Happy New Year!

Hal writes:

Well, my wife left me. No, not like that. Anna left this morning for a two month internship in Indiana. In addition to her being gone for internships, there have been many times when we have been separated by distances during our relationship. During the time I lived in Illinois and Iowa, Anna was in Minnesota and Nicaragua. Needless to say, I lack in sympathy for some of my students who live "so far" (45 miles) from their significant other and "never get to see them" (see each other every weekend and sometimes during the week).


Our typical pattern of Christmas traveling occurred with drives to and from each set of parents houses. This year we were limited by time with a snow storm to start off the trip and then returning early to attend Matt and Molly's wedding in Iowa. Pictured below is my family together in Minnesota.





While in Wisconsin I had two opportunities to ski on groomed trails (as opposed to blazing my own the first few times I went out). On the second trip Dale not only had all three daughters on skis, but both his son-in-laws and both grandchildren out on the trail with him. Brian took the picture below of the "ski train" in the woods.

Unfortunately, I didn't get any photos from Matt and Molly's wedding. It was held in a beautiful small chapel called Church of the Lance at the Living History Farms outside of Des Moines. Here is a special picture just for Rachael:

Last night we met friends in Galena, IL for New Years. After eating at a new restaurant, we went to a different pub and played card games for a while.

As the regular season of the NFL is complete, I am happy to report that I took first place in my Fantasy Football league and third place in the NFL "pick 'em" league. For those of you who play fantasy sports, you can check out my new virtual trophies online.

Snowbound in WI

Hal writes:

Happy birthday to Anna! Our plans were to leave this morning and head north for Christmas, but the Wisconsin Dept. of Transportation strongly advised us otherwise. The snow isn't too bad where we are at, but the interstates and highways to the north are not traversal. So we are just waiting here to see if the weather changes.

Below is a nice holiday photo of the two of us. This was one of the better ones after several attempts earlier in the day did not turn out (Hal couldn't keep his eyes open facing the sun). The bridge behind us is the one that was placed next to my hall last May to allow students to walk to the other halls and the dining center.

Part of our holiday festivities includes my department holiday party. Below is a pictures of Jen, my colleague who recently got engaged, and her finance Jason. Why is she so unhappy? Well, in the mystery gift exchange I lured her to select the package I brought by placing an ornament on the outside that I knew she would select. Inside was a copy of Barry Manilow's new CD. Now there, is an on-going feud among the RDs as to who is better, Barry Manilow or Neil Diamond, and Jen is in the Neil fan club. Unfortunately for her, although it was a popular item "stolen" many times during the game, her fiance also wanted to hear the sweet soothing tones of Barry and ended up with the prize.

One of my colleague's sons playing in a box. Who needs a toy when you can have a box just about your size? I would enjoy my own box to play in, but it would have to be about the size of a refrigerator.

One of my colleagues made ornaments for everyone else. She created eight dala horses for me to hang on my tree.

After finals, students are allowed to stay one more evening. I hosted a gathering for my RAs where we had baked spaghetti and played some games.

Yesterday Anna and I went with our friends Matt and Kim to the Wisconsin vs. Valparaiso basketball game in the Kohl Center. Prior to the game we ate at a restaurant where Matt and Kim went to before Matt proposed called Porta Bella. I had some delicious Manicotti and Anna enjoyed her favorite, portabella ravioli. But we saved room for nachos and ice cream at the game. Pictured below is Anna and I a few rows down from where our seats were located.

Anna wanted me to take a picture of the poor, lonely Valpo alumni. I'm guessing it was Valpo Alumni Honors night, so they found the one grad that had a GPA over 2.0. But nobody wearing red wanted to sit near him...

Valpo played well, but unfortunately the game last longer than four minutes. It was actually pretty close until the very end when they ended up in foul trouble and the Badgers actually started to make some free throws.

Well, once again we are late getting our Christmas letters out. Happy Holidays!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

Hal writes:

Snow has been the theme the last two weeks. School was called off all over the area today (including Anna's last final at Clarke that was supposed to be this morning) but the university still had school so I had to work today. My parents continue to hope for a snow day up north, but they don't seem to be having as much luck as we are down here with school cancellations (perhaps their singing is a little off key for the "no school tomorrow" song). All Anna wants is an "A" in Ortho for Christmas, but she will have to wait until tomorrow to attempt that. After she is completed with tomorrow's test, she will be done with her classwork. Only two clinical internships this next spring and then she will graduate in May. Aside from studying for her last test, Anna has spent equal amount of time on the phone with her classmates planning social events for the rest of the week to celebrate their end of classes.

With the snow has also come an opportunity for me to give me new skis (and new boots, new poles, and new gloves) an their first time out on the snow. The first day had an ice glaze on top (see second picture below) and the past few days there has been so much snow that my previous days worth of tracks have vanished. Anna's been critiquing my technique, but I still have the feeling that I should be moving faster.

Yeah, it was a little icy...

Don't ask me what this photo is about. It's one of those Anna photos that she thinks is "cute". As in, "aw, look how cute our skis look together..." Anna and I have been skiing four or five times within the last week.

We decided to go with a smaller tree this year and we have it decorate along with the rest of the apartment.

So, we haven't blogged recently, but with it being the end of the semester for the both of us, it has kept us both busy. Although I can anticipate how busy the end of the semester can be (which includes the heightened stress levels of student taking finals) after doing this for a couple of years, it still doesn't make it any less work. By the time next week Friday rolls around, I'll be excited to have a very quiet building.

I also had some fun news this week. The program that I presented at a regional housing conference was awarded "Best Conference Program" out of over 120 programs. In addition to the award, the housing association I belong to is paying for me to present at the national conference this next June in Orlando. I'm a little nervous (in the conference program, my program will have a special mark by it to let participants know it is an award winner), but I've presented on the topic often enough that I will be comfortable with it. Another aspect is that it will be 75 minutes (instead of the tradition 50 minute program) so I will have an opportunity to expand on some points that I have not been able to before.