Long Time No Blog

Obviously, it's been a while. I've been working on tons of ITSCO workshops: SMARTBoards, Personal Learning Networks, iPod Touch, and Google Earth and Google Lit Trips have been especially popular.
Tomorrow I travel to New Boston, Ohio for a taste of Southern Ohio.
I would also like to mention the ITSCO/TechColumbus Education Innovation Mixer coming up May 6, 2009. We are looking for quick presentations on the topic of your choice, robots, education, bananas, squirrels, really whatever floats your boat and that you would like to share in 20 slides that switch every 15 seconds. It promises to be a great time. Please visit ITSCO's website to sign up to present, attend, or for more details. While you are there check out the freshly printed Spring Newsletter for more great offerings.

I'm Going to Jail

...well, for MDA. Lots of cool kids have MDA and need our help. Lots of them want to go to camp. Would you consider making a donation to help me get out of jail?
Please visit my MDA page for more info.
Thanks, in advance.

It's Been a While...

Sorry for the delay in posts. Much has happened. Aaron and I were married in May. We got a Siamese kitten, and we are searching for a house in the NE Columbus suburbs. We traveled to Indianapolis for a friend's baby shower and were able to meet another friend's 4 month old. Lots of exciting baby times.
Next week we travel to San Antonio for the NECC conference and are looking forward to that. More on that from the event.

April Showers Bring May Flowers

...That was the theme for the wonderful bridal shower by sister-in-law and mom cohosted for me over the weekend. We had a great time having tea at Biddie's Coach House in old Dublin and playing games that tested my knowledge of my groom to be and ability to refrain from saying the word "beautiful". I had such a great time surrounded by friends and felt truly "showered" by all their love and friendship. Everyone should have at leas one of those in their life. Thank you to everyone!
My friends from college, Mike and Katy spent the weekend with us and put up with all our questions about their pregnancy. Yay for babies.

Happy Earth Day to one and all. Try to make a little change to help the environment today if no other days. Remember that little changes on a big scale make A LOT of impact.

The weather here has been perfect and we hope that it will be nice for the wedding day. If we were still in Alaska the temps would be around 40 and there would be few signs of Spring. Of course there are oceans and mountains to miss...but still.

I have finished Water for Elephants. It was wonderful. I suggest it for anyone looking for an especially enjoyable but satisfying read. I still think about the characters days after finishing the book. You can't say that for Miley Cyrus's bra. Haha.
I am now reading My Sister's Keeper which I hear they are making a movie from. The book is wonderful and I am definitely losing sleep so I can stay up late reading it.

Pictures of the shower coming soon.

Water for Elephants

I have finally started Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. I had placed a reserve at the library and it finally came in. When I get that email that my reserve has arrived it is like Christmas!
I am really enjoying this book. I just finished Her Last Death by Susana Sonnenberg which I enjoyed but wasn't super excited about. I didn't think about it during the day and only at night when I picked it up I would remember, Oh yes, this is what I am reading. Water for Elephants has me excited to go home for reading pleasure. I have only entered chapter two but I am looking forward to getting further in. I was a bit hesitant at first. It has received great reviews and a number of awards. Usually when others feel so strongly about a book it is hit or miss with me. Sometimes I have that feeling of work to read the book. I see how people like it and why is is critically acclaimed but still not terribly enjoyable to read. This is how I felt about The Corrections by Jonathon Franzen. Definitely a great book and I read it and was glad for it but I couldn't say it was all pleasure. I realize that sometimes that is just as important but it is also nice to have great book that is a joy to read. Considering I do most of my reading these days to relax I don't want the stress of work. Water for Elephants fits the bill. So far, it is very enjoyable. I will keep you posted. Please comment if you have read or are reading this book and add you thoughts.

SweetPea

SweetPea was looking exceptionally beautiful this weekend so I took a couple shots of her sitting on her favorite chair. She has been very adventurous lately with a covert trip under the deck and a few trips out the screen door to sniff the fresh, Spring air. She has also been fairly playful, sneak attacking Bo's backside and nearly licking a hole in her new catnip toy.

Easter

Easter has long been one of my favorite holidays and this year was a particularly swell one. We tried a new church and found it be very inspiring. The meal my mom cooked seemed especially tasty and the egg dying was extra fun with the Shrek set my mom had found. Dyeing eggs makes kids out of everyone. My grandma even dyed a yellow egg. Also, I am always reminded of the year my mom bought scented egg dye which had a funny smell forcing my brother and I to wear "smell guards" made from a kitchen towel clothespinned over our noses. My mom and I had made cards and Easter baskets for the family so we oohed and ahhed over the contents. later, all of us ate lots of chocolate, strawberry cupcakes and trifle and sat, stunned with food, to watch March madness basketball and the dogs searching for treats.
The temperatures were cool but the sun shone brightly giving everyone hope that although Easter was early this year it would soon be Spring. Other signs include the happy tops of bulbs poking through the mud and the fat and sassy robins that call to each other in our backyard. Last night we watched a very large one pull worms from the moist soil for about 20 minutes.
We also battled the wind to play a little preseason tennis and watch the dogs, babies, and kite fliers in the park by our house. The city seems calmer this week. Everyone is away on Spring break or feeling optimistic that the snow might finally be finished for the year.
For more photos from Easter click on the flickr link to the left.