Latest trip down South - Part 2

Before we start with round two, here's a shot that Mom took the evening we arrived. Dad picked us up from the airport and brought us to Mom's house, where she had set the table so prettily, and made a nice meal for us, Auntie Claire, Bill, and Dad. I love all the green in this picture! We're a bit color-deprived up here at the moment. The snow is almost gone, and there is brown everywhere. Anxiously awaiting green!


So where were we? ZOO! Auntie Claire, the boys and I and my friend Heidi headed to the Audubon Zoo one beautifully sunny day.


Tortoise eating banana.

White tiger glaring.


Bear perched atop log. LOOK at the claws.


Snake!

Iguana, and....

baby and mama orangutan. Coincidentally, one of my favorite songs by The Iguanas is Orangutan!


Chillaxin' on the komodo dragon.


Auntie Claire, Andy, Sam, and Heidi by a statue.

CRAWFISH!!


More to come....

Latest trip South - Part 1

Andy, Sam, and I went to New Orleans for their Spring Break a couple weeks ago. As in past trips, I neglected to take out my camera to commemorate each visit, getting carried away by the visit itself. In some instances, Mom was with us and would think to take a picture. So the images that follow are a good representation of our visit, but there are gaps.

On this warm, sunny day the boys and I were hangin' at Audubon Park. Many egrets were enjoying this oak tree.



We played at the playground, then walked over to Tulane. I pointed out the Lindy Boggs building, where Otto and I spent 80% of our time as engineering students. And, Holy Pedestrian Walkway, Batman - this used to be a road for cars!


As we walked back to the car, I took a picture of the movie set that they were filming in the park. Title: Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Slayer. Yes, really. This scene seemed very unvampirish.



We ended this day with Nicole and her family at Juan's Flying Burrito, which is conveniently located a block from their house. I'd never been there before - excellent food. And margaritas. And the company was outstanding! I wish I could show you a picture.

On this day we walked around the Quarter a bit.

And ate some beignets with Mom and Bill.

Later that day I took my sister and the boys downtown to see The Radiators. Good music, good food, and Abita beer!


And another day....


This day we went to the Insectarium and found out all about bugs, creepy crawlies, termites, and there was even an alligator in the swamp exhibit.


In the butterfly garden...


And Mom snapped this one of me and the boys with Ellen, Georgia, and Jack (who graciously waited for us, as we were running quite late that afternoon), after consuming our Plum Street snowballs.


Yay for family, friends, and snowballs! :o)

Andy's prints

Andy made these at school. The original image was drawn with toothpicks into a rectangular styrofoam plate.There is another redder one that's hanging on the wall of his classroom. He presented these to us at his parent/teacher conference last night. :o)

From Andy, to whoever is reading this:
I hope you like them a LOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cross-country skiing

Andy, Sam, and I have also tried cross country skiing this winter. Downhill skis scare me. Cross-country skis I can handle.

There were some FAT snowflakes falling on this particular day. Golf courses transition nicely to cross-country ski areas in the winter up here.



These were taken on the last day of Jackrabbits, which is a cross-country ski program for kids that meets for about 8 weeks. Parents are encouraged to attend as well.

Andy going through a hoop set up on a bumpy course that some of the parents had built.


Sam strikes a pose, as he so often does.


Sam getting his certificate of completion at the end with his group.



With as much snow as we've gotten the last few days, hopefully we'll head out again later this week!

Next sport on tap to try - Lacrosse: The National Sport of Canada.

One of my favorite houses in Red Deer.

I pass by this house every morning after dropping the boys off at school.



At Christmastime they turn the lights on the wreath over the door. It looks so quaint and cozy. I keep thinking I should knock on their door and tell them how much I like it; maybe ask for a tour. Or not.

Third-Year Boarding

We're winding up our third year of skiing (Otto and the boys) and snowboarding (me). If we hadn't moved up here, I'm 98% sure I never would have tried this sport. When we lived in Victoria, TX, many of our friends would go on an annual ski trip. Otto always wanted to go, and I always resisted. Vehemently. Feelings of "NO WAY!!" stemming from a bad ski experience in high school, where a group of us took a half day lesson, in jeans. I wiped out pretty good that day, skis and poles stuck in the snow so steadfastly that I couldn't free myself and required the help of others. A wipe-out that, I believe, contributed to me needing knee surgery a few months later.

(Photo creds: Otto and his iPhone.)


Fast forward twenty years. We move to Red Deer, a mere two hours from the Canadian Rockies, and some of the world's most AWESOME skiing. Otto still desperately wants to ski, and informs me that I can stay home if I want, but he's going to learn. Well, I didn't want to sit around the house while he was out having fun!

Still VERY leery of skis, I decided snowboarding may be the thing to try. My knees would be locked in one direction. Not as much stress, so went my logic, as if they were free to go opposite ways with me desperately trying to convince them to stay together.

If you had told me 10 years ago that I'd be barreling down a snow-covered mountain on a snowboard at some point in the future (in an upright position, no less), I'd have laughed. There have been countless falls, a bruised if not cracked tail bone - multiple times, and frustration. I'm pretty sure it has taken me longer to get to this point than it would have taken most people. But now I can attack a blue run, even with packed conditions. (Not icy conditions, but packed. And no black runs yet; we'll save that for next year.) I'm proud of myself. And I'm proud of Otto and Andy and Sam. They love skiing.


It was ridiculously cold again this weekend in Red Deer, and had we stayed in town, we would have been inside the whole weekend. Curiously, it was warmer at the ski hill in the mountains. We enjoyed fresh air and exercised our bodies for three days straight, versus getting agitated with one another from being cooped-up.

At some point, as I was resting on the side of the slope and taking in the view, I realized it was Sunday. Not a bad way to appreciate the beauty of the Earth and to give thanks.


I guess I'll file this under nothing ventured, nothing gained. And hopefully we'll get a few more runs in before the snow melts.

Sundogs

It has been exceedingly cold up here lately. Last week I took a couple pictures of the sundogs that were out. See the rainbow on the outer edges of the sun? These are technically called parhelia, and it's generally PRET-TY cold outside if you see them.

This was on the way to school one morning. Nice windshield scuz at the top.


This I took from our back door on another morning.


There are some really cool shots here that other people took.

Here's to hoping for some slightly warmer weather!