Almost ready to go!

We are leaving for Texas tomorrow (yay!). It comes so quickly. I have done absolutely no packing, but there are alot of other things that I have gotten done....

DONE
lesson plans written through mid January
assignments copied, supplies gathered for labs after break
Christmas cookies baked and given out (i did another 8 dozen or so last night)
the truck has a new battery...it wouldnt start again yesterday so I broke down and took care of this issue...How much is a battery in overpriced Alaska, you ask? $215
Snowmachine is running again, BUT...it has no battery now....the battery is...MISSING...arrggg!
All the gifts are bought and shipped out
Christmas cards shipped out
Address on netflix changed so I can get my movies in Texas
Tickets to the nutcracker purchased
Maintenance guy at apt contacted
Averys gift bought
shopping list created (ongoing)
appt for haircut in texas made
Avery picked out a couple books for reading over break
Plastic on windows to keep house warm and elect. bill low while we're gone
Bills paid
phone calls made
January rent paid
Cash withdrawn


STILL NEEDS DONE
laundry
packing
cleaning house
finish grading one more assignment
enter grades so that I can come back completely caught up
gift for secret santa gift exchange still has not come in the mail
post office run
personal grooming...paint toenails, facial...have to look my best amongst the civilized people of the world :)
I still need to pick out some books for me
clean out refrigerator

I'm sure there is more than this that I'm not thinking of, but I'm so ready to go! even if I'm not quite ready yet. It's -11 here and 59 in texas right now. its scheduled to be around 60 when we get there on Sunday. And sunny!

Texas, here i come...

It is FREEZING outside. Right now it is -10 degrees with a crazy strong wind that it bringing it down to -35 with windchill. Below is the forecast for the next few days here in Bethel. Basically, it is going to be freezing cold for the rest of the week and then warm up (to above zero) after I leave for Texas.

Updated: 5:00 am AKST on December 16, 2009
Wind Chill Advisory now in effect until 3 PM akst Thursday... Strong wind this morning through tonight along the coast...
	Now Strong wind this morning through tonight along the coast... the coast is reporting strong north wind 35 to 45 mph with gusts to near 50 mph at Cape Romanzof this hour. Expect wind chills to 50 below across the Delta and along the coast with northerly wind gusting to near 35 mph at Bethel...also expect areas of blowing snow on the coast.
	Today Partly cloudy...except mostly cloudy along the coast. Isolated snow showers along the coast. Areas of blowing snow along the coast. Highs zero to 10 below. Northwest wind 20 to 35 mph...except 30 to 45 mph along the coast. Wind chills 35 below to 50 below.
	Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy. Isolated snow showers along the coast. Lows zero to 20 below...warmest along the coast. Northwest wind 20 to 35 mph...except 30 to 45 mph along the coast. Wind chills 35 below to 50 below.
	Thursday Mostly cloudy with a slight chance of snow...mainly along the coast. Highs zero to 15 below...warmest along the coast. Northwest wind 15 to 30 mph...except 25 to 35 mph along the coast. Wind chills 30 below to 45 below through mid afternoon becoming 25 below to 35 below.
	Thursday Night Cloudy with a slight chance of snow showers. Lows 10 below to 20 below...warmest along the coast. Northwest wind 10 to 25 mph...strongest along the coast.
	Friday Mostly cloudy with a slight chance of snow. Highs 5 below to 15 below. North wind 15 mph.
	Friday Night Mostly cloudy. Lows 10 below to 20 below.
	Saturday and Saturday Night Mostly cloudy with a chance of snow. Highs zero to 10 below. Lows 10 below to 20 below.

Texas, on the other hand, is schedules for a high of 50 today. 50 ABOVE! Sounds wonderful. It would be great if it got up to 70 or so while I was there, but I will take 50 and love it! Here the forecast for Texas for the next week or so. Sounds much more pleasant, dontcha think?

Forecast for Tarrant

Updated: 9:46 am CST on December 16, 2009
	Rest of Today Partly sunny. Highs in the lower 50s. North winds around 5 mph.
	Tonight Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 30s. East winds around 5 mph.
	Thursday Sunny. Highs in the upper 50s. East winds around 5 mph.
	Thursday Night Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 30s. Southeast winds around 5 mph shifting to the southwest.
	Friday Sunny. Highs in the upper 50s. Northwest winds 5 to 10 mph becoming north 10 to 15 mph by noon.
	Friday Night through Saturday Night Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 30s. Highs in the mid 50s.
	Sunday and Sunday Night Mostly clear. Highs in the upper 50s. Lows in the mid 30s.
	Monday Sunny. Highs in the lower 50s.
	Monday Night and Tuesday Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 30s. Highs around 50.

It is COLD!

	Wind Chill Advisory
Statement as of 4:48 AM AKST on December 15, 2009 ... Wind Chill Advisory in effect from 3 am to 9 am akst Wednesday... The National Weather Service in Anchorage has issued a Wind Chill Advisory... which is in effect from 3 am to 9 am akst Wednesday. Cold temperatures and north wind will bring 25 below to 40 below wind chills to the Kuskokwim Delta after midnight tonight. These wind chills will persist into the morning hours Wednesday before temperatures begin to warm. Precautionary/preparedness actions... A Wind Chill Advisory means that very cold air and strong winds will combine to generate low wind chills. This will result in frostbite and lead to hypothermia if precautions are not taken.

On the way...

If you have a package coming from me, it is on its way. The diversity of destinations always amazes me...Ohio, Indian, Nevada, North Carolina. All of the packages destined for Texas and Oklahoma will just travel with me in my suitcase. I love having friends all over the place. It makes life so interesting!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

A Gross of Cookies

Not gross cookies...a gross of cookies. did you know that 12 dozen is called a gross? I knew there must be a name for a dozen dozen, so I looked it up and sure enough....it's called a gross.

144= 1 gross

Today I baked a gross of cookies. 6 dozen Oatmeal Craisen with white chocolate chips and 6 dozen Peanut Butter with chocolate chunks.

YUM!

I feel like Betty Crocker or something. I've been baking cookies since about 5pm....and it's midnight now. Of course, I did do other things throughout the day as well, mostly run Avery around town and lots of dishes.

I'm feeling very much in the spirit of giving/kindness this year. Connectedness...I feel blessed to have many wonderful people who I love and who love me, who are my friends and I value their friendship, coworkers who are amazing, and I get to spend Christmas with family for the first time in a few years. And Avery has just been awesome this last week...I think he might be starting to get it.

Merry Christmas all!

Update in one liners

I know its been awhile since I've written. And I appreciate that noone has given me a hard time about it. Thanks...You guys are the best. There are so many things to say, but I'm just not really in the mood to say any of them and I just dont have the time to sit down and write a full fledged post. So, here is our life line by line...

I week until Christmas break...I'm so ready.
I've been having dreams lately that keep me up at night. Sucks.
Avery slow danced with a girl tonight at the JH Christmas dance. :)
My kitchen is a disaster.
I have a comfortable group of friends to hang with here in Bethel. It's nice.
School is hectic, but at least robotics is over.
Robotics end of season party is this weekend. Fun!
Puppy has been gone for about a week now, my neighbors took her so she's close by.
I have boxes of Christmas stuff ready to be mailed out, I'll make it to the PO soon.
It warmed up and there is absolutely NO SNOW left. Sucks.
Avery has been having a much better attitude lately. Nice!
He joined basketball after school.
The snowmachine is almost fixed.
I cant wait to go to Texas.
I'm soooooo looking forward to seeing family.
And getting some warmth.
Bought tickets to see Nutcracker while we're there.
I've gained back 4 pound, but I'm still 2 sizes smaller.
I'm exhausted and going to bed....Good Night!

Just in case you're wondering...

If you start your truck because you are going to let it warm up for a few minutes, but then go into work and get going and forget that you started your truck, and then leave it running for over an hour with the defroster and heater on full blast, it will warm up the truck enough to melt all of the snow and ice off of it even though it is only 15 degrees outside. It will also use up about 4 gallons of gas. It will also be blazing hot in the truck and cause you to sweat the entire way home, even though you've got the windows rolled down and it's still 15 degrees out.

Just in case you were wondering...

Unseasonably warm

	Record Report
Statement as of 12:25 PM AKST on December 6, 2009 ... record temperature at noon today... the high temperature record for this day was set in 1939 at 44 degrees... it was 44 degrees at noon today... with this unseasonably warm conditions over the Kuskokwim Delta we may yet see a new record set before the day is over.

"Breathe In" by the Crash Test Warriors

Here is the video that my robotics team made for their project. It turned out pretty good. It's pretty funny too. If you havent seen the video for "Beat It" for a long time, you can click here to refresh your memory. The robotics video will make more sense if you've seen the "Beat It" video first. (or if you're me, you'll be happy if you never have to see or hear the song Beat It again in your whole entire life)

Let me know what you think. Does it make sense? If you were the judge, what things would you tell us to make better? If we end up going to state, we'll have time to make some adjustments.

ENJOY!

Phil Dry the Climate Guy

With this year's robotics competition starting today, I thought I would finally get around to posting the link showing last year's robotics project. They made a spoof movie of Bill Nye the Science Guy. I guess you would have to have seen a few of his videos to really get this video, but even if you havent, its still pretty good. Enjoy!

Click HERE for the video link. Let me know if it doesnt work.

I'll post this years project as soon as I can. The kids are making a Michael Jackson video. FUN!