I know, I know, for most of you this is a normal, every day occurence. But here in Yuma, it's a big deal. And it rained for all of 15 seconds. Seriously. Like 10 drops. We were driving or I probably would never have known. It was cooler this morning, 85, so we had the sunroof open and by the time we got it closed it had stopped raining. Go figure. Life in the southwest.
Other than that today was a pretty quiet day. The house is all organized, the spider room (aka the shed outside) is all organized, the laundry is done and I did some scrapbooking. Trying to finish my Kalamazoo book so I can start on my Arizona book.
Ok - I have to run, Ang is having a crisis. I think we have a gnome who's a thief in our house. Last night she misplaced a necklace, today it's the cord for her digital camera. If anyone knows how to talk to such gnomes, please let me know!
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Cockroaches
Yesterday was my best day as a teacher so far. I know, I know, no students yet so they are all good days (haha!) but I got to work in my room for 9 hrs and it felt good, and it feels like my room now! Angela helped me so much and I made 2 friends! This was pretty exciting, they are both first year teachers just like me and we went through induction together and our rooms are all in the same hallway. It's great. We boosted each other up and gave each other hugs and our phone numbers.
And then the day took a turn.
Angela and I went back to school after dinner and continued working. We were alone in the building and it was dark for the most part. I wanted to get my first activity for the first day of school all set before we left for our four day weekend and that required making copies of the crest I am going to have all the students fill in, and we needed to make an overhead transparency. So we went to the copier room. It was dark and we unlocked the door and I kicked something as I reached for the light, I looked down to see I'd actually kicked 2 things: the doorstop and a giant cockroach. I screamed a little, Ang screamed a lot and jumped and we were both freaked out. He ran around in circles for a bit under a table and I was the lookout while Ang made my copies. He was about as big and as long as my thumb with giant antenna - just a big bug. I named him Fred but then changed his name to Joe (Fred is one of our janitors and we love Fred so the name didn't fit). Joe eventually ran under the copy machine and we hurried up our work. I sat on the counter and Ang stood in the middle of the room while the machine ran.
Then she took the copies to the other counter, by the sink, to stack them when she screamed - not quietly mind you but SCREAMED! She ran out of the room and I looked over and there was Joe's friend peeking out of the sink. Apparently he had climbed right up on her arm. She said never in her life had she ever almost peed her pants, until right then. I took another look at Joe's friend, grabbed our stuff and slammed the door. Wondering how many more of them there were.
We knew there were cockroaches in the school, they had bug bombed this summer and the week before there had been a row of dead cockroaches in this darker hallway. We had joked that it was a great sight to see, especially since our school is where induction was held - where all 65 of the brand new teachers come on their first day of work and where the big wigs come to be introduced. But we didn't know there were still live ones.
Needless to say, we didn't stay very long after that. I got my room picked up and we left at 9:30, much to Angela's delight. She had a very long night after that. I had to make some cinnamon ice cream to get her calmed down.
She has devised a plan though - she's never going in the copier room again. She's going to get all that she needs copied together every Monday morning and leave it on our boss's desk, the principal. At least until she's assured there are no more cockroaches in the building.
I was pretty freaked out by them too - I've never seen a live cockroach in all my 28 years. But I was a bit fascinated by them too. I kept sneaking looks at them. And this morning I googled them, and found out they can bite, they can't grow to be more than a quarter of a pound big, and people write poems about them. Yep, you can find just about anything on the internet.
So yeah. Cockroaches. What more can I say. Come visit!
And then the day took a turn.
Angela and I went back to school after dinner and continued working. We were alone in the building and it was dark for the most part. I wanted to get my first activity for the first day of school all set before we left for our four day weekend and that required making copies of the crest I am going to have all the students fill in, and we needed to make an overhead transparency. So we went to the copier room. It was dark and we unlocked the door and I kicked something as I reached for the light, I looked down to see I'd actually kicked 2 things: the doorstop and a giant cockroach. I screamed a little, Ang screamed a lot and jumped and we were both freaked out. He ran around in circles for a bit under a table and I was the lookout while Ang made my copies. He was about as big and as long as my thumb with giant antenna - just a big bug. I named him Fred but then changed his name to Joe (Fred is one of our janitors and we love Fred so the name didn't fit). Joe eventually ran under the copy machine and we hurried up our work. I sat on the counter and Ang stood in the middle of the room while the machine ran.
Then she took the copies to the other counter, by the sink, to stack them when she screamed - not quietly mind you but SCREAMED! She ran out of the room and I looked over and there was Joe's friend peeking out of the sink. Apparently he had climbed right up on her arm. She said never in her life had she ever almost peed her pants, until right then. I took another look at Joe's friend, grabbed our stuff and slammed the door. Wondering how many more of them there were.
We knew there were cockroaches in the school, they had bug bombed this summer and the week before there had been a row of dead cockroaches in this darker hallway. We had joked that it was a great sight to see, especially since our school is where induction was held - where all 65 of the brand new teachers come on their first day of work and where the big wigs come to be introduced. But we didn't know there were still live ones.
Needless to say, we didn't stay very long after that. I got my room picked up and we left at 9:30, much to Angela's delight. She had a very long night after that. I had to make some cinnamon ice cream to get her calmed down.
She has devised a plan though - she's never going in the copier room again. She's going to get all that she needs copied together every Monday morning and leave it on our boss's desk, the principal. At least until she's assured there are no more cockroaches in the building.
I was pretty freaked out by them too - I've never seen a live cockroach in all my 28 years. But I was a bit fascinated by them too. I kept sneaking looks at them. And this morning I googled them, and found out they can bite, they can't grow to be more than a quarter of a pound big, and people write poems about them. Yep, you can find just about anything on the internet.
So yeah. Cockroaches. What more can I say. Come visit!
Friday, July 28, 2006
My first week
I graduated from induction this morning! Woohoo - I got a certificate, a handbook, and a compass (that doesn't work so much). It was pretty exciting. The best part is I get to work in my classroom now! That's what I'm headed to do after lunch today. I've already got the chairs arranged so I can walk in front, behind, and around all my students.
Said students arrive a week from Monday which is pretty exciting. Next week we have meetings Wed and Thurs and open house on Friday. Mon and Tues are non-compensation days which means...LONG WEEKEND:-)
Angela and I will be going to San Diego Monday!
Ok, I am off to the bank and then to school. I'll update you all more this weekend!
Said students arrive a week from Monday which is pretty exciting. Next week we have meetings Wed and Thurs and open house on Friday. Mon and Tues are non-compensation days which means...LONG WEEKEND:-)
Angela and I will be going to San Diego Monday!
Ok, I am off to the bank and then to school. I'll update you all more this weekend!
Thursday, July 27, 2006
The weather
Since I have been in Arizona I've seen my car reach a temperature of 125 degrees. This was Monday. Yesterday when I woke up and looked at Weatherbug on my computer I told Angela Weatherbug was broken because it read only 87 degrees. And this morning it's only 85 degrees with a heat index of 97. This is downright balmy for us folks. Seriously!
Yesterday I barely sweated and was almost comfortable walking out of the house at 7:30. It's an odd sensation since it's been 105 even in the middle of the night since I got here.
I'm off to my 3rd day of work - more tales of that later. But can I just say that yesterday I think I really began to feel like a teacher as I rearranged my desks and pulled staples out of the wall!
Yesterday I barely sweated and was almost comfortable walking out of the house at 7:30. It's an odd sensation since it's been 105 even in the middle of the night since I got here.
I'm off to my 3rd day of work - more tales of that later. But can I just say that yesterday I think I really began to feel like a teacher as I rearranged my desks and pulled staples out of the wall!
Sunday, July 23, 2006
Clerks II
Opening night Ang and I were there. Us and a theater full of teenage boys. It was quite the crowd and quite the flick. Well written I have to say, Kevin Smith has a certain way with words that is true talent, and full of the usual crude, in very poor taste albeit very funny jokes we have come to expect from him. And the bit about the racial slurs - hilarious, really. You gotta see it to understand it.
I really loved the ending, how it all wrapped up and it was nice to see how these characters changed over the past 10 years.
All in all, worth my 8 bucks. Also, it's the first movie I've been to in a while where these 2 things happened: 1) I heard honest-to-goodness laugh out loud laughter throughout the film, including my own (didn't laugh hardly at all in The Devil Wears Prada) and 2) the audience applauded at the end of the movie, and a good portion of us stayed through the last of the credits - including the 30-something woman who sat, alone, in front of us in the theater.
However, I was bothered by one thing I did see (and not just Jay flashing the camera):
As the crowd filed out there were 2 boys who couldn't have been more than SEVEN walking out with what appeared to be their mothers. They had popcorn and soda and seemed to have enjoyed the film. I was sickened by this. As I said to Ang then, "I don't feel old enough to be seeing this movie." Sometimes I have to wonder what parents think. What adults in general think. This was not a movie for children, in my opinion. I can't imagine what these children will take away from this film.
Overall, a good experience. Ninety-seven minutes of laughter.
I really loved the ending, how it all wrapped up and it was nice to see how these characters changed over the past 10 years.
All in all, worth my 8 bucks. Also, it's the first movie I've been to in a while where these 2 things happened: 1) I heard honest-to-goodness laugh out loud laughter throughout the film, including my own (didn't laugh hardly at all in The Devil Wears Prada) and 2) the audience applauded at the end of the movie, and a good portion of us stayed through the last of the credits - including the 30-something woman who sat, alone, in front of us in the theater.
However, I was bothered by one thing I did see (and not just Jay flashing the camera):
As the crowd filed out there were 2 boys who couldn't have been more than SEVEN walking out with what appeared to be their mothers. They had popcorn and soda and seemed to have enjoyed the film. I was sickened by this. As I said to Ang then, "I don't feel old enough to be seeing this movie." Sometimes I have to wonder what parents think. What adults in general think. This was not a movie for children, in my opinion. I can't imagine what these children will take away from this film.
Overall, a good experience. Ninety-seven minutes of laughter.
The Las Vegas Chronicles
You may be wondering where said naked man was in Vegas. Well let me tell you - right in our very own hotel pool! That's right ladies and gents, we got our very own show, for free. Lucky us.
Not really.
We were sitting out by the pool one night, not in the pool area because it was after 11 but just on the other side of the gate. The pool was being cleaned and this was a time when we could actually enjoy being outside in Vegas - in the middle of the night when it was dark. It was still 101 degrees but without the sun beating down on you it feels downright balmy. Okay, not balmy so much as still freakin' hot but without the sunburn.
We were sitting there talking, the three of us, when these 2 guys and a girl begin to climb the fence (a good 8 foot high) and proceed to take off their clothes. The one semi-cute guy comes over to us and asks us if we're going to rat them out. We laugh and say of course not (besides the night manager is sitting just inside the window from the pool and obviously doesn't care). Of course he's the one who goes swimming in his boxers. The girl is wearing her unders and bra and then there's the buddy. We all know what the buddy looks like, he's not the cute one at all - and he proceeds to take off ALL of his clothes. Right in front of us. Vegas sure leaves a lot to be desired at times!
So that's the tale of our naked man.
I would definately recommend a trip to LV just not in July. It's an amazing place and I'll post some pics soon - I just got them developed today. (I have an old-fashioned camera according to Little Brick #1).
Not really.
We were sitting out by the pool one night, not in the pool area because it was after 11 but just on the other side of the gate. The pool was being cleaned and this was a time when we could actually enjoy being outside in Vegas - in the middle of the night when it was dark. It was still 101 degrees but without the sun beating down on you it feels downright balmy. Okay, not balmy so much as still freakin' hot but without the sunburn.
We were sitting there talking, the three of us, when these 2 guys and a girl begin to climb the fence (a good 8 foot high) and proceed to take off their clothes. The one semi-cute guy comes over to us and asks us if we're going to rat them out. We laugh and say of course not (besides the night manager is sitting just inside the window from the pool and obviously doesn't care). Of course he's the one who goes swimming in his boxers. The girl is wearing her unders and bra and then there's the buddy. We all know what the buddy looks like, he's not the cute one at all - and he proceeds to take off ALL of his clothes. Right in front of us. Vegas sure leaves a lot to be desired at times!
So that's the tale of our naked man.
I would definately recommend a trip to LV just not in July. It's an amazing place and I'll post some pics soon - I just got them developed today. (I have an old-fashioned camera according to Little Brick #1).
Friday, July 21, 2006
I saw Elvis!
Elvis was downtown Las Vegas, and can I just say, I never knew he had blond hair and brown sideburns! Yep. And he not only sings his own songs but some Beach Boys and tells jokes. It was pretty impressive.
We spent Tuesday downtown in the older part of Vegas which was pretty cool. Lots of lights, just on a smaller scale than the strip. We got beads put over our heads by showgirls (or at least girls who looked like that wanted to be in a show), saw the light show (which is HUGE), and ate a great meal at the Paradise buffet for $9.99. We also saw some of the production set pieces for the movie filming at the Golden Nugget.
The movie is The Grand and according to the valet, Nicholas Cage, Woody Harrelson, and Ray Romano were all in the casino that day. We didn't see any of them but we did see lights, equipment and a bunch of animals. There were cages of hamsters, guinea pigs, even a white rabbit - all alive. I have no idea what part they play in a movie about a poker tournament but maybe there's a magician in the scene or something. It's a scripted plot with improv dialgoue according to one internet source, sounds interesting.
What else - oh yes, we got a free spin of the giant slot machine at the Four Queens but sadly didn't win. However, we did buy playing cards used in the casinos we had been in and won actual quarters while playing the slots (downtown you can put a quarter in and get a quarter out - it's cool to hear the sound of the coins crashing out when you win but on the strip you can only use bills and you print out a voucher when you win, not nearly as dramatic!).
Ok - I am off to unpack and sort and organize. More tales later...
We spent Tuesday downtown in the older part of Vegas which was pretty cool. Lots of lights, just on a smaller scale than the strip. We got beads put over our heads by showgirls (or at least girls who looked like that wanted to be in a show), saw the light show (which is HUGE), and ate a great meal at the Paradise buffet for $9.99. We also saw some of the production set pieces for the movie filming at the Golden Nugget.
The movie is The Grand and according to the valet, Nicholas Cage, Woody Harrelson, and Ray Romano were all in the casino that day. We didn't see any of them but we did see lights, equipment and a bunch of animals. There were cages of hamsters, guinea pigs, even a white rabbit - all alive. I have no idea what part they play in a movie about a poker tournament but maybe there's a magician in the scene or something. It's a scripted plot with improv dialgoue according to one internet source, sounds interesting.
What else - oh yes, we got a free spin of the giant slot machine at the Four Queens but sadly didn't win. However, we did buy playing cards used in the casinos we had been in and won actual quarters while playing the slots (downtown you can put a quarter in and get a quarter out - it's cool to hear the sound of the coins crashing out when you win but on the strip you can only use bills and you print out a voucher when you win, not nearly as dramatic!).
Ok - I am off to unpack and sort and organize. More tales later...
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Leaving Las Vegas
We're getting ready to depart Sin City - and it seems about time:-) It's been great, interesting, eye-opening, and fun but it's time to go home. I'll post some more stories about our adventures but here's a tease to keep you going -
We've seen a naked man, people begging on the street for beer money, showgirls, and caught a glimpse of a movie production's beginning!
More later - after the 5 hour trek home...
We've seen a naked man, people begging on the street for beer money, showgirls, and caught a glimpse of a movie production's beginning!
More later - after the 5 hour trek home...
Monday, July 17, 2006
2 days in Vegas and I have not seen Elvis
It's true, I have not seen a single Elvis impersonator yet. And we've been here since Saturday:-) But we've had fun and I am still amazed by the sheer size of everything here - the buildings, the statues, the minimum bets at the blackjack tables, the $10 slot machines. It's amazing!
Saturday night we went to the Bellagio and it's a pretty classy place, everything is marble and gold and supersized, the circular staircases, the people, wow! We saw the water show out front and it looks pretty much like it does in Ocean's 11. Yesterday we went to the Venetian, Caesar's Palace and the Flamingo where there are, indeed, live flamingos! I didn't win any money but so far we're up a total of $1.50!
We watched the gondola rides inside and out at the Venetian, we browsed in Cartier and Kate Spade and watched the people. All kinds of people. Women in 4-inch heels (who's feet look like they hurt more than mine if possible - Saturday night we walked and walked and walked, not realizing how far our hotel was from the strip and I got about 5 blisters on each foot, it was a long night!), women wearing belts around their thighs, parents changing a baby in the middle of a casino on the floor, people walking down the street drinking beer, or margaritas sold by the foot, an older woman dealer teaching a young guy to play 21 at a $50 minimum table.
We walked through the casinos, we participated in a tv research study for 1/2 an hour and we got $10 each (if you ever see the shows No Regrets or Baby in Tow on the air, both reality shows, turn off the television and walk away! Bad ideas!!!!).
We ate expensive Italian food (but not the most expensive at Caesar's - that's for sure) and went swimming at 10pm when it was still 100 degrees out, and once the sand storm had passed.
The tooth is doing better, we're having fun, and we're resting today. Ang has a headache so she's still sleeping and I'm still in my p.j.s!
This really is the city that never sleeps but guess what - we do!
Saturday night we went to the Bellagio and it's a pretty classy place, everything is marble and gold and supersized, the circular staircases, the people, wow! We saw the water show out front and it looks pretty much like it does in Ocean's 11. Yesterday we went to the Venetian, Caesar's Palace and the Flamingo where there are, indeed, live flamingos! I didn't win any money but so far we're up a total of $1.50!
We watched the gondola rides inside and out at the Venetian, we browsed in Cartier and Kate Spade and watched the people. All kinds of people. Women in 4-inch heels (who's feet look like they hurt more than mine if possible - Saturday night we walked and walked and walked, not realizing how far our hotel was from the strip and I got about 5 blisters on each foot, it was a long night!), women wearing belts around their thighs, parents changing a baby in the middle of a casino on the floor, people walking down the street drinking beer, or margaritas sold by the foot, an older woman dealer teaching a young guy to play 21 at a $50 minimum table.
We walked through the casinos, we participated in a tv research study for 1/2 an hour and we got $10 each (if you ever see the shows No Regrets or Baby in Tow on the air, both reality shows, turn off the television and walk away! Bad ideas!!!!).
We ate expensive Italian food (but not the most expensive at Caesar's - that's for sure) and went swimming at 10pm when it was still 100 degrees out, and once the sand storm had passed.
The tooth is doing better, we're having fun, and we're resting today. Ang has a headache so she's still sleeping and I'm still in my p.j.s!
This really is the city that never sleeps but guess what - we do!
Friday, July 14, 2006
What a day...
Do you ever have one of those days? You know the ones, they start out normal, uneventful. Then they take a turn, and another, and another and before you know they are shot to h-e-double hockeysticks.
Yep, my Friday started well. More sorting, cleaning up, etc. then I went to the dentist. I don't like going to the dentist on principle but with a toothache there's not much else to do. So I went. And found out I get to spend $2000-$3000 on a root canal and crown. Yep, there's an infection under a large filling that has reached the nerve. In March I thought I was saving $90 by not getting x-rays until October when I had insurance but look what happened. Morale of the story - don't think, I guess.
So that was that. Then we did some errand running and shopping. I felt a bit better, we got some rugs at $3.48 each on clearance and were pretty excited. Then I realized that I had failed to write down a debit charge in my checkbook and had overdrawn my account by $3. So there was that stress. But thank God for parents who can transfer you a few bucks. Good Lord is all I have to say.
Then we bought steering wheel covers for our cars because it's about 130 degrees or more in our cars and guess what? Ang's steering wheel is too small for one and mine is too big. Never fails...
So here's what I'm going to do:
Go to bed (antibiotics and tylenol with codine are my friends).
Get up early and pack.
Drive to Vegas.
Forget real life until we come home next Thursday. That's right, 6 days in Vegas.
And we all know what they say about Vegas.
Yep, my Friday started well. More sorting, cleaning up, etc. then I went to the dentist. I don't like going to the dentist on principle but with a toothache there's not much else to do. So I went. And found out I get to spend $2000-$3000 on a root canal and crown. Yep, there's an infection under a large filling that has reached the nerve. In March I thought I was saving $90 by not getting x-rays until October when I had insurance but look what happened. Morale of the story - don't think, I guess.
So that was that. Then we did some errand running and shopping. I felt a bit better, we got some rugs at $3.48 each on clearance and were pretty excited. Then I realized that I had failed to write down a debit charge in my checkbook and had overdrawn my account by $3. So there was that stress. But thank God for parents who can transfer you a few bucks. Good Lord is all I have to say.
Then we bought steering wheel covers for our cars because it's about 130 degrees or more in our cars and guess what? Ang's steering wheel is too small for one and mine is too big. Never fails...
So here's what I'm going to do:
Go to bed (antibiotics and tylenol with codine are my friends).
Get up early and pack.
Drive to Vegas.
Forget real life until we come home next Thursday. That's right, 6 days in Vegas.
And we all know what they say about Vegas.
Thursday, July 13, 2006
We need a siesta!
So we are home from Mexico - we escaped without much fanfare because simply, it's too darn hot for anyone, including us to care! No margaritas, I was sure the alcohol would curdle in our stomachs but good food and good friends. We picked up the stuff we needed and walked home. It's too hot to do anything here or there - the man sleeping at the restaurant was proof. Literally sleeping at his table. It's too hot to be awake!
Okay, Ang is protesting our inability to walk through any room unincumbered so we are going to attack these boxes. Wish me luck...
Okay, Ang is protesting our inability to walk through any room unincumbered so we are going to attack these boxes. Wish me luck...
I literally may melt
It's not quite noon here in my new hometown and the heat index is 125 degress. That's right. I'm pretty sure that's the temperature at which something boils or melts or does something not so good. But I suppose I just need to suck it up.
We're headed to Mexico today which for you in Howell is like going to Brighton or for those of you in Kalamazoo it's like going to Portage or for those of you in Texas it's like going from Bryan to College Station. It's a five minute drive to the border then a walk across. Angela assures me I'll be even warmer there, if it's possible.
We're going for essentials - lunch and margaritas, cigarettes for the deployed, and a gift or two. Not much else is happening today - I was tired last night, (see Ang's blog), and apparently needed to sleep 11 hours to recover. I feel better. Way better now. Then I got a massage this morning and my body feels awesome. If you haven't done that before - go now. Seriously.
Still unpacking and sorting through things. My closet looks good, Ang's desk is in her room now, but the downstairs is tragic, very tragic. We close our eyes when we are down there. We'll get to that tonight or tomorrow. Slowly but surely. Surely because we leave Saturday for Vegas and Monday the carpet cleaners come.
Maybe they'll be able to clean up the puddle that is me:-)
We're headed to Mexico today which for you in Howell is like going to Brighton or for those of you in Kalamazoo it's like going to Portage or for those of you in Texas it's like going from Bryan to College Station. It's a five minute drive to the border then a walk across. Angela assures me I'll be even warmer there, if it's possible.
We're going for essentials - lunch and margaritas, cigarettes for the deployed, and a gift or two. Not much else is happening today - I was tired last night, (see Ang's blog), and apparently needed to sleep 11 hours to recover. I feel better. Way better now. Then I got a massage this morning and my body feels awesome. If you haven't done that before - go now. Seriously.
Still unpacking and sorting through things. My closet looks good, Ang's desk is in her room now, but the downstairs is tragic, very tragic. We close our eyes when we are down there. We'll get to that tonight or tomorrow. Slowly but surely. Surely because we leave Saturday for Vegas and Monday the carpet cleaners come.
Maybe they'll be able to clean up the puddle that is me:-)
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Home
I am home. Well what I am sure will very soon come to feel like home. We got into Yuma yesterday at 3:15. It feels so good to be here. To lie down and not sit behind the wheel. To stretch out in a bed that I know is clean (that last Best Western was a tad sketchy - but hey, for $69.95 what do I expect?!?!). To eat a sandwich that doesn't come wrapped in plastic.
I'll write more later - tales from the road and tales from the land of heat index of 102 degrees at 10am.
I'll write more later - tales from the road and tales from the land of heat index of 102 degrees at 10am.
Sunday, July 09, 2006
We had an impeccable weekend!
Whew:-) It has been a long but amazing week. Seriously. We got up on Wed and drove. There were tears and there was sadness but there was excitement as well. We drove all the way to St. Louis and saw the arch. It was pretty cool. We took photos on my (old-fashioned) camera so we'll post them when they are developed. We took the ride up into the arch and walked through the park. Way cool.
On Thursday we drove all the way through Dallas to Ennis, Texas. We did over 600 miles each day - 2 very long days! But we did it. And we got into Bryan, Texas (home of Texas A & M University) at 12:30pm on Friday, to my cousin Jamee's house.
We have had a great weekend - very busy but so fun. We went to Lake Conroe (an hour south of here) Friday night with Jamee and her husband John and her two kids, ages 2 & 3.
The lake. Vacation. A condo with 4 adults and 2 children. Fun times, seriously! The first night was great - once the kids were asleep (12:15am) we ate some low-fat poptarts and enjoyed some What Not to Wear. Then came Saturday. We did it all.
We made pancakes. Regular pancakes, chocolate chip pancakes, blueberry pancakes. We walked out the front door of the condo and into a swimming pool. ("It's okay with me if I don't wear my life jacket," - Hannah Bean, age 3.)
Then we grabbed sandwiches and headed out the back door of the condo and got on the pontoon boat and went out on the lake (my legs are a bit red but not bad!).
Then we ate some BBQ, some brownies, some of everything.
There was more swimming, there was an E! True Hollywood story episode with shark attacks, then there was some yoga (3 legged-dogs done by children and adults alike) and then the kids went to bed again. Earlier this time.
That's when the men went next door and got the poker table and Texas Hold 'Em began. We held in there a long time too - some of us more then others. But the end result brought Jamee the Champion out to win it all! Woo hoo!!!
David, age 2, was the first up this morning (the adults had a total of 5 hrs sleep) and though it was a very slow morning, we managed to make French toast (well Angela made it, we all ate it), go swimming and clean out the condo by 1pm ("We have 7 minutes to turn in the keys!" - Aunt Kat.)
Then we began the long trek home, this time with James and I in the kids' car. David slept after a cup-throwing incident but Bean, she held her own with the adults in conversation. ("Mom, how do you cut up a fish?" "So, Mom." "I'm hot, so hot!!" - as her hands are covering her face. It was a major meltdown at this point.)
Oh - here's the highlight of the drive, we drove by CHUCK NORRIS' ranch. Yes, Chuck Norris. And there's no security system, just a sign that says "Chuck Norris doesn't need ADT."
We did arrive home and we all, adults and children, managed to sleep for a couple of hours. Pass out actually. That good sleep after you've played hard all weekend. Where you can't wake up for anything.
We slept right through the body flow yoga class we had contemplated going to.
We slept through 95% of the movie we had put it.
We slept hard.
And then the kids woke up.
We topped the night off with a trip (THANK YOU Grandma) to Johnny Carino's for some good Italian food - a night for the girls: Jori, Jamee, Angela and I. Cousins back together again.
It's been a good weekend. A very good weekend. The kind you don't want to end. But then I do want to get back home. To exercise, to eat regular food, to unpack. To just be. Well for a minute anyway.
On Thursday we drove all the way through Dallas to Ennis, Texas. We did over 600 miles each day - 2 very long days! But we did it. And we got into Bryan, Texas (home of Texas A & M University) at 12:30pm on Friday, to my cousin Jamee's house.
We have had a great weekend - very busy but so fun. We went to Lake Conroe (an hour south of here) Friday night with Jamee and her husband John and her two kids, ages 2 & 3.
The lake. Vacation. A condo with 4 adults and 2 children. Fun times, seriously! The first night was great - once the kids were asleep (12:15am) we ate some low-fat poptarts and enjoyed some What Not to Wear. Then came Saturday. We did it all.
We made pancakes. Regular pancakes, chocolate chip pancakes, blueberry pancakes. We walked out the front door of the condo and into a swimming pool. ("It's okay with me if I don't wear my life jacket," - Hannah Bean, age 3.)
Then we grabbed sandwiches and headed out the back door of the condo and got on the pontoon boat and went out on the lake (my legs are a bit red but not bad!).
Then we ate some BBQ, some brownies, some of everything.
There was more swimming, there was an E! True Hollywood story episode with shark attacks, then there was some yoga (3 legged-dogs done by children and adults alike) and then the kids went to bed again. Earlier this time.
That's when the men went next door and got the poker table and Texas Hold 'Em began. We held in there a long time too - some of us more then others. But the end result brought Jamee the Champion out to win it all! Woo hoo!!!
David, age 2, was the first up this morning (the adults had a total of 5 hrs sleep) and though it was a very slow morning, we managed to make French toast (well Angela made it, we all ate it), go swimming and clean out the condo by 1pm ("We have 7 minutes to turn in the keys!" - Aunt Kat.)
Then we began the long trek home, this time with James and I in the kids' car. David slept after a cup-throwing incident but Bean, she held her own with the adults in conversation. ("Mom, how do you cut up a fish?" "So, Mom." "I'm hot, so hot!!" - as her hands are covering her face. It was a major meltdown at this point.)
Oh - here's the highlight of the drive, we drove by CHUCK NORRIS' ranch. Yes, Chuck Norris. And there's no security system, just a sign that says "Chuck Norris doesn't need ADT."
We did arrive home and we all, adults and children, managed to sleep for a couple of hours. Pass out actually. That good sleep after you've played hard all weekend. Where you can't wake up for anything.
We slept right through the body flow yoga class we had contemplated going to.
We slept through 95% of the movie we had put it.
We slept hard.
And then the kids woke up.
We topped the night off with a trip (THANK YOU Grandma) to Johnny Carino's for some good Italian food - a night for the girls: Jori, Jamee, Angela and I. Cousins back together again.
It's been a good weekend. A very good weekend. The kind you don't want to end. But then I do want to get back home. To exercise, to eat regular food, to unpack. To just be. Well for a minute anyway.
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
And away we go...
Today's my last day in Michigan - tomorrow Angela and I head out for Arizona. We'll spend the weekend in Texas and then go home from there. Home. Weird how it changes. But I guess everything has to change, doesn't it. It's been a long few weeks, months, saying goodbye, coming to terms with change, with leaving, with understanding that new things come only from doing soemthing new. And so I will - do something new. I'll drive cross-country without my parents. I'll go to towns and states I've never been to. I'll do a job I've never done. I'll meet people I would have never known otherwise.
But first we have to get through at least 41 hours in the car.
With a lump in my throat, a tear (okay, a lot of tears) in my eye, and a smile on my lips I leave.
And away we go..........
But first we have to get through at least 41 hours in the car.
With a lump in my throat, a tear (okay, a lot of tears) in my eye, and a smile on my lips I leave.
And away we go..........
Sunday, July 02, 2006
I am a winner!
Just so EVERYONE knows - I won tonight! That's right, I won Scene It! The tv edition:-) I am the queen!!!! :-)
Happy holiday weekend everyone, I'll be enjoying my reign:-)
Happy holiday weekend everyone, I'll be enjoying my reign:-)
I'm still here
I'm still alive, it's true. I just haven't blogged much A) because my parents' computer has some intestinal problems and B) because I seem to be very busy lately:-) But it's a good thing. Ang and I are getting ready to leave on Wed - just a few days away and we've been cramming all the fun stuff in. New cell phones, jigsaw puzzles, trips to the outlet mall for 4 pair of shoes, making pies and cookies, visiting people, renting out the movie theater to see The Break-Up and talk through it:-)
So I'll be back full force soon but I just wanted to say hi. Our plans are to travel for about a week down to Arizona (granted the song - There is no Arizona isn't true afterall), stopping in IL and TX. Also - when did Texas get so darn big?!?!? Oh and the exciting news is shortly after getting back to AZ we're going on a week-long trip to.....LAS VEGAS!!!! Woohoo:-)
So I'll be back full force soon but I just wanted to say hi. Our plans are to travel for about a week down to Arizona (granted the song - There is no Arizona isn't true afterall), stopping in IL and TX. Also - when did Texas get so darn big?!?!? Oh and the exciting news is shortly after getting back to AZ we're going on a week-long trip to.....LAS VEGAS!!!! Woohoo:-)
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