Spring is here

So Michael and I actually had a spring break together! It was fabulous. We ended up going to the "Real" West Texas to Fort Davis and the Davis Mountains. We stayed in Davis Mountains state park at the Indian Lodge. The view was incredible. We got a room in the historic section of the hotel and decided we should probably stay upstairs if we go back. We stopped along the way at the Odessa Crater, which was very small, but fun. We also stopped at the Monahans Sand Hills State Park and walked along the edges of the dunes. We got to the Indian Lodge around 8 that evening.

The next day, we woke up, had breakfast, and drove to the McDonald Observatory. We got to sit in on a live sun viewing. We then got to go see the telescopes, which were great. We then drove to Marfa, Tx to see some art and found a great pizza place with some of the best pizza we'd ever had.

On Friday, we woke up and drove into Fort Davis and ate at this great cafe on the patio. We then went to the Fort Davis National Monument and walked around to see the ruins. It was really neat to see all the history and to see the restorations in one area and the complete ruins in another area. We really had a great time. We drove down to Van Horn on our way home and then up to the Guadelupe Mtns. State Park.

It was a great trip. We really had some fun and hope to go back some time soon!

All Things in Place

You know how uncomfortable it can be when you just don't feel like you are doing what you are supposed to be doing? I think I've felt that way for the past year. I knew that I wanted to teach at a university or college somewhere. I knew that I wanted to work at a teaching university rather than a research university. I knew that what I was doing was gearing me up for something in the complete opposite direction of what I wanted. It's a terrible feeling to be thrust forward so fast in the wrong direction that you feel like you can't get back to where you wanted to be. By the end of November, I was filling out applications for anything, from a job with Miller Brewing in Denver Colorado to an instructional designer position in Washington state.

About a month and a half ago, I was sent an email from a faculty member in my department about a job teaching one duel credit BCIS course in Slaton. I wanted to know more about this job, so I went on google, searched for Slaton ISD, and, somehow stumbled onto an opening for a BCIS teacher. Here was my chance....my opening...my fast track to the direction I have been supposed to be going in for a very long time. I took it. I contacted the personnel director, principal, anyone I could think of, and asked about the position. Luckily, one of our friends knew the principal. Her mother had been a teacher at Slaton High School for the last 20 years (recently retired). She sent an email as well. On January 8th, I interviewed and by January 11th, they offered me the position. I started the job on January 27th...also my birthday...and have loved every minute of it.

I am no longer feeling like I'm running the wrong way. I know that I'm supposed to teach. I know that this is where I fit in the world. And for the time being, it's perfect.

Thanksgiving Passed, Christmas Ahead

I hope everyone had a very very happy Thanksgiving! I know that we did. We spent time with my family and my friend Amy joined us as well. We watched football and season 1 of The Big Bang Theory, played the Beatles Rock Band and enjoyed the time off.

I mentioned that I'd post our costumes and so I shall. Michael (for Halloween) went as a Jedi and I went as Starbuck from Battlestar Galactica. We had a lot of fun at Justin and Jenny's annual Halloween bash. I believe Michael wrestled someone in the backyard while I tried to save Alice from a strange boy and Justin made me French Fries...very sweet. I started listening to the Christmas tunes at work today. It's right around the corner...can't wait. Hope you all have a very happy December. 2009 is almost over!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween everyone! I haven't named my pumpkin yet, but she's very cute, right? Jenn, Amy, Heather (friends from work and their friends) and I spent the evening on Thursday drinking wine, carving pumpkins, and eating some great food! So much fun! Amy and I (mostly Amy) gutted the pumpkins while Jenn and Heather sorted through the seeds to bake. We then all picked out our patterns, pinned them on, then started carving.

Michael and I have been getting our costumes together. He's going as a jedi (no suprise there...) and I'm going as Starbuck from Battlestar Galactica. Don't have any big plans this evening, so we've got the candy in the bowl by the door for this evening. Our big plans are for next weekend, so we'll post pics as soon as we get some! Plan for this weekend: watch scary movies, the TTU/Kansas game, and try not to scare any little kids that much.

I Can't believe how fast time has flown! Michael and I have been very busy trying to stay well and get the job done. My semester has gone by very quickly - started out taking 9 hours and have dropped down to 6 and am still somewhat behind. I hope that I can catch up in those classes soon. Michael and I have both had the flu already and I'm trying to get rid of a stubborn sinus infection, so we've been sick a lot this year already.

Good news, though! I got a promotion and raise at my job. Hoping to keep climbing the ladder...at least while I am still at TTU (for as long as we can ride it out). Michael's had a good school year. He's had an administration change, but that's gone very well. I've also had changes at my job too. We've grown and have three new people working at the TLTC. I've really enjoyed getting to know these new people!

Hope everyone's having a great holiday weekend! I can't wait to see all the pics posted on facebook of crazy costumes all around! Don't forget to "fall back" this weekend and enjoy the extra hour of sleep! Oh...and one more thing.... redrum...redrum....

~B

Makaela

We met Makaela Anne finally! She is so cute and it's wonderful to have a new baby in the fam. :) Michael and I had so much fun over the weekend of July 31 - August 2. First, we caught up with John and Dinah for John's 30th down on Lake Amistad (Texas and Mexico border near Del Rio) and then drove through San Antonio to get to Houston to meet Makaela. She was amazing! We had lots of fun seeing Marie and John too. Their house is great and very "home-y." We enjoyed seeing Diesel and Shelby, although I think Diesel is still a bit worried about the crazy dogs next door. Makaela has almost grown out of her newborn clothes and is in the 3-6 month clothes now. While we were there, Dustin came over and took some pics. (I took some too :))


This last week, I went to Madison, Wisconsin for a Distance Education Conference. It was beautiful. I especially loved being able to see Monona Terrace, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The Monona Terrace, where the conference was held, is right down from the capitol building in Madison on the edge of Lake Monona. It was amazing to see the lake from the floor to ceiling windows in Monona Terrace all week.

Meeting New Family

This month has been about meeting new additions to our family and traveling. We finally made it to Columbus during the Summer time and loved it. We could just imagine ourselves living in the Short North with one car, in a townhome from the late 1800's with our two doggies. It sounds amazing, right? We could walk everywhere and could be in a city that feels so much more "up to date" than the one we're living in now. David and Bryan were married on July 19th in a beautiful ceremony (which I performed and David and Bryan...and a little me....wrote). Their decorations were so perfect. We enjoyed meeting all our new family (on Bryan's side)!

We also went to meet Corrik for the first time. Corrik was born on July 6th, 2009 and is such a great baby! We went this last weekend. I enjoyed meeting him and had to keep from getting baby fever while I was there. Michael had "baby fever" written all over his face, though... (uh-oh). It was great to finally meet him and we can't wait to see who he ends up looking more like: Angie or Tim.

This Thursday, we head off to Houston to finally Meet Makaela Anne this weekend. I'm really excited and have some new girlie stuff for her. It's so much fun to have a niece. I'm also excited to get to see John and Marie. It should be a great visit. We'll see what Mike's face looks like when we get back next Sunday...

I hope all is well in your world!

Harry Potter Madness

Hello all!

Summer is halfway over and we've finally made it to July 15th - a day I was counting down to for a very long time. Why? Well...because Harry Potter and the Halfblood Prince came out in theaters, of course! It was amazing. The script kept close to the storyline in the book. I did miss some of the big action pieces of the book, but I think, overall, it was the best in the series!

Since the last time I posted, we've had two new people come into our lives that we can't wait to meet! John and Marie had their baby girl on June 29th and Angie and Tim had their baby boy on July 6th. They are both very adorable from the looks of it (in their pictures)!

We've also had our 4-year anniversary. Michael and I have been married for four years and together for 7. It's amazing how time flies and what I've learned in the past four years! Marriage is the greatest lesson/accomplishment/experience I've ever had and I'm so glad that I'm on this crazy journey with Michael. He's perfect for me, so that's one big bonus ;)

We've also gone to New England as well! We had so much fun and enjoyed the east coast so much that we didn't want to come home. It was 65-75 degrees every day and rainy and foggy - perfect! We loved Gloucester and Rockport most and even hung out on the pier that is in the movie "The Proposal" with Sandra Bullock and Ryan Rynolds. It was so beautiful there! We were very tired of fried seafood by the end of it, though and were ready to be home to see our puppies! (The pic above is of what New Englanders call the "Motif" and is one of the most painted objects in New England. This is the "pier" where Sandra Bullock climbs down the ladder to the dock below to get on the boat to go to Ryan Rynolds' house.)

I hope all is well in your world as it is in ours! Wish us luck! We fly out to Columbus tomorrow for David and Bryan's big wedding weekend! We are very excited and I'm working very hard on annunciating my speech for the ceremony :)

~B