http://www.pleonast.com/user/kris recent pleonast.com entries by user kris en-us http://www.pleonast.com/user/kris?l=5&entryID=612463 Except..that I LOVE LOVE LOVE Christmas! I can't wait to go home tomorrow (to Mobile). I hate that we can' be with both my family and Aaron's at the same time, but am thankful to be with family! Aaron has to work tomorrow, and then we will leave in the early afternoon. Shouldn't be too bad of a drive. I'm looking forward to lots of Christmas music in the car! ;-) Hope you all have wonderful time with your families. I know that we have a wonderful week ahead of us in Mobile! 2008-12-24 http://www.pleonast.com/user/kris?l=5&entryID=609092 is Mickey's Christmas at Disney!!! Last night, Aaron, Stephanie, Adam and I all ventured out to Orlando for Mickey's Christmas as Stephanie's birthday gift. It was SPECTACULAR! We sang Christmas songs, had lots of "free" hot cocoa and cookies. Wore Happy Anniversary (Aaron and I) and Happy Birthday Buttons (Step) and everyone was constantly telling us happy something. The crowds were so minimal. Our longest wait for a ride was 15 minutes! We rode alot of things twice! Of all 11 rides that we rode, all but 1 experienced technical difficulties and STOPPED mid ride! The Firework show experienced technical difficulties and was delayed, and the christmas show at the castle experienced technical difficulties and stopped mid show. We laughed about all of this though, becuase it was a very merry mickey Christmas anyway! And...we were asked to come sit in a GREAT viewing spot for the fireworks and participate in a New Years Eve video for the Travel Channel. They filmed us wa... 2008-12-13 http://www.pleonast.com/user/kris?l=5&entryID=605174 We have had a WONDERFUL week here in Phoenix. We arrived last Tuesday, and on Friday morning when most people awoke to go shopping, we arose at 5:00 AM and ventured over the Hoover Dam and through the mountain trails to Las Vegas. Spent 1 night there, and saw all I needed and ever care to see. The light show at he Belagio was very cool, as was the inside of the Venitian, and some other hotels. Had lots of good laughs. We took the long way home crossing into California, back into Arizona and going to Lake Havesu City. This is where the original London Bridge now exists and is in use. For those who are from the south or any other part of the US, perhaps I'm not the only one who didn't realize that this was over here. I had a great time seeing all of God's beautiful creation while driving through Arizona, Nevada and a part of California. The best part was spending time with Aaron and his family. I am so very blessed to have such a wonderful family of in-laws, most especially my MIL. W... 2008-12-02 http://www.pleonast.com/user/kris?l=5&entryID=602015 my sweet husband who has been so very helpful lately! I have spent so much time at the local Panera, McDonalds or Starbucks meeting with a group for school project (up to 4 hours 3 to 3 evenings a week), and Aaron has been very helpful around the house. He even built an entire work bench and organized the garage! All this considering that he doesn't get home til at least 7 each night lately. Grad school has been a little (ok very) laborsome and tiresome lately, but wonderful work weeks of great therapy like I had this week, and especially todays like today make me remember why my degree is so important to me. Here's why: I am especially humbled today though by the thanksgiving dinner I attended today at the middle school I work at. It was the annual thanksgiving dinner in the PI (physically impaired) classroom. These students have a wide range of disabilities from Cerebal Palsy, Muscular Dystrphy (MD), stroke at birth, to traumatic brain injury. They are my favorite and most fun cla... 2008-11-22 http://www.pleonast.com/user/kris?l=5&entryID=592859 1. Having a random person tap me on the shoulder in the Dollar Tree to ask me what I think of her new haircut/color. I laughed to myself for 5 minutes when I got back to my car. "She said, you look like an honest person, so I know you will tell me the truth about how it looks" HA! (this is the 3rd time this has happened to me in the last 2 1/2 weeks!) 2. Spending time with a great friend while cheering on other friends run a 13 K at 10:00 PM Saturday night in Orlando. 3. Coming home from a night with Amanda at Starbucks and checking out the new Dillards/Macy's by our house, only to find my cute husband outside covering our house in Halloween lights and flying Ghosts and bats. 4. THE WEATHER! It never reached about 65 degrees here yesterday, and God gave us a beautiful blue sky to go with it. 5. Feeling like an "adopted" member of the Gates/Areallano families this weekend while they were all in town putting a new roof on Erika and Caleb's house. Getting to kn... 2008-10-29 http://www.pleonast.com/user/kris?l=5&entryID=590480 The high lights of my week so far: Backsliding to Saturday: Making $90 at my yard sale. Monday: Time with Amanda, then Allison...babysitting Baby Braden Ciampa, getting a haircut. Monday night: Surprise date night to try a new resteraunt Today: I was driving home from work and errands thinking, "hmmm, I'm really hungry, I may have to have a snack before dinner". God was listening. I stopped at a red light, and this Giant 7 foot slice of pizza walked up to my car window...handing out individual boxes/slices of Papa John's pizza as an advertising gimmic. Good Stuff. Now I'm perfectly satisfied until dinner time. So my bright spot so far today? Unexpected Pizza Slice. Bright spot #2: Mid week worship in a couple of hours. Hope you all find a sunny spot in your day too! 2008-10-22 http://www.pleonast.com/user/kris?l=5&entryID=582808 I was told by a few people I needed to update. Problem is... I really have nothing to update about. Perhaps as I type, I will be filled with some randomness of interest to you all. I sat through a super long training today, and that was quite unenjoyable. School (the school I'm paying for) is moving right along this semester. I am putting out my fall decorations today, and looking forward to having Jared in town this weekend. Aaron is really excited to see him. Of course the downside, not having Jess here too!! Like I said, I really have nothing good to say. I have been in a super "fall" mood and am loving being able to open our windows so much (temperatures in the 80's by day and 70's by night have been a much anticipated thing!) and have pulled out all of my fall candles and airfreshners. I hope that everyone else is enjoying October so far. I'm already scoping out pumpkins and trying to figure out what I want to carve on my perfect pumpkin this year. October 2nd is my ... 2008-10-02 http://www.pleonast.com/user/kris?l=5&entryID=572379 It was so great to be home last weekend and spend time with all of my family and friends. My mom's side of the family, as of yesterday (my aunt gave birth to twins), has 6 kiddos under 4, 5 of those are under 2, I lovved playing with all of the kiddos. I have the sweetest nieces and nephews! Mostly, I just have the SWEETEST and most talented 13 year old sister EVER! Peri's slumber party was a blast, nothing mroe enjoyable than a good pool game! It was hard to leave everyone and head back home. This past wednesday night and this weekend though reminds me of why I do enjoy so much being in Tampa, and what makes it easier to be away from family. Wednesday night after services, we had our usual Starbucks run with the Tabor family, the most awesome familly here we know. They encourage us so much, the parents and the children are WONDERFUL! Last night we did yard and house work, then headed out for a late dinner with Robert and Ashley and laughed and filled our bellies. Tongiht....we... 2008-09-07 http://www.pleonast.com/user/kris?l=5&entryID=568816 We made it to Mobile a bout an hour ago, without any car accidents (since that was the detour of my last attempt to come home). Looking forward to: a slumber party Alabama/Auburn footbal (I have a divided family, both games will be observed) Playing with nieces and nephews Time with my sisters Lots of good food!!!! Being with my church family! Not looking forward to: Hurricane Gustav Happy labor day! 2008-08-29 http://www.pleonast.com/user/kris?l=5&entryID=563204 ...and already leaving for vacation. I'm sitting in the airport, awaiting a plane to Chicago. I'm heading there for the weekend to meet my aunt, Kay, and spent quality time over the weekend. She has to go up there for this upcoming week, so we thought we would take a few fun days before her meetings or whatever on Monday. I'll return Monday, the first day of school for students. Oh well. They won't miss me. Besides, Therapy doesn't start for 2 weeks, so I'll just build my therapy schedule while on the plane heading back to Tampa. I get back in town Monday, and Aaron leaves Monday to go to Indianappolis for the work for a few days. He was sad at first that he couldn't make the trip with Kay Kay and I, however, as of last night, I think he is looking forward to being able to play Wii, watch ESPN, play soccer, you know all those boy things that he does normally, but under a more "limited" basis. Happy Weekend to All! 2008-08-15