Trees & Two Year Olds....Spring Break '11

We have just returned from a week-long getaway with John's family.  Friday after school we left and headed to Wilkes Barre, PA to get in the car with the Eick's and head south.  We were so excited to see our two year old niece, Emma.  I quickly realized how much Emma has developed since the last time I saw her; she is quite the chatty cathy now.  She sings songs and repeats everything.  She tells jokes and plays word games.  She brought not one, or two, but 10-15 baby dolls on vacation with her.  Everyday she would put them in a row for a daycare circle-time song.  It was effin' adorable.

John's parents own a timeshare & this year they traded their week in FL for a week in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.  More specifically, Island Links Resort in Port Royal Plantation.  The first things that strike me about Hilton Head are the trees.  They are thin, they all have beautiful green leaves (I'd forgotten what that looks like), and they were all enormously tall.  They are everywhere and cover stores and houses from the road.  You can barely tell what something is before you drive by it because of all the trees.  There are walking paths all over the island and you are under a near constant canopy of quiet shade provided by all these beautiful trees.  It's incredibly peaceful and private.  I absolutely loved it.

The apartment we had was gorgeous; it was three bedrooms, with two bathrooms, a living room, dining area, kitchen, and terrace overlooking the golf course (through trees of course).  It was quiet and private.  The resort had its own golf course as well as two pools and a spa.  The beach was within a mile, so we mostly drove to it but one day John & I braved the heat and walked to it.  We had fantastic weather- high 70's to low 80's all week.  I went to the ocean everyday.  I read two books, soaked up the sun (in small increments rotating in and out from under my umbrella), built sandcastles with Emma, and totally de-stressed.  The ocean was exactly what I needed.  As if I hadn't already fell completely in love with Hilton Head, we soon discovered that there were outlets!!  John hit up the golf discount store and I did some damage in Bass.  We both found some good deals in the Nike outlet.  John was able to get out for two good days of golfing.  It was a great vacation and I'm already reeling at the idea of having to go back to work on Monday.

Da Beach!!

Emma smushing her sand castle

Palm Trees :)

Dyeing easter eggs

While we were away, my sisters and parents took great care of our fur babies.  I missed them so very much while we were gone.

12.81.103.173. Updates

Update on my favorite countdowns:
12 days until Spring Break
81 days until Summer
103 days until my 4th Keith Urban Concert
173 days until George & Amanda get married

Ok, phew.  It's safe to say I'm sufficiently excited for the next 6 months :)

A House without John is not a Home
It's official, I'm pathetic.  Monday through Wednesday John was away on a school field trip.  While some people might embrace the chance to have the house to themselves, I absolutely hated it.  The house was so quiet and boring without him.  I don't know how we used to go weeks without seeing each other when we were dating.  Thank god I have Roxy and Riley to keep me company.  Even so, I still spent both evenings at my parents house.  They were nice enough to keep me company & feed me dinner while my hubby was away.  I was so happy to have him home again on Wednesday night.

Hasta luego invierno :)
The long month that is March ended on Thursday, and mother nature had one hell of an April Fools' joke to play on us.  A winter storm warning was issued for Friday and forecasters were calling for 6-10 inches of snow.  John & I stayed up late on Thursday night {watching that fist pumping, train-wreck of a program, Jersey Shore} expecting no school and then were surprised waking up only to find an inch or two of the white stuff.  Even so, our districts had two-hour delays so that was a nice way to end the week.  It was a hellaciously long winter and all the schools in the county used up all their snow days and then some.  Amazingly, my district managed to not lose any spring break.

In other news, I've taken on some tutoring hours after school 3 days a week.  While the extra money is going to be nice for us, it's really cut into my ability to get much done by the time I get home at 5:30.  7AM-5PM is just a really long time to be at school.  Hopefully it will only be for a couple more weeks.  I have visions of long walks on the Liberty Rail Trail and at Hanofee Park after school.

On the agenda for Saturday was:  NOTHING.  Nada.  Zilch.  Zip Zero.  I don't think John and I have had a 100%-free-of-plans/responsibilities-Saturday in months.  We spent the day watching movies, cuddling the pets and each other, and watching baseball/basketball.  (I may or may not have indulged in a few items from QVC's All Access Beauty All-Day Event).  I have had a horrible sore throat all week and by Friday, I sounded like a pubescent boy with a frog caught in his throat.  After some antibiotics and vocal rest this weekend, I am feeling much better.  Today we are going to my parents for my mom's birthday brunch.  She is only 2 years away from being eligible to retire :)

I have to use some of my interweb space here to promote my friend Tasha's new blog.  Tasha & Matt are the couple that introduced John & I.  They will always have a special place in our hearts for that and for all the silly, crazy times we shared in our "youth" haha.  Ta's blog is aptly named Cookie Crumbs.  Check it out!!

Coming up this week- another 5 day week filled with CSE Meetings, after school tutoring, and <gasp> possibly some outdoor exercise?!  One can only hope that winter has finally left the northeast in favor of a much-awaited spring.

Roxy...always talking smack.

B-ball Reprise (AKA Jakki & John Clean Up at SNGBCA Awards)

And you thought the basketball posts were over.

Sunday, March 27th we traveled to Central Valley for the culminating event of basketball season; the Section Nine Girls Basketball Coaches Association Awards.  We had been notified that two of our players, Mareena, a sophomore standout, and Jakki, our senior superstar, were selected to the "All-Section" team.  The event was a brunch held at Falkirk Country Club; a beautiful place to hold a wedding or any celebration, overlooking a golf course and the mountains.  We sat with Jakki & her dad, Mareena & her mom, and also with another sullivan county all-section selection and her family/coach.
After a really nice welcome from Tuxedo coach Dave Powers (which I'm pissed to admit), we ate a delicious brunch and then the awards started straight away.  John got called up first to introduce his all-section players.  After the all-section team selections were complete, some additional awards were handed out.  Jakki was recognized for scoring 1,000+ points in her varsity career.  It was great for her to be recognized with some of the hudson valley's finest basketball players; especially these girls from big class A & AA schools who were about a foot taller.  Not only did she get that recognition, but she was also the recipient of 2 "Player of the Year" awards- one for our league (division 5) and one for all class C (which includes our league & the MHAL league).  Even more exciting was that John, in his first year as a varsity coach, received "Coach of the Year" in the same two categories.

Congratulations are also in order to a few of John's good friends who received the same honor in their classes.  Congrats to Kevin Clifford, Division 6 and Class D Girls Bball Coach of the Year, Jason Semo, Class B Boys Bball Coach of the Year, and Chris Russo, Class A Boys Bball Coach of the Year :)

This Saturday's Times Herald Record (April 2) featured its choice for Player of the Year and All Star Team.  We were very proud to see not just one, but two sullivan county girls made the all-star team.  Our own Jakki Pugh & Livingston Manor's Marissa Diescher.


Ok now the basketball posts really ARE over.  I swear!!