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Texas, Texas ~ Yee Haw! (Part 3: My Birthday)

 We haven’t lived in Austin, or even in Texas for that matter, for almost 16 years now, but for my birthday, Robert planned for us to be “locals” again ~ which was really fun.  First on the list was getting up at 6:30am and driving into town in order to have an early morning run… Read More Texas, Texas ~ Yee Haw! (Part 3: My Birthday)

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Texas, Texas ~ Yee Haw! (Part 2: Jerky, Trucks, Mules, Cows, Guns, and Grandparents)

Well, we said goodbye to Grammie and Paw Paw last Wednesday morning and headed east to see more grandparents, cousins, and aunts in Bellville, TX.  This was about a 3 hour trip on I-10 and is simply not complete without a stop here:  They say that Buc-ee’s is a business built on bathrooms, and the… Read More Texas, Texas ~ Yee Haw! (Part 2: Jerky, Trucks, Mules, Cows, Guns, and Grandparents)

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The Eagle Has Landed…in Tamale Country

Well, we made it to Texas with no trouble at all ~ even though we had to go through Newark, New Jersey.  They were STILL clearing snow from the runways and tarmacs there, and we were surrounded by a lot of disgruntled, delayed, and “bumped” travelers, but fortunately we were not included in that group. … Read More The Eagle Has Landed…in Tamale Country

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New York Nostalgia & A Good Idea

There are a few places I love to visit at Christmastime.  My sister and I even shared a moment of giddiness on this subject on the phone the other day when I called her in Austin, Texas and asked her what she was doing… “Shopping at Whole Foods,” she replied. “Oh ~ how fun!” I… Read More New York Nostalgia & A Good Idea

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The Maine Event Part 2: Family Beach Vacation!

I was going to write “it never ceases to amaze me that we vacation in Maine every summer,” but then I looked back at previous “Maine posts” and realized that I write that same phrase almost every year after we return from Maine. But it’s true. I am amazed. And like a good parent, I… Read More The Maine Event Part 2: Family Beach Vacation!

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The Maine Event Part 1: Anniversary Trip

You probably guessed that we spent last week in the beautiful state of Maine. I remember looking at U.S. maps at school growing up and thinking of Maine as being such remote, and foreign land. And I guess it sort of it, unless you live in Massachusetts or New Hampshire, and even then a lot… Read More The Maine Event Part 1: Anniversary Trip

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Guess Where We’ve Been…

Maybe you thought Texans were the only ones who were shamelessly, obnoxiously, and cheesily proud of their state. Well, you’d be wrong! Maine-ly unpacking at the moment. More on the Maine event coming soon…

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Tips to Avoiding a Horrific White Mountain Hike

  Number 1: Do not go with these people. Oh sure, their names may be Pete and Betsy (sounds harmless enough, right?) and they may be dear friends and 25+ year Campus Crusade Staffers devoted to Christ and ministry, but they also happen to be undercover “Extreme Backpacking Vacation” Operatives. They will casually mention the… Read More Tips to Avoiding a Horrific White Mountain Hike

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1. Baseball 2. Boston 3. Repeat

Seems like that’s all we did last week – go to baseball games, go to Boston, go to more baseball games, then head to Boston again. It was a very full week, but lots of fun. Kory was up as pitcher once last week, and I always get so nervous for him when his coach… Read More 1. Baseball 2. Boston 3. Repeat

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Birthdays, Girlfriends, Cousins, Magic Envelopes, Concerts, and Quadratic Equations

The Classical Conversations Challenge program that I have been teaching this year has proved to be just that: A Challenge. And not just for the students, but for ME – the teacher. Do you remember being in college, and feeling like your weekly reading/writing load might not be humanly possible? Well, that is how I’ve… Read More Birthdays, Girlfriends, Cousins, Magic Envelopes, Concerts, and Quadratic Equations