What Have I Been Up To?

Well it obviously is not blogging. My 2014 blogging was not as much as I would hope for. I have a lot of drafts but not much got published. So here is what I have been doing these past few months, best summed up with a photo of the books I have been reading.

These books show a little of everything that I have been reading. I am trying to slowly learn Java with the hopes that when Laurel and Owen head off to college I can have options if I decide to change careers. So far I like the bonding time with my mentor Justin.
The Colorado hiking season is way too short. So I am trying to dust off my Xc skis to get out on the trails during the winter months. Justin also got me micro spikes for winter hiking- got to try them out today and really liked them.
It is an exciting time to be in education- so many changes. I really like The Third Teacher. It emphasizes the importance of space in education. Reading this book inspired me to change the layout of the library. I am also trying to inspire more students to join the maker movement and become creators rather than consumers. Watch the preview for the maker documentary here.
I also enjoyed reading The Secrets of Happy Families. It was a good book to read around the holidays when the hustle and bustle can make you forget what really matters. Here is a short video of our happy family.

Helen's Harvest Soup

I just love going to the Farmer's Market even though often I see vegetables that I have no idea what they are never mind what to do with them. But this week I saw some of my favorites- leeks, kale and mushrooms. I had some lentils from Trader Joes in the fridge for awhile and I decided to make some soup. The result was my first ever original recipe and has my two favorite recipe descriptors: easy and delicious. So gather up these six simple ingredients and follow these steps for a taste of Helen's Harvest Vegetable Soup.
1 box of low sodium vegetable broth
1 can diced low sodium tomatoes
1 box Trader Joes ready to eat lentils
1 leek, washed and chopped
1 cup sliced mushrooms- shiitake or mini portobellos (more if u r like me and like mushrooms)
2 cups leafy greens- kale, spinach or chard or mixture of all three

Sauté leeks and mushrooms in 2T olive oil for about 5 minutes
Add in greens
In soup pot add first three ingredients, then stir is sautéed veggies.
That is it! I like heat so I often add cayenne pepper to every soup I make but the lentils and veggies offer plenty of flavor.

Summer Hikes Part 2

We started off July with one of the most amazing hikes I have ever done. It was not hard but Crater Lake in The Maroon Bells Recreation area was spectacular. It was the kind of place I hope our whole family will someday backpack to so we can see it at all times of day and night. Put it on your bucket list! Better yet- this picture was taken near the parking lot so anyone can get to see this beauty.

What better way to celebrate the 4th of July than with a spectacular hike? Today Justin, Branden, Katie, Willow and I trekked up Mt. Flora. For Willow and I it marked our first 13er and I felt every bit of it. But it was worth it- incredible views made only better with wildflowers.

Crater lakes Rollinsville is a six mile hike that starts at the East Portal Trailhead. Willow was happy to be invited to go along. Afterwards we enjoyed our lunch at Stage Stop.

Diamond Lake, 4th of July Trailhead: I really enjoyed this trail even though the road leading to the trailhead felt like it went on forever and at times seemed more like a dried up creek then an actually road....guess I still have a ways to go before I can feel like a real Coloradan! One of my favorite parts was when we actually walked across the waterfall. I think we may have arrived a little too early for the wildflowers but there were still a few to enjoy. There was still plenty of snow even though we did this mid- July.

Lily mountain is a nice trail close to Lily Lake but since it is forest land rather than national park land, Willow was allowed. Even though this is only four miles round trip with about 1000 feet of elevation, it felt like more than that. I think it was because most of the gain happened at the end. My preferred hikes get the hard part over with right at the start.

This was my second time trying Twin Sisters. In November Justin and I took the trail but the snow and wind made it a much more tiring hike that day and I did not complete the summit. This time Katie and I headed out early to beat the storms. The area across the land slide that occurred during the 2013 flood had a much better path. But three switchbacks were still cut off which meant a very steep grade for that part. Being forced to skip switchbacks was a good reminder of how necessary they are. The main reason I wanted to summit twin sisters was so that when I am walking around Lake McIntosh I can look up and know that I have been on top of the twin sisters.

Blue Lake, Ridgway
This hike was possibly the most beautiful hike I have ever done. It was about seven miles round trip with 1600 feet of elevation gain. Since it was a family hike it was a little challenging for L & O. But they pushed through and we all were rewarded with true paradise. Unlike some of our other hikes, we timed the wildflowers perfectly without even trying. This hike was so spectacular I had to post two photos instead of one.

Estes Cone felt like more of a workout then a hike. The weather was cloudy at the start and the rain came in by 10:00. The advantage of this weather was that the trailhead (which is the same as if you hike Longs Peak) was not as packed as usual. We met a group warming up for Longs by doing this hike. We also saw some Longs Peak summiteers celebrating in the parking lot after a successful attempt. It was a fun vibe to be around. Can't help but wonder if I will ever be ready for Longs myself.

Summer 2014 Hikes- part one

Here is a quick summary of the hikes I did so far this summer. I have been getting more in this summer than last so I had to break it down. These are the ones I enjoyed in May and June. Hiking is kind of like home improvements- the more you do the more you notice you want to do next. It will be years before my Colorado hiking wish list is exhausted.

First "summer" hike was on Memorial Day. But within a half mile the trail was snow covered and often we were walking on three feet or more of packed snow. We did not really have a destination but we walked about seven miles round trip on the Longs Peak Trail. Note to self: if a super fit local tells me a cool spot is ten minutes away, count on it being more than 50 minutes away.....but still worth the trek.

Greyrock- west of Fort Collins. This seven mile loop was an excellent way for me and three other teachers to start off our summer vacation. This also was Willow's first real hike. This trail had meadows, views, streams and after the uphill workout we enjoyed a stop at O'Dells Brewery in Fort Collins. Definitely want to plan a bike and brew trip back to Fort Collins.

Geocaching is not as good here in Colorado as it was in NJ but this short trek to "Colorado Stonehenge" was certainly a find. Hope to get back here in the autumn for a campfire and picnic with the family.

While not officially a hike, walking around Lake McIntosh is how I stayed conditioned between hikes. I never tire of the views and animals I see on this walk. The animals include bald eagles, prairie dogs, blue heron, pelicans (yes pelicans!) and even cows procreating- first time seeing that!

St. Mary's Glacier in Idaho Springs is a short two mile round trip hike but the views are spectacular. It is well worth the 90 minute drive and five dollar parking fee.

This was my first time to the Wild Basin entrance to RMNP. Great place and I look forward to exploring more of the trails here. Katie and I were on the hunt for the wildflower, Fairy Slippers, which is in the Orchid Family. We successfully located some on the way down. We also saw a large snowshoe hare.

Even though we set our hiking club dates over a month in advance, so far Colorado weather odds of 300 days of sunshine have been in our favor.....another spectacular day in the mountains. We left Longmont with a forecast of 90 degrees but enjoyed a perfect 70 degrees once we doubled our altitude from 5000 to 10000. The Dream and Emerald Lakes hike is really popular so it is good that we got to the trailhead by 8:30. Of all our hikes so far, this was the hardest to pick a single photo to represent.....there were so many great views. We were hoping to check out Lake Hiayaha too but that will need to wait for another time because there was just too much snow on that trail. On our way back we met a man with some fairies around his neck. He places them along the trail for photo shots. Pretty cool idea. I want to try to find him on tumbler.

On Father's Day we decided to take a family hike to Lost Lake which is a little past Nederland. When we arrived the trailhead was full so we needed to use a free shuttle from the High school parking lot. Just when the shuttle dropped us off we heard thunder and the skies darkened. Even though I checked the weather right before we left, I was starting to doubt our plan. Thankfully as we walked the skies brightened and we never did have to deal with a storm, just a lovely family hike.

While L&O were in NJ, Justin and I planned a long weekend for hiking and camping. The first hike we did was in Basalt, Co to Thomas Lakes. We thought this was going to be a quick hike but it turned out to be twice as long as we expected (7 instead of 3.5). But it was still a beautiful morning in the White River National Forest.

I had seen pictures from Hanging Lake pinned on Pinterest and I knew I wanted to visit this place while we were in Glenwood Springs. It was a short but very steep 1.2 trek up to the beautiful view. We did this hike on June 30 so that will wrap up part one of my summer hikes. Stay tuned for more shots of beautiful Colorado!

Making Lists

I have always been somewhat of a list person. When I was young I would go through the Sears catalog deciding what to order for my back to school clothes. As summer approaches I am equally excited about making two of my favorite
lists: Summer Reading and Summer Hiking.
Here are some of the books I hope to read this summer:

I read and enjoyed two young adult novels but Rainbow Rowell this year (Fangirl and Eleanor and Park). So I want to give her adult novel a try.
From Publishers Weekly
In sweet, silly, and incredibly long digital missives, best newsroom pals Beth and Jennifer trade gossip over their romances—What they don't know is that the newly hired computer guy, Lincoln, an Internet security officer charged with weeding out all things unnecessary or pornographic, is reading their messages. But lonely Lincoln lets the gals slide on their inappropriate office mail and gets hooked on their soapy dalliances, falling head over heels for the unlucky-in-love Beth.

Amazon Book Description: In a snug New England fishing village, Charlie St. Cloud tends the lawns and monuments of an ancient cemetery where his younger brother, Sam, is buried. After surviving the car accident that claimed his brother's life, Charlie is graced with an extraordinary gift: He can see, talk to, and even play catch with Sam's spirit. Into this magical world comes Tess Carroll, a captivating woman training for a solo sailing trip around the globe. Fate steers her boat into a treacherous storm that propels her into Charlie's life. Their beautiful and uncommon connection leads to a race against time and a choice between death and life, between the past and the future, between holding on and letting go — and the discovery that miracles can happen if we simply open our hearts.

Amazon Book Description
Publication Date: November 6, 2012
Alaska, 1920: a brutal place to homestead, and especially tough for recent arrivals Jack and Mabel. Childless, they are drifting apart--he breaking under the weight of the work of the farm; she crumbling from loneliness and despair. In a moment of levity during the season's first snowfall, they build a child out of snow. The next morning the snow child is gone--but they glimpse a young, blonde-haired girl running through the trees.

This little girl, who calls herself Faina, seems to be a child of the woods. She hunts with a red fox at her side, skims lightly across the snow, and somehow survives alone in the Alaskan wilderness. As Jack and Mabel struggle to understand this child who could have stepped from the pages of a fairy tale, they come to love her as their own daughter. But in this beautiful, violent place things are rarely as they appear, and what they eventually learn about Faina will transform all of them.

Every summer I read and enjoy a book by Kristin Hannah. I like her characters and always feel like I am with old friends. I have not yet decided which one I will choose for this summer- probably whichever is checked in at the library when I go tomorrow.

I like memoirs and I am constantly trying to cut down on sugar.... A "delightfully readable account of how one family survived a yearlong sugar-free diet and lived to tell the tale...A funny, intelligent, and informative memoir." —Kirkus

I really liked Nickel and Dimed and this topic interests me.

Book description from Amazon: From the New York Times bestselling author of Nickel and Dimed comes a brave, frank, and exquisitely written memoir that will change the way you see the world.

As for the hikes, check back at the end of the summer and I will have an update on which hikes I got to do with my favorite photo from each one.

Birthday wishes for a teenager

I have never planned a surprise party and now I know why.....it is so hard to keep a surprise a secret! This year I posted the message below on Facebook and emailed the note to friends and family:

Hello all. If u r getting this u r someone I think of often and I am hoping you can help me with this surprise for Laurel:

Laurel becomes a teenager soon. I want to surprise her with a mailbox full of love and advice for the teen years. She is really into mail right now so I think this will be fun. And u know how life is as a teenager- hoping she will realize that she is special when she sees the whole box full of mail for her. Here is our address:

Luckily our mailbox is on the corner and is locked with a key so no problem if the cards come early, I can just stick them back in the box right before she checks it on her birthday.
Thanks for taking time to bring a smile to her.

ps- no money or gifts please, just words of wisdom and LOVE

Pps- I know some of you do not know laurel too well but I know you well enough to know you have some great wisdom and love to share. If all else fails, just go on Pinterest and find I quote. I know you can do it! Thanks.

And finally- if this is just not the right time to do something like this, just hit delete. No offense taken. Hope you all are well.

I had no idea how much fun this was going to be. Going back to my earlier post about proactive and reactive friends- I was thrilled to learn I have many many proactive friends. It really warmed my heart to see how many people gave Laurel ten minutes of their day (and for some, HOURS of their day) to share some birthday love with Laurel. Each day I go to the mailbox and find more cards. I am so excited for her birthday to get here so I can share this wonderful surprise with her.

An unintended but equally wonderful surprise for me is how it has reconnected me with some friends. Unlike the annual Christmas card, I have been answering people's emails and catching up a little. It has really been good to catch up with old friends. I also did not expect this gift to be so much fun for me. Honestly- how often is it you get something in the mail other than bills or junk? For me it has been a three week streak of at least one real piece of mail in the mailbox! I am so excited to see her reaction when she goes to the mailbox.

Update: Here is a photo of the birthday girl getting her mail:

Thank you to all who helped make her thirteenth birthday very memorable.

Here is a video of the birthday girl getting her mail.

The Worse My Vision Gets, The More Clearly I See Things

So I thought Laurel and Owen were getting braces this year and I maxed out donations to flexible spending.....only to realize their teeth were not ready yet and it would be another year. So thanks to the wacky way this health care program works if you do not use it you lose it. So even though I was not desperate I went to the eye doctor to get some glasses and I used the balance on a lifetime supply of first aid kits, ace bandages and sunscreen.....I think I know what will be stocking stuffers this year:)
Aside from learning too much about the annoyance of healthcare spending plans, I learned that while a doctor may say my vision is worsening, I am seeing life clearer and clearer. I just love being in my forties! Even though my eyes make things a little fuzzy, my thinking and mind is so much clearer. If someone asks me to do something that really doesn't sound fun, I say no thanks. That is it. And when I look in the mirror (thanks to my less than perfect vision) I do not see my imperfections as clearly as my thirteen year old daughter is able to notice details of beginning skin tabs or sun spots. In short I am able to worry less and live more and that only makes this whole decade that much better.

Proactive or Reactive?

In my career I have always been frustrated by reactive leadership and motivated by proactive leadership but I am starting to see this more and more with relationships too. I know life is hectic and time is so tight. But it has always amazed and frustrated me how people always seem to make time for wakes and funerals but not to meet a friend for coffee. I for one will go on the record saying I would much rather have a good visit while I am healthy than many many visits during an illness or tragedy. Rather than reacting to a bad thing happening, be proactive with your friendships and get together for the fun times.

New Years Changes

"At least three times a day ask yourself what is really important. Have the wisdom and the courage to build your life around your answer." Dr. Lee Jampolsky

Like a lot of other people, I start off the New Year trying to improve mind and body. I have read two books that have really helped me along this path.

I came across this blog several months ago.
As soon as I saw this lady was coming out with a book I added it to my amazon cart. The subtitle sounded like the exact intervention I needed. While I am pretty aware of too much screen time, my things to do lists were really taking me over. I tracked the shipping and saw my book would be arriving on Friday- perfect! Nothing like having a whole weekend to enjoy a new book. But then I got an email from UPS that my package would be delayed due to icy roads. So I had to wait until Wednesday. Fear not - I had plenty to keep me busy for the weekend. So far this book is just what I needed to help me with my goal. I can't say much of the information or strategies are exactly new but it is great timing to read this book while trying to focus on what really matters.

So now that I am nurturing my soul, I needed to work on my body. There was no denying that my ski pants fit a lot better last year. But even more than getting clothes to feel loser, I wanted to get rid of my migraines.

Here is a little back info: I have been plagued with migraines since being a teenager. Over time I have figured out a few culprits (fake sugar) but for the most part I have relied pretty heavily on Relpax for the last ten years. Now I have new insurance which does not cover this pricey fix and rather than starting to search for another drug I figured I wanted to try to find out the root cause.

A friend of my raved about The Conscious Cleanse so I bought the book, started using my blender for green smoothies instead of fun cocktails and geared up for this big change by weening myself off of caffeine and most sugar. In September I did my first conscious cleanse. The first four days were HELL, sugar withdrawal is an awful experience. I was sure I must be sick with some potent virus. But after I got all the sugar out of my system I really started to feel the benefits. The most amazing thing was not needing to take any sort of painkiller (Advil or Relpax) for almost four months. (Without really wanting to, I confirmed the sugar- migraine connection when I ate too many Christmas cookies....ugh!). At any rate- without sounding preachy- I want all my fellow migraine sufferers to know what I wish my neurologist told me ten years ago- sugar can cause migraines.

Side note: one of my favorite parts of the Conscious Cleanse was the focus on taking time for yourself, including baths. I bought six bags of these Epsom salt baths photoed below. This link also tells all the benefits of Epsom salt.

Great article: The Power of Epsom Salt

2013 Wrap-up

Already the end of another year. I have no complaints but I have a feeling 2014 will be even better. Now that we are settled in our home that will leave us more time for exploring more trails and places and having good times with friends and family.
I am not inspired with much to write about but just so I can remember twenty years from now, here is a quick recap of the highlights of 2013
January: Closed on our house
February: Moved out of the two bedroom apartment and into our house- so good to be in a house again.
March: Owen becomes a Boy Scout.
April: Grammy visits our house for the first time.
May: Outdoor activities abound...hiking, biking, swimming, tennis. Life is good.
June: First time back to NJ as a visitor.
July: Willow comes to live with us.
August: Laurel and Owen start school- back to the easy schedule with them both in the same school.
September: First trip with the camper in Colorado. Also worst flooding I have ever seen.
October: Nana visits our house for the first time.
November: We host Thanksgiving and take a trip to Vail.
December: What a difference a year makes- wonderful holiday season with friends and family.

Below I chose some favorite photos of my favorite people from 2013. I am so glad I can explore this wonderful state with Justin, Laurel, Owen and Willow.