Sunset

It is a cold afternoon in Indiana as I take a walk around the neighborhood before the sun sets.  Getting outside or active at all has been a challenge since my last marathon in October.  There is something about reaching a goal that is highly motivating and yet very deflating once it has been accomplished.  There is a sense of "what now?" as I search for the next goal.

As 2013 sets into our past and a new 2014 begins to rise in a few days, it is a cliche time to think about setting new goals and trying to answer the "what now?" with "Now this!".  There are not too many goals on my horizon at the moment, which makes this the time to set some new ones.  I would like to continue to grow as an educator, seeking out new experiences and learning opportunities to help me be a better teacher and just a person who has more tools to help children learn and develop.  Whether this is through workshops, volunteering, or continued education, I would like to keep working at my professional life.

Adventures are an important part of life.  Moving forward, I want to experience more with my family, have more laughs, and go experience new things.  Whether this is a new food or a trip to a new place.  I know Disney World seems destined in our future, but there are other things I would like to experience as I grow older.  Interacting with different people, seeing new animals, and trying different perspectives on for size are things that make being a human amazing.

Reflecting back on this past year, we have been very lucky to have our health, and a wonderful support structure consisting of family and friends.  I have been fortunate to continue working in a job I love and to have a terrific wife who supports my goals and has always been there for me.  I thank my lucky stars for my family all over the country:  Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Arizona, Virginia,  Washington, DC, Indiana, Illinois.  My daughters are my everything, and seeing them grow up is now what I consider to be my life-work.

 I am happy to continue running and look forward to some more long distance running when the snow leaves and I can focus on training outside.  I feel fortunate to have my health to be able to do such activities, and hope to maintain it moving forward in life.  Perhaps some other things besides running may work their way onto my list of goals in the upcoming year?

So I leave my list open as the sun finally sets tonight.  Tomorrow the sun will rise and a new day will begin, leaving open the possibilities that are limited only to my desire and ambition.

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Phone Photos:

Audrey and Violet open Uncle Michael's annual Winter Solstice gift:  Michael is on the Level...or is he?  They spent the next hour leveling objects throughout the house. 

Audrey and Violet playing with beans and seeds!  This is inspired from the bucket of popcorn seeds at Aunt Irene's house in Virginia!  

The family enjoys a spin on the carousel at Brookfield Zoo during Zoo Lights.  It is quite a different atmosphere at night with all the lights.  Yes, we added the special edition Mold-O-Ramas to our collection!   

Violet getting to open a gift on Christmas Eve.

Audrey opening her Barbie Camper.  This was the only picture that captured her face without blur.  She was excited to say the least.

Violet held onto this picture of Grandpa Ted and Lisa all Christmas Morning.  She was opening presents with one hand for a while.  

Violet and Granny having a moment in the kitchen on Christmas.

Violet at Christmas in Indiana.  Her happiness is endless.

Cousins:  Audrey and Penelope.

Violet and her "Special Things" pile that she didn't want to share with anyone.  Very Grinch-ish after such a lovely Christmas.

Granny with Penelope and Violet.  Content.

Sunday Snowfall

Last night it was raining, sleet, cold, harsh.  I fell into sleep just wanting to be unconscious and not aware of the world around me for a while.  While the holidays are a time of thankfulness and joy, it is still nice to have a deep sleep of peace and quiet.

This morning I awoke to silence.  Not just quiet, but silence.  The kind of silence that can only be had through a snowfall that muffles the outside world.  I drew back my blinds to reveal the beginning stages of our snowy Sunday.

I took the dog outside, who still seems confused when it snows.  The large flakes softly landed on her black coat and contrasted nicely for a few seconds before dissolving into her hide.  On our way back into the house, the sight of my own snow prints brings a memory from childhood back to the forefront of my mind:

In Juneau, as a kid, I would sometimes wake-up very early for no reason.  In the winter, the snow blankets everything.  The entirety of snowfalls there made the landscape an almost perfect white, and the reflection of the snow would make things appear more light than normal at such an early hour.  At times like this, with massive snowflakes the size of silver dollars, I would bundle-up and go for a walk.  The silence of it all is what I remember most.  Just walking, the soft crunch of snow compacting under my boot step.  The only other sounds were the fluffy snowflakes landing and my own breath as I trodded through it all.  It was so peaceful.  No one else out at all...no signs that anyone else was around.  Just pure white snow and the steam from my hands.  I would walk through the cemetery, zigzag through neighborhoods, or sometimes walk by the water.  In a town completely asleep, I was the only one awake.  On my return home, I would sometimes come across my own snow print from earlier in my journey.

So now, on the couch with coffee and fresh bread for breakfast, I sit nuzzled into the corner of my couch chewing on this childhood memory as the snow falls outside and the world around me slowly starts to wake-up.

Burnt Edges

Sometimes I feel overwhelmed, especially in the holiday season, about the need for newness.  We buy new things, get new stuff, enjoy new items and packages with newness topped by a bow or ribbon.  We love the new, especially at holidays.  New is what adds change to our life.  New is what makes the old mundane and boring.  I imagine what it would be like if the tables were turned and we were culturally raised to desire the old, the experienced, the used.  Imagine the car commercials where a 20-year-old vehicle with rust patches was in the driveway with the giant red bow.  A diamond wedding ring passed down through the generations rather than going to a store. 

What I am guilty of often forgetting is that while new is a good thing in many regards, I must remind myself that older means experienced.  Something that has been around a while has managed to be durable enough to last up to this point.  Something used has a beauty of its own, telling the world that it has a story to tell, that it has been places and seen things that others have not.  Like a treasure map with burnt, torn edges, it knows the way. 

While things that are not new may not always have the greatest curb appeal, they more often than not hold a place in our hearts because of their history.  They may not work as perfectly as the newest model, but we know their tilt because we've had a good run with them.  While a new thing may provide an opportunity, it cannot provide dependability. 

Now, amidst all this metaphor, I present this thought, which sparked this post:  Instead of thinking about objects when reading this entry, go back and imagine I'm really talking about people in your life.

During this time of newness and giving, I will do my best to remember and be thankful for the people with burnt edges in my life.

-a 

Cold Turkey

The time has passed, but the memories of Thanksgiving still hold strong.  So here are some leftover pictures that I will reheat to enjoy on this cold December morning.

Uncle Fred and me.  

Audrey and her completed "Museum Wall" at the Richmond House.

Aunt Irene with Audrey and Violet.  This picture makes me happy.

A final goodbye hug in the front yard before our long journey home.  Violet is holding an octopus stick puppet that her cousins Same and Emma bought her.  

We returned home and lit our electric menorah that was made by my grandfather, then given to my father, and is now a piece of my own family Hanukkah tradition.  It is special to us.

And what would Hanukkah be without gingerbread house decorating?  Here is Violet and her house (with a little help from Mommy).

Audrey and her gingerbread house.

The temperatures have dropped, and the promise of warm weather above freezing looks like a long way out.  But we have our blankets and fuzzy socks to keep us warm, and look forward to the holidays with other friends and family.  Thanksgiving is a special time for me, though, and I have already penciled-in next year's visit on our calendar.  With all that changes in life, and all of the variables and uncertainties out there, it is comforting knowing where we will be for certain in the next year of life.  Thank you to Uncle Fred and Aunt Irene for being such gracious, giving, beautiful hosts.  My heart is stuffed with love, laughter, and memories that will keep me content until we meet again.

-a

On the Couch

I am sitting here with Audrey, watching a Snoopy Christmas on TV.  We are munching on fresh Challah from the bread maker.  The darkness has taken a complete hold of the evening, and we begin to turn our thoughts towards the week ahead.  Audrey is beginning in a new classroom, completely consisting of 5-year-olds.  She is excited, yet nervous.  Change is something that does not sit easily for for a lot of us, so it is completely understandable that a young person has some reserves about moving to a new classroom on the first day of the week.

Before a new week begins, we look back at a beautiful Thanksgiving holiday.  We are still recovering from the 14-hour drive back from Virginia.  We arrived home at about 2am, and have been taking it "easy" all Sunday, savoring a few movies, quiet cleaning, and lots of laying-out on the couch.  Violet is in the midst of a 4-hour nap, which she will soon be awoken from so she can decorate a gingerbread house.

The drive to Virginia was a long, sometimes dangerous, adventure.  The lake effect snow in Indiana made for a 10-foot visibility radius.  That, coupled with the dark, made driving a 12 mph experience for a couple hours.  But soon enough we were clear and the rest of the evening was a blur of highway and gas stations until sunrise and a slow trek on highway 95 into Richmond.

Our time with the family was precious.  Every Thanksgiving is packed with memories of cheese and crackers, smiles, laughter, figs and pumpkin custard, making puns, and sharing the things that have affected us the most throughout the last year.  Having the chance to discuss education and progressive learning with my aunt and uncle, and to enjoy scones while sharing laughs is something I will do my best to never miss.    Being part of this Thanksgiving tradition for the past 15 years, I have learned that there are many things in life that change and pieces of who we are alter and evolve.  However, sitting down at a table with the same core of people is something special and something to be held dear as the years breeze by.

The drive home is always one of warm memories and deep thought.  Passing through West Virginia in the mountains watching the sunset and the land turn purple really provides the setting for thought and reflection.  Talking about where we want to go in life, thinking about family members not present at Thanksgiving, wondering about our children and their futures, all these things and more are points for thinking as the miles tick-off on the odometer.

So now we return to "life" with all of its routines, daily rituals, and the things we are most used to.  Thanksgiving is a memory, but one that shines with our continued lighting of the Hanukkah candles for the next few nights.  We move forward now, though, with the memories and experiences of the past few days, making us stronger in heart and spirit.

Memories from my Phone

 

Violet playing a football game in the leaves in South Bend.

Violet waiting beyond patiently for her birthday cake she shares with Grandpa Cip.

Wearing Daddy's gloves as the weather gets colder.

Trying to pick the right Daddy/Daughter self snapshot!

I tried to resist it, but a cold Sunday morning with no other activities equates into putting up the tree and letting the girls decorate for an hour.  With the darkness outside by the mid-afternoon, the soft glow of the tree is calming and a welcome source of light.

 

 

Audrey at one of two birthdays last weekend.  It is great to venture out with her friends and get her ya-ya's out!  

Cake = Contented Audrey. 

Long Road

It is Friday night!  School is over, the week is done, the lights warm the living room while outside the darkness stalks.  The girls are playing with various toys, the floor covered in plastic bobbles and bits of pink and purple doll accessories.  While a clean floor is a luxury around here, watching my children make a mess of it brings a distinct kind of satisfaction.

The nights are getting longer as winter strengthens its grip around the days that once belonged to autumn.  Frost and slight flurries are the precursor to the inevitable blankets of snow that will fill our world soon enough.

As Thanksgiving approaches, I take time to recognize the people and things in my life I am most grateful for.  My parents for always giving me support and advice as I continue to make mistakes on my road of life.  I am thankful for my family members who send love from all over the country, and give comfort to me in knowing that they are always there for me and my kids.  I am thankful for having a job where I feel rewarded and also have the ability to pay the bills and make a difference in my community.

As the weekend draws on, I have time to sit and watch my children, and think a bit about the future and the long road we all have yet to travel.  While nothing is a given in life, I look forward to watching and participating in the life of my family.  I see other people and their children out and about, and wonder if they are as in-awe of the developing lives in front of them as I am with my kiddos.  It is tiring, at times, to repeat instructions and routines and find different ways to communicate important things to your children.  I gain more and more appreciation for my own parents every day that I am lucky enough to be a daddy.  I hope that I am around long enough to see a good portion of my children's stories in life.

But the road is long, and we must enjoy the mile we are in, and live for the day.  We are here, together, right now.  I miss my family across the country a lot of the time, but understand that we are still connected by the time we have lived together and the experiences we all share.  Now I carry the advice and laughter and ideas and interactions of my past into our future.  So this is what I give thanks for as we hit another mile marker of life and set-out for new territory and adventure.

Drifting

The Orelove Family by Kim

Today is a holiday, and I lay in bed drifting in and out of sleep, trying to convince my jittery mind to take a rest.  The girls are having a nap as the weather outside contemplates snowing the first real snow of the season.  While my hopes hold out for a few more days of seeing the sidewalk, I know that sooner than later our world will be filled with the white stuff.

Violet rocking the three-wheeler in the driveway.

The past few days have been filled with the daily grind:  work, cleaning, laughing, movies, etc.  It is simple and happy most of the time, although there are moments of sisterly arguments and disputes over particular toys...but those pass quickly once a parent becomes involved.

Violet and rainbow umbrella on a chilly November morning.

We now have our sights set firmly on Thanksgiving and getting to see family in Virginia.  The tradition of driving East continues for yet another year.  This time, Hanukkah will overlap the turkey holiday, which does not happen all that often, so another layer of uniqueness is placed upon our time in Richmond.

Fresh cinnamon, raisin, walnut bread.  Yum.  

Audrey and Violet helping to make apple cake!

As I get a little older, I become slightly more aware of the world around us, and even though I try not watch the news, I cannot help it sometimes.  These are the times where I become a bit paranoid and worry for our future, which I am certain every parent does at times.  However, every time I leave my house and take a look around, I see good things happening and people who appear to have a little common sense and humanity.  Either way,  thinking about what it means to be human and being thankful for all that we have in our lives makes the entire holiday shopping and consumerism model seem unimportant and trivial.

Violet, 2 years old

So let it snow outside.  Let it build up to the windows.  I have a roof over my head, and a blanket to keep me warm.  When I wake, my daughters and I will have a snack and listen to music as we paint pictures in the living room.  

Violet getting her iron levels checked at her 2-year appointment.

Audrey and Violet at Family Reading Night at daddy's school.

Audrey in the dive.  

November Thoughts

We have been busy these past few weeks.  This was my first time at home over the weekend in about a month!  Kim was in Bloomington for the Indiana University homecoming with her college core of friends.  It is important to spend time with your friends, as I got the chance to do so this summer, and it is great that Kim also has a close group of people she keeps up with.  

With that being said, it was Daddy and Daughters weekend!  We hit the Brookfield Zoo on Saturday, and then went to McCormick Place today for a dairy processing convention, where we had lots of cheese and ice cream and a chance to catch-up with the wonderful Uncle Stuart!

As November spread its frosty fingers over our windshields, Violet turned two years old!  It is a parental cliche to think about where the time has gone, but I guess they are cliche for a good reason.  Violet has been a wonder in our lives, bringing zest and intensity all wrapped in a bundle of laughter and smiles!  Happy birthday to my little warrior!  

Today was spent cleaning house, which feels great once it is all done.  There is something about a clean floor, clearing clutter, and an empty dryer that bring immense satisfaction to my day.  Cleaning allows me to figure-out what we need, what we don't need, and to also let my brain sort-out whatever thoughts are stirring.  

Below are some of the things we have been up to lately, trying learn, love, laugh, and grow together as our little family unit!    

Daddy shows-off his medal after finishing the Grand Rapids Marathon in Michigan.  It was a great run, very beautiful and well-organized.  It was no Chicago Marathon, but still very glad I tried this one this year. One to consider returning to if my legs let me!  

A close-up of the finisher's medal.  It was the tenth year (obviously) of this particular marathon.  There is also a half-marathon, and I highly recommend it to anyone who would like to run either distance!  

Audrey in the fall leaves.  She helped rake the leaves in grandma's back yard, and then proceeded to leap into them!  

Halloween 2013:  Audrey is a fairy princess and Violet is a lion.  The rain kept us in for most of the day, but the sun broke through for about 30 minutes, so we jumped in the wagon and managed to get to a few houses for trick-or-treating.  Violet still isn't sure about the whole process, but she really enjoyed the apple on lady gave her, and I am sure a few pieces of her sister's candy stash will find their way into her clutches!

Lighting the candles on Friday night.  The girls helped make this fresh challah loaf and we lit the candles on Violet's 2nd birthday.  It was a nice way to celebrate the end of the week, a birthday, and just being together as a family. ...and the bread was amazing!   

Brookfield Zoo:  This pumpkin was nearly 1,800 pounds!  It was a bit chilly on Saturday morning, so the girls practically OWNED the zoo.  We saw all of the major animals and no one was around.  It was like getting a private tour!  It was our favorite day at the zoo ever!  Audrey even told me she knew that she wants to be a zoo keeper at Brookfield when she gets older.  

Audrey and Violet at the dolphin measure wall.  The dolphins were very active, and we spend about a half hour just watching them swim past our viewing window.  

Again, notice no one around!  We were all by ourselves at the pinniped viewing area.  Here are the girls with the massive walrus sculpture.  

We spent all summer collecting the wax Mold-a-Rama animals.  Last month the zoo released three special Halloween limited-edition molds:  The Devil, Frankenstein, and a skull!  Here are the girls getting the last two molds at the end of our day.  Audrey is doing the "Mold-a-Rama Dance", while Violet anticipates holding the warm Frankenstein mold as it is pressed-out.  

The collection is complete!  A successful day at the zoo!

We had a great day today at McCormick Place with Uncle Stuart.  It is always a treat seeing him, and he makes the girls so happy!  We enjoyed just hanging out by the water fountain and running around in a quiet area of the convention center.  

Audrey is fascinated by the "jumping" water display in the convention center main floor area.  

The girls and Uncle Stuart take a break from running around and enjoy some goldfish crackers and milk.  

Violet taking a mini-break before resuming "chase Uncle Stuart".

The Stu Crew.  Off for an adventure.  

Around the Bend

October has been a fast month.  Our little family has been moving at a rapid pace, getting-in the travel and outdoors that we will soon not be able to enjoy once the winter weather truly takes hold of the land.  Snow flurries have visited our afternoons a few times, reminding us that we are not immune to the changing of the seasons.

Last week, Kim and I left the girls with Granny in South Bend and headed up to Grand Rapids, Michigan.  This year, I skipped the Chicago Marathon and opted to run a smaller venue in Michigan.  The city of Grand Rapids is beautiful, and reminds me a lot of my hometown of Juneau.  There is a lot of activity, with people biking and running and just moving outside.  The city seems built for movement, which was great considering I needed to run a marathon.  The actual marathon was great, although I did not come close to a PR time.  The course was stunning, and the spirit of the event was very positive and it is always uplifting to see people participating in an event where they are reaching their goals and hard work is paying-off.

Now the leaves are in constant free-fall and our breath shows itself during the day, too.  Pumpkins are on the doorsteps of many houses, and traces of ghosts and goblins are in the windows throughout the neighborhood.

The girls are taking the fall season in stride.  They do not like the extra layers of clothes and jackets, but a chilly trip to the park is never out of the question.  Now we set our sights on Thanksgiving and the winter holidays after that.  As the winter approaches, thoughts of friends and family keep us warm.

Apples, Fog, and Sunsets

Violet in the apple orchard

Audrey making her picks!

Last week we traveled to somewhere in Indiana and visited an apple orchard.  I was hesitant to participate, to say the least, as part of the Bears game would be missed.  Being raised in Alaska, there is still something about being in the Midwest that I find unusual.  The idea of tractor rides and picking apples is so wholesome that I am surprised when I catch myself really enjoying the experience.  The farm petting zoo is a treat for everyone.  Having a chance to see and interact with animals anywhere is an important part of life.  Violet was fascinated by the miniature pigs and getting to scratch a goat behind the ears.  Audrey got her ya-yas out running through the hay maze and checking out the tractors.  I was amazed by he rows and rows of apple trees.  The fields were so massive that tractors pulled large trailers of people to the different sections of the orchard so they could pick different types of apples.  I found myself strolling through the orchard, mesmerized by the sheer volume of apples, enjoying the moment of watching my daughters play under trees and picking apples to munch on while laughing in the sun.  At the end of the day, we arrived home full, and happy...satisfied with the entire experience.  I managed to watch a few minutes of the Bears getting beaten like a rug, and ended-up turning off the game and taking a nap, which was apparently what the Bears decided to do, too.

Sisters on the Moo-Choo Train

The weather has been turning, and we find ourselves in muggy, warm weather during the day, and cool evenings with a slight breeze.  I am wearing a light jacket in the mornings on my way to work to cut the chill.  On my runs it takes a little while to get warm, and I am no longer worried about heat getting the best of my hydration.  The marathon in Grand Rapids, Michigan is just over two weeks away, and I am getting excited to run in a new state and experience this highly-recommended race.  My knees have been telling me to ease-up, and I have been tapering my training to adjust to my body, but it is still great to get my runs in and feel that sense of accomplishment.

Violet peeking out the window

The warm days have been creating fog in the mornings, and some mist in the evenings.  Recently my best friend's father passed away, and a couple other people I have known have also died.  This, along with my own aging, have caused me to pause and reflect on life a lot lately.  There are so many things I hope to accomplish, and there are a seemingly infinite number of questions that I may never have answered.  I believe life to be a lot like running through the fog, only being able to see where you are, knowing a little about where I've been, and not quite able to see too far ahead.  I know that I have lived a blessed, great life.  I owe a lot of that to my family and friends, and I am trying to make good decisions that are positive and help me become a better person.  I try to do my very best to recognize the moment I am in, as we don't know what will happen in the next.  I know where I want to run, and the map is in my mind, but if I look too far ahead, I make missteps and risk an injury.  To wrap-up my cliche about running and life, I just want to say that I have so much love for my family and friends, and I hope that whenever it is my time to run off into the fog, I hope that people know that.

Violet playing house

The fog disappears during sunsets and sunrises.  The light piercing the horizon cuts through the mist and shows me the way home.  The sunrise and sunset reminds me that time is limited on this spinning sphere we call Earth.  Every day is a gift, and whether we go to an apple orchard, on a run, or sit and watch a football game, we are making choices of how we spend our time here, and while I don't always use my time wisely, I do my best to navigate through the fog and make it long enough to enjoy the sunset at the end of each day.

Violet

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