New Orleans - ARTS DISTRICT

We stayed in the Warehouse/Museum/Arts District two blocks from the river. There were murals painted on most of the buildings. The first two murals were inside the Embassy Suites where we stayed. This was the view just outside my room. My picture of the mural on the Holiday Inn does not do it justice. The clarinet looked 3D. Even the shadow is painted on so it seems as if it is not attached to the building at all.

This statue was another math lesson in proportionality. :)

The title of this figure was just called "Mother and Child". Someone please explain to me the signifigance of her standing on her poor husband???

Many artist would sit up their work and just paint all day. What a life!

I found the owner of this bug about a block away. He was wearing jeans so filled up with patches that you could not even see the jeans. I asked him if the bug down the street belonged to him (it had to). He told us that he was restoring the bug. My friend asked him if he was putting in a new engine because it was being pulled by a trailer. He said, "No, I am RESTORING it. It doesn't need an engine. That would mean I would have to buy tags and pay taxes."

NCTM Conference - THE FOOD

I attended the NCTM Conference (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics) this last week in New Orleans, LA with a group of middle school math teachers in the west Texas area. Although the conference itself was inspiring, I felt that I learned so much more about fine arts than math.

Besides attending the conference, we had a chance to:

• eat some really good food
• experience New Orleans night life
• take a tour of the city
• attend a Hornet's NBA game
• see the distruction and rebuilding of the city caused by Katrina
• eat some really good food
• play some slots (a math lesson on probability)
• see a lot of art
• hear a lot of music
• eat some really good food

I decided to break the trip up into categories, and post one each day this week.

Today, I will get the "eat some really good food" out of the way. I do not have tons of pictures of all of the food I ate because my fellow math teachers thought I was out of my mind every time I took a picture of my food. But I did get to eat jambalaya, shrimp gumbo, black beans and rice, and crawfish ettouffee. I did not find anyone who served boudin, so I am a little bummed about that.

The first night we ate at the Grand Isle Restaurant two blocks from our hotel. I had grilled blackened bass with steamed vegetables. Delicious!

The last morning before we left, I got up at 6:30 to go to The Cafe Du Monde on Decatur St. in the French Market. I went with a teacher who grew up in New Orleans. The Cafe was established in 1862, and serves Biegnets (French donuts) and beverages. That's it, just Biegnets and whatever you want to drink. The Biegnets reminded me of the homemade donuts my mom used to make. They were SO GOOD!!!

Upcoming Projects

These chairs were a great bargain. I bought them at a second hand shop when I was visiting my mom at Thanksgiving for only $25.00 for the pair. I found the fabric I used to cover the seats at a Crate and Barrel outlet store when I went to Austin on a conference in February. The material was only $2.00 because it was the remnant off the end of the roll. The chairs are part of my new computer/workout/extra bedroom.



Robert and I are building built in shelves in the living room. The plywood that we are using is Knotty Alder and is extremely hard. It already did some serious damage to our table saw. But we finally have most of the cuts made. We just need to finish assembling all the bits and pieces, then stain and seal the wood. I am very happy with the way it is turning out.

Spring Break Project

Robert and I finally decided to finish the tiling job we started 3 years ago. The only room not tiled was the guest bedroom. Well, before, it wasn't actually a guest bedroom at all. The room did not have a door and it was decorated with make shift book cases and plastic tubs of "stuff" that we have not found a place for.

Before:




I wish I had taken a picture before I moved everything out of the room, but you can still get an idea of the space from these pictures.

During:





Check list of jobs accomplished:
Remove boxes, books, weights, and furniture from the room
Remove base boards and trim
Remove and dispose of the carpet and padding
Remove and dispose of the old asbestos tiling under the carpet
Scrape up tar adhesive from the cement
Prime lemon yellow walls
Paint walls and trim
Cut and lay tiles
Grout tiles
Replace base boards
SHOP for new bed linens
Furnish room
Add door to room

After:



I think I will call it "The Bride's Room".

Something old: Most the furniture in the room is over 20 years old (each with its own special story that I will not bore you with)

Something new: paint, flooring, bedding plus the fact that the only thing that is the same about the before and after is the curtains.

Something borrowed: Corey's chair that she wants back. :0

Something blue: I haven't put in my blue item yet, but I do know what it is. My grandfather collected old bottles and glass. I have a beautiful cobalt blue piece from his collection that is in the shed that I haven't unpacked yet.

Faith of a Child

Happy 27th Birthday!

If you know Jacob, then each of the photos above will no doubt bring a smile to your face. He still seems to have the same obsessions today. He has always had a never-ceasing glorious imagination.

I remember playing charades with the kids when they were very young. We would take turns acting out various animals. Not as easy as it may seem when you are playing with Jacob. A guess of a "snake" as he hissed and slithered on the ground was only considered a category. He was actually acting out a Reticulated Python from the jungles of Indonesia, which should have been obvious from Jacob's point of view.

Christmas time always resulted in a list to Santa of invented toys that were not even made in the real world. Just a word of warning to parents of children with overactive imaginations. You must be extremely careful with abtract ideas such as Santa and his magical elves.


But one of my favorite memories is of Jacob's fifth birthday. His only request was for it to snow on his special day. I told him that he would have to ask God for this gift because this one was out of my hands. And he did - And it did snow on his birthday. Well, it was more of a winter storm that hit a large section of east Texas. It covered the ground with 4 inches of sleet and ice causing havoc and chaos for his dad, the firefighter, as well as tens of thousands of others. But it only created awe and wonder in my own heart. This must be the type of faith that Jesus is speaking of in Matthew 18:3.

So, happy birthday Jacob, and may you never lose your sense of wonder or your ability to believe in what others can not even understand. You are amazing!

Love, MOM

Congratulations New Texas Tech Graduate!

A beautiful spirit
Born to fly
The apple of her
Daddy's eye

Her daddy wanting
To protect her
From any peril
Or impending disaster

Her mom pushing for
Greater things
Wanting only the best
That life can bring

She could not wait
For Kindergarten
Fun and games
And other children

She made it though
The paste and glue
Flower projects, Research
Papers, and Algebra II

She started college
With a sigh
Hoping the years
Would not drag by

Now comes the road
That is unknown
Free to choose
Out on our own

So spread your wings
And enjoy your years
Challenge yourself
Overcome your fears

Be yourself
And always remember
You are special
And like no other

We love you,
MOM & DAD

Happy Thanksgiving!

I have decided that my holiday tradition is to be nontraditional. We never seem to do the same old thing the same old way.

This year, Robert, Corey, and I had a small Thanksgiving on Wednesday. The menu consisted of herb roasted turkey breast, fresh Bambi (Robert went hunting this past weekend), roasted vegetables, beer bread, pumpkin cheesecake, and Caribbean fudge pie. Corey and I then went on a walk around the big city of Wink. We ended the day with a tour of the Wink Sink Hole. (sorry Jacob that you had to miss this).

I am leaving tomorrow morning to travel to my mom's with my little bro, Daniel. Jacob, Laura, Heath, Christina, and Becky will all meet up on Saturday for the more traditional Thanksgiving. I am excited to get to see my sister because it seems like an eon since the last time we got together.

Here are some pics from today: