A countdown of my 10 favorite moments of 2009!
10. Our August trip to Copper (where Dan rode the Copper triangle) and camping near Aspen with Uncle Mikey
9. Running the Denver Half Marathon with my friend Erika from college
8. Camping with Dan and Noah at Turquoise Lake
7. Randi and Sophie's trip to see us
6. Going to the Old Stone Church with Dan for dinner for our 10th anniversary.
5. The Inauguration of Barack Obama: It was during the school day so I went to my favorite school (Tetra Academy) and "worked." Really, they were showing the inauguration to the kids and I watched with them. The highlight of my school year for sure!
4. Finding out that Dan got his new job
3. Our trip to Utah, Bryce Canyon and Zion
2. Finishing the Pikes Peak Ascent
1. Snowboarding at Winter Park with the Intfens and Jim and finding out that Noah loves skiing!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Our Gingerbread House
Our good friend Kristi gave Noah this gingerbread house kit for Christmas. If you click on the link, you can see how quaint and beautiful it is! I was really excited to decorate it with Noah, but we have had NO time at all!!! Today, I was home with Noah and Dan was at work, so we finally had some time. Noah and I got it all sort of glued together with frosting. It was a little ghetto because I am just not good at crafts (crooked corners, etc.), but I was pretty proud of it.
By the time it was all dry and ready to decorate, Dan was home! That was great since we would all get to decorate it as a family. I knew we were in trouble when he took one look at the jelly beans and said, "Wow, these will make great meteors." Needless to say, our house isn't quite as quaint and beautiful as the one on the box. It was a blast to decorate though. We just let Noah do whatever he wanted with all the candy and, let's face it, it's not like my decorating efforts were all Martha-Stewart or anything. Here is how it turned out:
By the time it was all dry and ready to decorate, Dan was home! That was great since we would all get to decorate it as a family. I knew we were in trouble when he took one look at the jelly beans and said, "Wow, these will make great meteors." Needless to say, our house isn't quite as quaint and beautiful as the one on the box. It was a blast to decorate though. We just let Noah do whatever he wanted with all the candy and, let's face it, it's not like my decorating efforts were all Martha-Stewart or anything. Here is how it turned out:
Monday, December 28, 2009
Running Plan For 2010
As my foot slowly (very slowly, too slowly, seriously, get better already) heals up, I am beginning to think about what I want to do running-wise this year.
The first thing I need to do is seriously follow the FIRST plan detailed in my Run Less, Run Faster book. I said I was going to do that last year, but I really wanted to run 5 times/week and not 3. Well, look where it got me... Plantar Fasciitis Island (PFI). In order to avoid PFI again this year, I will be running 3 days per week and cross-training 2 or 3 like the book recommends. I found a spinning class at our local rec center that actually might be as good of a workout as running, so I will be doing that twice a week to start off with. Right now I am only running one mile 3 times per week because of the foot, but as that gets better this will increase to 30-40 mile weeks (in 3-4 sessions per week).
The second thing I need to do is watch what I eat. I have always just been one of those people who just eats whatever I want, but let's face it, a true athlete would not do that. I need to get the eating thing under control so I can hit some more PRs this year.
Given that, I would like to run one of every distance I have ever run this year and try to hit those PRs. I only got one last year: the half marathon at 2:14, and I think I can do better. Here is my plan:
5K: probably a Turkey Day one in November (whether it's in CO, IA, or KS, I don't know yet)
10K: Gotta be Boulder Boulder in May
Half Marathon: Pikes Peak Ascent, of course, in August. I am addicted and I have 3 training partners this year who should help me beat last year's time. This is dependent on me sitting next to my computer for an hour in early March making sure I can get in before it is full.
Marathon: Either the Denver Marathon (which is a Rock-n-Roll this year) or Chicago. Both in October.
So that's the plan assuming I can avoid the hell of PFI again.
The first thing I need to do is seriously follow the FIRST plan detailed in my Run Less, Run Faster book. I said I was going to do that last year, but I really wanted to run 5 times/week and not 3. Well, look where it got me... Plantar Fasciitis Island (PFI). In order to avoid PFI again this year, I will be running 3 days per week and cross-training 2 or 3 like the book recommends. I found a spinning class at our local rec center that actually might be as good of a workout as running, so I will be doing that twice a week to start off with. Right now I am only running one mile 3 times per week because of the foot, but as that gets better this will increase to 30-40 mile weeks (in 3-4 sessions per week).
The second thing I need to do is watch what I eat. I have always just been one of those people who just eats whatever I want, but let's face it, a true athlete would not do that. I need to get the eating thing under control so I can hit some more PRs this year.
Given that, I would like to run one of every distance I have ever run this year and try to hit those PRs. I only got one last year: the half marathon at 2:14, and I think I can do better. Here is my plan:
5K: probably a Turkey Day one in November (whether it's in CO, IA, or KS, I don't know yet)
10K: Gotta be Boulder Boulder in May
Half Marathon: Pikes Peak Ascent, of course, in August. I am addicted and I have 3 training partners this year who should help me beat last year's time. This is dependent on me sitting next to my computer for an hour in early March making sure I can get in before it is full.
Marathon: Either the Denver Marathon (which is a Rock-n-Roll this year) or Chicago. Both in October.
So that's the plan assuming I can avoid the hell of PFI again.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
2009 Resolutions: Checking In
Here are my resolutions from last year and how I did on them.
1. Spend more time playing with Dan and Noah and Japhy: Yes, but some parts of the year I did better than others.
2. Finish a triathlon: Nope, but I did do the Pikes Peak Ascent instead.
3. Finish a half marathon in under 2 hours: No, and as I read more about speed, I realized that this probably was not a realistic goal for me.
4. Spend less and save more $$: Yes! That is how we survived Dan's unemployment. I am so glad he has a job again now. It is so much more fun to have at least a little money to spend.
5. Drop 5 pounds to lessen the pounding my knees are taking from all that running: No, I weigh exactly what I did this time last year.
6. Increase my weight and resistance training...also to help the knees. Yes, I do significantly more than I did this time last year and my knee issues are pretty much a thing of the past. Now if I could just do something about this stupid foot.
1. Spend more time playing with Dan and Noah and Japhy: Yes, but some parts of the year I did better than others.
2. Finish a triathlon: Nope, but I did do the Pikes Peak Ascent instead.
3. Finish a half marathon in under 2 hours: No, and as I read more about speed, I realized that this probably was not a realistic goal for me.
4. Spend less and save more $$: Yes! That is how we survived Dan's unemployment. I am so glad he has a job again now. It is so much more fun to have at least a little money to spend.
5. Drop 5 pounds to lessen the pounding my knees are taking from all that running: No, I weigh exactly what I did this time last year.
6. Increase my weight and resistance training...also to help the knees. Yes, I do significantly more than I did this time last year and my knee issues are pretty much a thing of the past. Now if I could just do something about this stupid foot.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Winter Park 2009
For Christmas this year, my sister Crystal, her husband Eric, and their kids, Will and Kylie came to Colorado. We all spent a few days in Winter Park before coming back to Castle Rock to celebrate Christmas.
Our first stop in Winter Park was at the resort to pick up the ski rentals for Noah, Will, Kylie, and Crystal. Here is a picture of Kylie and Noah in the parking lot of Winter Park Resort:
The next morning we were all up bright and early to get on the slopes. I was so excited because Noah was finally going to learn to ski!!! At three, he is finally old enough to take lessons. Kylie and Noah must have been equally excited because they couldn't wait to get all decked out in their ski gear:
Will picked up skiing so quickly I couldn't believe it. One day's lesson and he is ready to be on the mountain without an instructor. He even went up with Eric for a run at the end of the day. Eric said he was totally shreddin' it!
Noah was exhausted but happy when we picked him up from his lesson:
Oddly he didn't seem as tired when we got back to the condo. That kid has amazing energy: 
He calmed down after some nice time in the hot tub though:
Dan, Noah, Eric, and I all skiied/rode the next day too. It was another fabulous day! I can't wait to take Noah back up there for another lesson. We'll probably go when Eric, Suzanne, Luke, and Kenny come out (hopefully soon!).
Our first stop in Winter Park was at the resort to pick up the ski rentals for Noah, Will, Kylie, and Crystal. Here is a picture of Kylie and Noah in the parking lot of Winter Park Resort:
The next morning we were all up bright and early to get on the slopes. I was so excited because Noah was finally going to learn to ski!!! At three, he is finally old enough to take lessons. Kylie and Noah must have been equally excited because they couldn't wait to get all decked out in their ski gear: Will picked up skiing so quickly I couldn't believe it. One day's lesson and he is ready to be on the mountain without an instructor. He even went up with Eric for a run at the end of the day. Eric said he was totally shreddin' it! Kylie wasn't a huge fan of skiing, but after a kind of rough morning in her lesson, she really started to pick it up. She wanted to take a lesson with Noah on the second day, but because of their age difference the Winter Park people wouldn't let her be in Noah's class. That's ok, because she wants to try again when she comes back (hopefully next year).
Noah was a little nervous when we dropped him off, but he had a great day skiing! His instructors said he did a great job for being so young and he passed 3 of the 5 skills for the next level. He did lessons for 2 days because he loved the first day so much. Needless to say, Dan and I are thrilled that he likes it and so proud of our little guy.
Noah was a little nervous when we dropped him off, but he had a great day skiing! His instructors said he did a great job for being so young and he passed 3 of the 5 skills for the next level. He did lessons for 2 days because he loved the first day so much. Needless to say, Dan and I are thrilled that he likes it and so proud of our little guy.Noah's first ski run ever:
Future ski racer:
While everyone was doing their lessons, Dan, Eric, our friend Jim, and I went up and took a couple of runs (a few blues and a black or two). It felt great to be up there and I was happy to know I still remember how to snowboard even though we were only up once last year. When Crystal got out of her 1/2 day lesson, we all went and had lunch:
Then we all went up the mountain to take a run with Crystal. She did great and she said she even likes skiing now!!!!! That is huge because she tried it before and did not like it. I am so excited that she likes it because now they will be out in Colorado to ski more!!! I love having them here. It was so much fun!!!
She is practically a pro:
Future ski racer:While everyone was doing their lessons, Dan, Eric, our friend Jim, and I went up and took a couple of runs (a few blues and a black or two). It felt great to be up there and I was happy to know I still remember how to snowboard even though we were only up once last year. When Crystal got out of her 1/2 day lesson, we all went and had lunch:Then we all went up the mountain to take a run with Crystal. She did great and she said she even likes skiing now!!!!! That is huge because she tried it before and did not like it. I am so excited that she likes it because now they will be out in Colorado to ski more!!! I love having them here. It was so much fun!!!She is practically a pro:Noah was exhausted but happy when we picked him up from his lesson:
Oddly he didn't seem as tired when we got back to the condo. That kid has amazing energy: He calmed down after some nice time in the hot tub though:Dan, Noah, Eric, and I all skiied/rode the next day too. It was another fabulous day! I can't wait to take Noah back up there for another lesson. We'll probably go when Eric, Suzanne, Luke, and Kenny come out (hopefully soon!).
Christmas Pics 2009
A few of my favorites from Christmas:
Noah and Kylie eating G.G.'s chocolate reindeer:
Noah and Kylie eating G.G.'s chocolate reindeer:
Kylie, Noah, and Will in the matching pajamas Aunt Crystal got them:
Eric with Kylie's pink bunny (or bear or whatever it is):
Noah, Crystal, and Kylie:
Our family right before Christmas Eve church:
Will sledding:
Will shoveling our driveway:
Will and Noah playing with legos:
Crystal and I:
Noah and Kylie being silly:
Eric with Kylie's pink bunny (or bear or whatever it is):
Noah, Crystal, and Kylie:
Our family right before Christmas Eve church:
Will sledding:
Will shoveling our driveway:
Will and Noah playing with legos:
Crystal and I:
Noah and Kylie being silly:
Christmas Season
I am so far behind on posting. School and work and family have kept me busy! I'm still not running much... stupid foot, but I am starting to think about races for next year. I'll post my thoughts later. Right now, I just want to get some pics up of the Christmas season. Here they are:
Making Christmas cookies:
Noah's school Christmas performance and party:
Visiting Santa:
Our neighborhood Christmas party:
Making Christmas cookies:
Noah's school Christmas performance and party:Visiting Santa:Our neighborhood Christmas party:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Friday, December 11, 2009
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Back to School...
...for me! I start tomorrow. I know Sunday seems like a weird day to start, but I am taking online classes. Each class is 8 weeks, 3 credits, starts on Sunday and ends on Saturday. I just got done looking at my first course (Educational Theory... really? I've been teaching for 12 years). The first week includes 3 chapters, 6 articles, and 2 papers. I am really worried about getting it all done except for the fact that the first week is behaviorism. If I can't do that easily and well, something is wrong.
Anyway, at the pace my advisor said is realistic for me, I should have a master's in administration, and both principal and administrator licensure within 18 months. If I double up on classes in the summer, I may even finish sooner.
Wish me luck!!!
Anyway, at the pace my advisor said is realistic for me, I should have a master's in administration, and both principal and administrator licensure within 18 months. If I double up on classes in the summer, I may even finish sooner.
Wish me luck!!!
Friday, December 4, 2009
International Cookbook!
My friend, Jocelyn, from college is selling cookbooks to make money so she can bring her daughter home from Ethiopia. Please buy one!!! The website is www.jocib.blogspot.com.
Thanks!!!
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Today I Am Thankful For...
...technology!
I am sitting here in our car driving down the highway at 80 mph and blogging! Don't worry, Dan is actually driving.
Happy almost Thanksgiving everyone!!!
I am sitting here in our car driving down the highway at 80 mph and blogging! Don't worry, Dan is actually driving.
Happy almost Thanksgiving everyone!!!
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Castle Rock Starlighting
Tonight was the annual Starlighting Ceremony in Castle Rock. There is this gigantic rock on top of a hill right by downtown that is the namesake of this place, and they put a big star up on top of it like 74 years ago to be lit every Christmas season. It is pretty cool and they make a really big deal of it, with carriage rides, a Fire Station Chili Supper, Christmas carols, bounce houses, a live Nativity Scene and tons of other fun stuff. It was a pretty nice night (weather-wise), and we all had a great time. Noah said his favorite part was the hot chocolate!
Castle Rock:
Fire Station:
Getting hot chocolate with Dad:
I have no pictures from later in the night because the camera battery went dead, but the star is lit and it is gorgeous!
Castle Rock:
Fire Station:
Getting hot chocolate with Dad:
I have no pictures from later in the night because the camera battery went dead, but the star is lit and it is gorgeous!Saturday, November 14, 2009
Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is a common overuse injury that runners often get involving pain and inflammation of the plantar fascia, a thick band of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot.
It sucks.
I have been barely running at all for almost a month now and it still won't go away. I want to get back to my regular running so badly but I know that will just make it worse.
So I have been riding my bike a lot and going to spinning class instead of running, but it just isn't the same.
Maybe I'll just do one mile this morning. That can't hurt, right?
It sucks.
I have been barely running at all for almost a month now and it still won't go away. I want to get back to my regular running so badly but I know that will just make it worse.
So I have been riding my bike a lot and going to spinning class instead of running, but it just isn't the same.
Maybe I'll just do one mile this morning. That can't hurt, right?
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Discipline Philosophy
What is your philosophy of discipline?
Because of my job, I get that question all the time from my mom-friends. Maybe not in those exact words, but people often ask me for advice with specific situations and ask what I would do.
Half of the time, I am not sure what to say. That's because it totally depends on the kid. Of course, there are a few philosophies that I tend to recommend over others, just because they have worked for me with Noah and with the kids I have worked with over my career. It startles me to say that I have been working with kids for 18 years now, so hopefully I've learned something. Anyway, here are my 5 favorite resources to recommend to parents/ teachers and the philosophies I use on a daily basis, at home and at work:
1. Love and Logic, Jim Fay and Foster Cline, www.loveandlogic.com
I like Love and Logic because it works for both parents and teachers, so double bonus for me!!! Love and Logic has been very good for me because I tend to be high strung and this philosophy requires calm and caring delivery of natural and logical consequences. I love it!!!
2. Collaborative Problem Solving, Ross W. Greene, http://www.ccps.info/
Collaborative Problem Solving is a strategy I use more at work than at home right now, but I know that as Noah gets older I will use it at home too. I love how it teaches kids problem solving skills while at the same time helping them understand what works for them in terms of behavior and what does not.
3. Positive Behavior Support, George Sugai and many others, www.pbis.org
This is a practice of emphasizing the positive over the negative. Research bears out the idea that you have to have 5 positive interactions for every one negative interaction to achieve optimal behavior and preserve self esteem. Positive Behavior Support was developed for schools, but I use the principles with Noah. PBS involves having clear cut observeable behaviors that your positively reinforce and emphasize. You still address negative behavior, but you spend much more time praising the positive.
4. Classic Behavior Modification, BF Skinner, http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/behsys/behmod.html
Skinner first had the idea that you can extinguish an undesireable behavior and replace it with a desireable alternative behavior with the use of reinforcement (positive or negative or both). Your basic sticker chart is an offshoot of this. The stuff works, you can't argue with that!
5. My own commom sense and what I learned from my mom and dad, Ken and Mary McCullough, no website available unfortunately
Regardless of what the books and philosophies say, much of what I do to shape Noah's behavior comes from what my parents did. They raised four hard working, caring, wonderful contributors to society, and, well, you can't argue with that research.
I know this is way more info than anyone needs, but I needed to write this post to clarify the whole thing in my mind.
What is your philosophy of discipline? Leave it in the comments!!!
Because of my job, I get that question all the time from my mom-friends. Maybe not in those exact words, but people often ask me for advice with specific situations and ask what I would do.
Half of the time, I am not sure what to say. That's because it totally depends on the kid. Of course, there are a few philosophies that I tend to recommend over others, just because they have worked for me with Noah and with the kids I have worked with over my career. It startles me to say that I have been working with kids for 18 years now, so hopefully I've learned something. Anyway, here are my 5 favorite resources to recommend to parents/ teachers and the philosophies I use on a daily basis, at home and at work:
1. Love and Logic, Jim Fay and Foster Cline, www.loveandlogic.com
I like Love and Logic because it works for both parents and teachers, so double bonus for me!!! Love and Logic has been very good for me because I tend to be high strung and this philosophy requires calm and caring delivery of natural and logical consequences. I love it!!!
2. Collaborative Problem Solving, Ross W. Greene, http://www.ccps.info/
Collaborative Problem Solving is a strategy I use more at work than at home right now, but I know that as Noah gets older I will use it at home too. I love how it teaches kids problem solving skills while at the same time helping them understand what works for them in terms of behavior and what does not.
3. Positive Behavior Support, George Sugai and many others, www.pbis.org
This is a practice of emphasizing the positive over the negative. Research bears out the idea that you have to have 5 positive interactions for every one negative interaction to achieve optimal behavior and preserve self esteem. Positive Behavior Support was developed for schools, but I use the principles with Noah. PBS involves having clear cut observeable behaviors that your positively reinforce and emphasize. You still address negative behavior, but you spend much more time praising the positive.
4. Classic Behavior Modification, BF Skinner, http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/behsys/behmod.html
Skinner first had the idea that you can extinguish an undesireable behavior and replace it with a desireable alternative behavior with the use of reinforcement (positive or negative or both). Your basic sticker chart is an offshoot of this. The stuff works, you can't argue with that!
5. My own commom sense and what I learned from my mom and dad, Ken and Mary McCullough, no website available unfortunately
Regardless of what the books and philosophies say, much of what I do to shape Noah's behavior comes from what my parents did. They raised four hard working, caring, wonderful contributors to society, and, well, you can't argue with that research.
I know this is way more info than anyone needs, but I needed to write this post to clarify the whole thing in my mind.
What is your philosophy of discipline? Leave it in the comments!!!
Friday, November 6, 2009
Friday, October 30, 2009
Halloween at School
Today was Noah's Halloween party and costume parade at school. I love his school! His teachers did all of these creative snacks... soooo cute! Here is a picture of Noah holding his orange jackolantern. His teachers hollowed out oranges and cut them into jack-o-lanterns for each kid. I can't imagine the amount of work that must have gone into them. Amazing!
Here are some of the other snacks they made: fingers (cheese sticks with a frito "nail" on the end), magic wands, bones (breadsticks with rolled up ends), ghosts, and pumpkins:
Darth Vader (Noah):
Other party pictures:
Lining up for the parade:
Miss Kacey tying on Noah's cape:
Buddies:
Here are some of the other snacks they made: fingers (cheese sticks with a frito "nail" on the end), magic wands, bones (breadsticks with rolled up ends), ghosts, and pumpkins:
Darth Vader (Noah):
Other party pictures:
Lining up for the parade:
Miss Kacey tying on Noah's cape:
Buddies:
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