Crappy

Excuse my language, but need to share a couple of crappy stories. Literally!
Once upon a time, I got accepted to present at a conference...twice. Yep, so I prepared to travel to beautiful San Antonio, stayed in a beautiful hotel (lacking a little sound proofing) on the riverwalk. I met great people, got some great networking done, and presented my sessions. I even had some time to walk around the riverwalk and soak in the atmosphere. All in all it was looking to be a great trip. Then while enjoying the riverwalk after a nice lunch with my new friends, a bird pooped on me! Straight on my hair, glasses, and face. YUCK! Thankfully the nice people I was with, helped clean me up (with Clorox wipes) and I was able to go to my room to wash out my hair. This is not the first time a bird has given me such a message. Nope, I have actually had this experience before. I think it is getting old. Share the love poopy birds and go crap elsewhere.
Now for second crappy story. I don't have great luck when I travel by plane. I don't really do it very often (maybe 2 times a year at most). However, it seems I get more than my fair share of troubles. I have been delayed/cancelled for weather, missed a flight (or more accurately they overbooked the flight and kicked us off since we were one of the last to arrive), and now also been delayed due to mechanical failures. I have actually slept in an airport (I am sure I am not the only one, but it is annoying). So where I was going to arrive home on a Friday evening around 11pm, now looks like an arrival Saturday mid-day around noon - and this is if everything goes well. So, if you see me soon and I look disheveled and exhausted you will know why.
That is all, thanks for listening (reading).

2012 update

So I haven't been able to think of anything clever to write, so I just haven't written. Bad plan. I should write anyway, clever or not.

We are getting into a new groove this semester with my course schedule and the kids activities. Luckily it is "off season" for J so he picks up the slack. I am enjoying my job and trying to keep up on getting papers off in an attempt to publish - something I still don't feel like I do very well. I guess it is a learning process - but the curve seems a bit steep some days. My classes are great. I seem to have hard working students this semester. C still continues with gymnastics and H with soccer. This means 2 practices/games a week for each of them. They are also doing swim on Saturdays.

Other than that our life has been moving along - and someone got a year older. Yep, me! 32 is an interesting age - seems a lot closer to 35 which for some reason is a bit intimidating. I now consider us the "young" in the old group at church rather than the "old" in the young group at church. Maybe part of that is being done with school, but it feels a little weird. Seems so weird to me when people weren't around in the 80s - but that seems to be happening more and more.

Anyway, I had a great day - worked from home and got spoiled by my kids, hubby, parents, and friends. Felt very loved. My most exciting present was a watch that J got me (well ok, I picked it out, but it was his idea to replace the watch I have had forever that keeps falling apart). Anyway, I love the new watch!!! It is fashionable, comfortable, and I think Skagen has a customer for life.

Cancun

J attempted to surprise me with at trip to Cancun for graduation. Apparently my tendency to make plans foiled his big surprise (he was going to tell me less than 12 hours before we would need to leave for the airport), however when he told me I was still very surprised and excited. Plus I had 3 weeks to try and get fit for a swimsuit!

The flight there was uneventful (but we were pretty tired since we were up at 4am), and we had time to get settled and enjoy the rest of the day.

The weather, and scenery was perfect. Seriously, this photo was my view when laying on the beach - looks like a post card it is so perfect. The waves were also nice - would have been great for body boarding or surfing, but after John dove into some rocks and got this....

We decided that playing in the waves was probably best. The water was the perfect temperature and I never felt cold my entire time there! (Can't say I have that experience now that we are home). We got used to the pampered life immediately including lots of desserts, towel creations on the bed, massages, and delicious food.

We also enjoyed a bike ride, shopping, leisurely walks (although we had to consciously learn to slow down), and creatures around the resort. Here is the Mexican badger (tejon) getting food from a child at the resort. They were all over and very cute (even if they might carry diseases).

We even took an excursion to Cancun in an attempt to meet up with my brother to deliver his Christmas package on his mission. While we didn't end up meeting up we did find some good deals, and enjoyed exploring more than the resort (although we could have done that the whole time and still enjoyed ourselves). Here we are at a Cancun market. J made excellent use of his negotiation skills!

I loved being in Mexico, hearing Spanish, and getting away. The people in Mexico were a pleasure to be around.

I mean, really where else is there a mariachi band playing Christmas music???

The best part of the trip was definitely hanging out with my sweetheart. He was so sweet to plan this for me after enduring several years without much relaxation. I can't wait to escape again!

Graduation

Yes, it's true I actually graduated and they called my name out Dr. S N Douglas (of course they didn't pronounce my middle name right, but who couldn't have predicted that?). Strange to be called that. It was very dark outside when the ceremony was over so we didn't get photos of my parents or J afterwards. The kids opted not to attend after we described what it would be like. I felt good about their choice when I saw at least 5 kids in the hall part way through the ceremony. A great day!

With my advisor

My fellow graduates from the Special Education program.

Wow! It's been a while

Hello again world. I haven't been very good about keeping up, but several exciting things have happened around here, so there are likely to be a few posts soon.

Stay tuned for:

PhD graduation (at long last)

Cancun getaway

Christmas

Nana & Papa visit

Double or nothing

A few weeks ago we were encouraging C to rip out a tooth that has been loose for at least 2 months. Finally it was only hanging on by a thread (or whatever holds our teeth in place), and sticking straight out. I just couldn't take it and she wouldn't let me pull it. I encouraged her to move it around until it came loose. She went to bed with it still not removed and came out distraught about 20 minutes later. Turns out that she ripped out the tooth next to the super loose tooth (don't worry it was almost ready to come out as well). This resulted in a fair amount of blood which freaked her out. I ripped (gently pulled - it didn't need much coaxing) out the other tooth the next day. So, the tooth fairy made a double night visit. She still has a card under her pillow for the tooth fairy and the next time she visits. (She thinks a note is part of the deal and why shouldn't it be??)

Halloween and a scary tail/tale

Halloween was eventful this year...pumpkin carving, baking, classroom volunteering, trunk or treat, trick or treat and missing cats. Let's start from the top. The kids had a lot of fun this year carving the pumpkin. Finally neither of them are grossed out by the insides of the pumpkin.The final product. The kids always like to add the green ears on the pumpkin.

I also did some baking for the C's classroom. I think the spiderweb cupcakes turned out great. Good news is they were also yummy! I spent the part of the afternoon helping out at C's school party. The kids had a parade, and party. C was a ballerina
And H was a soccer zombie - all his idea.

The cat also decided to enjoy Halloween. Chewy followed a family around the neighborhood as they trick or treated - he had to pick the only family who is completely afraid of all pets! We tried to get him to come home, but he wasn't having it and continued running around after all the trick or treaters. I can only imagine that he was thinking - "this is great everyone is out to play". We figured he would just come home later, but another neighbor lady thought he was lost, rescued him (took him to her house), and put found signs up all over the neighborhood the next day. He hasn't run away since, and doesn't chase "fraidy" neighbors anymore either.