2011, Week 48

I am SO ready for Christmas! That's what I kept thinking all week long. I know I just had a break at Thanksgiving, but I'm ready for a couple of days off, more time with my family, and all the wonder of my favorite season of the year. So this week I ordered my Christmas cards - can't wait to get them in the mail! - and had my first fire of the season because it was COLD all week long. So cold! And I was still struggling with my cold/cough, so I just wanted to relax and stay in. I had fun taking holiday pictures by the Christmas tree though. My sweet boy is so tolerant, letting me dress him up in various ways. He looked adorable in his little Santa hat. He is looking forward to getting to spend this Christmas with me, his Gammy, and the rest of the family. It's gonna be so much fun! 

2011, Week 47

This week started with the all-important Iron Bowl - Alabama vs. Auburn football at its best. Mom and I did some decorating for Christmas while we waited for the big game to start. I was excited to be able to watch the game with Mamaw again - she's as big of an Alabama fan as I am. Before the game started I made everybody come outside so I could take a few pics of our Roll Tide family. Alvin, Kay, and the boys came over, and Bama won big! It was a great day. :) Sunday I returned home to Texas only to learn that Mom had shared more than I thought while I was at home - she shared her cold with me. Thanks a lot, Mom! The rest of the week I tried to get back into the swing of things at work, finished decorating for Christmas, got my new laptop all set up, and bought a new washer and dryer. 

2011, Week 46

I spent this whole week at home with my family in Georgia, celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday. I flew home on Saturday and enjoyed spending the days shopping with mom, putting up the outside Christmas lights with dad, and running errands with Ben. We went to see Breaking Dawn, and just enjoyed one another's company. Then on Wednesday, Mamaw, Papaw, and Uncle Steve arrived, and a lot more extended family came over on Thursday. It was a house full, and we had quite a feast! Mom cooked a really yummy turkey, and all the traditional Thanksgiving dishes. It was a great week, and I'm already looking forward to going back for Christmas!

2011, Week 45

This week started out with a crazy Saturday of putting up my Christmas tree. Yes, I know it's not even Thanksgiving yet, but it's Christmas in my house, especially with all the Christmas music I've been listening to! I spent almost all day working on the tree and putting up my nativities, the garland, and my big red stars, and it all turned out to be beautiful, in my opinion at least. I still have lots of decorating to do - my little Bama tree, the outside lights and the lights around my sliding glass door, but the rest of the week was emotionally draining at work and I had no energy to decorate at night. Not to mention, I had a project that had a Friday deadline (I finished Thursday night!) and still had to pack for my trip home for Thanksgiving. So I'll finish decorating when I get back, but it's a good start.

2011, Week 44

This week started off with my friend Joanna's bridal shower. And silly me, I didn't even take my camera out of my purse! Oops! Then Debbie came to stay the night with me and watch the Alabama vs. LSU game. It was really sad - they lost 9 to 6 and missed 4 field goals. So disappointing! But it was fun to hang out with Debbie and let her meet my Brodie. Speaking of Brodie, we had fun teasing him with the shakers during the game. Doesn't he look funny?! The rest of the week was spent focusing on preparing for Faith & Culture Series, the biggest event Cambridge hosts each year. I worked HARD creating programs, helping get all the details for the dinner and lecture together, and corralling student helpers the night of the event. I could barely walk when it was over, my feet hurt so bad! But it's all over now and we're entering the (brief) slow season and only one week away from the Thanksgiving holiday. I can't wait!

2011, Week 43

This week started off with a full day of shopping with Genny. It was fabulous! I found a dress to wear for Joanna's wedding, some other fun stuff, and an amazing pair of boots that I used gift cards from my discover card cash back to buy, and I only had to pay $8 of my own money! It was so gratifying. I also purchased some new Christmas cd's and started listening to Christmas music every time I got in the car. I love this season! Other than that, well, I honestly can't remember what else I did! Guess it wasn't anything exciting. I do know that this little boy thanked me tremendously for NOT making him dress up in a costume this year. He wasn't a fan of his pirate hat last year. But he sure looked adorable in his "bad to the bone" bandana. What a cutie pie!

2011, Week 42

This week I was SO hoping to see the Rangers win their first World Series. Unfortunately, didn't happen... They played hard, and they played well, but they lost. :( Texas also had its first real cold-snap this week - it was fabulous! And somehow, my tomato plant got confused about what season it is. I now have 13 tomatos in various sizes. I just hope they survive until they ripen.

2011, Week 41

The weather this was pretty much amazing! We had our first few really cool nights - fall finally arrived! Yay! Most of the week was same ol' same ol', but Dr. Wolfe was out of town so I did get to catch up on some projects at work that I don't normally have time for when he's there. My evenings were spent enjoying the weather and watching the World Series. On Thursday I got to join the 6th grade class on a field trip to the Dallas Arboretum - it was GORGEOUS! And then Friday was the Cambridge fall break, so Rachel and I took our annual trip to the State Fair. We ran into Missi and Taryn there, and had a great time enjoying the beautiful day, seeing the sites, petting animals, eating fried food, riding a (painful) ride, and listening to Randy Travis in concert. What a fabulous day!

2011, Week 40

Not much exciting to say about this week. I was supposed to go to Six Flags with some friends on Sunday, but the rain curse continues - of course, north Texas's first really rainy day in months fell on a day I had outside plans. That's okay, I took advantage of the time to do some dissertation work, and made it through Jeremiah. Progress is slow, but it is progress nonetheless. Other big events of the week were Cambridge's accreditation review, which we've been working toward for over a year. And the Texas Rangers are playing in the American League Championship Series, so I watched a lot of baseball this week.

2011, Week 39

The highlight of this week was a visit from my Aunt Kathy. She lives in Georgia, but had to come to the metroplex for a conference. And what do you know - her hotel was only about 10 minutes from my apartment! She and her friend Karen came over as soon as they arrived on Friday afternoon, and after introducing them to Brodie and giving them the grand tour, we headed out to the Texas State Fair. They were impressed with how large the fair was, and I even convinced Kathy to ride the ferris wheel with me, but we all agreed that the fair was a money pit. We had a great time though. On Saturday I took them to experience a more Texan environment - the Ft. Worth Stockyards. We enjoyed a lunch of Riscky's barbeque and then wandered around checking out all the western gifts and apparel and enjoying the fun atmosphere. The fact that it was a gorgeous day made it even better. That night my cousin Colton (Kathy's son) drove in from Lubbock, so we just hung out, visited, and watched Bama drown the Florida Gators. And I even got to meet them all for lunch on Sunday before Colton headed back out west and Kathy had to attend meetings at the conference. It was so good to see my aunt and cousin again and to show them around my home. But seeing them made me really ready for the holidays when I get to be around even more family. It won't be long!

2011, Week 38

This week I spent even more time with the Cambridge students than usual. This week was the All-School Retreat, where all the faculty and students go to a retreat center and enjoy a time of non-academic fun and fellowship. We went to Sky Ranch, a Christian retreat center, where we created skits, played flag football and dodge ball, worshipped, competed in a mega relay, and enjoyed one another's company. On Wednesday night we played a fun game where everyone dresses in camo and black, and the students have to make their way across the campus to the meeting center without getting caught by one of the faculty. The faculty were stationed throughout the woods and around campus, trying to catch the students with their flashlights. It was a blast. The day after the retreat, the students and faculty went to two separate sites for community service. 6th-10th grades did a tremendous amount of work at a large local thrift store, while the juniors and seniors served lunch to soldiers at the DFW USO. I got to participate in the USO project, and it was so touching to see all those soldiers enjoying one last meal with their families before departing for who knows how long. Weeks like this really make me thankful to work with such a great group of students at such a service-oriented school.

2011, Week 37

It's hard to even think about what I did this week. I finished out the weekend by writing some on the dissertation and then going back to the Plano Balloon Festival for the Saturday afternoon balloon glow. Let me just say, I LOVED being out there with all the balloons. It was so much fun meeting the Bailey's and their friends, experiencing a new adventure, and tasting my first champagne in a toast to my first flight. The rest of the week was mostly work as usual, looking forward to a fun Friday night. To cap off the week, I joined some of my Cypress friends at the Texas Rangers baseball game. The weather was amazing, the fellowship was fun, the Rangers won, the Friday night fireworks were spectacular, and most importantly, the Rangers' win and the Angels' loss meant we clinched the American League West. Woohoo, it's playoff time again - 2nd year in a row!

2011, Week 36

There's not much to say about most of the week. I watched the Bama game vs. Penn State - we won big! I sang with the First Baptist Euless choir for the first time - we sang one of my all-time favorites, "Thou Oh Lord," for the 9/11 commemoration. Most of the week I was looking ahead, waiting for Friday, because I had a very exciting adventure planned - my first hot-air balloon ride! And it. was. amazing! The opportunity was more than I could have expected, and I can't wait for my next chance to fly. (See Barb's Wire for the full story.)

2011, Week 35

In certain ways this week was more of the same - busy, busy at work, preparing for class, etc. But in other ways this week brought change - the best change was cooler, fall-like weather. It was such a relief to have a break from the 100+ degree temps. The nights cooled off considerably and it was finally comfortable enough outside for Brodie and me to resume our long walks along the canal. Ahh... I love fall! Not to mention, college football is back, with a big Bama win in their first game. ROLL TIDE! The Labor Day weekend allowed for some relaxation, some dissertation work, some scrapbooking, and some time hanging out with friends. And in a big step for me, I attended choir practice at First Baptist Euless on wednesday night, trying to see if that might be a place I can fit in. And I really enjoyed it! Now if only I can find a Sunday School class, I might actually have a new church home!

2011, Week 34

Well, it's starting to sound like a broken record, but this was yet another long week of work. I can't wait to the start-of-school projects are finished, hopefully in a week or so. And with 100+ degree days, still, I don't even have the outlet of walking Brodie when I get home. It's just too hot! The weekend was good - I took Brodie to Rebecca's cross country meet Friday night and then Bec spent the night while her family took Katherine to college. Then Saturday I met Rachel and her parents for lunch and did a little shopping before coming home to write write write. I decided to split the current chapter of my dissertation into two chapters (at least for now), which means I'm now in the middle of chapter 3 of 5, which means I'm halfway there! Of course, chapter 2 still needs some work, and I have to go back and do the edits Dr. Wolfe suggested to chapter 1, but hey, it's progress! I didn't get much work done during the week because I spent my evenings preparing for class or grading papers, but I'll get there. In the meantime I'm going to enjoy this long Labor Day weekend and the start of the 2011 college football season - ROLL TIDE!

2011, Week 33

This was another crazy busy week at work - the first full week of school, lots of major projects needing attention, and software training on three different days. Whew! On wednesday it felt like friday, so that made the week even longer. On a bright note, I started teaching the 8th grade New Testament class for the second year in a row, and I feel much more confident and am having a lot more dialogue with the students in class. I think I will enjoy this group of kids. But preparing for class + work + trying to write a dissertation wears me out. I'm so thankful for my sweet puppy who makes me smile and want to play when I come home each afternoon. I love this pic I snapped of me and Brodie and fixed up with a new cellphone app.

2011, Week 32

The big event this week, other than the start of school, was Brodie's birthday (which is really the anniversary of the day I adopted him). Happily, his birthday was on Saturday so I could spend the day with him. What was amazing is that I woke up about 5:00 am to the sound of RAIN! It had been almost 2 months since we'd seen rain, so it was so great to hear! It was still relatively cool when we got up, so I took Brodie on a long walk along the canals - he loved it! I know he's ready for fall so we can resume our walk schedule. That afternoon I took him to PetSmart to pick out a toy (I replaced his favorite froggie) and to Sonic where I treated him to some vanilla ice cream. I know, I spoil him! But hey, the vet said he could stand to gain a couple of pounds, so it didn't hurt. The rest of the weekend was spent writing, and then the week was full of two long days of faculty inservice, New Family Orientation, a LONG day of work on Saturday, the first two days of school, and Convocation. I was SOOOOO ready for the coming weekend!

2011, Week 31

Another crazy busy week. I led a praise team mini-camp with the Cambridge praise team, getting ready for chapel and Convocation. I ran the tax-free book-sale day for all the Cambridge families to purchase books. And I had so many other tasks to complete at work. It was insane! In the evenings, I was so tired that I got nothing done. But in the midst of all the insanity that was wrapped up with work, one of the moms (who also owns a westie) brought Brodie a collar which she made out of a Cambridge tie. It is adorable! And he looks so handsome in it - ready to go cheer on the Lions at the first soccer game.

2001, Week 30

Whew, what a week! I jumped back into work with both feet, full-steam ahead and never looked back. It was BUSY! I came home each day wondering why I came back from vacation. It didn't help that Texas in in the middle of a major heat wave - friday was day 35 in a row of over 100° temps, crazy! Two days in a row we made it to 110, ugh. Brodie was depressed, missing Harley and his Gammy, and going crazy being cooped up in the house because I just couldn't stand to walk him in those temps. So on Thursday evening I invited his friend Leeloo over to play with him. She was here nearly 3 hours and they had a blast. I was so glad to see my boy having a good time after being so bored and sad. I can't wait for fall!

2011, Week 29

The second week of my vacation was a "staycation" at my parents' house in GA. We spent hours relaxing in the pool, played countless games of marbles, shopped, laughed at the dogs' antics, and enjoyed one another's company. Mom and Dad had a lot of fun adventures planned too. On Monday we took the jetski out to the lake, where we all got lots of sun and Dad tried his hardest to throw me off the tube. On Tuesday we enjoyed a zipline adventure where we zipped down 12 lines of various heights, lengths, and speeds (so cool!). Wednesday we celebrated Mom's birthday, and Thursday we went to the Braves game where they were soundly beaten by the Pirates. It was a week full of family fun, and I was very sad to see it end. (I'll do multiple posts about the week on my other blog.)

2011, Week 28

Week one of my vacation - I headed down to Orlando, FL to meet up with my good friend, Amie, who I hadn't seen since I left Scotland 4 years ago. She was temporarily living in FL, so it was a perfect opportunity to see Amie and get to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, something we were both anxious to do. I arrive in FL on Monday afternoon and we quickly went to see the final HP movie - I really enjoyed it, Amie wasn't too pleased but she's never been a fan of the movies. On Tuesday morning we headed out to DeLand, FL to have brunch with my seminary friend Nicki and her two boys, 8-month-old Micah and nearly-5-year-old Jonah. I've been following Nicki's blog about Jonah since I was in Scotland (she jokes that I'm a stalker). After brunch, Nicki and Jonah joined Amie and me at New Smyrna Beach, where we played in the waves, walked on the beach, caught up with one another, and refreshed in the pool. It was an amazing day with two good friends and one adorable little boy. The next day was our WWoHP experience at Universal Studio's Islands of Adventure. Let me tell you, it was HOT! and crowded! To be completely honest, at some points it was rather miserable. But the Harry Potter part of the park was so cool, and I thoroughly enjoyed that aspect. Overall, my vacation in FL was a brilliant success - I got to visit an amazing theme park, meet two precious boys, and catch up with two amazing women who I am blessed to have as friends.

2011, Week 27

It was a week of preparation and anticipation. I knew that on Friday I was finally leaving on my summer vacation, and I couldn't wait! I worked hard at school Monday thru Thursday, finishing as many major projects as I could, trying to make things as easy as possible for my time away. But the whole time I was just biding my time til I could drive out of town. The first stop on my vacation was going to be my grandparents' house in Alabama, which meant that I would be taking a completely new 11-hour route for me, through Memphis. Brodie and I headed out about 7:00 Friday morning and made really good time, making it to Mamaw's around 6:00 that evening. Brodie was a great travel buddy, chewing on his toys and sticking his head out the window when I would roll it down in the small towns. We had lots of sunshine, some heavy downpours, and even a rainbow on the drive, and arrived in Madison to a steady rain and mid 70s - downright cool compared to the 100+ Texas days. Mamaw was thrilled to meet Brodie, and he quickly fell in love with her too. I love this pic of them (of course he had to wear his Bama bandana to meet his Bama-loving great-grandmother).

2011, Week 26

Oooh, what a busy week! It started out celebrating Independence Day down in Ft. Worth with my friends and church family. We spent all Sunday afternoon having a blast at Hawaiian Falls waterpark - my church rents it out for the Sunday closest to the 4th of July and it's so much fun hanging out with church members young and old, riding the waterslides, and fellowshipping in such a casual environment (even if it is awkward to be around my pastor in a bathing suit!). On Monday I was supposed to spend the 4th with the Holmes family, but Genny was sick, so instead a group of us hung out for a long time at Rachel's pool then had a spontaneous cookout at Amy and Amanda's. Burgers and hotdogs on the grill, flag cake, and watermelon were on the menu - and the result was a watermelon seed spitting contest in the backyard. Hilarious! The rest of the week was insanely busy at work. Since our registrar resigned, I've had to pick up a lot of her work until Dr. Wolfe hires somebody else. I didn't do anything this week that was my own job, and I was constantly busy, even bringing work home two nights. I am so looking forward to my vacation at the end of next week!

2011, Week 25

Not much exciting happened this week. I spent the weekend writing, worked Monday, and went to a regional training for Edline/Gradequick (work stuff) on Tuesday and Wednesday. The training was actually helpful, especially given that we still haven't replaced our registrar so I'll have to handle many of the beginning-of-the-school-year details that I have never done before. And I learned about some add-ons that would be very helpful for the school, so I requested we purchase those and Dr. Wolfe agreed. Yay! Other than that, Shawn and I took the dogs to the lake twice because it's too hot to be outside if you're not at the water and the dogs really needed to run off some energy. They swam and had a good ol' time - I tried out Brodie's life jacket for the first time and he loved it and had much more confidence in the water. Oh, and I took a few cute patriotic pictures of my boy. He is too cute in his peace-spangled glasses!

2011, Week 24

This week was much the same, but what was nice was not having to work until Thursday - I had almost a full week off in a row! I spent a lot of the time writing, though I will admit to taking a little time to hang out at the pool and go shopping. Really, there's not much else to say about the week. Here's my boy helping me write -

2011, Week 23

Well, summer has arrived in FULL FORCE. We've had 4 days of 100+ temperatures this week, and it's only JUNE! Ugh... The heat severely limits outdoor activity. Brodie's walks have become minimal, and spending too much time outside is unbearable, unless you're at the pool. Rachel came up on Saturday and we spent several hours at the pool. Brodie and I also hung out on the balcony with his little swimming pool almost every evening. He loves the water - I got a hose and connector so I can hook the hose up to the kitchen sink, which makes filling up the pool so much easier. I also spent a lot of time writing this week. I moved from discussing the Exodus/ wilderness to the Conquest, which feels almost symbolic. I am making progress, pushing out of the wilderness of low motivation and toward the conquest of this project. I can do it! As for pics, photography this week has been rather slim, but I love this photo I snapped of my lounging puppy enjoying a lazy morning on his mama's bed. This pic just screams "total relaxation."

2011, Week 22

My, what a week! Summer arrived - and by that, I mean the end of the school year as well as near 100 degree temps. I enjoyed a long Memorial Day weekend by grading final exams, writing, and soaking up some sun at the pool. I even took my exams out to the pool to grade - I figured if the wind blew them in the water, I'd just give the students a 100, and we'd all win. But that didn't happen. :) The lovely weekend was followed by a rather horrible week at work - teacher inservice, my coworker resigning, and other frustration plus a wretched headache that would not quit. It was quite miserable. In the evenings I just came home, tried to relax, and prayed for the headache to ease. Brodie and I spent lots of time on the balcony enjoying his new $10 Walmart swimming pool. It's one of the few ways I've found to stay relatively cool on the balcony in these hot summer days. And Brodie loves it. I anticipate lots of time out there this summer.

2011, Week 21

This weekend I met up with 3 friends at White Rock Lake and went kayaking. Of course, I took Brodie, and I think he really enjoyed it, though he wasn't too sure about it at first. He fell overboard twice, but I quickly scooped him up and he was fine. We had a great time out on the lake, with nice weather, a gorgeous sunset, and good friends and fellowship. This week was also finals week at school, so the schedule was a little different, especially on Monday when exams were cancelled due to no power at the school! Graduation was Thursday night, and Friday was a very welcome and, I think, much deserved break.

2011, Week 20

What a gorgeous weekend! The weather was absolutely phenomenal - cool, clear, sunny, and low humidity. The perfect weather to set my table up on the balcony and write, write, write! I spent most of the weekend right in that same spot. Brodie did his best to distract me - even climbing up on the table and settling himself right next to my laptop so I couldn't help but see him. He's a little jealous of the laptop! The rest of the week was spent finishing up my last week of classes at school - I have officially completed my first year of teaching. Let me tell you, this was a rough class. But I made it, and it appears I'll be teaching NT to 8th graders again next year. But first, summer! I'm ready for a break from school and much more time to write, especially with such an adorable co-author as the little guy in the picture below.

2011, Week 19

This week, I got motivated! (I know, it's about time, right?) I did some good work on the dissertation on Saturday and Sunday, made some deadlines for myself that will hopefully allow me to graduate in December 2012, assuming that I work hard and my supervisors are timely as well. Sunday was also Mother's Day - I wasn't able to spend it with my mom, but I did get to celebrate my own first "Mother's" day with my baby. Brodie has been so good for me, and I'm very thankful for him.

2011, Week 18

This week started with continued worry and concern for those in Alabama, especially my grandparents and the entire city of Tuscaloosa. Thankfully a friend in Alabama sent someone to check on my grandparents on Sunday, and we found out they were doing fine, just without power. Their power and phone service were restored early in the week, which brought a great deal of relief. Other than that, I spent the week working hard to finish my notes on Revelation for my class - I can't believe my 8th graders have made it all the way to Revelation this year. I don't know how much they'll get out of our discussion, because they have a severe case of spring fever and make me want to tear my hair out! But the school year is almost over - only two more weeks of classes and then final exam week. Summer's almost here! I did take advantage of a couple of somewhat cooler days to take Brodie on long walks down the canals. Once it gets really hot, our walks will be necessarily shortened because he can't seem to handle the heat too well. As it is I have to carry water for him, and he takes breaks in the shade and cool grass. Anyway, I realized I don't have any pictures of the two of us on our walks, so I got creative, and this is what I ended up with. I think I kinda like it!

2011, Week 17

Wow, what a week, full of major highs and lows! I spent the Easter weekend in Fort Worth, attending the Good Friday service at Wedgwood, scrapbooking with Genny, going to my first Rangers game of the season, and worshipping my risen Savior (though I'll admit it wasn't the most joyful Easter I've ever had). We had some big storms here in the Dallas metroplex, but nothing like the tornadoes that went through the southeast, especially Alabama. Parts of my college town, Tuscaloosa, were just decimated - places we used to eat were completely wiped out. So many people were killed or lost everything, and many more are still missing. And then, in contrast to all the grief and dread related to those storms, we had the joy of watching the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Princess Katherine. It's really hard to reconcile all the highs and lows, but one thing is true - it was definitely an eventful week!

2011, Week 16

The highlight of this week came on Saturday, when Rachel, Brodie and I drove down to Ennis to see the amazing fields of wildflowers - bluebonnets especially, but also indian paintbrush and pink primrose. They were gorgeous, the day was brilliant, the company was fun, and the photos were abundant and beautiful. We had such a great time. The rest of the week, I helped administer ERB tests to the middle school, directed the music portion of Cambridge's Maundy Thursday chapel service, and looked forward to the coming long Easter weekend.

2011, Week 15

I don't know that I've ever had a week that felt this long. And there's not really any good reason. Work wasn't any busier than normal, though we did have 8 faculty members out on Thursday and Friday so I had to find subs for all of their classes - whew! But for some reason, all day Tuesday I kept thinking it was Thursday, which means it took FOREVER for Friday to actually get here. I did accomplish quite a bit at work, I spent all weekend reading for the dissertation (I may actually be ready to start writing chapter 2 now), and Brodie and I took several long walks on the canals since the weather wasn't too hot. I'm afraid our canal walks are going to be shortened quite a bit with the coming summer heat - neither one of us can handle it. Anyway, perhaps the highlight of my week was finding these two beauties on my ever-blossoming tomato plant. I ate them for dinner Thursday night, and they were DELISH! I look forward to many more bright red homegrown maters this summer.

2011, Week 14

I spent the weekend hanging out in College Station with Bonnie. We shopped, watched movies, played handbells at mass, and just enjoyed spending time together. Brodie discovered a new-found love on the drive to/from College Station - there are so many small towns along the way, where the speed limit drops to 35 mph, and so in each town I would roll down the passenger window and Brodie would stick his head as far out the window as he could. You could see the pure bliss in his expression! When he would pull his head back in, his hair was completely flat on one side - hilarious! I was thankful for a weekend away from my daily routine in Dallas and the chance to see a lifelong friend. It was a nice refresher before a busy week at work.

2011, Week 13

This week started off with an absolutely gorgeous Saturday, which I spent almost entirely outside. I took Brodie to the park to watch a friend's soccer game and then sat out in the sun studying for quite a while. It was a glorious day. Spring is definitely in Texas (though the weather this week was mostly below normal), and with Spring comes the anticipation of Easter. I took really cute Easter pics of Brodie on Sunday afternoon, with this pair of bunny ears I purchased at Target. I was quite surprised with how cooperative he was - the pics turned out adorable! The rest of the week was mostly spent working and preparing for a trip to College Station on Friday.

2011, Week 12

Why oh why oh why does spring break have to end?! This has been a long week, with Mom and Ben leaving on Sunday after a wonderful visit and returning back to work after a wonderful week off. Senior Tutorials were Thursday and Friday of this week, which meant the days leading up to them were really busy, and I spent all day both days listening to our seniors defending the projects which represent the culmination of their Cambridge education. Just listening to them talk about subjects that I barely know anything about, and answer questions like experts, makes me nervous about defending my own dissertation (assuming I ever finish writing it, of course!). ;) These kids are so impressive. The weather this week has been amazing so Brodie and I have been spending time out on the balcony and walking as much as possible. I've enjoyed seeing my flowers settle in. I have two bluebonnet buds and can't wait to see the beautiful blue flowers filling my pot. And my tomato plant is filled to the rim with little green maters and tons of yellow flowers. It's so exciting!

2011, Week 11

Ah, Spring Break, how I love you! Yes, this was Spring Break, and it was fabulous. I spent the first few days of the break reading, cleaning, and preparing for Mom and Ben to visit. They flew in on Wednesday for their first visit since 2004, and we had a wonderful time. We shopped, toured the Cowboys Stadium, played with Brodie, played Putt-Putt, had a brilliant day at the Dallas Arboretum, planted flowers, looked at scrapbooks, and just enjoyed one another's company. It was a great visit and I was sad to see Mom and Ben leave.

2011, Week 10

Whew, what a LONG week! I'm not sure why, but I spent most of the week exhausted, falling asleep on the couch early each evening. Work was really rough, and with a major event on Friday, it was busy too. And not only that, but I was eagerly anticipating spring break - I couldn't WAIT for a break and Mom and Ben's visit. Thursday evening I suffered through a major headache to take Brodie on a walk along the canals with Shawn and Zoey. When we got back to the apartment complex, we ran into Mercy, and the three dogs had a blast roughhousing and playing with Mercy's kong toy. At one point they all three had hold of the toy and were tugging - too cute! I quickly grabbed my phone and took a few pics. I'm so glad Brodie has doggie friends in the area (and I'm thankful that I finally have a friend here too!).

2011, Week 9

Spring has definitely sprung in Texas! This week was absolutely gorgeous, and I enjoyed spending my afternoons sitting on the balcony with Brodie or walking along the canals. The plum trees outside my bedroom are in full bloom (see pic) - they're so pretty! I'm surprised with everything blooming right now that my sinuses aren't in full rebellion, but so far so good (knock on wood). I love this time of year!

2011, Week 8

This was just a rather dull week in the life of Barb. School, work, walking Brodie and enjoying the spring-like weather in the evening hours. On Saturday the weather was so fabulous that I sat on the balcony and read for most of the day. Rachel came up to join me, and we spent a couple of hours doing schoolwork before grabbing dinner and coming back to the apartment to play marbles. Brodie was entranced by the rolling of the dice, and popped up to see what was going on. Thankfully I had my phone next to me and was able to snap this shot before he got down. It looks like he's contemplating his next move! I just love this pic!

2011, Week 7

Who would have guessed that it's just the middle of February? The weather this week has been incredible! Low to mid-70s most days, and sunny - it's been gorgeous! Hard to believe that just last week we had winter weather. Crazy! Brodie and I have been taking advantage of the beautiful weather to take long walks in the afternoons, though the downside of the early onset of spring is that I have been suffering from "allergy head" and have been really sleep most evenings. It's also been a good week to accomplish a lot of class prep during the days at work, since Dr. Wolfe was out of town. I got my powerpoints complete through Hebrews, so that will get me through the month of March. Nice! Oh, this week was also Valentine's Day, and I think I handled it relatively well, if I do say so myself. I made heart-shaped sugar cookies (yum!), wore red, and didn't wish anyone a happy "singles' awareness day". Perhaps my acceptance of this not-so-favorite holiday had something to do with my furry little valentine. He makes most days bearable.

2011, Week 6

The only event in North Texas these last couple of weeks bigger than the weather was the Super Bowl, held at Cowboys Stadium for the first time ever. The Packers were hosted in Dallas, but the Steelers stayed in Fort Worth. So did ESPN - they set up a broadcast booth in the middle of Sundance Square. I've never lived in a Super Bowl city before, so all during the snow week last week, I wanted to drive by Cowboy Stadium or go to downtown Fort Worth and see all the Super Bowl fun. But of course with the ice and snow that wasn't an option. When the snow finally melted off of the roads on Friday afternoon I quickly drove down to Fort Worth to spend the weekend with friends. On Saturday, Amy, Amanda and I ventured into downtown along with what seemed to be the entire population of Fort Worth PLUS all the Steelers fans in town for the big game. It was CRAZY!!!! It was the first sunny day that was above freezing, and everyone was ready to be out and about. Then, of course, the game was on Sunday, and Genny, Melissa and I spent the day enjoying our 7th annual Scrap the Super Bowl party. We started scrapping on Saturday night and didn't stop until the 4th quarter of the game on Sunday (with breaks for church, sleep, and food, of course). It was a great weekend, and definitely the highlight of the week.

2011, Week 5

This week's big story was the WEATHER! Man, has it been crazy! Saturday and Sunday were incredibly mild - I took Brodie to the dog park and was quite comfortable in short sleeves and the sunny 70 degree hint of spring. Then winter came back with a vengeance early on Tuesday morning, and we got a couple of inches of sleet/ice/snow. Not to mention frigid temperatures - the wind chill actually dipped into the negative teens. It was COLD! It hasn't been above freezing since about 2:00 am Tuesday morning and isn't expected to break the freezing mark until Saturday! We got four days off of school because what little the ice melted during the days, it froze into solid sheets of ice at night and travel was really treacherous. And more snow is on the way - a couple more inches Thursday night/Friday morning - which is why we have our fourth snow day. Unfortunately, Brodie didn't understand how cold it was. He wanted to be OUTSIDE playing, running, rolling in the snow. I didn't neglect him - we did take walks, even though I about froze. Apparently, my boy loves the snow!

2011, Week 4

Having a January birthday means that week 4 was all about celebrating me! Well, as much celebrating as I would allow, which really wasn't much. Honestly, I wasn't in the mood to be the center of attention. My friends wouldn't let me ignore my birthday, though, much as I tried. Saturday night I went to dinner with Rachel and Bethany (Red Lobster cheddar biscuits, yum!); Sunday (my actual birthday) was spent hanging out with my friends at church and piling three girls (me, Amy, and Amanda) and three dogs (Zack, Ranger, and Brodie) on the sofa bed to watch a movie (ha!); and on Monday I played hooky from work (it was planned ahead of time) and ran all over Fort Worth with Amy. A package from my family on Tuesday rounded out the birthday celebrations. Even though I wasn't inclined to acknowledge my birthday, I was really thankful for friends who want to celebrate my birth. It really was a good birthday weekend.

2011, Week 3

The biggest blessing of Week 3 was having a day off school for Martin Luther King day. That day always comes at the best time - we've been back at school for two weeks after the holidays and are just desperately in need of a break. I spent the weekend giving my apartment and Brodie both a good cleaning, watching a couple of movies (I know, I'm a slacker), and visiting another church. Then, on MLK Day, Rachel and I took off to downtown Dallas to play tourist. Turns out, there wasn't a whole lot to "tour." We visited Thanksgiving Square, drove around looking for a Starbucks, walked around the Galleria Mall for a while (Amanda drove over and joined us there), and ended the day with pizza at Boston's (yum!). It was a nice time to hang out together without much stress, and to celebrate both of our birthdays (hers was the week before, mine the week later). I am truly blessed to have Rachel as my friend.

2011, Week 2

The second week in 2011 started with a trip to see Jim Brickman and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra with my friend, Alissa. It was so good! Jim Brickman was really funny, the singers he brought along were quite good, and the music was phenomenal. I love his songs! Later in the week Amy "kidnapped" me for lunch - it's really nice to have friends drive all the way to Dallas just to share lunch with me on their day off. I also finally took down my Christmas decorations, though the boxes stayed in my apartment all week because it was freezing outside and I wasn't willing to be out on the balcony any longer than necessary. While I was packing the decorations in the boxes, though, I realized I couldn't find Brodie. Look where I found him - in the storage closet! He took advantage of those boxes being out of the closet to do a little exploring. Silly little dude!

2011, Week 1

Week one saw me trying to make the most of the last days of my Christmas vacation - scrapbooking, watching Bama clobber Michigan State in their bowl game, taking Brodie for a long walk, and working toward one of my three New Years Resolutions by trying out a new church. And then... school/work started again. Whew! It was exhausting this week! It didn't help that Brodie got sick in the middle of the night Monday night so I didn't get as much sleep as I wanted. But all in all the week was good - my class went well, we made a lot of progress in discussing Paul, and I spent my evenings relaxing, preparing for class, and enjoying my first fire of the new year (and no, I haven't taken down my Christmas decorations yet; that'll be next week.)

Change of approach for 2011

So, making sure I had a photo for every single day in 2010 was a lot of pressure. Some days there really wasn't anything exciting to take a photo of - that's why I ended up with pics of my phone, or other really random things. And I had a LOT of pictures of sunsets and Brodie (obviously). I've toyed with a couple of different ideas for 2011, because I liked the concept of having a lot of photos for the year, photos of random aspects of my life. One blogger I know of is taking a photo each week that fits in with a certain (set) theme. I've considered that but I don't know that I could commit to someone else's themes, especially since I don't fit the profile of the typical blogger/photographer (a parent taking pics of kids). I considered doing "A Photo of Brodie" each day, but that could get old really fast.

So, I've made the decision to do a photo each week rather than a photo each day. I think I can get more variety that way, and it's less pressure. So, I hope you enjoy a glimpse of 2011, as "scene through my lens."

January 1, 2011

Wow! Can't believe I made it a whole year with a picture each day!

I'm not sure if I'll make it through 2011,

but I'll start with a pic of Brodie and me

all dressed up in our Bama gear,

ready to watch the TIDE ROLL in the Capital One Bowl.

49-7 over Michigan State - woohoo!

December 31

New Years Eve in the Big D -

I joined a few friends for the festivities in Victory Park,

complete with bands, dancing, massive crowds, and fireworks.

Happy New Year!