Well, I don't look as good as H and J, but here's another clip of skiing down green cabin, a spectacular run on the crest of Snowmass...unbelievable views!
P.S. I love my flip video camera...so easy!
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Spring skiing in Colorado!
Spring Break in our family means one thing...spring skiing! For many years we went to Beaver Creek, which we love, but last year we thought we'd do something different so we joined friends in Whistler. Whistler has a great village and two mountains with lots of long runs, but spring is NOT the time to go there. The weather is just too iffy. We had rain, fog, ice, and just pretty much miserable conditions. So, this year, we decided to try another new place...Aspen/Snowmass.
So far, Snowmass just might be my favorite resort! It could have something to do with the record snowfalls they’ve had here this year. I don’t know the numbers, but it’s been 25 years since they’ve had this kind of snow. Spring skiing is so unbelievable in Colorado. Sun, powder, and long long runs. I’m amazed at the grooming of these slopes. Even the ones that haven’t been groomed are so nice and soft that it’s not a big deal to venture out and do bumps.
There is an incredible run here called “Longshot” and it’s 5.3 miles from top to bottom. You take a couple of lifts to the very top, then take off your skis and hike for about 20 minutes to the top of the run. It doesn’t get groomed, so there are a lot of bumps and it was the most unbelievable ski run I’ve ever done. I bribed H to go on it by telling her she could have a Snicker’s bar when we were finished. J was the biggest complainer, but he loved it, too. Check it out:
So far, Snowmass just might be my favorite resort! It could have something to do with the record snowfalls they’ve had here this year. I don’t know the numbers, but it’s been 25 years since they’ve had this kind of snow. Spring skiing is so unbelievable in Colorado. Sun, powder, and long long runs. I’m amazed at the grooming of these slopes. Even the ones that haven’t been groomed are so nice and soft that it’s not a big deal to venture out and do bumps.
There is an incredible run here called “Longshot” and it’s 5.3 miles from top to bottom. You take a couple of lifts to the very top, then take off your skis and hike for about 20 minutes to the top of the run. It doesn’t get groomed, so there are a lot of bumps and it was the most unbelievable ski run I’ve ever done. I bribed H to go on it by telling her she could have a Snicker’s bar when we were finished. J was the biggest complainer, but he loved it, too. Check it out:
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Changing Schools...and leaving friends
My daughter is entering high school next year. She's been at the same school since kindergarten...9 years. It's a wonderful school, and we have had an incredible experience here. It's a private school in an urban setting, very diverse population, the academics are incredible, SAT scores high, college acceptance rates recognized nationally, etc. She decided last fall that she wanted to take a look at another well respected school here in town, an all-girl's school. She's very intrigued by the single sex aspect of the school. She toured and visited classes last fall with a couple of the high school students and fell in love with it. So we applied, thinking she'd still have several months to think about it and if she got in, would then make her choice.
It's been an extremely difficult choice for her (and for us). She has a few very close friends at her current school who she will have to leave behind. She's also leaving behind the opportunity to play varsity basketball in 9th grade, since her current school has a very small high school basketball team. She'll have to try out for a much more competitive team at the new school.
When she got the acceptance letter, she was shocked to find out she only had 12 days to decide whether to go or stay. It's been a very emotional, stressful week, as she weighed the pros and cons of making the change, in addition to a very full academic load and her athletic commitments. She made several phone calls, returned for a second "visit" at the new school, suffered a stress induced migraine (we think), begged J and I to make the decision for her, (which we did not do), and in the end, decided the only reason she had for staying was because it was familiar and her friends were there. She feels very lucky to have the chance to experience either school, but decided to think positive and make the leap. She's had a few tearful conversations with her friends, made vows to stay in touch, but on the most part, she is excited, although not a little bit nervous.
There are those who believe in positive thinking, and there are those who may be more realistic. We're in the positive thinking camp. If H thinks this is a positive change, and goes into it with that attitude, then I believe it will be. There may be disappointments along the way. Sure, there's the chance she won't make the basketball team the first year. That's O.K., she is a very hard worker, and if she decides she wants it, she'll work extra hard and try out again the next year. If her friends don't stay in touch as much as she'd like, she will make new friends.
I appreciate the people we know who have supported H in this decision. The admissions director at our old school who shed a tear or two with me and assured me that H would be missed and that we were always welcome back. The parent's of H's friends who were sad she was leaving but understood that we made this decision based on what we felt was right for her. H's friends who have promised that they will stay in touch.
Will things change? Sure they will. They will change whether she stays at the old school or not. I am so proud of her for making this decision. For taking a leap of faith to something she's not familiar with. For taking a chance. If no one ever took chances, where would they be? There might be regrets. But for sure, there will be new experiences, new opportunities, and if she doesn't try them she'll never know what's out there.
For those who have expressed negative opinions. That is your right. You have the right to any viewpoint you have, and decisions you make for your family. But this is our daughter, and our family, and we are making the choice we feel is right for us.
It's been an extremely difficult choice for her (and for us). She has a few very close friends at her current school who she will have to leave behind. She's also leaving behind the opportunity to play varsity basketball in 9th grade, since her current school has a very small high school basketball team. She'll have to try out for a much more competitive team at the new school.
When she got the acceptance letter, she was shocked to find out she only had 12 days to decide whether to go or stay. It's been a very emotional, stressful week, as she weighed the pros and cons of making the change, in addition to a very full academic load and her athletic commitments. She made several phone calls, returned for a second "visit" at the new school, suffered a stress induced migraine (we think), begged J and I to make the decision for her, (which we did not do), and in the end, decided the only reason she had for staying was because it was familiar and her friends were there. She feels very lucky to have the chance to experience either school, but decided to think positive and make the leap. She's had a few tearful conversations with her friends, made vows to stay in touch, but on the most part, she is excited, although not a little bit nervous.
There are those who believe in positive thinking, and there are those who may be more realistic. We're in the positive thinking camp. If H thinks this is a positive change, and goes into it with that attitude, then I believe it will be. There may be disappointments along the way. Sure, there's the chance she won't make the basketball team the first year. That's O.K., she is a very hard worker, and if she decides she wants it, she'll work extra hard and try out again the next year. If her friends don't stay in touch as much as she'd like, she will make new friends.
I appreciate the people we know who have supported H in this decision. The admissions director at our old school who shed a tear or two with me and assured me that H would be missed and that we were always welcome back. The parent's of H's friends who were sad she was leaving but understood that we made this decision based on what we felt was right for her. H's friends who have promised that they will stay in touch.
Will things change? Sure they will. They will change whether she stays at the old school or not. I am so proud of her for making this decision. For taking a leap of faith to something she's not familiar with. For taking a chance. If no one ever took chances, where would they be? There might be regrets. But for sure, there will be new experiences, new opportunities, and if she doesn't try them she'll never know what's out there.
For those who have expressed negative opinions. That is your right. You have the right to any viewpoint you have, and decisions you make for your family. But this is our daughter, and our family, and we are making the choice we feel is right for us.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Snow in Nashville...
It's all gone now, but it was pretty while it lasted. Rosie had such a blast playing in it she couldn't get out of bed this morning!
Friday, March 07, 2008
Caffeine causes dehydration...NOT
I LOVE it when research validates my bad habits!!!!
In the New York Times today, the claim that Caffeine causes dehydration was debunked. They reviewed over ten studies comparing caffeine with water or placebo and seldom found a statistical difference in urine volume.
“In the 10 studies reviewed, consumption of a caffeinated beverage resulted in 0 to 84 percent retention of the initial volume ingested, whereas consumption of water resulted in 0 to 81 percent retention.”
So my 8 diet cokes per day are like 8 glasses of water per day. I can live with that.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
The FREAK is back!!!
More important than American Idol...Jevon Kearse is coming back to the Titans!!! "The FREAK" and Albert Haynesworth...watch out, here we come. Yayyyyyyy!
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Nosy Neighbors
O.K. Tell me if I'm making a big deal out of nothing.
We live in a really great, old neighborhood a few miles from downtown Nashville. The yards are big, and most of the houses are old ranch homes (they started out that way, at least). J and I have lived in this neighborhood since we were married (17 years ago this past Sunday!). This is our third house. The first was a tiny little ranch house on almost 2 acres. The next we lived in for 13 years, all of H's life. Renovated it a few times until we couldn't change anything else. Then we were ready for a new house, but couldn't find one we liked. So we found an empty lot about a mile from the old house. A contractor had actually MOVED the old house (as opposed to the tear-downs that take place around here all the time), and was going to build a spec home on the lot, so we just bought it from him. Serendipitous timing.
Almost three years later we moved in to our dream house, although it probably belongs on about 5 acres in Colorado or somewhere. Somehow we built a contemporary "mountain" home on a flat 1 1/2 acres in Nashville. We love it, but I admit, it is a little bit different from most of the neighborhood.
We moved in almost a year ago. We've gotten used to cars slowing down in front of our house to take a look, and to people we barely know who want to come over and take a look. All well and good.
But what is it with those people who drive into our driveway, get out, walk up to the front door and start taking pictures? Or who park in the grass in the front yard and walk across the yard, up the sidewalk to the front porch and stand there with their friends, pointing and chatting like we invited them?
This morning J came in and asked me if I was expecting someone. I said, "No." He said, "Well, it looks like someone is visiting." I went to the front door and there they were, just standing there, looking around. I opened the door and asked them if I could help them.
"No, thanks, we're just looking."
Just looking! Like it's a department store!
"She's building a house and we wanted to look at the details of your home."
I felt like they were waiting for me to invite them in.
What is it with people?
We live in a really great, old neighborhood a few miles from downtown Nashville. The yards are big, and most of the houses are old ranch homes (they started out that way, at least). J and I have lived in this neighborhood since we were married (17 years ago this past Sunday!). This is our third house. The first was a tiny little ranch house on almost 2 acres. The next we lived in for 13 years, all of H's life. Renovated it a few times until we couldn't change anything else. Then we were ready for a new house, but couldn't find one we liked. So we found an empty lot about a mile from the old house. A contractor had actually MOVED the old house (as opposed to the tear-downs that take place around here all the time), and was going to build a spec home on the lot, so we just bought it from him. Serendipitous timing.
Almost three years later we moved in to our dream house, although it probably belongs on about 5 acres in Colorado or somewhere. Somehow we built a contemporary "mountain" home on a flat 1 1/2 acres in Nashville. We love it, but I admit, it is a little bit different from most of the neighborhood.
We moved in almost a year ago. We've gotten used to cars slowing down in front of our house to take a look, and to people we barely know who want to come over and take a look. All well and good.
But what is it with those people who drive into our driveway, get out, walk up to the front door and start taking pictures? Or who park in the grass in the front yard and walk across the yard, up the sidewalk to the front porch and stand there with their friends, pointing and chatting like we invited them?
This morning J came in and asked me if I was expecting someone. I said, "No." He said, "Well, it looks like someone is visiting." I went to the front door and there they were, just standing there, looking around. I opened the door and asked them if I could help them.
"No, thanks, we're just looking."
Just looking! Like it's a department store!
"She's building a house and we wanted to look at the details of your home."
I felt like they were waiting for me to invite them in.
What is it with people?
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Painting a red rose in Watercolor
I've been taking a watercolor class for about six months from Gail McDaniel, a wonderful teacher who magically brings out the best in you. I'm still very much a beginner, and the first time I took her class I almost ran out the door at the end, when she had everyone bring their work up front to critique. Now it's my favorite part, not only to get great constructive criticism, but to see what everyone else is doing. There are beginners in the class ("newbies", as Gail calls us), and people who sell their art, and everyone in between.
Today I finally tried to paint a red rose. I painted from a photo I took last year. I still have to put in a background, but I think I like this one.
She's a very talented artist, and in addition to teaching tons of people in Nashville and all over the world, she does commissions and beautiful work herself. Check out her website...
Gail McDaniel Art/
Monday, March 03, 2008
Bikers vs. Walkers in Percy Warner Park
Today was such an incredible day here...sunny, warm, a little bit windy, but definitely smelled like spring. I decided to dust off my bike and go for a quick 25 miles. I live very close to Percy Warner Park, an incredible park with hundreds of acres and a great road that goes through...11.2 miles of climbs and downhills that are perfect for cycling. Today there were tons of people in the park, walking, jogging, and biking. I'm sure very soon someone will write a letter to the editor of The Tennessean (our daily newspaper) complaining about the bikers. Today, I would estimate that 20% of the people walking on the roads feel like they have every right to walk 5 abreast, all the way across the road. Every year, it's the same thing. I ALWAYS warn people when I come from behind, with a "I'm on your right (or left)". Most of the time they quickly scoot over and thank me for warning them. But there are ALWAYS those few people who refuse to move, or yell at me, for being on the road. Even worse are those folks who walk against traffic, which is fine, but they SEE me coming...from a long way away...and don't move. I never know which way I should go, right or left. You'd think, since I'm riding with traffic, that I would stay right, while they would stay right, so no one gets hurt. I just want to say, "Do you SEE ME COMING?...GET OUT OF THE WAY!!!" But they're probably the ones complaining that the bikers are dangerous and should be outlawed from the park.
Why can't we all just coexist, peacefully, and enjoy the park?
Why can't we all just coexist, peacefully, and enjoy the park?
Sunday, March 02, 2008
French phrases for restaurants...
Since a majority of our time is spent in cafes or restaurants while we're in Paris, we need to brush up on phrases for ordering food, etc.
All you french-speaking readers, feel free to correct me or give suggestions so that we don't totally make fools of ourselves.
In a restaurant:
Now, I have to look up the proper way to say "No cheese". I usually say "no fromage, s'il vous plait", and that seems to work, but I'm sure there's a better way to say it.
All you french-speaking readers, feel free to correct me or give suggestions so that we don't totally make fools of ourselves.
In a restaurant:
"L'addition, s'il vous plait?"
Check, please
"Est-ce que le service est compris?"
Is the tip included?
"je voudrais..."
I would like,,,
"...un verre de vin blanc, s'il vous plait?
...a glass of white wine, please
"...une bouteille d'eau plate"
...a bottle of flat water
"...une biere"
...a beer
"...du pain"
...some bread
"...croque-monsieur"
...toasted cheese and ham sandwich
and the one thing J always gets for lunch...
"...frites!"
...fried potatoes, (or as we Americans call them, french fries)
Now, I have to look up the proper way to say "No cheese". I usually say "no fromage, s'il vous plait", and that seems to work, but I'm sure there's a better way to say it.
March Madness
Now that the regular basketball season is over, H is playing on a 7th/8th grade team in a few tournaments between now and summer. This one started Friday night with a warm up game, and the double elimination tournament started yesterday. They played at 8, 12, and 5, then today they played at 1, 3, 4, and 5:30 in the championship game. It would have taken them 4 or five weeks of the regular season to play that many games, so it was an incredible learning experience. Watching our little girls play (and I do mean little...they're by far the shortest team in the tournament), is exhilarating. They don't let their height (or lack of) stop them from playing hard and fast. It is so much different than it was when they started, back in lower school. Those girls dive for the ball or jump up and get knocked into walls, chairs, and each other, like they are rubber. Thank God for their youth, because they just bounce and get right back up.
We ended up in the championship game, and lost to the only team that beat us...an undefeated team from Williamson County. I don't know what they feed those girls, but they have a future in football if the basketball thing doesn't work out. We called them the Jolly Gray Giants!
Now, I've just got to find some kind of bleacher chair to sit on, because sitting on those bleachers for 8 games is NOT fun.
We ended up in the championship game, and lost to the only team that beat us...an undefeated team from Williamson County. I don't know what they feed those girls, but they have a future in football if the basketball thing doesn't work out. We called them the Jolly Gray Giants!
Now, I've just got to find some kind of bleacher chair to sit on, because sitting on those bleachers for 8 games is NOT fun.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Middle School Dances and "Grinding"
"Grinding" is the new term for the dance style that seems to be everywhere these days. Well, I really don't know how new it is, but I've just recently become aware of it. H is extremely uncomfortable with the whole thing. Last year, the "bar/bat mitzvah" year at her school, when they had dance parties at least a couple of times a month, she started seeing a few kids doing it. At the time, most of her close friends didn't "grind", so she had people to hang with when the group started. J and I were at one of the parties, standing next to the dance floor talking with some other parents when he looked up and saw a couple of kids (who we've known since preschool) basically simulating sex...right in front of him! The shock on his face must have radiated towards them, because not long after, they both looked over, immediately stopped, smoothed their clothes and walked away in opposite directions. A few minutes later they sent H over to tell us that we were making her friends uncomfortable. The whole situation began to give H a lot of emotional distress, so I looked up "grinding" on Urban Dictionary. I can't even repeat the descriptions I found there. Now that she's in 8th grade, it's becoming even more status quo. More and more of her girlfriends are starting to join in the big huddle/group. It's getting to be so that she doesn't even enjoy the parties. She worked really hard on the 7th/8th grade party at her school this weekend, and had a good time until the end, when one of her best friends left her to go join in the grinding. Some of the parents who came at the end of the party to pick up their kids saw it and have complained, calling and emailing the school, so it will hopefully be addressed. A Chicago Tribune Article describes how some schools have canceled their school dances because of it.
It's interesting, but even though a majority of her class participates in this kind of dancing, the kids who don't are kind of banding together. I'm proud of her for taking a stand. It's like the movie "dirty dancing". I think middle school is way too early for this kind of behavior, but they've been exposed to so much more at such an early age. I really don't want to be a prude about this, but how can we teach our kids about appropriate sexual behavior when this is so commonplace and accepted? It's one thing to do it in High School or college, but 7th and 8th grade?
It's interesting, but even though a majority of her class participates in this kind of dancing, the kids who don't are kind of banding together. I'm proud of her for taking a stand. It's like the movie "dirty dancing". I think middle school is way too early for this kind of behavior, but they've been exposed to so much more at such an early age. I really don't want to be a prude about this, but how can we teach our kids about appropriate sexual behavior when this is so commonplace and accepted? It's one thing to do it in High School or college, but 7th and 8th grade?
Monday, February 25, 2008
French phrases for travelers...#3
Here are three phrases we have to use at least once or twice a day while in paris...
"Une table pour trois, s’il vous plait"...
A table for three, please.
And this one goes without saying:
"je ne comprends pas"
I don't understand...
Followed by:
"Pouvez-vous repeter cela, s'il vous plait?"
Could you repeat that please????
Sunday, February 24, 2008
How to Watercolor website
Found a great website with information on watercolor techniques.
It shows step by step processess in painting different things, as well as great lessons for all kinds of techniques. There are links to tons of artists all over the world, as well as information on great masters and how they used watercolor. Some days I get so frustrated with the medium, because I can't get it to do what I want it to do, and then I see what others have been able to do with it. It's remarkable. And there are also so many different styles. I haven't seen anyone with my particular style... just paint and paint and paint until you find some semblance of a picture. I wish I could be lighter with the brush. I guess it's just a never ending process of learning.
Here's my latest:
It shows step by step processess in painting different things, as well as great lessons for all kinds of techniques. There are links to tons of artists all over the world, as well as information on great masters and how they used watercolor. Some days I get so frustrated with the medium, because I can't get it to do what I want it to do, and then I see what others have been able to do with it. It's remarkable. And there are also so many different styles. I haven't seen anyone with my particular style... just paint and paint and paint until you find some semblance of a picture. I wish I could be lighter with the brush. I guess it's just a never ending process of learning.
Here's my latest:
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