First 2012 Hodgepodge

Joyce has more questions for us this week.  Honestly, I don't know how she keeps coming up with them and not duplicate them.  It's easy to play along:  Visit From This Side of the Pond, copy and paste the questions into your blog, and answer.  Oh, and don't forget to link up!

1. What are three words you would use to describe your 2011?

Terrible, No-good, very-bad.  (if you hyphenate, it counts as 1 word, right?)

2. Do you like shrimp? What's your favorite way to have it prepared?

I LOVE shrimp!  It doesn't matter how it's prepared.

3. Is your house de-Christmased? If so when did you tackle that job? If not, when will the decorations come down?

Yes.  Moving along...

4. Do you like to watch scary movies?

No.  I'm fine while I'm watching it, but then my imagination goes wild and I'm scared silly.

5. ice skating~sledding~skiing~snowboarding~of the four listed which wintertime activity do you most enjoy?

Sledding.  I've never snowboarded.  I've only gone skiing a couple of times.  The first time was in Rochester, Mn. during an AFS Short-term Exchange with Mayo High School.  I don't think any of us had ever been skiing before, or maybe just a couple of kids had.  There was this one boy who immediately went onto the intermediate slope (it was his 1st time).  We would watch him ski a little, then fall down; then ski a little, then fall down.  By the end of the day he was skiing all the way down.

6. Did you have a childhood hideout? Describe it.

There was a place in the back of the yard that I loved to go.  It was under a tree, and there must've been some brush around it.  It was like a little cave.  Now, when I look out at my parents' backyard, I'm amazed at how big I thought that backyard was!

7. What's a place or space that motivates you?

Church motivates me to be a better person, especially the Adoration Chapel.  Honestly...there's nothing like sitting quietly in front of  Jesus, being still and listening.

8. Insert your own random thought here. 

I really, really need/want a snow day.  Because Christmas Break wasn't long enough to sit in front of the tv and watch movies.  

It's All Over

Christmas Break is now officially over.   For me, anyway.  YS still has a couple of days before he goes back, and OS & MS still have another week. 

Luckily, today we have an Administration Day, which means the kids actually have an extra day off.  It also means that it's almost like an extra day for the faculty:  It's a laid-back kind of day.  I like having this day to myself:  being able to get myself geared back up for seeing those smiling little faces, and (more importantly) knowing what the heck we're going to do that first day.  I detest starting the day without a plan.  I think I do a much better job when I go in knowing just what I want to do that first day back. I'm definitely not a "fly by the seat of my pants" kind of girl.

It's not going to help that it's going to be cold today...only up to around 35 degrees, if it gets that warm.  A Starbucks run is definitely in the plans, especially since I don't have to be at school until 8:00 (instead of the usual 7:30 when the kids are there). 

So now we have the following to look forward to:  Snow Days (please, please!), Spring Break (although it's technically still winter when we have break), and the end of the school year.  It's all downhill from here!

Splashing into the New Year

2012 by Simone Ciliberti

I originally titled this post "Ringing into the New Year", but decided "Splashing" was a better description.CH, MS, YS, & I drove a little ways from here to enjoy a resort with an indoor water park.
We thought that we might not be able to get into our room until 4:00, so we figured we'd have to hang out in the waterpark until then.  But, our room was ready when we got there, so we were able to get somewhat settled in.  The resort was beautifully decorated for Christmas:

When we got into our room, this was waiting for us:

The boys were excited to be there:

We changed into our bathing suits, jumped on the shuttle, and headed to the waterpark.

Even though the waterpark wasn't as big I was expecting, it was fun.

The big attraction at this waterpark (from the outside):

This photo of Wilderness at the Smokies Resort is courtesy of TripAdvisor
Oh. Yes. I. Did.  I may have been screaming the whole time (the first time, anyway!), but I did it.  And I liked it!  There's a big drop before you go into the "cone", and once you're in the cone you go side to side.  Like, halfway up the sides.  At least halfway.  And you feel like you're about to tip over.  (Hence, the screaming.  Both times I rode.)
MS & I rode a couple of the slides that were more twisty, with MS trying to tip it as we went into the curves.  The result was me getting dizzy, especially on the 2nd slide that's dark inside.  When we got to the bottom, I finally got off of the tube, but was still dizzy.  I didn't realize I was right at the steps, and I stubbed my foot, just under my toes.  Then,  CH & I went into the wave pool, where he accidentally kicked me in my shin.  Surprisingly I don't have a bruise. 
YS did real well on the boogie board (or whatever you call it):

 

He was the only one who had to stop because he had been on it for his allotted time.  Most of the people we watched fell off of it or were going over to the side.  2 times of messing up was all you got.

MS decided to try to "surf":

That was attempt #1.  He did a little better the 2nd try:

There was also an indoor/outdoor hot tub, which would have been really nice except for the children that were playing in it.  I saw one little girl who was red from staying in so long.  Really, what are some parents thinking by letting their small children get in there and stay so long?

We stayed for a few hours, then went back to the room, changed, and went to a New Year's Eve buffet at one of the restaurants.  Not too impressive, but we ate until we were stuffed.  Then we went back to the room and rested up.  The park closed at 9:00, then reopened at 10:00.  YS was really excited when we walked in after 10:00:

At 12:00, there was a balloon drop:

It was a totally different way to spend New Year's Eve, but it was fun.  MS said it was the most fun he could've had, given the circumstances (that he was with us and not his friends)!

And so begins another year.  I'm glad to see 2011 go.  I'm ready to take 2012 as it comes!