Happy New Year

Here is the picture (and a few more) from the New Year's guessing game!

It was the 100th New Year's Ball from Time Square! This is the ball that was used last year for the celebration in Time Square. I didn't go last year, although I was in New York. The large number of people kind of scare me! This year, we've headed North to Vermont to bring in the New Year and enjoy some snowboarding with friends.



A part of me will be at the Time Square New Year's celebration this year. I wrote a few New Year's wishes for 2009 on a couple pieces of confetti that will fall at midnight! (If you are out there, look for my confettis!!)

That's mine! Look for it!

Hope you all have a safe and wonderful evening! Make the best of what's left in 2008 and have fun bringing in 2009!! Peace and Love.

Peanuts, Earl Grey, & Red Velvet Cupcakes

1:54 a.m. It's too late for my own good, especially since we are leaving for Vermont tomorrow, and we'll be staying up late to ring in 2009 (weird to think, considering every other time I write the date, I write everything but 2008 -- 2006, 2007, and even recently 2003... How is my mind that far behind?).

After spending my day taking care of all (well, almost all) the things I've put off for a week, I headed to the city to visit Stephanie, who finally made it back from Florida just in time for me to be heading to Vermont! Tonight, we decided to check out her neighborhood. I'd been over to her place once before, and the walk between the subway stop and her apartment kind of scared me. (Every new place does though...) It was a bit shady, so I couldn't quite imagine what we'd find around... She lives on the Lower East Side. It's NYC... Of course, we'd find something cool to do.

That, we did. A few bars, $3 Blue Moons, a basket of peanuts (right after I mentioned needing a bar that had peanuts!), a wonderful cake shop, with a mug of hot tea to wrap up our evening. We also met some nice people - at the bar and sweet stop. I can't wait until I can go back! The feel of the neighborhood was chill, young, fun.

In an attempt to keep our sanity, about a month ago, Stephanie and I vowed to meet at least once a week after work. I think I might push to meet in her neighborhood more often! :)

One More Picture

Here is one more hint before I post the official answer and all the other pictures! I really like this picture... could have used a little more light, I guess.

My Top Moments of 2008

This blog is a perfect tool for reflection... and great for this time of year, as most people naturally think back over the year and think about the year to come. I cannot believe how fast everything has happened in the last year. As I flipped through the pages and events the blog has stored, I realized that so many of these things feel like they just happened last weekend. Wasn't it just days ago...?

The most important moment, posted just a few days ago... Our wedding day. I'm still getting used to my new name. I sign it so many times at work, that I even have a scribble signature down already. Seth still lets my maiden name roll off his tongue every now and then, by mistake. :)

I survived my first year of teaching. Left my charms to fend for themselves in middle school and all my wonderful co-workers, as I headed out into the big scary world of the South Bronx. I wasn't going alone though, the amazing memories I had made at my first school accompany me to school everyday. I'll never have another experience like I did my first year. Too much has changed since then, but I'll always have a special place in my heart for my 21 charms. I'll remember the way we laughed when I made them pop balloons in order to get their review questions. I'll remember the amazing poetry slam the team of 5th grade teachers put together. We really got our students on poetry. The slam would have gone on for Hours if we hadn't stopped it. A couple of my charms still email me... Along with a couple of my co-workers. I hope I never lose those connections! I hope I never forget what I learned there... amazing people, amazing students, amazing parents.

Although my new job doesn't even come close to standing up to my first teaching job, it was still an important moment. I was more happy about it before school started than I am now, but I should be very thankful to have a job with this economy and the budget cuts that are hitting schools all over the country. I've had some Major learning opportunities this last half of the year too. (And I got lucky to be placed with an amazing person in my co-teaching classroom!! AND she's a great baker! :)

Seth and I found a perfect (and small) apartment in Park Slope. It's a perfect location, and we love our neighborhood. We are surrounded by Great restaurants, wonderful friends, chill bars for the evenings out, and family members.

On the topic of family members, we've been so lucky to get to hang out with our favorite little nephew throughout the last year. He definitely brings a great happiness into our lives. It's so fun to have such a character to play with. One of my favorite memories was when we met in Central Park while the weather was still warm. There is water that flows through the play area. P was trying to hide from Uncle Seth. He proceeded to get down in the water on his belly and army crawl through the inch of water towards his escape. I laughed to tears... too hard to be able to make my camera function correctly and catch it on film.

Despite being so far away, we were lucky to get a few visits from friends during the late summer and fall. And although they've already been here, we want them back! :) And many more too! Just give us some warning so we can get our place cleaned! When Aisha was here, we were introduced to an Irish Bar that we've frequented a couple times since. It was an amazing night, and we were out past 4 with her and her friends. Sarah's visit was a whirlwind tour of the city. I think I walked her parents to exhaustion! Paula's visit brought some fun site seeing in Lower Manhattan and a wonderful dinner at Planet Thai in Williamsburg. Russell brought another fun time, as we spent the afternoon in Dumbo at a fabulous Art Fest and the evening in the East Village.

On the topic of friends, we've had some awesome moments with new friends. My favorite being Ah Di La, a couple Fridays back. I couldn't have asked for a better evening or a better group of Brooklyn friends! I've also been so lucky to have met another teacher, and even more to have her share a commute with me when we get lucky and cross paths on our way to or from school.

As I think about how I haven't really driven much for the last 6 months (2 times - once in my father-in-law's truck and once in a rental van, very scary!) I loved giving up my car and becoming a walker/subway rider/bus rider. I don't often even consider having a car again. I don't look forward to going back to the driver lifestyle. Someday I'll have to... for right now, I carry my unlimited MetroCard and hang out on subway platforms.

New York City sites - Brooklyn Bridge is at our fingertips. I see it almost daily, as my train goes over the Manhattan Bridge. Sometimes I wonder why people don't look out the windows, the bridge and city in all it's beauty are waiting there to be seen, to be enjoyed. I'll miss my view when it's gone.

Thanksgiving dinner was a pretty important moment. We did it all ourselves. No "adults"... I guess maybe it officially makes me one of them. Seth and I also had the chance to enjoy the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, something I'd watched on TV for years and was never sure I'd see it in real life! It was pretty fantastic, and I definitely acted like a child as I begged for just one more.

Not only did we have good friends come visit, but we also had some of our family make the trip as well. Thinking back over their visits makes me miss them all so much... which means, family, if you are reading, you'd better be thinking about your plans for your next vacation to NYC.

Another one of my favorite moments was the recent snow in Central Park. It was beautiful and wonderful. It also gave me an unhealthy dosage of jealousy for those apartment dwellers near the park. Who are these people who get to look out their window and see the park blanketed in white? Lucky... whoever they may be.

I had a most enjoyable trip to Colorado, honeymoon/Schultz family trip... and thinking on it now, it makes me want to move there next. (My uncle was really pushing it the other day when I talked to him on the phone... half way between them, in Utah, and home.) I look forward to the repeat trip to come in July 2009. Enjoying the beauty of Estes, the mountains, hiking, the wilderness, the fresh smell of the mountains, family... maybe less Catchphrase... More peaceful enjoyment. ;)

Another Guessing Game

Hint: "100th"

Can you guess what this picture is of? Post your ideas in the comments section... Took it about a week ago.

Watch for the pictures to follow that go along with this one!

A House Guest

Meet our house guest, Lewis! It's kind of fun having our friend stay for a temporary visit while his parents are out of town. He's such a sweet dog, spent time cuddling on both our laps, despite his size :) and the tight space of the sumos.

Six Months of Being a Wife

The Color of My Love,

David Foster and Arthur Janov

I'll paint a sun to warm your heart

Knowing that we'll never part.

I'll draw the years all passing by

So much to learn, so much to try.

I'll paint my mood in a shadow blue,

Paint my soul to be with you.

I'll sketch your lips in shaded tones,

Draw your mouth to my own.

I'll trace a hand to wipe your tears

And trace a look to calm your fears.

A silhouette of dark and light

To hold each other oh so tight.

I'll paint the stars in the evening sky,

Draw the light into your eyes,

A touch of love, a touch of grace,

To softly fall on your moonlit face.

And with this ring our lives will start,

Let nothing keep our love apart.

I'll take your hand to hold in mine,

And be together through all time.

Six months ago, Seth and I sealed our love in a most wonderful ceremony at the Bartlett Arboretum. Daily, I think about how lucky I am to have spent the best day of my life starting forever with him. I constantly remember how amazing the day was and how special our friends and family made it for us.

After the wedding, S and I began our lives together here in Brooklyn. It has been one adventure that I could Never have done without him. We have successfully survived our first six months squeezed into our tiny apartment (in under 500 square feet), even if the last month has been so messy we've been unable to let anyone come in! :) We both miss home, but somehow, this place has become our home, in this huge city, far from everything we once knew.

I am eager to move back to the life we once knew, despite how much I love this new life. Yet, I know that I must slow down, I must enjoy this life with my new husband, the one where it is just the two of us, living this adventure we have set forth for ourselves. So as Trace Adkins sang to me this morning over the country countdown (yes, I do watch that... I cannot run from my roots... I grew up on country music!)... You're gonna miss this, You're gonna want this back, You're gonna wish these days hadn't got so fast... I'll be trying to slow down and enjoy the next six months of our marriage, the next six months of our life together. :) Love you S.

Purple and Green

These are the flowers that are brightening my day these days. Seth, the wonderful husband he is, brought them home after a Very long day of work (was up by 2:00 a.m. to work and worked until 5 p.m.) Despite even the longest days of work, he still has time to stop and get flowers for me. How lucky am I?

Merry Christmas?

As I was waiting in the lobby of Seth's work the other day, I overheard a conversation that made me smile.

Chick leaving, "Merry Christmas!"

Guy behind counter, "Merry Christmas to you too!"

Chick gets to the door, stops, turns around and says, "O wait, neither of us celebrates Christmas."

Guy behind counter, "O, well Happy Hanukkah."

Chick, "Thanks, Uhh... Happy...? Wait, what do you celebrate?..."

Large Red Ornaments

Here's the picture that was previously posted for the holiday guessing game. I can't believe the two guessers were right! (Thanks I and P for playing my game!) It wasn't like it was Obvious! :) Hope you all are enjoying your Christmas Eve. Seth and I headed to have drinks at a local bar with some friends (very festive, right!?).

Scrooge Went Shopping

Last day for holiday shopping. I wonder when these tent shops will be taken down. I previously posted pictures of the tent shops in Union Square. These ones are near Columbus Circle and Central Park. I think I'll miss these small shops. I know I'll miss the one with delicious chocolate samples in Union Square.

Today was my first day of break and I was able to do some of the things I needed to do... including some last minute shopping for our favorite nephew. Who in their right mind would go out today? (I'm not in my right mind, obviously.) I stopped by Target to get wrapping paper... and even though I had trudged all the way up to the far corner and back, I immediately dropped it and ran when I saw the checkout lines (Kansas lines have nothin' on NYC lines)... It might be cheaper there, but my sanity was worth the walk to the shop in my neighborhood with over priced paper.

By the way, Never go to the Target by our neighborhood unless you are Forced to. It is literally Hell. As I was looking for the Christmas section, I walked into the mess of a toys section... It looked like the store was going out of business. The shelves were literally cleared, and the area was still packed. (I thought to take a pic to have proof, but I was too scared to stick around long enough to get the camera out!) While Seth and I Do enjoy buying gifts for one special little boy, I feel like people lose their minds on gift buying! I do as well, but in another way... Seth and I have sooo many family members, and I just cannot find a way to get gifts for everyone (the torture of having such large families)... Then, I sit around feeling guilty that the holiday will come and go and all my family will get is a phone call from me.

This year has been completely impossible though. I didn't even get Christmas cards sent out! The ONE year I should be doing it, because S and I just got married this last year... Our first "married" Christmas together. O well. Whatever. I send my thoughts. Maybe you'll catch them... maybe not. Our jobs. Our commuting situations. We don't even have time to keep all 400 square feet of our TINY home clean... let alone sign and slap stamps on cards to send out. I hope I don't offend anyone with my lack of effort. I thought about it... until Life got in my way! (I don't know how people with children do anything!)

I do like how the Schultz family is doing Christmas this year. No gifts for anyone except P and Jace. The other way I wouldn't mind doing is another one of the Schultz ways (that they have done before when everyone has been together for the holiday). Put the names in a hat, pick 1, and buy gifts for that one person (within a price limit). Even with distance, this could be a fun way to do gifts for the holiday. I like when there is less to worry about.

Despite my horrible Ebenezer Scrooge (pre-Christmas Carol) mood, I did muster up a little holiday spirit. A group of four gentlemen jumped on the subway to spread the cheer and sing some holiday songs. The main guy made me smile with his voice and obvious desire to spread a little holiday love around, so I gave him some cash. If it was enough to make this Grinch feel a little Christmas joy, he deserved every cent!

34th Street Macy's

The 34th Street Macy's has been on my list for holiday stops, not for holiday gift-buying reasons (I have very little desire to search for the perfect gift in the crowds that take over that store), but instead for the holiday cheer that is seen throughout the store... Including the windows.

A spectacular show of how ornaments are made to sparkle and shine.

Of course a little cheer is added to all ornaments in the Gear -O- Cheer.


Once inside, the Christmas decorations engulfed the whole entrance. Along with the mass amounts of people... Wonder if there would have been less people if I'd visited in the middle of the night (Macy's went 24 hours for a few shopping days before the holidays). If you look straight up the aisle to the middle, you can kind of make out the Believe meter (also pictured below). This was the site where kiddos (or anyone) could write letters to Santa and with a kiss on the stamp box and a drop in the bright red mailbox, the letters were off to Santa.

Someone must believe... (It's not my 5th graders... they are much too cool for that.)

We even sent letters to Santa, even though mine was grammatically incorrect (embarrassing, especially coming from a teacher! I was not thinking clearly, exhausted, cold, and overwhelmed by all the people, but mostly in a hurry to get out of that crowded store!). The man at the mailbox (an older gentleman - maybe Santa in disguise) informed Stephanie that she was a little old to be sending a letter. She came back with a comment about always believing in Santa... I'll only believe if I get that shopping spree I asked for. I'm also planning to write to Oprah. Wonder which one I believe in more? :)

Merry Big Christmas Tree

Rockefeller Tree. Same as last year. Big. Lots of lights. Lots of people. Big. But I saw it, something I can take advantage of now, even though the crowds drive me nuts and make me wish for empty, wide open spaces. Thought the rest of you, who don't have the opportunity to jump on a train and ride into the city to see it, might enjoy a picture. Hope your Christmas trees are as pretty!!

Mike the Snowflake

Saks on Fifth Avenue were the first of the Christmas window displays I've ever seen. If I were a child, I would have been in Heaven. The theme for the Saks window was Mike, a snowflake that was different. Of course it went through all these scenes with Mike, and in the end, everyone wants to be different, like Mike. Warm fuzzy story, even available as a hardcover picture book, A Flake Like Mike by Mike Reiss. (Click on the book title to see how cute this book is!)

All the snowflakes are the same, except Mike, who is different.

It's not so bad being different.

Even the Statue of Liberty is happy... Happy enough to yell out a big YIPPEE and throw her hands in the air!

Someday, if we're in NYC for the holidays, we'll be taking our children to see the windows.

Bergdorf Goodman Windows

These beautiful window displays can be found on Fifth Avenue just south of Central Park at Bergdorf Goodman. Each one represented a different season. These windows were by far my favorite. I did not get good pictures of the best one. I think I was too enthralled by the details to concentrate on using my camera correctly.

Al Di La

Seth and I joined four of our friends for a dinner date on Friday evening. A few of us met for wine before dinner, while we waited for everyone to get back to Brooklyn after work. While debating on our dinner destination, we decided we try the eminent Italian restaurant, Al Di La, on the corner of 5th and Carroll. Seth and I hadn't eaten there yet, but were very familiar with its reputation, even being told by passers-by one day when Seth and I stopped to look at the menu that it was the best restaurant on the Slope (until another set of people told us of the hour wait).

Despite the fact that there Would be a wait, we decided to put our names in Friday night. They said they'd call, and we stayed at our friend's house enjoying wine and conversations while waiting. Unfortunately, because of a misunderstanding, our hour wait turned into a two hour wait... It was beyond worth it! Everything was amazing! A few bottles of wine, mussels, bread, and soup for appetizers, and amazing dishes all around for the main course. Seth and V had a wonderful ragu. L and S had one of the nightly specials, one I would have enjoyed completely, had I ordered it. I don't know what it was called, but I believe it had potatoes in it. P had a steak dish that was just as wonderful as all the other meals... Yet, not quite as wonderful as mine! I had the Best ravioli Ever! The ravioli was filled with a squash and was beyond divine.

The evening was perfect, filled with good wine, good food, but most importantly, good friends. We even had a special toast (probably prompted by all the wine :) to the amazing dinner with our amazing group of friends and a wish that we have many more dinners together in the years to come!

Holiday Guessing Game

Guess what I am!

Leave a comment below! :)

Winter Wonderland in Central Park

Our first winter storm made its presence on Friday. Although it didn't hold any hope of a day off from school (like the snow storms in Kansas always bring), it did provide a chance to see Central Park in all its snow covered beauty. After forgetting my phone at home, I figured I'd be trucking through the snow on my own. Luckily, Stephanie, a friend who works down the block, caught a ride with her co-worker and met me just as I was walking out the building. So, together, we explored.

It was amazing, but unfortunately I didn't get some of the pictures I wanted. The snow was catching my flash and leaving little aliens, as Seth called them, and it was dark by 4:45 p.m. It was still enjoyable. Stephanie was in a winter wonderland heaven as she stopped to point out big chunks of snow or admire the large mound. She loved the snow falling around her, as she took in her first real winter storm. A girl from Florida does not often see snow falling :) I laughed, because the snow storm was something I am used to. I would not have even thought twice about a mound of snow created from plowing the walkway! :)




The Mall. Wish I had a better camera or more light. This walkway was breathtaking in the snow! Of course, it still ranks at the top of my favorites list.

We did not intend to hit the fountain, but once you get me on the Mall, there's no turning back. I have to go all the way to the end to see it! There were only a few people there, so we almost had the terrace to ourselves. Even if my pictures get ruined by the snowflakes and darkness of the night, I think I want to stop by Central Park during every snow just to enjoy the peaceful quietness of the perfectly white park.

Plenty of snowmen had popped up around the area. This was, by far, the best snowman we saw along the way. The look on his face was adorable! He was dubbed Edward after Stephanie commented on the coldness of his face during their picture together! :)