Today we got a tornado warning. Yes. Really. Bob got stuck inside in his internship until it was safe to go out. Luckily they didn't all have to crawl in a bathtub together. There were golf-ball sized hail outside. And it was extremely warm and tropical weather, which was so strange. We also got the characteristic thunder and lightening storms which I love and hate (they still scare me and I want to crawl under the covers and hide, but they are also really beautiful).
I tell ya, we have had some crazy weather here. Snow week and now this. It really is fun and wild to live in. And once again, a good reminder that I am not in control.
However, this California girl has become accustomed to NEVER checking the weather before leaving the house, which is not a good idea in Atlanta. For over a year now, I have predicted what the weather should be like based on what I want to wear and not what is most practical and have gotten caught in some ridiculous situations because of it. I still hate umbrellas and for the most part refuse to carry them. I would rather wear a hood and get wet than have to mess with a contraption that claims to keep me dry, but doesn't really do its job. I keep learning as I go.
Anyway, just wanted to share that I survived my first tornado warning. Check another one of the list of things I have always wanted to experience. Right.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Great Expectations
We were blessed with yet another day of beautiful spring weather which means why stay inside when there are so many great things to do outdoors?
I got to go on a walk with a couple of friends today and we got on the subject of expectations. How you don't realize how strongly you have them until they are not met. I think unmet expectations are just another reminder to me that I am not in control on this journey in which I am having to constantly surrender.
The truth is I no longer know what to expect, which in many ways brings tremendous joy and blessings beyond what I could've thought; but along with that, I suffer in ways so raw that I am surprised I survive. There are so many twists and turns in life that I am often left feeling utterly confused--laughing one minute and crying the next.
I am working on allowing for the spontanaity (sp?) to embrace surprises along the way--be they green lights or road blocks. After all, I have discovered many great things on detours :)
I got to go on a walk with a couple of friends today and we got on the subject of expectations. How you don't realize how strongly you have them until they are not met. I think unmet expectations are just another reminder to me that I am not in control on this journey in which I am having to constantly surrender.
The truth is I no longer know what to expect, which in many ways brings tremendous joy and blessings beyond what I could've thought; but along with that, I suffer in ways so raw that I am surprised I survive. There are so many twists and turns in life that I am often left feeling utterly confused--laughing one minute and crying the next.
I am working on allowing for the spontanaity (sp?) to embrace surprises along the way--be they green lights or road blocks. After all, I have discovered many great things on detours :)
Thursday, February 24, 2011
A little bit of this and a little bit of that...
Things have been crazy busy for Bob and I lately, so although I have the best intentions to both picture take and write on this blog, when it comes to choosing between necessities (eating, bathing, etc.) and blogging, I have chosen the former--although sometimes unwillingly :) Here is a listed update of both the fun and mundane things keeping us going:
1. I am in schools almost everyday videotaping, collecting student work, etc. which beats being "grounded" to staying at home and video coding as some of my colleagues have coined. Although when these observations end in April, I will be working strictly from home until the end of summer.
2. This week has been "winter" break for me, which means the schools are off, but I still have work to do from home. However, I am not complaining because I have gotten to enjoy many things this week, including the spring weather (sun!) we are starting to get.
3. I have started going to the chiropractor, but if you asked me why I can't really tell you other than I think that it is fun and preventative. Many people go after they have pain, but I decided not to wait. There is a chiropractic college nearby and they have an outpatient center that is REALLY cheap, so I decided it would be good (read:fun) to start going. I also realized through this some of my selfish tendencies and wonder if I am the only person in the world who thinks it a good time to fill out paperwork of my health history. (?) I also realized how healthy I really am despite the fact that one of my legs is longer than the other (I knew it!) and my right side is just a little off in general.
4. I realized this week that while I like living here, it will not turn me into a southern woman at heart. For my friend's birthday I took her to the Swan Coach Carriage House, which is like a Southern woman's luncheon place in a nicer area of Atlanta. While we had a great time and enjoyed the food, I was reminded that I am not a southern white woman and will never be, y'all. I don't care about country clubs, dressing up, foo-foo bunnies and pastel clothes. Although I am not complaining about tasting the best coconut cake the other day at a southern cooking class I assisted and putting the recipe in my pile of faves.
5. I am still cooking away and was proud of the made from scratch refried beans and mexican rice I produced the other day. I continue to realize though that I am completely naive when it comes to time and I can spend all day cooking when I meant to spend a couple hours. I cooked and baked so much this week for different things we had going on that I had to ban myself from it for the rest of the week. We are still eating bean and rice leftovers even though we originally took them to a party and there are really only so many things you can do with beans and rice as leftovers. I have even started eating them at breakfast.
6. Our tennis team won the league (yeah!). Bob and I really enjoy playing doubles with each other despite the fact that we lost more than won. We have really enjoyed spending time with our tennis friends on the tennis court but may have had even more fun playing wii with them the other night (the dance one is the best). I am totally anti-video games until it comes to wii. I don't think I have ever laughed as hard as when I am playing and I find that it can actually be interactive with others.
7. Bob is in the final stretch of his internship and is counting down the days until graduation. It is looking like he may have some prospects for jobs and he has been interviewing a tad, which is really encouraging to us. One or both of us has been in school since we got married 5 1/2 years ago, so we both are definitely ready do be done with that.
I feel like we are crawling toward the finish line and we definitely don't like the craziness of this season for us. We are learning to live in the present and take things one day at a time. Today, we both even had a brief moment at lunch time so we went down by the river and threw around the frisbee on the grass. While I want more moments like that, I am trying and learning to be appreciative of the gifts that they are, even if few and far between.
1. I am in schools almost everyday videotaping, collecting student work, etc. which beats being "grounded" to staying at home and video coding as some of my colleagues have coined. Although when these observations end in April, I will be working strictly from home until the end of summer.
2. This week has been "winter" break for me, which means the schools are off, but I still have work to do from home. However, I am not complaining because I have gotten to enjoy many things this week, including the spring weather (sun!) we are starting to get.
3. I have started going to the chiropractor, but if you asked me why I can't really tell you other than I think that it is fun and preventative. Many people go after they have pain, but I decided not to wait. There is a chiropractic college nearby and they have an outpatient center that is REALLY cheap, so I decided it would be good (read:fun) to start going. I also realized through this some of my selfish tendencies and wonder if I am the only person in the world who thinks it a good time to fill out paperwork of my health history. (?) I also realized how healthy I really am despite the fact that one of my legs is longer than the other (I knew it!) and my right side is just a little off in general.
4. I realized this week that while I like living here, it will not turn me into a southern woman at heart. For my friend's birthday I took her to the Swan Coach Carriage House, which is like a Southern woman's luncheon place in a nicer area of Atlanta. While we had a great time and enjoyed the food, I was reminded that I am not a southern white woman and will never be, y'all. I don't care about country clubs, dressing up, foo-foo bunnies and pastel clothes. Although I am not complaining about tasting the best coconut cake the other day at a southern cooking class I assisted and putting the recipe in my pile of faves.
5. I am still cooking away and was proud of the made from scratch refried beans and mexican rice I produced the other day. I continue to realize though that I am completely naive when it comes to time and I can spend all day cooking when I meant to spend a couple hours. I cooked and baked so much this week for different things we had going on that I had to ban myself from it for the rest of the week. We are still eating bean and rice leftovers even though we originally took them to a party and there are really only so many things you can do with beans and rice as leftovers. I have even started eating them at breakfast.
6. Our tennis team won the league (yeah!). Bob and I really enjoy playing doubles with each other despite the fact that we lost more than won. We have really enjoyed spending time with our tennis friends on the tennis court but may have had even more fun playing wii with them the other night (the dance one is the best). I am totally anti-video games until it comes to wii. I don't think I have ever laughed as hard as when I am playing and I find that it can actually be interactive with others.
7. Bob is in the final stretch of his internship and is counting down the days until graduation. It is looking like he may have some prospects for jobs and he has been interviewing a tad, which is really encouraging to us. One or both of us has been in school since we got married 5 1/2 years ago, so we both are definitely ready do be done with that.
I feel like we are crawling toward the finish line and we definitely don't like the craziness of this season for us. We are learning to live in the present and take things one day at a time. Today, we both even had a brief moment at lunch time so we went down by the river and threw around the frisbee on the grass. While I want more moments like that, I am trying and learning to be appreciative of the gifts that they are, even if few and far between.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Mrs. Mehaffey's Almost Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies
Growing up, my neighbor made these amazing chocolate cookies every year during Christmas season. When I got married she graciously handed over the recipe and it took Bob and I years to get it perfect (it was all about the way things were mixed and cooking time). We make the dough, shape it into balls and freeze it so whenever we need a cookie, we can bake it right up.
Well, when it came to wanting to give a prize for something at school, I thought what better for kiddos than chocolate chip cookies? So I wrapped some up nicely and announced that the prize was "Mrs. Mehaffey's Almost Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies". They laughed. And then they were intrigued.
Upon first taste the girl who won wouldn't stop talking about them and then she decided to share them (they are such generous kids). Anyway, they started asking me if they could have the recipe. I told them that I did not get it until I was getting married and so it would be the same for them. One asked, "What if I don't know you then?" to which I answered, "If you care that much about the cookies, you will keep in touch."
I laughed to myself when later on that day I overheard them talking to each other about wanting to get married that day to get the recipe. Oh how they can make me feel so good about myself.
Well, when it came to wanting to give a prize for something at school, I thought what better for kiddos than chocolate chip cookies? So I wrapped some up nicely and announced that the prize was "Mrs. Mehaffey's Almost Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies". They laughed. And then they were intrigued.
Upon first taste the girl who won wouldn't stop talking about them and then she decided to share them (they are such generous kids). Anyway, they started asking me if they could have the recipe. I told them that I did not get it until I was getting married and so it would be the same for them. One asked, "What if I don't know you then?" to which I answered, "If you care that much about the cookies, you will keep in touch."
I laughed to myself when later on that day I overheard them talking to each other about wanting to get married that day to get the recipe. Oh how they can make me feel so good about myself.
Ruby Falls
Bob and I took a hike up to Ruby Falls the same day we went to Helen. I still can't believe all of the miles of trails that there are so close to us. We keep wanting to become "hard core"(for us) and go for a 12 mile day hike--with lots of snacks of course! However, we will have to wait until it gets warmer--there was still snow and lots of icicles on this hike. This was an easy one--totally paved--but the view was astounding. The falls were much bigger in person that what is here. Loved it!
Helen GA
Bob and I had a free day last weekend so we decided to visit Helen for the day, which is a little German mountain town about an hour and a half away. All of the buildings are modeled in this way and it is fun to see some very normal places (think Motel 6) outfitted in this style. Of course we sampled every candy store there was, getting our fill on fudge and brittle. We went into a cute little toy shop where everything was made of wood and I just wished I had a little boy to buy something for...
Anyway, here is the awkward picture we took of ourselves in front of the restaurant we ate at. As I go through more and more of our pictures, so many of them look like this because we have to take it of ourselves. Of course, there is always the option of asking someone else to do it, but after our NY experience (someone actually saying No, they were not willing to take a picture of us) we have felt a little insecure. Or, when we do have others take it they turn out just as awkward if not more. The other picture of us in this town (not shown here) was taken by someone else and has awful shadows. So you just get to enjoy (laugh at) this one.
We loved our drive home through some different quaint mountain towns. Although it always scares me when we do this because Bob starts talking about moving out there. Seriously. One day he came home from fishing and told me that he had seen a new cabin for sale for $20,000 and the thought honestly crossed his mind that we could buy it, move there, and virtually retire now--maybe getting part time jobs at nearby shops. I encouraged him that while it was a good thought, he would be doing it alone, and it might not be that fun by himself (although I still think he is considering--hehe).
Anyway, there is so much to discover here in our "backyard" and we had a fun day exploring some of it!
Friday, January 14, 2011
Snow Week!
Sunday night we had a crazy snow for Atlanta (5+ inches) and things have been mostly shut down all week! Because snow is not normal for Atlanta, the city has not invested in many snow plows, so the problems come with the icy roads and lots of cars. We took advantage of cancelled classes and spent some time playing and eating with friends in our apartment complex. One of the first things we did (of course) was to build a snow man. Here he is--not much of a looker, but we were still proud. It has been crazy seeing the city transformed and despite the fact that you start to feel real antsy being inside so long, you can't help but be overwhelmed by the beauty it creates. It really forces you to slow down and take it all in.
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