back in time

Do you ever wish you could go back in time, even if for just one night? I am constantly surrounded from images of my past, pictures of smiles frozen in time. I sometimes feel as though I rushed some of the best times in my life and I now cherish those memories. If I could go back, I would pick one day from college, springfest 2001. This was one of my most favorite days in college. Alpha Delta Pi was mixing with Theta Chi and all of the people that I loved to spend my time with were there. It was a celebration of the end of the school year and of the beginning of summer. It was college and my biggest responsibility was not failing out. There was a luau theme, the sun was shining and the grill was burning (and the drinks were flowing). My relationship with Carl was still fairly new and we had so much excitement and energy. I think we even have a picture of us stealing away to have one of those kisses that make your heart swoon in alpha. We ate and drank and laughed all day long. We listened to Jimmy Buffett and we probably had a dance or two. Weida went swimming in the kiddie pool. It was the best day. Whenever I watch American Pie II, one of the last scenes, during the party when all of the guys meet eyes and tip their glasses, I think of that day; a well deserved, perfect party. At the end of the day, the usual suspects ended up in Chuck and Carl's room for pizza. Then Wen, Carl, and I headed back to Stephens for some rest. Andy called looking for us, but we were all too tired to answer the phone. Eventually, Carl got up and let him in the shady door. I remember falling asleep early, exhausted from the sun and drinking, and sleeping the rest of the night in Carl's arms. Looking back at that day, I know that all of those people will never be together at the same time in the same place ever again. I don't even talk to most of them anymore, but I often think back and smile.

Music Meme

Music Meme
(shout out to Bslap)

1. Choose a band/artist: Jimmy Buffett
2. Answer each question using the title of a song by that band/artist
3. Are you male or female: Brown Eyed Girl
4. Describe yourself: Smart Woman (In a Real Short Skirt)
5. How do some people feel about you? Stories We Could Tell
6. How do you feel about yourself? Simply Complicated
7. Describe your ex boyfriend / girlfriend: If The Phone Doesn't Ring Its Me
8. Describe current boyfriend / girlfriend: The Perfect Partner
9. Describe where you want to be: Beach House on the Moon
10. Describe how you live: I Used to Have Money One Time
11. Describe how you love: Quietly Making Noise
12. What would you ask for if you had just one wish? Sail on Sailor
13. Share a few words of Wisdom: We Are The People Our Parents Warned Us About
14. Now say goodbye: The Weather Is Here, Wish You Were Beautiful

The long awaited "first" vacation

This weekend (and part of last week) Carl and I took the girls to North Carolina for their first official vacation and it was wonderful. We left late on Wednesday evening and arrived in NC early Thursday morning. Delaney and Alison felt it necessary to play with each other for the remainder of the night, so Carl and I were not able to get very much more sleep. The place we stayed was absolutely beautiful and we were lucky to have had the opportunity to go. While in North Carolina we were able to take the girls swimming at both the beach and the pool. Delaney loves sand, hates sun, and really enjoyed the pool. Alison is indifferent to sand, also enjoyed the pool, and doesn't seem to mind the sun too much. I learned a most important lesson this weekend as well...swim diapers are not so absorbant. This was found out the hard way twice, by both Carl and I as we were holding our daughters and discovering that we had pee running down our sides. The time away was much needed and very relaxing. Carl and I were able to take some time to ourselves (compliments of the inlaws). We were able to squeeze in a few games of tennis and some bike riding, which was great. We rode the bikes down to the dock and saw tons of fiddler crabs walking by the waters edge. Swimming with the girls was great also! They loved the water and splashed so much, Carl and I lost track of time. In our next visit to Southport, we would love to have the time to visit the town.

I would also just like to make a quick PSA. Do not be quick to use the words "rich" and "spoiled" together in a sentence without knowing a person well enough!

PACAC and Hershey

My esteemed colleague Katie and I have been in Hershey, PA for the last two days at the PACAC conference. I must stay that I quite enjoyed both the conference and spending time with Katie. We both indulged in the thing that Hershey is known for, CHOCOLATE!!!! We had hot chocolate, cocoachinos, chocolate candies, chocolate mouse, chocolate cookies, chocolate ice cream, and chocolate muffins. We even have bracelet that let the world know that we love chocolate from our visit to Chocolate World. The conference was helpful and I think we both have some great new ideas, but the best part was definitely hanging out at the park. The very first attraction we rode on was Tidal Force. This ride was both the wettest ride we went on at the park and the death for Katie's phone. I think the funniest thing for me while we were there was the site of Katie walking around in drenched work clothes (well that and my face in the picture on Storm Chaser). Clearly, Katie and I are behind when it comes to understand the catch phrases like "NCLB" but I still had a great time. I recommend a trip to the PACAC conference to boost morale.

Grad school is calling

I have now worked in my current position for a little over two years. One of the major perks of working for the state is that they cover any sort of education you want to pursue (as long as you pursue it through a state school). I've long been putting off this masters degree; so long in fact that I started a family before starting school. This fall is the fall. I will have limited travel and will have the "time" to immerse myself into the world of higher education, again. This time I fear that it will not be as fun as the first time and will be purely for professional advancement, not for the "experiences" that my undergrad degree brought me. I think that I have decided on human resource management. I can do the whole degree online and it somewhat relates to my "career". We'll se how this goes, working full time mom who is now going to try for a masters degree.

tennis update

I almost forgot...I beat Carl in tennis again this weekend. This time it was 5-0!

a happy medium

This past Friday I think that I found a happy medium between my life as a 25 year old and my life as a mom. Now that I am a mom, I spend the majority of my free time changing diapers and playing with toys that make funny sounds. I love spending time with my girls, but sometimes its nice to have moments when I can remember that I am still fairly young. This past Friday night, while my mother in law watched the girls, Carl and I went to his friends house for some crabs and drinking. Drinking turned into drinking games (beer pong to be exact) and I ended up drinking lots and having a great time. There was some good conversation and later some stranger conversation at this gathering and I forgot for two hours, what it was like to be a "responsible adult". (I was a little responsible, assigning Carl to be the D.D. in the car on the way to the party). I have had my party fix for a while and I will go back to being a responsible mom-type, at least until we go to North Carolina with Dan and Mindy!

working mom dilema

Recently, I had the conversation of working mom vs. stay at home mom with some stay at home moms. Sometimes I feel as is there is a large bias against working moms, almost indicating that because I put my children in someone else's care during the day that I'm a bad mom and don't know my children as well as a I might if I stayed at home. I don't think these ideas are true at all and staying home "sick" yesterday with Delaney and Alison proved me right. I spend evenings and weekends with my daughters. I am the person that wakes them up in the morning and I am the person who puts them to bed at night. I read to the them, play with them, feed them, comfort them when they are sad, and I am part of their "firsts". I take them places other than our neighborhood. Yesterday, my girls were happy all day while I was home. They woke up and we played. We watched Sesame Street. They took a nap, had lunch, and then went to visit Carl at work. My girls giggled all day long and were even smiling when it was time to go to bed. It is clear to me that they treasure our time together just as much as I do. I love my daughters, but I also love my work. I think that I can have both!

feeling old

Today was day 2 of my new working out at the gym plan. When I go to the gym, I feel old and dumb. I think part of the problem is that I'm being cheap (and intend to continue being cheap) by using the university gym, which is free of cost. The university gym is obviously intended for college students and I am no longer a college student, nor do I have the body I did when I was in college. The girls that are working out on the machines around me are wearing, for the most part, tight workout wear. I am in my post-childbirth baggy t-shirt and cotton shorts. I am making an effort to "fit in" a little better by wearing my sorority shirts, but I'm guessing that it makes me look even older since the dates on these shirts are anywhere from 1999-2003.
I did occasionally hit the gym at Gettysburg, but more often than not went running around campus. I'm not well versed in gym machinery, so I always feel as though others are looking at me because I'm using something incorrectly. Hopefully by taking advantage of the gym more often, my social anxiety in regards to the gym will work itself out. The whole idea behind this workout plan is to get myself into pre-pregnancy shape (I'm at pre-pregnancy weight but somehow I'm still a lot fatter).

Book Club

This month for book club we read a very interesting book called "The Reading Group". It was about a group of women who meet monthly for a book club, something that I participate in as well. One character that really stuck out to me was Susan. Susan's mother was going through a sort of dimensia and she was learning how to deal with the fact that her mother was getting old, and that she was not necessarily the person that she had once been. I really identified with parts of Susan because I feel that in a sense, I am going through the same struggle with my Grandmother. My Grandmother has been sick for sometime, and unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, I am not able to visit her. When I have been able to visit her in the past, she seems to be only a shadow of herself. Recently, I have begun to write letters to her. Writing allows me to communicate with my Grandmother on our terms. I can write to her and keep in contact with her in a special way and she can read the letters at her leisure, more than once if she chooses. I am able to send her pictures in the letters so that she can see how big the girls are getting or what Carl and I are up to. I always include my phone number in the letters in case she wants to give me a call. I know that being restricted with your movement is difficult and very lonely and I want her to know how much she means to me and how much I love her. I think that I find some peace with the situation as I write to her.

This past weekend

This past weekend, Carl and I brought Delaney and Alison to alumni weekend at Gettysburg. We had lunch with some old friends at La Bella's and I can't believe how different it is... an actual sit down restaurant now!!!! After, we went to campus and pushed Delaney and Alison around in their stroller, telling them stories of what it was like when Carl and I lived there. Its strange sometimes, to go back to college, and realize that you don't really have a "place" there anymore. We walked by residence halls that either Carl and I have lived in, and reminisced. We told stories of late night studying, good food, and of course great parties! Aunt Chrissy let Laney and Alie know about the large closets in Stevens and the "shady door". Carl and I remembered some great times in Theta Chi and stopped by for Carl to get a picture with the girls.

Sunday, I did some yard work. Carl did some laundry. We came together for a game of tennis, and I kicked his butt (although not as badly as I would have liked to).

Finally, I would just like to state "go o's!!!!"

revisiting the duel idea

The duel is proving to be quite unsuccessful. I am working out more frequently, but the idea behind the competition was motivation, and I'm not feeling any particular motivation from it. I have now decided that Katie and I should work out at Burdick during the lunch hour. This will acheive a number of goals.

1. We will get 30 minutes of cardio 3 times a week indoors.
2. We will be able to limit the number of meals that we eat out because we are busy working out during our "lunchtime". We will still be eating lunch when we get back from working out, it will just be a working lunch.
3. Since we are working out together, I think it will increase our motivation because we can encourage each other to get our butts to the gym.

This just leaves me with two things to do... downloading more songs onto the mp3 player and packing the gym bag!