Toronto

Ever been to Toronto Canada? If so let me know...I am looking for something fun to do there.

I have had 2 proposals accepted at the Ed Media Conference in Toronto the very end of June. My papers are written and my tickets are bought.

Kevin will be traveling with me, so we are going to stay an extra day to see what we can see. Any ideas?

Goodbye Shadow

11 years ago, Mert, Jean, Jody and Kevin went out to a small farm to look at the puppies. We picked out a very cute, sweet black lab mix, and she was named Shadow.


The last few weeks were rough on Shadow. She had arthritis, diabetes, and her liver and kidneys started to fail.

Thus Jean had to make the heartbreaking decision to put Shadow to sleep on Tuesday. We were all very sad. Even Stormy and Deogi miss her, as they walk around the house and look for her.


Our pets do become like family and we learn their personalities just like people. They bring us much love and enjoyment, and when they are gone we are saddened by our loss.


Here is a picture of Shadow....in order left to right Boo Boo (Doug's dog), Stormy, Deogi, and Shadow.

Disney 2010

So here are our pictures for Orlando.....We arrived on Thursday night and it was raining when we got to the hotel. We stayed right across the street from Downtown Disney.

Friday morning arrived, it was sunny and beautiful out. We headed over to Hollywood Studios as we had never visited that park. First stop was to take pictures of the big Sorcerers hat that is the symbol of the park...

And why do we really go to Disney? To see Mickey of course!


At Hollywood and Epcot (it was actually the International Flower and Garden Festival at Epcot), they had great topiaries. This is one of my favorites....it is the Sorcerer's Apprentice. Notice the brooms have buckets of flowers they are dumping and making them grow. Think I need this in my yard....

We had a good time at Hollywood. Rode some good rides...Kevin even had me ride the Hollywood Tower Hotel ride...which is an elevator ride that drops you and drops you and drops you :) They also have some good shows there too.

Then we headed over to the Magic Kingdom.....We did of course go to toon town to see Mickey's house and then a stop in to see Mickey at the Fair


Saturday we decided to go to Epcot. We actually got to the park early, and they let us go in early. We rode the Soarin' ride 3 times before the park opened. (nothing like hang gliding over all of California) That is unheard of as the day before we heard the ride had a 115 minute wait (yes that is almost 2 hours) so we took advantage when we could.

We also rode Test Track and Mission Space and almost everything else there. It was a beautiful day, not too busy at the park.

As I said above, it was the Flower and Garden Festival...so they had all these set up for the various Disney movies...here are some of the best ones...can you believe this is all flowers?


Of course, Mickey is one of the best :-)

Speaking of Mickey, we had to find him at Epcot too....

And Pluto....(we skipped the other characters...can you imagine?)

I think I need this in my yard too. That wouldn't be much to take care of, water, weed...ok, maybe I need a gardener too.



We had a good time at Epcot, and had dinner in France, at Les Chefs de France it was really good. So we had to stop to have our picture taken with the Eiffel Tower behind us...


Not long before we left Epcot, we came across this empty pavilion and then I realized why it was empty how could they ask the expert when I wasn't there :)
After we left Epcot we headed to Downtown Disney for a stroll through the stores before going back to the hotel.

Sunday we only had part of a day since I had to be at my conference in the afternoon. We also woke up to cloudy skies, but that didn't stop us. We went back to the Magic Kingdom and hit a couple of rides we had missed on Friday, and then went over to the Animal Kingdom...I know, I know, that isn't a lot of time, but really it is 4 parks, 1 World (or so we kept seeing).

The safari ride is one of the best things there, so we got to see it and the Finding Nemo Musical

Since it was cloudy out we got to see more animals, I won't bore you with lots of pictures



We left the park around noonish and by the time we got over to the conference it was pouring down rain...So I didn't feel so bad about having to leave the parks for the conference :-)

The conference was the real reason for the trip. The conference was all about course redesign. How to redesign courses for the best student learning kind of things. So we did a small presentation about one of our courses (this course has about 30,000 students a year so it is a big one for us), and how we redesigned it and improved our student success.

So here we are (Betsy and Me).



So all in all it was a good trip. Vacation is great...wish I could do it more often.... sigh....

Too Excited.....

Do you remember this video?




That is exactly how I feel as one week from today...I will be visiting with Mickey.

Its a Math Holiday!!

Happy Pi Day!

Today is March 14 (3.14) and celebrated all across the country as Pi Day. It is also Albert Einstein's birthday.

It was Albert Einstein who said “Do not worry about your difficulties in Mathematics. I can assure you mine are still greater. ”

This is a fun little Pi song for you to enjoy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BwKZEp2K_0&feature=related

And Google is celebrating the holiday with a “Google Doodle” go that shows some of the many formulas that depend on pi to google.com to see.

How am I celebrating? Well I think there just might be some pi(e) involved for dessert tonight. :)

Happy Pi Day!

Jody

Orlando.....yea!

Today, I learned that I was accepted to present a poster session at the NCAT Redesign Alliance Conference in Orlando next month! Really any excuse to get to Orlando works for me. I am hoping for an additional conference presentation in November (I will be submitting a couple of proposals).

Yes and for those of you 'counting' I was just in Miami last month, in Chicago last week...will be in Chicago again the first part of March...then to Orlando the end of March.

I NEVER would have thought, that I would like to present at conferences nor that I would travel as I do for work and conferences....so not at all like me....well maybe it is now.

Happy Valentine's Day

It is so good to be home. Last night after Kevin picked me up at the airport and we got home, I found something special for me on the Kitchen counter:


Thanks Sweetie! They are beautiful and I love them. Tonight we are going to dinner at O' Sole Mio! Yum!


Kevin, you are the best!

A surprise Birthday Gift

Not too long ago, we received a box from Pauline. In the box was a memory game for Caelum for his birthday. Here he is playing on Super Bowl Sunday with Leslie

So I am in Chicago....actually heading home later today (YEA!!!).

It has been a good/fast trip. I am here to work with a publisher and many of their developers for some software we use. It has been interesting to learn their thought process and the items they are working on. We have also been able to say what we like, don't like, and what features we want to see. Many of the people I have worked with and met with on the phone, but the first time I have met them in person, and that is always fun too.

The publisher has treated us very well. It is cold here, Lake Michigan and the river are both icy, and there is snow. Here are a few pics from my cell phone...that really means they are not good pictures, especially out my hotel window....

The skyline....





Last night we went to Trattoria 10 it was really yummy...I would go back in a heart beat....

This was our ride over to the restaurant...there were several of us and this was actually cheaper than taxis
Looking forward to being home. I will be back to Chicago the first week of March, so I won't be home too long.

Small town antics……

Yesterday Kevin had a bad day at work, we have all had them you know…meetings…things broken…internet down etc…so, around 3:30 in the afternoon we decided to go to town and do some errands.

1. Kevin had something from work to ship back via UPS
2. Go to the bank
3. Go to the office supply/Hallmark store
4. Go to the post office
5. Pick up dinner at the Mall/Subway (really this means go to Wal-Mart and then to Subway on the way out)

Since our town is so small, we decided to park at the UPS shipping place (it is a copy service company) and then walk the rest of it...town is only 4-5 blocks after all

So, we go to the copy place. Their internet and entire network was down, so they couldn't get the shipping label done or printed. After waiting about 10 min, we said, “We have some errands we will be back” Only in a small town, can you feel confident leaving the item knowing that they will get it all set while you are gone. Therefore, we leave and go to the bank.

The person at the bank was new and we were depositing a check into savings but also getting $200 cash back...we asked for $40 of that in 10s 5s and 1s. First, it took her forever to just figure out how to enter all that into the system. Then she could not (I had to tell her how) count the money back to us, and how much there should be. When she did finally count it to us, she had to do it twice because she was so confused...I would think that counting cash would be a job requirement of a teller, and if this was a large city she would never make it. At this point Kevin states that it must be “Waste Kevin’s time day”, because that has been the flow of the day up to that point.

Next, we go to the office supply/Hallmark store

Side Story

We do not buy birthday, anniversary, or holiday cards for each other anymore. The story is that we both had a huge stack of sweet cards, and we didn’t know what to do with them anymore but didn’t want to throw them out, since the other person had put much thought and care into picking the right card. So, we decided the stack could be thrown out and instead of buying new cards each “event”, we go to the store, pick out the perfect card for the other, the other person reads it, and we put it back on the shelf...saves a ton

We decided to read our Valentine’s Day cards to each other, while we were there. Then I picked up a card to mail to my friend Kari (shhh do not tell her it is in the mail)….We go to the register and of course have to wait for the person to talk to her friend who was leaving. Then I do not have any coins, just a $5. The register she is using does not have the right coins either. The lady says, “Let me check this register” and goes to the other one. No coins there either...so she says, “let me get some from the back” And she leaves BOTH registers (which had cash in them) open and goes to the back to get coins while we are standing there. I cannot believe she left us there, with both drawers wide open...so I warned her to be more careful. She says, “I like my small town and trust people here” I reminded her there is crime even in small towns. Of course, more wasted time for Kevin, while we waited.

We go to the post office. The line is out the door, and there is only one person workingso we wait and wait. People were mailing packages, getting money orders, you name it, and anything that is slow is what the customers wanted. Finally get our stuff done.... (More wasted Kevin time)

Then we go back to the shipping place. By now, they have Kevin's bill ready. He wants to pay with Visa since he is turning it into work for reimbursement...but, we have to wait (more waiting), because, someone came in to send a 17 page fax and the credit card machine and the fax machine use the same phone line. So we wait. While we are waiting, a man comes in to make copies. The receptionist talks to him and says, “I have your tab here (for 60 cents), from last time you were in”. They talk and come to find out; his tab goes back to December. Only in a small town would a place carry a 60-cent tab this long. Now that he made more copies, he now has a 90 cent tab and says "I will come back tomorrow to square this away.”Yes only in a small town is something like this possible.

Finally we are able to leave, we go outside and realize that the guy who was in the store, left his car is out front, unlocked, running...... only in a small town can you carry a 60 cent tab and leave your car running out front of a store while you are inside.

Yes only in a small town...crazy

So what about Subway for dinner? Well we never got there….we were headed on our way it was just after 5, we were going to do a little shopping, pick up a couple of items, then grab dinner and take it home. Well on the way to the Mall (aka Wal-Mart), Kevin remembers he has class at 5 pm, and he is now late. We came straight home, he went to class, and I warmed up some stuff in the oven for dinner.

Tomorrow I am off to Chicago for a few days. I am sure it will be different there than here….no small town antics in Chicago. However, I hope I learn something and have some fun too. I am one of 14 people that one of our publishers invited to Chicago to meet with their developers.

Miami ....

I spent the last few days in Miami, where it was a warm dry 80 degrees every day! Sigh....if only I had more time to be out in the sun. It was our annual faculty retreat where I get to see all my FT faculty, a few part timers, we do some professional development and meetings and end with graduation.

As usual at work they took great care of me. I didn't have a "great" view but I could see the ocean....well sorta....

Do you see it? I marked it for you. Ha ha ha

I also love bridges and this one out my window I watched several times as cars stopped so it would raise up and let a boat through. We don't have much water here, so when I get to see that, I enjoy watching it.




Isn't this a fine group of smart folks? This is my faculty:


Here are some of us as we get ready to go to Graduation. I love to see all the Caps and Gowns...so much fun!
Our graduation speaker this year was Colin Powell. He was a great Speaker. I don't normally post many things with/about work...but this was awesome. Unfortunately I was far away....



This really was a highlight of the trip. He shared a great message, was entertaining and I hope was memorable to our graduates.

Making German Sausage

Many of you already know from Kevin's facebook page that we recently made some homemade German Sausage. We used the recipe that my grandmother always used. I know I know it doesn't look appetizing, and it isn't like we eat it every day....but we do know it is all natural and we know everything that is in it. We don't make it very often (once every few years), and we usually share with with many families. It freezes well and cooks up great on the BBQ.

Here we are filling the casing.
We made mostly rings of sausage (as above and below)


This year we also made some sausages more like Bratwurst and did them "bun" length too.

Silly Yogi

We have my brother's dog here for a few weeks. He is Yogi, we have mentioned him here before. He is a real sweetheart. The first week he was here, I took a bath one night and he almost climbed in with me....he thought the big tub was awesome. He did climb in after I got out though....

Little Miss Matched

Right before New Years, my friend Darline and I finally were able to get together and celebrate Christmas together.

We (and our husbands) first went to dinner at Elaine's Place at the Country Club here in town. It was the first time any of us had been there and it was great! I think it may be one of our new favorite places in town.

We also exchanged gifts. Darline gave me Little Miss Matched socks. I have seen these socks around, but I didn't have any. I love them. First they are very comfortable, but more importantly they are very fun and cool colors. As you can see below, they don't match (hence the name), they come in packs of 3 socks, and they coordinate, but don't actually make "pairs". Darline thought they would be perfect for the work at home person, and I have to admit, I have been wearing them almost every day. (Pauline and Nadine what do you think?)


Check out the website. They have so much more than just socks. And they do have stuff for all ages and for both boys and men too. They also have bedding, furniture, gloves, flip flops, and other accessories. So much fun!

Caelum's 4!

Dec 24th was our great Nephew Caelum's 4th birthday. The theme was Transformers.....here he is as we sing Happy Birthday.....



Showing Curt how the Dragon works....


Oh wow...that is a GIANT Buz Lightyear!

Sports Games from Kevin and Jody....


Kim and Jody Checking out the colors.....I am surprised that Jody didn't try to steal these, she loves to color.
It was a fun evening....