Winter is here

I realize winter officially began 12/21/14, but today one really feels its presence.  No school for Elizabeth and Michael the entire week (they already cancelled tomorrow and Friday); even GC has been cancelled (that so rarely happens) all week so far.  Do you remember how we looked out the back door at the deck railings to figure out how much snow had fallen?  I do that by looking at our mailbox.  This picture is two days after the huge snow, after sunshine melted some of it.

Michael's basketball season has officially ended (Steven and I loooved getting to keep the clock and scoreboard - I hardly made any mistakes, and of course Steven made zero each time we kept them), which gave him extra time to work on his awesomely informative National History Day project.  He selected Abraham Lincoln.  Originally believing he had to write 2000 words, he read and read and read and took copious notes on all his sources, constructing a paper of 2153 words.  Two days before it was due, he realized it could not be more than 500 words.  In other words, he knows 4x as much about Lincoln as he needed to!  He worked so very hard on that project and the poster looks amazing - it's 6 feet tall.  I liked how he decided to use red and blue throughout, representing the Union and Confederacy colors. 

Elizabeth continues to enjoy media arts and is currently creating a short film that

involves stalking behaviors (maybe I can show it in my Psych and Law class next fall).  She agreed to go with me to a music fund raiser, where I was the faculty speaker (green jacket photo).  I think she liked it when I was introduced as the best professor on the planet.  :)  I think she also liked it when I photo bombed her again.

Last night I was the guest on a radio show in Louisville, The Stan Frager show.  The topic was relationships, as it was Valentine's Day weekend.

https://soundcloud.com/dr-stan-frager    [podcast link]

I loved that experience, even though a couple of the callers were a bit off and perhaps indebriated.  I'll never know.  

Michael woke up the other day channeling Mike Score from the 80's group A Flock of Seagulls.

I will find a picture of my beautiful husband to end this entry.  The picture is part of a prank we played on another faculty member that E and Steven both know.  We're so crazy funny. 

Michael Bennett, Superstar

Although Seahawks' football player Michael Bennett didn't win the Superbowl game, our Michael Bennett continues to be a superstar basketball player.  Last week he scored 25 of his team's 65 points in a close game against Frankfort; Elizabeth, Angie, Rosemary, and Austin were all on hand to witness the event.  Before my phone battery died (yes, I know, I should charge it more often - my kids tell me this all the time), I was able to capture five short clips of Michael in action.  BIRG away!

Steven visits GC

Who knew Steven would be attending our annual Founders Day celebration last month?  Who knew Karyn would win an award?  Apparently Steven knew both of those things, as he left that morning for work at 4:45.  When the kids and I left for school, he came back home, changed clothes, and went to campus. 


I was shocked and ecstatic to receive the Curry Award. The story was published in our city/town paper and one of my friends posted something about it on her FaceBook page.  Apparently lots of people "liked" that and posted comments - many were students I had had in the 1990's!  One of my friends sent me some of the comments - I've added a few of them to this post.  So nice of them.  So nice of my colleagues and the administration to support me.  So nice of Steven to give up vacation time to sit through the program, tape the segment (at bottom) and go to the luncheon afterward.  Such a nice day.  Even Zoe and Niki were extra sweet to me that day.  

Christmas Celebration II

So odd to write 2015!  Here's to a wonderful year for each one of you. 

We were able to get together with Terry and Linda (and the Huffs) this past weekend.  O'Charley's was where we began, then went to our home for dessert and Christmas gift-giving.  (I love how color-coordinated we are in the big photo!)  The children and I hadn't seen Terry or Linda for a full year, so it was so good to see them and catch up.  I was very touched by Angie's New Year's resolution, which is to spend more time with our family.  :)  I look forward to that during 2015 and beyond.

We also were able to have lunch with Granna during the break, which I know will be a 2015 highlight, regardless of what we do the remainder of the year!   

Christmas Eve

 

Thanksgiving is at the Huffs' home, Christmas at ours.  Today Steven cooked an amazing turkey and ham feast, complete with stuffing, gravy, corn, green beans, cranberry sauce, yams, rolls, and mashed potatoes.  Like a Thanksgiving feast, but on Christmas Eve.

Matthew's girlfriend Kristen (a GC junior who is studying in Spain next semester) spent the day with us as well.

We played Apples to Apples, a game Mary gave us years ago.  Zoe and Niki liked David because he had treats.  They liked everyone else too because everybody gave them lots of attention.  They are now fast asleep, dreaming of the next time a bunch of people will visit.

In other news ... Elizabeth and I continued our annual tradition of attending The Nutcracker; LBJ and I hung out; and Michael continues to kick rear on the basketball court.

I am so thankful to everyone who continually offers love, care, and support to my family.  You know who you are!

Thoughts of thanks

Happy Thanksgiving 2014!  We spent Thursday in Shelbyville, first at Angie's for a huge meal, then to Rosemary's for three desserts!  Zoe and Niki are always welcome in Shelbyville, and they go nuts with excitement as we drive down Angie's neighborhood toward their home.
Mom was busy preparing for her upcoming European trip so she said she wouldn't be able to see us this holiday weekend, so Steven drove to Morehead with Angie on Friday and spent time with his dad and Linda.

I made a turkey.

And photobombed Elizabeth.

We all thought of Laura on her birthday.  We are making sugar cookies in her honor - we don't know if she likes them at all, but her birthday seemed like a great excuse to make them!

The most patient one in the family

Zoe and Niki get one chicken rawhide each day, after they finish eating dinner.  They both love them, especially Zoe, who looks forward to hers as much as the rest of us look forward to dessert.  Whenever she is in the kitchen, Zoe sits patiently by the pantry door.  Not moving.

Sometimes she waits so long she gets super tired and has to lay down.

Sometimes she moves closer and even puts her nose against the door.










Sometimes she moves away and curls up so we can get into the pantry.

 

Eventually the pantry is opened!  There it is, the big red bag on top!

 Zoe is the first one ready!

 

Eventually Niki figures it out as well!

Replay the scene tomorrow.