Canoe Country

What is included in a great summer afternoon? How about family, perfect weather, lots of laughs, and a relaxing canoe trip? That is exactly what our afternoon consisted of yesterday. Justin's brother Shane mentioned his interest in canoeing last week so we set the date to go yesterday and invited my sister, Jessica, along for the ride. The decision to invite Jess would prove to be quite an entertaining one, but more on that later.

We made reservations at Canoe Country, a business in Daleville, IN that allows you to rent a canoe, drops you off at a location on the White River, and picks you up at your final destination. Wanting to get the most out of our trip, we decided to do the 10+ mile trip which takes about four hours. We were dropped off in Daleville and paddled our way for four hours to Edgewater Park in Anderson, IN.

The weather was perfect yesterday and even the mid-80s didn't feel hot since we were down on the river and under the shade of trees during a large part of the trip. This was the first time canoeing for Jess and myself. Justin and I were in one canoe and Jess and Shane were in another. Once we got the handle on how to actually steer the canoe...well, I guess once Shane and Jess got a handle on not canoeing backwards or sideways (Justin was a pro at steering from the beginning), we were on our way down the White River. We brought drinks and snacks along and I am definitely disappointed that I didn't bring my camera, but Canoe Country warns you not to take anything that you don't want wet or lost, so we were safe for this trip and left the camera at home.

We had a leisurely ride down the river, enjoying the scenery of the parks and pointing out each duck and turtle and snake (eek!) we saw. We were about three and half hours into our trip, and even though it was proving to be a fun-filled and relaxing afternoon, what happened next would definitely be the biggest memory of the trip--the memory that we will sit around ten years from now and say, "Hey Shane and Jess, remember that first time we went canoeing and you..."

Now nothing short of an actual first-hand account of this incident can do it justice of just how funny it was, but I'll try my best. For about the last mile of the trip, we decided it would be a good idea to race. Things were going great (because Justin and I were winning) but Shane and Jess caught up and we reached a shallow part of the river. With rocks scraping the bottom, and my competitive nature kicking in, I yelled at Justin to get out and drag the canoe out of the rocks. Jess and Shane followed suit and abandoned their canoe to start dragging it as well. With the rocks a little painful under our feet and with Justin noticing that the water was deeper a few feet in front of us, we got back in our canoe and were pushing off the bank when I looked up and saw Shane and Jess neck-deep in the river and their canoe completely sideways and taking on water. Knowing that the water wasn't deep enough to go over their heads, Justin and I could not help but laugh. I guess Jess lost her shoe and they were both trying to get it while realizing the river wasn't shallow anymore and when they both tried to get in the canoe again at the same time, mother nature wasn't on their side. Seeing our siblings scramble, Justin and I could not stop laughing while Shane was trying to get the canoe upright and Jess was going for the oar that was quickly floating down the river along with all of the other contents of the canoe. Already soaked from head to toe, they gathered everything but the oar and pulled the boat up on some rocks while Justin and I went down the river for the oar. In the end we didn't lose anything (but I was glad not to have the camera to worry about!) and we got a drenched Shane and Jess back into their canoe and down to the pick-up area.

At the end of the day we were a little sunburnt, a lot tired, (some of us very wet!), but glad for the good time and the laughs had with family. I think our afternoon of canoeing may just become a new summertime hobby!

How to Cure Boredom

A list of things to do when your husband leaves you to work for twelve hours on a Saturday and you just have your cat and rainy weather so you can't even go to the pool.

1. Read some of a book...check.
2. Play a mindless computer game until you feel absolutely worthless...check.
3. Scrounge up something to eat for lunch that is completely unhealthy...check.
4. Watch a few shows on TV that you've previously seen at least twice...check.
5. Cuddle with your cat...check.
6. Push your cat off of you after five minutes because you now have enough fur in your mouth to cough up your own hairball...check.
7. Check your e-mail every half an hour in the hopes that someone else is bored out of their mind on a Saturday and e-mailed you...check. (No one did.)
8. Contemplate cleaning the patio furniture three or four times but not actually cleaning it...check.
9. Straighten up around the apartment...check.
10. Iron the piled of wrinkled clothes on the dining room table (A--because they have been sitting there for two weeks and B--because you are in love with the steam function on your iron)...check.
11. Take a shower (and shave so the shower lasts as long as possible)...check.
12. Make a pitcher of lemonade...check.
13. Balance your checkbook...check.
14. Pay a few bills...check.
15. Wallow in self-pity for a few minutes because you are broke...check.
16. Blow-dry your hair...check.
17. Upload pictures from your camera to the computer and put in folders accordingly...check.
18. Update your blog...check.
19. Sort through a few piles of papers in the hopes of getting rid of some of the clutter in the guestroom but instead just making more smaller piles...check.
20. Stare at yourself in the mirror for five minutes while contemplating whether it's time to start using anti-aging cream or not...check.
21. Realize that you start school a month from tomorrow and have a small bout of depression upon that realization...check.
22. Panic because you haven't planned a single lesson for the school year that starts in a month...check.
23. Read almost every news article on CNN and People.com because you've checked every other website that you look at on a daily basis at least three times...check.
24. Wonder if next Saturday will probably be as boring as this one and realize that there's a good chance of that...check.
25. Make a list of everything you've done today...check.

I still have an hour and a half until Justin gets home...now what?

When the Wife's Away...

It's been awesome being home this past week after my whirlwind of short and long trips the previous couple of weeks. And as nice as it was to come home to my favorite guy and my favorite feline...


...and as much as Justin said that he missed me...I have a feeling that there was a part of him that was a little happy to have the apartment to himself and revert back to his bachelor days. What makes me think this? Oh, I have evidence.

Piece of Evidence #1: The Reese Cups
OK, so I found these before I left and while Justin confessed to having these before I found them, I still chalk them up to a secret. The conversation went like this when Justin got home from work late one night:

Setting the scene: I was watching TV in bed when Justin got home. Since we hadn't seen each other much that week, he came into the bedroom to eat and talk with me. After random chatting, this happened...

Me: "Do you know we have absolutely nothing sweet to eat in this house? I wanted a cookie or candy so bad after dinner I couldn't stand it."

Sidenote: We've been trying to make healthier options at the grocery store.

Justin gets a weird look on his face.

Me: "Babe..."

Justin: "I've had candy stashed in the kitchen for a few days now." He runs away from me.

Me (outraged): "WHAT?! WHERE?! Why didn't you share?"

Justin: "You've been doing so good eating healthy, babe, that I didn't want to ruin it for you."

Me: "You mean there has been candy in this house and I wanted chocolate so bad that I literally drank the Sundae Syrup this evening?"

Justin then fessed up to his stash. Apparently there were Hershey bars in the kitchen but now just Reese cups remained. And where did he hide them? In the most obvious place. We have a drawer in our kitchen that somehow got nicknamed "the candy drawer" but for the past six months has only contained Christmas Lifesavers, hard marshmallow Peeps, cough drops, and expired popcorn. So I never thought to look there. But there they were...


Piece of Evidence #2: Coors Light
Yes, beer. I can't remember the last time that beer was in our refrigerator. I'll take a safe bet that we haven't had beer since we lived in Justin's old apartment on 82nd street. Not that we are goody-two-shoes that don't drink, but when you don't have a lot of money to spend at the grocery store, you buy milk, diet coke, and Kool-Aid packets...cheap beverages...not beer. But as I am in my tired daze after Allison's wedding trying to run around the house and pack for Washington D.C., I open the fridge for a bottle of water (re-filled from the Brita...see...cheap) and see this:


Piece of Evidence #3: More Chocolate
Not only did that six-pack greet me when I went into the refrigerator for an innocent bottle of water, but more candy stared me straight in the face, right there in plain sight on the bottom shelf:


I guess I can't blame him too much for indulging a little while I was gone. He did say he missed me and he remembered to feed Maggie everyday, so I can't fault him too much. But next time I want chocolate, I'm searching high and low in the kitchen before I resort to drinking the Sundae Syrup.

Live from Washington D.C.

UPDATED WITH PHOTOS!

Since I am blogging out of state I feel that the title needs to sound something like the beginning of Saturday Night Live when they say "Live from New York, it's Saturday night!" So if you don't mind, please read the title again, but this time (in your head or out loud if you feel so inclined), read it in your best radio/television announcer voice that really grasps the essence of the SNL intro and the fact that I am not in McCordsville, IN.

This past week has been a whirlwind. I left last Tuesday morning for cheerleading camp at IU, got home from there on Thursday afternoon only to take a quick nap, unpack, pack again, and get up on Friday morning to head to Muncie for my friend Allison's wedding, which I was a bridesmaid in. I left the reception between 11:30 and midnight on Saturday night and was on my way to the airport at 5:15 on Sunday morning to attend a technology conference with the English department and administrators in Washington, D.C., hence the dramatic opening to this blog entry. After I got over being delirious due to lack of sleep, (I thought Sunday was Tuesday for the longest time until I asked someone) the conference has been fun. I am really disappointed that Obama didn't meet us at the airport like I was sure he would, but I've learned a lot about new technology for my classroom and I'm excited to get started making lesson plans to incorporate all that I've learned. Wait...it's June 30th and I just said I want to make lesson plans...that must be a mistake. A couple of pictures from the trip...

Me in front of a lot of books at the Library of Congress.

Reading at the Library of Congress.

Back to the wedding. It was awesome to see my friends and see yet another one of us get married. Friday consisted of the rehearsal and dinner at Puerto followed by a great tribute to Michael Jackson in Ashley's car while we were stopped by a train for a good fifteen minutes. Not only was it amusing to be flipped off by a car of girls that must have been jealous of our love for MJ but my friend Ashley successfully yelled Michael Jackson ad-libs to a police officer. And I have had "Man in the Mirror" in my head ever since. Then we successfully took pictures in front of both of the old college houses we lived in near campus (I only lived in one...but they claimed me for the other) while laughing to hard that I'm shocked a few of us didn't pee our pants. Saturday morning came and we helped Allison get ready for her big day. She looked absolutely beautiful and the wedding and reception were gorgeous and a blast. I don't think a beaming grin left Allison's face the entire day and the weather was perfect for her outside reception.

Ashley, me, and Nikki at the rehearsal dinner.

The happy couple, Chris and Allison, at the rehearsal dinner.

My friend Laura "acting natural" with my engagement ring on.

Allison, Minner, and Laura at the rehearsal dinner.

Nikki and Laura during our tribute to Michael Jackson.

All of the girls on the big day!

Me with the beautiful bride.

Me with the "chief bridesmaid".

The amazing wedding singer and me at the reception.

Cutting the cake!

After a crazy week I will be happy to get home tomorrow night and sleep in my own bed next to my wonderful husband (whom I miss like crazy) and with my over-sized kitty at my feet. My plan for Thursday consists of my pajamas, the couch, and over a week's worth of episodes of The Young and the Restless.

This is Not My Life

Do you ever feel that so much life is going on around you and you are completely missing out on everything? OK, don't get me wrong, I absolutely, 100% love my life with Justin. But I can't help but think lately that there is so much more that I could be doing with my life.

I had a sorority sister that coined a phrase, "This is not my life". Her name was Nicole Gallo, and well, in a brief description, she was awesome. She would use the "this is not my life" phrase when something was going on with her that just wasn't who she was. She taught us to use it if we were stressed or sad or angry and to simply beat your right fist into your open left palm while repeating over and over "This is not my life!" When it comes to how I'm feeling right now, it's the only phrase that sums it all up.

From the outside looking in, it seems that I have a great life. I'm married to one heck of an amazing man, I have a rewarding and steady job, a great apartment, awesome friends, a devoted family, etc. etc. etc. But something just doesn't feel right lately. I had a pretty big roller coaster of a year last year with losing my mom (the lowest point of my life) to getting married (clearly the highest point of my life). When not dealing with and celebrating those moments, I had school to distract me, and with cheerleading, the yearbook, and keeping my head above water in a sea of freshmen, I never had time to think that everything wasn't complete. But now that I'm out of school and have a lot of time on my hands, I find myself sitting within the walls of this apartment watching mindless reality television and soap operas and wallowing on the couch thinking about how mundane my life has been in these past couple of weeks.

Now that I've successfully thrown myself a pity party, it's time to not only say "this is not my life", but do something about it. There are changes I want to make that aren't going to make themselves. I just realized that someone reading this might be thinking that I'm being very vague, but to be honest, I don't know all of the changes I need to make. Clearly I'm not physically healthy and that needs to change. After completing Relay for Life (an entry on that is coming soon) I would love to get more involved in supporting cancer research. I want to write more. I just want to do more with my day instead of getting up, eating breakfast, and figuring out how I can fill 10 hours with television shows. I could be a better friend. I could be a better family member. I could be a better wife. I could be a better person. And it's just time to start making that happen.

Freedom

Well, freedom for a little over two months anyway! Today was my last day of school with students. We have a teacher day on Monday, but all of my end-of-the-year duties are completed and ready to turn in so I'm counting right now as my first official hour of summer freedom. The wrap-up of school is why I've been MIA in the blog world lately. I feel that the last month of an English teacher's school year has got to be the busiest, especially at my school. In the last month, when I wasn't grading a research paper, I was probably packing up my classroom (for it to be renovated over the summer), and when I wasn't packing I was probably thinking of someway to get freshmen interested in Romeo and Juliet, and when I wasn't doing that, I was probably trying to stay sane since I swear teenagers turn into the spawns of Satan around the middle of May! But it is all done and it feels awesome. I was telling my dad today that I will never apologize or feel bad for having the summer off. I did not choose to enter the teaching world just to not have to work in the months of June or July, however, with that, I chose a job that doesn't stop everyday at 5 p.m. I don't get to come home and forget about my job until the next time I go in. Instead, I get to come home each night and grade essays, plan lessons, and try my best to stay on top of things so that I can get at least five hours of sleep before I have to get up and do it all over again. So all of those hours I spend in the evenings and on the weekends grading papers until I just want to stick the red pens in both of my eyes and the time I spend in front of the computer trying to find some way to have students relate to the time period of To Kill A Mockingbird are given back to me in the summer and I enjoy every single minute of them.

Due to my brief hiatus, I feel there are many blog entries that are stored in the back of my mind. And since the front of my mind is now clear of MLA style and final exams, those entries are ready to come out--so expect a lot of updating this weekend and in the weeks to come. I have several goals for this summer. I will of course be coaching cheerleading all summer and finishing the yearbook with the staff until the middle of June. But I also have a mile-long summer reading list (reading for pleasure could be my favorite part of the summer) and an equally long list of things I want to do with the apartment. And yes, Justin, I promise I will finally get the guest room to a state where a guest could actually stay in it.

But right now I must get ready to go to graduation where I get to see the fruits of my labor walk across the stage and get handed the ticket to the rest of their lives. And then, I sleep.

John 14:2

2In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.