Exciting News!

I was told at work today that the faculty-student chorus I participate in is getting famous! We've lined up a gig to sing during half-time at a WNBA game at Madison Square Garden! More details to come when they are available. The date's in May but I don't know the specifics yet.

Featured Book # 11

The Pleasing Hour, by Lily King - a book I really enjoyed a few years ago.

Picture of the Week

This picture of Kara at about age 7 1/2 comes from the Roberts Family 1995 trip to the Outer Banks (we should go back - hint, hint to family members reading this)! I love the way the waves look around her!

New Dress Pictures

You've seen them on the hanger, now see them on a person!

A Grand (but Scary!) Adventure! .... Maybe.

I just sent my application in to the Folger Shakespeare Library for their 2008 Teaching Shakespeare Institute. I would have to spend four weeks in Washington D.C. Though it's been ten years since my last experience trying to go away to a "camplike" program, it still scares me! But I know it'll be really cool, and I'd probably always regret not going, so... the application is in! I'll find out April 1 if I'm accepted or not. If I am, then I guess it's off to D.C. for four weeks and if I'm not... well then... there must be some sort of job I can do somewhere to make myself useful (and save money for traveling!).

Another Nearly Finished Product

Just needs little button details and some hemming and it's ready to go!

Featured Book # 10

This week it's Romeo and Juliet, something I know everyone has heard of, knows the story of and has probably seen the movie version of, but not everyone can say that they've actually read it. Give it a go to appreciate the beauty of the language!

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow...

It's snowing today! Seriously, no matter how old you get, snow makes you a child again!

Lindsay and I went out to shovel our walk and Willa's walk and couldn't resist making a little snowman and playing in the snow a little bit!


Lindsay and the snowman.


Me and the snowman.


The shed after Lindsay and I threw snow at it numerous times. We agreed this is what the shed would likely look like if we kept giant birds in our yard. I suggested more like if we kept pterodactyls.

Now it's just kind of raining so the snow is either going to ice over or melt, which is disappointing, but it should be gone by Monday for the return to work, which is only good because of how annoying it is to actually drive in the snow.

More Productivity

The bodice of my latest work for the Music Man. Hopefully tomorrow I'll carve out an hour or two for adding the skirt!

Reminder to the family: the performance has been moved to April 11th (7 p.m.) and 12th (1 p.m). Let me know if you want to attend!

Picture of the Week

This picture of Aunt Peggy and Mom was taken at Grammy's Russell's 100th Birthday Celebration in 2004. If you look closely, you'll see a third person sneaking into the picture...

Movie Quote of the Week

Let's make it interesting. Who can guess?

"A gun rack? A gun rack? Pshaw! I don't even own A gun, let alone many guns that would necessitate an entire rack. What am I going to do with a gun rack?"

(And the "pshaw" is how I've decided to spell the sound the character makes there.)

My Productive Weekend...

Here's what I've been doing this weekend, and probably what I'm going to be doing the rest of the week - Music Man costumes!

The "Goodnight, My Someone" outfit (yes, changed from the last time I posted with that name):



The coat that "Marian" is going to wear for about 3 seconds when Harold Hill is following her down the street. It's a little frumpy looking at the moment - it needs to be pressed and buttons need to be added.



The coat and outfit together:

Featured Book # 9

In honor of "Secrets from the Kitchen" day with my students, I am featuring one of my favorite cookbooks - and one that I quote from many times in the student cookbook!


Incidentally, if anyone would like to purchase or sponsor (pay for a student copy but not receive a personal one) a cookbook, please let me know via email: kelerr@hotmail.com and I will get you all the details you need.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Here's what I was doing last year around this time:

Stuck in the schoolyard helping my friend Jackie try to get her keys out of her locked, turned-on car! It was quite the adventure and a slightly depressing Valentine's Day turned into one that will be hard to top!


Trying to get the keys out!


Me in the snow!


My friends Michelle and Amanda in a snowball fight!

It really was quite the afternoon. We had the janitor trying to pry open Jackie's window with a hanger, the rest of us helping to push the staff's cars out of the snow (and falling in the process!), and a whole score of both helpful and not-so-helpful people!

Brain Type Test

Well... if that doesn't describe me to a "T," then I don't know what does! (I enjoyed the "quietly forceful" description.)

BCAL / INFJ "Wordsmith"
potential gifted writer; imaginative, conscientious; has concern for the needs and development of others; empathetic; enjoys enriching inner life; methodical; quietly forceful; counselor; language skilled

Take your brain type test! (CLICK HERE!)

Humphrey!

I used to LOVE these cartoons! I especially liked when he "grew" the fish! Humphrey's awesome!

Picture of the Week

My favorite picture of me and dad!

A View from the Porch...

It snowed here today, as part of our FREEZING weather. I DO like snow though... it would be better if I didn't have to go to a PTA meeting tonight though!

Silly Symphonies!

A blast from the past! We used to LOVE watching these! There will be MANY more to come, as we try to collect them, I'm sure! This was one of our favorites!

I Recently Discovered...

...that much like myspace, you can download and use templates for blogger as well! I am on the hunt for one that suits the family website perfectly and then will work to get all the features put back on the site for everyone to see (as the templates use very basic features and I will need to "redo" all the little things along the side, such as the music and photos and whatnot)!

Featured Book # 8

I know the whole family has seen and loved the movie, but have you read the book? The Princess Bride is this week's book. Give it a try!

Picture of the Week

This picture, taken at Robert's 1st Communion Celebration in 2005, features Alex and Katherine mimicking a four and a half year old Nicholas and Daniel as they pose!

Happy Mardi Gras!

And to think, we were there last year...

We spent seven fun (and a little stressful!) days in New Orleans last February. These photos are from Mardi Gras day, though the best nights by far were the first night at our first parade and what I believe was the fourth night - it was Monday when Lindsay, Amanda, Michelle and I went to the other parade (I forgot the name!(.

(And no, none of us got beads inappropriately - they really DO just give them to you!)


Lindsay and her chicken!


Me with friends Michelle and Kristi

Though I don't think I need to go for Mardi Gras again, it'd be fun to get back to New Orleans someday!

Another Almost Finished Project...

The nearly finished blue dress for the Music Man! Don't know which character will wear it yet. It was intended for Marian, but we're trying to incoporate purple into all her dresses and don't know if purple would look very nice with this. But then again, the purple only has to be a tiny bit so it might work. I'll have to see how it looks.

Please ignore all loose threads. The sleeve cuffs are not yet sewn and the hemming is, as usual, not done yet!

Happy Birthday, Katherine!

Today is Katherine's 17th Birthday!


Here's Katherine on Christmas Eve 2007, sandwiched between me and Lindsay for a kiss!


A miniature, almost 2-year-old Katherine in December 1992, playing on the stairs at Mohank Mountain House. It was her favorite activity... going up and down, up and down. It got old really fast for the rest of us!


July 2000, in Wading River.


All decked out for Lindsay's 80's party, August 2003


Catching fish at Donna and Tom Clancey's house in Connecticut, July 2005

Featured Book # 7

I love books written in correspondance, and Ella Minnow Pea, by Mark Dunn, fits the bill perfectly. It's the story of a town who bans the use of letters of the alphabet, one my one, and how they have to modify their writing and letters accordingly. It's a great story AND a really interesting study into what would happen if we didn't have all the letters we do now. Makes me want to have my students write without using a certain letter.