Leadership Gainesville Class 42

I am so thrilled to have been accepted into the Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce's leadership program this year. Once a month for 9 months we meet and learn more about our community, our role in the community and how to be effective leaders in our community.

Class of 42 has 48 members of community members, business leaders, non-profit leaders and various other professionals. Its a great diverse group and I am enjoying meeting new peers and working with them.

The first meeting was a Saturday simulation society (aka Sim Soc) exercise. I won't get into details in case anyone reading this decides to do LG in the future. You really need to go into it not knowing anything about it. Luckily, those that I know who have done it felt the same way and kept me in the dark. All I can say is, I was "Red."

Yesterday was government and policy day and I learned a lot!! It also made me feel like a total slacker. Although I am on an advisory board for the Alachua/Gainesville Cultural Affairs board, I still felt like I really wasn't as involved as I should be. So I look forward to working on that.

So far it has been a great experience and I look forward to the next few months.

My smirky face because I DO NOT ever wear red. EVER!

Hold Tight

This past week has been horrible for my addiction to Facebook. For some reason there were man than enough sad baby stories posted. Babies that had cancer, that had terminal genetic diseases, stomped to death by a mother's boyfriend, a miscarriage. I could go on, but don't want to. One story in particular had me in tears reading about it. While Facebook can be good for sharing people's stories, maybe they build awareness for rare illnesses, but sometimes it becomes overwhelming as it did for me this week.

Hold your babies tight and cherish every moment!!

And now I'm ready for some happy stories!!

Things Elsa Says

I've been thinking a lot lately about the adorable phrases that Elsa says. As she grows and her vocabulary gets better her funny words are lost to the actual versions.

Some examples are: checkup for ketchup, waterlemon for watermelon, stool step for step stool and slipperly for slippery.
Each time she starts saying something correctly it makes me a little sad.

She also does some fun things like say "oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah!" while doing a little dance.

I realize I need to start writing about these things more before I can't remember them.

Pet Peeve

This has to be one of my biggest pet peeves.  Incindiary tactics that make people stupid.

Take for instance this defense of guns against other methods of homicide. 

The beauty of this particular post was that they cited the source. By citing the source the reader can blindly accept that the information is factual and not misleading. They then can proceed to feel superior in their beliefs, as this poster did who thinks its funny that knives are more deadly than guns.

The rub is that the gun total is COMPLETELY MISLEADING! When you go to the actual source, the FBI, the data is as follows: All Guns, Handguns, Rifles, Shotguns. This graphic ONLY chose to report rifles at 322.  However, ALL GUNS totaled 8855! They used a photo of a rifle so as to not be out right lying, but the assumption to the average person is that they mean all guns, not just rifles.

The response I received was "I still think they are missing the point...it's not the gun that is the killer it's the person behind it...You can take away our guns, but people that want to kill are still going to do it."

Now I am not for or against guns. I personally would like to see bullets become so expensive that they are not purchased in such large quantities and the shooter has to carefully think about the use of each and every one. But that is not the point of this post. The point is that I hate this type of misleading justification about anything! 

Gator Basketball

We are totally brainwashing Elsa into being a gator. It's not hard. She has taken to it naturally.

Taking a photo required us to play "Freeze."

Chilling like Daddy

Playing with Uncle Jeff

Hugs for Mr. Feller

Chomping with Albert!

Baby In A Bar Part 2

When Elsa was around 4 or 5 months old I took her to Swamphead with me. She was in her K'Tan and we hung out. it was slightly weird, not too bad though. And come to find out we weren't the only ones who did this there.

Fast forward a couple of years.  Nick, Ashley and Adam were visiting and we took her with us to First Magnitude Brewing Co. They have staved to be a family friendly brewery. They have giant Jengas and corn hole boards. She had a blast.

Pure Love

Sometimes I take a photo, or a million photos, and I get a good idea that I am totally in ove with this munchkin! 

Dad Majesty

Steve: Thank you Elsa!

Elsa: You are welcome, Dad Majesty! 

There ya go, he is now an exalted royal. At least in her eyes anyways. ;-)  

Elmo!!!!

New plants

How is it possible I am still finding new plants a whole year after we moved in? 

Tropical Milkweed

Cardinal Vine

Turks cap

Elsa goes to Disney 2014

Since we have 4 day passes to Disney, we decided to take Elsa the Magic Kingdom yesterday. She is still free until 3, thankfully!  We have used two of our days, but we have 2 more to use (probably after the holidays).  She did great. Only got upset a couple of times (mostly when the carousel ride stopped).  

She met 11 characters!!

Tinkerbell, Mickey, Ariel, Goofy, Donald, Daisy, Minnie, Anna, Elsa, Cinderella and Rapunzel. The wait for Elsa and Anna was 50-80 minutes, so I told the fast pass girl that Elsa's name was indeed Elsa Anna and they let us go through the fast line. We didn't do an autograph book, we will wait for that for when she can remember meeting them. But Elsa the character couldn't resist signing one "To Elsa From Elsa." 

There were of course lines, but she handled it like a trooper. Our backs on the other hand, not so much. You can't have a stroller in the line, so we spent a lot of time switching her back and forth holding her. 

We rode several rides too. Dumbo, Under the Sea, Jungle Cruise, Race Cars, teapots, and of course the Carousel. We made the mistake of trying out the 3d show. She had highs and lows but by the end she decided it was scary and cried. Lesson learned. 

Overall it was a great day. She may not remember it, but I got plenty of photos. 

Center of her world

I do believe we might just be the center if Elsa's world and I think that is pretty cool! 

Do you want to build a snowman?

This afternoon Elsa asked me to take my glasses off. Then she grabbed my hand and said "com'on mama!" So I obliged her. She took me to the spare room and said she wanted to get in the bed. Normally this just means it's time to jump and maybe hide under the covers from bears. 

Today however, she told me to lay down and close my eyes "go to sleep mama!" So I obliged again. Next thing I know she is opening one of my eyes and is right in my face asking "do you want to build a snooooowwwwman?" 

I died laughing and said yes. The. She said "do me!" So again I obliged. How could I not? 

Totally engrossed watching Frozen. 

Mommy bought learning toys

Elsa and I ventured out to Toys R Us to do a little browsing...er...shopping. 

I got her a lacing "toy" and a tracing book that you use dry erase pens with. Got her fun stuff that is still educational! Go mom!

Fall Festivals have Begun!

While Steve was off on Mancation with his college buddies Elsa and I had fun playing with our friends at the first fall festival.  The new Grins & Giggles pediatric dentist had a little festival for their grand opening. They had bounce houses, UF Dazzlers, balloons, firetrucks, free shaved ice, and a magic show.

Elsa and Anabel sliding.

UF Dazzlers

Ate her very red shaved ice without spilling it on herself!

Wore out!

TTT 2014

Last night I attended my first FLMNH event as non-employee. Tastes, Tunes and Treasures was always my most favorite event to put on every year. It felt great to be able to highlight the cool collections and research going on. This year they were celebrating the 10th anniversary of the McGuire Center.

Elsa put on her "party dress" and had a blast. She was shy when the crowds were around. However, she played for a good long while by herself in the Discovery Room. Of course I was watching and did play with her too. An intern even went in and played with her. It was pretty awesome. She is so independent! 

I even for to catch up with another ex-FLMNH'er, Caroline Glagola. And Brittany did an great job with the event this year!

More faces of Elsa

She really is a goof ball!

Big and Small

We have HUGE elephant ears....and an itty bitty Elsa. :-)