Spring break 2009

Charlie and I went to the White Mountains for Spring break. I found these really rad cabins made by the outing club at Dartmouth College. We drove up on Monday. For those of you that live in NYC or any other crazy traffic city know that making driving plans totally revolves around traffic. We decided to leave early. Charlie wanted 5:30 A.M. but that is just too early so we left around 7:00 and got up to our cute cabin by 3:00.

Our cabin didnt have any indoor plumbing (it is turned off till around mid May) We had a nice wood stove to keep warm and a full kitchen to cook. I did my research and found a health club close by so we were able to shower everyday! Here is our home away from home.

We went snowboarding at this great mountain called Sunday River in Maine. It was about 50 minutes from our cabin. I am still a brand new beginner at this whole snowboarding thing. There are some things I can say at this point I can do......well at least I thought I could do. I can ride a ski lift, I can get down an easy mountain without falling, I know how to get in and out of my snowboard in less than 5 minutes, I know to wear a helmet always, and I know that staying warm is key to enjoying the sport. Take a guess at which of those things I "know how to do" I actually did not know how to do..................... Ok, I'll tell you....... turns out I don't know how to ride a ski lift. That's right, day one...first ride of the day and I fall out of the ski lift. I'm ok cause I know that wearing a helmet is important and my knee is in recovery. (I just have my fingers crossed that my knee heals by Saturday....my half marathon day)

Anyway, our break was more than just me falling out of the lift. It was amazing to be in the country and hear the birds and see the stars and not care about time. The white mountains are just breathtaking! Outside our door was the most amazing view of snow capped mountains. We just enjoyed being together and being outside. So thankful for breaks!

Since I was a little handicapped on Wednesday and Thursday from my fall I did a little video footage of Charlie, someone who knows a few more things about snowboarding than me and tells me....."just take time to heal, there is always next year." Below is a little video of snowboarding fun!

We came back to Brooklyn on Friday night and now just preparing to go back to school tomorrow. Three special cheers for the White Mountains!

Easter fun in Brooklyn

I hosted Easter dinner for the first time ever. Jen, Dave, Haven, Maiya, and Charlie's brother Pete came over for some Easter fun! I love everyone in my family but this Easter Haven really stole my heart. Here is cute little Haven and to the right is Jen and I.Below is a video of Charlie making Haven laugh really hard!!!

Running

I have taken running to a new level. I am currently training for a half marathon. Its in two weeks and liz and lindsay are going to run it too. I am in the peak of the training and survived my 12 mile run last Sunday.
I am really enjoying my runs and my races. Its so fun to run with 5,000 other runners! Its like one big team......and I love teams!
I am doing 9 New York Road Runner races this year so that I qualify for the NYC marathon in 2010. I love the NYC marathon. Its amazing. I have to just keep reminding myself of how much I love the marathon.
The qualifier run I did this morning was a 10K in central park. In the rain. In the cold. In a big poncho (wish I had a picture). I have to just keep remembering my goal......NYC marathon 2010. Liz and I were so wet and freezing when we finished our race but we did it and had some fun!

Old pics that I like........

Pics from last Fall

Bekah, me, Charlie, Gabrielle, and Christine last september

Surprise visit!!!!

I was on my way from work on Thurday night......a few Thursday nights ago. Just a normal day for me. Teaching English classes and teaching ESL and then stopping at the gym before home. Charlie and I were talking about what we'd make for dinner. Charlie was driving so he pulled my car up to the front of my house to drop me off. At my door step, just standing there were.............. Millay, my dear friend and old roommate and Sarah, my dear friend who also use to live in Brooklyn. Just at my stoop.

I think I just stared at them and it didn't even register that they were at my house. That Millay had crossed the ocean and Sarah had crossed the midwest to come and pay me and my city a visit. This picture is our first reunion pic!

It was amazing to have them over for a week. We got to just catch up, eat brunch, get tea, hang out at prospect park, eat sushi and laugh!

This pictures below is of us after a really nice sushi lunch!

Friends are amazing! I am so thankful for the friends I have in my life!

Sarah and Millay got to see my sweet new duplex apartment. It was so nice to have room for them to stay!

It was a wonderful visit!

Iron Jawed Angels

Its hard for me to believe that women have not always had the right the vote. Its hard for me to grasp that we have only been able to vote since 1920. (thank you 19th amendment)

I would highly, highly reccomend this DVD. Its really good! You all know it takes a LOT to keep me awake for the entire movie. I used it as an extra credit project for my English class. We all really like it!

snowboarding!

As I have written in a previous post, I am trying to embrace the long and dark winter month. So far I would say I am doing pretty well with my litte goal.

I decided to give snowboarding a second chance. My first snowboarding experience was about three years ago and I fell so many times, had too many bruises, and ended up crying down the mountain cause I was in so much pain.

So this past weekend Charlie and I went up to the Catskills and snowboarded!

I took a lesson on Sunday and stayed on the bunny hill all day and tried one very small mountain at the end of the day. Monday, I stayed on the little mountain all day and by the end of Monday I got down the mountain without falling. (granted it took me like 45 minutes cause I went from side to side and REALLY slow...... but didn't fall and thats what I'm counting. (thats me below)