New Favorite Lunch

A package arrived from Arizona with a new sandwich product enclosed in it.

Katie loves it.

Thanks AZ-Allards!

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

X-mas Eve in MN

We woke up to another snowstorm and by noon we had another 6" of fresh fluffy powder.

First we needed to shovel out.
We then picked up Katie's friends Lydia and Gussy for a walk to the park.





Afterwards we went to the Grulke-Reed house for refreshing cup of minty hot chocolate.

Overdue Fall Photos

Although a Minnesota fall is not the same as that in New England, I always look forward to taking my students on the annual fall field trips to western and northern Minnesota. Here are a few shots of my students hard at work on one of these field trips.
(I believe a click will enlarge them if you so desire)

Here my students are beginning their death march as I lost my way and a 5 minute hike to the Morton Gneiss quarry took about 1/2 hour of circling and backtracking in the brush.

Below are the students mapping basalt dikes that intrude into the Saint Cloud Pink Granite at Stearns County Quarry Park near St. Cloud, MN.

My TA Nicole looking at them from across the quarry wondering if they will every make it to the other side where the really cool stuff is before they run out of time?
















Here's a photo of a quiet stream near Cold Springs, MN. I was taking a break while the students wrestled with identifying carlsbad twins in 2 inch long feldspars. (sorry a little geo-geeky there for a moment)



Below are my students are taking a break after lunch near Redwood Falls, MN.















Here the students investigate a fault in a gabbro near Granite Falls, MN.












This is a group photo taken at the University Quarry east of St. Cloud. The rock they are sitting on is known locally as the Reformatory Granite because it was quarried from this location during construction of the reformatory that is literally a stone throw away from where they are sitting.

Dear Santa, 2008

Katie Allard

Age 7

(click on image to enlarge)

Hockey=no, Figure Skating=yes

Well I lost, Katie switched from hockey to figure skating. I guess she is better suited and happier so I will have to accept my child as she is. They say folks are born this way, even with hockey in their parents genes they can still “turn” figure. :)


Enjoy these 2 short videos of her basic skills practice.

Thanksgiving Day

Living so far away from family, Thanksgiving can be a somewhat melancholy time. We know that our loved ones are gathered elsewhere and we can't be with them. It makes for a difficult holiday.

This year we decided to begin a new tradition. The focus is not on the meal, which was small this year, but rather on the three of us. We started the day with a lovely hike in the woods and bluffs behind St. Mary's University.

Katie loves to explore and hike. I think that she is one of those kids who is always thinking. That constant roll of thoughts can be overwhelming at times. She loves the quiet of hiking in the woods.

Of course, Sadie loves it too

Katie cracked us up during this hike when we had the following conversation:

Katie: "Mom and Dad, I know that right now you have to hike with me because I am little, but When I am a teenager, can I go hiking alone?"

Steve: "Most likely, if you are familiar with these woods, I think your mom and I wouldn't mind if you came out here alone. Why?"

Katie: "I think that walking in the woods alone lets you think about all the important stuff in life."

Sheila: "Are there important things you are thinking about now?"

Katie: "Well, not really, but I think when I am a teenager, I will have lots of important things to think about. Stuff like.....What am I going to be when I grow up? ..... Who am I going to marry?... You know, all those important things."

Geez, I'm not sure I was worrying about things like that when I was seven! She is definately a deep thinker.

Ice Princess

Katie made the switch from Hockey to figure skating this year. I think it suits her better, but I must say that the hockey drills certainly prepared her for figure skating. This drill cracks me up, the kids have to put a beany baby on their heads and skate without letting it fall. It really does help them to kinesthetically get the proper balance and posture.

I think Katie feels that skating is fun, but I wonder if what she really loves is the fancy dresses and costumes. Who could really blame her if that is a driving factor?

Halloween

It is amazing how buzy life gets. I know that once I begin collecting research papers from my students, life as I know it ceases. Things that take a bit more time tend to fall by the wayside. That includes all creative projects - sewing, painting, writing, and ... blogging.

I am going to attempt to get you up to speed on the Allard household. I've got some Halloween pictures to post. For the past few years, we have celebrated Halloween with our good friends Julie and Kyle and their two delightful daughters Lydia, and Augusta. Julie and Kyle's neighborhood really knows how to celebrate Halloween, and the girls love to see the neighbor's decorations.

Katie started out wearing her witch costume however, once she saw some of Lydia's great new dress up clothes, she switched costumes

Who would want to dress as a witch when you could be a cowgirl princess? Especially if you could wear such cool boots!

The girls get ready to head out and gather sweet loot.

Julie and I like to walk with the gals, Steve and Kyle get the firepit going and make sure the beer is okay for consumption. They may think that they have the better deal, but Julie and I would beg to disagree!
I especially love the decor on the houses. Our neighborhood has mostly "older" folks living in it. We don't see many decorations and lights around Halloween. Note the "OZ Crossing" on the door above!
Pass through if you dare. Bwahhhhhhhaa ha ha ha!

This portal is equipted with spooky sounds and screams. One two year old walking near us refused to pass through. I can certainly understand!

After trick or treating, we joined the guys by the fire and counted loot. Another great evening!

Happy Birthday Christopher

Happy Birthday wishes to my "Favorite Middle Brother" Chris.

Here are photos of Chris with his lovely daughter Willow. Michelle, his wife, must take all the photos in this household, because I could not find one of her in my stash. (Michelle, have Chris take some shots every once in a while!)

Of all the people I know, Chris most embodies the term "zest for life". It is a pleasure to be around him, he is always loving what he is doing, whether he is enjoying the great outdoors or simply sitting and conversing with friends and family. He is a true pleasure to be around; I only wish I were around him more often!

If you turn your speakers on your computers on right now, you will hear the music of one of Chris' favorite musical groups - The String Cheese Incident. The first song on the dial is "Wheel of life" The lyrics seem to be appropriate on a birthday:

I've been spinning 'round the wheel of life

I've been spinning 'round the wheel of life

And I made one more night

Yeah, I've been spinning 'round the wheel of life

Happy birthday, you handsome guy!

Overcoming "Our Deepest Fear"

Week 7.

For those of you who do not teach 16 week semesters, that phrase is probably meaningless. For my students, it is the halfway point. It is that time in the semester when many of them begin to realize that they might really need to kick it into high gear in order to pass. It is the time in the semester when expectations rise and they need to reach higher than they have in order to do well.

Unfortunately many of them become afraid and feel that reaching the goal of the end of the semester is simply too difficult. It is that time in the semester that many students tend to disappear; they simply stop coming to class.

As a teacher this time of the semester is hard. I know that many of my students have difficult lives; many of them are single parents and are trying to balance the struggle to earn a living in order to provide for their children, and school which will improve the quality of life for their families. It's so hard to watch them struggle toward a goal and then disappear when that goal starts to feel impossible.

This makes me think about fear. We have all experienced fear in some way or another, it just manifests in different ways for different people. I think that sometimes, students at the community college level give up due to fear. The fear of failure... but also the fear of success.

I've been thinking about a particular passage which is often misattributed to Nelson Mandela, but it was actually written by the motivational writer and speaker Marianne Williamson, and appears in her book "A Return to Love".

Regardless of the source, the message is very powerful:

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

This passage strikes me because it seems to state that each of us possesses the strength, the intellect, and the power to offer the world amazing things. That it is our responsibility to work to our full capacity and to achieve all that we are able. That when we do, others work to their top capability as well.

Think about that the next time you are facing someone who is giving up. I know that I will.

Obama visits LaCrosse

Those of you who know me well have noted that I have been extremely silent about politics on this blog. I should remark that it has been both deliberate and difficult. The reason for that silence is pretty simple, the purpose of the blog is to discuss the family activities, and that discussion is what my audience expects (purpose and audience are the same reason why I do not discuss politics in my classroom).

I must, however, break from policy for this post. On Wednesday, October the 1st, Senator Obama came to speak in LaCrosse, just 5 blocks from my campus. I offered my students the extra credit option of attending and writing about the experience, and I walked to the rally with several of my co-workers. I've been reflecting on the experience ever since.

I had the good fortune of being raised in Manchester, New Hampshire. With New Hampshire's "First in the Nation" status, I have had the opportunity to listen to, and often shake hands with most candidates for the highest office in the land. My dad used to love to attend the rallys, and I often went with him. I grew up in a house where canvassing neighborhoods with pamphlets was a perfectly exceptable way to spend an autumn Saturday. I often wonder what my dad would make of this election.

As a speech instructor, I certainly was moved by Senator Obama's speech. He not only knows how to construct a powerful speech (and he does write them himself) but he also knows how to deliver a speech. I must say that I find the prospect of having a president whose speeches I can hold up as examples to my students extremely appealing.

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It was more than that though. Yes, I was caught up in the charisma and enthusiasm of the moment. Yes, I left the rally feeling full of hope and enthusiasm for America, but it was more than that.

After reflecting for a few days, I realized that I still felt excited. It is an excitement that is greater than what one feels as one is caught up in the fervor of a speech. I'm excited for America. I really believe that we are at a turning point. In the past eight years we have gone from a national surplus to a tremendous deficit, we are trapped in a seemingly endless and costly war (costly both in economics and in human lives), we have lost the respect of most all of our allies, and we are on the verge of an economic collapse, similar to the economic collapse this country experienced in 1929.

I believe that we need a change, and I believe that Senator Obama can deliver that change. I beleive that Senator Obama has a vision that will lift this nation out of our current decline, a vision that will allow the middle and lower class to live better and more productive lives.

I remember my father talking about the hope and enthusiasm he felt as John F. Kennedy ran for and won the presidency. I can’t help but think about some of the similarities between these two men. I wonder what my dad would make of Senator Obama. I'd like to think he would feel the same hope I feel.

I would never be so bold as to tell you who to vote for. That should be your decision alone. I will, however, encourage you to make sure that you do vote. Please make sure that you are registered to vote and that you visit your polling place on November 4th.

*

*Thanks to Brenda and Dan Rooney for the fantastic photos!

Happy Dancing

I really love this dancing dude!

http://www.wherethehellismatt.com/videos.shtml?fbid=GEj30eWr26N

Flower girl - another milestone

Yesterday Katie was the flower girl in the wedding of Jenny and Brian. Jenny is a former student of Steve's who started at Winona State the first year Steve taught there. In her four years there, she became an important member of our little family, especially to Katie. She used to babysit and spend time with Katie, it seems only fitting that Katie would be the flowergirl in Jenny's wedding ceremony.

The ringbearer was the 3 year old son of Becky and Nels, two other WSU Geo-grads. Katie took her role pretty seriously and found that occasionally she had to try and keep Carson focused on the task at hand. If you have ever tried to get a 3 year old boy to stand still while waiting for a photographer, you may imagine some of what Katie experienced. Does the term "herding wet cats" come to mind?
The wedding ceremony was held at Panola Gardens (http://www.panolavalleygardens.com/) annd the locale could not have been more beautiful.
Katie loved the special attention that being flower girl afforded her, especially the special access the the bride.
Even at the end of September, the gardens were still colorful and lovely.

Katie was so beautiful walking doen that aisle. Of course I cried seeing my little baby act so grownup.

Being a flower girl is hard work, one must get one's "disco nap" in, if one is going to spend a good deal of time dancing and celebrating at the reception.

The reception was loads of fun too. Katie loved being on the dance floor with her dad. Steve usually gives us each one dance at a wedding. I gave my "one dance" to Katie so she could really kick up the heals. In no time, she was asking members of the wedding party and guests at the reception to dance with her. She really had a blast.

If you have ever wondered what the centerpiece would be at the wedding of two Geologists, here is one possibility: Staurolite Schist, with smaller vases of rocks....oh yes, and a couple of flowers.....