An Accomplished Woman

Good Things in September

2011-10-01T08:26:00.005-04:00

I'm teaching again and school for me has started. All of the sudden, every minute of every day is planned. Literally. It's such a rude awakening from summer for a teacher. Life will be like this for the next 7 months BUT that doesn't mean there aren't good things!

1- We got to go to the library on the 6th day of school. Fastest ever.

2- There's a 3 day weeeknd ahead.

3- Coffee date at Spring Garden Bakery with Jennifer before she goes to Korea.

4- We successfully made a vegetarian meal for some friends.

5- I slept in.

6- It rained. We need rain.

7- I found some solutions to some problems at school.

8- Someone told me I'm their favorite teacher! I told them that was nice but it wouldn't last for long.

9- I went running before school and it put me in a good mood.

10- When I woke up, I had that full, satisfied feeling that I sometimes get in the fall.

11- I woke up and read a book that wasn't for grad classes.

12- Fresh spinach salad.

13- Led my first Paideia Seminar with my students. Thinking this will be my research topic.

14- A student gave me some seeds because of the book we'd just read. She thought I would like them. I did.

15- Several people complimented my hair. I washed it. And blowdried it. Amazing the difference that makes.

16- I made it to Friday. Really, I doubted I could this week.

17- Goat Lady Farm Dinner! I want a pet goat. And I want its cheese. Also, Dad Cameron was able to come and eat. So thankful for that.

18- Dial M for Murder at Triad Stage.

19- I got a lot done after school.

20- I went to bed early.

21 - It rained on my vegetables.

22- No class tonight so I got to hang out with the girls. It was good for my soul.

23- We started a persuasive writing project. The kids are persuading their parents about anything. It's so entertaining to hear what 11 year olds really want in life.

24- Women's Brunch - classy, low key, good eats, good conversation.

25- Enjoyed some down time with Ross. Between his schedule and mine, there's not a whole lot of that.
26- Kept up with my to do list.

27- Free night for teachers at Titanic Exhibit at Natural Science Center. I survived. Also, the new soda machine at Moe's is so cool!

28-Best Pep Rally ever. I nearly cried. For real.

29- I smiled a lot today because I found out last night that I do NOT have to do the big M.Ed. portfolio! And I had fun with the row of girls I sit with in class. We started planning graduation. May 4th, here we come.

30- I got some crazy emails but I kept my cool and was mature about it. Kind of proud of that. Also, I might get a student teacher. I think that makes me happy, not sure.

Good Things in May

2011-05-31T20:39:00.001-04:00

I'm pretty sure that there were good things that happened in March and April but it somehow escaped me to record them. We started spending evenings working in the yard, only eating when the sun began to set. My sister visited from Texas, I taught some great poetry lessons, finished a class, and ran a race for the first time in a long time. Good months. May has been more difficult for this girl. The preparing for and administering the End of Grade testing sucks the joy out of teaching. Despite the stress, there were all sorts of wonderful things.

1- Steel Magnolias at Triad Stage. I might or might not have shed a tear.
2- I called the government with a question and stumped them. Kind of proud of that.
3- Made this killer mustard sauce for roasted veggies.
4- Had the mustard sauce again with a fresh salad from the garden.
5- The Nasturtium and Foxglove that I grew from seed are both blooming.
6- I fell asleep on the couch at 8 on a Friday night. It just felt good.
7- The house is clean.
8- Took a nap and watched a movie.
9- Melissa gave me a chocolate chip muffin.
10- My 1st period tested today and they worked SO hard.
11- Things could be worse. There could be a floods, earthquakes, wars, or wildfires. Instead, there are only EOGs.
12- Mustard Sauce and Roasted Veggies again.
13- Dinner at the Hodgekins with friends and neighbors.
14- Cleaned the pollen off the porch and had dinner out there.
15- A quiet afternoon.
16- I went with Ross to the driving range. (That's what it's called when you practice hitting golf balls, right?)
17- My MIL brought some incredible snacks for EOGs.
18- Got a new library book but I had a fine. Boo.
19- MIL brought gourmet cupcakes to EOGs for my birthday!
20- Ross gave me a Norman Rockwell print for my bday.
21- A suprise trip to the mountains. Spent the day exploring Black Mountain.
22- Sat in a rocking chair reading on Thomas Wolfe's front porch in Asheville.
23- Another fresh salad from the garden.
24- Class started tonight -- very encouraging!
25- I vegged tonight, literally did nothing except watch tv.
26- R has been gone a few nights but is home.
27 -PTSA fed us lunch.
28- Made an excellent veggie pizza with the last of last summer's pesto.
29- Watching Ross, his dad, and his sister laugh until they cried at lunch.
30- Italian soda with a friend at Spring Garden Bakery.
31- Last of the testing for me for 2011. I ought to be able to eat lunch before 2 for the rest of the year.

Good Things in February

2011-03-02T18:57:00.004-05:00

February is a terrible month. Everyone agrees with me. That said, there were actually some good things.

1-We started a new unit today and was so into it that I forgot to check my email all day.

2- Made blueberry muffins.

3- Insightful time studying Isaiah with the girls.

4- Went out afterschool with my old team. I miss the good old days.

5-Watched Catfish and got burgers from Emma Keys.

6- Made soft, hot pretzels for a Superbowl party.

7- Didn't even look at the clock the whole time I was in Yoga and planted lettuce seeds.

8- It's gotten lighter outside in the mornings.

9- Got bent out of shape b/c of a meeting at school. The good thing - R listened while I vented and had helpful things to say.

10-I told my last class "I have a proposal for you." They wanted to see the ring and be in the wedding. It was hilarious.

11- The Wall of Parents at the Icecream Social. I've never seen anything quite like it.

12- Watched Cyrus and ate at Pastabilities.

13- Took a walk through the woods at Haganstone with R.

14- I made guacamole.

15- My new phone was activated.

16- A girl told me, "You look like you should be a mom. Are you one?" She said this right after I got done fussing at her.

17- Read my book in the sun out on the back stoop.

18- Went for a walk with R. and we met a new neighbor.
19- There are things growing in the yard!!!

20- Got everything done on the list.

21- Reader's Theater.

22- Got new library books.

23- Went for a walk with a friend.

24 - Had coffee with another friend. We spent most of our time playing with our new phones.

25- The weather was so very perfect.

26- Rich conversation in Book Club.

27 - Joy and I sat outside on the deck at Mcoul's. That was the upside to our afternoon. The play we saw later was such a downer.

28- I like it when everybody moves in unison in yoga. It's kind of beautiful.

Good Things in January

2011-02-01T19:14:00.001-05:00

I really thought January was a blur, mostly due to all that snow and ice. But after I typed out this month, there really were some fun things that happened too. Will February be as eventful?

1- R's birthday
2-Last day of Winter Break
3- Ran in the morning for the first time in a month
4-I found an indoor herb kit that's really cute
5- The Amaryllis bloomed.
6- I had an outburst directed at the man in Apartment 1A. Why is that a good thing? It's kind of comical in hindsight.
7-We glazed pottery in AOC.
8- Celebrated R's birthday with a tour of Big Boss Brewery in Raleigh.
9- Got to hang out with little ones at Kid's Connection.
10-I'm learning my way around my school website and am proud of myself.
11- Made a spicy Chicken and Rice soup for the snow day.
12- I met Atticus. He is a very handsome baby.
13- Laughed and Laughed with the Thursday Night Girls.
14- One day school week and not even a full day at that.
15- Katie's here! It's Hannah-Grace's one year birthday party! We went to Sticks and Stones! Wipeout was hilarious!
16- Lunch at Moe's with old college friends.
17- Stayed in my PJ's all day.
18- Got to see Norman Rockwell with AOC even though there was a delay.
19- Read my book all night so I could finish it.
20- Made my own tortillas.
21- My mentor teacher from when I first started teaching is pursuing her doctorate and I get to be a part of her research. Such a priveledge!
22- Pizza at the Osl's...AKA...the night R met "Hungrin."
23- We got to be entertained by Hungrin again at nursery in the morning.
24- I made a new seating chart. For some reason, that thrills me.
25- Uploaded final assignments for the Winter term class.
26- Red Wine to celebrate being halfway through the coursework for my M.Ed.
27- Made a new outfit. I had extra time b/c of the two hour delay.
28- Wore new PJs to bed from Gap.
29- Sat in the sun reading for the afternoon.
30- Bumped into Snooki.
31-Yogalates with Mason at UNCG's gym, just like the good old days.

Kitchen Dreams

2011-01-22T14:58:00.004-05:00

A List from the Fridge

I've got a lot to live up to in the kitchen. My mom knows her way around the kitchen really well, as does my MIL. They cook those meals with, you know, multiple items. Last summer, my sister-in-law and I were lamenting that all we served were one dish meals. We dreamt of the days we'd serve meals with sides and a main dish and bread and dessert with ease. Like, the kind of meals that you eat around the table and not in a bowl in front of the TV.

Someone recently asked me what I'd read lately and my answer was a cookbook. It was an honest answer. Over the past year and a half of being married, I've been very conscious of my role of making and providing good food for my tiny household. My husband is not a cook, so that's my job. While I cook, he mows the lawn and insulates the basement, which is a division of responsibilities that is fine by me. I have no desire to spend time in the basement, except when I must go down there to do laundry. There are spiders and dirt. There once was a squirrel down there too and that was creepy. So I keep to my green, happy kitchen.

On Friday night, I came home from work and was trying to figure out what to make for dinner. I quickly brain-scanned the food in the fridge and pantry. Realizing I had all the ingredients I needed for Creamy Pesto Pasta, I went to work pulling out what I needed by memory. And it dawned on me, right then, how far I'd come in the kitchen. I had a bank of well-liked recipes and spent little mental effort on making dinner. How about that? Still, there's a ways to go till we're really grown up because, of course, it was a meal served in a bowl that we ate in front of the TV.

Good Things in December

2011-01-01T09:16:00.003-05:00

* December was very, very full and I kind of crashed once the break came. I think I'll try to approach December a little bit differently next year with the gift buying, exams, final projects, and field trips.

1- Last Word Study class.
2- Thought on this..."Darkness is as light to you..." from Ps. 139
3- Played with clay in AOC club.
4- Wreath Making at Sarah's with a real fire, Christmas music, and snow.
5- Finished my research paper.
6- Last Monday night class. The girl next to me shared her cookies during class.
7- The Grinch scene in Glee made me laugh.
8- Each class broke out in applause when we finished "A Christmas Carol."
9- So many kinds of pizza at Christmas Potluck.
10- R. is back from a week in Atlantic City.
11- Found a great deal online for R's big gift, a vacuum.
12- Made Peanut Butter Kiss cookies.
13- Classes are finished. I survived. Goodness gracious.
14- I brought a tin of cookies to work and gave them out between classes.
15- Low-key day at work.
16- Snow Day - made Coffee Toffee while watching "Elf."
17- Snow Day #2 - ate a real lunch at a real restaurant.
18- I met the creator of the magical balls in Sunset Hills at a party!
19- Free tickets from my boss to see "A Christmas Carol" at Triad Stage.
20- Cookie Exchange at work.
21- Last Day of school for a while.
22- I slept in.
23- Christmas Date at Josephine's on Spring Garden St. Yummy.
24- Christmas Eve service at church.
25- Christmas Day at R's parents in Asheboro and saw True Grit that afternoon. Then a White Christmas that night.
26- Walking to the Redbox with R. in the snow.
27-Curled up in a blanket to drink coffee and work on classwork for the class I'm taking over winter break.
28- Eck family Christmas at our house. I enjoy a full house.
29-Listening to Norah Jones' duets as we drove through the mountains to TN.
30 - Saw "The Fighter." I don't like the boxing but the story was really good.
31- Visited the Bush's Beans plant and museum on the way home. Very fun!

Literacy Autobiography

2010-12-22T20:53:00.002-05:00

I've spent the day writing my "Literacy Autobiography," an assingment for the winterterm class that I'm taking. We had to create a blog for the class which is where we'll submit most of our assignments. I feel like I've been typing all day but I've kind of enjoyed writing it. There first 5 posts on the blog are for the autobiography.

Here's the link:

www.lecliteracy.blogspot.com

Enjoy.

This I Believe

2010-12-07T21:23:00.003-05:00

*I just submitted my last final exam and this was a part of it. I thought I'd share, if for no other reason than the awesome picture.

I believe a student’s family is one of the greatest influences on their literacy.

One of my favorite pictures of me was taken when I was about five years old. I am standing beside my parents’ bed reading a book. The comical thing is that the book is upside down and I’m wearing these star shaped sunglasses. My face is completely serious though because I am reading. If you had asked my five year old self what I was doing, I would have looked at you in disbelief that you didn’t already know. “Look at me, I’m holding a book, I’ve got my glasses on, this is called reading.” Looking back at that picture, I wonder where I learned to do that. I think it was from watching my parents slip into bed at night, with contacts out and glasses on, and read before they fell asleep.

Growing up, I remember my mom taking me to the library during the summers. I remember my dad pointing out important, relevant articles in the newspaper for me to read. I remember reading to my brother and sister. I remember my uncle giving me The Chronicles of Narnia and telling me why those books were important. I remember my Grandpa pulling me into his office to discuss what I was reading in my high school English classes. Even as an adult, I have turned to my family for advice about what to read. My experiences in school certainly shaped who I am as a reader, writer, and communicator, but I believe my family was my greatest early and stable influence.

As a teacher, sometimes I close my door and start to believe that I am solely responsible for my students’ success as readers and writers. In our little world, I am the captain of our ship. If we do well, I pat myself on the back. If we falter, I am discouraged. This is a false view. It is easy for me to forget the moms who take their children to the public library, find them tutors, and call because they are concerned. I need to remember the dads who come in for conferences, asking how they can help their child become a better reader. I need to remember the parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles who read with their children at night and try to have mature conversations with them. The families supporting my students are the backbone of their literacy development.

Good Things in November

2010-12-05T18:19:00.002-05:00

Again, a few days late.

1- I found out that I could finish the M.Ed. a year early if I wanted to.
2- I finished an assignment early.
3- I've been the only teacher on my team at school this week b/c everyone's out sick. So a student thanked me for being there.
4- Free Chickfila lunch from Campus Life
5- Did Eric Carle art in the AOC club
6- I've started reading again! (It was Harry Potter that did it.)
7- A nice Sunday at church.
8- I'm done collecting money and writing receipts for our field trip.
9- Bought a nice Pinot Noir.
10- A student asked me if I had enjoyed my lunch. Then she told me she asked because her grandmother told her to be nice to her teachers.
11- Slept in for Veteran's DAy.
12- Worked on my school website voluntarily for the first time ever.
13- Beer Tasting at the Bestway. One tasted like bacon and gouda.
14- Ran with Ross and kept up with him!
15- A student told me my hair looked good. I replied that I'd bought a new shampoo over the weekend.
16- We finished reading Freak the Mighty.
17- A student called me "Miss Thing."
18- 1st time visiting Maxie B's. Yum.
19- Harry Potter Party.
20- Watched the movie Frozen with R. and got a little freaked out.
21- Saw HP #7 part 1 with Jen and Holly
22- I was a diligent with my assignments. I didn't want to be.
23- Went to Pablano's to celebrate Kim getting her National Boards.
24- Made Butternut Squash and Roasted Garlic Soup.
25- Thanksgiving at the Camerons.
26- Watched movies all day and did nothing.
27- R. and I set up the tree while being serenaded by Elvis
28- Lunch at the Filling Station
29- Nice run after work.
30- We began reading "A Christmas Carol" in my classes.

Christmas Traditions

2010-11-28T08:51:00.005-05:00

Every year, after Thanksgiving, we would start asking Dad, "Is it time to start decorating for Christmas yet?" We were eager to put out the nativity set, hang the ornaments, and put lights out on the house. We wanted to show everyone we were ready for Christmas. But if Dad wasn't ready, we just had to wait. He was the master of the Christmas Tree. It was his special job to put the fake tree together, branch by branch and light by light. Some families always put up their trees the day after Thanksgiving but we didn't seem to have a traditional time for decorating. It just depended on Dad. I'm not quite sure what he was waiting for every year. It might have had something to do with whatever football game he could watch while making his Christmas tree masterpeice. Nevertheless, we all waited on him to start the Christmas season. He was the gatekeeper of Christmas.

There were rules, you know? When you could watch "White Christmas," when we can make Bula, which gift you can open on Christmas Eve, who writes the annual Christmas letter, who made the Pepperkokker cookies with Dad, when we read the Christmas Story from Luke, who read "The Night Before Christmas." I could go on. We are sentimental people, that's for sure. Every tradition was well rehearsed and followed religiously because they all meant something to us. That is, until the kids started growing up and traditions started changing.

My brother has his family now. I'm married and in my own home. My sister is in Texas and as a nurse, has to work some holidays. My parents are empty-nesters and finding a new rhythm. Our holidays look and feel differently. Each of us is in the midst of establishing new traditions for Christmas. Last Christmas season, not practicing all of our former traditions made me sad. There were a few times that I cried, asking my husband (who's not so sentimental), "What will we do on Christmas Eve?'" or "Will you read The Night Before Christmas to me?'" In spite of feeling at a loss, I have good memories of our first Christmas together.

There are a few things that seem to be traditions in the making, like wreath-making, listening to Elvis as we set up the tree, and watching, "It's a Wonderful Life" at Carolina Theater. I don't know what traditions will remain. We are in this beginning place in these early years of our marriage and home where we are establishing the patterns of our life together. It's kind of a neat place to be in, even though it feels a little uncertain. What traditions will take on meaning and stay with us for years, only time can tell.

Giving Thanks

2010-11-22T19:13:00.003-05:00

Every year on the Sunday before Thanksgiving, our church has a Thanksgiving service. We hear testimonies of gratitude from different people on four subjects: our country, our families, our church, and our Savior. I love breaking away from the normal Sunday morning format and listening to people share their stories. Spending a morning being thankful as a corporate body is rare. Spending time being thankful individually is just as rare for me.

During the service, I kept thinking back to my life five years ago when I first graduated from college. I felt pretty alone and confused. Life wasn't what I wanted it to be. I often prayed that God would show me how to live fully here in Greensboro, even though I was afraid that was impossible. Looking back, I wonder if life really was that hard or if I just couldn't see what was good. Nonetheless, it's with a heart full of gratitude that I consider what I am thankful for that I couldn't see during that time of transition.

I'm thankful for my family. Not only have I been blessed with my own family, I'm thankful for the wonderful family I married into. I feel so cared for and taken care of by both of them.

I'm thankful for my husband. Marriage has been a source of great blessing. Sometimes that takes me by surprise.

I'm thankful for a job that means something to me. No matter how challenging it is, I still enjoy reading books with kids and talking about them.

I'm thankful for my friends - true, constant friends. I don't take that for granted. They are rare.

I'm thankful for the ample provision for my needs. Our house, cars, clothing, and food are not something I struggle for. Most of the time, I do take this one for granted.

I'm thankful for the freedom to pursue the things that interest me, be it going to plays at Triad Stage, taking a pottery class, working on my M.Ed., gardening, or book club These things bring fullness to my life.

I'm thankful that God is patient and tender with me. It seems that I have to learn things many times before they finally sink in. I'm glad He is a good father in that way.

When I take time to be thankful, my focus shifts from what is hard or what I fear to what is good and who gave it. This is why I like the list of good things each month. It's especially good to sit down, at the end of a long day like this one, and consider the Giver of all good things. On Thursday, as we break from our normal routines to give thanks, what will you say you are thankful for?

Running Progress

2010-11-14T20:52:00.003-05:00

In highschool, our PE classes made us run. We had to run laps on the track and get straws as part of our grade. I guess they were trying to instill a habit of exercise. Here's what I remember - there was a girl, an average looking girl who wasn't terribly fit, who had a boy's name and a twin. She could run 7 laps in the allotted time and said that she liked to run. I was baffled by her. I would run enough to get the grade, meanwhile wondering why she loved to run. I hated that out-of-breath feeling. It drove me nuts. So after that class, I stopped running until I got to college. I'm really don't think I liked it even then. Only later, after getting over the breathing hard thing, did I start to enjoy it.

Running was one of my summer goals. I wanted to get back into it after getting out of habit towards the end of the school year. I sluggishly ran throughout the summer until finally I was honest with myself and admitted I wasn't doing a very good job. In fact, I had no idea how much I was running or whether I was progressing. In August, I found this site: www.dailymile.com where I could log how much I was running and how often. It has fun features like stats on "gas saved" and "donuts burned." It also has fun graphs and charts. It makes me happy. In August, I also started running before work and have actually started to enjoy it. These two changes have had good results and I'm pleased with my efforts.

My sister completed her first marathon today in Texas. Her goal was to finish under 5 hours and she made it. It's such an incredible accomplishment. My brother completed his first marathon around this time last year, a month before his daughter was born. I'm not the runners that they are and I don't think I'll ever be. Running a marathon sounds like torture. I don't know what to wear to run in the cold. I don't know how to buy shoes or what "splits" are. However, in the years since highschool, my attitude towards running has changed a bit. I still don't like to breath hard but I can at least admit that there's a little part of me that looks forward to it. I won't be running a marathon anytime soon but perhaps there's a 5K on my horizon. I'd be up for that.

Good Things in October

2010-11-05T19:58:00.002-04:00

A few days later...

Oct 1- First Art of Collaboration Club Day at school was a huge success
Oct 2- Spent the morning at Greensboro Shrub picking out plants
Oct 3- A lovely afternoon at O. Henry Hotel at a baby shower
Oct 4- Nice conversation with my sister
Oct 5- Impromptu dinner with R's parents
Oct 6- Shared Expert Books with 7th and 8th grade at school
Oct 7- A night at home - finally
Oct 8- Watched Coal Miner's daughter
Oct 9- Went back to Greensboro Shrub and then dug holes for 6 hours
Oct 10-Nice weather for a nice walk with R.
Oct 11- I made salmon for dinner
Oct 12- Next Monday's assignment is done, so I can go to NYC
Oct 13- The tutor in my 4th period said, "I'd want my kid to be in your class"
Oct 14- Duty Free Lunch
Oct 15- Was in NYC by 9:30 a.m., Free Friday at MOMA
Oct 16- The Butterfly Exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History
Oct 17- Got lost in Central Park
Oct 18- I woke up and got to work on time
Oct 19- I'm tired but am making it
Oct 20- Bus wreck at school but everyone's okay
Oct 21- Found three 3/4 sleeve shirts for a good price
Oct 22- I was in my PJ's by 5:30
Oct 23 - Chili Cookoff in Lindley Park
Oct 24- I made Roasted Veggie and Kale soup
Oct 25- Got hot chocolate at The Coffee Break while I worked on an assignment
Oct 26- Dinner at Filling Station with Beth
Oct 27- Cleaned out notebooks with my students and we generated 10 bags of trash!
Oct 28- Ate a real lunch at a real restaurant on a weekday
Oct 29- Pumpkin Party
Oct 30- Perfect low key Saturday
Oct 31- Gave out candy to Trick or Treaters

Slump

2010-10-25T20:28:00.002-04:00

Every night before we go to bed, we read for 20-30 minutes. Ross teases me because I usually have a stack of books on my nightstand. He calls them my "BFB"s - Big Fat Books. When I bring home a new BFB, he ogles over it and asks silly questions about it. It's just one of our funny little things.

Since the semester began in August, I've struggled to find time and motivation to read for pleasure. Taking two classes and teaching middle school has zapped me. When it's time to read at night, I pester Ross or flop around restlessly or simply fall asleep. Ross keeps asking what's wrong. I offer my excuses - My eyes are tired, I can't find a book I like, I already spent time today reading about reading. It's been an odd two months for him but it's also been odd for me. I've never had trouble like this before with something I really enjoy. I miss it.

There's still about 5 weeks left of the semester and lots more to read for my classes about phonics and digital literacies and who knows what else. I don't want to wait 5 weeks to read something just because I want to read it. However, I'm feeling a bit out of sorts and don't think I can trust my abilities to pick out a book. I feel like my students when they stand in the library, wander around, and wait for someone to tell them what to read. I need someone to tell me what to read and put a book in my hands just like I do with my students. I convince them that they won't be able to put it down and will be able to finish it. I need someone to sell me a book like that. Maybe if someone could just help me out, I could bring home a BFB and get out of this slump.

Good Things in September

2010-09-30T19:32:00.002-04:00

1- Ran 2.5 miles straight even though I didn't want to.
2- A student's mom told me how much she is enjoying her teachers.
3- Finished painting the dresser I started painting 3 years ago.
4- Sat on the porch with Ross' friends for the afternoon
5- Lunch with Ross' parents. I love being fed.
6- Labor Day! I love no work.
7- It was a quiet, calm project day at school.
8- The kids' Expert Books are looking great.
9- I heard "Three Books for Surviving Grad School" on NPR. It made me chuckle, especially his recommendation of Endurance about Shackleton's journey to Antarctica.
10-I went to two Mexican restaurants in one night.
11- Painting the hallway upstairs was enjoyable.
12- I finally finished the Audrey Hepburn biography.
13- I put Adobo Peppers and cheddar cheese in the corn muffins and it was good.
14- I was told I looked nice in my blue dress. Thank you.
15- Pep ralley today was kind of hilarious until they made all of the teachers come to the center of the court to dance. I did not dance. I stood there like an awkward teenager.
16- I clarified that indeed I have career status, aka tenure.
17- It was the first day of school this year that we hit a flow.
18- The brown in the hallway is done! It involved me on a two story ladder on the stairs while Ross held it, quite a feat.
19- Joy and I plotted a getaway.
20- No class tonight.
21- I didn't hit a single light on the way to work today. Shocking.
22- We read about "cockroach sperm" in class and no one flipped out.
23- Laughed and Laughed with Thursday Night girls.
24- A student's grandpa baked me a blueberry poundcake. Yummy!
25- Explored Oakdale Cemetary in Wilmington with Joy and saw David Brinkley's grave.
26- Ross is home and I am home. First time in days.
27- Yoga this morning.
28- Used the last of the tomatoes and peppers in a quiche for dinner.
29- Learned that the letter "W" has a very colorful history and the letter "U" is lazy.
30- Hit snooze this morning and slept another 30 minutes.

The Tyranny of Reading

2010-09-21T20:35:00.004-04:00

For class this week, I had to read an article called, "Words are Wonderful." An effusive teacher, a self-proclaimed word nerd, shared ways to make kids love words. I really couldn't disagree with her but I just didn't think it was all that interesting. Nice, enthusiastic teachers doing nice things for nice kids that love words. They exist, I know, I've taught them but they are not the norm.

Contrast that scenario with Sue Slyvester's opinion on words from the American Express commerical that aired during Glee last night. "Why should children be burdened by the tyranny of reading?" she asks, standing in the midst of a crazy classroom. "Words are hard!" I heard that and howled. 'Yes!' I thought. 'That is more like it.' Words are hard.

There's a lot of kids I know who seem to agree with Sue. When I say, "It's time to read." They scrunch their faces up and glare at me. They slump down. They tell me they are suddenly sick and need to call home. They have to all pee at once, all at the same time. Did I say some secret signal word? They pick at their fingers. Are their fingers that interesting? They start chewing on bracelets and pencils. They fold paper. They mumble to themselves like crazy people. They stare comatose at a blank wall. Is this the picture of kids loving wonderful words or of kids oppressed by the tryanny of reading?

Some days, with some kids, it's a tyranny and I'm the resident tyrant. I'm their harsh dictator who will not release them until they've been duly tortured with words. Judging by the reactions of some, I'm a crazy woman who's out to get them. To be honest, I guess I am out to get them in the best way possible - to take them and their "words are hard" scrunchy faces and do something good with it.

You Must Have Fun

2010-09-11T13:58:00.000-04:00

I spent 11 summers at New Life Camp in Raleigh, North Carolina. They were glorious weeks, spent living in non air conditioned cabins, running around with friends, and learning about the Bible. We loved it. I can think of few times when I was unhappy there. One of my best friendships developed while performing "Aladdin" songs to a cabin full of girls during a rainstorm. Even as a teenager, when few things please you and all of life seems uncertain, I was happy there.

I can't decide which is my favorite memory. There were the time as CITs (Counselors in Training) when we'd sneak out after curfew and run the trails. The counselors saw it as a sport, trying to catch us. We'd always evade them by diving into some bushes or sneaking back into our cabins just in time, our hearts racing from the excitement of it all. There were the pranks between the girls and the boys. I remember soaking a guy friend's sleeping bag in water and putting it back on his bed (and ruining his bible in the process). There were other times when we'd sing for hours, at campfires, around the gazebo, you name it. No AC, no TV, no computers, no distractions. It was such a good time for friends and fellowship. I miss those days.

There were rules at camp. Each year, the counselors would make a "Rules Video" where they did funny skits to explain the rules. I only got the priveledge of making it one year in 2001 and loved it. It was hilarious. Recently, my friend Joy sent me a video of the "Best of the Rules Video" from the last decade. I had forgotten the most important rule that always ended the video, "You must have fun." It was a rule and one we certainly fulfilled.

I've been thinking a lot about that rule as school has started up once again. It was those fun experiences with kids at camp that led me towards teaching but to be honest, I don't think I have much fun at my job. There are glimpses of good relationships with kids and there are certainly parts of days that I enjoy. However, school is a different environment than camp. And there's a whole lot that I can't control that sucks the fun out of it. Despite those things, I really want to remember how much fun I've had with kids in the past - playing, getting to know one another, learning together, laughing, etc. I want to enjoy the kids that I spend my day with. I want to have fun. On Monday, in honor of New Life Camp, I think I'm going to post its most important rule in a place where I'll see it and remember it.

Good Things in August

2010-09-02T18:17:00.004-04:00

Goodness gracious, this month flew by.

1- Hiked in Haganstone with small group from church.

2- My MIL helped me with Bulletin Boards at school and then bought me lunch.

3- Ross brought dinner home.

4- I made pillow shams on the sewing machine all by myself!

5- Went to see The Breakfast Club at Carolina Theater with some cool girls.

6- Finished painting the guest room in time for Peter's visit.

7- I slept in until 9.

8- Sat on the porch talking with Peter and his wife, Katie for hours after dinner

9- Hannah-Grace, my neice, waved to me. I think.

10-Ross and I got massages, a christmas gift.

11- Seafood chowder on the water in Maine!

12- Took the Park Loop through Acadia National Park and ate lobsters that night.

13- Went on a pretty difficult hike with just about a bajillion rock stairs and was rewarded with a great view of Frenchman's Bay

14- Found a Letterbox in Camden, Maine.

15- Drank beer made in Maine, looking out on Northeast harbor while reading The Ghost Trap, a fictional book about lobstermen in Maine

16- Had a long conversation with an oil painter in Boothbay Harbor about what it means to be "from Maine"

17-My veggies were still alive when I returned.

18- I saved over $50 at Harris Teeter.

19- Planted a letterbox with some pretty cool girls.

20- I started a new habit - running early in the morning.

21- Cut Ribbons at the new Jamestown Middle School.

22-Ross and I went hiking at Hanging Rock State Park.

23-I witnessed the most dramatic reading ever of Chrysanthemum at my first class.

24- Finally gaining momentum on my Audrey Hepburn biography. Read about the filming of Charade.

25- First day of school and no disasters.

26- My husband had a great day.

27- I survived teaching 6th graders how to open lockers. It is horrific.

28- Dinner with Ross' parents at Liberty Oak.

29- Dakota Joe at Mcoul's, hokey name but good music

30-My class was canceled so I washed my car which I have a lot of fun doing.

31- Had a student tell me, "This is a good book." Love those words.

Vacationland

2010-08-22T20:16:00.004-04:00

When we landed in Maine last Wednesday, it was easy to recognize that we were in a different place. The air was nearly 20 degrees cooler. Coming from the dog days of a North Carolina summer, nothing could be more welcoming than the cool breeze and sunny skies of the Maine coast. I was happy to escape the heat, if only for a week, especially before the madness of school and classes kick up.

We drove along the coast on Route 1 from Portland to Bar Harbor, passing through small coastal towns with cottage-like Bed and Breakfasts and Inns. I enjoyed that the highway wasn't cluttered with billboards and fast food restaurants. The only chain we saw with regularity on the road was Dunkin' Donuts. We rolled into Bar Harbor around dinner time and spent the next five days driving and hiking through Acadia National Park before making our way back again to Portland to fly home.

We stayed in BoothBay Harbor (much closer to Portland) for our last night. At dinner, we talked about our favorite parts of the vacation. Here they are, in case you might also be planning a vacation to Maine sometime soon:

- Acadia National Park: the best of both worlds - mountains and water. The glacier carved landscape offers such incredible natural beauty and interesting sights. However, it is no secret. I'm pretty sure half of the Northeast was vacationing there with us.

Jordan Pond

- Hiking: We hiked up Door Mountain and around the Tarn. The views were rewarding but you had to work hard for them. Also, the Beehive trail near Sand Beach. The Beehive has these iron ladder rungs attached to boulders that you climb up. You are only 2 feet from the ledge, it's pretty exhiliarating.

- Eating seafood: Good lobster at Beal's in Southwest Harbor and lobster rolls in Northeast Harbor, not to mention clams, crab, and various chowders. Why do I live inland?

- Eating Bagels and drinking Coffee: Our motel was right next door to this great homemade bagel place that served New England coffee. They also sold icecream at night, yum.

While we were talking about the things we loved, we realized that all we really want in a getaway are rocks, water, and green. That reminded me of going to Ireland a few years ago with Joy. After a while touring that island, we realized that those too were the defining characteristics of the landscape. I guess it would be safe to say that I know what I like. If anyone knows a place like that closer than Maine, Oregon or Ireland, please let me know.

Three Years

2010-08-06T17:03:00.003-04:00

I met with my advisor yesterday afternoon and mapped out the next three years of my life. I'm a planner so part of that appeals to me. I like knowing what's coming and what to expect but I found part of it to be overwhelming. Walking out of Curry, I realized that I'll be finished with my M.Ed. in 2013, just weeks before my 30th birthday. I don't want to make 30 out to be old because some of the coolest people I know are over 30. But still, it does seem like it's far away and going to take forever to get there and get finished with classes.

After I left my appointment, I called my mom. I told her about my meeting and mapping out the classes. She said it sounded great and that she was proud of me. I told her it was mostly great, but there was something bothering me about the meeting. "I'll be 30," I said. "Most of my college friends already have kids, I'll be behind." My mom reminded me that it didn't matter what other people were doing and that I didn't need to compare myself to others. I've always been the girl who judges the value of my endeavors by what others are doing around me. My decisions are either better or worse than the ones that others are making. That's often how I know whether something is worthwhile to do or whether I'm right or whether I should or shouldn't. I've found that way of living can suck the confidence right out of you and leaves you second guessing everything. It's no good.

Right now, sitting here, the second guessing hasn't gone away. Whatifs always dance in my head, that's a given. But I am thinking that it's going to be pretty cool to have accompished this goal, even if it takes three years and far too much thinking about teaching outside of school hours. I do hope it will be worth it.

Good Things in July

2010-08-02T18:44:00.002-04:00

With only two weeks to go until school starts, it's nice to think of what was wonderful about summer vacation even though it's not over yet.

1- Went for a walk with friends and a week old baby at Country Park
2- Made Japanese food and it was a success
3- I picked lots of cherry tomatoes from the garden today and they are so yummy
4- Pool Party for 4th of July
5- I went letterboxing for the first time, it was fun, even if people think it's kind of nerdy
6 - Bought paint for the upstairs, it's called "coffee," i like coffee
7- Visited my bro, sister-in-law and my neice, we bonded
8- I laughed in class tonight about a crazy map of the US that my teacher tried to draw
9- It RAINED! I've been waiting for this for weeks.
10- A stranger gave me a compliment at the Farmer's Market.
11- We said goodbye to friends who are moving for a great reason
12- painted the edges of the guest room, at least it's progress
13- Made Zucchini Pie...so delicious
14- Got to talk to teachers at the North Carolina Museum of Art about AOC and eat good food
15- Got a return email from the lady who runs the Astoria Daily Photo Blog
16- The house is clean.
17- We finally found a dresser and nightstand we like at the Red Collection and our bedroom is finished
18- Went for a great run this morning.
19- Short, nice walk with Ross after class tonight.
20- Ross finished up the guest room painting while I was off at class tonight.
21- One of my best friends, Mel, came in on the train this morning.
22- Mel and I picked blueberries.
23- The AC broke down but Ross found someone to come diagnose the problem on a Friday night.
24- R. planned a surprise trip to Charleston (this was before the AC broke, not because of it)
25- R. fixed the AC, my hero.
26- Class is over for the summer. Yippee.
27- Went out to Natty's with teacher friends.
28- Made Blueberry Gorgonzola Salad from the June issue of Southern Living Magazine. Delish.
29- I made a stamp of a rocketship.
30 - I painted 3 walls of the office which was more than I expected to get done.
31- Canned tomatoes for the first time ever and almost cut off my thumb. Woops.

Fromage, Fridays, and Food

2010-07-18T20:06:00.003-04:00

This morning while I was making smoothies for breakfast, CBS Sunday morning was on in the background. The theme was obesity and a reporter was doing a story on fast food. I heard him say that outside of the U.S., France consumes the most McDonald's. I was incredulous and a little disappointed. With such a rich food culture, how could the French embrace "McDo" so openly? This was not the France I imagined as I learned French all through school.

The French Literature class that I took my senior year was probably the hardest literary class I ever took, harder than any in English or in college. We regularly read plays, poems, books, and songs from different periods in French history. Then we discussed them, analyzed them and then wrote papers about them in French as 18 year olds. Very impressive for kids our age.

I was a pretty mediocre student, especially compared to the kid who was our Salutatorian and was headed to MIT. I managed to scrape by with the writing and the speaking but my favorite part was the bread and cheese. We'd take turns each bringing in a different French cheese and bread every Friday. Since France is known for having at least 365 cheeses, we knew we'd never run out. So much fromage, so few Fridays.

When I studied abroad in college, I roomed with a French girl, Amandine, who was able to cook up the freshest, simplest food on our tiny Bunsen burners. I remember one night when she served Ratatouille, bread, and wine to several friends in our sparsely furnished apartment. She talked about growing up in a rural area of France where you walked out into the garden to pick tomatoes, eggplant, squash, and zucchini for the Ratatouille. Someday, when I go to France, that is the place I want to go. Out to the countryside, far from globalisation, and certainly, far from any McDonald's.

Compliments from Strangers

2010-07-10T12:34:00.000-04:00

We ended the school year with a final team art project on Farmer's Markets. We wanted the kids to understand what foods are in season when and what is grown locally. The painting that we centered this unit on was a still life of a market in Holland in the 1700's that featured dead animals and fresh vegetables. It was gruesome enough to capture their attention, but also got them thinking about the question, "Where does our food come from?" It was a revealing project. They discovered that we didn't grow bannanas here, that tomatoes aren't grown year round, and that eggplant doesn't have much to do with eggs. The final product they created was their own still lifes of a stall at a NC Farmer's Market. I hope some of them get to visit our Markets this summer and enjoy them.

While Ross was still sleeping this morning, I snuck off to the Curb Market downtown. As early as it was, the market was already crowded with young and old alike. It was just as full of produce as it was of people - tomatoes, zuchhini, squash, peaches, blueberries, corn, peppers, and eggplant. Our kids learned that July and August are the peak of availability in North Carolina and this morning was testimony to that. Our summer bounty is one of the things I love about North Carolina and judging by the crowds, I'm not the only one.

This morning, I was making my way down a row, slipping in and out of people when a man stopped me and said he knew me. I couldn't place him but once he said that he'd subbed at my school before, I remembered him. He was there towards the end of the year for my teammate on the day that we introduced the Farmer's Market project. He asked how the summer was going and then said, "That presentation you did, it was really good. I've thought about it since. I mean, look, I'm here at the Farmer's Market." He told me to enjoy my summer and then we both went on to our separate shopping. It was affirming for me to hear I was doing something memorable and good, especially when there are so many negative, stressful things that happen in schools. As I left with my bag full of produce, I smiled at this stranger's compliment, wondering if he knew how much it meant to a teacher to hear her efforts make a difference.

21 days

2010-07-06T08:02:00.000-04:00

I ran my first race when I was in Kindergarden with my dad at my elementary school and did not run another one until my freshman year of college. In that first race, I felt invincible. Dad was at my side, pushing me on. My little legs were speeding away. I don't remember feeling tired. It was perfect.

It wasn't always that way though. My dad, the cross country runner, had suggested that I run on the cross country team in high school and I thought that sounded like torture. When my brother and sister (three years younger) got to highschool and both ran track and cross country, I got jealous. They shared this legacy of running with Dad and I didn't. So my freshman year in college, I took a jogging class - yes, for credit! Our instructor was this young cross country guy who'd split us into ability groups to run up and down Walker Ave. By the end of the class, I could run three miles and was ready to join in my dad, brother, and sister in competitve running. Or so I thought.

I signed up for a race on UNCG's campus with a buddy of mine to test out my skills. The race began and we started out with the pack of people. We jogged down Walker, towards the center of campus, and saw volunteers on opposite roads directing the runners. Volunteers on the right were directing us to turn right but the volunteers on the left were directing us to turn left. Everyone, yes, everyone else turned right but my buddy and I turned left. All of the sudden we were alone. Each race volunteer we ran past gave us a confused look and then, pointed their hands in the direction we were going. It wasn't until we saw the runner leading the race running towards us that we realized we'd been running the race backwards. We had to drop out of the race. My short lived stint with competitive running was a fail.

Even so, I've continued to run off and on as a means of exercise. This morning while I was running, I was wishing it came a bit more naturally and was already a habit. It takes 21 days to form a habit, right? So I was figuring how many days I'd run so far and how many I had to go when I decided to walk up a hill rather than run up it. I looked up and saw a guy running towards me. I looked closer as we passed, me walking and he running, and realized it was the instructor from my running class nearly ten years ago! That was all the kick in the pants I needed to get me running again. Maybe after 21 days, I'll feel more like my Kindergarden self again. Carefree, not tiring so easily, and running for the joy of it.

Man's Best Friend

2010-06-30T11:59:00.000-04:00

I'm beginning to think we're supposed to have a dog by now.

Everywhere I go, people are talking about how much they love their dogs. In the writing class I just took, dogs were the subject of peoms, "All About" books, and memoirs. People wrote about meeting their dogs for the first time, their friendships with them, and their last days of life. I was surprised how common dog ownership is and it made me feel like I was missing out on something. Where was my urge to bring a furry four legged creature into my home?

Then, just a few weekends ago, Ross and I were visiting family in NJ. Not once, but twice we were asked if we were getting a dog. My Uncle Tim told us it was our patriotic duty to get a dog and have kids. Seeing we had neither, he told us it was time to get busy. My cousin Nikki also asked if we were planning on getting a dog. As she asks, I'm trying my hardest to avoid her dog, a slobbering, colossal Doberman named Vito. I looked at that dog, then at my cousin, and slowly shook my head no in response.

To top it off, my forever-cat-loving sister calls me last week to tell me that she just got a puppy. This is the same sister who had always talked about the orange tabby cat she would get and name "Smack" once she was on her own. Now, she is the proud mama of a little beagle named Anna. Has the world gone mad for dogs?

I'm not really against dogs. It just seems like the world has teamed up to convince us to get a dog. When Ross and I talk about it, we aren't against it but we do have some reservations. Our house just doesn't really seem like a dog- house. What would we do with it during the day? Would it get enough exercise? When we go on vacation, what do we do with our dog? Are we prepared to spend all that money on the vet? With so many questions, I doubt we'll be bringing home any furry friends any time soon. For right now, we'll ignore our "patriotic duty" for a little bit longer.

Thank you Triad Stage

2010-06-28T08:01:00.000-04:00

Dear Triad Stage,

My first experience with Theater was in Elementary School when I was cast in a play about the Hans Christian Anderson stories. It was my job to reject suitors and then ride off into the sunset with the winning man, ahem, 4th grade boy. It was the first time anyone told me that I had an expressive face, something that is still gets me in trouble today. My second role was as a narrator for "MacBeth" in 5th grade. I had a great time, but I still can't figure out why we were performing "MacBeth" in 5th grade. "Double, double, toil and trouble..."

I haven't been in many plays since then unless you count some unfortunate skits in college but I've often enjoyed participating as a viewer. So when you offered a significant discount to teachers for Season Tickets last summer, my friend Joy and I took advantage of it. We've spent five lovely Sunday afternoons of scheduled fun at McCoul's for lunch and then at Triad Stage to take in a play for the afternoon.

It's hard to pick a favorite from the past season. I enjoyed PICNIC for showing the dark side of a perfect small town in the 1950's. OLEANNA made me think hard to figure out who was responsible for the professor's demise. AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS made me laugh and was a great deal of fun. I was so impressed by the one woman show, ETHEL WATERS, both by the actress' ability and her story. The only time I left the theater confused was after this past performance of PROVIDENCE GAP. I believe in the goal of regionally produced theater but it was a miss for me.

Thank you for offering Educator's Discount at Triad Stage. There are few places that honor teachers and invite them to participate in local cultural events. The ways we engage in our communities influences who we are in the classroom. I'm proud to have Triad Stage in my own backyard and hope you continue to reach out to Educators in the future.

See you at the next Third Sunday Matinee,

Laura

Pool Memories

2010-06-24T14:55:00.001-04:00

What's more indicitive of summer vacation than going to the pool? Today, in honor of summer (and finishing a paper), I went to the public pool around the corner. It was my first time going there and I wasn't sure what to expect.

I walked up to the counter, paid my $2, and realized I didn't know how to get in. "The door to the right, go through the locker room," the teenager told me when he saw me looking confused. Inside the locker room there were big signs saying "Shower before entering pool." What? I looked around and saw some girls rinsing off before they left the locker room and went to the pool area. Well, that's new to me, but I can do that.

When I got out to the pool site, I didn't see any chairs lining the pool like I was used to seeing. People had thrown their things on benches or piled them in the corner. No one was lying out and everyone was in the pool. So I followed suit, dumping my things on the ground and slipping into the pool.

I was glad I had my sunglasses on so that I could hide behind them and take in my surroundings. The pool was full of families, groups of girls, kids splashing each other, and moms helping sons learn to float. I heard languages being spoken that I didn't know and saw many different races represented. There was a true mix of people.

While I was watching the kids play in the pool, I thought back to my summers as a kid. We played in the pool all summer long with the neighborhood kids and with each other. My favorite times though were at night when Dad would take us kids to the pool after dinner. The heat of the day was gone and the nighttime bugs were starting to hum. The sun would go down and the streetlamps come on, adding their own electronic hum to the night sounds.

Dad had a game he'd always play with us. It had no name but it went like this: He was a monster, chasing us, and trying to pin us in the corner. It was that simple and we loved it. Why does a kid love being chased by her dad? I don't know why but even thinking of it now, my heart starts to race a bit and I get excited.

I guess there were some things that were off putting about this visit to the pool, things like no chairs to sit in and having to shower before entering the pool area. But it was nice to see kids and families having fun, just like I did when I was a kid.

Here Everything's Better

2010-06-23T10:57:00.000-04:00

In April, I visited this girl in San Antonio, Texas. She picked me up at the airport and we drove on the highway across town to her suburb. We've all heard that everything's bigger in Texas. It's the truth. The highways are enormous. They're the multilayered, multistory kind that I have nightmares about. (Yes, it's true, I have nightmares about highways.)

As we drove down the road, Katie pointed out important things, like a pair of two story cowboy boots. "See the big boots by the mall? Everyone will ask if you've seen them. You have to see them." I looked. Indeed, there were a pair of two story brown cowboy boots just off the highway.

She pointed out all sorts of other Texan monuments like a good tour guide but then, when announcing the next one, her tone changed to one of seriousness and pride. "That," she announced, "is HEB, our grocery store." As it turns out, HEB is the stuff of legends. Texans will tell anyone proudly that HEB is a Texan company. In fact, HEB rivals Walmart and plans to run Walmart right out of the state. They're that good.

"But what does HEB mean?" I asked her. She shrugged her shoulders and happily said, "I don't know." She wasn't bothered by it. Instead she reiterated as if I hadn't heard it the first time, "They're going to take over Walmart."

When I got home, I looked it up because it bothered me that some grocery store all over Texas just went by the initials HEB and no one knew what it meant. I discovered that it means "Here Everything's Better." I smiled to myself and thought, "No surprise there." Even in the grocery stores in Texas you find the Everything's-better-in-Texas identity. You find it in the way they barbeque, they way they drive on the beaches, the over-sized cars they drive, and the vast expanses of land and sky.

For this girl with a bias towards green vegetation and smaller towns, I even found some things to love. I can't deny my own state's virtues and jump on the "HEB" bandwagon but I'd be willing to visit again as long as Katie's there. Go Texas.

Summer Goals

2010-06-21T16:04:00.001-04:00

Happy Summer! And happy me, I have a computer again. I thought I'd miss it more than I did but I find most technology to be an intrusion. However, you know, it's useful when you want to know how many cups of such-and-such is in a pound or email a friend with a funny story. now that I'm back, I'll be posting some this summer - mostly for my own purposes and entertainment though.

The first thing I need is some direction to the summer so here's this season's goals until September 23rd.

1. Photo Album I've collected all of my photos from my folks house from growing up. There's just about a bajillion of them. I need to buy a photo album and sort through the ones to keep. Then organize them and get them outta the TV Room.

2. Reconnect with friends and family Now that it's summer, I've got more time available. I see friends and family during the year, of course, but summer is time to leisurly build up those relationships. So far, Mel's in the calendar. I'm working on seeing Joy, my neice (and brother/sister in law), and a friend in Asheville. I could have fun with this goal.

3. Run I guess I stopped running at the end of the year because my workouts look more like walking. There's a coworker of mine that I really admire who runs every morning at 5 a.m. Her discipline is admirable. I'd be satisfied with running 3 mornings a week. I'd be even happier if the morning running habit translates into the school year.

There's the three. I'll give you an update when I have something to share.

Dead.

2010-05-09T18:48:00.000-04:00

My computer is dead. Thought you should know.

During my internet sabbatical (6 weeks and counting), I've been having all sorts of fun. I've been making pottery, getting reading to start my M.Ed., growing food, and taking middle schoolers to grand openings of Art Museums. Maybe I'll get to tell you about it soon.

I'll be back. I promise.

Good Things in March

2010-03-31T09:51:00.000-04:00

Mar 1- Book Fair Bingo begins (even though I never win.)

Mar 2 -Our last Art of Collaboration Workshop with NCMA

Mar 3- I watched Ugly Betty online. Yes, I still watch it and it still makes me smile even though it's been canceled.

Mar 4- I went shoe shopping instead of exercising.

Mar 5- R. brought me back bagels and coffee from his trips to Charleston and Myrtle.

Mar 6- It's warm enough to sit in the sun. hooray!

Mar 7- Hilarious discussion over lunch about the personalities of weatherman and news station antics
Mar 8- Matthew Cuthbert is teaching pottery class.

Mar 9-I went to sleep early. I love sleep.

Mar 10- I had Chinese for dinner.

Mar 11- I went out to dinner with a bunch of ladies I don't usually hang out with.

Mar 12- We painted terra cotta pots for the Green Team club.

Mar 13- The pink Cameilla bush is blooming and it is stunning!

Mar 14 - R. and I walked to the coffee shop to have good coffee and great conversation.

Mar 15- I made a flowerpot in pottery class. At least that's what it most closely resembles.

Mar 16- Memories are made with the purple haired salesman.

Mar 17- St. Patty's Day dinner with Joy

Mar 18- Great conversation with my Thursday night regulars

Mar 19- We made a decision about windows! Finally!

Mar 20- I sat outside working on a project watching R. do yardwork in his overalls.

Mar 21- Ran through the arboretum to see what's blooming.

Mar 22- I drank tea this morning. It's yummy but not a substitue for coffee
Mar 23- Our friends have bought a foreclosure so we went over to help them paint.

Mar 24- Peanut M&M's.

Mar 25- Kids are off for Spring Break and we aren't far behind.

Mar 26- I'm done with work for a week, which is thrilling even though my flight was cancelled.

Mar 27- Made it to San Antonio to see Katie and meet the fun family she's living with.

Mar 28- Rollercoasters and rides at Six Flags.

Mar 29 - We discovered that you drive and park on the beach on the Gulf Coast.

Mar 30- Sat on the beach and read 8th Grade SuperZero that my friend Kari gave me while Katie read Eclipse. I harrassed her while she read.

Mar 31- Downtown San Antonio - River Walk, The Alamo, etc.

The Window Salesman's Offense

2010-03-28T19:34:00.000-04:00

You don't often invite strangers into your home but you have to in certain situations, like, say, when you want to buy windows.

We're in the market for windows since our are admittedly ancient, circa 1943 or thereabouts. When we learned that the lead laws were changing in April, causing a significant price increase to all homes, particularly those with lead paint, we kicked the research and buying process into high gear. We had to be thorough and fast which meant getting seven salesmen into our home in 14 days.

Ross and I found ourselves really enjoying these men, wondering who they were and if we could be friends in real life. There were a few of them that we wanted to buy windows from just because we liked who they were as people.

However, as strongly as my good feelings were about some, my disgust with one in particular was much greater.

He came 15 minutes early just as I was pulling in the drive from work. The first thing that struck me was how is purple hair glinted in the sun. The second was the overpowering smell of cigarettes. When I suggested he start measuring windows while we waited for Ross to get home, he smirked and curtly replied, "I'll wait for your husband." Well! He may as well have said, "Little lady, don't worry your pretty little head, just let the men talk."

Ross soon came and he began his pitch to both of us. He barreled through the same speech that he'd been giving since the 70's, offering tattered Before and Afters and declaring in a muddled Southern accent, "these windows will not 'teriorate, I guarantee, will not 'teriorate." I stared him down, saying nothing, not amused at his stale jokes or impressed by his inability to actually answer any of our questions.

He looked at me once during the whole thing and there he doubled his offense. He was describing the features of the double hung window. "Both pieces collapse, see," he turned to me. "So when you clean them, it will be easy for you." When I clean them? Excuse me?

I returned his gaze and evenly replied, "Why is it that you assume I'll be doing the cleaning?" The man stared at me with little to say. Ross tried to smooth it over and interjected with something about liking to clean glass and make it shine.

In the end, his offer was the highest and the least desirable even after ridiculous discounts for thing like recycling the glass for picture frames and being from Asheboro, which was "close 'nough." We did not buy windows from him.

Later, Ross said his reason for only looking at me once might have been the death stare I was giving him. I think it was because of some outdated macho man paradigm where the woman belongs in the kitchen not beside her man making wise, informed decisions together. I'm good in the kitchen and I don't mind cleaning windows, but please understand, I have a brain and know how to use it too.

Spring, officially.

2010-03-20T08:59:00.000-04:00

At the end of an exasperating day yesterday, a student coming into my last class exclaimed brightly, "Tomorrow's the first day of Spring!" Bless your heart, it is. Why be a grump when spring is here?

My three winter goals were to learn to use my sewing machine, plan the spring garden, and take an art class.

Goal 1 You've seen the sewing machine updates. I know how to turn it on by myself. I know how to sew a straight line. But, I don't know how to do the things I really want to do on my own. My husband has issued me the task of recovering the beach cottage blue cushions on the wicker sofa on the porch. The more I thought about it, the more I have no clue where to start. So, I called Mom and will be enlisting her help sometime in April. Mom to the rescue - that's what they are there for, right?

Goal 2 I've got a sketch of the Spring Garden on paper, which will all be in containers. We've got enough yard to set aside a patch for a garden but we're taking baby steps. My mom's dad used to plant a huge veggie garden and I'm hoping I have some of his green thumb. Here's some of the seedlings below - swiss chard, lettuce, spinach.
Goal 3 Pottery began at Greensboro Art Alliance two weeks ago with a friend from school. It's been a slow start. We've learned to make a ball of clay and spin the wheel, both of which we are struggling with. Last week, we had to abandon our balls because they were so mushy and lopsided. Hopefully as time goes on, we'll get some more one on one instruction from the teacher, a man who is reminiscent of Matthew Cuthbert in look and mannerisms. A bowl, that's what we want to leave with. Maybe even a bowl with snakes on it.

Spring goals are forming and will be here soon. For now, I'm going to go make waffles and paint some terra cotta pots.

Quiet! Be Still!

2010-03-11T20:59:00.000-05:00

My favorite mornings are the ones where I get to school and have 30 minutes before the kids come to relax and prepare mentally for the day. With a cup of mint tea and classical music playing on the radio, I think through the day and evening, predicting and planning. Yesterday began with a morning like this but unfortunately these mornings are quite rare.

Lately, as in the past month or more, it’s been fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants, we are in for a wild ride, type of mornings. The is the kind of morning where you can’t predict who will be there and whether you will accomplish the things you’ve planned and what’s normal is anybody’s guess. You're playing catch up all day only to come to the end of the day and find there's a 20% chance of snow the next day, which means no school, even if it really only drizzles. Maybe some people find unpredictability exhilarating but for me it’s draining.

One of my students’ vocabulary words for the week is “retreat.” While discussing it’s meaning with the kids, I’m realizing that I am in need of some peaceful time away from the noise. You can hear the call for stillness and quiet in Scripture, as if God understands we need to get away from the noise, clamor, and unpredictability. A strong image of this for me is when Jesus is with his disciples in the middle of the storm. Mark says, "He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the waves, 'Quiet! Be Still!' Then the wind died down and it was completely calm." Jesus cared for his men and commanded the chaos to stop.

A friend of mine is collecting pictures that represent her friends’ personalities. She’s deciding between two for me. One of them was taken when we were both in Ireland in the village of Cong. I’m sitting on a wall, content and peaceful, with a slow moving river and lush green scenery behind me. The calmness and serenity I remember about this time are calling to me. This is where I want to be. To the chaos in my heart, mind, and circumstances - "Quiet," it says. "Be still."

Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here

2010-03-06T16:38:00.000-05:00

I called my dad today as he was just arriving at NC State's arboretum to see if the daffodils were blooming. The tiny yellow and purple crocuses have made their debut but the daffodils are only 4 inches tall. He'll have to wait yet for these early spring flowers but not for long.

I got home and pulled out my Simply in Season cookbook, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, and The Bountiful Container and sat myself on the back porch stoop to read in the sunshine. I was inspired. Dad's trip to the arboretum sent a message - spring is coming!

I previewed the next season's recipes with anticipation. Soon fresh spring season veggies will be available and life won't revolve around potatoes and carrots. Asparagus, spinach, and green onions are headed our way.

After some salivating, I picked up Barbara Kingsolver's family memoir. The first time I read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, I loved it, but I began it in July. It seems appropriate to begin re-reading it in March, the month that they began their local food experiment. She writes, "Waiting for foods to come into season means tasting them when they're good but waiting is also part of most value equations." Something valuable is coming but we have to wait for it.

I also had to consult The Bountiful Container to make sure it was time to start some of the seeds for spinach and lettuce indoors. Yes it's time. But they won't germinate for 7-14 days. And they won't be transplanted until they are a few inches tall. And we won't eat them for 53 days or so. And so, I wait.

The afternoon ended with a run through the neighborhood to Greensboro's arboretum. There are a few signs of changing seasons like people raking away the last of winter's debris and the buds on the flowering trees. We are close to spring but for now, like the daffodil, we wait.

Good Things in February

2010-03-01T06:56:00.000-05:00

I've been knocking the month of February pretty hard, but here are good things that happened this month:

Feb 1- Used my workday to plan fun trips to San Antonio and South Africa
Feb 2- A workday lunch with new people. I've never laughed so much at a workday lunch.
Feb 3- 2nd workday lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant
Feb 4- A conference at work during which Grandma asked, "Is there anything I can do to make your life easier?" Bless you.
Feb 5- Worked on applying to grad school which is something I've thought about for a long time
Feb 6- Came home to find a package from my Alaskan friend Mel. In it was chocolate, a pair of earrings, and an awesome shirt from the company that ships produce to the island in the summer.
Feb 7- Not sure what I'll remember most - The Saints winning the Superbowl or all of the commercials of men without pants
Feb 8- A Sweet Note from a student - it's rare but it means the world to me
Feb 9- Ran for 30 minutes which I hadn't done in a while only to come home to the attack of the norovirus
Feb 10- 1st Sick Day ever as a teacher, I slept and watched Harry Potter
Feb 11- I didn't throw up.
Feb 12 - I ate an actual meal.
Feb 13- R. and I ate at Sigha Thai on High Point Road for the second time since November and the guy remembered us! It has my vote as the best Thai place in the Boro
Feb 14- Surprise flowers from the man who scoffs at V-Day
Feb 15- Submitted the application to Grad School so we'll see what happens there, it made me feel kind of grown up
Feb 16 - The camellias are blooming! There is hope that spring is coming.
Feb 17- I finished re-reading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, an interesting read on the heels of The Glass Castle. I'm a fan of these stringy, fiesty women.
Feb 18- I made Hazelnut Brown Butter Cake and put it on a cake stand for the girls. Yum.
Feb 19- R. came home after two nights away for work. It's much homier with him here.
Feb 20- 60 degree weather and worked outside all afternoon. It felt so good and refreshing.
Feb 21- I made roasted broccoli which was super tasty. I've been craving broccoli lately.
Feb 22- We looked up hotels in Cape Town all night. This trip might happen after all.
Feb 23- I'm teaching an art lesson about Jacob Lawrence and used the SMART board for the first time today. A huge accomplishment.
Feb 24 -A fabulous impromptu dinner at Beth's.
Feb 25- The art documentarian from UNC gave me some meaningful compliments on my artistic efforts with the kids. Hard work has not gone unnoticed.
Feb 26 - Last Friday in February! Almost done with the month.
Feb 27 - I used the sewing machine all by myself.
Feb 28 - Scheduled fun. While we couldn't go to McCoul's because of the wait, Triad Stage was great fun. Also renewed our season passes for next year with the Educator's Discount.

Goodbye February

2010-02-27T17:18:00.001-05:00

Every year I come to the end of February a bit worn out and very ready for the next season. I think this is especially true for me as a teacher. Between the attack of the norovirus, the snow, and the rockin' (yet mentally draining) art lesson I taught this week, my creative energy has been depleted. Maybe that explains why I've not blogged since the beginning of the month.

There's technically three weeks until the end of winter, even though I can already feel winter being edged out by spring. I've made progress on my three "winter" goals, two of which will flow into spring.

Mom helped me learn to use my sewing machine a few weekends ago. We recovered those nasty chair cushions with that red courdoroy-like fabric. Mom, with her incredible skill, made up a pattern and taught me how to use Grandma's old machine. I stuck with the easier sewing tasks and let Mom deal with the zippers but I did it!

The real test came today when Ross asked me to crop our American flag because it was too big. I don't know if it's illegal to cut the American flag to reuse it but I did discover that there are rules about retiring the flag on the Boy Scouts website. To retire it, you cut out each stripe and star, then burn them individually. Anyways, Ross is an Eagle Scout. I can trust that he wouldn't ask me to do something unpatriotic and illegal, right?

Illegal or not, I figured out the sewing machine on my own without a catastrophe of any kind. Granted, I was only sewing two straight lines but it's a big step.

As for the other two goals, I've made a draft for the spring vegetable gardening and my pottery class begins on Monday night at the Cultural Center with Art Alliance downtown. An update will be coming soon.

I would rather go somewhere together

2010-02-03T16:38:00.001-05:00

Because it still look liked this this morning, we had a third snow day for the kids and teacher work day for us. On the way home, I caught a story about the six-word memoir. Smith magazine started the Six-word memoirs a few years ago. Their challenge is "Everybody has a story. Can you tell yours in six words?" Both famous people, like Dave Barry and Frank McCourt, and ordinary people have submissions on their website and in their book.

Here's mine, "I would rather go somewhere together."

It doesn't really tell a story but rather communicates a sentiment I've felt growing for the past few years. I've gotten into things I never would have otherwise if I didn't know the people who surround me. I wouldn't made up the sportrait in Ireland without Joy. I wouldn't have run the Charleston Bridge Run in almost an hour without Sheena and Katie. I wouldn't have seen that documentary about session musicians in the mid 60's without Ross. Life is better together, isn't it?

Sewing Machine Update

2010-01-30T11:21:00.000-05:00

Goal #1 Update

Next weekend, I've got a date with mom to learn how to use my grandma's sewing machine that she gave me. Dad has downloaded the manual, Mom's got the bobbins, and I've purchased the upholstery fabric for the chair. My MIL recommended this tiny upholstery fabric warehouse in High Point where everything is $3 a yard. I went after school last week and found this red courdoroy-like fabric. As I was talking to the owner, he told me that Dr. Brown, a friend of Oprah's, redid his Greensboro office in this material. He seemed to know who Dr. Brown was but I don't. He says that next time Oprah visits Greensboro, he's going to take her to the store for a celebrity photo. I can't confirm any of that but I can confidently say that he was helpful and friendly. Next weekend, we're hoping it will only take a few hours to get the machine running and recover the cushions on the chair. Meanwhile, Ross is going to be running in the Krispy Kreme Challenge. The challenge is to run two miles, eat a dozen donuts, run two more miles - all in under an hour! Not sure who's challenge is going to be more successful - mine or his. I think I'd rather have a newly recovered chair than a husband who can run four miles and eat a dozen donuts in under an hour.

AW thinks about her Stuff

2010-01-23T13:32:00.000-05:00

We joined a gym a few weeks ago to have somewhere warm to work out. For several visits in a row, I forgot to load something new on my mp3 player and have either listened to Ross's birthday playlist or this podcast, "How Much Stuff is Enough?" from APM's "The Story."

The podcast is about a New Jersey family who did a house swap for a few weeks with a French family. The American family was amazed to discover how little the French family possessed. Their house was smaller, their storage space was almost nonexistent, they had a college-sized fridge. And so, when the family returned home, they paused to reflect on their own consumerism and made some changes.

The first time I listened to their story, it resonated with my own belief that we have so much more than we need. During another visit to the gym, I listened again and was still interested. Then again, this morning, I listened to it while running (because I am forgetful and have no new content on my player). What kept my interest a third time?

It's the line I heard for the first time today. "January is always the time that we get to reflect on the kinds of consumers we've become." The holidays and their sales have ended. We've found places in our homes for our new gifts and purchases. Routine has returned and now what? We reflect.

What kind of consumer have I become? I have more than I need, that's true. I also don't think that buying things is evil. For the most part, I try to keep a good balance by making wise purchases, and shipping off the unneeded things to local thrift stores.

So instead of having a garage sale like the family in the story, I've thought of a few things I have that I need to use more before I purchase anything new. Things like the cake stand, the Ipod touch, some herb seeds, my acryllic paints, and my black heels. I've also been thinking that when there aren't others to share the stuff with, it isn't as satisfying.

Cake on a cake stand sounds like a good place to start...anyone want to share it with me?

AW meets her neice

2010-01-21T21:39:00.000-05:00

There she is, the tiny one secondish from the left. Yep, we're related, can't you tell?

From Left-to-Right: My baby brother and the baby's daddy, Sister-in-Law and Momma Katie, Sister Katie (not a nun), Me, and the Boss Man

AW makes goals

2010-01-08T07:29:00.000-05:00

I'm going public with some things that I want to accomplish. I tend to want to do a million different things and research a ton of options but seldom narrow it down to a few, reasonable goals. Then, months later, I am bummed because I didn't do anything I dreamed of doing. So, I'm hoping that "putting it on paper" will fix this problem.

Goals through the end of Winter

1. Learn how to use my hand-me-down sewing machine My Grandma Davies was a seamstress for part of her life. She was practically a factory when we were kids, producing cute, matching clothing for us at every turn. My mom learned how to use a sewing machine in Home Ec. and is a whiz with any request (like the quilted centerpieces for my wedding or my sister's prom dress). For my sister, her sewing machine is an extension of her. She had one in her dorm in college! Me, no interest or talent with it really. I've got one of my grandma's old ones. All I really want to be able to do is recover cushions and mend things.

2. Plan a Spring Garden. I want to be ready for the spring as this is my first real season in a house with a yard. I'm going to start my gardening life on a small scale by doing only container gardening. The containers we have are pretty big, so I won't be too limited. I've also got a great book about growing edibles in containers.

3. Take an Art Class. I enjoy making art. So I want to do more of it. Hopefully, I'll get to take an art class with some teachers at work. Right now, we're looking at either a pottery or stained glass class. I'd also like to do something with drawing or painting since I have those supplies and a few ideas.

I could keep going. There are so many other things I'd like to do (run a race, frame some wedding and honeymoon pics, pick out paint colors for upstairs, etc) but I know myself. If I don't keep it small, I won't do anything at all.

AW makes a mixed CD

2009-12-31T15:26:00.000-05:00

My husband is a new year's baby. This year's birthday is the big 3-0. In honor of his special day, we had a surprise party with his groomsmen and their wives since they enjoyed each other so much this past June at the wedding. It was almost a surprise, except for the part when he found out because I gave Betty (the GPS) the wrong address. So close.

For the road trip, I made a playlist of 30 years of top 100 songs. The 80's were fun to do, the 90's were nostalgic, and the 2000's were slim pickings. I don't have super distinct taste in music nor am I gifted with making mixed CDs but for those who were curious, here's the playlist:

1980 Crazy Little Thing Called Love/Queen
1981 Jessie's Girl/Rick Springfield
1982 Don't Stop Believin'/Journey
1983 Every Breath You Take/The Police
1984 I Just Called to Say I Love You/Stevie Wonder
1985 Wake Me Up Before You GoGo/Wham!
1986 Hip to Be Square/Huey Lewis and the News
1987 Bad/Michael Jackson
1988 Heaven Is a Place on Earth/Belinda Carlisle
1989 Two Hearts/Phil Collins
1990 We Didn't Start the Fire/Billy Joel
1991 Losing My Religion/R.E.M.
1992 Under the Bridge/Red Hot Chili Peppers
1993 Hey Jealousy/Gin Blossoms
1994 Linger/The Cranberries
1995 Kiss from a Rose/Seal
1996 Time/Hootie and the Blowfish
1997 Every Day is a Winding Road/Sheryl Crow
1998 Bitter Sweet Symphony/ The Verve
1999 Someday/Sugar Ray
2000 Meet Virginia/Train
2001 Babylon/David Gray
2002 Don't Know Why/Norah Jones
2003 Where is the Love?/Black Eyed Peas
2004 Collide/Howie Day
2005 Since U Been Gone/Kelly Clarkson
2006 Crazy/Gnarls Barkley
2007 My Love/Justin Timberlake
2008 Viva la Vida/Coldplay
2009 Lucky/Jason Mraz with Colbie Callait

There you go, three cheers to three decades.

AW makes Coffee Toffee

2009-12-21T21:15:00.001-05:00

I'm ridiculously proud of myself right now and want to share. I wanted to try two new recipes for holiday treats for friends and family. Not sure what folks will think, but they taste good to me.

The first is Coffee Toffee. I've never made candy or made something from the Smitten Kitchen blog but I was inspired. It took me a while to assemble the kitchen stuff I didn't have (i.e. a candy thermometer) and to find a place in GSO that sells hazelnuts (Deep Roots on Spring Garden). Once I did, the recipe is super easy and the results are tasty if you're a fan of toffee, chocolate and hazelnut.

The other holiday treat I tried making was this Chocolate Orange Swirl cookie. I wanted to make it because it was pretty and the flavor combo was interesting. It was a bit more difficult than the toffee but I'm pleased with the result.

A.W. thinks of Pepperkaker Cookies

2009-12-12T13:45:00.000-05:00

Here's a recipe for Scandinavian Pepperkokker Cookies. They are a Christmas tradition on my dad's Swedish side of the family. For a regional comparison, I'll offer the Moravian spice cookies but there are some differences. These are a bit thicker but not as hard as ginger snaps. The recipe makes a ton of cookies and they're so light, it's hard to eat just one. I recommend dipping them in coffee.

Pepperkaker

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
2 T. dark syrup (Karo)
3 3/4 cup flour
2 t. baking soda
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. ground cloves
1 t. ginger
1 t. cardamom

Cream together butter, sugar, egg, and syrup.

Sift in flour, baking soda, and spices.

Mix very, very well.

Chill overnight.

Roll very thin and cut out with Christmas cookie cutters.

Bake 10-15 minutes at 375 degrees.

An A.W. celebrates Turkey Day

2009-12-05T14:13:00.000-05:00

I, like many others, enjoy holiday traditions. For example, I like eating turkey on Thanksgiving.

Some historians believe that the tradition of eating Turkey at Thanksgiving and Christmas came from the Crachits' Christmas meal in Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." Regardless of where it came from, the tradition remains strong. In fact, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that Americans eat about 45 million turkeys each Thanksgiving.

But, apparently, 45 million isn't strong enough for this young homemaker. On the morning that we would host our first Thanksgiving, tradition fell flat.

The bird I'd bought the week before was defrosting in a sink full of water. I was getting ready to refresh the water when I began examining the frozen mass a bit closer. It occurred to me that I didn't see the word "Turkey" anywhere on the packaging. I saw "poultry" and "bird" but no "turkey."

Then, I spotted it. Smaller than size 8 font. Over by the nutritional facts. "Serving Size: 1 Whole Chicken."

The turkey turned out to be a chicken. So, in the spirit of making lemonade out of lemons, I made a lovely roasted chicken for our families. The chicken wasn't the 'odd bird' on this Thanksgiving holiday. It had good company, surrounded by Butternut Squash soup, stuffing, pearled onions, and lots of laughter over my mistake.

While the turkey tradition may have eluded us this go-round, I would like to make these things a part of my Thanksgiving tradition : family, quality time, laughter, potluck dishes, and joy.

An Accomplished Woman Tells Her Story

2009-08-21T15:03:00.000-04:00

"It is the most difficult thing in the world for most of us to give up directing our own story and turn to the Author."

- Madeleine L'engle, The Rock that is Higher: Story as Truth

I spend every Thursday night with a group of girls. We've journeyed together for about 2 years. In that time, we've experienced a great deal of life change: buying houses, getting married, having children, traveling abroad, etc. We're in that dynamic post-college transitory stage where life continues to change frequently.

We've devoted our summer months to "telling our stories." Twelve weeks, twelve girls, twelve stories. For an hour and a half, you have everyone's attention to share who you are, where you come from, and what has shaped you. Opportunities like these are rare and require a great deal of trust, so the resulting camaraderie has been extremely rewarding.

Looking at us, you'd see a fairly homogeneous group - mostly white, mostly late twenties, mostly teachers, mostly middle class. However, listen to a few stories and you'd discover something more.

You'd find a girl who's first kiss belonged to her husband. And another who became a teacher despite her great struggles as a student. And a preacher's daughter who lead a double life until Jesus got a hold of her. And one who's future Mother In Law was praying for her before she had ever prayed a prayer herself. In short, you'd find a great deal of diverse life experiences.

We come from such different places and are journeying a common road for a season. I don't know how long this season will last. I don't know who will be doing life with me in 5, 10, 20 years but I'm blessed to have friendships with this group of lovely, humble, fascinating women. May we continue to turn to the Author of our stories.

An Accomplished Woman Takes Road Trips

2009-07-21T10:21:00.003-04:00

I have a new Betty in my life. In fact, I have lots of new things in my life since I last posted - a new car, a new house, and most significantly, a new husband.

But please stay focused - this post is about the new Betty, not the new anything else.

R. and I purchased a GPS to take with us to Oregon, figuring that with its help, we'd get lost less often. At some point during the trip, R. thought he heard me call the GPS "Betty." She morphed from just "Betty" to "British Betty" when we changed the language setting to British English. Then, somehow without explanation, she morphed to "Bearded Betty." Nonetheless, this is the new Betty in my life.

This past weekend, I traveled to Reading, PA with only Bearded Betty to accompany me on the road trip. I was going to go visit my husband of four weeks, who had spent the previous two weeks in PA for work. Betty guided me north on 95, through the horrendous DC-to-Baltimore traffic, then west into the cornfields of PA. Nine hours later, Betty, my audio books, and I arrived at our destination for a fun filled weekend with the Amish, Russian weddings at the Pagoda, and summer concert series in the park.

The longest I've ever driven by myself was five hours. After this weekend, nine hours is my P.R. It's not the type of thing that you can put on a resume, but I'm quite proud of my accomplishment because it wasn't an easy thing to do. The traffic and toll roads made me crazy. I cursed Bearded Betty a few times. I had trouble staying awake for the last two hours. In spite of the troublesome bits, I made it up and back to PA on my own...well, with a little help from Betty, of course. Well done.

2009-07-21T10:21:00.001-04:00

An Accomplished Woman Can Throw a Party

2009-04-29T16:41:00.000-04:00

In my world, the Betty Crocker cookbook is personified as a real woman called "Betty." Betty is our trusted guide for all things cooking and kitchen. So when Betty devotes an entire section to "Entertaining with Ease," I'm sure her underlying message is "An Accomplished Woman Can Throw a Party."

This weekend, my sister threw my first bridal shower. Not only was it the first shower ever thrown for me, it was the first shower my sister had ever planned. I would have been satisfied with a simple afternoon of good conversation and gifts with a few friends. As you can guess, there was more than the minimum.

Katie made sure my friends were there. They made sure to bring gifts. But the surprise was the theme: a 50's party, complete with costumes, music, root beer floats, and life size posters of a celebrity-who-must-not-be-named. I've never been to a party before where I had to change upon arriving!

For her first party-planning outing, Katie was quite successful. Her party falls in line behind other memorable ones this year: Yearbook Yourself: The Party (Halloween), the Krumroy's annual Christmas Dessert party, Abe Lincoln's 200th Birthday Bash. All creative, fun parties. All thrown by Accomplished Women (and a few husbands).

As I've been planning the biggest party I'll probably ever throw (a.k.a. the wedding reception), I've been struck by the value of hospitality. Can you imagine a better way to show your loved ones you care for them than by inviting them into your home, feeding them, and making sure they enjoy themselves? I don't consider hospitality a strength of mine and I hope I develop in this area as I get older.

For now though, I'll look to the other more talented women around me and to Betty Crocker who has inspired generations of Accomplished Women.

An accomplished woman...

2009-04-13T20:54:00.000-04:00

For Mr. Bingley, a young woman is accomplished because she paints tables, covers screens, and nets purses.

His sister adds that this woman must have "a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages to deserve the word."

Mr. Darcy trumps them all when he insists that an accomplished woman must improve her mind by "extensive reading."

All to which Elizabeth Bennet realistically replies, "I never saw such a woman."

While their after-dinner conversation was probably more about flirting, Jane Austen poses an important question: What is an accomplished woman? Who defines the standard for an accomplished woman? What skills, talents, and abilities must she possess? Indeed, can such a woman even exist?

Nearly 200 years later, when a woman's experience is quite different, I'd like to share my two cents on the topic. I'm sure that this blog will be less about who I am and more about who I'd like to become. That's okay with me, que sera sera.

Welcome to "An Accomplished Woman."