A year to remember - Project 365

Picture 30 of 365

2010-11-06T21:42:00.003-04:00

Long lost friend, part 2

Not too many months, my friend E came back to town after being gone for almost a year. Now, T has returned for a short visit. It had been over a year since I had seen him last and it was great to see my friend again (even if he can't remember how to smile correctly).

Picture 29 of 365

2010-11-06T21:34:00.005-04:00

Concert!

In an example of near perfect symmetry, October ends just as it begun, with a concert. As a wonderful birthday present, my dear friend Julie bought tickets for the Toby Mac, Third Day, and Micheal W. Smith concert. It was an incredible event. It was like a flash back go my high school days. What a perfect end to an amazing October.

Picture 28 or 365

2010-11-06T21:30:00.004-04:00

Zoo day!

For Erin's birthday, back in June, she wanted to go to the zoo. It was the perfect day! The zoo is very large and it was quite a walk. By the end of the day, I was exhausted. I could relate to this polar bear way too easily.

Picture 27 of 365

2010-11-06T21:26:00.002-04:00

Presenters

This picture was taken after our presentation was over. What an amazing experience and awesome opportunity. I can't believe it went as well as it did and just how confident I felt once it was over. After a few days it was back to the normal, but that afternoon, I could have conquered the world.

Picture 26 of 365

2010-11-06T21:24:00.002-04:00

Wine tour

On Thursday night we busted out the the first of the wine bottles from the trip. Buck Shoals was probably one of my favorite stops.

Picture 25 of 365

2010-11-06T21:21:00.002-04:00

Oh Cheese!

Some days things can get pretty bad. The students can be driving me nuts, fellow drivers can be going very slowly on a road that is impossible to pass on, and I have to figure out yet again what to have for dinner. The best part of my night was opening my fridge and finding one last string cheese in the drawer.

Picture 24 of 365

2010-11-06T21:16:00.003-04:00

Pushing it

My gas tank was capable, I had thought, of holding 14 gallons. The other day I had decided not to stop on my way to drop off my fellow carpooler and would just stop on my way to my place. Turns out I'm very thankful that my tank is slightly larger than 14 gallons. Not sure I want to take it that close again.

Picture 23 of 365

2010-10-18T19:50:00.002-04:00

Impromptu photo shoot.

I made my two friends stand still for many minutes at a time to let me take over 150 pictures. I was looking for different poses and playing with light to see what kind of pictures I could get. I had so much fun and my friends were such good sports.

Picture 22 or 365

2010-10-18T19:47:00.004-04:00

Wine tour! The goal of heading to the mountains was to visit some of the local wineries and see what they had to offer. Out of all the ones that we went to, I would have to say that Buck Shoals was the best.

Picture 21 or 365

2010-10-18T19:44:00.004-04:00

Weekend getaway. Late Friday night I arrived in Wilkesboro, NC for a weekend in the "mountains". Even though, technically, we were in the foothills, the scenery was gorgeous. On of my favorite parts was sitting in the rocking chair in front of the fire. Most everything in the cabin was made of wood and just walking in brought a wave of cedar. It was a perfectly relaxing weekend.

Photo 20 of 365

2010-10-18T19:41:00.003-04:00

The best of both worlds

This was given to me by a friend of mine. It made me laugh and has since found a place pinned to the cork board by my desk.

Picture 19 or 365

2010-10-18T19:39:00.003-04:00

Old maid? Now that my hair has started to get longer and I still cannot stand to have it in my face, I've taken to putting it in a bun most days. There are times I feel like a school marm, but it's just so practical.

Picture 18 of 365

2010-10-18T19:33:00.003-04:00

Finished product.

I've been working on this blanket for over a year. With the knowledge that I would be flying home to see my niece I put a rush on finishing it. I can't believe it's finally done.

Picture 17 of 365

2010-10-18T19:30:00.004-04:00

Time to go back south.

Michigan in the fall can be a very beautiful place. The days can average 70 and the evenings can dip to the 50's. As a way to get together one last time, my parents had a bon fire. It was the perfect night to spend around the fire.

Picture 16 of 365

2010-10-18T19:27:00.002-04:00

The crazy cat. One of the benefits of flying to see my niece was spending time with the rest of my family as well. My sister and brother in law took a poor cat in off the street not too long ago. But seeing as this cat had been on its own for the first part of its life, it's a little hesitant to be held and cuddled.

Picture 15 of 365

2010-10-18T19:21:00.002-04:00

Time to catch up.

I took several pictures up until the 8th of October, but unfortunately, none of them managed to get saved to my hard drive. So, in an effort to keep going, I'll do some skipping and jumping. My sister and brother in law's little girl was born 10-1-10. The following Thursday I was able to fly home to see my family and surprise my sister and her hubby. It was beyond worth it to see them and get to hold my new neice.

Picture 14 out of 365

2010-10-03T21:40:00.003-04:00

My cousin had a friend drop out of going to a concert last minute and offered the spot to me. I love Sugarland and Little Big Town so of course I was in. It was the perfect night to have an outdoor concert. Clear skies, cool, crisp nights, and great music. So far, I have to say October is shaping up to be the best month of the year. Hopefully the time goes by fast and Christmas is here before I know it.

Picture 13 of 365

2010-10-03T21:36:00.002-04:00

Today I got some of the best news ever. My sister and her husband have welcomed Adelaide November Mosey at 12:16 in the morning. I am so incredibly excited for them. These are one of those times that I wish more than anything else that I could be home, enjoying my time with them. With that in mind, I called my aunt and just asked if I could come over for a hug. I figured that if anyone could understand my desire to be home, she could. By the end of the night I had a massive headache, some very bloodshot eyes, but I did feel slightly better. But my pillows have never looked better.

Picture 12 of 365

2010-10-03T21:32:00.004-04:00

When I was a kid I wanted more than anything to have curly hair. I owned a crimper with several plates, and one of of them could turn my whole head into wavy, fried curls. While I no longer know what happened to the crimper, I can still get the same effect by sleeping over night in a french braid. Lately, I've taken to wearing a small portion along my hairline in a braid. It's the perfect way to keep my hair back without using pony tails.

Picture 11 or 365

2010-10-03T21:29:00.004-04:00

Fun times were had by all. Or at least by two small cats. I had unwisely left this toy on the shelf next to my bed. In the middle of the night Lucy decided that it was play time. So she jumped up, grabbed her toy, knocked over my necklace stand and jumped back down. I did not enjoy being woken up by the sounds of crashing and breaking at 2 am. My poor downstairs neighbors. I can't imagine what they were thinking.

Picture 10 of 365

2010-10-03T21:25:00.004-04:00

Along with fall temperatures, we have gotten rain. Almost too much rain. But on the plus side, I can now pull out my warm, comfy blanket. I got this blanket 12 years ago on a trip to Mexico. I love pulling this out because it means cool, crisp nights.

Picture 9 of 365

2010-10-03T21:21:00.003-04:00

ARGHHHHH..... elapsed time has to be personally responsible for any and all gray hairs that I might have. I hate teaching this subject and we are only given 2 weeks in which to do it. This, along with the fact that it was a Monday, makes this concept such a bear. So in an attempt to make it more interactive I decided to put a giant clock on the floor along with a really spinner hand and take some markers and draw on the floor. My kids were all a little shocked as I got down on the floor and began writing. Hopefully it will pay off in learning.

Photo 8 out of 365

2010-09-26T19:29:00.004-04:00

Finally!!! Fall has finally arrived in NC, at least for a day. The day began at a very comfortable 82. As the day wore on the temperature dropped, the sky clouded over and the rain began to fall. I'm so excited for the rain. My plan is to lay on the floor with book in hand listening to the rain, all the while having the perfect fall dinner of tomato soup and toasted cheese. Welcome fall, I hope you stay.

Picture 7 out of 365

2010-09-26T19:26:00.004-04:00

Okay, I picture behind, but 6 out of 7 is much better than 2 out of 3. Thursday nights are crazy and hectic. I usually leave around 6 am and return around 9 pm (or whenever I start falling asleep at the dinner table). I'm going to need to get creative to take a picture on Thursdays. So, back to Saturday. This is my handy dandy portable, file-every-piece-of-work-a-child-has-done this week filing system. Every weekend I bring it home to check it and sort out all my work.

Picture 6 out of 365

2010-09-26T19:24:00.003-04:00

There really is no particular reason I chose to take this picture beyond it was there and I wanted to see if my camera could capture the words clearly. As a rule, I'm not a huge fan of Victoria's Secret. For the most part I find the scents to be overbearing, but this one smells like summer, and who doesn't like summer.

Picture 5 out of 365

2010-09-26T19:20:00.004-04:00

Dinner dilemma On the days I don't get home from school until 7 pm, it's extremely hard to work up any motivation to cook. So... popcorn to the rescue. No fuss, very little mess, and tasty goodness. I would have had the dip, but after having it for lunch, it didn't sound very appealing for dinner. Popcorn holds a special place in my heart as it was what my dad and I would always eat on Sunday evenings. We would have had a big Sunday lunch, so there was rarely dinner, just some popcorn to hold you over till morning. Because he worked 2nd shift for so long, this was my time with dad. When I go home now, the question is still "who's making the popcorn?"

Picture 4 our ot 365

2010-09-26T19:18:00.002-04:00

My "lounger". One of the drawbacks of not having a tv is having to watch everything on hulu. That, paired with doing school work in the evening, results in my backside being planted in this chair rather than the much more comfortable one in the living room. On the plus side, it can get so uncomfortable that I never sit down for too long.

Picture 3 out or 365

2010-09-26T19:14:00.002-04:00

Monday, Monday..... what to do for dinner? Seeing as that it is fall, I decided that the crock pot would be the answer to that question. Forget the fact that it's still 95 and humid out, I'm heading full force into fall. I decided to try this buffalo chicken dip a friend had recommended. An obscene amount of cheese and four chicken breasts later, I was not so patiently waiting on my dinner. Finally about 9:30 it was finished. Too late for dinner that night, but it made some wonderful leftovers for the next five days.

2 out of 365

2010-09-19T21:18:00.004-04:00

My two monsters decided that after a morning of terrorizing the helium balloons, they needed to take a rest. I can't believe that I've now been a cat owner for a year and that her kitten is now double her size. Thank God for the times these pets have provided so much enjoyment.

1 out of 365

2010-09-19T21:13:00.004-04:00

I have some really great friends. Some that go out of their way to remind me I'm older than they are. In that line of thinking, she decided to put all 31 candles on my birthday cake. Sadly enough, it was sufficient to light up the room. Ah well, gotta love those friends.

Picture 202 out of 365....

2010-09-19T21:09:00.003-04:00

It seems that every 2 out of 3 days I managed to take and post a picture. In an attempt to top that number by next birthday, I plan to continue the project. But for the last picture of my 30th year, I decided I'd take a picture of our dessert at dinner Friday night. Carolina Ale House gives you a free dessert. I'm glad it's free because we certainly didn't get much further than this in finishing the dessert nachos. Not really a picture that sums up my year, or really anything introspective, but still, the most memorable part of my day. Thanks Rockfish ladies for a great meal!

Picture 201 - lightroom

2010-08-23T20:34:00.004-04:00

One of the things I really need to make sure I can do well is editing my photos once they are taken. I can crop and change to black and white with the best of them, but I've never really worked with software that was easy to use. I spent about 3 hours Sunday afternoon choosing my top favorite 25 pictures (we each only get to post 25) from Charleston and then went to town editing. I liked the picture before, I loved it after I got done editing it.

Picture 200 - Charleston, Charleson, made in Carolina

2010-08-23T20:25:00.003-04:00

My friend Julie sent a video on facebook of this song celebrating my first trip to Charleston, SC. Living in NC, I really haven't seen much of the south. I've puttered around a bit near where I live, but I've never really gone further than Myrtle Beach. So when Jenni suggested we resume our attempt at taking photo trip once a month and that we begin in Charleston, I said "YAY!" What an amazing, fun-filled day. Charleston is very rich in history dating back to the revolutionary war. The architecture was an amazing contrast to the often cookie cutter look of many other cities. That and the people were so friendly. We stopped in a little cafe for lunch and struck up a conversation with our waitress. As we were headed out the door, she told us to each take a bottle of water with us to make sure we stayed hydrated. As we were singing along with the radio at the top of our lungs on our way home, I couldn't help thinking how exciting this adventure is going to be.

Picture 199 - In my "swagger" wagon

2010-08-23T20:15:00.005-04:00

Finding out on Friday that my car wouldn't be complete until Monday was quite upsetting. My chaueffer was heading to the beach, so that would leave me carless. At least that's the way it looked until I heard the mechanic say "You can use the loaner for the weekend". With a sigh of relief, I prepared to enjoy the weekend. I was in for quite a surprise when I showed up and the loaner was a van. I have always said that I would never drive a van. SUV, sure, station wagon, in desperation, it might work. But surely not a van. But when you're faced with begging rides from friends, a van can look pretty appealing. I'm very thankful to LeAnn for the use of the vehicle, and it served its purpose well. Best of all, the AC worked wonderfully!

Picture 198 - Almost there

2010-08-19T00:05:00.004-04:00

As it is a Wednesday, I fully planned on going to 20/30 tonight. That is, until my car died, again. Thankfully, my friend I carpool with had driven herself and so she gave me a ride home and will pick me up in the morning. So, being stuck in the house left me with some time on my hands. Continuing the pursuit of finishing in a timely manner, I began the final touches on the bottom of the blanket. Now for the letters and everything is done!

Picture 197 - All day

2010-08-19T00:02:00.003-04:00

When I got home from the beach, it hit me how quickly school was approaching, but also how soon my niece will be born. In an attempt to finish a present on time (and set some kind of record for me) I sat down, determined to have her baby blanket completed in time. I got a book on cd from the library, found a comfy chair and got busy. By the end of the book, Pooh Bear was complete. The end is in sight!

Picture 196 - Home again

2010-08-18T23:58:00.003-04:00

Whenever I leave to travel anywhere for more than a weekend, I am a fiend about cleaning everything. I'll dust, move furniture, and wash out the fridge in an attempt to make everything nice and neat. One of my friends suggested that I did this because I wanted to make sure that if, for any reason I didn't make it home, my apartment would look nice for who ever had to go through it. My response was "nope, it's because I make such a mess when I get home". I hate the thought of having to clean up not only traveling things but general pick up as well. My apartment never looks so clean as when I'm leaving for vacation (at least until my parents come to visit).

Picture 195 - Field Trip

2010-08-18T23:55:00.004-04:00

As beach week drew to a close, Friday was fore casted to be rainy and dreary. What better day to head to the aquarium? We packed all six of us into the SUV, got on the ferry and headed out. It was really cool to be there again and see some of their new exhibits. This turtle caught my eye on our way out. He seemed fully intent on getting as much of himself in the sun as possible.

Picture 194 - Wildlife adventures

2010-08-18T23:47:00.005-04:00

Thursday morning of beach week I decided to get up and see the sunrise. So, at 5:30, the alarm went off and by 5:43 I had gotten out of bed and headed out. As it sometimes happens, the sunrise was not overly spectacular, but I did get to see something new and exciting. Growing up in Michigan, about the only exotic wildlife I got to see were deer and turkeys along with the random large snapping turtle. The thought of seeing a dolphin, jelly fish or sea turtle in their natural habitat were about as foreign to me as sweet tea. As I was walking along the shore line I came across this creature. In my ignorance, I assumed it was a weird kind of jelly fish, took some pictures, and went on my way. A friend of mine was kind enough to point out that, in fact, this is a Portuguese Man-o-war. Good thing I have a nice zoom on my camera and stayed far away.

Picture 193 - The Cotton Exchange

2010-08-14T22:36:00.002-04:00

In Wilmington there is a place called the Cotton Exchange which has been renovated into several small stores that support local business. It used to be a factory until there was a large fire. Instead of rebuilding, it was used for something new. One of the things I like about it is the charm of some of the original workings. Much of the brick work is the same which stands in complete opposite to the softness coming from the chandelier lights.

Picture 192 - Psuedo Photo shoot

2010-08-14T22:28:00.003-04:00

One evening I decided to go out and take some sunset pictures and A decided to come along. As we were walking down the beach, she said to take some pictures and I figured I take some time to practice. At the end she suggested the "blue steel" look. If nothing else, we had a lot of fun.

Picture 191 - A taste of Hawaii

2010-08-14T22:21:00.004-04:00

Each night of beach week one of us was given the responsibility of making dinner. For E's night, she did a Hawaiian themed meal. As I came out of hiding (I had spent about 3 hours up in my room reading) I came down to discover lei's on each chair and a wonderful feast laid on the table.

Picture 190 - magnifying glass anyone?

2010-08-14T22:16:00.003-04:00

A magnifying glass might have made this particular puzzle a little easier. As a rule, I'm not a big puzzle person. If it's there, and if I have nothing else to do, I might give it a try. In reality this picture was taken on Sunday, but I didn't begin to work on it till Thursday night. The only reason I started to work on it was because I had heard someone say that it was just too hard of a puzzle for them to do. So of course, I instantly feel the need to step in and conquer what someone else considers too hard. By the time we left Saturday morning, I had managed to finish about a 1/4 of the puzzle. It's currently being stored at S's house. I plan on making myself a nuisance there until it is finished.

Picture 189 - beach week entertainment

2010-08-14T22:09:00.003-04:00

The prospect of sitting on the beach for a whole week is a wonderful idea in theory. But when you get right down to it, a whole week of nothing but chasing waves in a beach chair could be incredibly boring. To fight the urge to leave the beach after 10 minutes, a mini-library was brought along. Of course, it was all fluff books, nothing requiring too much thinking, but perfect for a relaxing day. I'm so glad I have friends that are uber prepared. Thanks to Erin for our big entertainment box.

Picture 188 - Round 2

2010-08-06T08:54:00.002-04:00

On my return from Michigan I began to feel a "yucky" and crummy. I attributed it to mostly homesickness and the blues, but turns out I had managed to get an ear and sinus infection. I was able to get in to the doctor Thursday afternoon and she gave me some antibiotics because, let's face it, who wants to "tough it out" and let the sickness run its course when you're staying at the beach. I can't remember the last time I had to be on antibiotics, let alone two times in a month, but I'm so glad these medicines are available. Hopefully by tonight I'll be feeling more like myself and be able to walk in a straight line again.

Picture 187 - A promise for the future

2010-08-06T08:49:00.003-04:00

I have some very creative family, but when it comes to making things out of posters, no one can top my brother in law. For my birthday, I was given this really cool looking camera. It looks like a camera I would want when I upgrade. I have decided that I will wait till I have earned enough from taking pictures to justify buying such a nice camera. Not only is this a very cool looking camera, it also doubles as a bank. So, now whenever I get paid for pictures, I can just put it in my camera bank for future use. I'm so thankful for family that supports and encourages my hobbies.

Picture 186 - reality check

2010-08-03T21:39:00.003-04:00

Well, while I took a ton of pictures while I was home, I did not keep up on posting, so I'm just going to skip ahead to today and keep going from there.

Yesterday evening I got "home" around 9 from Michigan. It was really hard to leave, so today has been a little bit of a roller coaster. I was really tired, I have a feeling I'm getting sick, and I miss being 30 minutes from my family. I know this is where God has me for now, and I am fully aware that in a few days when I see all my friends again, when life settles back into its routine, I will be so glad to be back. But I always know the first days back will be sad.

So, where do the walmart shopping bags come in? After being gone for 5 weeks, I only had a few condiments, yogurt and water in the fridge along with some VERY spoiled milk. I went in to work today, so was not really interested in dealing with the grocery store, but the lack of food and my growling tummy made me go. I happened to be on facebook and was about to update my status to "ugh, grocery shopping, why can't I come home to a pre-stocked fridge?" Just as I was about to hit enter, I realized how whiny and spoiled that sounded. I am so incredibly grateful for the finances to go shopping for food, for stores that carry more than 1 or 2 options, and for a vehicle that will take me to three different stores looking for yellow squash. I need to remember all that God has done for me and choose gratitude instead of complaining.

Picture 185 - Blueberries

2010-07-13T23:41:00.002-04:00

One of the best things about living in Michigan is the abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables. For the person who has the motivation, strawberries, cherries, blueberries, and apples are all available for picking when they come in season. Today I spent the afternoon at Gold Barn picking. Turns out the only way to tell the difference between types of berries is to taste them. Not a problem for me. Three for the bucket, one for me to taste. Repeat till bucket is full.

Picture 184 - so close

2010-07-13T23:35:00.002-04:00

One of the things I love about coming home is swimming in the pool on a daily basis. Last summer the temperature got above 80 only once while I was home. This summer it hasn't really dipped below 80. I'm loving the weather, but I'm missing the pool. When it was opened, it was discovered that the old liner had ripped and it needed to be replaced. Yesterday the pool repair guys came, put the new liner in and began the process of filling the pool. Only a few more days now until I can kick back, relax, and chill poolside.

Picture 183 - The Mighty Hunter

2010-07-13T23:33:00.003-04:00

Lucy decided that she wanted to sit on the rocking horse, the plant in the background made for just the right setting.

Picture 182 - Photo Fun

2010-07-10T16:05:00.002-04:00

A friend's little girl turns 1 this summer so I asked if I could come and take her pictures to get some practice. Here she looks just like her momma.

Picture 181 - Beauty

2010-07-10T16:03:00.002-04:00

To me, one of the most beautiful things are sunsets and sunrises. Living in NC doesn't allow for me to see many between the hours that I'm working and the constant hills and valleys. Coming home to MI allows me to get my fix. Now just to get out to the lake and see a few more.

Picture 180 - all better

2010-07-10T16:01:00.002-04:00

For about a year my check engine light was on.

It was because of an Oxygen Sensor issue, but as it really never had any impact on my car's performance, I never got around to taking it in. Finally, Thursday, I managed to get it into the shop and get it fixed. It's nice to turn my car on and not see the little orange light that I've become so accustomed to.

Picture 179 - oops, out of order

2010-07-10T15:49:00.003-04:00

It seems I am beginning to forget what I did each day. The goal of the day was to take a picture of the new dish I made at my sister's house. But seeing as it smelled delicious and we were super hungry, I forgot to take the picture until after the meal was finished. We then slipped into a food coma and settled in to watch an episode of Wild China. All that to say, I knew what I wanted to take a picture of, I just forgot to do it. Ah well, better late than never.

Picture 178 - Work Day

2010-07-10T15:45:00.003-04:00

One of the things that I was working on this summer was getting the deck washed, stained and sealed. After several days of getting too much sun, I learned my lesson and stuck to the shade. It's amazing what a power washer and some patience can do to improve the look of wood.

Picture 177 - Projects

2010-07-05T22:47:00.002-04:00

Last summer one of the things I accomplished was getting the bushes trimmed. Seems I did such a good job that the task was saved for me this year. I love being able to help around the house and it's even better when I get to hang out outside too. The sun was shining with a light breeze blowing. It was a great day and it's always nice to see a finished product that looks much improved.

Picture 176 - 4 years in the making

2010-07-05T22:42:00.003-04:00

Fireworks have always been my nemesis when it comes to taking pictures. No matter how many settings I played with or how I adjusted the exposure, it never seemed to come out right. But finally, Sunday night, I managed to catch some good shots. I love the tradition of going to Grand Rapids and seeing all different sorts of people there. Hopefully, July 4th will always find me on the Pearl Street Bridge, hanging with the fam.

Picture 175 - yummy-ness

2010-07-05T22:40:00.003-04:00

Every time my extended family gets together, my mom makes Texas Sheet Cake. This time I got to be home to help her make it. The best part about helping in the kitchen is still getting to clean the whisk after the frosting has been finished.

Picture 174 - Stripping and painting

2010-07-02T20:32:00.002-04:00

My dear friend Elaine and her husband have recently purchased a house in need of a makeover. To that end, we spent today stripping the old varnish off, sanding everything down, and painting them white. I love home improvement projects and I enjoy being able to help people. Put the two together and I'm loving life this summer.

Picture 173 - Beach Day!

2010-07-02T20:30:00.001-04:00

It's the Beach (Lake Michigan style)!! 'Nuff said.

Picture 172 - Sisters

2010-07-02T20:27:00.003-04:00

I am fully aware that outside of myself, my family and a few others are the only people that read this journal. That's okay with me because I didn't start this to have followers, I started it to keep a record of my life for a year. With the knowledge that my sisters will read this, I am hesitant to get overly sentimental and mushy. But, suffice it to say, I am so very happy to be able to be in their company and honestly don't think that anybody out there has any better sisters than I do. I love you guys and am so proud to be your sister.

Picture 171 - Tennis Tuesday

2010-07-02T20:25:00.003-04:00

In an attempt to not lose any skill I might have gained in the last few months of practice, Elaine and I have decided that 9 am on Tuesdays will be a perfect time to play tennis. Of course, more catching up happens than points scored, but it's an enjoyable time none the less.

Picture 170 - Goals

2010-07-02T20:16:00.002-04:00

I hate running. No, no, make that I abhor running, or at least what running represents to me. All through elementary school I dreaded that time every spring when we all had to go out and run a mile. I was not an athletic child by any stretch and I remember wondering what I could do to get out of the run. But, no matter what I thought of, nothing was plausible and I would be forced to run, always being the last to finish while all my classmates sat and waited for me. As I have grown out of my childhood insecurities, I've found that I do enjoy sports and physical activity.... except running. I will do aerobics for two hours gladly before I would run a mile. But now that I'm home and my parents have a treadmill, I am going to attempt to conquer the stigma that running has for me.

It's kinda like some of my students that come to me and believe that they are bad readers. In fact, I had a student say to me, "I suck at reading". Because he believed this of himself, he then didn't put in effort to improve because he felt he couldn't. Drawing the obvious parallel to running, I have long believed myself to "suck at running" and so have never really pushed myself to try. This summer I am setting the goal that I would attempt to run 5 out of 7 days. I am home for 5 weeks, so that should be a total of 65 miles by the end of the month. I may never be someone who loves to run, but there's no reason why I should fear it.

Picture 169 - Fraidy Cat

2010-07-02T20:14:00.003-04:00

At my apartment Linus is the alpha cat. He really does have the run of the place. Now that I'm home and Tree is around, he just doesn't know quite what to do. He spends most of his time hiding on my shoulder or up on chairs (he tried getting up on the table, but after a few days of getting squirted with a water bottle, he got the idea).

Picture 168 - Home, Sweet, Home

2010-07-02T20:09:00.002-04:00

The goal was to be on the road (as in driving, not packing, not still getting organized, not just getting out of bed, but driving) by 4 am Sat. morning. Turns out I didn't quite make it, but by 4:03 I had pulled out of the driveway with two cats and a month's worth of luggage. By 5:45 I was looking at a gorgeous sky above my hometown. The drive was smooth and the car had no troubles. Now for five weeks of relaxation.

Picture 167 - Lazy, lazy day.

2010-06-22T10:19:00.002-04:00

Monday was my first true day off. No time to get up, no where to be, no one requiring anything of me until 8 pm. So I decided to really enjoy it and do almost nothing. I did manage to get some laundry done and get the cat fixed and make some lunch, but that was the extent of it. Otherwise, I grabbed a good book, a comfy spot on the floor, some pillows and the fan and had a great day. Of course, now that I've had my lazy day it's time to get started on my summer projects and use this time to be productive!

Picture 166 - It's been a while.

2010-06-22T10:16:00.003-04:00

I usually try to refrain from doing too many pictures of my cats, or my cousin's kids. But seeing as it had been a while, I figured I could use them again. On Sunday I went to my aunt's to visit. It had been a while since we had seen each other and everyone was headed there for lunch. Wesley and I had a good time playing with the camera, and he even took some pictures as well (they didn't turn out quite so well).

Picture 165 - Shopping

2010-06-22T09:55:00.003-04:00

I dislike shopping, the rush, the uncertainty, the trying on of 30 different items of clothing to find just two that work. So when I set out Saturday morning to shop, I was by myself (no need to make anyone else suffer), went as early as I could (to avoid the rush), and resolved not to walk away until I had the necessary items. A few months ago it was mentioned that I needed to spice up my wardrobe a bit, so I set off in search of a great deal on some fun items of clothing. In the end I did end up with an excellent deal and some fun clothes, so the day was a success.

Picture 164 - Toy Story!

2010-06-22T09:49:00.004-04:00

There has been a recent trend of releasing movies that are in 3-d. For the most part I've chosen not to go because it seems pretty overrated. Though, in the case of Avatar, I do regret this. Looks like it would have been amazing to see in 3-d. Some friends decided that Friday night they would go see the new Toy Story movie and I decided I'd give this 3-d thing a try. The glasses are a long way from the cardboard, one blue lens, one red lens glasses that I remember when I was young. Turns out I hadn't been missing much with the 3-d thing either. It just added depth to the movie and made it seem more realistic. I was really hoping that there would be more things that "jumped out" at us. The story was good though and so that made it worth it.

Picture 163 - Yummy goodness

2010-06-22T09:29:00.003-04:00

As a thank you one of my student's parents gave me a gift card to Cold Stone. It's one of those places I only go for a "special treat" owing to the fact that I can gain five pounds by just walking in the doors. But seeing as this was a gift card specifically to there, I couldn't justify wasting it. And besides, I've been playing a lot of tennis lately. That's good ice cream calorie burning work.

Picture 162 - Thanks DeAnne

2010-06-15T21:43:00.003-04:00

My apartment now looks like what my sister's closet door used to look like. I was asked to help pace out the state curriculum for literacy and seeing as how I'm not the strongest literacy teacher, I was a little wary. But, one of the best ways to get better at something is to spend time working on it. So to that end, I decided to spend some time really take the standard course of study apart piece by piece. The result is now I have a clearer picture of what I want to accomplish. The next step is to figure out how.

Picture 161 - Rain, rain...

2010-06-14T21:04:00.003-04:00

In this case I do not want the rain to go away. I want it to continue to downpour until all the humidity has left the air and I can walk outside without feeling like I will stick to everything. I want to have a giant thunderstorm and sit by the window, curled up with a good book. Seeing as the weather often does not do as I want, I will enjoy what rain we get while it's here. The first summer I was in NC, there was a drought so bad that large towns were looking at a day or two's supply of water and that was it. I think that this year, we are in no such danger, and for that I am grateful.

Picture 160 - That's Disgusting!

2010-06-14T21:00:00.004-04:00

On Friday morning I was running around scrambling trying to get myself out the door on time. For breakfast I had decided on a glass of chocolate milk for the road. I sat it on the tv stand, put on my shoes, grabbed my keys and walked out the door....without the chocolate milk. Turns out this is what will happen to the top part of the chocolate milk when left out in an apartment that reaches 82 degrees most of the day. I was completely surprised and totally did not expect this. The reason I had forgotten about the milk Friday night when I got home was that there was no smell. Turns out whatever this spongy thing was, it absorbed the smell. Suffice it to say, as soon as I had a picture, I quickly put it in a bag and took it out to the trash.

Picture 159 - As beautiful as a Magnolia in May

2010-06-14T20:57:00.005-04:00

Growing up in an area of the country where we don't have Magnolias, I had never heard this expression before. But as I have watched the trees around my parking lot bloom, I've very much enjoyed these flowers. They smell wonderful and are beautiful to look at for the few days they are open. Saturday morning I went out for a walk and took my camera along, determined the take a picture of the last few remaining flowers.

Picture 158 - Good times

2010-06-14T20:53:00.003-04:00

In celebration of a year well done (because in fact, it did end very well), a group of friends decided to go out and celebrate! Seeing as two particular friends leave the country every time my birthday comes around, I made them join in the fun this time. It was so much fun just talking and chilling and having nothing so much to do.

Picture 157 - Zai Jian

2010-06-10T19:06:00.003-04:00

Wow! I'm a little amazed at just how fast this year went. One of the things I love about my job is that it is never the same two weeks in a row, let alone two years in a row. After the struggles, tears, and hard times of last year, this year seemed so much easier. It was in no way without its difficulties or frustrations, but after surviving last year, I knew it couldn't be as bad. I had some great kids with really sweet attitudes (for the most part) and I was able to be a lot more patient and positive this year. Our third grade team came away with some pretty high numbers on our EOG tests, and as much as I hate those stupid standardized tests, it's a really good feeling to have the kids perform well. Now for 6 more days of work and then 7 weeks of vacation. Michigan here I come!!!

Picture 156 - Creativity

2010-06-09T22:03:00.003-04:00

Today I told the class that for the afternoon we could watch a movie. This a rare enough event, but it's the end of the year. Because I only had 12 kids, I invited the other classes to come in. Because of this, we didn't have enough room for my kids to lay down any more. So I told them their options were to sit on their bottom on the floor, or to sit at a desk. One of my ingenious students decided that she still wanted to lay down and she found a way to do it within the parameters I set. Gotta love 3rd grade creativity.

Picture 155 - How the years have flown

2010-06-09T21:53:00.003-04:00

I was not even remotely athletically gifted in high school (and really not much has changed since then). So when a friend decided that they would introduce me to tennis in exchange for math tutoring, I figured what could it hurt. She provided me with a racket, strapped on her tennis shoes, and prepared to accomplish the impossible. Now 13 years later I still have the racket (though the Wilson "W" has faded), I have lost contact with the friend, traveled thousands of miles, and learned how to keep the ball in between the lines. Now just to master some speed and, as Brad would say, learn to move my feet.

Picture 154 - Current Events

2010-06-09T21:41:00.002-04:00

In my summative evaluation I was told that I needed to intentionally bring the outside world into my classroom. I.E. covering world events on a third grade level. One of the things we spent about two weeks talking about was the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. I remember when the Exxon Valdiz crashed in Alaska and all the commercials showing birds being cleaned off with Dawn dish soap. It's been a great opportunity to discuss cause and effect as well and problem and solutions. The kids came up with some great questions and some rather creative ways to solve our dependence on oil. Who knows, maybe one of my kids will eventually find a solution and I can say I knew them when.

Picture 153 - Something famous... maybe?

2010-06-06T14:22:00.003-04:00

On my way home from Charlotte, I decided to take the scenic route and stop to take pictures along the way. Down in Rockingham there is, what I'm guessing to be, an old, partially destroyed building. It's covered in vines and looks part of the landscape now. I had thought it was really cool before, but was with friends and didn't want to make them stop. Today, being on my own, I could find a spot to park my car and take pictures to my hearts content. A friend of mine had said that this was the background for some movie. I have yet to verify that, but I thought it was pretty neat.

Picture 152 - Charlotte!!

2010-06-06T14:16:00.002-04:00

My car needed one last road test to make sure everything was running fine after I got it back on Thursday. So Saturday morning I packed up some overnight things and headed to Charlotte to chill for the weekend. It was such a fun time of meeting new people, hanging out, talking, and trying a new restaurant. (Basil's will have to be one of those restaurants I try again!) Before we headed back out to the house, we drove around the city looking for a good skyline shot for me. I have to admit, I didn't actually take this picture (I was on the wrong side of the car for it), but I really liked it. I hope to head back sometime and just spend the day in the downtown area. It would be a great place to take my camera and just get lost for a day.

Picture 151 - That time of year again

2010-06-06T14:11:00.002-04:00

So, apparently today was not a very exciting day. The excitement comes from the fact that today signals that the ending of the school year is near and the beginning of summer is not long off. The time of flip flops and strappy shoes is one of my favorites. In celebration of survival of another school year and the coming show-your-toes shoes, I have decided a pedicure would be in order.

Picture 150 - Fun was had by all

2010-06-06T14:07:00.003-04:00

Because I'm not quite as creative as my brother-in-law, and in an effort to curb the chunkiness that Linus seems to be acquiring, I got him a mouse toy. Something to stalk, chase, and jump in the air to catch. Turns out I'm having just as much fun with it as he is. He gets so into it that he'll jump 3 to 4 feet in the air to catch it. I'm guessing it's probably coated in catnip. This picture was taken before he managed to rip the mouse off the string and I had to retie it to the tab.

Picture 149 - So sad

2010-06-02T22:07:00.002-04:00

Linus is getting ready to head to the vet's office so I had to get him a carrying case. From this picture, it wouldn't look like it, but he's quite a chunker and I wanted to make sure he would fit. After the first few moments, he settled down quite well. I'm sure he'll be fine, but oh, the look on his face made me laugh. I can't even imagine what'll happen when he gets his shots.

Picture 148 - just desserts

2010-06-02T22:04:00.002-04:00

I don't dislike laundry, per say, but I really detest folding/hanging it and putting it away. (Incidentally, the same goes with dishes) So, it seems for the last few days I've been choosing my clothes from out of the dryer. Me and my forgetful self left one day without shutting the door to the dryer and it seems Lucy has decided that this is a perfectly good place to rest. So, back into the wash these fur covered clothes went and this time they got dried, hung up and put away even. That'll teach me to be lazy.

Picture 147 - nap time?

2010-06-02T22:01:00.003-04:00

After spending all day in the sun on Sunday, Monday seemed like the perfect day to kick back and relax. No school, no alarm clocks and no schedule. I curled up with a good book, intent on getting some reading done only to wake up 2 hours later from a nice nap. It may be old and falling apart, but I've never had a chair put me to sleep that fast. Maybe it's a good thing I'm headed home for the summer, less nap times for me might equal more productivity, maybe.

Picture 146 - A perfect day

2010-05-30T23:32:00.001-04:00

This is our tent we used to sit under at the beach when the sun had become too hot. What an amazing idea the tent was. Turned out today was completely gorgeous, not a hint of a storm, not even a cloud really. Clouds, though, can sometimes be wonderful things. They provide some shade and help you stay cool. Thanks to the tent though, we were able to relax and enjoy the whole afternoon sitting by the ocean. Yup, today was a good day.

Picture 145 - protection

2010-05-30T23:30:00.003-04:00

Traveling to the beach in the south has taught me that I burn a lot faster here than I do in Michigan. Normally a day at the beach would involve a tan enhancers, not a sun block. I've been burned a few too many times to risk having to work in excruciating pain for the next few days.

Picture 144 - Summertime

2010-05-30T23:27:00.003-04:00

There's nothing quite like a watermelon to make you feel like it must be summer. I know it's a lot, but I couldn't resist the temptation to bite into it and just feel the cool juices drip down my chin. All that would be needed to complete the perfect summer meal is corn on the cob, grilled steaks, and a house full of family.

Picture 143 - What to do, what to do.

2010-05-30T23:25:00.002-04:00

Last year, for memorial day, a group of friends and I took a trip down to Myrtle Beach. It was such a success, we figured we'd try it again. The plan was made, the supplies readied, and the book chosen. The problem seemed to be the weather. The forecasts weren't inspiring to say the least. I bounced around to three different weather sites hoping for some good news. After much debating, we decided to go with the top forecast and risk a storm.

Picture 142 - Thank you YouTube

2010-05-26T22:05:00.002-04:00

So in my enthusiasm for homemade tortillas, I made some that tasted wonderful, but looked.... less than wonderful. After round 1 attempt, it was time to head to YouTube for some further video instruction. What is pictured here is attempt number #15 out of 24. No one would ever mistake them for store bought and I think that's a compliment. I figure I'll apply Dad's philosophy on mashed potatoes to these tortillas, he couldn't tell if his mashed potatoes were real without the lumps.

Picture 141 - Uniformity (for now)

2010-05-26T22:00:00.003-04:00

Because I needed something to take a picture of and feel like I have exhausted all the obvious choices, I decided to embark on the adventure of homemade tortillas. Having two sisters that are amazing cooks, this can be a daunting idea, but I figured if it didn't work, I just wouldn't tell anyone. And besides, the recipe said idiot proof. With this in mind, I measured everything precisely, mixed it all together and kneaded it as instructed. The dough, as evidenced by the picture, turned out beautifully. Rolling it was another matter entirely. Turns out that, yes, the recipe is idiot proof, rolling out the dough is not.

Picture 140 - It's Science!

2010-05-26T21:55:00.003-04:00

I loved Bill Nye. It wasn't the "I'll watch it if it's on" kind of love, it was the "This show has my complete and total attention" kind. I loved the experiments and learning how things work. So it's no surprise that today one of my favorite subjects to teach is science. I love using things all around the kids to teach them concepts. We have been studying plants and pollination these last few weeks. Because of what I brought in, we ended up discussing how coconuts in Florida and Africa can be genetically linked. This then led to a time at the giant map carpet discussing gulf stream currents, which brought us around to the oil spill and its effects. Yeah, it was a good teaching day.

Picture 139 - finally

2010-05-23T16:06:00.004-04:00

I love rain! I love the smell in the air, the sound, and the way it cleans things off (specifically ridding my car of pollen). The last few days though it's been extremely muggy, as if any minute a downpour might begin, but not until Saturday did it finally come. Now, hopefully, the mugginess will be gone and I can get back to enjoying the warm sunshine.

Picture 138 - Weekend work

2010-05-23T16:04:00.002-04:00

One of my friends asked last minute if I would be able to dog sit this weekend. I wasn't too keen on the idea seeing as this was also my last weekend of Saturday classes, but he couldn't get anyone else to help him out. Turned out to be a lot of fun. Maple is such a great dog and wants to spend her time chasing a ball or chewing on a stick. I can't wait till the time I can have a dog of my own.

Picture 137 - Recess fun time

2010-05-23T16:01:00.004-04:00

I remember when I was a kid. I loved the swings, the feeling of flying, of getting high enough that there was the tiniest moment in time when you would free fall back to earth. I would always try to make it so that my feet would be as high as the top of the bars and then close my eyes as I went rushing back in the other direction.

Picture 136 - the "pillow hog"

2010-05-23T15:58:00.003-04:00

When he was very little, Linus liked very much to sleep on my pillow, above my head. At the ripe old age of 6 months, he now has to have his own to sleep on. When he tries to sleep above my head again, I clearly get none of the room on the pillow. He no longer gets called little man, but monster.

Picture 135 - long lost friend

2010-05-23T15:53:00.004-04:00

In all honesty, he was never actually lost, just gone for a while. This week we got the chance to get together and catch back up on what's been happening in our lives. It was a great time filled with a lot of laughter.

Picture 134 - no surprise there

2010-05-23T15:50:00.001-04:00

Nearly 10 years ago, my sisters and I decided to have our upper ear pierced together. Since then I've managed not to lose that hoop that was originally chosen. For someone who can forget where the phone is while talking on it, tens years of owning something is a big deal. It's kinda sad that I lost it, but then again, it was, seemingly, almost inevitable.

Picture 133 - way cool!

2010-05-15T20:21:00.003-04:00

I love National Geographic, if for nothing else, it has amazing pictures. It's not often in everyday life you see some of the animals they show.

Of course, I may actually see them, but their camouflage is so good that I don't realize it. But against the backdrop of a brick building, this little guy stands out like a sore thumb. If I couldn't be a teacher anymore, I'd be a wildlife photographer.