Guaraná.

I have enjoyed learning about my new families' culture.  One of my favorite things about Brasil is the food and drink.  Guarana is a delicious beverage.  It would be like if cream soda and mountain dew had a little soda baby.  Delicious!

This weekend I convinced Eric to venture into Blacksburg's World Market.  This is what we found!

What a tasty surprise!

Pandapas Pond.

Throughout this weekend we had beautiful 60 degree temperatures and despite my lack of outdoorsiness and athletic ability, I was determined to go hiking.  After all, we live only 40 minutes from the Cascade Mountains!  We did not have time to drive out to Cascades, but we went over to the Jefferson National Park and walked around a beautiful pond set back in the woods.  

We fed the geese and played "Pooh Sticks" (from the classic Winnie the Pooh).  Beautiful afternoon!

A Night on the Town.

With Virginia Tech students away on spring break, it seemed like an excellent idea to hit the town, minus all the crowds. 

 Blacksburg is full of wonderful and unique restaurants. We decided to sample Macados.  It is an retro-like sandwich restaurant with a lot of personality. There are old school movie memorabilia; including a giant King Kong Gorilla and a Jurassic Park like T-rex coming out of the wall!  The sandwich menu was about a foot in a half long, with all their sandwiches named after historical people and events.  The food was D-E-licious! 

I appreciate a husband who will take me out on the town :) 

Ramekins.

Eric and I get really excited when we find things to go with our red accented kitchen.  We get even more excited when we find cute tiny things that are accented red to go with our kitchen!  We hit the jackpot at Target.  Little red ramekins.  

I will now make souffles and creme brulee every weekend! Look out!

I had to try them out right when we got home with a caramel flan.

Valentine's Day Cookies

So this post is way overdue (I actually forgot about it) but I still want to share!

For Valentine's Day I made my kiddos some sugar cookies, recipe courtesy of my dear sister.  By the end of our party I had a group of happy and energetic second graders.  Sorry parents :) 

Haircut.

I have always had a hair dilemma.  I love my hair long...and I love my hair short.  But anything in-between, I can not handle. Now my last haircut was courtesy of The Great Clips.  This was a mistake.  Usually I am not too picky about where I get my haircut; however, my last experience at Great Clips left a sour taste in my mouth (you know you are in trouble when your stylist calls over 2 other stylists to get advice...)  

And as my best friend has always told me, "Friends don't let friends go to Great Clips."

So I found some inspiration from pinterest and went off to a salon.  One of the parents of my students cut my hair and did the most excellent job.  I told her it goes in my book of great hair styles.  Definitely made the right choice.

Before

After

School Spirit Week.

This last week was school spirit week.  And oh, there was a LOT of spirit! Each day had a theme, and the second grade knows how to do it!  I dressed up for a majority of the days, while some I just couldn't pull off.

 

Backwards/Inside Out  Day

Crazy Hair and Hat Day

Dress as Your Favorite Character Day

So much spirit.  Needles to say, masks and light sabers add a new dynamic to recess!

Muggle Quidditch

'

taken from http://www.timeslive.co.za/

On Sunday Eric and I decided to go for an impromptu walk around the duck pond on Virginia Tech's campus.  It was a beautiful day, the sun was shinning, and the birds were chirping.  As I gazed ahead at an ahead field, Eric and I noticed tents set up with a crowd gathered.  As I looked closer, I realized that there was a sort of sports field set up.  This field reminded me of something that I had imagined in books and then seen on the silver screen.  Quidditch.  I scarcely hoped to believe this could be true. 

 I come to find out about the VQL, Virginia Quidditch League.  Colleges put forward a Quidditch team to compete, ultimately leading to the Quidditch World Cup...yes, this is a real thing. They have chasers, beaters, and a seeker, and they run around with brooms between their legs.  But my favorite part of the game is the snitch.  Now in Harry Potter the snitch is a magical gold ball that flies around until it is caught by one team's seeker.  In Muggle Quidditch the seeker is a player dressed in yellow who is constantly running around the campus until caught by a team's seeker.  Is this not the greatest thing that has ever been?

taken from http://www.ruckmakers.com/2010/11/muggle-quidditch/

taken from http://ealmagazine.blogspot.com/2011/09/fitnessbeauty-july.html

taken from http://ealmagazine.blogspot.com/2011/09/fitnessbeauty-july.html

  I can't lie, if I had found out about this at Bethel, I would have made this happen.

I miss China.

 China is one of my favorite places on earth.  I love the culture, the people, the food, and the city.  I miss my Pacific Rim team and the travel experience.  I miss seeing new things everywhere I turn.  One day I plan to go back and bring Eric, traveling is definitely on our list of things to do!