1-14-12

Penguin ice cubes! An article I got accepted into a journal is in "the galleys" which means last minute revisions. The editor wants a photo of the ice cube penguins so I took some. It's exciting to have so many writing projects in production. I'm writing one paper about preservice teachers' conceptions about how coal becomes electricity, I'm editing two book chapters (one on heat transfer and the other on middle school engineering education), have two articles ready for printing sometime soon, and am just starting a study of the impact of authors and their non fiction books on elementary school children and their teachers. Whew!

So, one of these photos will be in a magazine sometime soon. Not sure which one the editor will choose. Personally, I like the top one.

1-13-12

Friday the 13th. It snowed today! Just a bit, but it was pretty. Today was supposed to be my writing day, but I got a call early in the morning from a lady at the newspaper who wanted to come over and interview us for a story about our house. So I had to clean! She came over at 2 and had a tour and chat... and after she left I did a bit of data analysis with my new software package, NVIVO. Anyway, a writer is coming over on Monday to interview us and on Tuesday, a photographer is coming over to take pictures of our house and us. I knew we had a special house!

1-12-12

Taught my graduate class this evening, Engineering in STEM Education. Students built boats, towers, bridges, and roller coasters, seeing how engineering is traditionally brought into the elementary school classroom. First class went very well.

1-10-12

We have a bald cypress tree out front and the bark is so textured and beautiful. The colors are rich and the feeling is like basket weaving material.

Looking up the tree, you see all the branches and peeling bark. There is a row of woodpecker holes across it. It loses its leaves in winter, which I suppose, is why it is called "bald" cypress.

Some flowers are blooming. The snowdrops are plentiful out front, as are the lenten roses.

Today I started taking a new prescription strength vitamin and I hope beyond all hope that it helps with migraine and fatigue and that spaced out feeling I've had lately. I felt awake and alive and alert today. I spent three hours cleaning/organizing my office at school. I went out to lunch with two colleagues to talk about future partnerships. Tomorrow I have a full day preparing for my first day of class this semester, a paper I need to write, and a research trip next week to Blacksburg. Hope to stay feeling well.

1-9-12

I am working on an afghan. This is how far I got today working on it in bed with the second day of migraine. I had to miss my department meeting today, but Skyped in for three hours anyway. I'm so glad I have colleagues who will stand for that sort of thing. By 10pm the evil monster had left my head and I worked for several hours on the award panel I'm chair of... and was up past midnight. Oh, I got another paper accepted today... without revisions!!! It will come out in one of the IEEE magazines. I'm so excited about this.

1-8-12

Dan took down the Christmas decorations today. The vacation is almost over. I got a migraine last night and spent all day in bed with it today.

1-7-12

Walk at dusk with Aza and Frisbee and Dan. We took Jes to the airport at noon today- house feeling quiet and empty without her. The parking lot at the stadium was empty too, but it won't stay that way long as students return this week. We went to dinner, and then I got a migraine which knocked me out.

1-6-12

Yes, I made these. Aren't they adorable? I started last night and woke up really early and got them finished. They are a gift for my friend's daughter who is having a baby soon.

So, I've been REALLY tired lately. Like it's 3am in the middle of the day and I'm sleep walking. Just trying to move through a fog or a wet blanket or a tub of molasses. Like I have to prop up my eyes to keep them open. I even drank a cup of COFFEE today (the horror!) to wake myself up because I just couldn't stand it anymore. Squirt gave me a vitamin B pill and said that would help. Perhaps it did.

1-5-12

Today I really tried hard to work all day. Aza had some work to do, Jes had some work to do, and so I sat at my computer putting out email fires, working on my course syllabus and website, tallying scores for an award I'm in charge of awarding at a conference this summer... and making a dishcloth. Just had to crochet something.

1-3-12

Aza's turn at getting some slippers. Can you guess what they are? Tree frogs! I made her tree frog slippers with wobbly eyes.

1-2-12

Today I was SO sleepy. It felt like a blanket of fatigue just settled over me and enshrouded me with yawns and the desire to close my eyes. It snowed a little today- just flurries, but enough to be pretty. Dan started a fire in the stove and we had to say goodbye to Root, who flew back to Colorado today. My glass Christmas balls fell off the tree in the wind yesterday, so I put them in the bird bath. They were frozen solid today- making for an interesting photo. In one way I'm ready to get back to the work I love, but in another way, I'm not ready to say goodbye to the vacation I love. Mixed emotions here on the 2nd day of the new year.

1-1-12

Today I finished the bunny slippers for Jes. Aren't they cute?!?!

We went for a nice walk in the arboretum around dusk- a beautiful sky- nice walking weather. We mainly just ate today- sat around the kitchen table munching on stuff. Root bought some Kentucky beer cheese, which was a big hit.

And I had to make Hoppin' John today. We all ate some, so we will all have good luck in 2012!

Here are Chrissy's Kids out partying at midnight last night (Photo thanks to Aza).

12-31-11

Sunset on 2011. Photo taken from the roof outside my bedroom window.

Today was a quiet day since Dan and the chirren were hiking and rock climbing in the Red River Gorge WITH Frisbee-- so I had the whole house to myself. I "got" to work on my review materials, read some books, clean and shop, and take a nap. Nice.

This evening we ordered Mellow Mushroom as carry out (Kosmic Karma is my fave) and then Dan drove the "kids" downtown to start their New Year's Eve festivities.

Tomorrow I start my 6th year as a Blogger. Good night 2011! May 2012 be a year of peace, unity, solutions, and growth for all (especially for everyone in Chrissy's world).

Here's to another trip around the sun!

12-30-11

Woke up this morning and made these cute shark fin slippers for a nephew. So cute! Spent the morning with my mom, drove her to the airport, then worked on my annual review binder all afternoon while the kids were on the Bourbon Trail with Dan.

After a dinner of leftover gumbo and lasagne, Squirt and Root began creating their brew. Squirtmeister the Brewmaster.

Aza, lovely in a felted hat I got as a gift back in 2002. I'm felting a hat tonight and hope it turns out somewhat nice. We listened to O Brother, John Prine, and the Red Stick Ramblers tonight as Aza, Baza, Root, Jes, and Squirt made beer, hot toddies, laughed, looked at old photos, ate cake and ice cream, and warmed the house with their energy.

12-29-11

Hooray for apple pie (crust made by Aza, filling made by Mags)! Hooray for the first flowers of winter! Hooray for Nana visiting and for Root visiting Kentucky! (There he is with his Christmas gifts: a custom made hat, an oven mitt, and a honey pot). And hooray for the corn husk flowers I bought in Berea yesterday now gracing a little ledge by the back door.

12-28-11

Made myself this awesome hat from yarn I bought at Shaker Village. We went to Berea today with Mom to do some putzing around. Loved Powdermill Pottery!!

12-27-11

We went to dinner at Spindletop Hall, a fancy mansion with a bazillion rooms and every imaginable expensive detail. I found the bathrooms the most fascinating rooms in the house and thought the rest was just a lot of show off frou frou. Jes, my most adventurous child, decided to take a bath while we were there.

12-26-11

Day after Christmas, we decided to take the kids to see Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill. Here they all are wearing hats I've made them. My mom arrived today from her visit with my sister Stay. We had a nice dinner together with Baza (Andrea's bf) too.

12-25-11

Yes, this is my son. He is wearing the extra special hat I made for him. He requested a Jamaican hat and I created one for him that even included dred locks!

Frisbee even got something from Santa. Here he is opening it by himself!

I made Aza a scarf and ear warmer set. She was pleased- and it even matched the sweater she was wearing.

Aza made Jes this lovely cross stitch to memorialize the trip to Costa Rica we took last Christmas.

Jes made us a nice healthy lunch after I made stuffed French toast for breakfast.... mmmm...

It was a simple Christmas with simple, special, gifts and lots of laughter, warm feelings, long walks, togetherness, cooking together, just being together. Squirt made the best egg nog ever and I drank a bit too much of it. I cooked a chicken dinner with mashed white/sweet potatoes, sugar snap peas, salad, and bread (and gravy). We had chocolate cake for dessert- a gift from my dad. My mom arrives tomorrow so more laughter, more food, more special togetherness.

12-24-11

My Jes is home! She and Aza finished the evening by the fire looking at old photo albums together. Christmas Eve. I talked with my Grandma via our iPads and got to see each other. We welcomed Jes home and watched It's a Wonderful Life on TV.

12-23-11

Breakfast after a good night's sleep with my dear friend the Trumpeter and her daughter Lily. I crocheted Lily a hat on my way to C'ville and it fit her perfectly. I was at the hospital taking pictures the day that Lily was born 8 years ago. Such a lovely, smart, creative, and fun young lady. Just like her momma. The Trumpeter and I were in a rock band for five years together back in the late '90s and early '00s. She sang and played trumpet while I played keyboards. I got to do a little duet with Lily who also plays piano, quite well.

We had lunch with some more good friends and then hit the road... but first stopped at our favorite bagel place in the whole wide world and bought a dozen to bring home. Long ride back to Kentucky, but I crocheted the whole time thanks to Dan's new headlamp which was a gift from his colleagues at work.