on a budget

With Scout's impending arrival, we have been hard at work at creating a space just for him or her. However, we're not creating a space like most might think when it comes to having a nursery. We have a budget. Not so much a monetary one, though it is nice to be frugal and work in a cost effective manner. Our budget is a spatial budget. We long ago decided that even with a growing family we will stay in our little two bedroom apartment until we leave the Gallup area. This meant that we had to figure out how to combine our gear room (yes, we had nearly a full room of gear) with a baby friendly space.

Out project began with a lot of rearranging. We moved some items from the gear room into the living room. We sold off some items that we no longer used frequently enough to merit the space (so long wine fridge). And we created. While I have been hard at work growing Scout, the mister has been hard at work manipulating materials, organizing objects, and ultimately making Scout's room what it is.

When I say we were on a spatial budget, this means we got the most out of what we already had. We have accumulated some pretty unique items over the years and we did not see the need to spend money on items that would serve the same purpose (cost effective!).  I think that ultimately, the only objects that we spent money on were ... wait, nothing really. Sure, there are a few objects that helped to spruce up the space and some money was spent on paint, but mostly, we just worked with what we had and with items that we received as gifts.

For storage we are using the hope chest that I received for my high school graduation. As a bonus, the chest is really well built so it can double as a small seating area. We purchased a small patio chair cushion (nothing like a soft water resistant surface in a baby room) for added comfort and the transformation was complete. The horseshoe moose was a purchase that we made from a local artist, but with hooks, the nice piece of art also doubles as a place to hang fun things like Scout's sun hat and bathrobe! The bamboo lamp we found at Goodwill in Maine and it has been hanging out for the last several years inside of the hope chest. With it's soft light, it will be perfect for meeting night time needs. Throw in a couple of fun books and a stuffed animal and we're good to go!

The striped "wall" next to the hope chest is dividing our baby space from our gear space.  When pulled aside one enters a world of bikes, skis, camping gear, and hiking essentials. When our bike racks are not on the car, they can be screwed onto the top shelf of our storage racks so that our bikes take up as little room as possible. Our gear is sorted into bins that can easily be thrown into the car for adventuring and with added hooks, the shelves also store regularly used clothing. When we lower the curtain, the space looks as baby friendly as can be. All that it took was a king size sheet (found on clearance) and a metal rod (and the creativity of the mister).

Across from the hope chest is Scout's sleeping space. We received a pack and play that will grow with Scout over the next several years. It has a removable bassinet that also flips over into an inclined seat for daytime use. It has rockers on the bottom and a vibrating seat to help calm our little one down when needed as well as a mobile and a sound machine. I'd say we're pretty well set. There is also a changing table for our convenience with handy storage next to it. It is a space saver and a money saver as we shouldn't need anything else for quite some time (though I'm sure that time will come sooner than either of us expect or want). 

The art work for this space is still up in the air. Currently we have well loved maps from Baxter State Park and Acadia National Park hanging up. Which one stays will be determined once we meet our little Scout - either way, he or she will be born to a name that means peace, beauty, adventure, and love to us. Then we will have a map and a delightful piece of work made by our sister-in-law, a constant reminder that adventure awaits!

The last little space in Scout's room is mostly storage. We have a bookshelf that the mister built about a year ago that now holds a mixture of books and baby needs (like diapers and clothes). We found some great baskets at Dollar Tree (where everything is actually a dollar, not like other dollar stores) that will help us to stay organized. We covered up some of our books with fabric left over from a previous home improvement project. Our blue bookshelf was once an olive green and gold rusty planter that we salvaged from a yard sale immediately upon our return from Peace Corps (who knew we'd need it three years later?). Our artwork once again takes us to Maine, which if it has not been obvious to this point, holds a very special place in our hearts. 

And there you have it - a baby space that was created for a minimal cost that utilizes the space that we have efficiently. Some may say that it looks like a room for a boy. We think it looks like a room for an adventurer. (Plus, I don't really care for pink and purple.)

savor it

2014 was a big year for us. We dove into our third year of teaching. We finished up grad school. We found out that we are expecting a new little adventure buddy in May of 2015. With all of the amazing things that have been going on, it has been easy to just let the time slip by. 

It would be easy to continue in this manner too. Even though we will no longer have grad school taking up whatever free time we thought we had before, we will always find ways to fill our time - with adventures, with good books, with creating, with long runs - but will we be approaching each of these activities with purpose? Will we be living in the moment, or letting the moments pass us by? 

These past couple of years we have taken advantage of our location and have ended one year and begun the next by doing something that we love - running (or walking, or hobbling, depending on the time of day). We have surrounded ourselves with a community of crazy runners as we ring in the New Year as a part of Aravaipa Running's Across the Years 24-hour event. This is a great opportunity to meet other runners, have thought provoking conversations, and push yourself to the limit. During these past two years I have had the opportunity to engage with some very interesting people, and this year I was left pondering two words: savor it. 

Throughout the first 15 hours of the event I found myself chatting with a fellow runner, Cliff, whenever our paces matched up. Cliff is full of motivational wisdom, and at one point he shared the story of his first 50 mile race and being told to savor the final 1.5 miles (or so). This sounded as odd to me as I am sure it did to him when he first heard the words, but as he explained what happened during those final footfalls of the race, no two words have ever sounded sweeter. He savored those final miles and as a result, the time flew by and he was finished before he knew it, leaving the pain of so many completed miles behind and taking in the experience as opposed to suffering through it. After all, as he later pointed out, there isn't anyone forcing us to do these crazy things that we do (such as signing up for 24-hour events), so why not savor the moment?

speaking of crazy... midnight in the cold... before running my first mile of the new year

 As I continued moving through the event, I found myself returning to these words over and over again. However, I was not thinking of them with regards to the race itself, but with regards to life. How often have I been guilty of pushing through or suffering through, and not savoring the blessings that have been laid before me? As I pondered these words, I thought about the year to come, about living with intention, and about being in the moment. I thought about other wise words that have been shared with me by friends and the conversations that have arisen as the result of my pregnancy. I thought about books that I have read that portray women suffering through their pregnancies and not savoring the miracle that their body is capable of creating. After all, when you're walking around in the middle of the night you have a lot of time to think.

And so, I now find myself approaching this new year with a new outlook - savor it. What a simple mantra to bring me back to the moment. As we meander through life we can never experience the same moment twice, so why not savor each and every one. The good and the bad. The celebrations and the challenges. The ups and the downs. After all, the good wouldn't be quite as good without the bad, and we learn more about ourselves and about life when we encounter struggle. And with these thoughts (if you have managed to suffer through my ramblings up to here), I challenge you to savor it. Savor the moment, the day, the year, your life. After all, we only have one life, why not savor it?

pausing to savor the first sunrise of 2015

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.

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).

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.

and so it began

Once upon a time I said I would write about spring break happenings. Then it never happened. The school year ended and the mister and I did some contract work for our schools and before we knew it sumer began with a fun-filled week of exploring and showing our family around the Gallup area.

We were blessed with a week of amazing weather when Bruce and Linda came to visit. We were able to spend long days in the sun seeing all that the southwest has to offer.

We started our time together on Saturday with one of the best breakfasts you can find in Gallup (if you've never been to the Plaza Cafe and you're local, you're missing out) and a trip to a garage sale that some of our friends were having. We were lured there by the promise of lemonade being sold by cute kids, and that promise was met (with an added bonus of being PINK lemonade, something that I have a weakness for). I also managed to walk away with some great new-to-me scarves and a new book, Chris picked up a bolero tie, and Linda scored big with a whole new library for her daycare and some new noise-making toys. Our shopping for the day wasn't complete though, as every visit to Gallup should also include a trip to the local flea market. I finally purchased some earrings that I have wanted for about two years and Linda found a horse to take home!

Linda's new horse

On Sunday we made our way into Arizona where we spent our morning exploring Petrified Forest National Park. With the painted desert surrounding us, discoveries of petroglyphs and pictographs, blue mesas, and an abundance of petrified wood we relished the beauty of the natural world (I particularly enjoyed chasing lizards) and contemplated the lives of generations past. What would it have been like to live in the open desert? Where would the people have gotten their water? What brought people to the area and made them want to stay? The National Parks Service has a way of making you think about things in a new way, and for that I am always grateful. 

one of my lizard friends

petrified wood

We stayed in Gallup on Monday and did the touristy things that the mister and I typically overlook, but have secretly wanted to do during our time here. We visited the Storyteller Museum, checked out new trading posts and did the city mural walk. Gallup has a rich history and an abundance of talented residents and this was a the perfect opportunity to take all of that in. We also made a point of visiting another landmark in Gallup, Glenn's Bakery. Chris brought me donuts from Glenn's once upon a time after a run, but we really haven't eaten there, even though we had heard that we should. We had a great lunch and it will certainly be a place that we go back to (don't worry, they sell more than donuts!). 

Bruce and Linda with a Code Talker

Chris, our ever faithful tour guide

On Tuesday we went back to Arizona, this time to Canyon de Chelly. Since moving to the southwest, I have found Canyon de Chelly to be one of the most beautiful places that we have visited. It is majestic, full of history, and peaceful. There is something about visiting this place that is just relaxing, even when making the trip down into the canyon and then climbing back out of it. We hiked to the bottom of the canyon to show Bruce White House Ruins and then spent the rest of our day going to the overlooks. One of the things about Canyon de Chelly is that it is a living monument. There are still families that reside in the canyon, therefore visitors are not allowed to explore on their own (unless you are willing to run a long way). From the top though you are able to meet artisans from the area, learn about their families that reside in the canyon, and of course buy beautiful artwork (which we all did). On our way home from Canyon de Chelly we stopped in at Hubbell Trading Post for another glimpse of life in days gone by.

replica hogan 

the four of us at spider rock

white house ruins

Wednesday was a day of recovery, to some extent. We returned to Arizona (though just barely) and visited the Navajo Nation Zoo and the Nation Museum. The morning was nice and mild as we made our way through the zoo, and then we escaped from the heat of the day by visiting the museum. It was a relaxing morning, followed by an afternoon of Chris and I playing catch up with grad school (yes, even though it is summer, we are still working a little bit).

Linda petting animals at the zoo

window rock

We wrapped up our time together with a trip to Zuni, Ramah and El Morro National Monument. We were fortunate to find the A:shiwi A:wan Museum and Heritage Center open in Zuni. This is a great little museum of the history of the Zuni people; the mister and I were introduced to it as a part of our new teacher orientation with the school district, but had not been able to go back on our own. The museum covers the long history of the Zuni people in a small space with unique artifacts and images. Our history lesson did not stop with this trip to the museum though, as we ventured down the road to El Morro. Here, travelers made their mark as they passed through on one of several trails heading west. There are marks from ancient tribes, western settlers, and railroad men, all stopping for a break from the hot desert sun and to refill their canteens from the spring that made the place noteworthy. While one would't want to drink water there today, the shade is still a welcome respite during the heat of the day. Instead, water is consumed, along with delicious food at the Ancient Way Cafe, one of our favorite eateries in the southwest. 

the pool at el morro

the story of antelope passing through

the marks of spanish conquistadores 

Our week was full of adventure, good food, and of course Nightly Indian Dances. It is always fun to show people around, and it's even better when it is family that comes to town. We were sad to say goodbye, but fortunately it is summertime which means we'll be able to squeeze in another visit before the school year begins in August. 

one of my favorite dances of all time, the hoop dance

the buffalo dance

survival

It's what Valentine's Day is all about. Survival of the fittest. Otherwise, the kinders will eat you alive. They came in this morning flying high, ready to pass out their Thanksgiving cards (for some reason, they know it is Valentine's Day, but they think they are making Thanksgiving cards, I'm at a loss). They then ate sugar filled waffles for breakfast. And I had to calm them down enough to get our Friday assessments in before allowing them to slip into party mode. Lets me say, assessments on Valentine's Day are not the best idea on earth, the results were dismal. Oh well, sometimes we just need to roll with the punches. We'll keep going over the material during interventions until they get it down pat.

While Valentine's Day may not be my favorite, I am very thankful that my parents are listening to my request for healthy treats this year. Last year each student went home with a plate with a dozen of assorted cupcakes and cookies. This year, the treats that were provided were chips and crackers (better than cookies and cupcakes), homemade jello, bananas, and mandarin oranges. Success!

Or, so I thought. When the kiddos started handing out their valentines, packed away in their bags were cookies. Then a mother brought in cupcakes and bags of candy. And she didn't leave.

Since this mother didn't leave the classroom, she was able to see her child acting out and receiving warnings of being sent to the principal's office instead of being able to participate in party activities. She reminded her child several times to follow the rules. Then the kinder received a final notice and we walked to the office together.

The principal asked mom to come to the office, the student was sent home for the day, which meant no party. Mom came into the classroom and yelled at me, saying that I was unfair to her child. We walked into the hall, and after she started swearing at me and saying she wanted her child pulled from my class, we went to the principal's office so that there was a mediator (and a witness) for the ensuing conversation (thank goodness for assistants).

In the end, the principal and I got mom calmed down, let her vent about her relationship with the student's father, and have a promise to have her reconsider wanting to take her child out of my classroom. On Tuesday, at parent teacher conferences, we will see what she has to say.

Whoever decided that holiday parties were a good idea was not a teacher. Thank goodness this was the last major party of the year.

christmas

This year we were fortunate to once again have fantastic weather over Christmas, allowing us to join the Hall family in Nebraska for the holiday. All of the Hall siblings made it home, providing for a festive celebration full of aunts and uncles doting on the lovely Alice.

Alice opening gifts

The week was filled with fantastic food, continuing rivalries in a variety of different board games, and a never-ending game of pass the baby/chase baby Alice/make Alice laugh, and laugh, and laugh.

Alice the lamb

It was also a time to relax and rejuvenate while surrounded by loved ones. It is times like this that make me wish that all of our families lived near-by so that we could enjoy one another more frequently. Though, I also recognize that our distance is what makes these times together that much more special and cherished. You can't win them all I guess.