The newest trend in our house is work out videos. I consider this trend to be good. Past 55th street trends were raw brownie batter eating, crocheting, and in general just eating/making sugary food. So since most of us in the house decided to be more 'healthy' this winter, work out videos seemed to make and appearance. It started when I got out my 20 minute pilates DVD from my senior year of high school. This was a good challenge for a few days. After that Tera pulled out her huge collection of Turbo Jam DVD's. I had never experienced Turbo Jam before, and lets just say that it is an experience, (especially for a coordination challenged person like me). So after a few 20 minute sessions every once in a while we went crazy on Sunday afternoon. Tera, Lilly, and I completed one 20 minute learn and burn work out followed by a 40 minute sculpt session and lastly a 20 minute ab session that was really painful. Climbing stairs and moving my stomach has been a challenge.
Other than obsessively working out (not really) things have been good. Amy and I got to see our favorite baby Rhianna the other day. Our neighbors babysit her every Saturday and I always look forward to seeing her. She is honestly the funniest baby ever. I can't wait till she starts talking.
In other unrelated news my family will be in Philly in a little under three weeks to visit me for the weekend. Then three weeks after that I will be traveling to Brenham TX to be a part of the wedding of Lauren Hall and Chris Gaines! After that a certain best friend is coming to visit me! So spring is going to be eventful no doubt.
That's all for now. I will try to encourage something funny to happen with the kids today in aftercare at Cornerstone. The funniest thing that happened yesterday, and its a little more creepy than funny was this kid "john" who is in kindergarten whispering "i killed a fat man" under his breath repeatedly while doing homework. Its always the small things that make me laugh.
p.s. Oh, I forgot to officially announce that I have been accepted to Eastern University for the MA program in Urban Studies with a concentration in Community Development! Whoop!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Friday, January 16, 2009
drama queen
I am officially not as good at east coast living as I thought I would be. I had this romanticized idea about winter on the east coast from christmas movies based in new york. I always just assumed I would automatically enjoy the brisk, cold weather and take to it quickly. Wrong. My body has gone into shock this week. I am wearing multiple layers of hats, scarves, and gloves and I am still shivering. I really try my hardest not to be dramatic, but I am acting a little like a drama queen in this weather. I completely understand why animals want to live in our house. I actually have a little (a very little) compassion for the squirrel that was living in our house. For those of you who haven't heard the story of the squirrel here is a quick synopsis.
On my last night in Philly before Christmas break my roommates and I discovered an animal in a closet. In said closet this animal had made a nest with Tera's clothes and pieces of paper and had chewed through a plastic laundry basket. What is the animal you ask. Oh, just a full size SQUIRREL. Sick. So we all flipped out and shouted profanities and cried and laughed and then we called the landlord. Thus the landlord sent over a man who when we answered the door was holding a big stick. He told us he was a redneck from Florida and that he was going to kill the squirrel. So then "Steve" we will call him had a change of heart and decided to try and catch the squirrel in a box. Bad idea Steve. The squirrel, who we thought was tired and half dead, was not. It ran into one of the bedrooms, then it ran up Steve's leg and arm and jumped into Sara's bed. We all freaked out. I jumped onto a chair, and then the squirrel ran downstairs and then proceeded to get stuck in our radiator. After a few more minutes of the squirrel freaking out and running around we somehow managed to chase it out the front door,crazy night.
Some in our house think that the squirrel has taken up resident in our house again. We have no way of knowing for sure, but for now there has been no concrete evidence.
This week has been good in other ways. I completed a tax training through the Benefit Bank this week. It was weirdly exciting to learn about filing taxes. I have no idea why I liked it so much. I made friends with one of the ladies taking the class and I picked her brain about working the non-profit world and living in Philly. She did better than me in the cold weather because she is from Michigan. Oh Texas, how you have spoiled me.
For curriculum we are reading Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning. I highly recommend it. It has always been one of those books that I have wanted to read, bought to read, borrowed to read, but never really did it. Big mistake on my part for waiting so long. It is excellent. I am most attracted to the way the Manning talks about why Jesus is so close to children, and those with childlike hearts. He mentions the incompetence of children and how they really don't have the ability to do lots of things for themselves, and how God longs to do far more for us than we allow Him to. A seemingly obvious thought, but still so hard for my mind to grasp.
I hope everyone has a great week.
On my last night in Philly before Christmas break my roommates and I discovered an animal in a closet. In said closet this animal had made a nest with Tera's clothes and pieces of paper and had chewed through a plastic laundry basket. What is the animal you ask. Oh, just a full size SQUIRREL. Sick. So we all flipped out and shouted profanities and cried and laughed and then we called the landlord. Thus the landlord sent over a man who when we answered the door was holding a big stick. He told us he was a redneck from Florida and that he was going to kill the squirrel. So then "Steve" we will call him had a change of heart and decided to try and catch the squirrel in a box. Bad idea Steve. The squirrel, who we thought was tired and half dead, was not. It ran into one of the bedrooms, then it ran up Steve's leg and arm and jumped into Sara's bed. We all freaked out. I jumped onto a chair, and then the squirrel ran downstairs and then proceeded to get stuck in our radiator. After a few more minutes of the squirrel freaking out and running around we somehow managed to chase it out the front door,crazy night.
Some in our house think that the squirrel has taken up resident in our house again. We have no way of knowing for sure, but for now there has been no concrete evidence.
This week has been good in other ways. I completed a tax training through the Benefit Bank this week. It was weirdly exciting to learn about filing taxes. I have no idea why I liked it so much. I made friends with one of the ladies taking the class and I picked her brain about working the non-profit world and living in Philly. She did better than me in the cold weather because she is from Michigan. Oh Texas, how you have spoiled me.
For curriculum we are reading Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning. I highly recommend it. It has always been one of those books that I have wanted to read, bought to read, borrowed to read, but never really did it. Big mistake on my part for waiting so long. It is excellent. I am most attracted to the way the Manning talks about why Jesus is so close to children, and those with childlike hearts. He mentions the incompetence of children and how they really don't have the ability to do lots of things for themselves, and how God longs to do far more for us than we allow Him to. A seemingly obvious thought, but still so hard for my mind to grasp.
I hope everyone has a great week.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
back.
As of 2:30 yesterday afternoon I was a citizen of Philadelphia again. I was greeted by the great Philadelphia airport and was invited to wait for my luggage for 30 minutes. Good welcome. Despite not ideal conditions I got back to my house and was greeted by all the christmas decorations that I promptly took down and threw them down the basement stairs. Once that was over i popped a few benadryl and slept for about ten hours. It was glorious. I was slightly groggy this morning though and had and interesting walk to work. I had forgotten how much I really like my 30 minute walk to work. It is sometimes a pain and often boring, but there is something really therapeutic about that walk. I see friendly and unfriendly people, and look at the murals, and I always debate going into dunkin' donuts for a coffee. When I am almost to work I usually get accosted by the hack cab drivers on Woodland who ask me if i need a ride anywhere. You would think after four months of seeing me walk everyday that they would understand that I am never going to take a ride in their cars. No offense to them however, I am sure they are wonderful gentlemen.
My two weeks at home were good. I got the see a few friends and family and spent a lot of time consuming mexican food. Christmas was spent in Amarillo with my mom's side of the family. It was good we ate lamb. For one of the first times ever my family opened presents on Christmas eve, which I enjoyed. My favorite gift, probably the rolly bag my mom got me. Cute and practical. We opened presents at my grandma's the day after christmas with my aunt and uncle.
New Year's eve I drove to Dallas and met up with seven of my closest friends. We all crammed into a hotel room and every choreographed a dance to Bossy to welcome Brooke back from France. She of course was overwhelmed. She actually wouldn't come into the room while we were doing the dance, which worried me. She ended up not being emotionally scarred from it however. On New Year's day we woke up early and ate at the unbeatable Cafe Brazil, and then I headed to my grandparents. Rachel and I might or might not have gotten lost. At my grandparents my entire family met up to celebrate the holiday. The day after was Grace Brazile-Watsons wedding which was a good time for all. The next my family and Brooke headed to Amarillo in my dad's highlander and arrived home on Saturday. I got to see some Gladies on Sunday who surprised me with a visit to Amarillo. We cooked dinner and laughed. The next morning at 6:30 my mom drove me to the airport, and I was gone.
So my two weeks home was good, and I am looking forward to more fun in the months to come.
My two weeks at home were good. I got the see a few friends and family and spent a lot of time consuming mexican food. Christmas was spent in Amarillo with my mom's side of the family. It was good we ate lamb. For one of the first times ever my family opened presents on Christmas eve, which I enjoyed. My favorite gift, probably the rolly bag my mom got me. Cute and practical. We opened presents at my grandma's the day after christmas with my aunt and uncle.
New Year's eve I drove to Dallas and met up with seven of my closest friends. We all crammed into a hotel room and every choreographed a dance to Bossy to welcome Brooke back from France. She of course was overwhelmed. She actually wouldn't come into the room while we were doing the dance, which worried me. She ended up not being emotionally scarred from it however. On New Year's day we woke up early and ate at the unbeatable Cafe Brazil, and then I headed to my grandparents. Rachel and I might or might not have gotten lost. At my grandparents my entire family met up to celebrate the holiday. The day after was Grace Brazile-Watsons wedding which was a good time for all. The next my family and Brooke headed to Amarillo in my dad's highlander and arrived home on Saturday. I got to see some Gladies on Sunday who surprised me with a visit to Amarillo. We cooked dinner and laughed. The next morning at 6:30 my mom drove me to the airport, and I was gone.
So my two weeks home was good, and I am looking forward to more fun in the months to come.
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