Costa Rica

We are going to Costa Rica in October! :)

We were going to go on a cruise but flights were expensive down to Miami. We had looked into the UK and Ireland and Costa Rica and all sorts of things. Ultimately we decided we would just keep checking tickets for all over and if a good deal came up we would go wherever the deal was.

Well, today we found direct flights from Charlotte to Costa Rica for $288. I don't think we will ever find them cheaper than that. So it is done.

Anyone want to join us? :)

Yeah for College Football!!

How excited are you that college football is back?

Thursday's night game of NCSU vs SC was interesting. The first half was a great game but then SC turned it on and down went NCSU (which I was expecting).

Then so far today-VT loses to ECU (crazy) and I just watched the Maize lose to Utah (WTF). Now I begin watching Arkansas play online until the Clemson vs Alabama game starts, which I think will be amazing-Roll Tide.

I do root for all SEC schools mainly, so Monica, I will be rooting for you on Monday night!!

YEAH FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL!!!

The First Day of School and the Rain Cometh

School started back up again, not too bad today. I teach 3 Monday/Wed/Fri classes, one at 9, one at 11 and one at 1. I am not a fan of having a one hour break in between my classes though. It just isn't really enough time for me to get focused and get stuff done. Today was Abstract Algebra and two sections of Calc 1. Tomorrow I have an 8am (yikes...how early am I have to wake up if I want to work out before class) and at 12:30, both sections are Math for Elementary Ed Majors.

I have been waiting for the sister to post about my visit and see the pictures from my taffy-marshmallow experiment, but she is slacking over there. I also want to see the video of Amelia at the lake taking her first underwater experience!!

We haven't had much rain, as usual here, but yesterday it started and it hasn't stopped yet. I think we are up to 4 or 5 inches and I saw Greensboro has had 7 inches already. Just crazy leftover remnants of Hurricane Fay. But we desperately need it, so bring it on. Oh and as I write this and watch the news there is a tornado about 10 miles from the house. Don't worry mom, it is going away from here and I will stay watching the news in case another one pops up.

Training hasn't been going the greatest...I haven't swam since last Tuesday but have tried the last couple days, this stupid rain/thunder is not helping any, so I have managed to run in what is really 100% humidity with a hat on expecting rain and not once has it actually rained with I was running. Tonight will be a trainer ride and maybe tomorrow I can make it to the pool. I only have two more races since I think Pinehurst isn't going to happen. Looks like I have to be on campus for Parent's weekend. Yes even in college, I have to meet parents like you do in elementary school. :)

I leave you with the Scott family and a huge congrats to the winner (men's) and runner-up (women's) of the Moomer's Mile run-how fast can you eat a pint of ice cream and run a mile-and no the winner of the women's race is not little Amelia!!!

Schools a coming

It's that time of year again and here we go with meetings galore. I spent last weekend up in Michigan with Scott family. :) Little Amelia is so big and talking up a storm. She didn't like me all that much, on my short walk with her she starting screaming for mama after 30 minutes and I had to carry her a good quarter mile back to Krista's office while pushing the 20lb stroller.

The best part of the weekend: In three nights we hit up Moomers twice (our second night, we actually counted it as our dinner :) ). Yum Yum Yum, I had double scoops each night and my selections were: Cupcake, Black Raspberry, Oatmeal Cookie, Raspberry Truffle. Raspberry Truffle was definitely my favorite. Oh and I sampled the Peach Riesling. If you ever head up to Traverse City, MI make sure you go to Moomers and experience the best ice cream in America (even Good Morning America says so too)!!

I also read The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes in a matter of days and it was extremely good. A mystery/drama type novel that takes place partly in Chapel Hill. I highly recommend this book for just a fluffy good read.

Alright, back to lesson planning...the story of my life.

Oh...I also got some ice cream (creamsicle) today at the HPU ice cream truck!! Yeah for new students moving in and everything on campus has to be at its best!

Work?

I have manage to get some reading done lately. It has been great, although I really need to be doing a little more work. Here is a little update:

At First Sight, by Nicholas Sparks.
He is perhaps my favorite author and this is the sequel to True Believer. It was a typical book from him, romance with a twist and I liked it and it made me cry.

Atonement, by Ian McEwan.
I still haven't seen the movie yet, but I just finished this book the other day. I thought it was ok. Pretty good the first half and then it kind of slowed for a while and there was an interesting twist at the end. But it was just a little slow.

The Last Lecture, by Randy Pausch
I finished this book the day before he passed away. This is a short, inspirational book. I watched the lecture on the internet before I read the book and then watched the Diane Sawyer special after he passed away. This book is great for everyone and really only takes a few days to read and there are some great motivational chapters.

Next up:
The Art of Racing in the Rain, by Garth Stein (our book club book for next month) and The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes by Diane Chamberlain. I will hopefully get around to Atlas Shrugged soon too.

The Hills are Alive

Somehow I picked up a respiratory bug last week and have been a little sick for about 4 days now. I am starting to feel better, but this sickness didn't time itself well with our trip up to the mountains with the Franks for some cycling on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

We stayed in a little cabin out in the woods that was extremely isolated but really peaceful. Here are a couple pictures of the house and its great view.





We chilled on Friday night grilling and chatting and Saturday after we had some interesting pancakes to which Nick basically burned a pancake scramble to the pan we headed to the Parkway. Nick and Eric did there own thing while Jen and I rode out about 17 miles before I told her we should turn around. I was already having issues breathing and coughing and the dry air was making my throat hurt. Jen climbed up the hills much faster than I but she is scared on the downhills so I would then catch back up. It was a fun ride. Here is Jen way up the mountain and then me (this pic was really hard to take while riding), and then a view of the mountains at one of the overlooks.







Back at the house the boys were tired and Nick was all up for some Guitar Hero so Eric and Nick hammered away while Jen took 20 min trying to clean the pancake scramble Nick had left in the pan. I relaxed and read. :)





We slept in again and try for round 2 of Nick's famous Chocolate chip pancakes and they were great on Sunday. We headed out towards Blowing Rock to Moses Cone Park (which is beautiful). Jen needed to do a long run, I did not. So I opted to ride south on the parkway to Grandfather Mountain while the boys did their own ride. Jen did 16 loops around the lake there (it is 1 mile around) then did 2 more with me when I got back (such a stud). We then packed it up and headed home. Here are some pics from my journey on the parkway.







All in all it was a great weekend. I had to nap today (3 hours-remember I am sick) and the cats joined me. After wards I got up and did a few things and went back up. The cats were still in the bed hanging out (yes I was in the middle and I didn't make the bed). This is why we perhaps needed to get a king:

Oh Canada....

The wedding was awesome! I can't say enough great things about seeing all my swimming friends from Arkansas. I miss them all and love seeing everyone, and it is even better that we all come together for a big party at a wedding.

Congrats to Susie Q and Mark, you guys rock and threw a great party. Here are a few pictures from the trip and the wedding!!


Port Dehlusie before the wedding


Chillin before the dancing


Mo, Lisa and Tyler before the drinking began


Genny having a great time on the dance floor


The beautiful bride and groom


All us Arkansas girls (and Grant)

Sunday night Eric and I went down to the Harbor in Buffalo and took a few pictures: