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Arlington Days 2 & 3, still to come...

I do not have much to say right now, except PLEASE vote for the Spartanburg Charter School!

Spartanburg Charter School is Competing for a $500,000 Grant! Help us Win! Just Click on the Logo to Vote now! The top 20 schools all get the grant and WE ARE IN THE TOP 20!!!

Spartanburg Charter School is a public school in South Carolina. We receive approximately 1/3 of the funding of "conventional" public schools. We currently enroll students in K5 through 6th grade. Our curricular model draws on an inquiry-based approach to give students ownership over the learning process. We are currently looking for additional funding to finish our second floor renovations and provide additional resources to students.You can help us without spending a dime of your own money. Just click on the logo to the left and a new window will open with a link to the Kohl's Cares program on Facebook.com. If you are not a member of Facebook, you can sign up quickly. If you are a member, you will see the Spartanburg Charter School page. Please vote five times for Spartanburg Charter School. You will have 15 votes left to use as you please (the maximum number of votes per school is 5). If you have any difficulty voting, don't give up, we need you! Send an email to patti.rubenzer@spartanburgcharterschool.org and someone will help you as soon as possible. Thank you for your support of some great kids who really need it. "

Arlington - Day 1

On August 19, Mark & I (along with the Miles minus Ben) loaded up on a plane, with several other individuals, and flew to Ronald Regan International Airport for my grandmother's burial. *Note: My dad's mother passed away in May, and due to the red tape and details of a full Navy honors burial at Arlington National Cemetery, she was not buried until August. Condolences are appreciated by not necessary.

When I lived in the area for graduate school, I think I must have been used to all the waiting. Now I live in a smaller southern city, and waiting for public transportation or shuttles is not something I do...unless I am on the road for work. However, that is probably the one word that sums up the weekend: WAITING.

We waited over an hour on the plane just so we could take off. Yes, it was due to weather conditions, but why do airlines load you on planes that they know will not take off? This was actually quite pleasant as the young woman next to me started the conversation, which lasted the entire wait and flight. (And Mark says I am the one who talks to strangers!)

Next we waited for the courtesy shuttle to pick us up at baggage claim. The Courtyard Marriott was located just next door to our hotel, and its shuttle went by us four times before we finally say the one for our hotel.

Next we waited for our parents, Lara and Charlie to arrive, which ended up not being a problem because there was a Chili's less than a half mile away. (However, for future reference the Chili's in Crystal City does not have the all day bogo drinks. Oh, and there is no such thing as Happy Hour in North Carolina!).

However the crowning moment of the evening was when we all (9) were piled into Mom & Dad's room, and somehow how I ended up getting stabbed in the forehead with a butter knife. No blood drawn, just a small scratch--but seriously?

Days 2 and 3 will be posted soon...

I am a Domestic Wifey

Yes, that is what my wonderful husband calls me, his "wifey." No, you cannot pronounce it "wife-e," it is "wif-ey." We thought, well at least I thought, that we were the only ones who used that pronunciation. Then while I was searching the wonderful world wide web, I found a blog, called "Thrifty Wifey." Her blog is great, a nice combination and balance between coupon clues, freebies, giveaways, and other randomness. My favorite part about this other "wifey" is that she is "a Christian, and proud of it."

In our household, we strive to put Christ first and be excellent stewards of all we have been given. This includes our finances, but also the groceries we buy, our bodies, our time, an our goals in this world. Over the last few months of logging onto to different websites and searching for all those neat free items and good deals, I somehow managed to get a subscription to Martha Stewart Living and Everyday Food. This last week, I did it all-just like Martha, minus the insider trading and jail time.

Monday, we had the last group visit of the summer (knock on wood), and it was amazing-those Miss South Carolina contestants were ALL on our campus! For dinner, I made a delicious couscous with chicken, asparagus, peas and lemon zest. I followed up the dinner by doing the dishes with Mark, and then a two mile run.

Tuesday, after a full day at the office doing cleaning and moving, I made a homemade chicken pad thai, minus the MSG and all the tummy issues I seem to get. Afterwards, I went to an all levels flow class at Soul Flow Yoga Studio.

Wednesday, I was a girl. Crystal, Cummings and I used a little comp time, left at lunch, and saw Eclipse. That evening I made a very simple meal of turkey wraps and blueberries for my stinky.

On Thursday morning, I ran to yoga class, and was glad that both Jill and Lola offered me a ride home. That night, I sent my husband off to work, and did the same on Friday night. While Mark was working, Lola and I had the opportunity to see Knight & Day (thank you to Costco for the discounted tickets) and then had dessert at City Range. A sinfully delicious chocolate molten cake a la mode.

Saturday morning, Lola and I met with the intention to run about three miles. However, we ran just over four, before we made it to the farmers market where we both picked up our delicious dozen free range chicken eggs. When I arrived home, Mark was sleeping, so I cleaned and did some laundry. Because we knew that no big plans (other than chemistry studying) were going to be part of the Saunders' family plan on July 4th, I turned Saturday night into our major fun night! To begin, we had an early dinner at Outback (using a giftcard, of course). Mark tried the new wood fire grilled method of steak prep, and I tried the horseradish cap/crumbles (which was more than I needed, but delicious regardless). We then drove to Cleveland Park in Greenville, parked the car, and walked into downtown for gelato at Luna Rosa Gelato Cafe.

Then finally today, after my sweet husband left for another shift today at 5:45 am (he covered for another PCT who had plans with her kids for the 4th of July), I was all work. Cleaned, clipped coupons and licensed to a few great podcasts. So when Mark came home, I ran out to Publix (best place to shop with coupons, I spent $12 for $47 worth of groceries). Dinner tonight was an Israeli couscous salad (amazing!), followed by a little public television, The Birth of Freedom.

All in all, it was a good week. The best part being seeing my husband happy and full of yummy food in his tummy.

Photographs

Did you know that if you added all the photographs Mark and I took from our second date until the end of our honeymoon that it would total over 2500 photos?

However, in the last year, I think we can count the total number of photographs we have taken on our two sets of hands and feet. Pitiful. We are supposed to be chronically our life together, and we take random photos of the hotel room we had for New Year's or the beautiful dinner we might have cooked.

My parents have so many photographs that they all pile up. No organization. No true albums or scrapbooks. Photographs that go all the way back to my grandparents and great-grandparents. One would think that in the world of technology that we Generation Xers (yes I am just on the brink, but whatever) live in, there would be a plethora of digital photographs from the last seventeen months, let alone three years. So what happened? Why did we stop all the visual documentation?

Theory: When we returned from the honeymoon, we got busy, and comfortable. We worked 50 hour weeks, and had class, and were adjusting to simply being around each other...everyday. I realized that waking up at 5:30am to get in an hour long workout is simply not as fun (or comfy) as staying in bed with your husband until the last possible moment. I learned that the old saying of "the way to a man's heart it through his stomach," is grounded in truth. We have both put on a few pounds since January 2009 and it has been difficult to get them off, especially for myself.

Conclusion: When a couple becomes busy with life, happy with each other, a little plumber around the edges, they greatly diminish the number photographs which they take, specifically ones in which they are the central focus.

Action Plan: Spend one hour a day being active and always have you camera with you, but first buy a new case.

Opinions

I have a wonderful husband. That is FACT.

My wonderful husband has a great number of opinions, which is also a FACT. He is eloquent with words, and could have had a strong career is debate or maybe even speech writing. I also have opinions, but I tend to keep them in my head, in our house, or as the subject for a blog entry while I am not running around.

South Carolina state Representative Nikki Haley just clenched the Republican nomination for governor, and is one step closer to being the first female governor of the state that one television host refers to as "America's Whoopie Cushion."

Currently there are only 32 women who have or are serving as Governors in the United States. The first three female governors all served only after their husbands had held the office. In fact it looks like Nellie Tayloe Ross, of Wyoming, inherited the seat when her husband passed away. So with only 32 women, why is it that the possible 33rd is coming from such a "backwards" state as South Carolina? Why not from New York, California, Florida, Georgia or Illinois?

I have learned a few things since I moved to the South. Not only is this a civilized place where people do wear shoes and live in houses, but people here are smart, well educated and remember that thing called the Civil War.

You can argue all you want, but I am serious. Jim DeMint. Jimmy Carter. Rosa Parks. Harriet Tubman, just to name a few. The president of the college for which I work is a South Carolinian by birth, a Rhodes Scholar, a member of the Aspen Institute, and one of TED's most interesting people. My favorite member of the Junior League grew up just a city over, and is, in my opinion, one of the most powerful women in the city of Spartanburg. The midwest couple that moved south, who lives off less than they earn, makes furniture at home, and got their CWPs together are true friends.

People here seem to remember everything, even if distorted, that occurred 150 years ago. They are taught what happens when government gets to big for its britches, the good and bad that comes from fighting back. They are taught to stand up for what they believe in. To not opportunities be taken from them. To give to others as they can. To no longer suffer injustices. That change has to start in our community before it can be that of a nation. Our founding fathers did not get elected one day, declare independence the next, and then "Hello United States." There was unrest among the people. The county of Mecklenburg declared its independence before the colonies did. The South knows what it is doing.

So, Nikki Haley-I hope you win. You have my vote. In November, I do not care if I am on the road or home. I will be running to the polls, as you run for Governor of South Carolina.