Something just a little bit cuter than the lizard from last week!

Thursday, June 29, 2006 1 comment

I've been in Austin all week at an AVID PATH conference.....I went down with Sonia because we are planning on implementing the program this year into our sixth grade curriculum. It really was a fabulous conference, the presenters were great and made 9 hours together for four (and a half) days relatively painless, and they invited 4 students currently in the program to come and speak with us (3000 teachers from all over the US and Canada) regarding their experiences.....I started crying when they just introduced the students and gave a brief synopsis of the stories they would be sharing with us at the luncheon....there wasn't a dry eye in the house, it's always nice to come back to the basics of WHY teaching was the profession I chose...they made some fabulous points and I think any conflict I've had with parents in the past regarding my expectations for their child versus theirs was summed up in a great quote one of the fellow participants shared with me from a refridgerator magnet, "My job is not to prepare the path for my students, it is to prepare my student for the path." I think that'll be the phrase I'll be repeating in teacher/student and parent/teacher conferences this year! When we weren't in conferences, and hanging out in a completely posh hotel (no exageration on that one, it was fabulous lodging) I roamed the city with old, and new friends.....we went shopping, ate tons of Mexican food, and got to breeze by the State's Capital daily which was just a few blocks down (for those of you that aren't aware of this fact, the Texas capital is modeled after the Nation's Capital EXCEPT the one in Texas is nine feet taller, does that make Bush's move a downgrade?). We DID get to see one of the sites I kept trying to convince everyone to go and look at which is the largest bat population in North America (or something like that, it may be a specific type of bat). They fly out in SWARMS each evening to feed all night and just leaving their hang out under this large bridge last 30 plus minutes....maybe next time. The highlight of the week was the little guy above and his mama! In fact, he was so cute, my camera ran out of batteries taking his picture, which is why I don't have any other pictures of Austin! Carla came and rescued Sonia and I and drove us out to the Hula Hut on Lake Austin, I got to hold John Ross and catch up with Carla, which is always fabulous to put a face to phone calls and emails again! It was nice to get away just for a moment! And nice of Carla to come out AFTER work and AFTER getting John Ross, a much needed friendly face. John Ross was fabulous, and, as you can see, he enjoyed his dinner too :O)

Fort Worth Botanical Gardens

Wednesday, June 21, 2006 No comments

Today Holly and I went to the Botanical Gardens in Fort Worth www.fwbg.org via the rail and Trinity Railroad. It was an overcast day, but it made walking around very pleasant for late June! They have a ton of different gardens, though their largest exhibit was the Japanese Garden. I'm attaching some photos I took share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AZMmrNw0YsmLno This little guy on my blog had a lot of larger friends, but I fell in love with him. He's no bigger than my pinky (compare him to the grass blades) and he was running around the Braille sign in the Scent Garden (for seeing impaired visitors, it is full of herbs etc with vivid smells), but I negotiated with him and he posed for a picture. (Side note: Nicole, they no longer have the farmer's market and restaurants in that building we went to in Downtown Fort Worth!). On the way home we stopped by the West End (it's closing July 30th and the owners are going to find more lucrative plans---maybe another apartment complex? It's a really happening part of town right now with the American Airlines and the Victory project going on around there). I have a ton of great memories there, and I was glad to go in at least one last time (and come out with some fudge from the fudgery! ;o)). Last, we stopped at the Farmer's Market in downtown Plano....Holly and I made a goal this summer to try out things we have never done before....the Botanical Gardens can now be crossed off the list!

Three good things.....

Monday, June 19, 2006 No comments
1. Today (Monday the 19th-Juneteenth for those of you in Texas) is Max's 5th birthday. He's going to be so surprised by his gift-a squeaky ball and doggie ice cream. Originally I had thought we would have a hot dog feast as well, but he's on a diet now, at 105 pounds the vet said he needed to lose some weight, though he's lanky, it's too much weight to be carrying around. I'm not exactly sure how a dog looses weight, but I guess he starts by not getting hot dogs on his birthday. Normally, one's child would be going to school at age 5, but I think if Max were eligible to attend school he would be one of those kids I'd have to hold back for a year due to lack of maturity....I'm sure it's the summer birthday ;o).
2. Yesterday (it's 1 am, so saying 'yesterday' isn't saying much), I attended the Beat the Heat Mav's Watching Party. For five bucks you got to come into the American Airline's Center where the Mav's play home games and watch the game on the overhead monitors. The announcer and all the entertainment were there. Anyway, they lost in overtime with a very controversial call, BUT the good news is, the last two games are in Dallas, AND I thought it was nice of them to really give us a good run for the season...think of how much more meaningful the wins will be when we see the adversity they had to overcome to get there, we will miss them in the off season, so we get to see them play TWO more games ;oP.
3. Last and not least.....Sandye and Wolf had a beautiful engagement party this afternoon, I enjoyed seeing them, and they had an incredible turn out, I know they felt overwhelmed by the attention and love. It's so fun to be part of a friend's once in a lifetime events! I've started planning Sandye's shower....but am waiting for my creative juices to hit....my brains on summer vacation....

Honey, I'm home....

Thursday, June 15, 2006 1 comment
I made it back.....which is saying quite a bit if I told you about my experience with United....the hassle of four different cancelations on the way there, and an emergency landing, a running leap on board the last flight out, and then some pretty crazy turbulance on the way home....BUT....in the end, the bookends of my trip are nothing compared to the fun had in Hawaii. I'm currently uploading a small selection of photos to share :O)...I think I took almost 600 with all the different cameras combined, five of which have not been developed yet, and I still don't feel like I captured the essence....all I can say is that Hawaii spoils you for anywhere else! It's beautiful, beautiful, and I can't say it enough beautiful.....paradise is about the only word I can think of.....I go back to my dessert comment before.....if an earthly paradise is this incredible.....can you imagine what heaven will be like if it's 'unimagineable'....if you can get only one place....go to Hawaii at least once....we ate, shopped, swam and site saw our way around.....as you will see.....it was so relaxing....I truly did forget about any problems (though I WAS aware enough to remember to ask about the Mav's game.....and it was even talked about and mentioned a few times when people questioned where I was from!). I also invented what I think will be a VERY trendy activity I like to call florkeling.....it's sort of like snorkeling, minus contact with scary fish. I was having a superduper time swim swim swimming along and gazing at the lovely striped fish and THEN there were eels, snakes, octopus in pairs and big gray bug eyed fish and urchins and all the sudden poof....desire to float with fish was swept away, but I had been having such a good time....to attempt to overcome my fear of 'ugly things' I did the rest of my snorkeling laying on my float and sticking my head under...pictures were taken, but you WON'T find them on the site I send.....I think if you thought about it, and could get past the ridiculous, you would see the cleverness in florkeling. I also bought so many cute things you would vomit if you saw it all.....if anyone wants to go to Hawaii let me know....I think I'd be a super duper tour guide!

Leaving on a jet plane.....

Sunday, June 04, 2006 No comments
I've outdone myself this weekend with all the post! It should give you plenty to read...and I'm sure I'll have a ton to tell you about when I return!
Tomorrow morning I leave for HI....yippee! I'll be home a week from Wednesday. Jason and Tonya are going to stay at the house some so that the dogs can sleep in etc. They are the only reason I don't like vacations! Right now the suitcase is just another place for Muffin to sleep, but tomorrow it'll be a goodbye sign!
In the meantime, I enjoyed ice cream with Nicole last night :O) and today I'm going to the Global Day of Prayer with Lois and Holly and Mom. Originally, I thought I'd bring a camera, but then I decided not to, but I'm going to include the link, if you live in the area, or close by, you should absolutely plan on attending next year, or look and see if there is a site near you (this is the Dallas site, but there is a lot of international info on it http://www.gdopdallas.org/ after the day of prayer (and the 10 days of prayer that lead up to it) there are 90 days out in the community of giving back. It grows each year, and you can't go and not have it impact your life! It gives me goosebumps....I can't wait.
I'll see some of you in about 10 days.....hopefully a little tanner! Enjoy the next week and a half, and I look forward to reading updates from you all! -Christy

Race for the Cure....

Saturday, June 03, 2006 No comments
Today, Holly, Mom and I 'Raced for the Cure.' It was a lot of fun, very crowded, and so worth the time, effort, and energy. I would HIGHLY recommend it. Anyone is welcome to join us again in Dallas in October when we race downtown this time, or they have them all over the country http://www.komen.org/Events/find_race.aspx?nodeID=356!
We left home at about 6 am, and walked around the different booths....there was so much to see and do (and eat!), then joined an enormous crowd for the 5K, we meandered through a really beautiful part of Plano and made it in about an hour and 11 minutes.....not bad all things considered!

Hold the Applause....


I am SO proud of my bean....he has friends too....like six little bean friends, and two little squash heads......there are a few tomatoes and corn pals and some peppers who are considering playing in his garden....but regardless, I can check this off the list I made about 5 years ago (101 things I wanted to do).....plant a garden....if you have an edible plant (even if only your dogs will eat it) it counts. I can't climb up and see the Giant just yet, but he's getting there....I'm a proud Mom of a very ity bity bean garden! My brother helped me create a little spot for my new friends this spring and the fruit of our labor (his labor, my direction) is popping up!

Pound Puppies.....

Go to this site....IF YOU DARE! There is something so cute, you won't know what to do with yourself afterwards....I'm going to have to put more locks on my door when you see how cute my little babies are now ;o).....just learning how to use Shutterfly! Pictures from Christy

What heaven taste like.....

Friday, June 02, 2006 No comments

Holly and I went to the Cheesecake Factory for dessert today after a quick trip through the mall, and a stop at Chicfila....we try to do this everytime she comes home from a break at college, or once a month (or maybe a LITTLE more) during the summer. I know, I know, it's just a slice of cheesecake.....but to us....it's a little piece of heaven.....we have it on good authority you get to eat in heaven.....we are hoping to find this on the dessert menu! Can you imagine....if dessert taste this good on earth.....We both have birthdays coming up, so just FYI...my favorite is the chocolate chip cookie dough, Holly's is the brownie sundae....Anyway, this is how I ended my week---->would you believe me if I said it was a productive and fun week?