The end of summer is officially here for me. Tomorrow I return to Teacher Inservice and begin lesson planning and curriculum mapping with the rest of my team. While I am not exactly jumping at the idea of spending an entire day in meetings and my classroom, it will be a relief to get it out of the way and have a solid understanding of what I will be presenting to my class for the year!

My dad is visiting from Juneau. It is sweet to watch him spend time with his granddaughter. Audrey isn't sure what to make of him at times, and checks back with me for reassurance, but usually laughs and gives her Zadie smiles. Dad is also especially fond of Phoebe, and they have quickly bonded with many pets and treats being had at any given time! There is something rewarding about being able to take care of my own father in my house and make sure he is taken care of and has whatever he needs. Even though I am feeling a bit stressed about work and such, it is nice to spend some time with him!

While I prepare to drop my dad off in the city of Chicago on Friday, I am also getting ready to host my sister! She arrives from Seattle on Friday late at night. It will be a special time because she hasn't met Audrey yet. I will be sure to have many photos posted! Other than that preparation, I've been hastily cleaning and attempting to get all laundry and such done so I don't have any housekeeping matters come Monday when I will be swamped with the duties of a new school year!

Below are the pictures I've finally gotten around to posting from our Trip to Indy! Have a great week. More later!

-a

Daddy and Audrey on the couch.

Dinosaurs invade the Children's Museum

Aunt Beth and Audrey on the Great Wall of China

Dad, Mom, and Audrey in front of the Tahj Mahal!

Uncle Mark teaching Audrey RockBand Drumbs!

Gail and Audrey. Two Jedi Knights!

Audrey uses teh Force and crawls away from the Sith Lord!

Audrey exploring Beth and Mark's new house!

Audrey and Indy and School...OH MY!

These past couple weeks have provided more activity and adventure than most of my summer combined! From our recent trip to Indianapolis to my school preparation to the transition into Fall, the Orelove family has been moving and shaking!

First, our trip to Indianapolis. Kim’s sister, Beth, and her fiancé, Mark, recently bought a nice first home in Indianapolis. So, like any good relative, we traveled down and stayed for several days! We enjoyed getting to visit with Amy again and seeing the rest of her family for a nice dinner at Don Pablo’s. Seeing her family again made me realize just how much I miss them. They were basically my family while I was at Ball State, and it is just special to see them and appreciate what nice and loving people they all are. Lots of laughs and hugs were in order in between chips and salsa!

We also got to visit with our cousin, Gail. She lives and works in Indy. We were originally scheduled to meet at a minor league ball game, but the possibility of rain had us restructure our evening around steaks and RockBand, which really wasn’t so bad, either! Of course Audrey was instantly fascinated by all the noise, lights, and colors, plus having the opportunity to bang on the drums!

We met-up with Gail again and took in a day at the Children’s Museum where the ladies went to the King Tut special exhibit and tour, and Mark and I walked around the rest of the museum. Having just finished Steve Martin’s autobiography, King Tut wasn’t really on my serious side for the day! As both an educator and a parent, it is a comfort knowing that there are places like this museum for young minds to explore and question the world in which they live.

The return home was bitter-sweet. While it is always nice to get home and settle back down, we really enjoyed seeing our friends and family in Indianapolis. Maybe in a couple years…

Now that we ARE home, the pace has really picked-up. I’ve been taking Audrey with me nearly every day to my new school to set-up my classroom and get some paperwork in order. There are all these requirements for my new personnel files that I have to have, such as fingerprinting and a physical that are just time-consuming and a hassle to get out of the way.

With school around the corner (the 24^th), lesson planning is taking main stage and preparing for grad school is a close second. It will be a strange new schedule with Kim taking Audrey to child care in the mornings and me picking her up in the afternoons. I will miss my morning Raffi sing-alongs, but will also make the most of being able to leave early and get to school with more planning and prep time in the mornings.

Finally, we finished our summer softball league. I was out late last night playing in the playoffs with my new team, and we won two in a row and lost the third. While it was nice to play 21 innings of softball, I was tired at the end and also realized I need to get to the batting cage a little more often and also keep running to get quicker on my feet. Still, it is a good team and I am looking forward to the chance to play on their Fall roster.

I will have more pictures posted soon when I find the camera. For now, it is house cleaning time! Dad arrives late tomorrow night for a week, then my sister, Eden, flies in the next week! So, with family, school, grad school, a baby and softball, life is really full these days. While the hectic schedule is time and energy consuming, I don’t think I’ve ever been happier.

Amy's Visit

Three Chimps and a Baby at Lincoln Park Zoo

Greetings and Happy Sunday to All!

First off, I want to wish my mom a happy birthday this past week!

We had a very wonderful weekend with my good friend, Amy, who visited from Indianapolis. Amy is one of my best friends and was in our wedding on my side as my “Groomschick”! With all that has been going on in our lives, we haven’t seen each other for over a year! So Amy decided to zip up for the weekend and I am so glad she did.

She got here Friday afternoon, and we hung around the house and enjoyed introducing her to Audrey. The evening was spent in Aurora, where a softball team picked me up for the night because so many of their players were either injured or out of town. We played a double header (lost both), and I think I did all right at third base considering it was my first couple games in two years! During the second game, a lighting storm passed over us, and there was a torrential downpour, but the umpire kept us playing! I loved I, but t other players were a little skittish…rightfully so with bolts of lightening only a few miles off!

We spent the time laughing a lot and of course playing with Audrey. Kim, Audrey, Amy, and I spent Saturday in Chicago at Lincoln Park Zoo and also at Navy Pier. While both places are free to the public, parking was $50 total! However, we all agreed that for a full day of entertainment, food, and parking in Chicago for under $100 was a pretty good deal for three adults and a baby!

Audrey and the Rhino

The weather could not have been more agreeable, in the low 80’s with a refreshing breeze and intermittent clouds to provide a brief, temporary shade for both the animals and us! Audrey was fascinated by most of the animals, especially the pacing tiger, the seals, and beavers! We enjoyed a nice lunch in the Café’ and had a chance to see every animal and tour each house on the grounds.

Amy and Audrey outside the Polar Bear Tank

Going Ape for Audrey

Daddy, Audrey, and Bushman (this one's for you, Dad)


Audrey and the Ape


Audrey and the Seal

(From Left) Amy, Kim, Abel, and Audrey at the Zoo

While we were all energized, we decided to drive and park again at Navy Pier rather than take the three mile walk along the lake. It was packed at the Pier, but we went with the flow of the crowd, stopping along the way for ice cream and a little souvenir shopping. We logged over ten miles of walking all in all over the course of the day!

Abel and Amy at the Pier

Abel and Kim enjoying the day at the Pier

Saturday night consisted of Chinese take-out and a thought-provoking movie titles “Donnie Darko”. Very interesting concept about time travel and well-played roles!

Now it is Sunday. Amy left early to get back on the road for her 3+ hour trip back home. I’ve got a little Honey Do list, including hanging shelves, moving around the guest room, and the usual laundry and cleaning. The day is beautiful, so I am sure I’ll squeeze-in a nice long walk with the dog and Audrey! If all goes well, I may even try to catch a bit of the Sox game later tonight against Detroit. One thing is for sure, it has been a nice weekend and it is important to remember our good friends.

Aunt Amy and Audrey

-a

Late-Night Check-In

Again, I must apologize for the absense as of late in terms of attention to this blog. While there are moments that I think, "Hmmm, I need to post soon," I never seem to get around to it. I will chalk this up to summertime procrastination.

Audrey lay 'a snoozin' next to me. Today was a busy Saturday for us, with a trip to Ikea for a new shelf for the guest room and an impulsive purchase of a couch and love seat at a garage sale in our neighborhood! We've been making plans all summer to reorganize, simplify, and get our house in order and now it looks like we're actually moving on those plans. I'll get some pictures up when things are finished. Should take another week at least to get things the way we want them to be!

It feels like summer is quietly excusing itself and slipping out the door slowly as Fall creeps over the horizon. While the warm, sunny days are greatly appreciated, the small whispers of a chilly breeze remind me that autumn has plans to reside over us in the near future.

While July has been the definition of simplicity for me this year, August promises to be the absolute opposite! Not only do I begin teaching at a new school, but I must attend all the orientations and faculty planning sessions, as well. Also, I return to school myself to begin a Master's in Educational Leadership, so that will keep me on my toes, also. On top of all that, I am expecting visits from both my dad and mom! I can't wait to see the look on their faces when they see how much Audrey has grown!

We also have trips to Indianapolis and Michigan planned, so there will be no shortage of adventure and travels in our near future! I am also waiting to hear about when our softball practices begin, as I am eager to try out my new bat!

Well, I hope everyone out there in cyberspace is doing well. I will do my best to pick-up the pace again.

-a

Happy July

It is a quiet Thursday afternoon. Audrey lay a' snoozing next to me as the fan overhead hums softly. The laundry is going and the dishes are done, so not too much else to do for the moment except enjoy a little quiet.

The days have been sweet around here. Snacks and naps and walks are the order every day. Summer school starts next week, which I am actually looking forward to. While my time home has been exceptional, I am looking forward to a little peer interaction and keeping a little more busy.

I'm starting to get more and more excited about the next school year. My school seems well-put-together and I am looking towards a challenging and rewarding year as the math and science teacher. It will be a different focus. For the past five years, the emphasis is ALWAYS on literacy followed by math facts. I am studying different methods, however, or incorporating literacy into math and science to make my curriculum and techniques more "rounded".

Audrey is enjoying all of the Daddy/Daughter time. We sleep-in and then enjoy a quiet breakfast/brunch of puffs and bananas with graham crackers. We go for long walks with Phoebe around our subdivision or into neighboring subdivisions. I have discovered a nice little walking trail that goes for about 2 miles that takes us along a few farms and little lakes. It is the closest thing to secluded I have found in suburbia. Other times we pack-up and drive a few miles to our favorite trail along the Renwick Bird Sanctuary. It reminds me of the wetlands in Alaska a little bit. Phoebe loves this time of year because of all the other dogs and rabbits that abound in the nearby bushes.

This 4th of July weekend will be spent in Indiana. While I anticipate much fun will be had by all, I cannot help but look fondly back at my 4th of July days spent in Juneau, with fireworks at midnight and the parade the following morning with an afternoon of hot dogs at Sandy Beach and Eagle Beach! Good Times! Wherever everyone is, I hope you all have a happy and safe 4th.

-a

PS-Here's Daddy's favorite shrimp napping right now!

Summertime

Greetings to all. I am enjoying the first few weeks of my summer break. It has been a wonderful, relaxing period of time since the return from Alaska. I finished the school year OK, got moved out, and will eventually get my things down to my new classroom later this month!

Audrey and I have been having a blast playing and snacking and walking and napping since I've been on break. We had a quiet Father's Day and enjoyed some quality time as a family.

Not too much else to report on. Audrey just finished her 9-month check-up at the doctor. She is doing very well and the doctor was very impressed with her balance and attitude! Other than that, it has really been low-key around the Orelove household. Kim has roped me into a New Kids on the Block concert this weekend, so I am sure I will have much more to report then. I hope all else is going well with folks.

Happy Father's Day to those of you out there who are dads!

-a

Alaska

(Audrey & Mt. McKinley)

We’ve been back from Alaska for about five days now, and I am just getting around to posting on the blog. It has been an amazing trip with many wonderful moments. Audrey was a champ on the airplane, never fussing about the altitude change or anything. Sure, a few moments of boredom, but then again, who DOESN’T get bored on a 6 ½ hour flight? Anyway, she found ways to entertain herself with the little snack bags the attendants handed out! :-) (See end of post)

Arriving in Anchorage, we were treated to a beautiful showing of the landscape of mountains and deltas in the area as the plane landed.

(The view from our plane while landing)

My best friend, Louis, was kind enough to pick us up and give us a tour around briefly before dropping us off at the hotel for the night. It was shocking how light it was for 11:00pm! The hotel was very nice, and Kim landed it for $75 when it was normally $230/night! Thank you HotWire.com!

The next morning, my dad flew in from Juneau and rented a car and met us at the hotel. From there we visited the local TARGET store for some supplies and snacks, and then we hit the road to Fairbanks! While there isn’t a whole lot in between Anchorage and Fairbanks, the entire trip is very majestic with endless vistas of mountains and country! Also, the weather was about 75 degrees and perfectly sunny! We were VERY lucky and got to view Mt. McKinley. My dad told us that he’d driven past this point about 25 different times and the mountain had NEVER been uncovered due to bad weather or clouds! A good sign for the trip!

(The Fam and Mt. McKinley)

(Zadie and Audrey and Mt. McKinley)

We made a stop in Denali National Park. It is absolutely breathtaking! We hit-up the museum and had a tasty lunch at the local grill. I enjoyed caribou stew! YUM!

(Dad and Audrey at the Denali Mooseum and a bowl of Caribou Stew!)

Once in Fairbanks, we checked-in to our hotel, PIKES LANDING! The front desk lady was very nice and upgraded us to log cabins! So, we had our own individual little cabins to stay in. Apparently this was a good break because they were much cooler than the regular hotel rooms! Over the course of the trip, I was in constant amazement about how light it was. I have lived in Alaska for most of my life, but I had forgotten how LIGHT it was in the summer! About 22 hours of light overall! And when the sun “set”, it was still basically dusk!

The next day was the wedding rehearsal and things went pretty smoothly. There were a total of 17 groomsmen and ushers! Some of the groomsmen hadn’t arrived yet, so we had to pretend they were there. We were each assigned a “wingman” whom we’d teach when they arrived! Marcus (the groom) was cool and confident. After the rehearsal, a grill and a few kegs were set-up outside the church, and general merriment was had by all. It was very special to be able to look in any direction and see my best friends. Some had children, and Audrey (of course) was a scene stealer!

(Wedding Rehearsal and Audrey Orelove meets Solar Wilson)

The post wedding rehearsal party was held at the house of the groom. Beer Pong and Rock Band ruled the evening! Much fun was had by all. It was a treat to catch-up with friends and meet a few people, as well.

Friday was our “Tourist Day”. We helped set-up for the wedding party a little, then drove off to meet our dear friend, Bridget Smith for lunch. Bridget was in Fairbanks on work-related business, so it was a wonderful opportunity to see her. Thanks for lunch Bridget!

(Chris at the Post-Rehearsal Party and Bridget and Audrey)

After that, we headed downtown and caught a short film at the Ice Sculpting Museum about the annual Sculpting events and competitions. Then, we were allowed to move around the museum and get up close and personal with actual ice sculptures! Finally the tour guide carved a flower design into a block of ice for the spectators! Audrey was fascinated by the cold blocks of ice!

(At the Ice Sculpture Museum in Fairbanks, AK)

The wedding followed the next day. It was beautiful. While 14 groomsmen and ushers seemed complex, the ceremony itself felt simple and pure. I am so proud and happy for Marcus and his wife, Jodie. They are both beautiful people with a wonderful future ahead of them. With all the death and tragedies in the past few years, this wedding was a strong beacon of hope and perseverance for everyone. I am proud and honored to have been a part of it.

(Final "Dry Run" with all the Groomsmen)

The wedding party was a blast! The hall was set-up beautifully! The DJ rocked and the food was excellent! Audrey was a rockstar and outlasted everyone else! She loved being passed around and held by everyone! We danced the night away and had many excellent conversations with friends and family! At the end of the night, we excused ourselves. Even thugh the party raged on, it was time for us to leave. It is always strange saying goodbye in the middle of a party, but at the same time, it was the right time.

(Marcus and Jodie at the reception. Love)

The next morning we packed-up and drove back to Anchorage. On the way, Kim got her final wish and spotted both a wolf and a mother moose and her baby calf. I got a speeding ticket, which was NOT my wish!

(Momma Moose)

(Mustang Abel...)

We finished the day with a nice dinner and tour around Anchorage. Kim is now open to the possibility of buying a place in Anchorage or outside of Anchorage so we can spend the summers here. What a lovely thought!

It was a very special trip for me. I know in my last post I wrote how I am on the outside, but after this trip, I know that I will always be on the inside with this group of friends.

-a