It's Official . . .

Our Scandinavian adventure is booked! I don't know that I truly believed it would happen, but now I'm really pumped! We have a lot of planning left to do, but the big flights are booked, my conference proposals are in and now it's just the fun stuff . . . figuring out what we're going to do when we get there. We're flying from Gainesville to D.C for Scott and Maureen's wedding, then to Boston, then to Iceland. From Iceland we'll have a week to make our way via Norway to Stockholm, spend another week there, and then we're flying back through Boston to Gainesville. Should be fun! Hopefully when we get back we'll have a ton of great pictures like these I found online.

Winter Olympics

The Olympics start tonight, how exciting! Can't wait for curling! . . . and to watch all of the amazing athletes and beautiful pictures of Vancouver.

Escape from PhD Land

This past weekend Mark and I met Michael and Claire in Orlando and then drove to West Palm Beach for a much needed break from PhD land. All of us were in much need of this getaway and we had a great time. The weather and a little wet the first day and cool the last day but otherwise it was blue skies and clear blue waters! It was a great weekend of sightseeing, good food and great company! Now it's back to reality (reading, writing, working, reading, writing, working . . . did I say reading and writing?), but that next trip is already somewhere in the back of our minds :-).

Bailey is 4!

Last weekend Bailey turned 4! Kinda hard for us to believe, I can't believe we've lived here that long (well, actually quite a bit longer), let alone had her for almost 4 years. We were in Atlanta last weekend and I got Banana Cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory which I didn't finish. So, instead of letting the bananas sit and brown overnight Bailey got them for her birthday. They are if not her favorite food, one of her 3 favorites and she definitely enjoyed the treat! We even put a little of the whipped cream on a few of them :-) This is how it went:

"Ok, I'm sitting, I'm being really good, can't you see?. Can I please just have some of the banana?"

" I'm still sitting, not moving, and I'd really like some!"

"Oh man, yum, finally!"
"That's delicious, barely tasted it though, can I have some more?"

Canada

Last week I left cold Florida, for even colder Canada. I traveled to Toronto and then Kitchener, Ontario for a week of work. It was a long, busy week but the last day I was able to find time to take a quick drive to Niagara Falls. Although it was cold, it was probably the best time of year to go . . . the ice was beautiful and the crowds were sparse.

Arbor Day 2010

Last Thursday, January 14th was Arbor Day in Gainesville. In case you don't remember from last years posting . . . the reason for Arbor Day being held in January (instead of April) in Florida is because April is one of the driest months of the year here, and not very conducive for planting and establishing trees. This year Mark coordinated the Arbor Day ceremony and the planting of 52 trees in celebration of Gainesville's 26th year as Tree City USA. The ceremony took place at the Kirby Smith Center(Alachua County School Board Administration Building). Casey Gater, Tree Crew Photographer, took these pictures to document the event which brought a crowd of over 100 people and was a great success. (The blog administrator was unfortunately out of the country and unable to attend this years event.)

Magnolia, one of the 52 trees planted this year for Arbor Day.

Gainesville's Mayor reading the Arbor Day Proclamation, received by Gainesville's City Arborist.

The ceremonial tree, a 65 gallon Cathedral Live Oak . . . with the infamous gold shovels.

Mark and Stan putting the final touches on the tree planting.

The Tree Crew. . . Top row: Stan, Emmett, Steven, Kris, Kenny
Front row: Casey (Gater), Russell, Herb, Mark

Christmas 2009

This year we traveled to Virginia for Christmas. We ended up changing our original travel plans because of a snow storm which brought 16 inches of snow to Blacksburg but in doing so we were able to enjoy a white Christmas in Virginia with all of our family. Mark and I are blessed to have both sets of parents living in the same town; so even thought it sometimes seems we are constantly driving back and forth between houses, we got to spend a week with all of them this year! Bailey experienced her first snowfall, between fetching snowballs and following my parents cat's every move she was exhausted by mid week and spent the rest of the time lying by the fire. We had a blast sledding, eating lots of good food, playing games, "Sporcling", and catching up with friends and family. . . . and Mark even got a new fuel pump for his truck (now named Daisy) while we were there!