love

This afternoon I opened up a National Geographic catalogue that I got in the mail and turned immediately to a page that was selling Kanji birthstone necklace pendants. I spotted April's and thought, that looks familiar. And it was. The symbol for April was love.

Once upon a time I broke up with my high school sweetheart and my amazing friends in college bought me a necklace with the Kanji symbol for love on it. I loved the symbol and the simplicity of the necklace and wore it day in and day out for the next five years (with a brief respite where I wore a turtle necklace that I got on a trip to Hawaii because my sister's favorite animal is a turtle and it made me feel close to her at a time when I moved across the country). Then one day my necklace broke.

My necklace broke on January 3, 2006. I know this because it happened when I took off a hoodie before bed on the day that I began my Team Leader year of AmeriCorps*NCCC. I'm not generally a superstitious person, but I will say that I find it coincidental that the day that my Love necklace broke was the day that I met my mister. Perhaps it was the universe's way of saying that I didn't need a necklace to remind me that I was loved anymore. 

Whatever the case, the mister and I started going on runs together (probably the fastest I have ever run in my life and the slowest he ever ran willingly), going on hikes, and throwing the occasional date night in to get away from our campus. And while we may not run together very often anymore, we do still go on hikes and have an occasional date night to get away from teaching and grad school. 

And here we are, eight years later, and I still don't need a necklace to remind me that I am loved. I am reminded every day by my amazing mister. But sometimes it is nice to be reminded of where you came from and how you got to where you are.

Life is an adventure. It is not about everything always fitting neatly in a box or about following a plan to the T. It is about embracing what you encounter, living in the moment, and being willing to take on whatever comes your way because in the end every moment of every day shapes who you are and how you view life. And I choose to embrace my adventure in love and all of the amazing things that have happened in my life because of it.

the swing of things

We're back at it here in the high desert of New Mexico! Today marked the beginning of week three of teaching and I couldn't be happier (with some things, there are still those that are in need of a good overhaul, but I'll get to that later)!

In the past two years of my teaching, one area that I really struggled with was classroom management. While I happily made my way through each day, I knew that things were not their best, but I was never 100% sure what to do, or how to articulate what was going on to get help from outsiders. Well, this year I am feeling a million times better about what is going on in my classroom procedurally.

This year my school began implementing a behavior management strategy called 1-2-3 Magic. I must say, it is kind of magical. While I am still refining some of the ins and outs of the method, I am no longer putting energy into disciplining my students and explaining to them what was going on. Let's face it, they're five and they don't care. Now I can simply look at them and say 1 (or 2, or 3) and typically they'll mutter an "okay" and stop. Magic I tell you! This past Friday I didn't need to count for anyone! At the end of the day I am not musing over what went wrong, about whether or not my students hate me, or what I could have done differently (with regards to behavior). They're misbehaving, I say "one" and they typically stop.

In addition to our management magic I have some stellar routines going on. Last year I tried using chimes in my classroom as an attention getter, but I was horrible at being consistent with them. This year I ring the chimes, everyone stops what they are doing, they put their hands in their laps, and they look at me. I start counting down from 3 and by 0 they are silent and looking at me. I say rule check and they are silent and looking at me. When we use white boards if we are moving on to something else that does not require the boards they automatically sit on them and burry their markers in their laps (today I didn't even get to tell them what to do, I turned on the projector and they started cleaning their boards and sat on them right away!). So, management is coming along quite nicely. It only took me two years of bumbling around to figure this one out (at least for the time being).

Another area of struggle for me in the past has been teaching math. While there are numerous math teachers in my family, I have always struggled with finding ways to make math exciting when all we are doing is writing numbers, counting, naming shapes, etc. I think that this is coming along pretty well this year as well. I am much more cognizant of getting manipulatives into the hands of my kinders and using rhymes and story telling to keep them engaged in lessons. I think our grasp of routines has also helped with our math lessons. They know when manipulatives are tools and not toys, and they have learned that if they are playing they need to draw circles instead of using bears, cubes, or blocks. I still have some learning to do in this area, but I think we're coming along nicely!

The one area that got me today was center time. I had planned out my centers, but I had visions of my students from last year when I was doing this. I must elaborate, I had visions of my students from the END of the year last year when I was planning. Kinders at week three of school have very different abilities when compared to kinders at week 36 of school. Lesson learned, I will need to play around and finagle some, but we'll get there eventually.

All in all, I am very happy with where we are as a class this year. I cannot wait to see my kinders grow, learn, and excel this year. It is always so exciting to watch them as they grasp new skills and have aha moments. 

In addition to my new group of kinders, I have a new group of grade level teachers. So far they have made teaching so much more enjoyable! We work together very well and get along perhaps a little too well (it takes forever to lesson plan, but we have a great time doing it!)! They truly love their students and they are invested in their classrooms. We talk every day and share ideas. We are helping one another grow and become better teachers every day.

I have heard from friends that year three of teaching is the best, and at week three, I must say that I agree.

back to school

It is hard to believe that summer has come to an end (at least in teacher terms). Teachers started back on Thursday and our kiddos will show up bright eyed and bushy tailed (right?) on Monday. I personally started back about a week before it was mandated in an effort to get my classroom together. It isn't finished yet, there are some things that will require student involvement in order to get our walls filled up, others that will require teaching, and others still that simply require me to have more time. Until that time comes, take a look at my classroom as the students will see it on Monday morning (minus the changes that happened this afternoon when I stopped in for about an hour with the mister in tow).

new mexico

Home, sweet home. After five weeks on the road it was nice to roll across the state line on Tuesday morning. We weren't ready to put an end to our adventure yet though, and took a little side trip to Capulin Volcano, just east of Raton. As we drove, you could see the features of the volcanic field rising in the distance.

raton-clayton volcanic field

We ate a quick lunch, made from our remaining food stores, and then went to check out the couple of trails at the monument. We hiked the first trail, winding through the cinders. The second trail took us through one of the vent areas around the volcano. As we hiked the Boca Trail my heels started to blister since I hadn't taken the time to find socks in our overstuffed car. The clear solution to prevent further blistering, and the one that was employed on this hike, was to start running. Running on my toes meant that my heels weren't rubbing. Perfect. We saw an awesome trail, we got some running in, and, for the most part, my feet were happy.

With that out of our system, we drove up to the crater of the Capulin. We hiked around the rim of the crater and then down into the vent. Looking out from the rim trail we could see for miles. The volcanic field was somewhat moderate, but beautiful none-the-less. We could see storms forming in the distance, and so we took that as our sign to get down to lower elevations. 

inside the vent

At that point we were exhausted. We tabled our plan to go to Bandelier National Monument and instead made the push for home. As nice as it would have been to get one more tent night in, it was fabulous to sleep in our own bed after being gone for so long. Ah, home, sweet home.

colorado

Upon our departure from Nebraska, we moseyed down to Colorado to spend some time with Sarah and James (and Lucy, Monkey, and Milo). It was nice to get some more relaxation in, eat some delicious food (if you have never grilled romaine or peaches, do it, now), and just catch up.

grilled peaches

On Monday morning we went out to Chautauqua Park to explore. This is one of our favorite city parks of all time. The mister was able to run Green Mountain, and I hiked and ran all over the place. With the Flat Irons looming over you, nicely groomed trails under your feet, and friendly outdoorsy people all around, it is hard to not have a smile on your face the whole time you are on the trails. It also helps that during the summer there are fun summer programs going on, like play sword fighting, in the green space.

the flat irons

the mister at the top of green

spotted on my run/hike

That afternoon we went south to Golden to meet up with my friend Michelle and get in an afternoon hike. We played around at Mount Galbraith Park and had a great time on the lollypop trail there. The views were amazing and it was nice to catch up after not having seen one another for a year. Plus, Michelle had just helped one of her aunts clean out her classroom and she gifted me with some items that have already been put to use in my classroom!

the mister playing around on mount galbraith

me and michelle

After our day of exploration, we met back up with Sarah to go out for sushi. We waited forever, but our rolls were pretty tasty. It was fantastic to sit, talk, and spend time together. After eating fantastic food, we had some pretty awesome milkshakes from Sonic (for half off since we were there late). It may not be an everyday thing, but those milkshakes were awesome (and served as a mid-morning snack the following day as we made our way to New Mexico).

aren't they cute

nebraska

Oh, the good life. There's just something about Nebraska that feels relaxing and comforting. Perhaps it is because our time there is always spent with family and friends. As our summer came to a close, it was fantastic to once again connect with family and to spend time with friends.

Alice loved taking selfies

Our time in Nebraska began on the east, where we were able to spend a night with the Blair Halls. We played with Alice, ate good food, and rode our bikes out for ice cream. Heather and I stayed up for hours on end chatting, and JD made a delightful breakfast of crepes in the morning. As always, our time quickly came to a close, but it's nice to have those moments to connect whenever we can.

photo by Heather Hall Photography

After Blair we began to work our way west. We stopped in Omaha for lunch with friends and then moved on to Lincoln for dinner, ice cream, and a night of walking the city. We had a lot of catching up to do, and we got as much done as possible with non-stop conversation. 

Leaving Lincoln, we made a turn south to Beatrice to visit the Homestead National Monument. It was a little out of the way, but it was well worth the trip. We saw a traditional homestead, listened to an interview with the last homesteader (1974), and walked through the prairie. We saw the tools that were used when individuals worked on their claimed property, learned about the hardships faced, and gained a better understanding of life as a homesteader. 

the proportion of land in Nebraska that was homesteaded

Finally, we really made our way west. We rolled into Ogallala in the late afternoon and once again relaxed with family. We were bombarded with great food (as usual) and were able to catch up on all that has happened since Bruce and Linda visited in June. Chris busied himself with yard work throughout the visit, but took a break to introduce me to some of his high school friends at his class reunion. And then, on Sunday it was time to take off again.

hanging out in the grasslands

The problem with summer is that it comes to an end. And this summer it has meant cutting things short thanks to a late start on our road trip. But, that's the way things go sometimes and all that we can do is make the best of it (which I think we do a pretty good job of doing).

kentucky

After we left Maryland we passed through the rolling mountains of West Virginia and into the Bluegrass of Kentucky. The landscape was welcoming and made for a relatively easy drive. We were hit with bursts of rain as we wound our way into the center of Kentucky, in search of a big hole in the ground. 

We made it to Mammoth Cave National Park in the early evening and were surprised to learn that we had passed into the Central Time Zone. We were just a few minutes late to check out the visitor's center that day and so we moved on to find camping. We discovered that while there were numerous sites open, they were in a section of the campground that can only be used with reservations or if you had an RV. We found this to be odd since the vendor in charge of the campground was essentially saying that they would not take our money because we had not reserved a space online and did not have an RV. One would think that they would simply be happy to get $17 a night, but instead we drove around to the "primitive" campsites on the west side of the park. We had luck here and instead of paying $17 a night we paid $12, camped right on the water, and only had about ten other campmates (as opposed to 110). I'd say we won in the grand scheme of things, we just had a bit of a drive from the center of the park.

Once camping was figured out we settled in for a night of bad country music and abundant campfires from our neighbors. We found the local hotspot for a Saturday night for sure. 

For our first full day of exploring at Mammoth Cave we adventured above ground. We had a rocky start as I managed to wipe out on my bike about ten feet into our ride, but after that we had roughly 17 miles of uninterrupted riding on the park's Railroad Bike and Hike Trail. After finishing our ride we had some lunch and then set out on the hiking trails. We had views of the Green River and numerous sink holes; we were able to check out the natural entrance (and natural air conditioning) of the cave system; and we came across hundreds of miniature toads. While most people go to Mammoth Cave simply for the experience of going into the world's largest cave, I would recommend taking the time to see what is happening above ground as well. It's pretty spectacular.

bike and hike trail

nature's canvas

look closely for bullfrogs and dragonflies 

toads the size of my pointer finger nail

golden salamanders

On our second day at Mammoth Cave we spent the morning visiting some trails that wind through some of the more prominent sink holes in the park (Cedar Sink and Turnhole Bend) and then we prepared for cave explorations. Even in the middle of summer caves can be quite chilly. We bundled up and listened as our Park Ranger explained how we would be going over the bottomless pit and climbing several hundred stairs on the Historic Tour. We were also warned that Mammoth Cave is not a wet cave - this means that there are not spectacular formations (like stalagmites and stalactites) - but that we would see the remnants of saltpeter mines from the war of 1812. This was a whole new caving experience for us. The passageways were quite large (except for fat man's misery and tall man's misery) and the rooms were monstrous. It was great to see just how different caves can be when they are formed differently.

the natural entrance

the sign says it all

We had a slight break after finishing the Historic Tour before going underground at dusk. We went on a lantern tour to explore the Star Chamber (this place once inspired Emerson to write the poem, "Illusions") and to see Gothic Avenue. After the introduction by the Park Ranger (with warnings to not touch anything) we once again passed through the natural entrance of the cave. This time our passage was different from our earlier tour as everything was transformed in the light of a mere 12 lanterns as opposed to the standard stage lighting that runs through the cave. We passed by rooms that had been used in attempts to cure tuberculosis patients and into the famous Star Chamber. 

In the chamber, with our lanterns having been removed from our immediate surroundings, the night sky appeared above us. The stars began to twinkle and you could see the edges of the canyon walls that enveloped us. And then we were brought back to reality. We were 160 feet underground. Everything that we were seeing was a breathtaking illusion. Then, we dove into darkness as the rangers took our lanterns on a walk. One of the experiences that I always look forward to in a cave is this exposure to pure darkness. It is a moment that is as relaxing as it is tense. It is freeing, yet claustrophobic. And then some kid stomps his feet to make those annoying little lights start to flash. With teacher voices coming out of the mouths of every other person on the tour, this youngster stopped pretty quickly, but the moment was lost. I am of the opinion that with all of the requirements that are in place with regards to entering caves, flashing shoes should join cigarettes and fire arms on the list of banned items.

We finished this final tour with a pass through Gothic Avenue. Here we saw the names of those that came before us - carved and smoked into the walls of the cave. Some names were backward thanks to the brilliant idea of using cosmetic mirrors to lessen the strain on one's neck when defacing the cave (and to keep animal fat from the candles from dripping on one's face). There were cairns that had been built over the course of tours after writing names had been banned. It was fantastic. We did turn the lights on for a short while as we left the passageway so that we could have a better look at the names, and then we finished the tour by light of the lanterns once more.

names with a cairn built to honor kentucky (yes, it touches the ceiling)

some of those backward names

We climbed out of the cave into more darkness. We cleaned our shoes (to help prevent the spread of White Nose Syndrome) and then went our separate ways. For us, that meant returning to the car for a night of driving. Kentucky was fun, but with the end of summer approaching, we had to be on our way.

dc [and surrounding areas]

After our fantastic time in the wilds of Maine, the DC area came as quite a shock to our small town selves. While the city is impressive, city living is not for everyone. We are not city people, and this became quite apparent during our brief stay in the greater Capitol region. Though, I will say that cities that have public transportation figured out do have that going for them. And DC seems to have it figured out (based on our limited interactions with the transit system).

We did manage to merge one of our joys - camping - with the big city. The city of Greenbelt is home to Greenbelt Park, a nice little NPS parking that boasts affordable camping and a couple of nice trails just a mile and a half walk away from the College Park metro station. We camped, did some trail running, and eventually made our way to the metro. We rode into the city and walked the day away, taking in the sights.

sculpture garden

Throughout the day we meandered through a variety of Smithsonian Museums and through the National Mall. We saw the popular monuments and memorials that are scattered around the mall and then hopped off of the Mall walkways and checked out MLK, FDR, and the Jefferson Memorial. For future visits, I think I would be happy just seeing MLK and FDR. Both really strike me as being memorials that our lives are modeled after - working to provide opportunities for all, regardless of their life circumstances. 

MLK memorial

The following day we made it to Teddy's Island and added a third site in the city that we would be happy to return to. Theodore Roosevelt helped to expand the National Park Service and for that we are forever grateful. We think of him every summer when we travel, and try to live a lifestyle that promotes conservation and ecological awareness. 

our friend teddy

Our time in the DC area ended with some time with friends. We had a great lunch with our former country director from Peace Corps and then made our way north to Baltimore (which took far longer than it should have - really, city people, if you have public transportation, use it!) to visit friends that we met during Peace Corps. It was a nice way to break away from the overstimulation of the city.

from our wanderings at ARTSCAPE in baltimore

maine

It doesn't seem to matter where we travel or what we do, Maine always tops our list of favorite places on earth. There is something about the gnarly mountain trails, the cool ocean breezes, and the calm and quirky way of life that just makes Maine feel like home, no matter how long we have been gone for.

We began our Maine adventure at Grafton Notch State Park. There is a loop trail that goes through the park and some private land that is just fantastic (and aptly named the Grafton Loop Trail). The park also encompasses approximately 20 miles of the Appalachian Trail (AT). This park provides us with grueling work and wondrous views. The mister took the opportunity to "run" the loop trail (approximately 38 miles of gnarl) while I hiked portions of the AT and explored some sites within the park that we hadn't been to before. We also followed through on intentions that we have always had to buy sweet treats from the "pie lady" on Bear River Road. While the mister was still on the trails I picked up a blueberry-apple pie and a whoopee pie (which managed to disappear before Chris got back to the car, oops!). If you ever make it to the area, stop by and get yourself something delicious to eat! It's worth it!

screw auger falls

After our Grafton adventures we went south to Freeport. It was nice to wander around L.L. Bean's flagship store, but we have either refined our taste in outdoor gear or we have become frugal, because nothing caught our eyes for more than a passing glance. The town has changed since we were there last, with an influx of outlets. Thankfully our favorite pizza place in town is still going strong (it's been around for longer than the Bean). We had delicious eats and then meandered to Oxford to check out a New Balance tent sale (our taste in running shoes is pretty specific to NB and we walked away with three pairs of shoes and a couple of pairs of pants) before moving up the coast to Morrill. 

The midcoast holds a special place in our hearts after living there for a couple of years. We were able to catch up with friends, eat at our favorite restaurant, wander around downtown Belfast, enjoy a free big band concert in the street, and visit our wedding spot. There were too many people and places to visit in the time that we had there, but we made a pretty good go of things before moving up the coast a little further to Acadia National Park.

where the ocean becomes mountains

Acadia is the epitome of Maine for us. The mountains rise out of the ocean. The trails are welcoming yet require some grit to get to the good stuff. There are trees and water (not just the ocean, but lakes and ponds and streams) all around. There is something about Acadia that just sucks us in, and we honestly wouldn't be too sad to be sucked in and never released. We have been there in all seasons, and each season presents a different side of the park. This summer we were also able to explore a new side of the park - the carriage roads. We biked together for a day and then spent a day going our own pace and exploring different parts of the park. We have so many memories of the park, stories of our visits there that still make me smile, and this trip was special in its own right. Again, it was like going home. We have hiked every trail in the park system, and so we were able to go back to our favorites and rediscover why they were special to us in the first place. Hopefully it won't take us five years to get back.

riding on the carriage roads

we made it to the top of day mountain

enjoying sand beach

As all good things do, our time in Acadia came to an end. We returned to the midcoast and explored Camden Hills State Park, had great dinners and conversations with friends, and revisited the bakery that made our wedding cake. It may have come a little early, but an anniversary slice of carrot cake from 3 Dogs Cafe was heavenly. And then, just like that, we were driving out of the state on a rainy Wednesday Morning.

bass harbor light house

new york

Start spreading the news... I'm leaving today... I want to be a part of it... New York, New York

New York was a week full of family and fun (and a little bit of friend time too). Our time in the big city (of Canandaigua, not New York City) was spent with great food, fantastic conversation, and a bit of exploration and adventure. We hiked to waterfalls, did some trail running in the rain, stayed up late, talked about everything under the sun, soaked up family time, and even managed to relax a little bit.

On Saturday we stayed up late talking. On Sunday we climbed on waterfalls and walked through streams. On Monday we surprised my Gramma Dilli and Grandpa Bill. On Tuesday we caught up with a variety of friends. On Wednesday we went for a bike ride and made enchiladas for dinner. On Thursday we ran in the rain, went kayaking, and met up with the Hansen side of the family. On Friday we celebrated the Fourth of July at the lake. On Saturday we celebrated my grandparents' 60th anniversary and 80th birthdays. And on Sunday we were on the road again.

waterfalls!

surprise!

riding bikes in the rain

kayaking

hansen family gathering

celebrating gramma and grandpa

it's not a family get together until there are wheelbarrow races

my family!

The week flew by. There is only so much that you can squeeze into one week, but I think that we managed to get a lot done. Granted we didn't get to see everyone that we would have liked to have seen or do all that we would have liked to have done, but we had an amazing time. And, the Maine woods were calling our names.

ohio

Before we left for Peace Corps we were on a road trip that resulted in our stumbling across Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio. We talked to some rangers, some fellow park visitors, and visited Brandywine Falls. The biggest thing that we learned during this visit was that we needed to return to the park with our bikes one day. This summer provided us with that opportunity! 

We arrived at the park in the early afternoon and went to get camping sorted out. Camping didn't work out for us the last time we were at the park, this time was no different. While we had talked about making reservations for one of the FIVE (that's right, there are only five sites in this park - if you're planning a visit make reservations in advance or plan on coughing up the dough for a nice bed and breakfast) sites in the park, we failed to follow through. Therefore, we spent the afternoon wandering around the park, found a nice shelter where Chris submitted the last of his grad school work, and then went for a nice little run. When night fell we returned to the park's parking lot and had our second night in the car in a row. While not the greatest place to sleep it did mean that we were up with the sun and could take full advantage of our time in the park.

Since we are relatively new to biking as a means of recreation, it takes us a little longer to get sorted out and rolling. We checked air pressure in tires, filled water bottles and bladders, packed snacks, chatted with a few fellow adventurers, and were finally on our way. Cuyahoga Valley follows roughly 20 miles of the historic Ohio & Erie Canal that stretches from Akron to Cleveland. The towpath is a great place to ride bikes (and run, considering the abundance of running groups we crossed paths with throughout the morning) and it is easy to forget that there are major urban centers very close by. We rode over 40 miles during our visit and also managed to spend some time at the local farmer's market, enjoy the wetlands, and explore the Canal Exploration Center. 

As our day came to a close we hopped in the car and made our way to New York.