CHRISTmas 2010

Happy Christmas One and All!
It’s that time to get in touch with loved ones far and wide. A time to reflect on the year and take an inventory of all the experiences we have had these past 12 months. But who gets to go first? Will it be Amy or Danny? I know- a simple game of rock, paper, scissors…… DARN-IT, Danny won.

Hey ya’ll! I am still at DBU running (or attempting to run) the Audio Visual stuff out there. It keeps me honest and off the streets. Dissertation is coming along and I’m aiming to propose (dissertation, not marriage – already done that) in the Spring with completion sometime late Fall/Winter (as of right now). My other past-time is still cycling. I’ve carved out a route from our place to Central Market on Lovers via the Katy Trail. It’s fun, and Amy has seen fit to come along with me most times (I think it is Central Market that does it). I’m also hitting the trails as much as I can, usually with a group of guys from my church.

It’s finally my turn! I’m another year older and you can still find me teaching in Ferris, Texas. It’s amazing to think that this is my 11th year teaching in Ferris! But I have a different 3rd grade position this year at McDonald Elementary. I’m now a Title One Reading Interventionist. My job is designed to help readers who are not reading on grade level- get there. I love it and while I miss having a homeroom class the obvious perks (no grading, weekends pretty clear, etc.) keep me happy. (They’ll have to pry this position away from my cold, dead hands.) I rejoined Temple Choir at church and have also joined Temple Bells. It’s been a lot of fun! I’m still running and swimming but I’ve also learned to appreciate the bike a little bit more!

This past summer brought a new and unique change to our activities. One morning Danny informed me of his plan to bike from our lovely little home in Oak Cliff to a friend’s house off of Mockingbird Lane via The Katy Trail. I paced the floor until I heard from Danny only to find that he made it safe and sound. A couple of weeks later, I joined Danny on this little expedition as we essentially biked from Oak Cliff to Highland Park, stopping for breakfast at Central Market before the return trip home. It was so much fun and such a satisfying adventure that we began to make this a new “date” experience. As of this letter, we’ve made the trek about 9 times! It’s so neat to see Dallas in a new light. It’s also been exciting to find a way to spend time together that involves lots of time and yummy food! The fact that it is an incredibly cheap date is nice too!


Spooky the Cat, Buster the Dog, and Dixie the Dog send their love as they continue to live at Casa Dolorosa eating us out of house and home. Spooky the Cat might tell you that this is HER house- we just live here. Dixie the Dog would groan at the thought of having to do anything except chill on her dog bed. Buster the Dog would just jump on you until you pet him- then he’ll continue to jump.

TOP TEN Life Lessons List of 2010

10- In February we certainly learned to have a new appreciation for snow when we got a record 17+ inches of snow in a 24 hour period. We now refer to it as “Snowmaggedon”.
9- Take some time to look at your city in a new and unique way. Downtown Dallas has never looked cooler than from the seat of your bike as you bike through Victory Plaza. Biking has made me a better runner, and Danny a much more relaxed fellow.
8- Boomerang Meat Pies from Austin, are truly the most delicious, healthy “fast food” ever.
7- “Glee” is Amy’s Dream Come True. Proud to be a “Gleek”!
6- The Rangers proved they CAN, in fact, WIN A PENNANT!
5- The End Note Program for Danny’s dissertation was well worth the money.
4-Social Networking is an absolute time-sucker!
3-Sylvester Stallone proved he can still act. Rupert Grint- not so much.
2-Amy and Danny cannot be trusted with 3-D movie experiences.
1- Once you get the song“California Gurls” by Katy Perry in your head- IT WILL NEVER LEAVE. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing…..( I bet it’s in your head now! HAH!)

TOP TEN APPs for the IPhone for 2010:
10- Hey Tell (Voice Texting)
9- ATT UVerse
8-Shazam
7- Words With Friends
6-Pandora Radio
5-RunPee (Gives you the “downtimes” in a movie- when it is safe to go potty. AMY LOVES THIS!)
4-Facebook/Twitter
3- ESPN Scorecenter
2-Hipstomatic Photos
1-Endomondo GPS for biking/running
Amy has traveled 274.60 miles running and biking this year!
Danny has traveled 471.8 miles biking this year!

We hope you all have a very relaxing and satisfying Holiday. We hope you have the time to sit back and really remember what the season is all about. In our society of high expectations and new gadgets remember that this is a time for family and a time to remember that it was truly the beginning of God’s ultimate sacrifice and grace for us.

Some verses that have truly touched my life this year are:

Hebrews 11:6
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to GOD must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek HIM.”

2 Corinthians 5:21
“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

Keep in mind that faith that remains UNCHALLENGED is a faith that remains UNCHANGED.
We truly wish you a very merry CHRISTmas and Happy New Year!
Cheers,
Danny and Amy Rose

October 2010

Question:
How does Amy celebrate her second favorite month of the year?

Answer: She likes to watch "Halloweeny" movies.

Here is the Top Ten List of my favorite scary movies to enjoy during this Halloween Season:

10. Scream
9. The Birds
8. Halloween (The Original- TV Version)
7. A Nightmare on Elm Street
8. Silver Bullet
7. Salem's Lott
6. The Mummy
5. Harry Potter Films (All of them)
4. Wallace and Grommit's The Curse of the Were- Rabbit
3. Poltergeist
2. The Nightmare Before Christmas
1. Sleepy Hollow

She also likes to read "Halloweeny" books:

5. Dracula by Bram Stoker
4. Salem's Lott by Stephen King
3. It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown - not scary but totally a tradition
2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
1. The Woman in Black by Susan Hill (This will be a new one this year)

She also listens to "Halloweeny Stuff": Currently on her Ipod:
10. On Halloween by Jerry Seinfeld
9. This is Halloween
8. Halloween Theme
7. Theme from Jaws
6. ET Flying Home
5. Double Trouble
4. Beetlejuice Main Titles
3. Theme from Poltergeist
2. Great Pumpkin Waltz
1. Thriller

I hope you have a great month!
If you aren't busy on Halloween night, pop by for our second annual movie on the lawn. It's a ton of fun and totally free! We'll have some chili, a fire going, and a fun kiddo movie projected on our house. Movie starts at dark.

Amos

More Weird Weather....

Dear Diary Blog,

This morning I woke up to a humid cloudy day. By noon-thirty the sun was out. Danny removed the shrubbery carnage. A byproduct from "Snowmaggedon". Then out of nowhere- CLOUDS, THUNDER, and RAIN! Now it's cold again. It's amazing- the power of the sun. It was so nice for that short time to see it!
Now- Sun- please don't be a stranger.
I need you- YOU COMPLETE ME!

Always,
Amy

February 11, 2009 "SNOWMAGGEDON"

Dear Diary Blog,

The past 24 hours have been a very weird time to be in Texas.

I often find the weathermen here very untrustworthy. I've joked that if they taught school and prepared kids for the TAKS test the way they predict the weather, our scores would SUCK!

They predicted that there would be a "wintery mix". They predicted 1-3 inch acculumations of snow with rain mixed in. What we got, in the words of the only weatherman I trust, is SNOWMAGGEDON! (Thanks for such a great noun, Pete Delkus.) I follow his TWEETS faithfully! In 24 hours, Dallas saw 12.9 inches of snow. We crushed the previous record of 7.5 inches made in 1978. People from northern states may be giggling at us right now- BUT we honestly have no idea: A- how to drive in this or B- how to live in this. I got out the morning after to take some pics and was shocked at what my neighborhood looked like.

It is unbelievably beautiful. Everything has this quiet, sureal, "narnian" look to it. Then you look a little closer and you have to stand in awe of the power of those big, fat flakes that fell all day......

The bushes in front of the house are completely leaned over, the bushes in the backyard are bending low, the hammock is covered with snow and underneath it is the only patch of grass I've seen in a while. Buster the Dog has to jump to get through the snow and LOVES EVERY MINUTE OF IT! He was truly giddy when I took pics earlier. Trees are all bending a bit lower and I am exceptionally happy we cabled the 70 year old tree in the front yard! The one thing I am truly worried about are the power lines that are sagging dangerously low in the alleyway across the street..... But the good book says, "Be anxious for nothing." So I gotta put that out of my mind.

I'm glad I got to see this in my lifetime. I think it is giving me perspective to stop taking advantage of my good 'ol Texas weather! I also have a new appreciation for winter!

Anyway, I'm off to clean the house and cook some chili.

'Cause nothing says homemade chili like this weather!

Ground Zero

Ground Zero
It all starts here
Day One
For all things new
Hope
In what is to come
Resolve
In what should change
Here's to 2010
It's up to you
It's up to me
Let it be
Sweet