P365 - 2013 - Day 334 - Get Sandy race

P365 - 2013 - Day 334 - Get Sandy race

I ran the Get Sandy race in Beach Haven today with my two friends.  It was a great way to wrap up a month of thankfulness and a lovely holiday weekend.  We all crossed the finish line at different times, but cross the finish line we did.  :-)

*In running, it doesn't matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, 'I have finished.' There is a lot of satisfaction in that.
-Fred Lebow*

P365 - 2013 - Day 333 - Be Merry!

P365 - 2013 - Day 333 - Be Merry!

I am not going to lie.  I wanted my house to be done for Christmas.  I wanted to have everything put back together so we could decorate our new home and continue our holiday traditions.... But it appears that we are not going to be back in the house for Christmas.  I came to terms with this the other day and decided that I could either be upset and miss out on all of the moments that will come this holiday season whether we are in the house or not, or I could pull on my big girl pants and get over it and just enjoy those moments.  I love Christmas.  I love everything that leads up to Christmas, not just the day.  I do love the decorating - and while we will be downsizing our decorating while we stay in our friends' house, we will still make it festive.  I enjoy making cookies and when I mentioned to my neighbor last night that the one problem was my cookie press was packed away and hard to get to at the moment, it turned out that she had the exact same one and offered it to me to use - so cookie making, here I come!  I enjoy all of the fun things you can do before Christmas and one thing I have been wanting to do for years has been to see Santa come in on the boat in Barnegat Light - so tonight we went with friends to welcome the big, jolly guy and the Mrs. to LBI.  I couldn't help but feel merry and festive just seeing that red suit.  Things might be a bit different this year, but we are making some new traditions along with tweaking some of the old ones for an adventurous Christmas - the important part is we are together.  But hey if Santa has any pull and can get the house done quicker.... I am not above putting that on my list this year.  Either way... Christmas is still on it's way and it is time to Be Merry!

*Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful. - Norman Vincent Peale*

 

P365 - 2013 - Day 332 - From our turkeys to yours

P365 - 2013 - Day 332 - From our turkeys to yours

We started the day with a family brunch, watching the Macy's parade together, and sharing our "thankful thoughts" from the thankful jar.  Then we went to our neighbors' house to share Thanksgiving with our two families.  We feel lucky and blessed to have them as neighbors and friends and we are thankful for a wonderful day spent together! 
Happy Thanksgiving from our turkeys to yours!

*If you are really thankful, what do you do? You share. - W. Clement Stone*

P365 - 2013 - Day 331 - dishes to share

P365 - 2013 - Day 331 - dishes to share

It's the day before Thanksgiving and that means food prep.  Thankfully we were able to find my "family recipe" binder yesterday so I could make some of my Thanksgiving dishes to share with our friends tomorrow who were kind enough to invite us over and include us in their holiday.  I made my stuffing, my sweet potato casserole, and my fresh cranberry/pear sauce.  I also suggested our annual rum punch and I look forward to sharing a meal and a toast to good friends and a wonderful holiday season!

*Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving. - W.T. Purkiser*

P365 - 2013 - Day 330 - get home

P365 - 2013 - Day 330 - get home

My Wonderful Husband only had one day of teaching this week.  That meant a lot of driving for only one day.. he did decide that it was best to stay Monday night instead of doing all of the driving in one day.  Instead he opted for staying the night and leaving early the next morning.  Traffic and an impeding storm would not deter him - he was ready to get home and get home he did!!  A day and half earlier than normal and ready to start the Thanksgiving break!

*Where we love is home - home that our feet may leave but not our hearts. - Oliver Wendell Holmes*

P365 - 2013 - Day 329 - blurry dot

P365 - 2013 - Day 329 - blurry dot

Waaaaayyy back on Monday October 7th, the picture of the day was entitled Day 1 Phase 2.  Remember waaaay back then when we were still blissfully believing that this was a 4-6 week project?  Ahh, what novices.  What positive thinking fools we were.  Here we are 7 weeks from that day with the finish line still a blurry dot off in the distance.  To be fair (as well as to not stress myself out even further )- that blurry dot has gotten much clearer....but we are still looking at a few more weeks to finish this project.  So today, when I went to check out the house and the insulation had been started with inspection scheduled for Wednesday, I was elated!  Where there is insulation there will be walls and walls make that blurry dot look much clearer.  The past 7 weeks have gone incredibly fast, we have been lucky enough to stay at a friend's house that is on the next block, the kids schedule and My Wonderful Husband's routine have kept us all busy, and we have wonderful friends who invited us to share Thanksgiving with them this week.  So all that being said, it really hasn't been bad and in the big scheme of things it is a very short period of time in our lives and  more importantly we chose to do this - this was our hair brained idea.  So, when I catch myself getting irritated or starting to complain I try to dial it back.  That dot will be here soon enough - we will see the finish line flags before we know it and we will finally be home soon enough. 

*How often I have lain beneath rain on a strange roof, thinking of home. - William Faulkner*

P365 - 2013 - Day 328 - one of my jobs...

P365 - 2013 - Day 328 - one of my jobs...

At dinner tonight we were talking about bullying.  So I asked The Princess what she would do, how she would handle it...and she said, "I can stand up for myself.  I have you as a mother after all."  Now, I am still fighting this bug and I am not at the top of my game... but I did request some clarification on this comment... I wanted to be sure that she was not insinuating that I was in fact a bully.... ;-)  "No" she clarified... "You know how to stand up for yourself."  I was pretty proud of this comment.   I have worked pretty hard in my life to learn how to stand up for myself... it has been a 40 year struggle at times... but to hear that my daughter sees that I do stand up for myself and that she has learned that from me is quite a gift.  Seriously, I feel like one of my jobs are done.  I think that is an important lesson to learn in life.  She went on to say, "I'm awesome" - this kid has no shortage in the self esteem area... but one raised eyebrow look from her mama and she amended her comment.. "Oh right, I am Junior Awesome." That's right....I have indeed taught her well.  ;-) 

*And though she be but little, she is fierce. - Shakespeare*

P365 - 2013 - Day 327 - third grader

P365 - 2013 - Day 327 - third grader

 

 

I ended up sick - fever, cough, aches, the whole 9 yards.  I was annoyed especially because we had to cancel a dinner with our friends...  I slept the day away and woke up to the sound of this flutaphone.... I almost forgot we have a third grader in the house once again and he is now the proud owner of his very own flutaphone (The Bear and The Princess called it a recorder..same difference..)  I appreciated waking to this lovely serenade. (which included a clarinet as well... but no trumpet this time.. it needs to be repaired.)

 

*Music is the medicine of the mind. John A. Logan*



P365 - 2013 - Day 326 - movie date

P365 - 2013 - Day 326 - movie date

My Wonderful Husband and I had a mid day movie date to see the new Hunger Games movie.  It was a great movie and a nice day... except by dinner time my "little tickle" of a cough had turned into a full fledged fever of 100.2 - ironically, I guess I was actually the "girl on fire"..... cheap joke, I know.    I was freezing and achy and generally not feeling good.  Glad I got to see the movie before the flu hit me. 

*May the odds be ever you in your favor. - Suzanne Collins The Hunger Games*

P365 - 2013 - Day 325 - American Education Week

P365 - 2013- Day 325 - American Education Week

It was American Education Week and we are finally in a school that acknowledges that and gives parents the opportunity to go in and observe in the classroom.  My Wonderful Husband and I were very happy to be able to sit in on all three of our children's classes - a language arts class for The Princess, a math class for The Bear, and a reading group for The Boy.  It was nice to see our children in the classroom environment and watch their teachers in action. 

*A teacher takes a hand, opens a mind, and touches a heart. - Unknown*

P365 - 2013 - Day 324 - basketball pose

P365 - 2013 - Day 324 - basketball pose

 

The Boy had his first basketball practice and I forgot to get a picture of him out on the court.  So when we got home, I asked him to give me a good basketball pose - this was what I got....  ;-) 

 



*Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.  - John Wooden*

P365 - 2013 - Day 323 - What Tuesday really looks like

P365 - 2013 - Day 323 - What Tuesday really looks like
(Guest Blogger - My Wonderful Husband)

So this academic year Tuesday's blog has been pictures from my point of view.  I have shown beautiful pictures of campus (actually both campuses), where I stay, what I eat and other niceties of my Tuesday.  Well I thought this week I would show what the bulk of my Tuesday looks like--Blackboard!  That hated electronic entry way to class lists, assignments and worst of all GRADING.  The Thai food is always good on Tuesday and maybe I can find a place to grade with a view, but in the end this is what Tuesday looks like through my eyes--a computer, Blackboard and lots of grading.

*Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence.  - Abigail Adams*

P365 - 2013 - Day 322 - Bring on the hoops

P365 - 2013 - Day 322 - Bring on the hoops

Yesterday we finished soccer and today we were already at basketball (well in the spirit of full disclosure, we were at basketball last Monday too, but I wasn't because I still had to get The Boy to soccer...)  But today I was there - The Bear and The Princess are on the same team and had practice tonight and I will be there again Wednesday for The Boy's practice... because this is our new routine.. our new schedule - we are now in basketball season.   Bring on the hoops.

*I love basketball because you could be having a rough day in your life and while you’re on the court it gives you a clear mind. I’m not worried about anything. I’m there just playing freely and I go out there to have fun. - Derrick Rose*

P365 - 2013 - Day 321 - 7 - 2 - 1 and 5 -2 - 3 season records

P365 - 2013 - Day 321 - 7 - 2 - 1 and 5 -2 - 3 season records

The Bear and The Boy each played their last games of the season today and both teams finished in second place for their flights.  The Strykers ended their season with a  7 - 2- 1 record and The Cannons with a 5 - 2 - 3 record.  The Bear had 13 goals this season - playing center midfield.  The Boy had his first season in defense playing left D - when he was on the field, the other team never got to the goal.  I am super proud of both of my boys!! 

*I am not a perfectionist, but I like to feel that things are done well. More important than that, I feel an endless need to learn, to improve, to evolve, not only to please the coach and the fans, but also to feel satisfied with myself. It is my conviction that there are no limits to learning, and that it can never stop, no matter what our age. - Cristiano Ronaldo*

P365 - 2013 - Day 320 - 8 - 2 - 0 season record

P365 - 2013 - Day 320 -  8 - 2 - 0 season record

After many seasons of My Wonderful Husband coaching all three kids, this season he only coached The Princess and her team - The Superstars.  They were a great group of girls, who worked hard, learned a lot, had fun and finished with a 8 - 2 - 0 season record.  The Princess had a personal season high of 26 goals!  I am proud of her, her team, and their coach!  Great season!

*Many people say I am the best women's soccer player in the world.  I don't think so.  And because of that, someday I just might be. - Mia Hamm*

P365 - 2013 - Day 319 - color of sea glass

P365 - 2013 - Day 319 - color of sea glass

This is how I envision our front door...I want to bring a bit of the ocean right to the threshold of our home.  I have been picturing a blue in my mind, looking at pictures and paint charts trying to find the right shade.  I have envisioned the color of sea glass glistening in the sun....  I think the brown of the house will look like driftwood next to the blue of the door.  I think I may have found the color....

*Those who live by the sea can hardly form a single thought of which the sea would not be a part. - Hermann Broch*

P365 - 2013 - Day 318 - lights

P365 - 2013 - Day 318 - lights

This is what the majority of the inside of our house looks like right now.  Drywall down, ceilings exposed, wires hanging.... If you know anything about me at all, you will already be wondering if I am ok... am I keeping it together?  The house is a mess.  More importantly, this is all completely out of my hands.  Those two things combined are not a good recipe for my stress levels.  But I took several deep breaths this week.  Even when I received the bill from the electrician for the "extras" and I thought I might have to pay him with my first born child.  I took so many deep breaths, if you saw me, you may have been wondering if I was in fact having difficulty breathing.  In the end, we worked it out (sort of), we realized that the electrical system in the house is actually kind of important, and ultimately I wanted the electrician to get started so he could get finished.  So, when we went in to the house at the end of this work day and saw this scene where the fuse box once was, I took another deep breath and crossed my fingers that this part of the job will be done soon and more importantly, that it will be done well.  I look forward to turning on the lights in our house soon! 

*I see myself at a crossroads in my life, mapless, lacking bits of knowledge - then the moon breaks through, lights up the path before me... - John Geddes*

P365 - 2013 - Day 317 - Photo Bomb

P365 - 2013 - Day 317 - Photo Bomb

This post and picture was originally going to be about The Boy..reading..how I love that my kids love to read.  But The Pooch clearly had another plan.  Just as I was snapping the picture of The Boy, The Pooch performed a perfect Photo Bomb by sitting up right into the picture.  Clearly he feels underrepresented in P365.  ;-)

*Dogs are going to take over the world. - Mike Dirnt*

P365 - 2013 - Day 316 - What a Difference a Decade Makes

P365 - 2013 - Day 316 - What a Difference a Decade Makes
(Guest Blogger - My Wonderful Husband)

I have been at Shenandoah University for 10 years.  I know that because my twins are 10 years old and I actually missed my original interview because My Beautiful Wife went into labor.  In those 10 years I have seen this campus grow up quite a bit and this picture of the new, soon to be, state of the art science building is one more indication of this.  In my time at SU I have seen a new student center, a new business building, the new history and tourism center where my office is located, the gutting of buildings for renovation of offices, new dorms (typically in the form of buying old hotels and renovating those buildings) and now this new science building.  It is quite a transformation as this once small, relatively unknown institution grows in both size and reputation. A change that I am proud to say I have been a part of.

*The great thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving. - Oliver Wendell Holmes*

P365 - 2013 - Day 315 - November Flashback 2006

P365 - 2013 - Day 315 - November Flashback 2006

In this November flashback from 2006 The Bear and The Princess were 3 going on 4 years old and The Boy was 18 months old.  This is one of my favorite pictures...it captures the true spirit of those days... three children -  three and under - home with me...  This was before they started preschool - before I had to let the outside world have a go at them.  They were still all mine.  Our days were filled with playtime, snack time, and nap time.. the house was full of running feet, Disney channel, dress up clothes, toys, and books.  Stuffed animals (or "bedtime friends" as they were called) frequently made an appearance at the table for lunch.  The remarkable thing about this picture is that everyone is dressed...because they loved to stay in their jammies all day.  They played together and laughed together - they were rarely apart.  So often, people comment - "wow, it must have been hard to have twins"... "it must have been hard to have all three so close in age"...  But I will let you in on a little secret - they entertained each other.  It was hard some days, for sure... but mostly it was just busy... as it still is...  but they had each other then, they have each other now, and I hope they always have each other.  I tell them every day how lucky they are to have one another.  So, was it hard to have three kids, three and under?  Sure, I guess... but it was totally worth it. xo

*To the outside world we all grow old.  But not to brothers and sisters.  We know each other as we always were.  We know each other's hearts.  We share private family jokes.  We remember family feuds and secrets, family griefs and joys.  We live outside the touch of time.  - Clara Ortega*

P365 - 2013 - Day 314 - started over a Barbie doll

P365 - 2013 - Day 314 - started over a Barbie doll

It's a friendship that started over a Barbie doll.  Not for either of us...because even though I feel like I have known this friend my whole life, we didn't meet as children playing with Barbie dolls.  We met a few years ago on the beach when my daughter offered to let her little one play with one of her Barbie dolls.  My friend and I started chatting and then would meet up at the beach every once in a while and chat while she walked with her little daughter.  We became fast friends.  The following summer we started running together.  Another summer found us running less while she was expecting her newest little one... but always lots of time to catch up on and off the beach.  She is still my running partner when she is here for the summer or the weekend.  And she will always be my friend.  We had a lovely dinner tonight at The Black Whale with our two families.. the kids had so much fun and we all got to catch up over great food and drinks.  I am so glad that Barbie doll brought us together! xo

*Friendship is born at the moment when one person says to another: What! You too?  I thought no one but myself... - C.S. Lewis*

P365 - 2013 - Day 313 - "winter flip flops"

P365 - 2013 - Day 313 - "winter flip flops"

I have traded in my summer flip flops for "winter flip flops" otherwise known as Uggs.  I am so ridiculously excited that I finally have a pair of grey Uggs....Thank you to My Wonderful Husband for picking them up for me today!!  My feet and my heart are warm. xo

*Give a girl the right shoes and she'll conquer the world. - Marilyn Monroe*

P365 - 2013 - Day 312 - pool

P365 - 2013 - Day 312 - pool

In our continued effort to fill this week off with fun, I took the kids swimming today.  They and their friends had a great time in the pool. 

*Fun is good. - Dr. Seuss*

P365 - 2013 - Day 311 - family movie night

P365 - 2013 - Day 311- family movie night

It has been a busy week of entertaining the troops during our week off of school.  Today it rained and we all just took a break and hung out at home together.  Everyone was a little tired from the busy week and it was a nice break.  We ended the day with dinner at ScoJos and a family movie night at home in pj's. 

*The family is one of nature's masterpieces. - George Santayana*

P365 - 2013 - Day 310 - Bonfire

P365 - 2013 - Day 310 - Bonfire

We have been filling our week off with friends and fun.  The kids have had friends over and gone over to friends' houses.  We have been to the beach, they have played outside, and we ended the day with a bonfire with friends.  It was a warm day and a beautiful night to sit by the fire with friends and once again be thankful for this move. 

*It's not happy people who are thankful, it's thankful people who are happy. - Unknown*

P365 - 2013 - Day 309 - playground

P365 - 2013 - Day 309 - playground

The beach is our playground....a week off from school, bare feet, and beach soccer in November - you can't get much better than that. 

*May the sun bring you new energy by day,

May the moon softly restore you by night,

May the rain wash away your worries,

May the breeze blow new strength into your being,

May you walk gently through the world and know

its beauty all the days of your life.

-Apache prayer*

P365 - 2013 - Day 308 - Monday in DC

P365 - 2013 - Day 308 - Monday in DC
(Guest blogger- My Wonderful Husband)

I had the pleasure of taking my Global Human Rights class to DC yesterday for a visit to the Holocaust Museum and the American Indian Museum.  I have been to the Holocaust Museum many times but this was my first trip to the American Indian Museum.  The Holocaust Museum was once again a very emotional experience.  One of my students commented that he was glad that he came but would never come again--that it was too emotional.  I retorted that for me this is a necessary trip every couple of years--it reminds me of why I started studying humanitarian law and the importance of teaching the next generation about not only the evil that humanity can inflict, but the change that they can initiate to help prevent future genocides.

After emotionally draining the students we went to the American Indian Museum, which is an outstanding display of Native American culture and history as told by American Indians.  So many of the displays and short videos kept emphasizing that for the first time this group of people get to tell their history as they perceive it; not the imposed history of colonizers, invaders  and others.  I definitely need to return here for a longer journey through their stories.

The day ended with a great meal in the city and a smile on my face because it was another day that reminded me why I got into this profession.

*We who are clay blended by the Master Potter, come from the kiln of Creation in many hues.  How can people say one skin is colored, when each has its own coloration?  What should it matter that one bowl is dark and the other pale, if each is of good design and serves it's purpose well.

- Polingaysi Ooyawayma, Hopi*

P365 - 2013 - Day 307 - part of our family

P365 - 2013 - Day 307 - part of our family

The Pooch has been a part of our family for a year now.... he is a super sweet boy even if he likes to eat trash and can't help but jump on guests.  He's still a lovable, snuggly, silly puppy and we love him.

*Dogs...leave paw prints on our lives and on our souls.... - Ashly Lorenzana*

P365 - 2013 - Day 306 - Number 9

P365 - 2013 - Day 306 - Number 9

That's my girl.  Number 9 - center midfield - goal scorer.  She's fast, she's got moves, and when she has the ball very few can get close enough to try to stop her.  I never played soccer.  I never played any sport... I was a cheerleader....and no offense to my fellow cheerleaders, but I found as I got older that I was a frustrated athlete.  I never thought I could be an athlete when I was younger.  I was too intimidated to even try.  But as I got older, I started to feel like I missed out.  So I have encouraged my daughter to play team sports since she was little.  Both My Wonderful Husband and I have encouraged her, he has coached her, and we continue to cheer her on.  I think sports build confident, well rounded girls and that is what I want for my daughter.  I tell her all the time..."Go out there and play like a girl.  Show everyone what girls can do."  and she does just that.  She's one tough cookie and she is unstoppable on the soccer field and I love to watch her play!  After missing a few of her games this season, I was very happy to be there today and watch her score two goals in a 7-1 win.  That's my girl.  I love that Number 9!

*Forget it Princess, not even Cinderella is getting to this ball. - Unknown*

P365 - 2013 - Day 305 - Be Thankful

P365 - 2013 - Day 305 - Be Thankful

It's November and this year I have started a "Be Thankful pitcher".  We all need a reminder sometimes to be thankful.  Too often, we go through life waiting for something, wishing for things, and not seeing the good that is right in front of our noses.  We are all guilty of this - I try to remember to be thankful all year and set a good example for my children but we can all be better..more aware..more in the moment...more appreciative...happier..more content.  There is always room to be thankful.  In years past we have written thankful notes on a poster on the refrigerator, the chalkboard in the playroom, and this very blog.  Sometimes it's the big things we are thankful for, sometimes the little things, but every November it serves as a reminder that we are blessed and for that we should be grateful.  The directions are - 1. Be thankful as often as possible. 2. Take a slip of paper and write what you are thankful for. 3. Fold paper and put in the pitcher.  We will be reading these thankful notes at Thanksgiving dinner.  I can't wait to see this pitcher fill up with notes of thanks and I look forward to us all reading them on Thanksgiving. 

*The unthankful heart discovers no mercies, but the thankful heart will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings. - Henry Ward Beecher*