rainy Wednesday

newly remodeled boys' dorm lobby
we need furniture!

the deans' office also got a facelift

spring in front of the gym

rainy wednesday

cherry blossoms

snow, ya'll!

We woke up Monday to snow (or what the South calls snow)! When I went over to meet Nikie to work out in the morning, Carson had woken up early, so we took him to the gym to walk with us. Afterward, he enjoyed the falling snow and cried if we even put him on the sidewalk.

Olivia was waiting for me to get home in her back yard. She said her dad and Gabby didn't believe that it snowed.

Birds in the snow!


Wes was trying to eat the snow on his way back from getting the weekend mail.

Kids attacking each other

My worker getting rolled in the snow by the boys

Carson and his life-size snowman! Two of the juniors, Josh and Colton made it.

Carson seems happy that Olivia came to play, doesn't he?

A break in the student center to warm up

More birdies!

I think this picture was hilarious. Who knew they waited so long to flap their wings?

we put the "special" in special music

This weekend turned out to be a lot of work for SA. We had already been scheduled to be in charge of Sabbath school, but we also changed plans to include a pretty involved Saturday night activity.

We as a group had been dreaming of the day when we could showcase our musical skill. Last semester in a SA brainstorming session, someone came up with the idea of playing recorders for our next Sabbath school.

So, we did! We all memorized Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee. It sounded absolutely awful because we had really cheap recorders from the elem. school that can't be tuned. Oww . . .

Us at church with Carson, who was not happy about his two molars coming in

We ate lunch at the Trumpers' house after church (these aren't them). When we were leaving, the neighbor's calves were all by the fence, EXCEPT FOR THE ONE IN THE ROAD. I stopped to talk to them and to take a picture.

These are (some of) our illustrious SA officers:
back: Helen, Laura, Tyler, Seth
front: Chelsea & Jenny

They were judging the teams' presentations of their uniforms and flag. This event is kind of like Pisgah's Goofy Olympics (of which I am very proud to have helped plan before as well). Each team of 8 competed in various crazy games. You'll see . . .

One of my favorite teams' themes: STAFF
L to R: Cassie as Luane, Ruben as Steve, Jacquelyne as Bekki Wade, Josh as Michael P., Shelby as Becky, Pascale as Michael S., and Levi as Aaron

This team was formed by Josh Ley and included his parents, Raphan and Michele. So, Cirque du So Ley seemed appropriate for them. Two other staff, Randy and Shelly, participated with this team as well. Some of our other competing teams were the Global Gym Purple Cobras, Team Tights (the guys' shirts said "Men in Tights"), and Procrastinators (formed about 5 min. before start time)

One of the most interesting challenges was teams answering Trivial Pursuit questions. Each team lined up and the front person had to answer a multiple-choice question with no help. If they got it wrong, their team's representative at the mat got another book or books. If the person holding books touched the mat or dropped their books, that team was out.

Contestants were closely monitored so that no touch of the mat would go unnoticed. The books they had to hold were Bible notebook-style textbooks. After 5 notebooks, we traded them in for a dictionary that actually weighed less than its "equivalent."

Renee gets an extra boost of . . . something . . . from the rest of her team, the Blue Crew. Each team had a dry-erase board and marker to write their answers down.

Later in the competition, Raphan and Kyle don't look so relaxed anymore.

Another enjoyable activity (for those who set it up) was the food challenge. Teams had a paper bag for each member of their team with a food item that had to be eaten relay-race-style. Christen enjoyed her raw half onion. Other foods we included were: half a sleeve of saltine crackers, prunes, peas baby food, a marshmallow thing, a whole dill pickle, a green apple slushie from Sonic, and pickled cactus!

The biggest event was our obstacle course. The first team member had to waddle with a basketball between their knees down to the second basketball court. From there, team member #2 shot a lay-up, free-throw, and 3-pointer before moving on. Person #3 had to scale our rock wall and ring the bell at the top, which signaled 4 & 5 to start the blindfolded drive through a course. The football was delivered to person #6 who threw it through a hanging hula hoop. When that was completed, 7 and 8, tied three-legged-style traversed the zig-zag balance beam to the finish line.

Team Tights prevailed to become the 2009 Survivor champions!

the nature of my job

These four pictures I've taken over the last two years (three of them this summer) now dominate my office wall. The hummingbird you probably recognize from Monday, the echinacea is from Jaclyn's and my visit to the Belle Meade plantation two summers ago, the bumblebee is from Baughmans' back yard in July, and the swallows are from Radnor Lake in May. The bottom right picture doesn't have a frame yet because when I got them here yesterday the glass was broken. So when I take it back and get the replacement, my latest art project will be done!

snippets of registration/handshake

I have added a sponsorship this year (I know, I know). I am helping Steve with SA. He introduced the SA officers to the student body before the mixers and handshake started.

Nikie, Janelle, Michael, Carson, and Chadd chatting before the festivities.

My other sponsorship: the Junior class. I'm hoping to go with them to DC/Boston/NY on their cultural tour in October. Interesting note about the picture - the guy who fell out of the circle has already fallen out of the school as well.

The illustrious HA 2008-09 staff.

in transition

Nikie and Chadd got word Thursday that they could start moving into the boys' dorm apartment. A bunch of us helped them get things put in boxes and started moving things over with Jeff's trailer and the school Suburban. What this really meant was that Ryan and I could soon move into Chadd & Nikie's old house! Ryan and I took apart my crazy bookshelf in anticipation.

Packing the refrigerator magnets

This stuff was mostly from bringing Ryan's stuff up from Collegedale. You think the apartment was a little small for us?

The apartment's exterior (plus the Watkins' golf cart that I killed off-roading with it)

Finally Sunday the house was empty. Ryan and I went up to check it out.

Kitchen (adjoins living room) with vaulted ceiling

Master bedroom

Me in the garage - we can fit both cars and the Sea Doo in here!

The first load that wasn't in a car

Moving the piles

Emptying the living room

Second load that Michael, Becky, Steve, and Janelle helped unload

The outside of the new house

Randy and Mary Jane offered to come help us finish moving and unpack, so we gladly took them up on it! They made the process much easier and quicker. We really appreciate it!!!

It pretty much looks like this now. See the new tables!!!

I'm getting the books organized.

The refrigerator was delivered yesterday. We're so excited to have a dishwasher!!!

The "office" where the second TV and couch will go, along with our computers.

I'm gonna try to put a video on this post too. I have to add a disclaimer that I didn't listen to the video before I posted it . . .