Emmaisms

Two recent Emmaisms I found funny:

"Dad, did you used to be a teenager?"

And DH and I couldn't help laughing out loud at this one---we were riding in the car yesterday. Out of no where Em said, "Mommy, someday when you die, can I have your car?"

What?? ROFL. I told her that I hope I don't die for a long, long time and that she'll be a grown up with her own car by then. She seemed okay with this answer.

1st day at new school today went really well....more soon.

Biltmore

I just had to post this. The picture of some of the GP gals

and I inside the Biltmore last weekend. Love the pic, and

it was the only one we have of us inside, as cameras aren't

allowed inside the home. :)

L to R: Michelle H., Jenni, Michelle R., Kasy, Shelly, Me, and Randie

Zoo Day

Em and I went to the Jax Zoo today. It was HOT...but we
managed to stay mostly in the shade, stopped for frequent
drink breaks, and had a great time.


Emma fed a lorikeet

She was really excited when another lorikeet landed on her arm.

Emma and "Special Baby" on the zoo carousal

Emma shows the flamingos to "Special Baby"

Emma climbed on the stage, said, "Ladies and Gentlemen,
boys and girls..." and then began dancing around to the
music.

2nd ride Special Baby got her own carousal animal. Em
thought this was quite hilarious.

She took care of the stuffed animals at the Vet station in
the children's Discovery Center.

We ended our day in the zoo's Splash Park---Em loved it.

Ahhh. What a day! :)

Emma's "Special Baby" (not to be confused with "Pink Baby" and "Purple Baby" or any of her other baby dolls) has been her security toy since shortly after she got it for her 1st birthday. She loves to take the baby on outings with her. Usually Special Baby has to stay in the car (because Mommy and Daddy don't want to lug her around.) Today was the first time I allowed Em to bring the Special Baby inside the zoo with her. She took very good care of her. I loved the way she made sure to "show" all of the zoo animals to her baby. I also liked the way Special Baby would talk. (For example, Emma in a sing-songy baby voice as "Special Baby": "Ooh! I hope the alligators don't eat me!" Then she'd respond as herself in a very brave voice, "Don't worry, Special Baby. The alligators can't get you, they're in a cage. We're safe." ) I also enjoyed when Em was playing in the playyard and asked me to hold Special Baby. She kissed Special Baby on the head and said, "You're too little to climb here. When you learn to walk, you can play with me here, o-kay?"

What makes "Special Baby" superior to the other many dolls Emma owns? We have NO idea. It is her "woobie," sleeping toy, and pretend friend all wrapped into one. I don't know what makes her special, but I know she is my little girl's first long-term favorite.

Ruminations

Does anyone ever read "Ruminations" by Aaron Karo? He started off by writing his humorous thoughts and sending them to family and friends. Now he sends monthly "Ruminations" to hundreds of people via email, and has published a book. Anyway, here is what I've been ruminating on lately...

--I spent several hours yesterday and today working in my new classroom trying to prep. After cleaning out the 2nd filing cabinet today, I think I have finally cleared out ALL of the prior teacher's stuff. Why she still had student work from 2004-05, I do not know. Why she kept 2003 FCAT test explanation guides, I have no idea. Why she did not take things with her (brand new rolls of leopard-print gift wrap, a $10 Barnes & Noble gift card still in the gift box addressed to her, a box full of bulletin board borders, etc.) I do not understand. Anyway, I am feeling like I truly made headway. It is finally just MY belongings in the classroom. I finally have room to organize. I think all teachers are pack-rats in a way because we hang on to supplies never knowing what we'll need from one year to the next. However, I have NEVER and will never leave a classroom in the condition she left it for me.

--I was the Reading Department Head at my school last year. I am wondering if I have unknowingly stepped into this role at my new school? The prior department head left (it is her classroom that I have moved into.) I do not mind being department head, but find it interesting no one has mentioned it to me. In the past few days: I received an email from our district Read180 coordinator. The email was addressed only to my principal and I. It explained that the book order for our school has been delayed, but that we will have them by the time our curriculum necessitates their use. I received another email from our school's Scholastic Consultant (Scholastic assigns consultants to all schools who use the Read180 program) asking me to coordinate a department wide meeting with the Scholastic consultant next week. In addition, I received an email stating that myself and my principal are the 2 Read180 contacts at my new school. Interesting, hey?

--I need to get my butt motivated to exercise. I was doing really well at using the Wii Fit regularly, and have totally slacked off this summer. My sister called this evening to say that she purchased a Wii console AND Wii Fit today. Go, Laurel! I must follow suit. I love the Wii Aerobics, and must get back in gear! And the balancing games are fun too...

--I got a new camera last month--a Canon PowerShot SX100 IS. Can I just say how much I LOVE this camera? No major delays between photos, 8.0 mega pixels, 10X optical zoom. This is SO much better than my old Kodak Easy Share. I also love that I can edit red eye right on the camera itself. Way cool!

--Also, I got my first Ipod back in April for my birthday. Can I ruminate on how much I LOVE my Ipod Nano? Aaron purchased an Itrip so I can listen to the Ipod in my car. The whole way from Florida to/from North Carolina, nothing but belting out my favorite tunes. Ode to technology!

--I had been wanting to re-upholster our 4 kitchen chairs since winter break. I acquired some pretty green fabric, but never got to fixing the chairs. Last week, I finally finished the chairs! Hooray! They look SO much better. The white chair below was the worst of the bunch. You can see the food, dirt, whatever stains from Emma. The green is a lot nicer. I also got an outdoor vinyl chair cushion to put on Emma's chair so the green does not get so soiled. This was the first time I had ever re-covered chairs. Overall I am very happy with the way they turned out. :)

--I must run. DH made lasagna for dinner...smells yummy! Tomorrow and Friday are the last 2 Emma/Mommy days of summer. I think we're going to the Zoo one day and to the beach the other.

Girl Power 2008

I thoroughly enjoyed the "Girl Power" weekend I spent with my college girlfriends in North Carolina...

We all arrived on Thursday 7/31. What Mapquest predicted should be around an 8 hour drive turned into nearly 12 hours due to road construction and a major accident on I26 wherein I literally only went 13 miles in 52 minutes. UGH. (At least I wasn't the one in the accident...guess I should be grateful.) I was the last to arrive at around 9 p.m. I think the girls knew I was extremely frustrated from being in the car much longer than anticipated. They greeted me by raising their arms together to form an arch-way for me to walk under, on the porch of our cabin. What a sweet gesture and warm welcome! (On a side note, this was the longest solo-road trip I've ever taken. Go, me!)

Sorry the following are out of order...I forgot to download the pics in the REVERSE order of vacation, so that they'd be in order for me to describe. Anyway, my fun weekend is chronicled below:



Wow! I crossed the bridge. I was freaked...
but really wanted to cross the bridge. I waited for a gap
between tourists so that I could "book it" and move quickly.
And then I went for it...and crossed the bridge... WOW!
(Can you tell I'm still tickled with myself?) Smiles.


Me with Michelle R. after crossing the bridge


Look! The bridge hangs over a mile above sea level and
I crossed it! WHEW!


Me crossing the bridge. Had to grab my hat, it was
really windy on top of the mountain, especially on the bridge.


This is my favorite pic from the weekend. All 9 of
us at Grandfather Mountain. Sunglasses-wearing-divas! :)


After the Biltmore, we met for dinner in Asheville
and then hung out back at the cabin.





On Saturday we went to nearby Grandfather Mountain

With my height phobia, I was paranoid as we were driving
up the mountain. The roads had sharp turns and were
extremely steep in some places.

The girls liked my joke that crossing the Mile High Swinging Bridge
was NOT the Mile-High-Club that I wanted to join. (Hee-hee.)


View from the top of Grandfather Mountain



The Biltmore House
What a shack! Amazing! :)


One of the two lions which adorn the front entrance



Amazing architecture!




The gang on the walkway in front of the Biltmore


After lunch, we went to the Biltmore Wine Cellar


We saw the vats where the wine ferments.



Next, we sampled wine from the Biltmore Winery
(L to R: Michelle H., Jenni, Kasy, and Shelly)


Randie smells the wine



Me with Michelle R.

NOTE: Those who know that I do not like wine...Nope. The wine-tasting did not
sway me. There were a few wines that were "okay," but none that I liked a lot.
We were able to sample 8 flavors and I requested the Biltmore Grape Juice for my last sample,
instead of having more wine. LOVED it. Very delicious. Guess it wasn't time for my taste buds to grow up yet...

Another NOTE: We were informed by the wine experts at the Biltmore, that during a
wine sampling only a half cup of wine is consumed. Thus, we were all fine to drive. :)


Our cabin's 2nd floor deck with mountain view


On Friday 8/1, seven of our group of 9 toured the Biltmore mansion and its grounds, while the other 2 gals explored downtown Asheville.

The whole gang before sightseeing in Asheville, NC
Back: Kasy, Molly, Michelle H., Randie, Me, Shelly
Couch: Jenni, Vicki, Michelle R.



We had lunch at the Deepark restaurant. The building used to be the Biltmore's calving barn.
Now it serves a gourmet lunch buffet...the steak was dynamite!


The gals and I after lunch.



My view when stuck in STOPPED traffic on I26 en route
to Banner Elk, NC



This sign sums up our cabin area: curvy, hilly, can't drive it too quickly...



Our cabin in Banner Elk, North Carolina


The room I shared with Michelle H.
I LOVED the cabin...but none of the windows had any curtains or window coverings.




Mountain view from our deck


After hiking on Grandfather Mountain and visiting the Animal Center there, we drove to Boone, NC. We saw "Mamma Mia!" at the Regal Cinema there. LOVED it! Hilarious! And it was the perfect group to see a musical with. Some people appreciate musicals, while others don't. We laughed at parts, cried at parts, and sometimes nearly cried from laughing at parts. It was terrific!

That night brought more hanging out at the cabin. We played LCR---I won $24! We reminisced, "caught up," and giggled like little girls. I loved every minute!

Sunday morning we all left to return home. (I made it home in just under 8 hours...guess Mapquest wasn't that far off afterall.) What a wonderful weekend!