have to stick to our plan and wait.

We continued looking online for fun and we drove/walked around several neighborhoods. We made a list of things we wanted in a home and things we REALLY wanted in a home. After we ran the Gasparilla half-marathon in March, we started looking with our realtor, Janet. (She was awesome and I highly recommend her if you are trying to buy or sell). We put in an offer on a short-sale by the end of March and got pre-approved for a loan from Bank of America and BB&T.

And then we waited. And waited. We were not too concerned because we had been warned that short sales can take awhile. We figured that I could finish out the school year and then we would have a whole month to move in.

But then the school year ended and still no word on the short sale. We continued looking, but we didn't like anything as much as our offer. There were a few sparks of possibility, but they all fizzled away. When our lease was up at the end of June and we had to go to the exorbitant month-to-month rate, we wondered what was going on. Why were things not going as we expected? Did we miss our chance?

And then on Sunday, July 12th, we went to look at a few more houses with Janet. By now, Kari was "over it." It was hard to get her to say anything that she liked. Not because she wasn't excited about buying a home - but because she was tired of getting excited and getting her hopes up, just to be let down. When we first saw the house, I thought it was so cute. Like an endearing bug with big black eyes.

And then I saw the kitchen. Updated. Spacious. New appliances. Granite countertops.

By the time we left, I couldn't stop telling Janet how much I liked it. It felt so right. I couldn't get Kari to say much, but I could tell that she liked it, too.

The next day I told Janet to write up an offer. 11 days later, we closed.

As we were packing up this past Saturday for the big move, I came across the list we made over a year ago about what we wanted in a house. This one meets almost all of our really important qualities and more.

For a new home, we dreamed for:

a safe neighborhood
a 4/2
big shade trees - we have 3!

fruit trees
a nice kitchen that is open to other living areas in the house
a kitchen with a window
indoor laundry room
new windows
a large dining room

It was worth the wait.

Schedule for the Day

2009-07-24T09:36:00.002-04:00

1. Wake up and eat breakfast
2. Stretch
3. Check email
4. Go to the bank
5. Make banana bread
6. Do a final walkthrough
7. Buy a house
8. Clean bathrooms while waiting for pest control
9. Pack
10. Eat dinner
11. Watch CSI (on the computer, because right now our only TV station is ABC. The DTV converter thing isn't working out so great. Hopefully it will do better in a new house - see #7).

One more

2009-07-17T09:38:00.003-04:00

After talking with Kari and my sister, Trish, I have one more Late Theory to add.

The Associate (a.k.a Late By Marriage) - these people typically claim their lateness based on the other members of their party. However, I think there are really 2 types of Associates. First, there are those who truly are Ms. Punctualities and either spend their time getting anxious or annoyed watching their late family and friends trying to get ready. Or they are called in at the last minute to do things for others who are running late.

Second, there are those who just think they are Ms. Punctualities. They are not ready on time either - they are just ready before you.

Theory of Late

2009-07-14T16:23:00.003-04:00

Or Late Theory. However you want to call it, I have a problem.

I am on Summer Break. That means I have the blessing of not having to go to work every day. I have no set schedule or responsibilities. I am taking one UF course, but it is mostly online. I am not bragging here - I'm quite thankful for my situation and I hope it keeps me from complaining come September.

My point: I have absolutely no excuse to be late for anything.

I should not be running late to the Total Body Toning Class at the gym. I should not be late in preparing dinner for my Book Club. I should not be driving crazy to meet my realtor. And I should not be pulling a late night to get a UF assignment turned in on time.

But I find myself, summer break or not, always running just a little behind. So, I'm thinking that being late (or not) is more ingrained in a personality than I thought. I will try to sum up the different Late Personalities that I've seen, and maybe if I diagnose myself, I can find a cure.

Ms. Punctuality - these people (generally female) are always on time or just a few minutes early. They might even find themselves waiting in a parking lot because it's too early to go in. They get the most one-on-one time with any host/hostess because no other guests have arrived. They are dressed and have anything they need packed at least 20 minutes before the intended departure time - sitting, watching, reading, and getting annoyed at all the other Late Personalities calling for help, asking where such-and-such is, and rushing around in a frenzy.

The Optimist (a.k.a The Poor Judgers of Time by Ms. Punctuality) - these people don't really want to be late. They don't mind behind a few minutes late to a party; but hate being late to scheduled activities (church, meetings, reservations, etc.). But they never learn. They think everything takes 15 minutes. It doesn't. One cannot shower, dress, put on make-up, print directions, pack things up, change outfits, iron new outfit, discuss which shoe is better all in 15 minutes. And it certainly does not take 15 minutes to get everywhere.

The Journalist - these people feed on the adrenaline of being pushed to the last minute. They are deadline writers. They practically cannot make a move to get something done or get ready until there is barely enough time. Then their minds and bodies move into hyperdrive. They know all the shortcuts, take red lights personally, and have probably cut you off.

The Time Hoarder - these people don't really want to be late, they just don't want to wait. They don't want to be early and have to wait on you. Their time is too precious to sit around and people-watch or read waiting room magazines. They want things to get on with it. Their ideal is to get where they're going and have a seat just as things start.

The Avoider - these people's real problem is that they actually don't want to go. They figure that if they stall long enough, they will get out of it. They are usually obsecenely late for events and then try to pass it off like no one would notice. As if they are just an Optimist or something. What's interesting, is that these people most likely end up having fun and are usually one of the last to leave.

I think I fit most as The Journalist, but I might have a little Time Hoarder in me, too. Sorry to all my Ms. Punctuality friends and family. If you have any further theories or even better, therapies or cures, please let me know.

Defying Gravity

2009-07-08T16:33:00.003-04:00

So I was trying to get some work done for my UF class and made the mistake of playing some of my iTunes. Usually I can work with some form of background music, but then "Defying Gravity" from the Wicked soundtrack came on. I love that song! Their voices are so amazing. And I love the message. It makes me feel hopeful and strong. Like I can accomplish anything. I just have to stop and listen - it's too great for me to even try to sing along.

This is a shortened version of the song. You can search youtube for the whole scene right from the play. Or even better, go see Wicked in person! If it comes to a theater anywhere remotely close to you, do not hesitate to get tickets. I saw it a couple years ago with all the women in my family as a Christmas gift from my mom and it is the best play I've ever seen. I listen to the soundtrack over and over and would love to see it again in person.

So, now that I am all inspired, what do I really want to get done?

So Proud!

2009-07-03T18:45:00.009-04:00

Today I successfully made my first batch of sao bao! Sao bao are Chinese steamed buns that can have all kinds of fillings - chicken and mushroom, pork and bean sprouts, peanut, the kid-favorite plain, or more. When I was a kid, I loved arriving at my grandparents' (PoPo and GungGung) condo in Miami, opening the door, and getting knocked over with all kinds of yummy Asian food smells. After petting their porcelain dog statue by the door, I would rush over to the dinner table, hoping we were not too late to get some sao bao. PoPo would still be in the kitchen, steaming more buns. She always set aside a special plate of plain buns for me.

I've always wanted to make sao bao. PoPo stopped making them as she got older, but my sister, Trisha, got the recipe before PoPo passed away. However, the recipe included measurements like 4 cups - meaning PoPo's tea cup. Trish spent years and many bags of flour deciphering the recipe and making it perfect.

So, yesterday I went over to Trish's house, and she taught me how to make sao bao. I always thought sao bao would be out of my skill set, but with T's guidance, I took them on. Then today, as I was mixing the dough in my own KitchenAid, I remembered what she said about not packing the flour and adding a little water. I gave it a little extra hand-knead, just like she showed me. Never underestimate the power of apprenticeship.

But even as the dough was rising, I got nervous and thought they would be a flop. I traditionally struggle with anything that uses yeast. But the dough was stretchy and smooth and just like Trish showed me. I made a few plain and stuffed the rest with a chicken and shiitake mushroom mixture. I am so proud! Here are some waiting to be steamed:

They look a little funny after being cooked, but they taste great!

Now Kari and I have probably had our white bread flour quota for the month. Anyone have something else they can teach me?

(Note: I have heard sao bao called many different names in cookbooks and I've never met someone who also calls them sao bao. I don't know if sao bao was just our family name for steamed buns or if its regional differences in dialect and language or something else. But I think bao might mean bread. If you know more, please let me know!)

It's all in your head

2009-06-30T11:32:00.003-04:00

This is a continuation of yesterday's post about games. As much as I loved board games and cards, I probably spent most of my time doing things that we came up with. Things that involved imagination and interaction.

Here's my Top 5 Childhood (Non-board Game) Activities:

5. Tent City - I don't know how my mom had so many sets of sheets, but I loved raiding the linen closet and turning the living room into a tent fortress. I would pull chairs from the dining room and use books to anchor sheets. I liked to drape the sheets in all different ways to try to create as many different rooms or "secret passages" as possible. Maybe this is why I like camping so much.

4. Carnival - We created different stations around the house. There was the "bowling down the aluminum can pyramid," "shooting GI Joes off the counter with my brother's homemade bottlecap gun," "slide the penny against the wall," "color on the veranda," and "My brother the rollercoaster."

3. School - My sister, Jen, my best friend, and I loved to play school. We took turns being the teacher and giving assignments. We really liked it when Jen, being 4 years older, taught us something new, like cursive handwriting or multiplication. We also equally like playing Church. We sang hymns and took turns being the priest and giving out communion (using banana chips, Vitamin C tablets, or even prunes - I don't know where that one came from).

2. Movie Star - We acted out scenes from Grease or pretended that we were detectives, like Remington Steele. I also liked to pretend that I was Superman or the Karate Kid. And I had this stick - about 3 feet long, made of smooth, white wood - that I carried around and it made me think that I could do anything. It was full of adventure and magic.

1. Pool - What kid can't spend hours and hours in the pool? We were so blessed to have a big pool in our backyard and warm Jamaican weather year-round to use it. My favorite games were "Mermaids," "Try to surf on a raft," "Throw the coconuts in the water," "Throw limes for the dogs," "Tea party on the bottom of the pool," "Kitchen," "Try to tip dad off the raft," and "Submarine." Oh, and you can't forget, "Everyone get out and then throw little Debbie in the middle of the deep end and tell her piranhas are in the water."

Playtime

2009-06-29T12:10:00.005-04:00

I love relaxing at the end of the day. Even if I am on summer break, there is something special about nighttime down time. Dinner is done, it is too late to start any chores, I can't run any errands... I know I am free to play. Most of the time, Kari and I will watch a movie, read magazines or books, talk, or watch TV - if the day was really hard, we like to watch the most mindless TV available (currently we are into The Bachelorette).

Sometimes we play games. I LOVE playing games, but sometimes they just require too much effort at the end of the day. But Thursday night we spent about 4 hours over Monopoly and chocolate cupcakes. After I landed on Boardwalk 3 times in a row, I was thoroughly beaten. (You can see more about the Smackdown here.)

It got us talking about favorite games. As an adult, I enjoy party games, like Cranium, Catch Phrase, and Taboo. I also like the more thoughtful Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit, and Scattergories.

But there's a special place in my heart for the childhood games that I played for hours on end.

My Mom is a saint who always had time for us kids. She had the patience to teach us rules and strategy for probably a hundred different games. She never made me feel that I couldn't play because I was too little. She never acted frustrated when I forgot the rules or needed some modifications so that I could participate. My Mom showed me that life really is fun.

Here are my Top Ten Favorite Childhood Games:

10. Hungry, Hungry Hippos - I never owned this game, but loved going over to a friend's house to play when I was four.

9. Connect Four

8. Trouble - I can still hear the "pop" of the little dice popper in the middle.

7. Mille Bornes - a foreign card game

6. Racko

5. Uno (or really any card game)

4. Life

3. Mastermind - I now play an online version.

2. Monopoly - we played with the House Rules of Free Parking, lending each other money, excusing debt, and so on... which made the game go on forever. Reading Railroad is still my favorite property.

1. Clue -Love the game, love the movie. I don't get to play this much anymore because it takes at least 3 people. I don't know how my best friend and I would play this for hours, just the two of us.

Of course, these are just the commercial, store-bought games that I loved to play again and again. My older sister, brother, best friend, and I spent even more time on the games that we made up. I'll have to talk more on that later.

IKEAhhhhh!

2009-06-23T14:08:00.002-04:00

On Sunday, Kari and I went to IKEA in Tampa for the first time. I heard it was big. Kari read that it is the largest furniture retailer in the world. On their website I saw that the store was like 385,000 square feet and that they provide you with maps. But that kind of information is hard to process until you see it in person.

It was more like going to a theme park than a furniture store. When we got off at our exit, we weren't sure where to go. We should have known it's like Disney - just follow all the other cars until you see it. You won't be able to miss it. There were parking attendants in bright shirts to direct the traffic to the already-packed massive parking lot. However, it was so hot out that they looked like they were going to die and didn't really care much about directing cars. I thought maybe there would even be a little tram ride to the entrance.

Luckily, we found a close spot. Inside, we were greeted by some couches (in case you already need a rest), Bug's Life on a big screen, maps, tape measures, lists, bags, and pencils. You don't want to tackle IKEA without a plan. There is also a playland to drop off your kids if you don't want to torture them with the endless decision-making.

But IKEA welcomes everyone. It really is an all-day affair. They even have a food court. It reminded us of a Rooms-to-Go, Home Depot, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Sam's Club all in one. You could literally get just about everything you need for a home. For this first trip, we didn't buy anything. That would have been too overwhelming for me. We just wanted to check it out. So we followed the arrows and tried to stay on the path that wound us through each department. We pointed out some nice things - shelves and baskets, couches, tables, plates - but tried not to stray off the trail too much. A few hours later, I was in sensory overload. Just staring blankly and nodding. We were hungry and exhausted, but it was so much fun!

Perhaps when this house comes through, we will return on a weekday, list made and mapped-out, ready to buy.

Photo fun

2009-06-19T09:45:00.004-04:00

Kari showed me a hilarious website this week: AwkwardFamilyPhotos.com

The captions are hilarious! If you like people being able to poke fun at themselves, or at least to let someone on the web do the clever poking for them, then check it out. If you look at the older posts, some of my favorites are:

"Slinky"
"There's Plenty of Room on the Couch"
"There's a Guy in the Tree"
"Here's Looking at You Kid"

I don't know what's funnier: The families that chose some silly pose for themselves or the families that were really trying their best and were unaware of their awkwardness. I think the latter.

I will spare my family and not submit any to the website, but I have to share an old Christmas favorite. It looks like a normal family shot at first, but then notice the green numbers. It was a Christmas game that seemed like a good idea at the time. I would call it more strange than funny... but I love my family no matter what! (Plus, I think it might have been partly my idea.)

And the more I look at it, does it seem like the people in the middle are extra tiny?

Summer Vacation

2009-06-14T17:06:00.000-04:00

After being off of work for a whole week now, I finally feel like it is summer vacation. I have not settled into a summer routine (a balance of productivity and fun), but my mind has realized that I do not have to go to work come Monday. It is something I am truly thankful for.

I think I made this transition into summer vacation this weekend when my sister, Jenny from Naples, came to visit us for a long weekend. It was my definition of vacation: lots of food, games, and silliness. We were able to sample some of my favorite local eating spots. We went to The Garden, St. Pete's first restaurant, Thai Wok, a hidden gem of Asian eating in a little strip mall (the Cashew Nut Chicken is addictive), and El Cap, the local favorite for burgers.

As a bonus, we went to The Cupcake Spot... twice. We tried almost every cupcake they make. Well, Jenny bought almost every cupcake they make. It may still take another day or two to finish trying them all.

And as a parting gift, I sent Jenny home with some of my homemade marshmallows for her and my mom. They are good straight up or as S'mores.

But we didn't just eat. We also talked about eating and what foods we could have again. The cupcakes were a hot topic of discussion. In case you make it to The Cupcake Spot, our favorites were the Mint Chocolate, Buckeye, and Butterscotch Baby. We also burned a few calories with a living room dance party on Saturday night. Jen's new iPhone holds a lot of great music and has surprisingly loud speakers!

And we got to exercise our minds a little with Speed Scrabble. You play the same as Scrabble - take turns, get 7 letters, make words - except that you do not score the words. Instead, the goal is to have every letter in the bag played within 15 minutes. So, it's everyone wins or no one wins. Very fun, very intense 15 minutes. It took us several games (many games with us left with just 3 or 4 letters apiece when time ran out), but we finally won.

I love the summer!

Top 5 Current Reasons Why I Am Super Excited About Moving to Our Home

2009-06-10T13:48:00.000-04:00

I don't want to jump the gun or count my chickens or anything like that... but things have just started to pick up regarding the short sale that we are waiting for. We put in an offer over 3 months ago and are just hearing that someone at the seller's bank is assigned to the sale and they are beginning to process everything. I know a million things could still go wrong or cause further delay, but it is still very exciting to have a glimmer of hope (especially because our lease is up at the end of June).

So, here are my Top 5 Current Reasons Why I Am Super Excited About Moving to Our Home (in no particular order, and whatever home it turns out to be):

1. Having a washer and dryer. Now, honestly, I have not had to do the trek across the street for hours on end carrying loads and loads of laundry. Kari has been extremely sweet and helpful and has done most of that work by herself for the past 7 years... but I am excited that she won't have to do that anymore and that I will be more able to help with indoor laundry.

2. I think the upstairs neighbors have taken up indoor kitchen basketball.

3. Picking out appliances. It is so fun to look at all the new things! I think we are going to go with Kenmore.

4. Finally having this mattered settled. Even though house-hunting has been a very fun process and we do not tend to worry over things, it will be nice to have the brain space to think about other things. Instead of constantly mulling over what needs to be done to close, I can mull over paint colors, bathroom fixtures, and pest control.

5. I want to be handy! Last weekend, my parents and Kari tried to dissuade me from the idea of laying pavers for a backyard patio by myself, but I am not completely convinced yet. I have no tools, no building/fixing skills, and no experience, but I want to make something! I like the idea of taking care of something and making it special. At least I will help paint and plant a little herb garden.

Not what it used to be

2009-06-07T11:42:00.000-04:00

I love basketball. Ever since my mom signed me up for the YMCA league in 4th grade, I have loved to play. I don't get to play that often and I haven't played a real game in probably 9 years, but it still thrills me. If I ever do go out to the apartment courts to shoot around, I don't want to leave.

I like watching basketball, too. But I don't do that very often either - I just don't watch much TV in general (and I don't have cable). But I like a good college March Madness game. I love the scrappiness of college basketball and the unpredictability. I don't think anything in sports is more exciting than a last second 3-pointer to win a game.

So, on Thursday night, to celebrate my final day of work, I decided to watch Game 1 of the NBA Finals. I loved watching the Finals in the '90s (I watched a lot more TV back then). We would have big parties. My aunt and uncle would come over, my brother and his wife, and anyone else around. Sometimes we would have a big BBQ and I would usually get to help pick the dessert. We gathered around waiting to see what magic Michael Jordan would do. Remember that inspiring game that he played with the flu?

Well, Kobe Bryant is good, but he is not Michael Jordan. I don't know if it is just because there wasn't a big party for the game, but that Game 1 was just not exciting to me. And not just because of the Magic's lackluster performance, but the whole thing seemed to be missing a spark. I remember one of my favorite parts of the game was when they would annouce the starting lineup for the Bulls. The arena would go pitch black, lights would flash in the shape of a bull, that '90s techno-dance-beat kind of music would start - the kind that makes you want to jump or pump your fist or run really fast - and then the announcer would call out the starting lineup like it was the best thing in his life. I can still hear the sing-song call of MiiiCHAEL JorrrDAN! And the crowd would go wild. You could hear the passion.

On Thursday, it sounded like the Laker's announcer was calling class roll. Bueller. Bueller. Bryant.

So, I don't think I will watch Game 2. Maybe if it comes down to a Game 7, I will give them another try. Or I'll do what I really love and go shoot some myself.

They're Gone

2009-06-02T18:07:00.000-04:00

It's over. It's over. Today was my last day of school with students. The end of school always produces a kind of guttural ache. A deep pain of reflection as I look back on the year: students I just couldn't reach, lessons that I never got to, mistakes made on days when my patience was thin. But there are also the good reflections: students who made huge gains, lessons that my kids talked about again and again, moments when my patience led students back from the edge. (If you are not sure what "edge" the students might be on, then we need to talk sometime.)

So, it's this joyful pain. I look forward to being better next year and must forgive and release myself from this year's shortcomings. Even though there were days I thought would never end, the year was short. In a few days, I will work through the ache and embrace my summer.

Skipping Dinner

2009-05-31T16:20:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we got to spend the day at a friend's waterfront apartment complex. They had a big party/open house with food stations, a Treasure hunt for prizes, different info booths, pet photography, and games for kids. They actually had like 3 of the most amazing bounce houses I've ever seen. Of course we made use of every food station, plus spent some time at our friend's place where she lavished us with snacks.

So, last night at 9:00 back at home, Kari and I were playing Trivial Pursuit and finishing our second cupcake.

Kari: "Are you sure we don't need dinner?"

Me: "No, I'm still full."

Kari: "We can't skip dinner."

Me: "I ate nonstop from 11-6 and just ate two cupcakes."

Kari: "I only had 3 pieces of pizza, 2 garlic knots with sauce, 3 cheesecake squares, a hot dog, 2 chicken skewers, 2 potstickers, a frozen berry daiquiri, half a diet Dr. Pepper, some chips and spinach dip, veggie tray carrots and cucumbers, a piece of salami, and cheese."

Me: "Uh... yeah, I think we're good without dinner."

Kari: "Well, you had two hot dogs."

Me: "And cotton candy and a bowl of ice cream... small."

Kari: "I hope we don't get hungry."

We are ones to never skip a meal. I don't know how people can miss a meal or a snack. So, it is always concerning when it looks like we are passing on an official mealtime. But does it count as skipping dinner when you pretty much eat all day long?

A New Discovery

2009-05-28T17:21:00.000-04:00

I love ice cream. It is one of the staples of the home. When there is no ice cream in the freezer, I feel like something is missing. Suppose I have a craving? Suppose I have a stomachache? Nothing settles me down like ice cream, especially after a long run. So, we always have a half-gallon or two on hand.

Publix is my brand of choice, although I also enjoy Edy's. And I usually go for flavors with chunks and swirls. I like to try Publix's Limited Edition flavors - I am very upset that Cool Mint Cookie really was limited. And I don't mind repeating favorites: chocolate chip cookie dough, Bear Claw, Cappucino Fudge Blitz, Moose Tracks.

But lately, I've been craving vanilla. I haven't bought vanilla in years, but I wanted a smooth, creamy, subtle vanilla. Luckily, Edy's was on sale last week BOGO and they had 4 different types of vanilla! After much deliberation - you know when you stand in front of the case and open it and close it so much that the glass is all fogged over and now you can't even see your choices - I went with French Vanilla.

So, here's the new discovery. When I served my bowl, sure enough, I wanted toppings or chunks to spruce up the vanilla. I went for some fresh blackberries and was wishing for caramel when Kari reminded me of the leftover cream cheese frosting from our red velvet cupcakes. I felt like a Cold Stone scooper as I was mixing in my berries, frosting, and a light swirl of melted ganache (leftover from something else). It was fantastic! Like blackberry cheesecake ice cream!

I wonder what other frostings could be mixed in? Would cake batter work?

A New Blog Beginning

2009-05-26T13:28:00.000-04:00

I have decided to start a new blog for two reasons: 1. I want to share about all the things in my life, and not just writing and teaching like my last blog, and 2. I had given my last blog to too many professional contacts that I am not sure I want following my regular life.

Not that anyone is still following. After all, it has been like 8 months since my last blog.

So, I hope to be more consistent with this new blog. I tell Kari all the time, "Hey, you should blog that." But maybe, I should blog that. And I love reading other people's blogs. I get very disappointed when I do my computer routine after work (check email, read Yahoo headlines, check the lotto [on Thursdays and Sundays, although I don't really play], check Kari's blog and every blog linked on her page) and no one has updated. I like to hear what's going on. It's better than the news. I tried to watch the 5:00 news yesterday and it was quite boring.

I tried to make my last blog all about teaching and writing and I just can't do that. This year was a very challenging teaching year and the last thing I wanted to do was spend my evening recounting some story about it. Sometimes is okay, but not as a rule.

We'll see how it goes.