As Billy Madison once sang...

“Back to school, back to school…” Tomorrow I head back to school after our two week break. I’m on the edge of a very minor melt down trying to prepare for tomorrow. As part of the prep, I'm researching quilting with kids, our service learning project for the Spring. As I did, I recalled with great fondness the one quilting masterpiece I created during a college summer and gifted to a then boyfriend (I would love it back). Then I confirmed that making a quilt was definitely on my summer to do list. And then the realization that my summer is only 10 crazy weeks away made me giddy!

My mind now totally off track, I’ve made a list of “Summer To Dos”.
-two professional development classes:Creative Movement in the Early Childhood Curriculum, Using Blocks to Build Creative, Inclusive Early Childhood Environments and/or Supporting Emergent Literacy in the Classroom
-take a basic/intro to Spanish class
-make a quilt
-study/take/pass my final NY Special Ed. certification test
-get tan...for real this summer it's happening
-work on my flower arranging skills
-find a part time job (maybe)

Now taking suggestions...

Wedding Goodness

Lauren, my long time friend and quintet partner (of course we were only 2/5s), married her sweetheart Dan yesterday. Here are some pictures from the happy day.
















This is Lauren and her dad coming down the aisle--totally gorgeous, although you can't exactly tell here. My cute date, Jason. And best friends Michelle, Erin and Melissa.

And next time when we're leaving the apartment and Jason tells me his middle name is "Boogie", I'll know he means business. He danced all night...only stopping for a delicious filet mignon and this incredbile warm chocolate cake with ice cream.

I'm Baaaack

Actually "we're" back because Jason, Margy, Oliver, Tim and Sally all made it too. Guatemala was incredible but with so much to do, I can only blog a preview--two of my favorite stops. We hiked up a volcano to enjoy spectacular lava flows. Jason loved getting as close as possible.Later we visited the Mayan ruins in Tikal. We're standing on a medium height temple (more about my intense fear of heights later) in the main acropolis, behind us is the Jaguar temple. Impressive buildings.

Our Fabulous Weekend with Stacy and Tyler

It was pouring Saturday so we spent the afternoon in the Moma. The temporary exhibit were these incredible technology based inventions. This spray painted masterpiece was made on a computer and then the computer controlled the wall unit. Of course there were the Picassos, Jackson Pollocks, and Van Goghs too.
Thanks to John and Ashley, we tried out Public. An Australasian fusion--we chowed on cured wild boar on toasty crackers, rare kangaroo, best scallops ever, sea trout with vanilla-celeriac creme, lamb sirloin, amazing lentil salad with pomegranate dressing. Definitely add this to your list of must eats. We all left delighted and satisfied.
Aren't these happy faces?

A sad aside--I don't know how it's possible but I took no pictures of our whole happy bunch. And no pictures of Stacy--who is completely adorable...so maybe subconsciously I was avoiding taking her picture. Check out her blog--they'll be there soon, right?

Other great things that happened---we went to Upright Citizens Brigade, ate canolis in Little Italy, shopped SoHo, Jason made us pancakes and bacon (mmmm) for breakfast.

Major Weekend Factor

As fate would have it, there were Utah Jazz games on both Friday and Saturday nights. Lucky boys! Friday after a rather hysterical improv night with the Upright Citizens we got home, they set up on the couch, and enjoyed each other immensely. The game was on DVR so they powered through, rewinded to relish plays, and talked about basketball non stop. NON STOP. There was some shouting, leaping up, and moments of tension. You'll also notice the computer on Tyler's lap tuned into cougarboard.com, a online community for the tylers and jasons of the world. If I may pat myself and cute Stacy on the back...we were very supportive wives. And actually we were quite lucky but the Jazz won both nights which meant Tyler and Jason were in fabulous moods and tolerated the long china town stint.

Sunday with the Hendersons

tyler and stacy came to NYC this weekend. they got to enjoy our spacious home--ok, an air mattress on the floor. fun site seeing--it got jason and i out to areas we don't frequent enough...and, obviously, amazing food.
after church we rode into brooklyn and dined a rice--so yummy. here's tyler enjoying some chicken wings. i branched out and had lentil soup. then we walked to the...
brooklyn bridge. classic but extremely windy.
look at this cute firehouse!
of course on the way home from a very successful china town trip, we checked strawberry fields out.
and finally, the 2nd round of chicken for the evening. New York Magazine voted Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar and Grill (columbus circle) the best fried chicken in NY. delicious and certainly the most unique with interesting (did I mention out of this world delicious) coating and wasabi/honey dipping sauce.

we were sad to send tyler & stacy off monday morning...actually, we didn't really send them off-- we didn't even hear them wake up and pack. come back any time!

today i realized...

1. i was critiquing a subway performance of "My Girl". it was actually quite good but i found myself thinking "pitchy in spots", which definitely means i'm watching too much american idol.

2. beautiful boots will always strike a cord of envy in me. no matter that i like my own.

3. after years of noncommittal searching, i have finally found a hairdresser that i adore. thrilled with liliana, and pam's recommendation that led me to her. i am also in a committed relationship with promila, my threader/waxer sent from heaven.

4. i'm not good at making rice. it took me the longest time to locate the cord on the rice cooker (it's one of those tricky pull out from the side #s). i'm lazy with ratio cooking. i like to peek in to check on things which apparently is a rice cooker no-no. if i try the pan, i stick it to the bottom.

5. when it comes to makeup, i will splurge on concealer/foundations, eyeshadow and mascara. but not lipstick because i never-ever find the right color.

6. incoming dalton families are requesting me to be their child's kindergarten teacher--what a compliment (even though many request other teachers)!

i know honey, i know.

we're watching some silly show--here come the newlyweds. jason just turned to me and said, "i could never do this" (i was thinking because we wouldn't want to, right?) and he continues "i couldn't communicate on national t.v.!" that's right. it's tough enough in the living room.

he also doesn't think we'd do well on the driving challenge.

Places I Want To Go

India is first on the wish list...

Then San Francisco.

and Thailand would be amazing.


But I don't want to go back to...

WORK!