This is Pretty True...

Not surprised to see the 50-50 split for crime. I do have some conservative views on that area..

You Are 25% Conservative, 75% Liberal

Social Issues: 25% Conservative, 75% Liberal Personal Responsibility: 25% Conservative, 75% Liberal Fiscal Issues: 25% Conservative, 75% Liberal Ethics: 0% Conservative, 100% Liberal Defense and Crime: 50% Conservative, 50% Liberal

How Liberal Or Conservative Are You?

Dog Days of Summer...

Looks like it is finally going to turn super hot. We have had many days in the 90s, and the humidity has been high recently, but no 100 degree days. Looks like that will change this week. Ew!

A Fun Summer for Daddy...

While stressful at times, in running hither and yon, I really enjoyed more time with the girls this summer. We spent large amounts of time together, the Friday half-days or days I took off. As you can see in this picture, they pretty much have the run of the house, but we enjoy it! I look to continue this throughout the year. It gives them a break from school, and me a break from work!

A Month Into The New Routine...

Everyone seems to be adjusting. Girls like their school and come home with more and more projects everyday. Kerry seems to adjusting well to third grade as well. School is school, she says. I have like my new role, being a little more of the go-to guy for the girls. Except when they wake me in the morning, like they did this weekend!
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Relaxing weekend...an 8 miler today. Maybe some used book store action too, but no heavy lifting this weekend! In two weeks we'll make our summer pilgrimage to Pennsylvania. I will be taking Lucy on the Rollo Coaster at Idlewild. Fun!

Daddy Day Care!

So I get to spend the next two Fridays completely with my girls! Today, after we get through our morning tv watching, we will head out to Jumping Beans...one of those inflatable playrooms. Should be fun, as we have not done that since Lucy's 3rd birthday. We will see what else the weekend holds, but whatever, we will spend lots of quality time together.

Zzzzzzzzzzz...

That is my plans for the weekend. What a week! Kerry went back to the classroom, the girls went to preschool/daycare, and I exhausted myself...phew!

I Love Open Source and Linux!

I think y'all know that about me, but it just works! I spent a lot of this holiday weekend building an image for our 200+ eeePCs. We want to move them from the stock Xandros to the new Ubuntu Netbook Remix. So I finetuned the software and settings. A fun project!
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Please check out K-12 Open Source Classroom. You can find it at www.k12opensourceclassroom.org. I try to keep it up to date with using open source in a K-12 school system.

Here is what we've been talking about:


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Images of Wordles are licensed .

Happy Fourth of July...

Famous People Discussing the Divine Comedy

Pretty neat painting...


Discussing the Divine Comedy with Dante

Morgause Car Wash

Fun times yesterday! And lots of sparkly cars/bikes afterward!

4th of July Already?

The middle of summer already, and I cannot believe it! I guess with the new schedule, summer will not seem like the traditional summer of years past. Kerry begins school next week and the girls will start preschool/daycare next week too. Yesterday, I spent the morning with them. Phew! I have a new found respect for my wife having done this everyday the past four years! We went to the store (Lowes' Foods) to find the Betty Crocker guten-free cake mixes. We found it and went home to make the cupcakes. Then we spent some time washing our bikes/trikes/Kia. Fun day! Not sure what is on the agenda today, but we will enjoy being together!

My Future Hockey Star

As promised, take a look at Lucy's stick handling! Not bad for a four year old!

Going Back...Back...Back to School...Again....

Whoooooa--o, Kerry's going back to schoooooooollll...Ok, better stop before she gets mad at me! (-: We spent this morning first taking a look at the preschool/day care we will use for the girls when they go back on July 6th, then we went to Kerry's new school. I think we chose a good one, and the girls seemed pleased. Pretty neat that they focus on the 'curriculum,' which will include Spanish, yoga (yes, yoga!), and *both* will receive daily computer time! A tech daddy's dream come true!
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Afterware, we went to Kerry's new school. While three years old, it is still relatively new in terms of public schools. Kerry's classroom is on the second floor, and she will enjoy a ton of space! The girls helped us get some things together today. Now, just a little bit longer until we begin this crazy new schedule.

It's a Hockey Night in Raleigh...

Lucy finished her hockey class through Parks and Rec this week. I must say, she surprised me with her skill! I will probably post a video up here soon, one that shows how the girl can stick handle. Keeping in mind that she is four and a half, I could not believe the way she dragged the ball around. Also keeping in mind, the sticks they used were the big puffy rubber ones. I doubt I could do any better. Now I will need to follow up and get her used to a stick!

Let The Toastiness Begin...

Yup, summer returns to Raleigh in a big way this weekend. After some mild teasing of 90s, today it looks like 100+. 88 already at 10:30. I went for a short run earlier, and the humidity killed me! Phew!
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Looks like a storm may be brewing on the horizon. Kerry accepted a 3rd grade teaching position at a school about 20 minutes away. We knew this moment would come, but we thought we would have a little longer to prepare. She will being July 7th, so it's a year round school. Now the mad rush to settle on a daycare.

Where We've Been...

Well, right here. Although between trips to Pullen Park, the Beach with my folks, my folks being down, and finishing out the school year of work, there has been little to no downtime. But we're back now!
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The big news is tonight is the first night Myra will sleep in a big girl bed. Mattress and boxsprings on the floor with a gate. The crib is still in the room, but we think she's ready. I will have to post tomorrow to confirm or deny that fact!

Our Little Kittycat...

This just makes me smile. One of those things I hope I never forget about my daughter. Myra's latest greatest game is to put on Lucy's old 'Marie' (The Aristocats) Halloween costume. And I don't just mean for a few minutes. She will leave it on all day, and meow, meow, meow all day. She has a great imagination!

Let's Go Canes!

Well, after the first two games, I definitely did not predict we would be down 2-0, and having just lost game 2 7-4. While we are down two nothing and the Pens fan (and my uncles!) are already setting their sites on the Red Wings, I think we're still in it. Staal has been invisible, so he is due to show up. Cam either is injured or sick...he does not give up goals like he has been doing. I hope it's an illness and he's over it. So, it's not over yet. Elvis is still in the building. A longer road, but whatever it takes!

Hanging Out for the Weekend

Not a real busy weekend, but have done a few things. Nice that we receive this break from hockey. Game 1 is tomorrow night in Pittsburgh, and it has been nice just hanging out and not really worrying about hockey. We went downtown yesterday for Artsplosure. It was in Moore Square, and except for the initial downpour, we had a nice time. Target sponsored it, and they had many art activities for the girls. Then we came home and hung out, before a fun time at the playground. And as you see in the picture, we have been playing dress-up regularly. In fact, my little cat (Myra) has her outfit on again!
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Let's Go Canes!

And We Reach the Conference Finals...

Against the Pens. What more could you ask for?? And the city is starting to catch the fever, as you can see in this picture. The Boston round was a great swing of emotion, with them finally pulling it out, barely, on my birthday. Scott Walker, Anna's Daddy, with the game winner.
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Kerry's dad and I have our tickets for game 4. Will be another exciting round!

What Type of Learner Am I?

You Are a Auditory Learner

You tend to remember what you hear, and you have a knack for speaking well. You excel at debating, foreign languages, and music. You would be an excellent diplomat - or rock star!

What's Your Learning Style?

It's Saturday...That Means More Hockey!

Pens and Caps today. Good because it is kind of a sluggish day. I went for a run this morning, a sluggish one too, and then we went to pick strawberries. My three pro pickers were done in no time, and then we stopped at Tarjay on the way home. While I watch the game now, the girls are napping, but when they wake up, I believe we will go wash the Kia. Just a nice, calm weekend!

AND CANES TOMORROW!

Just A Random Funny...

I noticed this when I came downstairs the other day. If you know me, you know this is my hockey 'stool' that I sit in during playoff games. Gotta love my girls!

And We Start Round Two...

Well, we're not looking too good tonight, according to the scoreboard, but two of our goals were created by two bonehead plays by us. And what is with us not getting a powerplay? They are a clutching, slashing bunch. Lots of interference too. But my girls, as you can see, are psyched for the playoffs.
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Fun weekend coming! We will head out to pick strawberries tomorrow. Maybe some shopping at Tarjay, and then game one of the Pens--Craps series. Go Pens! Would love a Conference Finals of Hurricanes/Penguins. Sunday will probably be an outdoor day, followed by game two of the Pens.

The Shock at The Rock

The Rock being the home of the Devils. The shock being the Canes tying and going ahead to win Game 7 and move on to the semi-finals against the Bruins. Kerry's Dad and I have our tickets for Game 3!

Playoffs in Full Swing

Penguins wrapped up the Flyguys last night. Now I am anxiously awaiting what I hope will the Caps being wrapped up today. And then after we go to Laura's party tonight, we come home to the Hurricanes. Down 3-2, I feel good that they will win tonight, then Tuesday, anything is possible.
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Spring Break Fun

What a great week! After arriving home from Pittsburgh on Monday, we definitely made the most of the week, enjoying lots of family time! On Tuesday I took Lucy to school, then served as a chaperone for her field trip. They went to a local park for a 'safety and fun' program. As you see in the picture, she learned some boating safety, fire safety, and car safety. It was really fun to take her and see how she interacts with the other students. Especially the daughter of one of our hockey players! Heehee! Of course her Daddy was in New Jersey, but that's alright! Haha!
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Wednesday night we took the girls over to Grammie and Grandpa's for their first overnight. How quiet it was at our house! Then on Thursday we went to Old Salem. We had a nice walk through the town and one of the cemeteries, then stopped at Panera for a yummy lunch before coming home to enjoy the quiet before the girls came home. If nothing else, that will definitely encourage us to try this more often. We definitely need the time as a couple, and there are many places we want to visit and revisit throughout the area!
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Today we went over to Durant Nature Park and will go to Graysen's fourth birthday party tonight. Tomorrow is the hockey game with Kerry's dad, then Monday I will be back to work! )-:

Test blog

Just trying the mobile blogging feature!

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Sent from my mobile device

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Playoff Hockey!

Gotta love it. Both the Pens and Canes went into OT last night. And both won! W00t! Kerry's Dad and I will attend game three tomorrow night at the RBC Center. A big win by the Canes, and maybe we can sneak into the next round!

Trip to PA, Easter 2009

More to come--after our trip North, I have been on Spring Break, and we have throughly enjoyed it!

2009 Playoffs

It has been since 2001 since both of my teams made it to the playoffs (Pens and Canes). Of course, I went to Game 7 in 2006 and saw the Canes hoist the Cup. So now we find ourselves back. I am simultaneously watching game 2 of the Canes-NJD series and the Pens--Flyguys. Canes dropped game one, and are tied after two tonight. Fingers crossed!

Not Too Shabby...

68 words

Speedtest

Nice, Calm, Weekend!

These types of weekends are what I live for. Kerry and I both went for a run yesterday morning between the raindrops. Then we went to a party for a friend at Wynn's house. I love seeing how the girls interact with each other and new people. My friends are big sportsmen, so they have a den with many deer heads and other animals. Lucy just loved seeing them all over.

This morning we went to BJs and FINALLY GOT MY 32" TV. W00t! It looks huge on our mantle. I already watched the end of the Game 7 Canes win on it--and it looked GOOD! Then Lucy and I rode bikes all over the neighborhood. It was SO much fun. Just the little things that make me appreciate my family so much!

Busy Busy Busy

I really need to quit saying things 'couldn't possibly get any busier.' After last weekend, the week went quickly. My mom flew in on Saturday, and we have been enjoying her time here. Of course the rain really has not stopped since Friday. We hope to get out today, even for a few minutes. And we're all SICK! I went to the doctor this afternoon and have some meds to hopefully get over this crud again. Then on Saturday we have a Canes game with Kerry's dad and Shannon. Go Canes!

Back To Work...

After the annual NCTIES Conference in Raleigh, and a weekend working with a school in Cullowhee, I am looking forward to returning to my real job tomorrow! I feel that after 6 months on the job, I am ready to begin putting forth some changes and letting my ideas come out. We have a great thing going, and I look forward to continuing that!
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Loved seeing the girls for the day. We took them to preschool and picked them up. I peeked in Myra's class, she saw me, and danced over to the door. I loved that! Then we played the rest of the day. We made it through a relatively warm day (84), and as you can see in the picture, the girls had some rosy cheeks!

Yeah, I Am Hooked on Lost

So we started with the first few episodes when it started. But we didn't get interested in it. Well, with the end of last season, I became hooked. So here it is now!

Things I Want to Remember

There are so many things that happen with my girls that I want to make sure I remember for the rest of my life. I guess this blog sort of exists to be that journal that will help me. For instance, in this picture, my little Ubuntu baby. Surely she is the first Open Source Baby out there! She was just so cute in putting the sticker on her and saying Ubuntu. Then tonight, reading our new favorite book, The Grinch, before bed. We make up our own part, all three of us singing the 'Welcome Christmas' song twice during the story. Just things to warm my heart!

A March Snowstorm Here?

Yup, that's what it appears will happen later today. After two days of rain (about 2 inches worth--take that drought!), tonight it will turn to snow. We could expect 3-6 inches, with more to the West. So I am in snow mode--told Kerry not to make my lunch for tomorrow, pumping up the girls for snow play, and I pull the wipers off the windshield. Hopefully I can post some wintery pictures tomorrow!

Excitement in the Neighborhood

All over a burning tree. It was pretty spectacular though, as I looked out at another strip of townhouses nearby, and saw smoke and flames billowing. Neighbors running frantically, and one busting a window to get another's dog out. Three firetrucks, EMS, police, what a scene! And after going to investigate (with every other neighbor in the neighborhood), it was just a tree!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Well, we are actually postponing Valentines here until tomorrow. Lucy spent the night at Grammie and Grandpa's, so we will have to finish a 'special' project for Mommy tomorrow.

My Little Ballerinas!

Well, Lucy is the one taking classes, but Myra likes to get dressed up as well. Lucy goes weekly, in a 4-6 year old class. It is so neat to watch her in there. I am reminded of our 'Little Sprouts' sports classes we took last summer. She will be an excellent student, as she just really listens and does exactly what is asked.

Super Bowl Champs

Crazy family, eh? We just ended a great visit with Nana, PapPap, and Grandma. We are so happy that Grandma made the trip, and I also got to interview her for posterity. I hope to begin work on our family tree. I found a great resource, dynastree.com, which helps make an easy family tree.

Happy Birthday Myra!

So my baby girl turned two this past week. Wow! Where did all that time come? Seems like just yesterday we were at Rex Med, and I was down at the McDonalds, in the snow, emailing pictures out. What a ride! Myra is definitely becoming her own person, which we love seeing. She definitely idolizes her big sister too!

A Cold Dam Run

Just wanted to take a quick moment to reflect on my run this morning. A good 6 miler from our house, to Falls Lake Dam, and through a variety of toepath hiking trails. During my Marathon training two years ago, I discovered the Falls Lake Trail, part of the Mountains to Sea Trail here in North Carolina. The FLT, 26 miles from start to finish, consists of a variety of 3-4 mile segments that spill out onto roads. Beautiful! We are so lucky to have such great trails so close. If I choose to complete another marathon this year, I will spend many hours and miles on these trails. We hope to get out with Lucy to do some hiking as well. Myra may not be quite ready yet!

My Online Gym

You will probably notice my Running Challenge on the sidebar. I wanted to find an online recordkeeping/workout site, and stumbled upon Gyminee. It will keep track of workouts, photos, and progress, while also providing you with many different challenges for motivation. This one is a 100 mile challenge, which I hope to have finished in March. Root me on!

Inauguration Picnic

So with all the snow this week, we all had the opportunity to watch the inauguration together. As you see, this was our lunch picnic, right at the time of the oath (the first one, haha!). It was pretty neat to have the girls there watching with us.
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Busy week of work, then we will have my folks coming into town on Friday. My Grandma will also make the trip, which we're excited about. They will be the first to stay with us since the girls began sharing a room. Besides the first 20 minutes of playing, they are doing well with it, so we will see how long that lasts!

Let It Snow...

Fun day. Multiple outings out in the snow. Unfortunately it was just some powdery snow, but we still made snowballs, trekked through the snow, and enjoyed it. Probably about 5-7 inches overall. Now school is canceled for tomorrow, due to BLACK ICE! Heehee!

Which Linux Distro Am I?

Which Linux distribution are you? My Result: I'm a Gentoo Chris I am a centered Zen master. I can enjoy games and media, but they aren't a way of life. I prefer to be the engineer building them instead. I am the hardest of workers, and I set a pretty brisk pace. Quiz School Take this quiz & get your result

Powered By ProProfs: Create A Quiz

All Through The House...

...we await the snowfall! Yup, a forecasted 4-6 inches possible tonight through tomorrow. Of course I have wound the kids up pretty tight. I am just so excited to have ONE real snowfall. Snowmen, snow cream, heck, Myra has not even really seen snow yet. Cross your fingers!

A+ Day

A+, not because it's a great day, but I am spending the day studying to take my A+ Certification test. It is pretty much just a basic test of the hardware and software for computers and an industry standard.

Here are the results from a practice test I just took:


Score » 98 out of 100
Total Correct » 39 out of 40 correct
% Score » 97.5 %
Min. Pass % » 75 %
Result » Pass
Taken By » Chris
Time Taken » 15 mins 49 secs

See if you can beat me:

Essentials comptia A+ » Quiz School

What Metal Am I?

You Are Copper

You are provocative and challenging. You help people realize who they really are. You live a very balanced life. You always take time for love and art. You are both a powerful and generous person. You always have time to give back. People find you to be incredibly ethical and loyal.

What Metal Are You?

Baby, It's Cold Outside...

Wow! Single digits tonight and tomorrow night. We won't get out of the 20s tomorrow. While those Northerners may laugh, that is COLD for North Carolina. NO SNOW though! )-:

Running!

So it is my turn this year. November 1st, 2009 is the target for the marathon that I hope to run. I have not yet signed up for it, so I am not too committed, but I am trying to get into race shape. Ran a six miler today, down to the Falls Dam. It was my second in two weeks, and I felt pretty good. I hope to do an 8 miler next week on the Falls Lake Trail. Man, how I missed that trail! I am sure I will continue to update you on my progress!

Reflecting and Anticipating...

2008 was a pretty good year for us. I had a good year professionally. Continued for awhile at the State level, continued to make connections, and then made the move to become a Director of Technology for a local County School System. It has been a pretty good move for me. I continue to make some connections, while making a larger impact on a greater number of students. I also am working toward earning some professional certifications that will help me in the future.
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Familywise, things are GREAT! Lucy made the transition to 4 day a week preschool with ease. She continues to amaze us with her 'smarts,' and her kindness. She is such a compassionate little girl too. Myra also did well in starting two day a week preschool. She continues to discover her personality, and I can see she is going to be a little comedian. "MOMMY," in her best Exorcist voice. Haha! Kerry does well also, renewing her teaching license, as it appears she will go back into the classroom. She spent much of her time (besides being Mom!) training for her marathon. She completed the City of Oaks Marathon in November, with her loud cheering squad along the course.
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So what can we expect in 2009? Well, I hope to earn two professional certifications. I also plan to take my crack at another City of Oaks Marathons. Kerry looks to go back into the classrooom, so that we can make plans for a larger house eventually. Lucy and Myra will finish up preschool, then we will see what happens with that. A busy year, yet again!

Happy 2009--With Cable!

Well, as of 12:07AM, we still have VH1, Noggin, Nick, MTV, and all the Viacom channels. I am heading to bed, so I hope we'll still have them in the AM!
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Happy New Year!

The End of 2008...

Busy year. Two jobs, big trip to Texas, and, oh yeah, growing children. On this last day of the year, we'll try not to become too introspective, but we were busy, that's for sure. And busy yesterday too, what with the carpet cleaning, oil changing, car inspecting, toy playing, Christmas tree/light taking downing, and so much more. Phew! A slower day today. A run, trip to K-mart, and no big New Year's plans. We need a rest!

Home Again!

We survived another trip up North to the Great White North. Well, this year the Great White was the Great Green as temps soared into the high 60s in Pittsburgh. Our trip to Pittsburgh was nice, as we actually got out to the playground across the street, then we went over to a local library that I never knew existed. And what a library! It was in a large, older building. The floors were wood, they creaked, and the childrens' section was huge! Madison did an awesome job reading to both Lucy and Myra. Cole found lots of military books, and Uncle Gary rented movies. Yup, their library actually rents out movies. So cool!
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We got to finally have a Bull Dogs hotdog. It was alright, and their fries weren't bad. Coming home was a long trip, but we're home now, and have big plans for the week. Photos will be coming soon, as will the changing of the cars' oil, the cleaning of the carpets, and the cleaning of the sinks. Fun times!

Merry Christmas Eve!

So it starts! After a fun day yesterday (we met Greysen and Emma Kate at Marbles), Christmas Eve is here! This morning we hung out, I went for a 4 miler, then we went to Falls Dam and hiked around. Definitely a lot of fun being out in the open with the girls. And few were out to join us. I envision the rest out at the malls, stuck in traffic, and grumbly. Ahh...the outdoors!
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Once MJ wakes up, we will pack up to head to the Flanigans for Christmas Eve dinner. Mark, Christie, Aidan, and Maeve flew in this morning. Shannon will be up as well, so a nice family gathering. Then after presents tomorrow morning, we are heading up to PA for a few days, and we're looking forward to all those 'free cupoccino stops' at Sheetz! I think there are 7 on the way!

My Cute Little Snowglobe!

A SUITE Hockey Game...

Yeah, pretty good pun there, eh? Well, after many opportunities washed out, we finally attended a hockey game from a luxury suite. All four of us went, plus it was Bobblehead Night! As you can see, the girls throughly enjoyed it!

Tea For Two...or Six...

Our girls experienced the high life last weekend! Kerry, her cousins, and the girls decided to hold a 'high tea' with dress up, cookie decorating, and some serious fun. I love the creativity of my wife, providing all these opportunities for our girls. Neat, neat things! Of course I am a little late in posting, but the meaning is still there!

What Do My Snow Preferences Say About Me?

Your Snow Test Says You're Independent

You feel like something good will happen to you in the next few days. You love to work, especially when work is creative. You have the makings of a successful artist. You are an independent, individualistic person. You thrive when you're doing your own thing. Your biggest worry in your life is your health. You tend to be a bit of a hypochondriac. When it comes time to relax, you have difficulty relaxing. You are a bit high strung.

The Snow Test

My Linuxy, Christmasy, Baby Girl!

Optimistic View...

No matter if we make the playoffs again, ever, we'll always have this:

Definitely Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas...

I believe the hint is when you see the zambonis with Christmas lights on
Kerry and I received the pleasure to take in a Canes game while the in-laws watched the girls. It was our first together since before Myra. Hard to believe! We wished the outcome was a little better (Canes lost in OT), but I knew that would happen with the new/old coach. Yup, shortly before that, the Canes fired Stanley Cup winning coach Peter Laviolette to replace him with Paul Maurice. Yes, the Paul Maurice that was fired from the Hurricanes. Yes, the Paul Maurice that was fired from the Toronto Maple Leafs after not making the playoffs at all.
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Players, even from different teams, do get in the holiday spirit! Look at this hugging! {/sarcasm}

Lucy and Myra Boogie to the Bunny Hop

I remember posting the video of Lucy doing the Bunny Hop a few years ago. Now Myra gets involved. And she is quite the little dancer!

Surfing The Web!

Boy, how my girls love the computer! They are actually quite good at navigating around. We spend some time on a variety of websites, including Starfall (www.starfall.com), Sesame Street, and even some YouTube videos. Lucy spends some time on some painting applications, and she especially enjoys TuxPaint, a free, open-source application. Lately, we have been designing cards for family using Open Office.
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We try not to have them use the computer too much, as too much like TV, but I think we also realize these digital resources will be their future. I think, in moderation, we are providing them with the tools they will need as they grow-up. And Daddy likes to share those with his girls! (-:

NCETC 2008

Back to Greensboro for yet another conference. Unfortunately, I believe this may be the last for awhile. I just do not pull as much from the conference like I used to. I guess it is not exclusive to this conference, as I felt this overall at NECC as well. In the future, I plan to open it up to teachers in my district, as I feel that will help us generate more interest in technology. I do certainly enjoy the networking a conference offers though. Lots of my ex-colleagues and 'plurkers' are here, so I do benefit from that sharing of knowledge. Interesting though, how each of the past four years, I've been in a different place for this conference!

Yeah, I Am Old Skool, Fo' Sho'!