Dear Mother Nature:

Dear Mother Nature:

I love winter! I love the snow, I love the stillness, I love the smell. Heck, I don't even mind being cold. However, this winter, you have really gotten on my bad side.

This winter has had one (or twenty) to many snow days and my typically healthy children have been plagued with disease. I would really appreciate it if you could give us all a break.

Thank you. Marissa.

PS... by giving us a break, I don't mean 1/4 inch of ice followed by a blizzard that shuts down state governments. I mean, let the sun shine a little and perhaps allow the temps to go up to 50 for a day or two. I just need enough time to air out my house so we can stop getting sick!

Walls of Steel

I sometimes stop outside of Izzy's room and listen to her sing along with her music. Her music is loud, her voice is loud and it is clear, from the creaking of the floor, that she is dancing. I smile as I remember the times that I would close myself in my room and do the same thing. The sanctity of my bedroom, where I could do anything... I was totally and completely alone.

Then I blush as I realize that if I can hear her, my parents could hear me.

Ad astra per aspera

150 years ago, on January 29, 1861 Kansas became the 34th state.

Happy Kansas Day!

January 28, 1986... 25 years later

There are only a handful of moments from my childhood that truly stand out and the disintegration of the Challenger is at the top if the list. Still, to this day, I recognize the smoke trail immediately. When I see footage, my stomach clenches and I feel as if I may have a panic attack. In January of 1986, I was a nine year old 4th grader who loved the idea of being an astronaut. I had always loved the immensity of the night sky. My parents got me my first telescope when I was only 6 years old. I would watch movies and TV shows about astronauts, I would read books about astronauts and the space they explored. I would stare longingly at the moon and stars and imagine walking on and among them. I even had an astronaut Cabbage Patch Doll that was among my prized possessions for many years.

On January 28th everything changed. During the launch of the space shuttles tenth mission, only 73 seconds into flight, an O-ring seal in the solid rocket booster failed. This failure allowed pressurized hot gas from inside the rocket motor to reach the external fuel tank causing the catastrophic event.

I will never forget the faces in the crowd, the looks on the faces of Christa McAuliffe's family as they registered the fact that she could not have survived. Christa's son, Scott McAuliffe was also 9 when the tragedy happened, I cried for him as he watched his mother die. Although I had experienced death multiple times by that point in my life, it was the first time I was faced with the mortality of a parent. The first time I had to imagine a child, my age, growing up without a mom. The first time I thought that I may want to be a mom and I wouldn't want my child to watch me die. It was that day I knew I would never, ever, ever be an astronaut.

The most amazing thing about that day is that it was a tragedy that was felt by so many youth in our country. I think that as parents, we try to shelter our children from that sadness of the world, but this was something we all experienced at the same time. This was not a tragedy that parents had time to think about and share in their own way. This was a tragedy that was truly experienced by the kids, live. For months leading up to the launch, teachers all over the country introduced Christa McAuliffe, she became a symbol of the future of education and exploration that resonated through classrooms. We all fell in love with her and the possibilities she presented. Then we all watched, in horror, as she was taken from us.

Seven astronauts died aboard the Challenger that day; Pilot, Michael Smith (April 30, 1945 - January 28, 1986) joined the astronaut program in May 1980. Before the loss of communications, his voice was the last heard, his words "Uh-Oh". Commander, Dick Scobee (May 19, 1939 - January 28, 1986), was selected for the astronaut program in January, 1978. He is survived by his wife and two children. Mission Specialist, Ron McNair (October 21, 1950 - January 28, 1986) was chosen for the astronaut program in 1978. He was a saxophonist who had worked with a composer on a piece that was to be played on this mission. It would have been the first original piece of music to be recorded in space. Mission Specialist, Ellison Onizuka (June 24, 1946 - January 28, 1986) was selected for the astronaut program in August 1979. He is survived by his wife and two children. Payload Specialist, Greg Jarvis (August 24, 1944 - January 28, 1986) was selected as a payload specialist candidate in July, 1984. Mission Specialist, Dr. Judith Resnik (April 5, 1949 - January 28, 1986) was recruited into the astronaut program in 1978 and was one of the first women in the program. Civilian Payload Specialist, Christa McAuliffe (September 2, 1948 - January 28, 1986) was announced as the selection for the Teacher in Space Project on July 19, 1985. She was planning on conducting two 15-minute classes from aboard the Challenger, which were to be broadcast to millions of school children. She is survived by a husband and two children.

The exact time of the death of the crew is unknown. On March 7th divers identified the crew compartment, with the remains of all seven astronauts, on the ocean floor. A report released on July 28, 1986 claimed the cause of death could not be determined. It noted that the forces the crew was exposed to during the initial break up were "probably not sufficient to cause death or serious injury". It further noted that the crew "possibly, but not certainly, lost consciousness in the seconds following the Orbiter break up" due to the loss of pressure in the crew module. It was found that Mike Smith's right-hand panel had been moved from the original launch position, indicating that he was conscious for at least a portion of the descent. Some experts believe that most, if not all, of the crew were alive and conscious for the full 2 minutes and 45 seconds until the point of impact with the ocean which was at roughly 207 mph.

Please take a moment to recognize the tragedy that occurred 25 years ago and the impact it had on the future of the children and the space program. Please, remember those who died and the families that loved them.

LIFE IN A DAY - The Story of a Single Day on Earth

On January 24, 2010 Kevin Macdonald and Ridley Scott asked people all over the world to film their day and submit it for the Life in a Day project. They received over 5,000 hours of footage (from around 80,000 participants) that was edited down to create a documentary film. It can be viewed here tonight at 8:00 EST.

Check it out and let me know what you think.

NASA Day of Remembrance

Today is the 44th anniversary of a tragic fire that occurred in the Command Module of the Apollo 1 during pre-launch testing, killing Virgil "Gus" Grissom, Edward White and Roger Chaffee.

NASA has designated today as the NASA Day of Remembrance. So, please take a moment to remember all of the astronauts who have given their lives to the advancement of our space program, including the victims of the tragedies of Apollo 1, Challenger and Columbia.

Reading Wednesday - Ivy and Bean

I am madly in love with the Ivy + Bean series (Annie Barrows + Sophia Blackwell, Chronicle Books).

I tried forcing these beautiful (yes, I totally judge books by their covers) books on Izzy every trip to Borders, but to no avail. Then, one day, Izzy told me that she needed more books for her book box at school and asked me to pick her up a couple. I asked what she wanted and she said the magic words, "I don't know. You decide." Wohoo! I rushed out that night while Iz was at a birthday party (so she couldn't go with me) and snagged the first book of the series, Ivy + Bean.

I don't know about other parents, but I find there are few books with relatable female characters for girls at Izzy's reading level (Chapter Books, right on the cusp of Independent Reader). The reason I am so in love with these books is the simplicity. It is the story of two young girls who begrudgingly become friends over a common, and totally normal, bond of hiding from an older sister. The beauty of these books is based in the unexpected friendship of these two, complete opposite, seven year old girls. The idea that we sometimes have to see past oddities to really get to know someone, and in the end that someone may turn out to be your best friend. The characters are beautifully written with their own distinct and captivating voice. The black and white illustration continue the elegant simplicity and compliment the story perfectly. They are also proportional to the story, so you don't feel like your handing your child a picture book.

There are 7 books currently available, with the 8th set to be released in the fall. If you have a daughter who tends to be a bit of a realist and loves the idea of "best friends", Ivy + Bean should be on your list of books to try.

Easily, my absolute favorite thing about these books is that the next morning I walked into Izzy's room and she was laying in bed reading. She looked up at me and said "I have been reading since 6:00 this morning and I love these books. Thank you, Mom, these were the perfect choice." I can't imagine a better endorsement for these books, can you?

A town without a bookstore

Grand Forks, ND is the third largest city in North Dakota. With a metropolitan population of over 97,000 and home to the University of North Dakota. However, at the end of January, Grand Forks, ND will become a city without a bookstore. According to this article in the Grand Forks Herald, there are some used bookstores and the UND bookstore carries a few new release titles, but nothing more. Starting in February, the fine residents of Grand Forks will have to drive 75 miles south to Fargo or shop online.

While it may seem like buying books online is easier and may save you a couple of dollars, imagine if you didn't even have the option of visiting a bookstore. Would you miss standing in your favorite section and running your fingers down the spine of a book? Would you miss pulling out said book and reading the dust jacket? Would you miss that one sentence that peaks your interest? Is it possible that the demise of the bookstore may just mean the demise of finding your next favorite book?

Really think about the last time you were in a bookstore... Now think about what life would be like without that bookstore.

This is what the poor people of Grand Forks are facing... I don't envy them and I hope I will never be in their shoes.

Do you love the book or the words?

A few weeks ago my Dad and I were discussing the decline of the book and subsequent rise of the eReader. He looked at me and said "There are the people who love to read and then there are the people who love books." Why had I never realized that before? Of course it's true, but I had never recognized the distinction.

I have spent my life surrounded by readers. I have millions of memories of my Dad, in at least half of them (probably more) he has a book in his hand. Dinner's were spent listening to my dad and sister talk about books and stories they had read. Although my Mom rarely read for entertainment, she spent a lot of time with her head buried in a book, furthering her knowledge. Everytime we would visit my Aunt we would leave with a paper bag (or two) full of books that had been passed around our family. Books were comfortable, they were somewhere to get lost and found at the same time.

I will never forget the moment I bought the book that turned me into a reader. I was eight years old and we were at Meadowbrook Mall in Pittsburg, KS for one of our many trips to Waldenbooks. I loved these trips with my Dad, we would pick out a book then go to Baskin Robbins for ice cream (typically a double scoop of vanilla and strawberry). While sitting on the floor of the tiny store, perusing the small selection of Independent Reader books, I stumbled across Noel Streatfield's Gemma. While the book has been passed off as unremarkable and even messy, I fell in love with it. I devoured the other three books in the series and was sad to see Gemma say Goodbye to her cousins in the final book. For the first time I understood what it meant to really immerse yourself in a book, to fall in love with the characters and long for more. It was the day I fell in love with reading.

I am constantly looking for a book that will have that impact on Izzy and once we find it, I will begin searching for Eli's then Emmy's. It is so important to me that my kids know what it feels like to get lost in a book. To be able to leave everything behind and escape to another place, another time, another world. However, as brick and mortar bookstores struggle to stay in business I fear my kids will never have a moment like mine. They may never have the opportunity to experience the moment where they find THE book that will make them fall desperately in love with reading and that terrifies me.

I do recognize the pull of the eReader. They are convenient and they hold a lot of books in one place. As a reader, I get how irritating it can be to lug 3 or 4 different books on a trip, or even worse to finish a book on a plane (or a car in the middle of Iowa) and not have another to start. However, I cannot imagine a world without the ability to curl up on a cold winter night, tucked under a blanket, with a good book. I can't imagine losing the ability to run to my local Borders and grab that new release I have been waiting months for; the sound of the binding as it's opened for the first time, the smell of the paper and ink, the feel of the paper as I turn the page. These are the things I would miss, these are the things that my children could miss.

Therefore, I am making a declaration right here, right now... I am on team book. In my epic battle of the world of books vs. the world of eReaders, books win. In the perfectly written words of my dear friend, S, "I'll be reading actual books when I'm 80 and people will think I'm eccentric." I'm okay being the batty old lady on the corner who still reads those crazy paper books.

Sit back and really think about it... Do you love to read or do you love books? Some of you are thinking that it's the same thing, but is it? Is it really?

Happy Birthday, Izzy and Jon

On January 13th, Jon and Izzy celebrated their birthday.

Izzy got a new bike this year, as she had outgrown her old one. It is not horribly easy to find a bike that fits all of this 8 year olds needs. Which was really only one requirement, NO PINK! Jon and I spent a few hours (or weeks) looking at bikes and every single girl bike had some sort of pink. The boy bikes were covered in blues and greens, but not the right blues or greens. We finally broke down and decided that we would just let Izzy pick out her own bike. So, the Saturday before their birthday, Izzy and Jon went on a bike finding mission. Luckily they found the perfect bike and Izzy is in love...

Izzy aka Isobel

Isobel has had an internal struggle regarding a nickname for some time. She likes the name Isobel, and she doesn't mind that Jon and I call her Bel, but she never wanted the teachers or her friends to call her Bel. Over the years, her friends have been calling her Izzy, but she was never willing to make it her official nickname. I can only imagine that a bit of her hesitance came from my begging to please not make us call her Izzy. Alas, the first week of school I attended the orientation in her class room. I sat down at her seat in the corner and read her name tag, Izzy. After that, it was official. Every communication I get from her teacher refers to her as Izzy and all her friends call her Izzy.

I guess it is time I accept the fact that my little girls is big enough to make some decisions on her own, and this is the first.

Therefore, I proudly introduce you to Izzy:

First Day of School

Okay... I realize it is January, but the kids did have a first day of school, in fact there were three very distinct first days of school this year.

First, we sent Isobel off to her first day of 2nd grade. As I look back on this blog and look at the pictures of her first day of preschool I am shocked by how much she has grown. It is an amazing adventure watching your kids grow up, I love every minute of it. Here she is, on her way to 2nd grade.

Two days later, I put my little Eli on the bus for his first day of kindergarten. He seems to have some anxiety regarding change, so I was concerned how he would react when it came time to get on the bus. He was the one that I thought would cling and have a tough time separating... I was wrong. He flew on that bus and was ready to go. I guess I should pat myself on the back for his strength of character and courage, but I pouted a little. I am glad he went willingly, but a little, bitty part of my heart broke when I watched my handsome boy happily driven away from me.

Just a few weeks after my heartbreak, Emmy enjoyed her first day of Preschool. She is in the same class at Lakeview that Eli was in (with the same teachers). It is a little surreal to have her attend the same preschool I was carrying her into before she could walk. It allows me to see how much she has grown. I often look at her like she is still a baby (I know it is the baby child syndrome), to see her in this environment forces me to see that she is no longer a baby. I have to admit, I am not sad about this, if there is one thing I know it is that I am over the baby years.