Well, well, well...winter has decided that it is NOT finished yet.  Especially in Vermont.  Today, we got a wee bit more snow...and since afternoon activities/meetings/classes were cancelled, it meant that I didn't have my graduate course this afternoon.  I left work thinking that I'd be able to go out for a run, but, unfortunately, the sidewalks weren't really cleared off in the Junction.

So...what's a girl to do when she wants to go outside and play in the snow?  Snowshoeing...  :)  And I called up Diane to conspire with me, always a willing accomplice!

On Wednesday afternoons, I'm coaching (!) a running group of women from my school and the local community with a local running shop.  While we were out on our run this afternoon, the biggest, fluffiest snowflakes started falling!  It was pretty impressive...and certainly made for a fun run.  Apparently, it's a sugaring snow as it signifies that sugaring is well underway in Vermont...mmm...maple syrup!

So, while I was in Florida, apparently, it snowed in Vermont!  Yippee!  Taking full advantage of the snow, and our vacation, Kelsey, Diane and I met up at Indian Brook for a quick little jaunt in the snow.  It was beyond lovely...



Both the view...and the company!


(See me in the reflection of Kelsey's sunglasses?)

There were many laughs on our trek around Indian Brook...it's always a good time!



How can you go wrong when this is your view?  I mean, really...this is where I live...

Late last fall, I was asked by the president of Vermont-NEA (my state's teacher's union, part of the National Education Association) to attend a Women's Leadership Summit -- a training aimed at improving leadership skills of those of us in the rank and file.  The fact that this training was being held in Florida in February sealed the deal...I mean, really...do I need an excuse??

So, on Friday, I found myself waking long before dawn in order to make my way to Orlando for the weekend.  I arrived (along with hundreds of other educators, among other conference attendees) to a warm & humid Florida winter.  It was lovely!  Just being outdoors without a hundreds layers felt so freeing...



After checking in to both the hotel and the summit, I found my way to (lunch, first and then,) the first workshop: Leadership 101.  Or something like that.  It was a really nice overview of NEA governance (the structure of the national association) and a leadership basics review.  It was also an opportunity to meet fellow educators from all over the eastern half of the United States.  Very quickly, I found myself hanging out with a group that included a high school science teacher from Maine, an elementary teacher from Rhode Island, two teachers from North Carolina, and one from Pennsylvania.  We were an eclectic group, for sure, but definitely could learn from one another!

Friday night, unfortunately, was filled with lots of information-getting...everything from more leadership talk (the summit was a combination of minority & women's leadership programs...so it was quite diverse, actually) to expense-voucher reimbursement 411.  It was a LOT of sitting, after a very long day of travel.

Encouraged by the bright sunshiney warmth of Florida, I woke up extra early in order to squeeze in a quick run.  (Who am I?)  So, without really knowing where I was headed, I laced up my shoes, put on some tunes and hit the streets...very quickly I realized that I was staying just around the corner from where I had stayed the last time I was in Florida!  I also found that my hotel was right across the street from Downtown Disney!  Bonus!  Anyway...I ran into this guy while on my morning run:



Saturday morning was much of the same: more leadership talk -- gender roles in leaderships (positive/negative qualities), how to listen with empathy, etc. (And a LOT more sitting...I was really glad I'd gone out running...)  We also broke into small groups to learn from one another and to learn about endeavors the NEA is undertaking on a national level.  Honestly, I was quite surprised by all that my union is involved with.  It's an impressive list...

Lucky for us, we did get some time to chill on Saturday evening.  So, my little group and I wandered over to Downtown Disney for some shopping, some dinner and some fun!



It was beyond lovely to be out and about long after the sun went down without a winter jacket.  Ahh....is it spring yet?

Sunday morning, both groups gathered for a final activity and to create an "action plan" for ourselves upon our return to our work within the Association.  And, then, I was on my own.  Kristen (from Maine) and I meandered around Downtown Disney some more (and ran into quite a few runners who'd just finished the Disney Princesses Half-Marathon!) and had a little "snack"...



Kristen took off to catch her plane, but I still had a few hours to kill, so...I meandered around Downtown Disney some more.  I may not have actually made it to any of the Parks, but the magic of Disney is definitely everywhere.  It was fantastic.  :)

I had an enjoyable lunch people-watching with this as my view:



Which, was a very stark contrast to my dinner-time view while waiting to board my plane in Philadelphia:


Overall, a fantastic weekend filled with learning, meeting new people, and finding a new energy for my work within my local association.  The biggest takeaway:  I've been darn lucky to work in states where my local union has been allowed to be a strong advocate for teachers and our role in education.  It isn't so in other parts of our country...and it definitely makes a big difference.  I tip my hat to those educators who have to fight so much harder for their work...

Well, after a few emails and lots of questions (visas, work permits and the like) about whether or not it would even work out, Natsuko arrived on Monday evening to spend a week with me!  As always, she was ready and willing to join in whatever it was that I had going on...namely, work!  So, off we went on Tuesday morning for a full day of 4th grade!  My students had been practicing introductions in Japanese for several days and most were more than willing to show off their new knowledge!  (A few, though, were still pretty shy!  It was sweet to see...)  Natsuko, for her part, hung in there with us throughout a not-quite-so-exciting few days.  It was lots of "listening" practice for her...



Really, it wasn't that exciting of a week for her to visit.  I had a graduate class after school on Tuesday.  Wednesday evening, we joined with some friends for trivia at a local pub -- Natsuko was able to help us out with a question about wasabi at a sushi restaurant though!  BUT, as luck would have it, Friday was a snow day and we found ourselves with free time!  It translated itself to: shopping day!

Off we went, through the snow, to the various stores of Vermont for Natsuko to find treasures....well, gifts for her friends and family in Japan.  (She's headed off to her brother's wedding next week!)



We met up with Tara for lunch at Misery Loves Company...tasty!



Saturday, we ventured out to Indian Brook, one of my favorite places, and wandered around in the freshly fallen snow.  Good times, for sure, especially considering that our snow boots didn't quite offer enough traction to avoid slipping and sliding our way around the reservoir!  But, you cannot escape the beauty of Vermont out here...it was breathtaking!








And, sadly, on Sunday...off Natsuko went back to Toronto.  But, good news...she'll be hanging there for another year or two at least...so I'll be venturing that way soon enough!  :)