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Visits from the Black Dog

Back in the days when I had regular visits from the Black Dog – the phrase Churchill used to describe his occasional bouts of depression – what really pigged me off was the lack of any objective reason for it all. If I had been in chronic pain, or unjustly imprisoned, you could understand it, but I faced nothing like that. In fact one of the worst bouts came when, on any rational basis, I appeared to have everything I had ever wanted. It is called, I am told, ‘endogenous depression’. Depression without any apparent cause.

Alan Garner, in a brilliant essay on the subject, describes how he was overcome one day by ‘the blankness of me and the blankness of the world’ and then spent two years, twelve hours a day, lying curled up on the settle in his kitchen, unable to do… anything. I remember my sense of guilty relief on reading that. How reassuring it was to know that others had been through something even worse than my own experience, and yet survived.

A lot of people go through life without ever meeting the Black Dog, but many of us get to know him all too well. It can start at an early age and is, I am told, affecting an increasing number of children in today’s pressured society. Not that I’d want to use it as a topic in any of my books of course, any more than Alan Garner did. I mean… who’d want to read a book about being depressed?
Andrew NorrissAnd then, to my considerable surprise, this was exactly what turned out to be a theme in Jessica’s Ghost. I hope that doesn’t put anyone off, because it’s not as grim as it sounds. If all I had done was express the thought that life can be a bit of a bugger at times, my story would not have been one I wanted to read myself. But, fortunately, my characters were smart enough to find a way out of the abyss and the book is mostly about how they did it.
You don’t have to be an expert on mental health to know there are no slick and easy answers to the problem of depression, but there do seem to be a few consistent signposts to the rescue ladder. One of them is the power of loving friendship. Alan Garner describes how his children would gently stroke the back of his neck as they passed through the kitchen. In my case, the rock on which I rested was my wife. With the young people in my story it’s the support they give each other because they’ve all been to the same dark places and know what it’s like.
 Jessica's Ghost by Andrew Norriss

It also helps to know that the clouds will not last forever. This may be difficult to believe at the time, but moods are like the weather and the sunshine will one day return. As it did for me. And as it did for Alan Garner, who woke one day to find his depression had vanished as mysteriously as it had arrived. And that is what he reminds himself, when he hears the ‘tinkle of ice bergs’ heralding its possible return. That the mood will pass.

It’s important to remember that.

It will pass.

Andrew Norriss is the author of Jessica’s Ghost, which is published by David Fickling Books and is out now


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OPINION: Fishermen's voices will not fall silent

May 13th 11:46 am | Paul Hansen Print this article   Email this article

As we look to the summer ahead, the Bristol Bay commercial fishing fleet again faces a season of uncertainty. To be sure, our fishermen face unknowns every year: be it the price per pound, strength of the run, or the possibility of dangerous weather.

For over a decade though, our fleet has been living with an uncertainty more dangerous than them all. After 10 years of actively fighting the prospect of a mine that could end our centuries-old commercial fishery, we go into this fishing season with the proposed Pebble Mine as close as it has ever been to permitting.

The issue weighs heavy over the fleet, and there is no denying we are more than a little tired of the fight. But that is what this foreign mining company is waiting for, us to get tired and quit fighting. That's why I am excited about a new effort; Sustaining Bristol Bay Fisheries (SBBF), founded to represent commercial fishermen in the fight to protect our livelihoods.

For the optimistic of us, after years of work to gain protections for our fishery, it seemed the Pebble Project had faded away beyond resurrection.

Unfortunately, this couldn't be farther from the truth. Despite our efforts, lasting protections have yet to be finalized. The Pebble Limited Partnership is reinvigorated now, and is doubling down on efforts to attract investors and garner political support for its project.

The company continuously misrepresents its level of local support to help do this, exaggerating division within members of our fishing fleet on the issue. So yet again, we enter the 2017 salmon season with this heightened threat and uncertainty about our futures as fishermen in Bristol Bay.

Sustaining Bristol Bay Fisheries was founded to unite and amplify our fishermen's voices to stop mines like Pebble from devastating the Bristol Bay fishery. While fish politics are never perfect, the system is working well in Bristol Bay: our salmon make up over half the world's supply, the industry contributes over 1.5 billion to the American economy, and supports over 14,000 jobs.

This is an economy we aren't willing to risk for a short-term mine at the headwaters of the watershed, and it shouldn't be something our leadership is willing to trade away either. This world-class fishery has operated sustainably for over 130 years and SBBF's mission is to represent fishermen who want to ensure it will continue to provide for our livelihoods and the generations to follow. The commercial fishing fleet has long been strong advocates to protect Bristol Bay. With Pebble's renewed threat, it is up to us to keep fighting to protect the last great sockeye-salmon fishery in the world.

With the upcoming fishing season mere weeks away and a chronic realm of uncertainty looming overhead, there is one thing Bristol Bay commercial fishermen can be sure of: our voices will not fall silent. Sustaining Bristol Bay Fisheries will stand up for fishermen and will be a steadfast voice to protect those who depend on the vibrant economy Bristol Bay's world-class fishery provides for our people, our state, and our world.

Paul Hansen is a Sustaining Bristol Bay Fisheries advisory member and lifelong Bristol Bay resident and commercial fishermen.

Copyright 2017 The Bristol Bay Times is a publication of Alaska Media, LLC. This article is © 2017 and limited reproduction rights for personal use are granted for this printing only. This article, in any form, may not be further reproduced without written permission of the publisher and owner, including duplication for not-for-profit purposes. Portions of this article may belong to other agencies; those sections are reproduced here with permission and Alaska Media, LLC makes no provisions for further distribution.

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Porsche Supercup To Continue As F1 Support

The Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup will continue as a support series to Formula 1 next season after organisers signed a contract that will run until 2013.

“We're proud of the successful liaison with Formula 1,” said Wolfgang DÃ¼rheimer. “The Porsche Mobil1 Supercup has developed superbly on this premium platform and has produced many world class drivers who today enjoy great success particularly in long distance racing.”

The Mobil 1 Supercup is the flagship of Porsche’s 19 racing series and attracts some of the best sportscar talent to its ranks. It has run alongside F1 – the only GT series to do so – since 1993.

“The Porsche Mobil1 Supercup is an important element of the Formula 1 race weekends, and always provides spectators with gripping motorsport at a very high level,” said Patrick McNally, CEO of Allsport Management SA.


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How I Stash My Fluff-Part 1

It took me a few months (well, maybe six months) to figure out the “perfect” way to keep my cloth diapers organized.  I now have a great system that works for our family.

I keep all of the fluff in Sam’s dresser.  When he was younger, and couldn’t roll like a baby alligator, this is where his changing pad rested.  When we picked out his furniture I was set on getting a changing table but a salesperson talked me into getting a dresser and placing a changing pad on top instead-I sure am glad I met that man!  This dresser has so much space for his fluff and is useful still once changing baby on a changing table isn’t feasible anymore, which was around six months of age for us.

In the long, top drawer I keep (in photo order) FuzziBunz Hemp Inserts, extra micro inserts, micro doublers, Hemp Babies doublers, and Birdseye Cotton Flat Diapers (in natural).
In the next two drawers I keep all of my pre stuffed pocket diapers (an assortment of FuzziBunz Perfect SizeBum Genius 4.0Kawaii, and Rumparooz).

The bottom drawer houses my covers which include Flip and Bummis Super Lite.  (I use my flat diapers tri folded in these).

On top of the dresser I have a Prince Lionheart wipe warmer and I keep their “Warmies” in it.  I keep my FuzziBunz wipes underneath that I spray with a bottle of water-these are amazingly soft and are great at drying his little bum after wiping it.

Next to the wipe warmer I keep three jars filled with Q-tips, cotton balls, and baking soda (to sprinkle in the diaper pail).

I also keep a basket on top filled with my old infant prefolds that are great for cleaning up messes, a spray bottle of water, and a baby jar filled with coconut oil.  I use the coconut oil on Sam’s bum for his eczema, diaper rash, and as a barrier cream.  It works great and smells amazing!  Oh, and you can’t forget the Jayhawk.  Rock Chalk!

In the side cabinet doors I keep random accessories and yes, I have a “sposie” stash for very rare occasions.

And let’s be honest, this is usually what his room looks like with the fluff piled on the floor until I have a chance to stuff the pockets and get everything put away.

Happy Cloth Diapering!

By Michelle P.

  1. Elsaite said...

    I keep most of my diapers (pockets and prefolds) in a wicker basket next to the dresser. One dresser drawer contains my doublers, diaper covers, and cloth wipes. I would, however, love to have a stash that took up a whole dresser!

  2. CatKity said...

    Where did you find the acrylic dealy to set the warmer on? We could really use something like that.

  3. The stand that the warmer is on is made by Prince Lionheart as well and I got it a Babies R Us. I was worried about the warmer warping the wood. It works great!

  4. Awesome! I want a wipe warmer I decided. Love your setup and I'm glad that the changing table and dresser worked out for you, that's exactly what I want.

  5. Lynnie Lee said...

    We keep all our fluff in a dresser too! (except ours is in the living room.. some day we'll move it out!)
    Great system, and glad to see a fellow Jayhawker! 😉

  6. Rachel Korpella said...

    Baking soda! I haven't heard that one before. Do you sprinkle it directly on each diaper? Do you find it is more effective than Bumgenius Odor Remover?

  7. Dara said...

    I'm starting to cloth diaper soon and this really helped to give me some ideas on organization. Oh, and we're a KU family too! Rock Chalk Jayhawk!! 🙂

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Lavender and Lace

These photos were shot down the street from Chris and Susannah's house. They live just off of a lake and this pier was a nice spot for photos at dusk. We were swarmed with mosquitos though! Also everyone in the neighborhood was watching us! I'm slowly but surely getting more accustomed to strangers staring as I pose for outfit photos. No big deal. I just need to whip up some bloggy business cards so it's not in vain, right?! Right!

I picked up this dress on our way up to Chicago on Thursday. We stopped at our little "halfway" point which was Indianapolis. I had never been so we made our way to Circle Centre Mall and popped around some stores. We were in H&M where I snagged some pretty things on super super super clearance and this dress in purple (and ivory!). While there I was greeted by a sweet gal named Emily! Emily works at H&M and I think the run-in was so awkward on both ends for us, but it ended up being a great laugh and we conversed with her for a little while before departing. (She recently got engaged, too, so congrats to Emily!). We tried meeting up with her on our way back through on Monday but no such luck!

It was strange to wear tights in almost-July! It was a welcome change from the 98 degree heat of Nashville however. I find myself wishing for winter when I spent the whole season dying for summer! Seems we're never really content! Maybe if it was Autumn year round? Pretty leaves please!

The fine folks over at MTV blogged my lil' Navajo Native outfit yesterday so mega thanks for their super sweet words! It was such a pleasant surprise to be told about it!

Happy July, everyone! Please take a moment to check out the newest sponsors over on the sidebar! They're kinda fabulous! (It's not too late to get in on the action! I accept sponsors through the entire month and they'll run for 30 days so just email me!)

H&M dress
Forever 21 cardigan
Target tights
Blowfish flats
Michael Kors Gansevoort bag gifted from Mike

  1. What a lovely outfit! And congrats for being featured on MTV's blog. That's super cool!

    Also, Emily is one lucky gal to have met you! You're such lovely person and it would be fantastic to have an awkward chit-chat with you (I'm super awkward to talk to in person too). However I live all the way in Canada, so it's very unlikely we would ever meet.

    Either way, I adore you and your blog. You're such a positive inspiration for girls around the world. :)

  2. Congrats on the MTV feature, that's amazing! I love that little purple dress, isn't H&M amazing?

  3. Love this dress and cardigan combo. Nailed it. :)

  4. oh i love love the colour of this dress <3 the lake is a really pretty setting too xx

  5. Just love that bag! Great color and perfect size.

    x Hilary

  6. you looking fabulous! love the little flower cardigan, adorable! have a great weekend, sweets!

    Check out a lovely Giveaway over my place:

  7. Congrats on the MTV blog feature! So rad!

    And I just love you in that blonde wig, it's perfect.

  8. Super cute! Love your hair too! And congrats on the mtv press, that's so awesome, you're doing so well for yourself! :)

    Hope you have a great weekend!

  9. Looking lovely as always lady. I saw the MTV feature via Emma's blog. Congrats ...

    Kelly xo
    Elegantly Academic

  10. OMG, that's so amazing! congratulations, kaelah!!

    this outfit is super cute, too :) i love that cardigan.

  11. Ohhh I love how you've taken the photos at dusk, it really adds a lovely setting to an already adorable outfit. I WISH I could get used to people staring when I take outfit photos haha, oh well x

  12. Yay on being on the MTV website!

    I love the 2nd photo, and the lavender dress!

  13. you're in chicago?! so jealous - i miss home!! love the outfit, too. :)

    and congrats on the mtv blog recognition - you totally rock!!

  14. Argh I hate mosquitoes. Aren't they the worst? -_- haha, I would die from embarrassment if people were watching me have my photo taken. So kudos to you for being able to do it without dying! ;) Anyways, you look so stunning and this dress is so gorgeous! ^_^

  15. you look so pretty.

    today i was at the mall and saw a girl in black tights with black shoes...and immediately thought of you:)~!~ kinda funny how you read someone's blog and end up thinking of them as a long lost friend!! first thought was, "huh...Kaelah would like that."

    ha...have a nice weekend...and a great holiday!...congrats on your mtv moment! you are everywhere these days!! good for you!:):)

  16. congrats on being featured on MTV's site :) very very cool!

  17. wholley crap, you look stunning!.
    that dress is amazing.
    and im so jealous of your cardigan collection!
    keep up the good work.

  18. I love the color of your dress! And I like your bag too, I'm usually not really much into designer bags (they're so expensive and the idea of them getting dirty scares me) but yours is really awesome.

  19. Wow, I just stumbled upon this blog, and I'm already falling in love with it. :) First of all, gorgeous outfit. The color palette...goodness, I am such a lover of great color palette's and I just love seeing lavender in the summertime.

    By the way, I love how voluminous your hair is! Big hair all the way! haha

  20. Congratulations on being in the Top Blog Look! You looked adorable.

    While residing in a warm place myself, Arizona, I also yearn for cooler weather! The outfit with the black tights and lovely dress is lovely.

HEY! Thanks for dropping by. xo KB


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Friday, May 14, 2010

Spring Has Sprung, The Grass Has Riz, Here Is Where The Shortcake Is!!

  I love strawberry shortcake. I love everything about strawberry shortcake. The various sorts of cakey doughs and biscuits involved, the types of whipped creams crowning it and the varieties of fruits and other delicious additions that are involved in the filling.

  I love strawberry shortcake so much that years ago when I was a DJ in Los Angeles, I used to host a Strawberry Shortcake Festival every year, and have a lot of embarrassing pictures of myself to prove it. In fact, I'll show you one of me feeding strawberry shortcake to two creepy sponsor guys in 70's polyester suits. (I think they were from Reynolds Wrap or some such place ) Yikes!
    Yes, I love strawberry shortcake that much.
  Ok, so now that I have humiliated (and dated) myself, one of the best things about shortcake are the zillions of recipes for it. Every diner and dive and five star restaurant, every mom and pop and grandma and great-aunt Ellie seem to have a treasured secret shortcake recipe.
  Psssssst. So do I.
  I made strawberry shortcake last week for my Tuscan going away dinner for two friends off to see family and in-laws in Japan.
 Here's the recipe I used. It's my adaptation of an old classic, and it serves 8. Which in this case means...Leftovers!
  In a large bowl mix together:
2 and 1/4 cups of flour
6 Tbs of sugar
4 and 1/2 tsp of baking powder
1 and 1/2 Tbs of grated orange zest
1/4 tsp of salt
  Add in:
9 Tbs of unsalted butter
Cut it in with a pastry blender or two forks.
When it's ready the dough will resemble meal.
Add :
3/4 cups plus 3 Tbs. of whipping cream.
Mix it well until you have a dough.
Turn it out onto a floured surface and give it about 6 turns kneading, then flatten it into a 3/4 inch round.
Using a round cookie cutter cut  dough rounds. You should get about 8 shortcake rounds out of this dough.
Put the rounds on a heavy ungreased cookie sheet, and bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for about 25 minutes until they've puffed and turned golden.
Cool them slightly on a wire rack.
These can be served warm. I made them a few hours ahead and they worked just fine. If you want to re-heat them at serving time, put them in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes.
  Now for the filling!!!!
Wash and slice a 16 oz basket of strawberries
Add in 2 Tbs of sugar
1 Tbs of raspberry preserves
1 Tbs of lemon juice
Mix this well and set it aside to mellow for an hour or two.
  Then it's time to construct your shortcakes. I will not tell you exactly how to do it, as I believe that the construction of the interior of a strawberry shortcake is as much a deeply personal matter as is how one enjoys it.

It's strawberry season, let the games begin!!!

  1. Great photo of you from the 70`s...the guy on the left appears to be very polyester of him!

  2. This looks great! My husband loves strawberry shortcake. I attempted it once for his birthday, but I think I don't need an occasion to try this recipe!

  3. Gorgeous Alan must be in shear heaven~

  4. Looks good neighbor, I love strawberry shortcake, thanks for sharing the 'Old School' photo, great dress, do you still have it?

  5. i love me some strawberry shortcake, too! your stories are hilarious! i will never get over the fact you sung the "Eleven" song though. ;) these shortcakes look wonderful and i love what a cooling dessert this is to enjoy now that it's getting hot.

  6. I like strawberry shortcake as well. It is one of those that keeps coming back and never goes away

  7. One of the joys of Vermont in June is local strawberries, local cream and fabulous shortcake.MMMMMMMMmmmmmmm!

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Thursday, August 2, 2012

I Got Your Cherry Pitter Winner, Plus What's Up

   I have a winner for my cherry pitter giveaway courtesy of OXO. Janis Tester was selected by and I'll be sending the pitter out to her as soon as she sends me her address. In other matters, we have been dealing with a variety of crises around here regarding my mothers' health.  I have been doing some cooking however, mainly for my dad who of course is even pickier than my mom when it comes to what he will and won't eat. For us, I've been looking for easy things and one of the easiest is simple parathas. In this case, mint parathas a great alternative to any regular old bread product one might think of serving.

   I'll be posting about making these shortly, for now I'll be checking up on what everyone else is doing and following along on Twitter @kathygori

  1. Yay! Thank you so much. I have wanted one for so long.

  2. I'm quivering in anticipation of how your booze turns out! Lol....

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Bigfoot Truthers Turn On Their Leaders

“Sasquatch Chronicles” had a cult following for its weekly Bigfoot podcasts—until its founder’s own story started to unravel.

November 15, 2012: Two unemployed brothers, Wes Germer and Woody Pratt, are mourning the loss of a relative, taking a late-night drive and parking alongside Yacolt Mountain in Washington State to talk.

Soon they notice heavy breathing and loud steps to their left, right, something hanging from a tree, another crawling to the car’s bumper.

The brothers were armed but dared not defend themselves nor just drive away. Instead, they reported a giant creature stepping forth, many yards before them—pacing, challenging, threatening—the details forever etched in the brothers’ minds. How the full moon revealed every aspect of the creature’s face and fingers, how it seemed to melt to the ground like a sprinter, ready to launch into an attack.

Listen to the brothers’ purported experience for yourself.

The brothers somehow survived that terrifying night, with Wes telling the respected Washington Sasquatch Research Team ( the next day, according to an email reviewed by The Daily Beast: “My brother and I were being encircled last night by them while in our car. We were on the back side of yacolt mt, kind of by sunset falls and we didn’t see 1 we saw 3…”

And so “Sasquatch Chronicles” was born: an interview and call-in podcast for believers to share their Bigfoot experiences, theories and warnings, launched in 2013. Easily the most popular online outlet about the creature (regularly, and ironically, ranking among the top 100 “science and medicine” podcasts), Wes and Woody’s frightful encounter had become legend. Featuring serious Bigfoot hunters and inadvertent witnesses as guests, as well as shocking stories of near-death experiences, “Sasquatch Chronicles” seemed more movement than mere podcast.

In order to listen to “Sasquatch Chronicles,” you had to accept two things: Bigfoot exists and it will kill you! There’s no middle-ground. This monster is to be feared, avoided. Seasoned hunters ended their accounts with, “I don’t even hunt anymore, and I only go into the woods armed…” Oh, and anyone who tries to interact with Bigfoot, offering gifts of food and receiving bones or other small tokens as thanks, was a “flute-player.” In hindsight, its message was cowardly, yet “Sasquatch Chronicles” simply offered too many spine-tingling experiences to miss a single episode.

“Sasquatch Chronicle’s” Facebook page further inflamed the arguments that raged around Bigfoot’s existence between new episodes. Ape? Undocumented hominid! Where are the bones? Bears don’t leave any and Bigfoot eat their own! There was a UFO sighting nearby too. Unrelated, UFOs are for sissies! They like Milwaukee’s Best in beer bread… Fluteplayer!

You must suspend all disbelief in order to listen to “Sasquatch Chronicles”—and I did. I am a Bigfoot addict, just ask my friends and watch their eyes roll. I dare say that I’ve had two near-misses with the legendary beast. The first was in 2005, mid-July on the Appalachian Trial in Cherokee National Forest. Awoken sore and early by rustling nearby, a strange force to my side, the sense of being stalked. I doubled my pace until I was jogging and huffing. There was a glint of light to my left, a pile of three feet high—Bigfoot lair? Empty antihistamine packets… Meth lab? Run! Heart and backpack pounding, I fled that forest.

My other experience was near Little Huckleberry Mountain, Skamania County in Washington State. Killing Bigfoot is illegal here but the damned things kept peeking at us. The corner of your eye catches a glimpse then it’s gone. We were picking mushrooms, so I can’t accurately vouch for anything else.

Turns out, I’m in illustrious company. ‘Survivorman’ Les Stroud and primatologist Jane Goodall both believe. Actor Jimmy Stewart made his wife spirit a Yeti finger-bone out of Nepal by hiding it in her undergarments.

But for every convert, there’s also a dastardly hoaxer. This may get me shot, but Roger Patterson was the absolute worst person to film a minute of supposed Bigfoot footage. He was a debtor and schemer, had recently self-published a book about the “abominable snowman” in America, and was making a documentary when the creature magically appeared at Bluff Creek. Oh and a guy named Bob Heironimus still claims that he was never paid the $1,000 Patterson promised him for wearing that ape costume. There’s also Rick Dyer—“The Best Bigfoot Tracker in the World” according to himself—who has been busted twice, caught dragging a mix of latex, foam and camel hair around Texas in a trailer last year, trying to charge $10 for a single Bigfoot viewing. After being outed, Dyer afforded, “It’s really easy to trick people…”

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Hence the need for Bigfoot “experts.” Note that no one is an expert on Bigfoot, or any undocumented and highly elusive creature. Even the University of Phoenix doesn’t offer a degree in Cryptozoology. Yet I was deemed an expert, however briefly, appearing on “Sasquatch Chronicles” (Episode 66) to discuss my book, On Giants: Mounds, Monsters, Myth & Man. We talked literal tall tales on the show, trying to find connections between ancient giants like Goliath and the Bigfoot mystery of today. I told the listeners I found it illogical that other creatures didn’t join the migration across the ice bridge connecting Asia and North America. Beringia existed for over 50,000 years—how did Neanderthals, Gigantopithecus and other species not follow such a well-worn path and find a new home?

Akin to the Tea Party, the “Sasquatch Chronicles” community tends to view academics and experts with suspicion. Many complained that my research was too tangential and I am “not an expert.” Others accused me of working for the Smithsonian Institute (somehow a slur). Government can’t be trusted, especially regarding our favorite monster. No matter—I, along with a reported half-million other listeners per week—never missed a “Sasquatch Chronicles” episode. Things were changing rapidly, though: Woody hadn’t appeared on the show in months, Wes had added a new co-host, 40-year Bigfoot veteran and author Will Jevning, and “Sasquatch Chronicles” had attracted a wealthy Bigfoot enthusiast to invest in their show, to take it big-time.

My appearance earned me a gratis annual membership to the subscription-based site ($7 per month for at least one show per week). The rabbit hole was entered. I was free to explore the scary (researchers who found a “torn-up camp” and two dead people, one decapitated) the silly (a magazine delivery driver needing to relieve himself, shocked to see his stream of urine splashing a massive and rather annoyed creature by his van) and, of course, tantalizing tinfoil-hat theories (the entire Forest Service is part of a grand conspiracy to cover-up Bigfoot killings in our national parks). This was my show, a secret that only we subscribers shared. I waited eagerly each week for a new podcast, awed by the turkey hunter who shot a wild-hairy-female-thing in a tree, then watched its huge male mate drag her corpse up a sheer rock-face. He was nauseous afterwards, couldn’t tell even his wife. Many who have encountered Bigfoot are forever changed.

Those who see Bigfoot as a peaceful loner tolerating us trespassing in its forest were openly mocked in the “Sasquatch Chronicles” community, while those who fear and want to kill one— and bust the government that is supposedly covering-up its existence—are praised. Fear-mongering an animal that has never been scientifically proven to exist quickly became the hallmark of “Sasquatch Chronicles.” This started to really irk me.

At least co-host Will Jevning gave “Sasquatch Chronicles” some credibility. A military veteran with two all-too-close encounters with the creature, Jevning has told his stories too many times and is ever aware of hoaxers and liars. Believing in Bigfoot can be a battle, and Jevning offered his views to me via email in early April, “Many years ago we withheld specific information from the public to gauge the authenticity of a witness account, but with most of the pioneers of the topic gone, this information has been given out and with the information access so fast and easy today, anyone can gather specifics of many witness accounts and fabricate one and gain public attention. There are also those seeking financial gain from this also, and makes a very unfortunate situation when the credibility of the topic is tenuous at best.”

Thanks to Jevning’s imprimatur, and countless hours spent on the website, I had gone from a Hoper with two sublime experiences to a full Believer in Bigfoot. I was a junkie, all thanks to “Sasquatch Chronicles.” The show was even hitting the road—a Bigfoot expedition! Whoop!

Then, on March 16, 2015, Jevning abruptly resigned from “Sasquatch Chronicles.” He wrote on the site: “I am leaving for personal reasons. There has been a lot of controversy recently surrounding Wes and Woody’s situation and I have a reputation to protect as an author. Reputation is everything…”

Unbeknownst to me, the brothers’ story was being ripped apart. Their horrific experience with multiple Bigfoot in Washington State probably never happened. Shocked? Believe it or not, we all were at first.

Foremost, there wasn’t a full moon that night. There was actually no moon on November 15, 2012, a fact overlooked by those of us who wanted to believe, yet easily verifiable on the Internet. The brothers’ account mentioned many guns but no night vision, so it’s highly dubious they could have seen anything so clearly, and so far away, at 3 am. Assorted posts on Reddit and opposition communities on Facebook were parsing every detail of the brothers’ Bigfoot encounter, including weather reports from Portland, Oregon’s PDX (cloud cover at 1,000 feet, rainy), even a pitch-black account from a couple whose car broke-down near Yacolt Mountain that night. “Solar flares” is just one lame excuse offered on the show after the lunar issue arose.

Even worse, Wes had allegedly sent the earlier email (“My brother and I were being encircled last by them while in our car. We were on the back side of yacolt mt, kind of by sunset falls and we didn’t see 1 we saw 3…”) to the Washington Sasquatch Research Team (WASRT) on November 16th—the day after their incident. WASRT then sent researchers to the site but say they found nothing (no tracks, no evidence, no anomalies) only harsh winds and helicopter-logging operations. As “Sasquatch Chronicles’” credibility started to spiral, Wes said on the show that he’d contacted WASRT—perhaps hoping for great validity. So WASRT’s report was revealed (no moon, no evidence) and then Wes curiously insisted that he’d merely called them (even though their website had no phone number) and certainly had never emailed them. Upon hearing this, WASRT promptly disclosed that at least 26 emails existed between Wes and the team.

“The only things worse than hoaxers are murders, rapists and child molesters,” WASRT co-founder Steve “Mojo” Wilkins offered as we discussed how his group was dragged into the meltdown at “Sasquatch Chronicles.” When informed that the show was citing his team and their day-after report to regain credibility, Wilkins offered just the facts: no moon, no evidence, so many emails…

As expected, the “Sasquatch Chronicles” community went feral, especially when our favorite Facebook page disappeared after Jevning’s resignation. Everyone felt cheated. Toxic online cannibalism commenced: many listeners cancelled memberships; others attacked ‘the haters’ who dared question the brothers.

Only the two brothers know if they lied about seeing Bigfoot. I sent Wes multiple emails requesting an interview, all of which went unanswered, very strange for a guy whose entire show was based on openness, call-ins, and sharing.

Conversely, Jevning was glad to talk about the incident, and remains proud of what he helped create. Despite continued attacks on his own credibility, Jevning’s optimism is eternal, “I think it is only a matter of time before they are officially proven to exist. I believe with a larger food availability for them their numbers are growing and with more people becoming aware of them this will happen. When? I cannot say but it may be in the near future.”

“Sasquatch Chronicles” is still on the air (much humbled one would hope). Fewer subscribers and Wes all alone on the microphone. A small band of people who deny that their fearless podcast leader could ever lie, attacking all of the “haters” and “flute-players.” It’s quite sad, really, but so goes the search for Sasquatch.

Meanwhile, claims continue to pour in, of pre-dawn hunters surveying the woods only to find themselves being watched. Of people walking their dogs and having an eerie voice summon, “Here Fido…” An author is busy writing her third book about Bigfoot besieging her property, even though locals know she is a tad agoraphobic, everything outside is terrifying. It takes only one, a single tooth for DNA testing, a bone, even a fresh sample of scat. Just one and Bigfoot is real.

Yet another hoax or lie, and we all take a tumble. Then dust ourselves off and head back into the woods once more. I recently took my own Bigfoot expedition, to the supposed hotspot of Whitehall, New York. Then sat by a campfire with my dog and whiskey all night, listening to other enthusiasts wood-knocking and whooping, courting only each other.

Whatever Bigfoot is, it is surely disgusted.

Brad Lockwood is the author of nine books, with his novel Blue Bucket hitting this summer. He has written for Forbes and too many alternative weeklies, and lives in Bigfoot ground zero, aka Brooklyn.


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MTV Is Pricing These VMA Nominees Out of Tickets to the VMAs

Not every nominee is a Taylor or a Nicki or a Kanye. Non-celebrity music video directors are getting charged as much as $800 to attend an awards show about their work.

Josh Forbes was ecstatic when he woke up one August morning to the news that a music video he’d directed, for indie popsters Walk The Moon, had been nominated for a Video Music Award for Best Rock Video. He started making plans for MTV’s star-studded, Miley-hosted show set for August 30 in downtown Los Angeles. Then, to his utter disappointment, he learned that he wasn’t invited.

Like most of the filmmakers behind this year’s nominees, Forbes wasn’t offered a ticket to the awards show to see his own video vie for the annual MTV-hosted honors. But, Forbes learned after countless calls and inquiries, he could buy his own tickets to the show for $450 to $800 a piece.

“My heart sank,” Forbes admitted in a video this week for a shot-in-the-dark online campaign he launched to crowdfund his way to the VMAs. “I don’t have that kind of money.”

This year, tickets to the MTV VMAs are not being officially sold to the general public. Tickets for the VMAs are typically offered only to the musical artists who are nominated, as well as the Kims and Kanyes and Nickis and Taylors of the world. If you’re a non-famous director, MTV only extends comp tickets to those who are individually nominated in the Best Director category.

Other directors of nominated videos like Forbes are only given the opportunity to attend if they buy tickets offered at three exorbitantly priced tiers: $450 for mezzanine seats, $650 for loge seats, and $800 per ticket for orchestra seats.

A helmer of music videos and commercials, L.A.-based Forbes has his first feature film due in theaters this September, horror sequel Contracted 2. Unlike most indie filmmakers he opted to make his first foray into crowdfunding not to raise money for a movie but as a “sort of social experiment.”

“If I could get a bunch of people to donate a few bucks apiece I just might have a shot at going to this silly thing,” he wrote when he launched his GoFundMe campaign on Saturday with a goal of raising $1,300 to purchase tickets for himself and his six-months pregnant wife, a red carpet-worthy suit, and an Uber to the Microsoft Theater at LA Live.

“And if I go, I'm not just going for myself, I’m going as a champion for the little guy. The outsider goofball who wasn't invited to his own party. I represent every little guy with a dream, hoping for a shot at the big leagues. Is that too grandiose? Perhaps, but it’s worth a shot.”

In three days, he exceeded his goal. He’s currently collected over $2,000 in donations from supportive friends, family, and strangers.

“It started as a pragmatic thing,” Forbes told The Daily Beast shortly after hitting his fundraising goals and confirming his VMA ticket purchase. “‘I want to go to this!’ But to just spend that much money on a one-night event, it feels a little bit like buying your own birthday present. It kinda sucks.”

“I don’t even have cable,” Forbes laughed, considering the alternatives. “I can’t even afford to watch the award ceremony in my home!”

Before he dreamt up his GoFundMe campaign, Forbes first waited to receive info on how to attend the VMAs—surely MTV would be in touch!—but those details never came. He started reaching out, more than a little perplexed. “It was so hard to even figure out what to do,” he said. “I called up MTV and was like, ‘Hey, I was nominated! What do I do?’ And they were like, ‘Who do you want to talk to? Well, you should give them a call.’ But I made the video!”

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Most directors, he figures, just have to come to terms with the disappointment of being left out of their own awards show. “I have a rep for music videos, and she was getting the run around,” he said. “She was like, ‘Well, you know, they don’t really care about directors. Don’t sweat it. A lot of people don’t go.’ It’s just the idea that this is the highest award for the thing that I do, and I can’t go unless I pay a ton of money. It’s sad.”

Andrew Hines also directed a video nominated this year at the VMAs, for Big Sean’s “One Man Can Change The World.” And he’s also been befuddled by MTV’s policy of giving the cold shoulder to the filmmakers who direct the music videos up for the year’s biggest accolades.

“I’ve been thinking about going to the venue in my suit with a sign that says, ‘I directed a nominated video but I’m not really trying to drop $2K on tickets right now’ to see if I can get one of the scalpers to give it to me,” he joked Tuesday via phone.

Earlier this summer, Hines was nominated for Hip Hop Video of the Year at the Much Music Awards for another music video he directed, Tory Lanez’s “Henny In Hand.” He attended that awards show, where the video lost to P Reign, Drake, and Future’s “DnF.”

When he heard the news that his Big Sean video had earned a VMA nod, Hines was thrilled. “But then I also thought I was going to the show,” he said.

Hines, like Forbes, wasn’t even contacted by MTV with details on how he could buy his VMA tickets; his August 30 plans are as yet TBA.

“I don’t feel that in the current industry right now, in music, that the director is really considered,” said Hines, whose black-and-white OMCCTW is up for Best Video With A Social Message. “This isn’t the late ’90s when there were five to 10 directors who had everything. But it’s the director who’s directing a video. Not the label or artist. So they’re disregarding a cog in the cycle. If nothing is captivating, people won’t watch it.”

Reached for this article, MTV had no official comment on the VMA ticketing situation. It’s not hard to see why the celebrity-fueled awards show might prioritize filling seats with celebrity talent versus talent behind the camera. Tickets are allotted to talent on a case-by-case basis with no set per-nominee quota, according to one source. In theory, however, the VMAs venue at L.A.’s Microsoft Theater can fit a capacity audience of 7,100.

Given the impact a VMA nod can have on a music video director’s career, it comes down to the principle of the thing for Forbes. “You spend your whole life making these things and it’s nice to feel like you’re part of something, and then it’s depressing when you find out you’re not invited,” he said. “‘You are part of the club—and we’re having a party!’ ‘Cool! Can I go?’ ‘Oh, no—YOU can’t go.’”

Even if his video won, Forbes knows he wouldn’t be the one to accept that Moon Man. “The band would go onstage. I think that’s pretty standard, for good reason,” he said. “I mean, I’d rather see Taylor Swift than Joseph Kahn!”

In any case, Forbes finally has his tickets—even if it took a village to buy them. It remains to be seen if he’ll be invited to walk the red carpet. “I don’t want to say it’s a fuck you to MTV,” he said of his funding campaign, “but I also did it to raise awareness for what artists and filmmakers are going through. Support your local filmmakers!”

For now, Hines might just be watching the VMAs at home. “What if it wins? I’ll pop open a beer in my living room,” he laughed.


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Montville police officer says Bunnell harassed her

Montville - In a harassment complaint filed in October, police officer Karen Moorehead accused Lt. Leonard Bunnell of treating her unfairly and making comments about her breasts.

The complaint was filed Oct. 28 with the town and claims that Moorehead was singled out, threatened and harassed over a 10-month period.

It also states that starting last year around Sept. 20 she was subjected to a pattern and practice of continuous and overt harassment and disparate treatment by Bunnell, the town's highest-ranking police officer.

Moorehead also said in the complaint that she requested that Bunnell stay away from her. She claimed that Bunnell violated these instructions, ordered by Mayor Ronald K. McDaniel Jr. and Sgt. Troy Gelinas, the town's resident state trooper.

Moorehead said in the complaint that she made a verbal complaint on Oct. 19 to the town's Equal Employment Opportunity officer. After learning of the complaint, she said Bunnell questioned if she had any police reports she should have filed. She said Bunnell then ordered Sgt. Dennis Mathers to write her up if that were the case.

Moorehead also said in the complaint that Bunnell told her "Goodnight Karen" on Oct. 21 in an intimidating manner as she left the police department. She said that both incidents were witnessed by numerous people.

Bunnell did not respond this week to calls seeking comment. Moorehead, the police department's school resource officer, declined comment Wednesday when reached by phone.

McDaniel, who by charter is the town's police chief, said that Moorehead's complaint was taken up by a workplace harassment committee. It retained the services of the law office of Suisman Shapiro to investigate the complaint.

He said new information recently arose which extended the investigation. McDaniel said he is expecting a final report on the committee's findings and expects some action on the complaint within the next two weeks.

The Day obtained part of the complaint, but has requested the town provide other documents pertaining to it. The town denied the request and argued it was exempt under state statutes designed to protect from an invasion of privacy. The Day has filed an appeal with the state Freedom of Information Commission.

State police also recently launched an investigation into whether Bunnell improperly used a state police computer database designed for criminal background checks.

A biannual audit of the Connecticut On-Line Law Enforcement Communications Teleprocessing system showed there were 38 instances involving Bunnell under review.

McDaniel said the state has rescinded Bunnell's use of the COLLECT system. He said the investigation has nothing to do with his job performance and normal duties and functions, which is why Bunnell continues to work during the investigation.

"He is in an administrative role. It really shouldn't affect his ability to affect the things expected of him," McDaniel said.

Richard Lenda, a former town police sergeant, also continues to purse a defamation lawsuit against Bunnell. Lenda, who said he worked for the department for about 25 years, claims that unfavorable and derogatory performance reviews that he says were written by Bunnell cost him a job as a state marshal.

The suit was filed in late 2009 and is ongoing in New London Superior Court.

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An Unconventional Barber Shop

Firefighters gather to shave their heads and raise money for veteran firefighter Brendan McGuirk of the New London Fire Department, who is in his third round of cancer. The "Go Bald for a Brother" benefit is sponsored by Mohegan Tribal Firefighters and Eastern Ct Emerald Society.

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Post-game breakdown, video: Boston University

Don’t be deceived by the final score.

No. 19 UConn really worked hard for a win Sunday, pulling away midway through the second half to beat Boston University, 77-60, at Gampel Pavilion.

The Huskies improved to 4-0.

Some news, notes, quotes and video:

-- Coach Kevin Ollie was happy with his team’s defense. BU, which came in shooting 48 percent, converted just 34.4 percent from the field.

“That’s a good offensive team,” Ollie said.

 -- Junior DeAndre Daniels had a break-out game, scoring a season-high 24 points. That’s five more points than he scored in the first three games combined.

He was two points shy of equaling his career high. He had 26 against DePaul last season.

-- Don’t be surprised if BostonUniversity ends up qualifying for the post-season. The Terriers (2-1) are a good team and play hard. They held a 43-42 lead with 17:30 left and the game was tied at 46 at the 15:04 mark before UConn took control with a 24-5 run.

The Terriers fired up 32 3-pointers, sinking just eight. D.J. Irving led the way with 17 points.

-- UConn played about 30 minutes against zone defense. The Huskies did a fairly good job executing their offense. They shot 49 percent overall.

“It’s good for us to play extended minutes against a zone..,” Ollie said. “I’m excited about our offensive efficiency.”

-- UConn’s bench contributed a season-low 20 points. Reserves came in averaging 36. Lasan Kromah (7 points in 10 minutes) and Amida Brimah (five points, two rebounds, two blocks in 10 minutes) made the biggest contributions.

Foul trouble continues to plague Brimah.

“You’ve got to play and get in a defensive stance,” Ollie said of what Brimah needs to do to limit fouls. “You’ve go to move early and not always depend on blocked shots especially when you’re under the rim. … We know all freshmen go through that. That’s good from Amida; he’s going to learn from that.”

 -- Senior Niels Giffey failed to score in double figures for the first time this season, finishing with three points. He took only two shots, both from 3-point range. He’s now 12-15 from beyond the arc this season.

For the fourth straight game, he didn’t score in the second half.

-- UConn and BU each had 36 rebounds. But the Huskies allowed 19 offensive rebounds, leading to 16 second chance points.

“If we can rebound the basketball, I’ll put money on us any night, “Ollie said.

-- Senior Shabazz Napier had a quiet offensive night, going scoreless in the first half, but scored most of his 12 points during the crucial stages of the game. He went 3-for-9 from the field.

Napier continues to be UConn’s best rebounder, finishing with a game-high 12 rebounds. He raised his rebounding average to 9.5. Backcourt partner Ryan Boatright and Giffey are tied for second at 3.8.

 -- Napier and Daniels combined on the highlight play of the game.

With about 13 minutes left, Napier grabbed an offensive rebound. He had an open shot, but instead found a cutting Daniels who roared down the lane for a spectacular dunk.

Napier explained why he passed up an open shot.

"I was missing so many shots that I didn’t feel confident taking that easy layup,” Napier said. “I saw DeAndre coming in. He just made a great play and dunked it over the guy. So I’ll definitely take that over my layup.”

The mild-mannered Daniels’ description of the play was on the tame side.

“He saw me cutting down the lane and I just finished it,” Daniels said.

 -- The Huskies shot 47 percent (8-for-17) from 3-point range. They’re shooting 52.6 percent from there on the season.

-- Up next: UConn plays BostonCollegein the 2k Sports Classic semifinals Thursday night at Madison Square Garden in New York.

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Magic in Madrid...

Hope you all had a fun Labor Day weekend. I had a whirlwind of fun in Dallas with my family. By Monday, I was laying on the couch perusing the web and vegging out. I stumbled upon Mudd Magazine, a new online interiors mag with super chic style. The Madrid home of Maria Llado took my breath away. All of the art has me ready for a bigger home & a bigger art collection. Just take a look at this magic.

animal and art

Screen Shot 2014-09-02 at 10.51.10 AM

bath  chat table cool art dining oqeria purple towels spanish white


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The DigiChick

  Element Packs Word Art & Word Strips SAY WHAT YOU MEAN | Love Magnetic Words
New special offers are available!

SAY WHAT YOU MEAN | Love Magnetic Words

SAY WHAT YOU MEAN | Love Magnetic Words

I love my poetic fridge magnet words so I thought why not make some for digital scrapbooking. This set is all about L.O.V.E with 100 individual words pertaining to love, relationships, friendship and desire. Perfect little fillers for those pesky gaps or why not try using them to highlight specific words in your journaling.

  • 100X Love Inspired Words.
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This is a Personal Use product. Please read our TERMS OF USE

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A LIL SHABBY V.2 | Brush & Stamp Set
Photo Of The Day | Collection


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6/15/16 TDPP Dinner Party

Dinner with 8 strangers. Held each week, seven guests are chosen at random to join one of our incredible hosts around the dinner table for a Dinner party consisting of a Cocktail, Hors d’Oeuvres, a Starter, Entree, Wine, Dessert and Coffee.

Complete details below to register. You choose what to pay between $50 - $90. If you are bringing a plus one please register and pay for them separately.


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Photos of late philanthropist to go on exhibit

DOWNEY - The new Stay Gallery in Downtown Downey has taken possession of the J. Arthur Morris photography collection and will host its first showing Feb. 8 at 6 p.m.The event will celebrate the life and work of the late philanthropist and photographer. Grace Eshilian, a close friend of the Morris family, reached out to the gallery last year to share Morris' photographs. "Since then, the Morris family has been generous enough to lend the entire J. Arthur Morris Collection to Stay Gallery in order to curate exhibits dedicated to their father's work, and to help Stay Gallery fundraise," officials said. Admission to the event is free but the gallery is accepting $20 donations to help curate future events featuring Morris' work. The collection includes more than 300 pieces that have been divided into several series for exhibition at a later date. The Feb. 8 opening will also feature live music, cocktails and hors d'oeuvres.

********** Published: January 24, 2013 - Volume 11 - Issue 41


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A Great Job—Hotel Explorer
A Great Job—Hotel Explorer

“Ten-thousand yuan (US$1,464) every month with the privilege of lodging in luxurious hotels and no card punching for work” is a new job opportunity in China. Three lucky people out of 5,000 applicants got the job of being “hotel explorers” on Feb. 10. According to Chinanews.com.cn, they are Zhang Yumuo from Beijing, Zhuang Jing from Shanghai, and Li Jia from Xi'an.

Recently, qunar.com (qunar means “where do you want to go”), an online traveling- service Web site, offered this job through job-hunting sites such as Zhaopin.com, 51job.com, and ChinaHR.com, looking for hotel explorers. Qunar.com offers hotel and flight-booking services and experience sharing for the different tours. Hotel inspectors are expected to search out and explore unique hotels and to experience first-hand the recently opened ones. They get to stay in hotels for free from time to time, posting comments and recommendations on the hotels, taking care of e-mails from online users, doing interviews with media, maintaining personal blogs, and sharing first-hand pictures and videos of the hotels they explore.

Zhuang stood out from the thousands of interviewees because of her abundant experiences traveling and giving comments on her tours, according to the report on Chinanews.com.cn. The three people will sign labor contracts with qunar.com and become professional hotel explorers for the China Hotel Association.

The candidates needed only to be over 18 years. There was no gender restriction. There were also no requirements regarding educational background or previous work experience. The characteristics qunar.com looked for were: enthusiasm for traveling, good observational skills, and a willingness to try new things and share one’s views.

Read the original Chinese article.

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Posts Tagged ‘new on dvd’

Coming to DVD and Blu-ray Oct. 25

Chris Evans plays Marvel Comics' American hero in "Captain America: The First Avenger" and "Winnie the Pooh" and friends return to delight viewers of all ages.

Coming to DVD and Blu-ray Oct. 18

Cameron Diaz is anything but a role model in "Bad Teacher," and Johnny Depp returns to the high seas in "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides."

Green Lantern

One of the weakest comic book superhero adaptations we've had in awhile, but I still couldn't quite bring myself to hate it.

Coming to DVD & Blu-ray Oct. 11

Former celebrity couple Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston meet again this week with both "Horrible Bosses" and "Tree of Life" on DVD and Blu-ray.

The Cleveland Show: Season 2

As Seth MacFarlane's third TV show, "The Cleveland Show" should have been a disaster. But in its second season, the comedy found its own rhythm.

Coming to DVD and Blu-ray Sept. 27

Terrence Howard and Patrick Wilson star in "The Ledge" on DVD this week while Shia LeBeouf returns in "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" on shelves Friday.

Coming to DVD and Blu-ray Sept. 13

Marvel's hammer-wielding hero takes on two worlds in "Thor," starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman and Anthony Hopkins on DVD and Blu-ray this week.

"Hanna" is a fun yet forgettable action romp that is perfect for a night cuddling on the couch watching a movie.


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Attention Music Lovers!

music-1Did you LOVE to sing as a child… but were told that you could not sing???

Alas, there’s hope!

New research is now proving that singing 'accurately' is not a talent, but a learned skill. Singing on key is easier for some people than others, but you CAN improve with a bit of practice. Also, practice is important because they are finding that if you don't use it, you’ll 'lose it.'

Steven Demorest, professor of music education at Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music, believes that you must practice in the same general way as when you are learning to play a musical instrument. Practice! Learn more HERE.

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Words containing emanatin

Found 1 words containing emanatin. Browse our Scrabble Word Finder, Words With Friends cheat dictionary, and WordHub word solver to find words that contain emanatin. Or use our Unscramble word solver to find your best possible play! Related: Words that start with emanatin

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Words containing endlea

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Words that start with gandas

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Home Style Stealer: A Sleek Home Office With Pops Of Color!

One of our favorite pastimes is drooling over what we call “interior design porn,” fantasizing about the day in which we, too, will have, say, a sunroom in our massive palatial estate. Until then, however, we aspire to spruce up the homes we’ve got, which is why all this week, we’ll be showing you how to prettify your place. One of the features we’ll be kickstarting with is a home decor twist on “Style Stealer,” in which we attempt to replicate the look and feel of rooms we think look super cozy and chic — but at a fraction of the cost of what the original owner probably paid. After the jump, find out how to get the look of this sleek and bright home office!


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Enrollment Procedures
Theresa TerryTheresa Terry
Admissions Director
Unlock your child's potential with a first-rate education at The Galloway School. We invite you to explore the many ways The Galloway School will benefit your child. You are just a few steps away from becoming a part of the Galloway Family.

Step 1: Schedule a Tour

Schedule a tour of our campus and meet members of our Staff and Administration. Please call 281.338.9510 to schedule your tour.

Step 2: Complete Application Form
Complete the enrollment application you receive at the time of your tour or complete the online application.

Step 3: Pre-enrollment Testing and Evaluation

Schedule your child's Pre-enrollment testing and classroom evaluation.

Step 4: Interview

Once the previous steps have been completed, we may contact you to schedule an interview if necessary.

Step 5: Notification of Admission
Once all previous requirements have been met, we will notify you of your admission status within 3 business days. Admission status will be one of these three possibilities:
  • Successful Admission- student/family has successfully completed all aspects of admission and is secured in their enrollment.
  • Probationary Admission- student has deficiencies in academic performance, school attendance, emotional stability or behavior. Teachers and administration will monitor student’s performance. Admission is provisional.
  • Denial of Admission- student’s past academic, behavioral, emotional, or attendance patterns prevents admission to into The Galloway School.

The Galloway School affirms the dignity and worth of each individual and celebrates the rich diversity of human society. We recognize that diversity encompasses differences in gender, race, religion, age, ethnicity, physical ability, family composition and socioeconomic circumstances, as well as differences in aptitude, talent and learning style. As such, we welcome students of any race, color, nationality and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally made available to students at the school. We do not discriminate on any of these bases in the administration of our educational and admissions policies, scholarships, or athletics and other school-administered programs.

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The Grand Day Out
HorsebackUK and On Course

May 4, 2016

HORSEBACK UK has linked up with The Grand Day Out to strengthen support for servicemen and women who have suffered physical and/or mental injuries and begin or develop their recovery and adjustment to life outside the military.

THE Aberdeenshire based charity Horseback UK is backing The Grand Day Out's vision to raise funds for injured military and bring past and present soldiers together in a great golf day in St Andrews this year.

Launched in 2009 by former Royal Marine Jock and his wife Emma Hutchison, Horseback UK has grown into a world-renowned home for many of our Forces who have physical and mental injury in the line of duty. Their idea was a simple one - let's let horses, nature and soldiers combine to take some of the stress from life and open the door on a new, brighter future.

A key figure in the link-up with The Grand Day Out is Jay Hare, the operations manager, who served with 45 Commando RM before losing a leg, an eye, digits to his right hand and being facially disfigured, requiring 11 operations of reconstructive surgery, after being the victim of a suicide bomber in 2006 and an IED in 2008 in Afghanistan.

Jay explained: ‘HorseBack UK gave me a mission and purpose, something to be part of, somewhere to learn new skills and, crucially, the ability to help other injured service personnel and veterans. Now we are spreading our wings and hooking up with The Grand Day Out which will only help us develop further. I saw at first hand what The Grand Day Out does when I went along for the first time in 2010 to The Open and discovered that people, whether the world’s best golfers, busy people behind the scenes or members of the public, did care about us. People do care about what we’ve gone through in Afghanistan, Iraq and other battles around the world, and I was bowled over by the support we received on these days.

‘So, that is why we have linked up Horseback UK and The Grand Day Out, to help to provide more opportunities and experiences for our injured servicemen and women to get their lives back together and move forward again, with support.’

Supported by:

Pentlands LandroverGrip-ParPingStovecoHeroes Drinks Company


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Kurt Busch Claims Zippo 200 Pole

Defending Watkins Glen NASCAR Busch Series winner Kurt Busch held off a late challenge from Juan Pablo Montoya to take the pole for this afternoon's Zippo 200. This is the second straight year that the Penske Racing driver will start from pole position at the 2.45-mile road course. Montoya claimed the second starting position in Saturday's European style qualifying with Ryan Newman, Robby Gordon and Scott Pruett completing the top five starting positions.

© 2017 Watkins Glen International

ISC Track Sites


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You Won't Recognize Kaley Cuoco In These Photos From The 2014 Critics' Choice Awards

While I am a moderately vocal opponent of The Big Bang Theory, I would still recognize the majority of its now-very famous stars. However, this was not the case last night when I spotted Kaley Cuoco on the 2014 Critics’ Choice Awards red carpet. In fact, I had to do a double take and a name check to make sure it was her and not, say, Kate Gosselin.

For the awards show’s red carpet, the actress wore an Amen Fall 2014 pinstripe harem short suit, which is kind of horrible. For a woman who chose one of our all-time favorite wedding dresses (it was pink!), we expected more. The shorts are baggy and ill-fitting, the top is clinging for dear life on her chest, the jacket isn’t tailored to fit nor does it look like an intentionally poor fit; overall, it’s a downgrade. Perhaps she should have just worn Ryan Sweeting‘s tattooed arm to the show. However, it’s her hair that really confused me; it was just so different than her normal lovely look:

You Won't Recognize Kaley Cuoco In These Photos From The 2014 Critics' Choice Awards

I’m all about short hair, in general. A while back, I ranked the best celebrity short haircuts because I think so many of them have been done so well, and that us normals should not be afraid to try a cool pixie or asymmetrical crop, either. I even liked Jennifer Lawrence‘s haircut last year when everybody was calling it ugly and matronly. However, in Kaley’s case, hers wound up being styled in a boring, flat manner that appears as though her bangs are pasted to her head–not a great look for anybody. It’s not as greasy-looking as Kate Mara‘s was last week, but it is still not great.

We have actually been pretty excited about Kaley’s hair around here as of late. From her fake bob to her real bob all the way to her recent short cut, it’s been fun to watch the actress’ locks wane as the weather gets hotter. She’s a stunningly attractive woman with a fun fashion sense and great beauty instincts 95% of the time, so I am unsure of what happened in her look last night.

Photos: Jason Merritt/Getty Images


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Phoenix Coyotes back 'home' looking to come back against Detroit Red Wings

The Canadian Press

Phoenix Coyotes right wing Shane Doan (19) and left wing Ray Whitney (13) skate off the ice after losing 4-3 to the Detroit Red Wings in Game 2 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoffs hockey series in Detroit, Saturday, April 16, 2011. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) Author: The Hockey News

Phoenix Coyotes back 'home' looking to come back against Detroit Red Wings

The Canadian Press

GLENDALE, Ariz. - The Phoenix Coyotes are back home, at least its home for now, looking to climb back from a two-game deficit in their first-round playoff series against the Detroit Red Wings.

Speculation of the Coyotes' imminent departure from Arizona is nothing new to the players, who have been dealing with the issue for more than two years now while the NHL has tried to find an owner who would keep the team in the desert, where the temperature approached triple digits over the weekend.

Not exactly hockey weather, but fewer than a thousand tickets remained for Monday night's Game 3 of the best-of-seven series. Tradition, such as it is for this franchise, dictates all will wear the proper shirts for a "white-out."

The Coyotes brushed aside the issue of their future beyond this series. Instead, they're focused on trying to slow the Red Wings, specifically Pavel Datsyuk, who has two goals and three assists in two games. One of the goals and all three assists came in Detroit's 4-3 Game 2 win on Saturday.

"He's an all-world player, that's for sure," Phoenix coach Dave Tippett said. "We've tried a few different matchups against him that haven't worked very well and we'll keep trying until we find a solution."

Coyotes captain Shane Doan said Datsyuk has "been incredible."

"You tip your hat to him, the things he does and the way he plays," Doan said. "You admire him and you cant give him any free opportunities. He's so good at creating opportunities you have to make sure you don't give him free ones and you do your best to limit that."

The Coyotes held a team meeting at Arena on Sunday, with a handful of players taking part in an optional skate afterward. The Red Wings, meanwhile, skated briefly at a Scottsdale arena.

Detroit's Henrik Zetterberg made the trip but is not expected to play because of a sprained left knee.

"We played two good home games," he said. "The last one got really close."

The Red Wings led 4-0 before having to hold on to win.

"They had a few power plays and a five-on-three and all of a sudden you're right back in the game," Zetterberg said. "It happens quickly in hockey and you've just got to respond and I think we did."

Shortly before the series began, reports surfaced an unnamed source as saying the decision had been made to move the Coyotes to Winnipeg after this season. NHL officials quickly denied the reports, but with the potential sale of the team to Chicago businessman Matthew Hulsizer stalled by the threat of a lawsuit from a conservative watchdog group, the Coyotes' future in Arizona is murky, at best.

The Coyotes found the timing of the Winnipeg reports curious.

"It's almost a chuckle to start with," Tippett said. "It is what it is. I think (for) our group it's become part of the ongoing dilemma around our team that after a while you don't even listen to it anymore. But I found it interesting that four hours before Game 1 everywhere you look there's a thing that we're going to Winnipeg."

Tippett said he has enough to do to try to get his team ready to play the Red Wings rather than deal with such ongoing distractions.

The Coyotes' Adrian Aucoin called the timing of the Winnipeg reports "kind of a joke, to be honest."

"I thought it was kind of rude whoever threw it out there at that time," he said, "but there's always people looking to stir up some stuff. It's nothing new to us. Every time we hear it it's a couple of more weeks here, a couple of more weeks there."

An interesting subplot is the hit Doan put on Detroit's Johan Franzen that sent the bloodied Red Wings player to the locker room for repairs early in Game 2. Franzen said afterward that Doan should have been tossed from the game "no question about it."

"He hit me from behind and they missed it somehow," Franzen said. "He (the referee) could have picked charging, boarding, whatever pretty much."

Doan laughed it off. Franzen simply lost his balance as the two went to try to be the first to hit the other, the Coyotes captain said.

"I mean, there's absolutely nothing to it," Doan said.

The Coyotes tried to take some comfort in the fact they almost came back from a 4-0 deficit with a big third period on Saturday. They also had a strong first period in Game 1. In between, it's been all Detroit.

"It comes down to that desperation and controlling y our energy and making sure it's kind of going in the right direction," Doan said. "We've proven that we can do it. We just haven't put the right combination together and they have. They've got a great team but realistically we win the next game at home on our ice and it's a whole new series again."

If not, the Red Wings will lead 3-0 and talk will surely centre on whether Game 4 will be the last for the Coyotes in Arizona.

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Phoenix Coyotes back 'home' looking to come back against Detroit Red Wings


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Saturday, August 30, 2014

Remember that time my husband ran over a wasps' nest?

When I met my husband in high school, he had a Jeep CJ7 that he'd go on offroading trips with friends from church. Actually our first long date was an all day Saturday offroading trip together; I still remember the panic and anxiety of that first trip (offroading is scary if you've never done it before!)...oh and I also remember the secret hand-holding and quick, sly kisses when everyone was occupied. I remember the butterflies in my stomach when he showed up at my house to take me on an adventure, and the hazy "love aura" that surrounded us as he introduced me as his "girlfriend" for the first time ever, to people he had known for years. I loved how confident he was, how secure he was in taking me on the trip, and how knowledgeable he was about EVERYTHING (I still feel that way). That jeep is cemented and intertwined in our love story and it's impossible for me to think of us (the new girlfriend and boyfriend) without thinking of that jeep. Offroading was such a part of who we started out as.

That CJ jeep is now a sensitive subject in our household, as my husband sold it when we were in college. Depending on who you ask, you'll get differing accounts of what happened to it. My husband says he was "forced" to sell it and still if you ask him about it, he'll give you an ear-full about what he wouldn't give to have it back. But don't ask him. Seriously. It'll be a half hour conversation filled with drama. Ha! Weeks afterwards, when regret sank in, my husband pined for a replacement. And over the years, we have had vehicles we could take offroading - but they were always cars or trucks we'd then need to take to work the next day. Until this summer.

This summer we bought a third vehicle and made my car (an LR3) our offroad vehicle. We lifted it, put offroad tires on it, and did a couple minor things to get it ready for some offroad adventures.

We've already taken it out several times since then, but this past weekend, we decided to test its capabilities in Tahoe. We started our journey with a dead battery. Grrr. Once that was fixed, we ran out of gas less than a mile from my parents' house. Grrr. Determined, we left a final time with good attitudes and excited spirits!

We did Signal Peak in Tahoe and my sister and Andy came with us. Unfortunately, we took my sister on a pretty adventurous trail that was rated difficult in some areas and moderate in others and it scared her. When we got pretty close to the top of the trail, we stopped and had homemade sub sandwiches, chips, and soda.
We did really well on the trail, until we got to the "difficult" part and then we just got stuck. Part of the trail said you'd need 35 inch tires to get up and we have 33 inch tires. We thought we'd be able to do it, but there was just no way. The sand was too soft if you went one direction and the other direction was just too steep.
 I was starting to get a little worried we wouldn't make it and then Mr. Howard ran over a wasps' nest. SERIOUSLY?!? One flew into the car and stung him on the ear. With his bee allergy, we were all a little petrified of what would happen. It was a LOT stressful, because we were so far from any sort of help. Luckily for us, after all the adrenaline, he discovered his reaction only occurred in his ear. Thank goodness. My sister, Andy, and I were all out of the car too when it happened, but thankfully Andy was able to run away quickly and my sister and I were already out of the way. Whew! Scary!
What a way to ruin an absolutely beautiful trip! We were a little concerned about heading back down the trail (the way we had come up) because there was no way to fit two cars on the trail and there weren't any places to turn off and let someone pass. But, we had a completely uneventful trip down the hill.
I think my sister actually had fun going down (she was so scared going up!).
I didn't get any pictures of the kids, hubby, or Andy. But they were kinda busy dealing with trying to get up the hill. Oops!

Thursday, August 28, 2014

A Mom First

As will probably happen every year, I took Connor's first day of school off from work. I wanted to be there to make his breakfast for him in the morning, be there to walk him up to his class and drop him off, and be there when he got done with school to pick him up. I am "Mom" first and "Teacher" second and I want my kids to know that.

The night before kindergarten, when he came home from my mom's, I had all his stuff laid out for him - his clothes, some kindergarten books for us to read, and his new backpack and lunch. This thrilled him to pieces.

 We then spent that night reading the books, talking about school and what it would be like, etc. and just making sure he was ready! Hubby and I crawled into bed with him and we just snuggled and read.
In the morning, we woke him up first and let him have some quiet time with Mommy and Daddy by himself (before getting the twins up). We got him dressed, did his hair, and spent some more time talking about what was going to happen at school. After our little family time alone, I woke up the twins so we could have a family breakfast.
We took all the kids out for pancakes and eggs. Connor's start time is a little later, so we had time to go out to breakfast at 7:30am on the first day. He was SO riled up about starting kindergarten.
Then we came home and did first day photos in his shirt that Grandma made him! (I had also done first day photos the day before in a different shirt, so that his photo would match his brother's. Can you say crazy?!? I know, I know).
 Connor requested that "the babies" get in one picture with him!
We loaded the stroller up and walked over to school with our neighbors and their kinder daughter! Our neighbors and Mr. Howard are going to split drop offs, so that the kids never have to go to before-school care.
 And then, finally, we got Connor all settled in his classroom with his teacher!
 He has his own little cubby, which he is RIDICULOUSLY thrilled about.
 At Back To School Night a few days prior, the teacher had said that she wanted us to come in and see the room and get the kids settled. Then, she said, she'd talk for a bit and then tell the kids to turn around and wave goodbye to us. Connor barely waved goodbye; he was too excited about coloring and sitting in his classroom. Honestly, this was the best way that the goodbye could have happened. I felt such peace about knowing that he was ready for us to leave.
 Here was Connor's first day photo taken in the red shirt:
And because I love seeing all the kids photos together...

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

I think the word "excited" doesn't even capture it. They were beyond thrilled.

Because I get the amazing opportunity to be a stay at home Mama each summer, I have lots of time to reflect on the things we did the past year. Each summer I tweak a few things, get a few things more organized, and try to streamline our lives/routines for the following year. Considering we were getting ready for our BABY to enter KINDERGARTEN, we also needed to tackle a few new routines/processes this summer. I know, I know. He's too little to be in kinder. Don't worry; I'm not going to get sappy YET (I'm saving that for a whole 'nother post!). Because of that new little kindergartner living with us, we needed to come up with a few organizational things and routines for handling THREE different schools (my school, Connor's, and the twins') and FOUR different schedules (mine, Daddy's, Connor's, and the twins'). Crazy!

The first thing we needed to tackle, in anticipation of Connor's first day, was lunches. This was the first time we've ever had to pack a lunch for our kids. So, we started doing a few test runs on days when he came with me to work and on a few days when he stayed home. We ended up getting him the Rubbermaid Lunch Blox, which came with these little containers that snap into an ice tray (that goes on the bottom). They fit perfectly in his new lunch box, which we had embroidered with his name from THIS shop, and it also matched his new wildkin orange backpack.

The first day for lunch we did grapes, Greek yogurt, strawberries, chicken, and orzo! I plan on doing Greek yogurt every day, because Connor has had some digestion issues in the past and it's the perfect tiny amount to help his tummy. Personally, I think everyone should have at least one serving of yogurt a day if you're not allergic, because it's just so good for you (I eat a bowl of yogurt with granola every day for breakfast, except on running days).

Some days I'm going to do left overs for his lunch. Like this day, when I put in chopped up pieces of left-over pizza (also included: grapes, yogurt, juice, mozzarella cheese, and strawberries):
Or this day, when I put leftover chicken pasta:
I won't always do strawberries and grapes, but since I'm only packing one lunch a day (the twins don't have to bring lunch to preschool), the fruit lasted a whole week for him. I'm going to do other vegetables and fruits as the weeks go by. In fact, I've already started mandarin oranges and he loves those!

I'm really lucky because Connor is a pretty un-picky eater. For the most part, if I put it in his lunch, he'll eat it (although I tried a taco today and he told me he didn't like it...I'm not really sure I'd like a cold taco either, but I thought it was worth a try). I never have to worry if he doesn't like something in his lunch, because there's always at least three other things he can eat.

In addition to getting Connor's lunches down, I decided to find some fun ways to make my lunches! I discovered and delved into the world of mason jar salads. I've made several so far and have loved them all. This one had an avocado and greek yogurt homemade dressing, black beans, corn, tomatoes, chicken, and lettuce. My husband, who has a habit of eating cheetos or cookies for lunch, has even taken salads and loved them! It's easy for me to whip out six of these salads on Sunday night for our week and they stay fresh all week since the lettuce doesn't touch any of the wet ingredients.
The next thing we needed to tackle was a process for backpacks and paperwork. We decided to get the kids a hook to hold their backpacks right by the garage door. I can't even tell you the squeals I heard when they got home and saw it hanging. They are so ridiculously excited! I actually want to do another set of hooks on the other side of the wall for my purse and hubby's keys, etc.
I want to add some sort of art work or something above their little hooks, but I haven't thought of the perfect thing yet! We put the hooks right at the garage door, so that they can hang their backpacks right when they come in the door; I wish we had a mudroom or some amazing spot for their shoes, jackets, AND backpacks - but this space will work for now.
Connor, Aiden, and Isabella were so excited about all the changes and it made their first days at school all the more exciting!

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

A Frustrating Week Ending in Some Fun: My First 10k

Do you ever have those weeks where you wish you could just go back to bed and start over the ENTIRE week? I had one of those last week. You know...those weeks, where it requires lots of prayers, multiple "deep cleansing breaths," and Mama timeouts alone? The weeks where you wonder how you're going to survive with the 48 different hats you have to wear (secretary, teacher, working mama, just "mama" (said 4,000 times in a five minute period with increasingly exasperated tones), chef, housekeeper, nurse, wife, lunch maker, pre-school drop-off-er, kindergarten drop-off-er, friend, backpack packer, list maker, school form fill-out-er, laundry washer/folder/and put away-er, dinner maker, runner, etc.) and you wonder if you are, in fact, making ANYONE happy at all? Am I doing any of my jobs well? I asked myself. Am I being a good wife? A good Mama? A good teacher?...When I'm spread this thin.

There's so much that happened; it'd be hard to even recap it all. The synopsis of the week is as follows. We found out frustrating news about Connor's schedule - which threw a wrench into our work schedules, including the work schedule that my hubby had completely re-done to accommodate the kids' preschool and kindergarten schedules. Then, we went to register for after-school club for Connor and realized they may not have any spots left (WHAT?!?). All the stress led to bad attitudes. BAD. My husband and I fought; the kids fought; our temper wasn't great with the kids; and I may have even shed some tears. It was a stressful week.

I don't want to give the impression that I have this perfectly rosy life all the time. Yes, I'm blessed. Beyond. I smile and laugh EVERY SINGLE DAY, but some weeks it's all it takes to just keep it all together.

The good news, however, is that in the end, after all the tears and stress - it all worked out. Our schedules worked out. We got Connor into the program we needed. We apologized and made amends to each other and the people we were grumpy with. We had some long chats about how we're going to talk to each other from now on. And we spent time as a family laughing and playing. Through this all, I feel thankful that I get to see what it's like to be a parent and be on the opposite end of things (I'm a teacher and so it's good to get a reminder about what it's like to be on the other "side" of the school system...of course we're all on the same "side," but hopefully you know what I mean).

Then on top of all that excitement, last week was my first official full week at work with students, which meant for a relatively low key running week, lots of early morning wakeups to hurry and plan and get ready for my middle schoolers, and the stress (and fun!) of memorizing 100 new names.

Despite the crazy beginning to the week, I ended it with my first ever 10k. I know, I know. I do things backwards, since I've already run 2 half marathons. But it was SO fun. I can't even believe how much less stressful it was than running a half. Of course it helped that I had such fun friends and awesome conversation during the whole thing!

I love this one below because there I am, in pink, in my own element ALMOST to the finish line. Candids are so fun! And there's my friend in the green that I run with multiple times a week. I'm so thankful for all the new running friends I've made, especially the two girls I'm running my half with.
Despite my horrible beginning to the week, I felt like the weekend ended on such a fun, positive beat. I am so thankful for discovering my love of running...thanks to my best friend Jen (when Jen started running, I thought she was amazing and then I thought, "but I could NEVER do it!") and my inspiring work friend Leslie! It has definitely been the most fun way for me to work out and I rarely feel guilty about the time away from my family.

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Having Kids is a lot like Living in a Frat House

Nobody sleeps. Everything's broken. And there's a lot of throwing up.

Which is why I need play dates. A lot of them.

I always have the best of intentions of getting together with my friends in the summer, but summer just seems to FLY by. This year, with Connor and Aiden both in swim lessons for a total of four weeks every day, it took a lot of time up that otherwise would have been spent doing more play dates. So, towards the end of the summer, my friend Diana and I decided we needed to get in one play date while Connor was at pre-k, before we started back at work. Someone in my mothers of multiples group suggested this place near Sacramento, called the Busy Kidz. It was SO much fun.

They have a parent "lounge" with free WiFi and then the kids can basically roam around this play city. There's a post office, doctor's office, bank, school room, restaurant, costume room, library, grocery store, and, Aiden's favorite, a lego room (a room JUST filled with legos!).

I am so lucky to have friends I just adore and Diana is definitely that friend for me! And who doesn't love finding new places to take the kids?!? The kids LOVED it.

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Third Half Marathon Journey: Weeks 1 - 3

I took a little break from running, but am back! If you haven't read about my second half marathon, you can catch up here.

I am running a half marathon in October, so I've been back to following a training schedule! It's the first time I haven't trained with a training group and so far it's going well because of the group of two twin Mama friends who are running with me and training for the same half!! They have been SO encouraging. One of the girls I'm running with created a schedule using the Hal Higdon Novice plan and I feel really good about it. We've already completed the first three weeks of our twelve week plan!

I ran/walked my first half marathon at a 1:1 ratio (one minute run: one minute walk) and my second one at a 2:1 (2 minute run: one minute walk) and have currently been training at a 3:1. But we'll see where we end up (we're trying to increase our run ratio even more). My goal is just to PR, which I think should be pretty easy! The newest thing for me is that I have been running between 5 and 6am every morning (which had been un-doable previously because it's dark and my husband is uncomfortable with me running by myself in the dark...understandably so). Sidenote: The 5am wakeups are the reason that I am not wearing makeup in any of the photos below:
One amazing thing about running so early, has been the sunrises. I've seen more sunrises in the last three weeks than I have in ten years.
I can't even tell you how amazing and inspiring these Mamas have been. Some of us are training for halfs; some are training for fulls; some of us run a 13 minute mile; and some of us run 8 minute miles; some of us walk and run; and some of us just run. But you know what we all have in common? We run. As someone posted in our group, "No matter how slow you go, you are still lapping everybody on the couch."
We even run in the dark.
Some mornings, it's even been cold. WHAT?!? Love it.
Sunrises really never get old.
Fun, sassy, running group!
These are all my twin Mama friends I ran with. Between the four of us, we have eleven kids at home. Can you say #noexcuses. We are all training for halfs in October and one of us is training for the California International Marathon full in December.

Friday, August 15, 2014

A Backpack Sneak and a Tantrum

Monday, August 11th was Aiden and Isabella's first day of Pre-School for this school year. They got new backpacks from their Auntie Jen and were SO excited about taking them to school! They had been wearing them everywhere for about a week before the first day. See evidence below:

Then on the first day of school, below, Aiden tried to sneak a blue car into his backpack and was way less than thrilled about Mommy taking it out (as a teacher, I know how annoying toys are and so I really try hard to do backpack checks). He screamed and cried and threw a huge fit. I couldn't get him to calm down, so I had to shut the door, when I dropped him off at preschool, with him in full blown tantrum. I couldn't tell if his crying was because I was dropping him off for the first time in 2 months...or if he really was just upset about the car. He is SUCH a big boy, though. I saw this picture and thought, when did I turn in my baby for a little boy?!?
 Isabella clung to my leg and was a little shy when I tried to drop her off, but when I gave her a kiss, helped her hang her backpack up in her cubby, and said goodbye, she was happy. She has grown so much. I can't even believe how much she's coming out of her shell!

Thursday, August 14, 2014

31 Again

The day after my birthday, we celebrated with a BBQ at my parents' house.

Since I am usually the photographer, I only have two photos.

 A picture of my handsome hubby and me on my 31st birthday!

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

My husband had to work on my 31st birthday, so a few nights beforehand, he got a sitter (thank you Rebecca!!!) and took me out to a movie.
When I got in his car, he had this sweet card for me:
We were hoping to have time to go to dinner beforehand, but because of the movie time that we had chosen, there just wasn't enough time. But we didn't let that stop us from going to sushi! We did a to-go sushi date in the car!
We went and saw Sex Tape, which was pretty darn funny. Afterwards, we drove through a drivethrough, so that Mr. Howard could get a milkshake. Perfect end to a perfect night.
Happy Birthday To Me. 31 feels exactly like 30 does; afterall, age is just a number.

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

A Foot

Connor had his last day of Pre-K this past Friday. He starts kindergarten in just a few weeks, which is INSANE to me!

And because, who doesn't love a good comparison photo? Can you even believe how much he grew?!? I wish I had measured his height, because I seriously think he grew a whole foot!
I would have been devastated that Connor's last day of preschool EVER was Friday, except that Monday was the babies' first day back. Thank goodness we still have two years with their amazing preschool, because I might go into a deep, dark depression over that.

Saturday, August 9, 2014

I'd Rather Be

"I'd Rather be Playing Soccer"

We signed Connor up for a recreational soccer league this summer. I really wanted to sign him up for a competitive league (as much as a 5 year old team can actually be competitive), but we missed the cut off - which was in March. Ummm. Seriously? Signing up in March for a league that starts in September? That's insane. But since I had missed the cut off, we found a four week class he could take that was organized through our city.

Connor LOVED it. Love, love, loved. Seriously. Every single week he'd ask me if people were coming to watch (Is Nana coming to see me? Grandfather? Aunt Katie? Aunt Becca? Uncle Colin?)...and whether or not he was going to get to wear his soccer shorts...and, don't you know, he needed a special water bottle because soccer players NEED water bottles...and then he'd ask nine times on Wednesday if, in fact, today was Wednesday and how many hours until soccer practice. So sweet. (The first two photos were taken by my sister Awe Captures Photography)

It was a Daddy and Me (or Mommy and Me) participation class and I'm pretty sure Mr. Howard learned just as much as Connor did (my husband is VERY athletic, but never played soccer. It's probably the only sport he didn't play).
They learned basic skills like dribbling, "squishing" the ball, kicking with the inside of your foot, and shooting.
I think the hardest part for Connor (and probably all the kids) is not using their hands.
Grandma was even able to come to Connor's first practice, which made him pretty lucky!
Overall it was such a good class.
We can sign him up for a Kidz love Soccer class that is 8 weeks and goes throughout the fall and we're considering it. I just don't want him to lose his momentum. But with Kindergarten starting, I don't want to stretch us too thin, when I'm not certain how our routines are all going to go managing THREE school schedules (mine, Connor's, and Aiden/Isabella's). So we'll see.

The hardest part of the whole thing was keeping Aiden and Isabella off the field. Ha! They just want to go out with their big brother and don't understand why they can't play.

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Topic Title: Reserach of Papers etc
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Created On: 19 August 2012 11:36 PM
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 19 August 2012 11:36 PM
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Posts: 5
Joined: 15 January 2010

I never have any success using the research facility through the IET website. I can search for terms and get the links but you always have to log in to get full access. So what am I doing wrong??
Any help approeciated.

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