Updates

Well, it has been an eventful week. Last weekend, Eric and I went up to Maryland for a wedding on the beach. It was really great. They did an amazing job with all the details like having our namecards on shells, and the centerpieces were vases filled with shells water and floating candles, the programs were fans that spread out like a shell, and the favors were flip-flops. All very beachy, so cute! The couple is very athletic and had what they called a "Games Over 5K" which Eric and I ran in the morning of the wedding. There was also a softball game after the run, but Eric and I choose to go out to lunch on the water and then watch the Tour before the wedding. All in all, it was a really nice wedding and a great location.

Eric and I had our pre-dry wall meeting with the builder on Wednesday. Everything is going well. They had a few more things to fix before they start drywalling, but nothing major. They still say our closing date is October 11, but are hoping that they might have it finished the end of September. Here are some pictures of the outside: (the inside isn't that interesting-just all the framework...once cabinets and stuff go in, then I put up some of those pic)






Our door will eventually be painted (forest green) and the rest of the lighter colored tanish shingles in the front were on back order so that is why that isn't complete yet. You can also see that they have put the deck on the back which is nice.

Anyway, I headed out to High Point yesterday and got all set up. Got the ID, parking permit, office keys, books, ect. The campus is so nice, with the music playing and the snack kiosk with the free drinks and snacks (yesterday it was oreos and apples). I am getting excited about the new job and getting into the house. Not too much longer now! Other news-I am heading off to California (San Jose) on Tuesday for a week for a math conference. I am not sure what to expect, should be interesting and hopefully I will learn some good stuff. Other than that, just keeping busy with the Tour (can't stand all the doping scandals-makes me think that noone on the entire tour is riding clean) and just finished Harry Potter-oh it was so good! Now I have to start lesson planning for the upcoming year!

Back from the North

So I am finally home after my almost 2 1/2 week vacation up North. I had a really great time and I think it was the longest time I have spend with my sister is maybe close to 8 or 10 years! I had so much fun with Amelia and just hanging out. I ran a little, rode with Ethan a few times. Painted a bathroom and helped reupholster a rocking chair. Learned how to do some "handy" type things which is probably good for when we move into our house. I was really sad to leave my sister and it makes me want to live near her...now why can't I convince her and Ethan to move south...there ARE mountains down her you know!

Kathy, Krista, Mom and I went and saw Wicked and it was good as it was last year. I think the girl who played Elphaba was just as good and sounded a lot like the recording they have and Glinda was especially funny. I then headed down to Ohio for an old friend's wedding. It was extremely beautiful and it was nice to see her and her family. I then made the long drive home and stopped to see the house. It looks really great! The colors we choose for the siding and shake are up and they look good together. They have done the plumbing and electrical inside, put on the deck and have the porch up. The next step is drywalling and then they say about 2 months until it is ours!!! I don't have pictures because I didn't have the camera with me. But Eric is heading out there probably early next week and so I will post some then.

Other than that I did try my hand at golfing with my dad while I was up in Michigan. Played twice, both times only 9 holes. I shot 66 and 63...not really good, but not terrible. Actually the second time I played, I shot 5 or 6 on 6 of the holes and then shot 9 or 10's on 3 of the holes, so I only played 3 bad holes. Things are coming along though. Still frustrating at times but I just am not good enough yet!

Here are a couple of my favorite photos of Amelia...and one in her perfect dress! :)








I still have to get the red eye out of the one in the brown dress, but these are just too cute!

Michigan and the little aquathon

I just finished teaching summer school and pack up the car and drove up to Michigan for the next two weeks. The first day here I went out for a 6 mile run and felt amazing...wow no humidity makes a world of difference in the crisp air. No asthma problems whatsoever! After that I headed over to the Buick Open for 6 plus hours of walking and cheering on my friend who is on a streak of some great golf! He played very well with the exception of a couple holes, but I am so happy that he has finally put his golf game together. He has inspired me to try and take up golf and I just bought a set of clubs and am currently working on my swing.

I spent the weekend at my parents with Eric and my sister, Ethan and little Amelia. She is so cute and is a very good baby. She is a bit fussy, but otherwise is happy and smiles a bunch. Maybe by the end of my two weeks up here she will be smiling some more. I took some pictures, but Eric took the camera home with him.

Then on Sunday, I decided last minute to do a short aquathon 20 min from my parents house. We drove over not too early and I got set up. Very small and laid back race put on in Howell, maybe 50+ people. I haven't race but the half ironman this year, so really no speed whatsoever, and I have only swam maybe 5 times in the past 6 weeks, but hey we'll see how it goes.

The first 1.2 mile run was alright, I kept within a minute of the lead women and I jumped in to the 2 loop 750meter swim feeling a bit tired. It went ok, I didn't really have any speed swimming, just cruzing a long. I did pass all the women in the water and Eric said I had about a 30 sec lead after the swim. I headed out onto the second run after putting on my shorts (since I didn't have a race belt and had to have my number on), and started running. With maybe 1/4 mile to go I got passed by a girl (18 years old) and maybe a min later got passed by another (15 years old), yeah... so impressed that the 15 year old didn't even tie her shoes!! But niether of them had a race number on....

I finished third, 20 seconds behind the leader and 10 seconds behind second...now had this truely been run under the right rules I technically won, since both girls should have been penalized for not having a race number, especially since it was a USAT sanctioned event. But since they claimed it was a low key event for beginners, they didn't penalize anyone. I at least feel good about myself that I chose to put on my shorts so I raced cleanly. I did get a nice coffee mug and a mesh laundry type bag, so that was pretty sweet. And I did finally got to do something fast or at least try too. Still trying to fit in another race while I am up here, we'll see if I can.

Now I am up in Traverse City hanging out with the Scotts...helping take some stress of my sister and helping Ethan with his Calculus. :) We have no set plans up here, for me I hope that this is a nice vacation away from school world!!