12/29/11

Keegan: My uncle Seth and I hooked my xbox up to live so now I can play games with friends online and I PWNED at a game called Grifball.

Anjeanette: I saw Bauchman (just a meet and greet) and Perry (a town hall meeting).  Even though I am not a Republican, I still found this very interesting. Plus, I met a couple from Tennessee.  They were wonderful to talk to before and after (and a little during) the Perry affair.

 Also, I swam a mile and used flip turns!  I'm no good at it right now and I can feel the after effects of chlorine up my nose, but it's still progress!

12/28/11

Keegan: I made a catapult out of a mouse trap that defended against an attacking Gingerbread army!

Anjeanette:  I think it was making "Christmas" dinner while mom was away tending to a work emergency.  We all pulled together and made a great meal for her to come home to!  (But it might be using the mouse trap catapults against the Gingerbread army with my kiddo!)

12/27/11

Keegan: I had my second Christmas in Ames, Iowa.
Anjeanette:  Setting up for Keegan's Christmas.  We had a catapult  manned by gingerbread men with gingerbread men "flying" through the air, gingerbread men in the tree and "flames" in the tree as if the gingerbread man siege was successful.  Coming up with the ideas (and executing them) with GDad and Seth was a lot of fun. 

12/26/11

Keegan: My  best friend Collin came over and we played MW3 against each other. He dominated but...

Anjeanette: Went to Des Moines and ran in the Sailsbury Oaks neighborhood.










The best part was when I stopped to look around the Sailsbury House, I saw two bucks just standing there.  I slowly got closer and eventually they took off.  A wonderful ending to a wonderful run.

12/25/11

Keegan: UMMM ITS FRAKING CHRISTMAS!
Anjeanette: Since we are holding out for Christmas until Keegan returns and everything is closed, the best part of my day has been watching the cats.  Jingles "attacked" Mochi earlier today and then Mochi just about fell off the banister.  Ah.  The simple pleasures of pets.

12/24/11

Keegan: Well its Christmas Eve, I designed a Lego Panzer Tank, and I watched Role Models, Grandma's Boy, and Casino Royale.
Anjeanette: Swimming.  I haven't swam since October and although the pool wasn't the greatest, it was nice getting back into the water.

12/23/11

Keegan: Well, my cousin Jack is acting like a dog and Dakota is going to a hockey game to oggle girls. Pretty funny.
Anjeanette: Getting a pedicure with my mom.  I love getting pedicures!

12/22/11

Keegan: I got to play a game of capture the flag with Seth on Halo Reach. Although there was an incredible lag,we still had had fun. Together we had one kill, mine, where a blue stole my plasma grenade.

Anjeanette: We were in Kansas City on our way to Ames and I asked Keeg what he wanted for lunch.  "How about Gates?"  I was surprised.  I figured there was no way we would be having BBQ since I knew my son had been hankering for some Jimmy John's. So we went, had a nice lunch and on the way out, I mentioned that I had been surprised that he had wanted BBQ.  He said, "Oh, I didn't.  But I knew that was what you would want."  What a wonderful son.

12/21/11

Like this, but at night and with a movie in the background!

Keegan: I enjoyed the irony that on the last day of school, we had the most difficult Geometry assignment yet.
Anjeanette: The Wednesday night run.  Ran with a whole group tonight, but Ty and I broke off to shorten the run.  We went along the Crystal Bridges trail where we saw the "Ash House" at night.  Wasn't sure it would be worth seeing, but the lighting changes!  At the end of the trail we passed by the skating rink where they were showing "A White Christmas."  A perfect evening run!

12/20/11

Keegan: In the fitness test I did 30 push ups.

Anjeanette: When I was picking up some cokes for my son I ran into Mrs. Bowman, who, it appears will be a major spokesperson for me in my quest to work closer to home.  I also met my cashier, a friendly Southern lady, after telling her that I came for Coke, like a true American.  It's funny how Coke can truly bring us all closer together.

12/19/11

Keegan: I made an electromagnet in science and my team picked up the most paperclips.  We picked up 10.
Anjeanette: Some of my former geography students, who are now seniors, posted on my Facebook wall about the death of Kim Jong Il.  Not sure I should be so pleased that they think of me when they hear about a genocidal egotist, but I'm so proud that they remember learning abut him in my class!

12/18/11

Keegan: Seeing a very funny 30 Rock for the 1st time ever.
Anjeanette: Going running today and, of the 4 other runners I saw, I knew 2 of them.

12/17/11

Keegan: Skating at Austin Whitley's Birthday Party.
Anjeanette: The little dog with the tongue that always always hangs out of his mouth.  So cute!

12/16/11

Keegan: Just when I thought my day couldn't get any better when my mom rented Halo 3, she also brought home a gaming hat.

Anjeanette:  At the Rush Running Christmas Party, I won an Inca hat in a drawing.  I left the party early (since I was falling asleep standing up) When I got home, my son asked what I got in the Dirty Santa.  I had to tell him that I left before they got to my number, so I didn't know what I would get.

Then I remembered the hat.  I thought he'd like it, but his excitement was more than I could have hoped for.  Now his "gaming hat," he explained how it fit the description of a "gaming hat" perfectly!  It seems earflaps are key.

12/15/11

Keegan: Although I won seven cross country awards, the best part of my day was building my wooden sheep toy with Alex Siemens for the exam in technology class.

Anjeanette: The Cross Country Banquet. My son had not wanted to run Cross Country but now misses it.   He likes running.  He loves running with friends. 

After the dinner, the coaches presented many awards.  Some were based on performance (Keegan got 6th for 8th Grade Boys), some on grades (Keeg got one of those, too), and others were on attendance to practice, time trials, and meets.

It was nice for them to have awards that most of the students could win.  As Woody Allen said, "80 percent of success is just showing up."  I was very proud of my son for being the only child to win the perfect attendance award.  No missed practices, time trials, or meets.  Coach Flynn said Keegan got this reward because of me.  I dismissed this idea at first; it's because of Keegan.  He wanted to be there.  But it was a nice reminder that Keegan and I are a team.  We look out for what is best for the family.  And what's best for this family?  Running.

12/14/11

Keegan: Social Studies.  We had the entire period to work on our poster on the "Cuber" Missile Crisis, so we could just talk in class.  Do whatever.

Anjeanette: My student, Nick, bringing the middle school teachers cups of hot cocoa from the 2nd grade Christmas store.

12/13/11: Update

Anjeanette: So as of now, my best moment of the day is holding Baby Karsten Templeton.  So sweet.  And mom looked great.  So wonderful to be part of their special day.

12/13/11

Keegan: Having Alex over.
Anjeanette: The best part of my day was that my son was able to have a friend over with zero planning.  I am so glad we moved to a place where that is possible!  (and that Kyla had her baby!)

12/12/11

Keegan: I got a 100 on my research plan for Science Fair!
Anjeanette: Stopping by Kyla's while running with Kim and Robert tonight.  She's going in to be induced tomorrow, so seeing her on her last pre-baby evening was really special!

12/11/11

It's not clear, but the user name is "TheSpacewaffle"

Keegan:
Best part of the day was making rank of Captain on Halo!


 




Anjeanette:
 This morning I went running with Ty through the Crystal Bridges trails and decided to take Keeg there later.  I thought taking pictures with the animals would be fun.  And like always, it was.

"The Way of Light" aka: The Ash Building  

State Capitol Building in Honolulu

But the best part was the building that we thought was the bathroom (although we agreed it was a little grandiose to be a bathroom!). 

View inside "The Ash Building"

There are seats along the perimeter and ash in the center.  I still have no idea the purpose of the building (even after looking it up on the Crystal Bridges website), but it reminded me of the state capitol in Honolulu. (The purpose of that building is much clearer.)

  I will always remember discovering what this building was all about (with Keeg) .

12/10/11

Keegan: The crepes!

Anjeanette:  Definitely the crepes!  The autumn crepes are wonderful: pumpkin, caramel and walnuts.  Yum!