So, Anyway

I have always been intrigued by the concept of "So, Anyway" friends.  

Those people that you don't see every month, or even every year.  

You might miss birthdays, or haircuts.  You might miss boyfriends, or jobs.  

Before you connect again. 

 Yet, once you do connect, all you have to say is...So, Anyway...

This summer I will travel the world with three of my So, Anyways.

I invite you to celebrate with me what will definitely be one of the best summers of my life. 

Joanna Claire Noble

I sat behind her on a bus, and I knew that I had found my soulmate.

She is born and bred in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.

We fell in love at Camp Rising Sun in 2001; spending hours at the peanut butter and jelly snack counter. 

 

 

We have survived many challenges...including:

 

- the year that my mother bought us all matching ear-warmers for Christmas

- my 20th birthday when I passed out in the bus lane in Nottingham, UK and then crawled under Claire's bed and threw up (shhhhhh, it's a secret, don't tell her!)(I blame the sambuca)

- the summer in Italy we spent trying to prove that one can lick one's elbow

 

Looking forward to conquering Paris with you.  

And also that little event in September, oh yeah, your wedding!

 

The last time I saw you, my love, you hadn't even met your fiance yet..

hmm...Sooooo, Anyway...

 

 

Nicola Buhler

 

 

We were always meant to be friends. Across the ocean.

My mother met Gaby, from Germany, when she was a young woman living in Paris.

Years later they each gave birth to a daughter in the same year.  

 

 

We grew up together as children.

We travel together as adults.

Next up in June 2012: a house boat adventure in France

 to celebrate our mothers' 60th birthdays!

Unable to speak the same language, we did not have a conversation until we were 18. 

Thank you, Nicola, for mastering English. 

Although I enjoyed it when you screamed at me in German. 

After 18 years, all we needed to say was: So, Anyway... 

 

 

Allison K Peterson

 

 

My other half. 

Who moved to Kosovo.

Leaving me to do yoga airplane moves alone in front of my students.

Who taught me everything I need to know about teaching. 

 

 

  Who dressed up as Mass Hysteria to my Swine Floozy.

Who convinced me to get a tattoo with you.

 

 

Who I once watched an ABC family movie with via speaker phone. 

Who inserted "I mean", "XOXO", and "Why am I...right now?" into my daily conversation.

Who will show me around Kosovo, Albania, Macedonia and Prague this summer.

Who I have talked to only three times since you moved, 

but we haven't missed a moment. 

So, Anyway...

I Thank You

It's no secret that things haven't really been going my way recently. 

Luckily, during the past month my friends taught me some important lessons.

1. That we can out-model any swimsuit model:

 

2. That it is a great idea to wear matching dresses when going out in Vail.  

3. That they will hang out with me, even if I insist on wearing this:

And I thank you.  Sometimes all you need is a few people who believe that you could be a Victoria's Secret model.

Student Reel, Edition 2

Ms. Broyles: Alright, what questions do you have about the September 11th attacks?
Student: What did George Washington do after it happened?


Ms. Groettum: Ok, students, now please shuffle your words cards around to make new compound words.
Student (under his breath - thinking no one can hear him): Everyday I'm shuffling, doo-doo-doo-doo.


Student's most emotional memory:

So romantic.


Ms. Groettum: What is the relationship between Ms. Broyles and me?
Student: HOBOS!
Ms. Groettum: Actually, we are co-workers.


Ms. Broyles: How can our characters be related to each other?
Student 1: Best friends!
Student 2: Girl friend/boy friend!
Student 3: FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS!
Ms. Broyles: No, I don't think there are any friends with benefits in Harry Potter.


Ms. Groettum: So, what do we do when we get to the top of our story plot mountain?
Student: Use the bathroom!


Student's essay about solving a conflict between two friends:

My favorite part: I would punch them both in the stomach and tell them that if they don't like each other not to talk to me.  How diplomatic!


Student 1: Miss Broyles!  I heard this song this weekend.  Do you know it?  It isn't a new song or anything.  It is called Unch....unchain...
Student 2: Unchained Melody??
Student 1: Yes! Thanks.  Miss, have you ever heard of it?
Ms. Broyles: You have to be kidding me.


Student: Miss, what I just don't understand is why didn't Voldemort and Harry just sit down and talk it out?  I mean, wasn't he bullying him?


Student 1: Miss Broyles, we really need to talk to you about your outfit.  It really doesn't show off your curves.  No offense.
Student 2: I totally agree, Miss.  It makes you look old.  Like you are 22 or something.
Student 1: Don't be dumb, she isn't 22, she is 29.
Ms. Broyles: Ok, I am just going to keep walking now. 


Note on Ms. Laniel's door saying: We're in the Media Center.

Student addition: "With you're mom".  


Kind of makes sense.  In the Media Center...with you are mom.  I didn't even know Susan Broyles was hanging out with Ms. Laniel today!

A Denver Bronco & An African Cowboy

September 9, 2011

For the past 6 years I have been working with a non-profit called Project Education Sudan (PES). I helped to found this organization in 2005 to build schools in remote regions of southern Sudan.  In 2008 I traveled to Sudan to implement some adult education workshops. 

This summer we held one of the coolest fundraisers I could imagine, Climb For Sudan.  We sponsored two climbers to climb every single 14,000+ mountain in Colorado (58 in total) in 60 days!  With corporate sponsors we pulled in over $60,000!  To celebrate this huge success, PES hosted a wrap party like none other, and asked me to help run the registration tables.

Ayor and family

This wrap party was especially important as a way to honor Nick and Joe, our two climbers.  Joe almost died on mountain #54 when he slipped and fell 40 vertical feet.  He broke many bones and had to be carried down the mountain for 3 hours by Nick.  We were all so thankful that he survived such an accident, and could come to the party in a wheelchair.

When PES hosts a party, we like to do it right.  So, we invited some Denver Broncos to serve as our celebrity bartenders.  Isaac (dressed like a cowboy) jumped on in there too - just for fun. 

And we had some Sudanese dancing.

Even Gordon Appell jumped in on the dancing action!

It was a beautiful night to spend time with friends on a rooftop downtown. 

What a wonderful family this organization has become!

Steve Martin Plays The Banjo!

July 23, 2011


For the past 10 years I have discovered that no matter where I have to drive to around Denver, it will take me 15 minutes to get there.  In my head it doesn't matter if we are talking about going Downtown, to work, or to my parents house - yup, 15 minutes will do.  Turns out, that isn't exactly how it works.  I am late.  A lot.  


This blog post is also late.  But just like every other time, you all will forgive me. 


As many of you know, I come from a bluegrass music background.  My cousin, Adam, is in a very successful bluegrass band called Head for the Hills.  His full time job is touring the country with his band.  Super cool!  My dad is also a bluegrass/folk musician - so we like to get down on the banjo at Thanksgiving.  

(Adam on the left)

Every year we go to a bluegrass festival in the mountains.  It is the day that I look forward to every year.  I especially looked forward to it this summer because this year Steve Martin was performing with his banjo band!


Outside of the regulars, the new characters of Rockygrass 2011 included:


Caroline!

 

Ayor!

Adam (my cousin) and Alyssa (his girlfriend)!

So, the day started out as all good days do...with some giant hula hooping.

 

Ayor struggled to hula hoop.  I guess her hips really could not lie. At least she looked gorgeous just holding the hula hoop...in front of a giant connect 4 game.

Next, we heard some tunes from Adam on the stage. 

 

 My family has a rule that you must dunk your entire body in the river.  This year, with the runoff from the snow, the water was freezing.

 So, I made my mom go first.

 And that meant that I couldn't wimp out...

 Even Ayor got in on the action!

Afterwards, Ayor taught me a Sudanese card game.  It had no rules that I could understand.  Yet, Ayor kept getting mad because I kept winning.  I'm a natural I guess.  

Rockygrass always gets a little crazy.  At one point I found my mother picking her teeth with a knife:

 Steve Martin completely stole the show.  It was the perfect combination of comedy act mixed with incredible natural talent on the banjo.  Turns out he has always played the banjo, but got distracted by an acting career.  I can't remember another concert I enjoyed so much.  I highly recommend checking out his debut bluegrass cd - which won a GRAMMY last year!

Goodbye, Rockygrass 2011.  Once again, the best day of the year.