End of 2010

I want to wish everyone a happy and healthy 2011. Thank you to all of our friends, family members and coworkers who fill our lives with support, happiness, and love. There is an old saying, "May the best of your past be the worst of your future." I hope this saying stays true with all of you in the upcoming year.

With much love,

The Orelove Family

Winter Nights and Warm Family Memories

Audrey eating vanilla ice cream at Bruna's Italian restaurant in Little Italy in Chicago. THANKS UNCLE STUART!!!

It has been a while since my last posting. Things have been clipping along in the Orelove household this month. With the approach of the holidays, things at home and work have been at a frenzied pace!

Audrey and Aunt Eden buildin' castles in the guest room!

I am officially done with teaching until 2011! I concluded the last week of school with a nice class party, including hooking up the Nintendo Wii to the projector, so we had a giant screen to play Sports Resort on! Now it is time to rest and spend time with my family and read books and watch movies...and pretty much anything besides teaching!

Audrey at the library with the challenge block

Reading with Nana (aka "Attle")

Speaking of family, my mother and sister have been visiting the past few days. It is nice to see them both and also for them to be able to spend time with Audrey. These past days remind me how important family is and what the holidays are truly about. While we shop and spend money and wrap gifts that are not essential to our lives, I sit and watch my daughter play with her Aunt and Grandmother and think how special these moments are and how much greater they will impact her life than the toy I purchased yesterday.

Baking pretzels in the kitchen with Nana and eating the "Audrey Pretzel" before going out!

First Snow

Audrey in the front yard in South Bend!

Sitting here while the family is out shopping and playing in the snow. It is really starting to fall. I enjoyed the quiet this morning and the early flakes began to drop from the sky. Everything is blanketed in white. Audrey is ecstatic, already having been outside twice this morning to help daddy shovel and just walk around in her new snow boots. I wish everyone warmth and firm footing this winter!

Watching it snow!



Helping shovel.



Baking cookies in Grandma's kitchen!



Staying warm in the Santa hat!

Thanksgiving

Schmoo and Aud, let the bubble festival begin!

Our annual Thanksgiving trip to Virginia was another wonderful success! We left after I finished my parent/teacher conferences and drove through the night. Our round trip included passing through several states including Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, West Virginia, Maryland, Washington DC (I know it's not a state!), and back to Illinois! About 1,700 miles in all!

While in Virginia, it was an absolute treat to see my Aunt Irene, Uncle Fred, and cousins Emma and Sam! Audrey was the star attraction, of course. Aunt Irene had brought numerous activities from her Sabot School and had an entire corner of the living room dedicated to Audrey recreation! Naturally, they bonded immediately.

I cannot believe how fast Sam and Emma have grown. they are now adults, living their independent lives. I can only hope that Audrey has half of their successes and brilliance and heart.

Thanksgiving itself was magical and delicious as usual! Uncle Fred didn't hold anything back on the meal, and we were all treated to savory dishes, too numerous to count! The next two days were filled with leftovers, a little shopping, and lots of playing and laughter. This annual trip is a staple in my life and it is so special to me to be able to bring my family here to share in these experiences.

Aunt Irene and Audrey reading.


Mmmmmmm, cranberry tarts!


Pumpkin centerpiece



Audrey and Sam blowing bubbles!



More Bubbles!



Audrey and Emma playing in the leaves!



Kim, Audrey, and the Turkey!!!



Audrey, contemplating the leaf pile.



Can I jump in it?

Happy Hanukah!

With love from the Orelove Family! This menorah is an electric one that my grandfather made and I have many fond memories of my father lighting it on Haunkah nights in Alaska throughout my childhood. Happy Hanukah everyone. May you find the miracles in yourlife.

-a

November Saturday

Audrey and her purple zebra hat.

It is cold and dark out. While I know I have nothing to complain about, especially to my family in Alaska,it is still not my favorite thing to experience shorter, colder days. However, I find comfort and happiness with my family. Last week, my cousin Gail pulled some strings and got me a ticket to the Notre Dame vs. Utah game! Very exciting, despite the rain and chill! A Notre Dame victory put everyone in high spirits! Pictures from the event soon to follow.

Audrey playing with her new doll house that Zadie bought! An early Hanukah gift!

Audrey is all over the place, playing, running, talking, exploring, experimenting! She has run of the house! We frequent the book store and the library now that our daily walks have been virtually eliminated.

Audrey and the Doll House!

We are looking forward to Thanksgiving. I am happy to have a short break from teaching next week and get a chance to meet with parents and plan for the remainder of the quarter. It is wonderful to realize that we are nearly half-way through the school year! I am also in the middle of writing a paper for my instructional leadership class about standardized data assessment and state core curriculum standards. Not very exciting, but interesting. In a year or two, my school will adopt a new math curriculum, and I am on the team that will review and pilot the new program! It is exciting to think that I will have input on something that will impact students for years to come!

Audrey counting

I hope that everyone, wherever you are, has a pleasant, reflective, peaceful Thanksgiving Holiday. I want everyone to know how important they are in my life. I cannot express how thankful I am for my family and friends and the support that everyone has given me and my family.

-a

Audrey making Cake for Daddy in the kitchen! YumYum

November Chill

Treetop and sky



Basketball Hoop


Having a quiet evening at home. Here are a couple pictures from the weekend in South Bend. Just taking time to be a family and beginning to hunker down in preparation for winter, although this week is very warm!


Audrey in her Garden Gnome outfit for Halloween! (She refused to wear the hat all night!)


Audrey jumping on the bed!

Almost Halloween...Almost November

Who store the cookie from the cookie jar????

The time is moving quickly these days. We have been adjusting to the cooler temperatures in the afternoons and the darkness that is creeping into the evenings earlier and earlier. I guess I don't have much to complain about when I'm talking to my friends in Anchorage and Fairbanks, but that doesn't mean I have to be a fan of Winter's onset!

We are looking forward to Thanksgiving in Virginia with my Aunt Irene and Uncle Fred. This will be my 12th time visiting, and it just seems to get better every year. There is something very special to me about this tradition and I am very pleased to be involving Kim and Audrey in this year's trip!

Audrey opening a birthday gift from Richmond, VA! Also receiving her first pair of EXTRATUFF Boots from Nana in Alaska! Very Alaskan!

Looking at some of the pictures on today's post reminds me of previous years. It is strange how these cyclical patterns are starting to emerge now that I have a child. Sure, I remember many falls past, but the pictures of leaves just brings back images of Audrey as a one-year-old lying in the leaves with the dog!

Audrey and aunt Beth playing in the leaves!

Aunt Beth seems to be a little more into the leaves than Audrey!

Everywhere we go, people tell us to "enjoy" this age and these moments, and I smile and nod because I really am taking every opportunity to do so. I hope this short blog finds everyone in good spirits and cozy company.

-a

A Day in the Park

Today is one of those fall days that feels as if it is taken out of an old childhood memory. The day is hazy, yet full of warmth and happiness. The leaves are turning, and the colors indicate the beginning of colder days.

Things since Audrey's second birthday have been just fine. I have been really concentrating on teaching and figuring out what makes my students learn best. I have also been working on my grad classes. It is nice to know that I will be done in June! While I don't know exactly when I want to enter administration, I can definitely see myself in that position in the future.

Audrey is enjoying all of her birthday gifts. Thank you again to everyone for all of your love and generosity! We have moved all the furniture around our living room to create a larger play space and a more comfortable fit for everything!

I look forward to some nice fall days on the farm in Indiana, as well as our final walks around the neighborhood before the snow starts in. I am also excited about Thanksgiving in Richmond with my family there, but I have quite a few more papers to grade before I can allow myself to entertain thoughts of Turkey and mashed potatoes!

Well, I hope all of you are well in your lives. Here are some videos of Audrey at the park today. It was a nice day to just enjoy some daddy/daughter time and relax around the house on this Columbus day!

-a

Birthday Girls

Audrey turning 2

It has been a nice last few weeks. Audrey has turned two and Kim is 30! It is amazing to think that two years ago Audrey was born. There has been so much that has happened, and yet it all feels like an eye blink. I feel so blessed to have so much support and love from all of my family and friends. Audrey is lucky to have such caring, wonderful people in her life. Thank you everyone for your kind words, gifts, and thoughts. More later, but for now, I am enjoying the satisfying warmth of my family while the crisp fall air blankets outside.

Audrey and Grandpa Cip


Audrey and her birthday cake!


Take a big breath!



Blowing out the candles!


Audrey blew them all out!


Birthday Girl



Smiling for the camera. Happy Birthday Audrey!


Playing in the rain


Audrey playing in the yard in South Bend.

The Last Few Weeks

Audrey and the Pacific

Nana and Audrey in Newport, Oregon walking along the coast.

It has been pretty quiet on the Orelove family front. While both Audrey's and Kim's birthdays loom near, we are quite content going about our lives in a fun and loving fashion. Audrey is settling back into her routine of childcare during the day and then time with mom and dad in the evening. She is talking more and more in complete sentences, expressing her feelings, and giving more accurate descriptions of where things are positioned or located. For example, instead of shouting "BUNNY!" on our walks, she no whispers and explains to me that the "Bunny is under the tree eating the grass."

Haunted Lighthouse in Newport, OR

Another lighthouse in Newport, OR

Catch of the Day! We explore along the beach in Newport!

Last week we traveled down to Indianapolis for my friend's 30th birthday. It is always nice to travel down I-65 and visit friends and family. We spent the weekend with Beth and Mark, lots of laughing and running around the house. Audrey especially likes visiting the chinchillas, Fitz and Alomar. I also purchased a mindless videogame where the objective is to eliminate as many zombies as possible from a local shopping mall. Needless to say, I was entertained thoroughly last weekend!


My friend Mike and me at Sara's wedding outside of Portland, OR

My new 5th grade class is going well. As always, there is a plethora of personalities, and we are all learning how to live and learn together. I think I have a very good class, though, and am excited to really get into our curriculum this year. We have a lot of new testing tools and data tools to help me drive instruction and improve scores. I am also enjoying the last semester of my graduate studies. It will be nice to have this second master's completed in June! Who knows, maybe one day it will be DR. ORELOVE! :-)

The Portland Rose Garden in Oregon

The seasons are changing, and soon all of the fall colors will drape the trees and prairies all around. Football season has been greeted with great celebration here in Chicago. While the Bears have improved their roster, it looks to be another tough season in the Northern division. While the new season is heating up, the weather is cooling down and there is definitely a new crispness to the air and a lack of humidity in the afternoons at the warmest points of the day. While we still have some time before the first snowflakes hit, I think everyone is starting to prepare mentally for the next winter. Sigh.

Audrey in Indy playing in the Atom Ball


Audrey at the party with some buddies!


Aunt Beth at her birthday party that we also celebrated in Indy last week!

Today's pictures are a combination of our trip to Indy and the remainder of our summer vacation to the coast.

-a