Ocean City

Hello! Here is another quick update on what has been going on in the Stephenson household. My sister and brother in law came to town and the whole family heading down for a week at beautiful Ocean City at the Jersey Shore. Ryan was able to join us for the whole week and he somehow survived.  We did a lot of walking on the boardwalk, watching the Olympics, and eating yummy food.  Ryan and I were even able to get away for an evening and have a nice date night at the Crab Trap.

 The whole family got to meet Joe's sweet new girlfriend Melissa:

We took in some sights including the Cape May Zoo.

Saw random things on the boardwalk.

We had beautiful weather almost the whole time we were there.  Blue skies and nice temperatures.

Isaac got lots of uncle bonding time in...

We did a lot of reading and napping at the beach...

More random boardwalk things...

It was a very relaxing week, but our beach trip always signals that summer is slipping away and soon it will be back to the busyness of a new school year. Ocean City I love you so!!!

Ice burgs, bears and rollercoasters..

Hey bloggy friends!!

This summer has been flying by with barely any posting from me. It's really only a few weeks till I go back to school, which, if we are being perfectly honest, gives me instant diaherria. I will be starting in a new school and a new grade and while I am excited and ready for a change I am nervous too. There is so much to learn about the culture of a new school, teaching a brand new grade (a TESTING grade at that) with two brand new coteachers that I get no common planning time with, working under a new principal, etc, etc. I know it will be okay, but I am still feeling a lot of anxiety about it too.

Anyways, before I start worrying myself sick over school starting in a few weeks, let me give you the low down on what I have been up to here.  Summer school has wrapped up and the insane flux of summer Ieps I volunteered impulsively to author has slowed.

I was able to jet set off for a quick jaunt to Alaska to visit my sister.  It was a quick visit but lots of fun to catch up with her and see a little bit of the beautiful state of Alaska.  She took me to do all kinds of fun things.  I was exhausted by the end of each day.  My facebook album of pictures is here (should be open for all to see) but here are a few highlights:

The house Jenny is renting has all kinds of weird animal bones and bodies in it.  Here is a king crab near her entryway.

On our wildlife boat tour.  In case you can't tell, it was very windy and cold!

I was a little freaked out about some of the bear warnings we encountered, but thankfully the only bears we saw were behind the fences of the nature preserve.

We have been keeping busy aside from traveling also.  Isaac has done several different soccer camps and has regular practices for the travel team.  Ryan, Isaac and I met up with my mom and did the Turkey Hill Experience Ice Cream Tour another day.  They had unlimited free samples!!!





We have also been trying to make the most of our Dorney Park Season passes.  Isaac and I went up and did Wild Water Kingdom last Thursday.  Ryan joined us after he was done work.  We were able to spend a few hours together and then I left to go to night class.  I expected that Isaac and Ryan would stay a little longer and then head home.  Imagine my surprise when I beat them home.  They decided to stay till the park closed at 10:00!

Hope things are well with all of you!!!



Medieval Times!

While we were in Myrtle Beach Ryan was able to scratch an item off his bucketlist....

Heck yeah, Midieval Times

Yes, Isaac brought binoculars, which were unnecessary since Ryan got us the VIP package and we sat in the first row.

My favorite shot of the night.

525,600 Minutes

It's been another great year. I am truly blessed.

I'm now the mom of a smart, friendly and happy kindergartener!

I turned 29 and had several fabulous celebrations including a family dinner in at a Hibachi and a dinner with friends in the city at Tria.

Birthday Nutella Panini.... yum!!

I've made it to a couple of concerts. I started off the year seeing Vs. the Earth on New Years Eve. I mingled with some friendly lesbians to see Sarah McLachlan and Sara Barielles at the Lilith Fair. And thankfully 2010 didn't pass me by without a chance to see the best band in the whole wide world: Counting Crows!

**Swoon**

I've been to a bunch of good plays including The Merry Wives of Windsor at the PA Shakespeare Festival and Wicked. This was also the first year the Isaac was old enough to appreciate the theater and we took him to several productions including Harold and the Purple Crayon in the city, The Emperor's New Clothes, and Frosty. He was also able to come with us to seee the traditional Christmas Panto at People's Light and Theater company instead of staying home with my dad like years past. "Grandpa and I are finally old enough!" he declared this year. It's so exciting to be able to share that with him now.

I had a great tan. I logged many, many hours by various pools and on the beach. I put some miles on my bike (though not as many as I should have).

I got a new phone when my old one died. Had a good laugh when the guy went to take the sim card out and a huge pile of beach sand fell out.

I successfully jump started a car without causing an explosion or electrocuting anyone.

I've been fortuneate enough to go on some wonderful family vacations.

There was our quick get away to Florida in the spring:

Our annual week at the Jersey Shore:

My sister got married!

So did one of my good friends from college Nicole: I went through a break up. I listened to a lot of Alanis. I moved on and went on more dates. I saw my old long-time college bf WJM in the flesh and didn't die. I've made some new friendships.

And rekindled some old ones.

I figured out how to use my sewing machine and did some crafting: I have one tooth less than this time last. Tooth 31 is now gone! I stopped eating red meat in July. I rejoined a gym, started (and subsequently quit, whoops) a running regimen. I got back into yoga. I discovered Zumba.

It's been a pretty great year. I can't wait to see what 2011 has in store for me.

I'm back

I haven't posted lately because I've been busy doing this:

and this:

and a little bit of this:

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It could not have been more lovely, relaxing and fun.

• The weather was fabulous.
• We had the perfect mix of going out (Disney and Epcot) and staying at the resort lounging around the many pools under the palm trees. Everything was at our own pace. No over-scheduling.
• I purposely didn't bring my laptop. The school e-mail went untouched and the cell was used only for communicating with family while in the parks.
• My parents (of course) were the perfect hosts and it was so good to spend time with my sister.
• Isaac is the most fabulous traveling companion under the age of six there ever was.

But....

Now I'm home and reality has hit me like a ton of bricks.

There are lots of thoughts churning through my head so hopefully I will be posting more soon.

Something like that anyways.

Mid-May I am making my escape.

Isaac and I are going here:

and here:
and staying here: I've got to get a change of scenery and a few days off of work or I am going to lose it. Go big or go home, right?