thinktank

Santa Baby

2007-12-10T20:36:00.001-05:00

"What in the world is this puffy thing that keeps following me around???"

Family Resemblance?

2007-12-10T19:34:00.000-05:00

Haywood's sister just sent this picture of the two of them at Christmas in 1970. Haywood is 11 months old in this pic.

I know, I know....

2007-12-10T11:38:00.000-05:00

I lie...I say I'm going to post and I don't. I promise to send pics and I don't. I'm sorry. But here are a couple to tide you over until the next time. I apologize in general for the lack of electronic communication, but I have a serious obstacle. I live in a rural area. I have a deep, dark secret. I STILL have dial-up. Yep. Former software engineer, former instructional technology resource teacher, current partner in a digital content management and web company and I STILL have dial-up! There is nothing available on my street yet except satellite internet and I have been warned away from it by too many people. That, coupled with the fact that there is a wireless broadband company inching its coverage area closer and closer to us, promising just 4 more months, just 4 more months, I just hesitate to fork out fees for setup and equipment for the satellite and then have to pay early termination fees when something else becomes available. So I'm being patient, just as you have been in waiting for me to post. :-) Hope everyone has a great holiday season!

Sierra and Parker

2007-05-02T21:54:00.000-04:00

Here's a pic of Sierra enjoying her new little brother.

Hospital Pic

2007-05-02T21:34:00.000-04:00

Here's a pic of Parker sleeping in the hospital. He looks just like me, don't ya think? (haha :-) )

Birth Announcement

2007-04-25T04:25:00.000-04:00

Update

2007-02-21T14:58:00.000-05:00

Well, since my pregnancy is practically over (well, not exactly) I thought it would be fitting to post an update. I'll be 29 weeks along tomorrow and I just had my lovely glucose tolerance test yesterday. Got a call today saying I failed the test and now I have to do the 3 hour test. I am bummed because yesterday I also had an ultrasound and they said they thought the baby was measuring a little large (3.5 pounds) and they asked if I had taken my GTT yet, so I thought it was a bad omen. My next test won't be until next Thursday, but I have decided in the meantime to modify my diet now in the event that I do have gestational diabetes, because I don't want to create any additional risk for the baby in the next week. Other than that, my pregnancy has been going pretty well and I have some cute ultrasound pics to post later when I can scan them in. QJ, I know you went through this so even though I haven't been diagnosed yet, I still want to be cautious and any advice (or meal plans!) you have would be really helpful!

Sierra's really excited about her little brother and she already includes him as part of the family. We've been calling him Howie as a nickname, but we haven't picked his "real name" yet.

I just finished taking three online classes, which totally wiped out my time and energy, but I am now finally going to focus on baby planning, purchasing a crib and other necessities and finally getting the house ready!

It's a...

2006-12-21T21:46:00.000-05:00

boy.

Tomorrow's the Big Day!

2006-12-20T09:11:00.000-05:00

Well, it's hard to believe, but I'm already 20 weeks along. Tomorrow we have our ultrasound and we'll find out the gender of the baby...that means we can start deciding on names and planning for what colors of baby gear to buy! Sierra is also going to come and she is really excited to meet her little sibling (on screen at least).

Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas! This is my last day of work until January 2 (ahh the joys of working in public education :-) )

My favorite time of year...

2006-11-14T10:43:00.000-05:00

Yup, you guessed it. I love food and I love the cooking and eating season from now until the New Year begins. This year we'll have about 20 people for Thanksgiving!! I have been so happy with thebrine the night before and high-heat low-heat method that I have used for several years now, but I am a little worried this time. With a larger crowd, that means a larger turkey. Based on some of the reading I did, the larger turkey can get dry with this method because it has to cook for so much longer. I pride myself on NEVER having a dry turkey (of course the brining helps with this) so I am giving SERIOUS thought to doing two smaller turkeys this year.

The only thing that worries me is adjusting the cooking time so I can figure when the birds will be done for timing purposes. All I have to do is take a look at them and see if I can fit two smaller turkeys side by side in my roasting pan (and oven!) I guess that could mean discreetly taking a tape measure to the grocery store, hehe. I am hoping that I'll end up with more drippings for gravy this way, because I was also warned that with 1 bigger bird, I might not be able to make enough gravy for the entire crowd.

I have a tried and true giblet stock recipe I always make the night before while the turkey is brining, so I figure I'll double this since I'll have twice as many giblets and then I should easily be able to make a boat load of gravy (not just a gravy boat, but a REAL boat!). I'll also be making Sausage and Cranberry Stuffing, Oranged Cranberry Sauce (I LOVE the smell of this as it is cooking), mashed potatoes and a caramel pecan pie and then some of my family members are going to contribute other dishes. I am starving already just thinking about it!!!

I'm pregnant!

2006-11-07T20:57:00.000-05:00

That's right, I got tired of waiting for my friends and family members to get started having kids, so I went ahead without them...again!

Due date: May 10th.

Sierra's excited and I've got heartburn :-)

Quick Update

2006-08-09T23:31:00.000-04:00

Here's a quick update about what I have been up to lately. My web company landed a nice opportunity to do a site for a $1M grant for Teachers of American History. We're swamped with that and my "other" job of teaching starts next week already. Where has the summer gone?

Last week I spent 3 days in Fredericksburg at a state conference for instructional technology resource teachers. R&R - I don't know where you live, but your kids must attend Lafayette Upper Elementary School - the school was spotless, beautiful, and they made their own food in the cafeteria. We had a delicious Caesar Chicken in an Herbed Wrap - now that's an awesome school lunch. Evidently they are the only school in F'burg that makes their own food. Being in Fredericksburg meant that I could do something I hadn't made time for in 4 years....upgrading my cell phone!! (it's the nearest verizon wireless to my house). I opted for the LG Chocolate. So far I love the size of it, but it is a bit different to get used to. I got a Jabra bluetooth headset as well, but I have 15 days to return it and I think I might because it does not fit securely in the ear (it fits around the ear) and when it vibrates it's pretty scary - like a huge mosquito flying into my ear. Maybe the motorola is better or maybe I don't really even need one.

Next week it's my turn to host the monthly Bunco party - QJ if you have any unforgettable appetizer recipes, please send 'em my way!!

Hope everyone's doing well!!

Build forms effortlessly online!

2006-07-10T06:52:00.000-04:00

Having been a Lotus Notes developer in a past life, I still have an affinity for forms and form design. Now I'm especially interested in web-based applications that will motivate technology-shy teachers to give them a try (blogs are a perfect example which we worked on with the teachers last school year). I have been watching the development of this web app for a while. It has finally been released, so check it out. Everyone could use a few forms, right? http://www.wufoo.com/

Another similar site is http://jotform.com/

I'll let you form your own opinion about which one is better. :-)

Somewhere Out There

2006-07-07T22:03:00.000-04:00

Tonight we got a chance to view the International Space Station in orbit. It was pretty cool and right on schedule at 9:12pm - it's hard to believe that there are actually people way up there, possibly eating freeze dried ice cream :-) Not sure if you could see it in the city or not, but to us it appeared as a steady white light moving at a similar pace to an airplane. No matter where you live, you can check out possible sighting opportunities using this tool:
http://spaceflight1.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/SSapplications/Post/JavaSSOP/JavaSSOP.html

Please Buy Consumables

2006-07-06T08:37:00.000-04:00

Unless there is an item I specifically ask for, please do not buy me trinkets, accessories, decorative or display items - especially if you have a different style than I do. Please. I suffer from a guilt complex and as a result, as I have been working on paring down my belongings recently, I have run across so many unwanted items that I find it hard to part with because of some associated guilt or the perception that I will feel guilt in the future if the giver were to visit and find the said item missing from its place on the mantle. Culinary supplies are my accessories of choice, so bring 'em on.

What do you do when you receive a gift you don't like? How long do you keep it? Have you ever brought an item out from hiding when the giver is to visit you? Am I just being too nice?

Age Perceptions

2006-07-06T07:58:00.000-04:00

The longer I'm back in my hometown, the more I realize that age is not only just a number, it's a perception and it's all relative. I frequently meet (or meet again) people that were working adults at the time I started Kindergarten here. Honestly, most of them look almost the same and quite a few look better (younger, thinner, more fit, less hairspray) than when I knew them as a kid. It is almost impossible for me to believe they have been adults this whole time and are still working, still active, not much has changed for them.

Meeting these people again as adults and having adult conversations (when the last converstation we might have had was 1+1=2) is a tiny adjustment for me, but is always a huge adjustment for them. All they can remember is the tow-headed girl who used to run around my parents' farm. They are amazed that I am now 30 and that the little girl is gone. Their lives have been relatively the same for the past 25 years, as they are still here doing the same thing and now somehow I have grown up and am now their coworker.

The reason I am thinking about this more now is that I am finally starting to think as the "older" person instead of the kid. My nieces are growing up at a rapid pace - one has been married for several years. Another has been driving for several years and is now in college and has a serious boyfriend. My two younger ones look more mature in every picture I see. H's nieces that I met as 8 year olds are both grown up - one is in college dating an NFL player and the other is married with two children. There is never really much discussion from any of them as they age. Maybe a little of the obligatory "look how much you've grown" from me, but they don't exactly say things to me like, "I'm older now so I'll be cursing during our conversations" or "I'm a political activist now, so we can nix the talk about summer camp" or the dreaded, "I'll be making more money than you when I graduate..."

I guess the good news is that now that I am the older person, maybe I can accept that my aging doesn't matter any more, because it will go completely unnoticed by the younger ones. :-)

On a side note: I also just noticed recently that I am actually old enough to notice prices increasing, so I can relate a little more to my parents than before when they say things like "This is outrageous! I remember when _____ used to cost _____!" I guess this is because when I was a kid, the only things I really paid for were gas and some clothing items. I didn't really start buying building supplies and groceries until college and so it took me a while to see a marked difference in things. Now that it has been 5 years since we built our house, things are starting to need replacement already and I can really notice that changes when I run to Lowe's for an item here or there. The quality of the boxes, thickness of metal on the same object purchased a few years back are all worse as well. Mom and dad, I'm finally starting to see where you're coming from :-)

Monthly Update :-)

2006-06-26T20:49:00.000-04:00

Hello all. I wish I had more to write about, but I have been sick for the past three weeks with various ailments. I missed most of my last week of work with strep and then while recovering from that, S came down with a bronchitisy virus. Then just as she was getting better and right when I finished my antibiotics for the strep, I got the virus. My father-in-law visited for a week and H took the week off so I spent most of that time lounging around trying to recover. The cough is almost gone now, so maybe by July I can actually enjoy my last month of summer vacation before I head back at the beginning of August. I guess I envisioned the proverbial teacher summer break as this endless period of time during which I could spend time with Sierra doing crafts and fun things, swim, help my parents with projects, clean my basement, finish every unfinished project around the house, spend some time at the beach.... you get the idea. I may have to revisit that plan a teeeeensy bit.

We did have a nice Father's Day celebration here. H's dad came from Ohio - his first visit back here in more than 8 years. My parents came up and H's siblings and mom also came. We had a sax player and piano player from C'ville come and hosted a jazz jam session, which everyone enjoyed. We had yummy food, including pancit bihon which turned out great. We had so much cabbage, carrots and celery left over we made it a second time during the week and it was delicious again.

We missed seeing our friends in the world music group Baaba Seth perform both in Reston and at the Nelson County Summer Festival this past weekend. Weather, sickness and a birthday party for one of S's classmates really messed up our schedule and I'm bummed that we missed them because they play only once per year as a reunion show now that they are spread all over the country. Next year, I promise!

Song of the Moment: Parade by Garbage (Lyrics)

What is this world coming to?

2006-06-25T12:53:00.000-04:00

Oh my God, google is down! Could the world be ending? I did not realize my addiction until I got the cpanel screen. The sad part is that out of instinct, I went to search for more information...on google.

Coolest game ever...

2006-05-11T13:49:00.000-04:00

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/84-02062006-608769.html

Random Graphic

2006-04-21T18:50:00.000-04:00

I was bored one day and made this. I probably should rename my blog to the lobster tank, because there sure isn't a lot of thinking going on here these days! Or maybe I could dip my blog in butter...

Now we're in business...almost.

2006-04-20T18:34:00.000-04:00

Well, a while back I promised an update about something exciting that was happening. I've been on spring break from school, so I have not been on the computer as much this week, so sorry for the delay. I am partnering with two others on a web/it consulting-ish business. Most of you know I have had my instantaneous site for years and have done a few sites here and there, but I really couldn't handle much more. The two guys I'm partnering with had been talking about starting up for a while now, so we all decided to join forces to actually get something done! They've already got some potentially large clients lined up, so we'll see how things progress. Since we all have day jobs (and plan to keep them for now) it has been hard to get things off the ground, but I'll let you know about our web site when it's ready to launch.

p.s. there is a freakishly huge blue jay right outside my window!!

04-05-06

2006-04-05T22:39:00.000-04:00

Wow, today is 04-05-06! Not for much longer, but I guess we won’t have another day like this until 05-06-07. So grab a Chai Latte and enjoy the rest of it. I have some exciting news to unveil next week (no I’m not pregnant). Until then I’ll be working like a fiend to prepare.

Where the streets have a name, but only one lane...

2006-04-04T09:04:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was just strange. I am primarily at an elementary school right
now that's close to town, so I jumped in my car to go to lunch and turned
towards town. There were cars parked on both sides of the street and a
garbage truck in the middle. I could just barely get to a free parallel
space so he could go through, then he pulled forward and ended up waving
me through an even tighter spot.

Then the next intersection I got to had a power truck working on a pole
and it was blocking off two of the streets. So I turned again and changed
my mind about where I was going for lunch - I decided to check if a place
that was switching ownership had opened back up yet. Nope. Still closed.
I planned to turn back on the next street, but it was closed as well!!!
WTF! For a town that only has a few streets it was pretty comical that
they were all blocked off in some way.

Then I got to one of my favorite places to eat and there was a new person
(Girl A) at the counter. I ordered my usual, the chicken salad platter
and a medium chai latte, heated. So a few minutes later Girl B comes out
with a quiche platter. I said it wasn't mine and the woman looked
surprised. I was the only customer that hadn't been served yet. Then
Girl A, who took my order, came back and asked me if I wanted my Chai
Latte hot or cold. Well, duh, I said heated! She says okay. Then 2 more
minutes Girl A comes back with a chicken salad platter asking me if I
ordered one. Yes, yes i did. How did you guess? Bring it on. Then she
asked if I needed anything else. Well, no...nothing else...just my Chai
Latte. And she says, "right!" - man it is so funny that one of my
favorite places could easily be construed as a really bad place depending
on the day of the week!

It's hard to believe...

2006-03-30T21:46:00.001-05:00

that 7 years ago right about this time of night I was lying in a hospital bed in Fairfax. That's right...Sierra turns 7 tomorrow! It seems so long ago that I can hardly remember some things, but I definitely remember everything about that night - the most incredible experience of my life! I think the funniest thing about her birth had to be when the doctor called her by the wrong name when she was born... "Sienna" instead of "Sierra." Sierra still mentions occasionally that she wishes her name was Sienna and/or that she wants a little sister named Sienna. I'm actually scared to have another one now because Sierra has been so perfect and wonderful I can't imagine doing any better the second time around.

She's looking forward to her birthday party this year...she wanted a bowling party, so that's what we're doing. It should be a lot of fun - the last time we went bowling she could finally hold the ball with three fingers and release it properly, so no more antics with the metal ramp thingy we used to let her use. I think we'll probably use the bumpers for her party because I don't want any of the kids to get frustrated...at this age they're not all strong enough to get the ball all the way to the end of the lane so the zigzag approach with the bumpers usually gets them a strike or two.

Well, I have got to get to bed - i had a horrible day at work today and I need to get up early so I can go in for more abuse tomorrow. I can't wait until summer vacation...

I was thinking...

2006-03-23T23:15:00.000-05:00

...it might be a nice day to update my blog. But I'm sooo exhausted I might have to cut it short. Work has been killing me lately. I want to be all things to all people and I just can't do it anymore because I am working into the night every night when everyone else is at home. Please, someone, give me the strength to say no to people!!!!

Sierra and I went out to dinner tonight. She is starting to like sushi!! I don't actually give her anything raw, but she LOVES the eel (she tried the roll and nigiri and liked the nigiri best) and a baked one called Jungle Roll. Her birthday is next Friday! I am having a hard time believing she will be 7 years old already!! She is such a great daughter - she is so thoughtful and sweet and I just can't wait until summer vacation so we can actually have a chance to do something fun together that doesn't involve work or school.