Run Like a Girl...Wherever You Are

Last summer Bear bought me some cool sneakers. He said that he bought them because I had started losing weight and he wanted to support my efforts (he always does thoughtful things like this!). I told him thank you and never put them on...that is until this spring.

This spring, I took another look at those cool sneakers and I am sooo glad that Bear bought them for me. Bear bought me a pair of Nike Air Max 180 plus track sneakers. These sneakers allow you to listen to music on your ipod while the sensor in the sneaker tracks your distance, time, pace, and calories burned on your walk/run. THIS IS THE BEST MOTIVATOR!

So, this spring I started walking with my Nike plus system and felt a sense of accomplishment not only in the results I began seeing in my body, but in knowing that I was increasing my distance, time, and pace with each walk. I even ran a couple of times. When I returned from my workout, I was able to sync my ipod and my stats went directly to Nikeplus.com. Each walk/run is recorded, graphed, and averaged to show your growth. Nikeplus.com not only keeps track of your workouts, but it also sets up training programs to meet your needs, it keeps track of your goals, it has a chat board, and sends out email about Nike events.

Well, they sent me an email about a half marathon in Cali on October 19th that will benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I signed up right away for the Run Like a Girl Wherever You Are half marathon. I'm not going to run it in California, because I don't have to. Anyone, anywhere in the world, who registers for the event, runs with Nike+ and logs 13.1 miles on nikeplus.com on October 19th, 2008 is a finisher of the Nike+ Women’s Half Marathon. Every participant will receive a t-shirt and a key chain designed by Tiffany & Co.

Isn't that great?! So, I've begun training to complete the half marathon. Bear was extremely excited about the new challenge I've set for myself. I am taking things slowly right now. A group of us from work are walking together and hopefully we'll be running together on October 19, 2008. We even have a co-worker running in Cape Cod where she is spending her summer. Every weekend we pick one day to walk together. This is our "me" time where we work on our spirits and our bodies in the company of friends. Our goal this weekend is to walk around 6 or 6.5 miles at a decent pace. Each week we will add a mile and/or a challenge to increase our pace or add a mile of running to our workout. The Nikeplus sneakers are helping us keep track of our runs. We chat during the week about our successes. We encourage each other. We are motivated!

Join us on October 19th if you'd like. We'd love to have more people run like a girl...wherever you are! (THANK YOU BEAR!)

Summer Reading at the Library

One of my fondest memories of summer as a child is participating in the summer reading program at the Chestnut Hill Library. Every summer my mom would sign up my brother and I for the summer reading program. The program is a little different than the library programs of today where the goal is to get children to read more. This program was focused on getting children to read different genres. Each week participants were assigned to read from a specific genre. The next time the group met (the next week), each child had to share their book with a presentation. Sometimes we had to write summaries and book reviews. Other times we created dioramas or posters. The best week is when we read How-To books. Most people read cook books that week and brought in treats for their presentations. I liked the experience and exposure to genres I wouldn't normally read. So, summer reading programs are special to me.

Last year Princess participated in the Reston Library's summer reading program. She had 15 books read to her and received a coupon book for summer food and fun with the family. We're going to sign her up for this year's summer reading program next week. I am excited because this year, she'll be able to read some of the 15 required books. Yes, Princess is reading!! It is the coolest thing!

I jumped the gun with our first pilgrimage to the library today. I really wanted to read a light hearted summer book and snuck to the library this afternoon while Princess was taking a nap. I couldn't resist starting my summer reading on my first official day of summer vacation. I checked out four books - three from my Shelfari wish list and one from Jane Smiley. Since I snuck to the library and knew that Princess would fuss at me for going early (she loves our weekly outings to the library during the summer), I picked up two books for her. She was excited:)

So, I'm going to stop writing tonight even though I have ideas for about seven posts in my head, and stick my head in a book.

What will you be reading this summer?

Summer Madness

"No more pencils, no more books. No more teachers' dirty looks." I am finally finished with school! Today was my first official day of summer vacation and it was all I wanted and more.

After a long year of school, I always look forward to the summer. I look forward to not having to be up by a certain time to get to school. I look forward to spending more time with my children than I do with other people's children. I look forward to spending days at the pool with the kids and Bear. I look forward to going to the beach. I look forward to hanging with friends in the middle of the week as long as I want because we don't have set bed times. I look forward to play dates (for Princess and me). I look forward to visiting museums. I look forward to reading good books. I look forward to grilling. I look forward to feeling the warmth of the sun on my face. I look forward to being away from school. I LOVE the summer.

Please don't get me wrong. I love teaching. I believe that I was placed on this earth to teach...in some manner. It is my vocation. This school year was a good one. My students were bright, energetic, full of humor, and enthusiastic. They enjoyed learning new things and making connections. We listened to music, danced, sang, cared for crickets, played math trash ball, took walking field trips, saw a musical called Suessical, built things and created beautiful artwork all to support our reading, writing, and 'rithmetic. I took a special interest in each one of my twenty-three students. They all were shining stars, "shining bright to see what they could truly be."

The connection that I had with my class was one that teachers wish for. I really liked them as people. They were cool kids. My class demonstrated what they thought of me during Teacher Appreciation Week. My students and their parents treated me like a queen! Each day during the week, I was given a special thank you gift along with wonderful sentiments in cards from the parents and students. I received potted Gerber Daisies (one of my favorite flowers), two dozen roses, a beautiful handmade necklace, bookmarks, post-its (the cool kind, not the plain yellow stickies), homemade chocolate sweets, a snack pack full of Pepsi, pistachios, Pop Secret Home Style popcorn, Baby Ruth's, and Snickers, as well as gift cards to Safeway, Starbucks, and Barnes and Noble, and Target. To top it all off, I was given a gift card to Elizabeth Arden's Red Door Salon and Spa!!!! I love Red Door!!! The gifts were fantastic, but the sentiments in the little notes, homemade cards, hugs, kisses, and letters were priceless.

So, although I am ready for the summer, I know that when the end of August rolls around again, I'll be ready for school. But until then...here's my Philly shout out - "school is out and it's a sort of a buzz, back then I didn't really know what it was, but now I see what have of this, the way that people respond to SUMMER MADNESS."

Enjoy your summer!

You're the Last, My Everything!

Tomorrow is Father's Day, and as I said in my earlier post, I AM BLESSED!! I am blessed not only because I have a wonderful daddy, but I am blessed because my husband, Bear, is a fabulous daddy to our children.

Bear is nicknamed Bear for many reasons. He is big like a bear. He is protective of his family like a bear. He is intelligent like a bear. He is ferocious when outsiders invade his territory. He is also loving, gentle, and tender like a teddy bear.

Bear is a special man. When we had our first child, Princess, almost five years ago, we made a decision that I thank God for everyday. We made a decision that I would return to work after three months of maternity leave and that he would care for Princess because that was the best situation for all of us. Because of that decision, Princess is a confident, intelligent, courageous, warm, loving, creative, and inspirational free spirit. She is in looooooooooove with her daddy. Bear spoils Princess!! He spoils her with things...the girl has the best wardrobe (she has many things that I wish they had in my size!), and if she asks for it...her daddy makes it happen. He doesn't like to deny her much of anything.

Bear not only spoils Princess with things, but he spoils her with his time and love. Bear wakes up Princess every morning to get her dressed in a fun way. You see, as bubbly as you may see me throughout the day and at night, I am NOT a morning person. I wake up (to music), grumble good morning to Bear, get in the shower (while listening to music), get dressed (while listening to music) so that I can be in the right mind to get Princess to school and start her day on a positive note. Sometimes this is more of a struggle than I'd like to admit. Bear wakes up Princess by jumping on her bed, tickling her, singing one of her songs to her (he made up several songs for her when she was born), playing peek-a-boo with her, and jumping around with her like the basketball teams do before a game.

Bear takes Princess out on special dates. One day I was in the car when she had a great idea. She yelled up front from her car seat, "Daddy, let's go get ice cream when we get back...just me and you kid!" with the biggest grin on her face. Bear laughed and laughed. I asked could I go too, and she said it was okay, but she made me feel like I was messin' her date all up!

Bear not only stayed home with Princess, but he's been home with Juicy Boy too! This energizer bunny of a boy--yeah, all boy is also intelligent, active, courageous, warm and loving free spirit of a different kind! He too looooooooooves his daddy. They are buddies. They "hang out together" and enjoy each other's company.

When Juicy Boy started cruising around the house, I told Bear that he'd be walking in no time. I was excited. One day we were having one of our after dinner dance parties and Juicy Boy was standing up wobbling to the music. Bear said, "watch this," as he put on one of his favorite Jay-Z songs. Juicy Boy heard the music and started walking and clapping his hands. I was soo excited! Bear said, "What do you think we do here all day...play?" -- that is one of his famous lines:) He got Juicy Boy to walk at 9 months in his own way...and it worked.

Juicy Boy is so attached to him that when we went to a family/friend's function recently some of the older women were talking about how it's amazing how you can see the strong bond that Bear has with his children. Oftentimes, he is the one who can soothe them, get them to eat, get them to listen, or get them excited when Mommy just won't do.

I could talk about how special the relationship between Bear and our children is ad nauseam. There are times when I get my little feelings hurt because the kids want him over me. I have my little pity party and then I take a moment and thank God that this extraordinary man...the man I love...is the man that our children LOVE and call, with all the affection in the world, Daddy.

Bear you have left an indelible impression on their lives. I love you for that and for being you. Happy Father's Day!

You're the First...

Tomorrow is Father's Day and I just want to say that I AM BLESSED! I have a wonderful Daddy who I love very much! There are many fathers out there donating sperm and making babies, but Daddies are something special!

My daddy means so much to me. I love him! My daddy taught me something extremely special. He shared his love of music and taught me to dance. He taught me how to really feel the music, listen to the lyrics, appreciate the melody, isolate instruments, and make connections. The dance that my dad taught me was one where there were two partners. Sometimes they danced together and sometimes they danced apart, but they were still partners. That dance is the relationship that I had with my dad and still continue to have today.

Our dance is a strong relationship where I know that my daddy loves me and he knows that I love him back. My daddy taught me the fundamentals of the dance (life) and showed me the specific steps to succeed. He showed me the basics and applauded when I took a dance (life experience) and made it my own. Sometimes he took the lead and so he could show me how to navigate through life. Other times we stood side by side in front of the mirror and learned new "steps" together. He didn't mind when I stepped on his feet or tripped while learning the dances. I did the steps as he's taught them to me until I am confident and then...I add some flair to the dance. My daddy practiced dances with me until he knew that I knew them and then he set me free to dance on my own. Many times I heard the music of life and instead of following the dance steps I've been taught, decided to I've decided to freestyle. My daddy was/is always there to cheer me own in my freestyle dance and to reteach me the steps when I've freestyled so much, that I've forgotten my foundation.

My daddy and I do a mean bop! The bop is a hand dance where there are certain fundamentals that must be learned. He takes the lead and I follow, but we both add our own flair. I follow daddy's gentle guidance and he makes me look like a star. Sometimes we hold hands during the dance, but sometimes he lets me free and I'm on my own. The bop is our special dance that is representative our our relationship. One of our favorite songs to bop to is Jam Tonight by Freddie Jackson. On this Father's Day, I want to say, "Thank you for being a wonderful dance instructor. I love you and can't wait to dance with you again real soon (really dance, not metaphorically speaking this time.) I LOVE YOU DADDY!!!!!!...JILLYBEAN

Your Law Your Life

I was reading through my daily blogs and saw this meme on Tender Thoughts and she's so flyy and HAD to do it because its about music.

MEME Rules:
1. Put your itunes/music player on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER WHAT
After you’ve answered all of the questions, tag 5 other people and then let them know they’ve been tagged to do the meme themselves! - I'm not going to tag others, but do it if you have the chance. It's interesting...

If someone says, "Is this okay?" You say...
Shine On by L.T.D.
L.T.D. Greatest Hits

What would best describe your personality?
Having You There by Mississippi Mass Choir
Mississippi Mass Choir: Greatest Hits

What do you like in a guy/girl?
Feelin' the Same Way by Norah Jones
Come Away with Me

How do you feel today?
Fire and Rain by James Taylor
Greatest Hits

What is your life's purpose?
Au Natural by Sweetback
Sweetback

What is your motto?
Real Love by Speech
Speech's Best

What do your friends think of you?
Your Love is King by Sade
The Best of Sade

What do you think of your parents?
Back to Life by Soul II Soul
1989 Keep Movin' On

What do you think about often?
Total Praise (Live) by Richard Smallwood & Vision
The Praise & worship Songs of Richard Smallwood

What is 2+2?
No, No, No by Tony Touch
The Piece Maker

What do you think of your best friend?
Summer in the City by Incognito
Bees+Things+Flowers

What do you think of [your husband]?
Deja Vu (I've Been Here Before)
The Best of Teena Marie

What is your life's story?
Need You Tonight by INXS
Kick

What do you want to be when you grow up?
Peter and the Wolf: XII The Hunters Arrive by Prokofiev
Peter and the Wolf: David Bowie, Eugene Ormandy & The Philadelphia Orchestra

What do you think when you see the person you [love]?
It's Gonna Rain by Milton Brunson
Celebration of Joy

What will they play at your funeral?
Paradise by Sade
The Best of Sade

What is your hobby/interest?
You by Raheem DeVaughn
The Love Experience

What is your biggest secret?
Smile by Lalah Hathaway
Lalah Hathaway

What do you think of your friends?
Devotion by Earth, Wind & Fire
All and All

What should you post this as?
Your Law Your Life 12-20-06 by Rev. Michael B. Beckwith
AgapeLive iamplify

Very interesting....

Who Knew?

Last night I made a batch of brownies. My family loves brownies. I made brownies all of the time last summer. It got so bad that Bear told me not to make any more brownies because we were killing a batch every night...yeah, they were that good. He didn't want us walking around looking like the Klumps.

I made the brownies last night also because I needed to take dessert for my lunch bunch at school. Three students bid on a lunch bunch with me and a friend, where I bring the dessert, for my school's PTA silent auction. So, I get the brownie mix...I know you are not surprised that I am not a totally bake from scratch girl...the cake/brownie mixes with some enhancement go a looong way. The way I see it, they are still homemade since I make them in my home:)

Anyway, I put the kids to bed, participate in the the monthly teleconference with Rev. Beckwith (that's another post...so powerful...and I got through with my question AGAIN! I've gotten through the line three out of four times that I've participated. There are about 1500 people on the line and I seem to always get through), and I start making my brownies. I preheat the oven to 350 degrees. I read the directions (actually I glimpse at the pictures). I pull out my mixing bowl, get two eggs from the refrigerator, and measure my oil. I add everything to the mix and begin stirring. I think to myself, "wow this mix is awfully thick, I'm glad Princess isn't helping tonight because it would be too tough for her to stir." Nothing clicks. I pour the mixture into the pan, put it in the oven, and go on about my business for the next 30 minutes.

When I go check on my brownies to see if they need to cook about five minutes longer, I notice that the center of the brownies looks like regular brownies, but the edges look really dense. Uh-oh, as Juciy Boy says, I realize that I forgot to add the water to the mix! I tell Bear and he starts laughing at me and saying that he knew I couldn't read. He proceeds to go on asking how I can teach second grade and not know how to read. He says that I ask kids to read things in class because I can't read them myself, not because they need practice with fluency. He's got JOKES for days!

I don't know what to do to fix the situation. I suck it up and say to myself, "hey, it's late, that's what I made and that's what they'll get." When I woke up this morning and cut the brownies, they were dense, but extremely moist. I tasted a corner of the brownies and knew that I had a hit! The brownies were sooooo good! They were crusty on the edges and chewy gooey in the center like I love! The kids in the lunch bunch loved them. They asked me to make some for the entire class for the last day of school. Princess loved the brownies. She said that she ate her whole lunch so she could eat her brownie. She had a brownie for snack before dinner and got a little upset because she wanted a bigger piece. Yes...I have a new baking secret and I am sharing it with you...leave the water out of the Betty Crocker brownie mix. Try it, I'm sure you'll thank me for the tip...Watch out Food Network!!

Believe in Yourself

We have witnessed and lived through a poignant moment in history. Barack Obama will be the Democratic nominee for President of the United States. If I could speak to Senator Obama, I would share these words that Glinda the Good Witch (Lena Horne) said best...

If you believe
Within your heart you'll know
That no one can change
The path that you must go
Believe what you feel
And know you're right, because
The time will come around
When you say it's yours
Believe there's a reason to be
Believe you can make time stand still
You know from the moment you try
If you believe
I know you will
Believe in yourself, right from the start
You'll have brains
You'll have a heart
You'll have courage
To last your whole life through...If you believe in yourself...If you believe in yourself...If you believe in yourself...As I believe in you!

I BELIEVE IN BARACK OBAMA! I BELIEVE A CHANGE IS GONNA COME! YES WE CAN!!!