Rode Nation

School Field Trips

2017-07-17T21:37:00.001-05:00

Both kids had field trips at the end of the year on the SAME day. Hayden's class visited a local pizza place, Dion's, and Taryne's class visited Amigo's (local grocery store), a local bank, and the local bus system. Both grades met up at a local park for lunch and to play.

I feel like the above 3 pictures are from the Brady Bunch!

Prairie Dog Town

2017-05-11T21:59:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday, I walked a 5K with two women from work and while out there I saw the sign for Prairie Dog Town. I had heard of it, but we had yet to visit. So...mini road trip to the other side of town to see the prairie dogs that evening.

Carlsbad Caverns

2017-04-26T21:53:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago, we finally took an excursion to New Mexico. Kyle and the kids had never been to Carlsbad Caverns, so we thought it would be a great day trip.

Enjoy!

~C

Coming Back

2017-04-24T10:17:00.000-05:00

Last summer, right after we moved to Lubbock, I found this blog post (please read this before continuing). It really hit home with both Kyle and myself. While it is about traveling abroad, it really is the same way about living in another state and coming back--or so it felt that way to us.

We always knew that living in Lubbock, or Texas for that matter, was a limited thing. There were no long term plans to establish roots here because living further north was where we felt we belonged.

Leaving Texas and moving to Tennessee was one of the hardest things we have ever done. Exciting, yes, but definitely hard. Not being close to family and friends was definitely an adjustment. However, during those three years, we changed. We changed in so many ways. Some of those changes were pretty evident the first time we returned to Texas for a visit and some didn't creep out until we moved back to Texas. I don't think we truly realized how much we had changed until we moved to Lubbock. We also realized that everyone we knew in Texas hadn't changed or not like we had expected. As in the blog post referenced above, it was as if we came back and picked up where we left off. Except we couldn't do that because we are not the same people we were when we left.

When we announced we were coming back to Texas, everyone was so overjoyed--except us. Taryne and Hayden protested more than I ever anticipated. And to this day, not a day goes by where they don't ask to move away. We hid our anxiety and nervousness about moving back because everyone was so glad we were going to be back in Texas. I have no idea how many times we have been asked "Are you happy to be coming back?" or "Are you glad you are back?". Depending on who we are talking with we either faked our answer and quietly say "Yes" or we tell them our real feelings which is a resounding "NO". Kyle and I discussed this and decided we should give Texas another try. We can honestly say that we tried harder than we expected, but we don't like living in Texas. We don't necessarily hate Texas; it is just not the right fit for us and who we are and how who we as individuals and a family have evolved into over the past 5 years.

This year has been one of the hardest for all of us. Kyle and myself both have anxiety severe enough that medication is required. Even during the stress of moving out of state and a doctoral program did not cause the amount of stress, anxiety and even slight depression we have experienced since moving to Lubbock. In addition, all of us have experienced more allergy issues than we ever anticipated. Poor Hayden sneezes like I do (20-30 times per day) and even Kyle and Taryne who have barely any allergy issues, both suffer from congestion, cough and sneezing. I won't even start on my issues except to say that my sinus pressure has been so bad since we got here that my face hurts when I talk. Our health is a huge concern for us and we have literally been "sick" since we arrived. I refuse to dope ourselves up on loads of medication to "deal with it".

I think it was pretty telling when Taryne commented one day "Mom, why do we have to live here when we still hardly see our family? Why can't we live some place we really like instead?". It truly makes me sad--and has contributed to my anxiety--the stress and mild depression I see in Taryne and Hayden since we moved here. The have protested and continue to protest this place. I can't count the number of times they have stated the people here are not as friendly or nice as the people in Ohio or Tennessee. Kids say the darnedest things, right? Kids are brutally honest and very aware. We have not experienced what I would have expected from the "Friendliest Town in the USA" per the billboards around town.

We (and I mean all four of us) miss trees, green, and seasons. We miss being in places where education is important to elected officials. There are some amazing teachers in Texas but we feel the resources are not there along with the regulations that allow them to do the best job possible. We miss being "different" and what I mean by this is that we are the people from somewhere else. It always makes me sad when I tell people we moved here from Ohio and they seem to feel bad for me that I lived in Ohio. I am not sure why. We miss having exciting new adventures. Lubbock is in the middle of nowhere and to get to any place exciting requires at least a three hour drive. We miss feeling healthy. We still eat healthy, organic foods (which are harder to get here) but since we have been here, we just feel yuck all the time. We can smell chemicals in the air many days and no longer go on outside walks because of it.

Initially we had planned to try to live here until I was able to earn tenure and then wait for a position to open at Tennessee, but the closer the move to Texas date arrived, our projected window of time here shortened. We were already dreading our decision to move, but we made a commitment and we planned to give it a go. In December, a colleague at another school contacted me regarding a position that was to come open. He indicated that he wanted me to be part of the faculty there and that I would be an excellent addition to the department. I looked into the school and department and it was a good fit. I research sport tourism and the sport management department was in the College of Hospitality and Tourism--perfect fit. And the location was pretty amazing. I was assured at the time that if I was interested, I would most likely be the top candidate. Human resources departments are often slow. So, while waiting for the position to open, my friend gave my CV to the dean and provost. They were ready to hire me. Once the position opened, I applied and visited campus. I was eventually offered the position and have accepted. This summer we are moving to Buffalo/Niagara Falls, New York. Niagara University is a small, private, liberal arts school. They are Division I in the NCAA without football.

We weren't sure how to break the news since everyone but us was excited about where we were living. Kyle and I also wanted you guys to understand the why behind all of this. We have changed. We are not the same people we were in 2012 when we left College Station. We have experienced life outside of Texas and in our opinion, it is much better and a better fit for us. We hope you will be happy for us but understand you will be mad, upset, frustrated, hurt and several other emotions, but we have decided that we have to do what is best for our family--Kyle, myself, Taryne and Hayden--not simply what someone else wants or thinks we need to do.

We love you all to the moon and back.

--Kyle, Cheryl, Taryne and Hayden

Spring Pictures

2017-04-19T17:31:00.000-05:00

I had full intentions of getting these photos onto an Easter card to send out/hand out for Easter, but between the website being a pain in the ass and being crazy busy with life, it just didn't happen.

Instead of trying to fuss with the website (why is the Sams photo site hate me lately?) I am going to post a few of them here. I took Taryne and Hayden to the "arboretum" here in Lubbock which saying it was a disappointment is a complete understatement. There was barely anything in bloom and it was APRIL!!!

Enjoy!

~C

The Little Ballerina as a Dog

2015-09-04T16:26:00.001-05:00

The month of May was a whirlwind with graduation, a Pre-K graduation, a dance recital and packing everything we own to be stored for at least a month before our move to Ohio. Taryne's ballet recital was one of the last things we had before the final packing push.

The ballet recital this year was Cinderella. Her class performed as dogs. For the performance, they had headbands with dog ears and a tail attached. Taryne did a great job and remembered most of the moves. We are so proud of her and her hard work and determination with ballet. As of right now, she wants to be a dance teacher and own a dance studio when she grows up.

A picture with Cinderella

Graduation

2015-05-18T21:04:00.000-05:00

Well, I did it. I graduated with a Ph.D. and I still can't believe I did that. I know I would not have been able to do this without the support of Kyle, Taryne, Hayden and all my friends and family.

Me and my advisor, Dr. Rob Hardin before the ceremony

Me and My friend Tyler Standifird, he graduated with a PhD in Biomechanics

Dr. Joy DeSensi, basically one of the original scholars in sport
and one of the founders of our national organization.

Just love these two!

What's next? I got a job as an assistant professor at Ohio Dominican University in Columbus, OH beginning this fall. We will be moving there this summer and we are all looking forward to the things ahead!

Allergy Mom

2015-04-17T09:13:00.000-05:00

So, I am in lots of "allergy" groups on Facebook. Most are "support" groups and they are all super helpful. Many people provide tips for making something without an allergen or warn you of a place that is not allergy friendly and recommending places that are actually friendly. Because P.F. Chang's is super allergy friendly (they will make a sauce from scratch if you can't have soy but order something that typically has soy sauce in it) while Pei Wei (an affiliate restaurant) is just awful. All of their meat is pre-marinated and they cannot accommodate you at all if you have an allergy to something in their marinade and want to eat meat. I mean, don't they have some unmarinated chicken in the cooler? Really? In the past they did, but not anymore.

I also love these groups because they have lots of cartoons that portray "Allergy Moms/Parents" and they are funny but so true. I don't know how many times I have made an entire batch of cupcakes late at night (or early in the morning) so Taryne or Hayden could have something to eat at a school party or a birthday party. We keep some in the freezer for emergencies, and believe me, there are times when the teacher has no idea someone is bringing something in and she texts me to bring something as soon as I can. I am thankful for their teachers for at least making the attempt to get me there with something before giving them a fig bar or some other allergy-friendly item.

Today I saw this....it is spot on. And I thought I would share. I don't think everyone realizes that my kids have allergies. If they ingest their allergens it makes them very sick or could even kill them. So, please do not be offended if I ask what is in something or if I suggest a slight modification. Every modification we have found works and the food tastes the same. Taryne and Hayden rarely eat candy/sweets and when they do, it is a treat. As it should be. Most kids--and adults--today eat way too much sugar.

I am absolutely terrified when I leave my kids anywhere because of their allergies. So don't be offended if I don't want to leave my kids with you or if I give you a ton of instructions. It is for my peace of mind, not to stress you out. Yes, I will make you use the practice Epi-Pen. I make my baby sitter do it each time she comes over (even though she works at a day care and has been trained on first aid).

Luckily, Taryne and Hayden both know the things they cannot eat and that it will make them sick. I am so impressed and amazed at them for knowing and understanding this at such a young age. If you tell Hayden it will make him sick, he is okay and does not get upset.

Allergies, especially food allergies, suck! At least with seasonal allergies, you can take preventative medication. That is not the case with a food allergy. There is an 80% chance that kids will outgrow food allergies, but only 20% if it is a nut allergy. Please don't constantly talk about how they will grow out of it. Hopefully they will, but there is a 20% chance they won't. I grew out of most of my food allergies, but I still have a nut allergy.

My Little Ballerina

2015-03-16T18:09:00.000-05:00

This year for Taryne's dance recital, her class will be the dogs in Cinderella. I love how the ballet show is incorporated into one main story. When I was a little girl in dance class, our recital had an overall theme for the show and all dances (ballet, tap, jazz, etc) somehow fit that theme with the music. Here, at this dance school, there is a theme for each type of dance. Last year, the jazz group went first, then all the tap and then finally the ballet production which was Peter Pan. Even though Taryne is in a ballet/tap combo class, the preschool agers only do the ballet portion.

Taryne is excelling in ballet and tap. Her teach is constantly telling us how well she is doing and that she is one of the best (if not the best) students in the class. She knows her ballet steps and terminology and can do the steps really well. On a few occasions, she has had the opportunity to be the "teacher" because she knew the dance and was asked to lead the class as they practiced.

As of right now, she wants to be a dance teacher when she grows up. She talks about working hard because she really wants to dance en pointe.

This is her costume for the dance recital this May. May 23rd cannot get here fast enough for Taryne!

The Defense

2015-03-12T20:19:00.001-05:00

So as I previously mentioned, this past Monday was my dissertation defense. Let me tell you that the entire weekend before was crazy. Stressful, crazy. I felt so guilty on Sunday evening because I was a bit snippity the entire weekend. It was the stress. While I knew my advisor would not let me schedule or present my defense if I wasn't ready, but I still felt this big "what if...".

Well, I am happy to report that I presented the results, discussion and recommendations of my dissertation and passed with flying colors! I have some minor revisions from all committee members to do over the next few weeks but that is totally normal.

The relief to have Monday over and done with is huge. I can't even describe how huge it is. I have finally started sleeping through the night again, I don't get as frustrated with little things and I am partly in disbelief. I always knew I could do it, but I always had those small pieces of doubt. I guess that is normal.

It has been a bit weird to have everyone in my department greet me as Dr. Rode this week. I think it will take a little getting used to.

My committee: Dr. Fairhurst (tourism), Dr. Trendafilova (sport management), Dr. Hardin (sport management, advisor), Me, Dr. Waller (sport management) & Kyle

Monday is the big day...

2015-03-05T08:42:00.001-06:00

This coming Monday, (March 9th) I will be defending my dissertation. That is the main reason there have been no posts since October. The past three years have flown by and I can't believe I am about to be finished with this program and be "not that kind of doctor, doctor".

The last "big" thing left is to get a job. I have had a few campus interviews, lots of phone interviews and I have only heard back on one so far and I didn't get it. But that is okay, because once I learned more about the position, I did not want to be the only sport management professor in the entire school. Not cool. I have another campus interview in a few weeks. I am pretty excited about the school and there is an Aggie in the department, so bonus.

Hopefully after I get through Monday and the revisions to my dissertation, I can post more.

Thanks for your patience, love and support! :)

Dryer Balls

2014-10-22T13:17:00.000-05:00

What the heck? Right? I am 99% confident that is what you were thinking. :)

Since our transition to less chemical-laden products, we are now using dryer balls. Kyle recently told me to add dryer sheets to the grocery store list and we both wondered if there was a better way. I immediately took to Pinterest to find a way to make my own. We thought we could save money and be better about what we are using for our clothes.

Well, let me tell you that most of the DIY versions are still FULL of crap. You are basically buying the chemical filled fabric softeners or something else to soak your sponges or rags or whatever you are using for the "dryer sheets". I told Kyle, no way, these are just as bad as what we have now! I changed my search criteria and found dryer balls.

After reading reviews and how to make my own and more, we decided to purchase a set from Etsy. These things are supposed to last about a year or around 1,000 loads of laundry. And they dry your clothes faster and more efficiently and there are less wrinkles. I just wanted to save money and not have chemicals on my clothes.

We were a bit skeptical about the drying faster and saving energy, but they do! Some loads (i.e., pants, towels) required a second round in our now 8 year old dryer. With the dryer balls, one round does the trick. And since they are balls and bouncing around, nothing really gets stuck together so there seems to be less wrinkling.

We spent around $15 plus shipping for 6 dryer balls. That is $15-$20 per year to reduce static cling, assist in drying our clothes and we are actually saving money because we don't have to run the dryer as much. You can even add essential oils to your dryer balls if you like a scent to your clothes. We are a free and clear type of household so we just use the dryer balls as is. By far it is the best money spent on cleaning and household products. We just leave them in the dryer so no need to remember to add the dryer sheet or fabric softener to the wash.

The Milk Allergy

2014-10-05T10:14:00.002-05:00

Taryne is also allergic to milk....

For several months she often complained that her tummy hurt and we struggled to determine if she ate too much, was hungry, or just needed to go to the bathroom. We visited the doctor several times and each time we came away with things to try and nothing seemed to work. Finally the doctor suggested we test for this virus that lives in the gut (h. palori or something like that). However, to test for this, they would need to draw blood from her arm instead of a finger prick. Since this is also how they test for food allergies, I asked that potential food allergens be checked as well, especially since Hayden was allergic to a ton of things and I had a few food allergies as a kid. Luckily the virus came back negative (a positive would have meant a month of a few strong antibiotics, yuck!) but the allergens were a different story.

She was allergic to milk and sesame seeds. She was also allergic to about 6 or 7 other things but were pretty minor and only enough to register as an allergen. The milk and sesame seeds were the ones in a higher classification. Since she only experienced tummy pain, we were not prescribed an epi-pen, but if we ever needed one, we have one with Hayden's.

Luckily, we are pretty much dairy-free in our house with the exception of cheese for those not allergic to milk, so the transition was an easy one. Taryne did better than I expected since she loves cheese. It took her about a week to realize she could no longer have some of the things she enjoyed that was a no-no for Hayden.

The sesame seed allergen is a little different than other nuts/seeds when it comes to the oil. For peanuts and soybeans, the oil is fine for nearly all with an allergen to peanuts or soybeans. A quick search on the internet told me that sesame oil is different in the way it is made and the allergen is still in the oil. Apparently a lot of commercial baked goods have sesame oil in them so we needed to stay away from those...but they usually also contain milk, eggs and soy so we avoid them anyway. The only thing we have come across that she would occasionally eat that has sesame oil is candy corn. I am not sure if it is all brands or the Brach's one, but some other brands contain egg whites so now we have to be extra careful.

As for Hayden, he was retested in August for milk, egg whites and egg yolks and while he is still pretty allergic to all parts of the egg, he is no longer allergic to milk. At the allergy doctor, they did a skin test and it was negative, so we had to schedule a food challenge. This past week, Hayden completed the food challenge and has been cleared to have milk. However, he hates it. He is very specific now when he wants milk: he lets us know that he wants rice milk, in the blue box. He seems hesitant to try some things, but he did eat a little cheese and loved it. At least he can eat it in cooked or baked items provided there is no eggs, soy or nuts.

I think we will continue our limited dairy/dairy-free diet for everyone. We have found that rice milk works as a near perfect substitute for everything we have cooked/baked so far.

The Texas Rode's visit the Tennessee Rode's

2014-09-30T15:15:00.000-05:00

This summer we had a few people come visit us from Texas. It was the talk of the house for weeks leading up to Reagan coming to visit. Josh, Janna and Reagan came for nearly a week to Tennessee to check out the Smoky Mountains, East Tennessee, visit us and lots more. The first weekend they were in town, we stayed with them in their cabin in Gatlinburg. We managed to get the kids through the Ripley's Aquarium in Gatlinburg, the Knoxville Zoo and a trip to Chuy's for some yummy Tex-Mex.

Super creepy looking shark above our heads

Trying to get 3 small children to take a picture together and all look and smile at the same time is nearly impossible.

Taryne must always get a map at the zoo.

Later in the week, we had them over for a "play date" and dinner. Taryne and Hayden were so excited to visit with their cousin.

Just Frustrated...

2014-09-18T20:51:00.001-05:00

When I woke up this morning, this article was in my newsfeed on Facebook. I still can't understand why people are okay with this. I guess they just don't realize what is actually happening and how these things keep getting approved. Well, I know how this is getting approved...big Ag companies are giving millions of dollars and putting their former employees in the EPA, FDA, USDA and other offices and these people are pretty much making it happen without true independent research.

It is so frustrating because in the months since we switched to non-GMO and organic, we feel completely different and while we realize nothing will ever be completely chemical free, we can reduce our exposure and intake by purchasing non-GMO and organic foods. I guess I still just don't understand how so many other countries in the world ban GMOs and other food additives or at least require a warning label, but not in the US.

The amount of pesticides/herbicides has increased dramatically after the initial decrease after GMOs were first introduced. And now we have added another plant with an additional resistance and to a chemical that is actually worse than Roundup. Really? I for one am extremely frustrated with this country's handling of things when it comes to our health, wellness and even the environment. We simply do not care. And we wonder why obesity, diabetes, cancer and so many other ailments are higher in the US than most other developed countries. Our Western diet along with so many other things are contributing it and we only want to treat the symptoms and not fix the problem.

Okay, soapbox rant over! :)

Officially ABD

2014-09-16T12:43:00.001-05:00

You are probably wondering what the heck "ABD" is, right? Well that s my new "title" along with Ph.D. Candidate. I have officially passed my proposal defense (the meeting where I present my idea, research questions, method). I have "promoted" to Ph.D. Candidate from Ph.D. Student.

So, ABD means "all but dissertation". All coursework for the doctor of philosophy degree has been completed, I have passed my comprehensive exams and everyone on my committee believes I am ready (and prepared) to move on to the data collection phase. I want to thank you (those few that read this) for your patience and understanding with my lack of posts over the last 2 years. It has been very stressful and the time is often not there to even take 5 minutes to write down ideas or share pictures.

Currently I am working to finalize my survey (I chose survey over interviews because I have no desire to transcribe hours upon hours of recorded interviews and then code them and find meanings) and submit it for IRB (Institutional Review Board) approval. Once approved, I am cleared to collect data for my dissertation.

In case you are wondering, my dissertation is over what motivations people have to attend college football games with an RV. My research areas are in sport tourism, marketing and intercollegiate athletics. There is very little information out there on "who" the people are that travel to college sporting events with an RV. So to collect data, I will be doing paper and pencil surveys to those in the RV parking designated areas on college campuses on game weekends. Yes, I will be coming to TAMU and I am so excited to see Kyle Field in person. (squeal!!)

If all goes well, I will have collected all my data by end of October or the beginning of November at the very latest. I will then only have chapters 4 and 5 left to write and should have that completed sometime in December. The goal is to defend my dissertation in late February but no later than the first week of March. Once I defend (and my committee tells me I passed, which happens the same day as the defense) then I am a "Dr." but will not actually graduate until May.

So that is basically my next few months in a nutshell. Anyone want to come to Knoxville and help me? :)

While I have completed and "checked-off" so many things, I still have a lot to do.

Rocky Top

2014-08-07T10:37:00.000-05:00

It has been 2 years since we officially moved to Knoxville. I was excited and very nervous. Kyle and I had talked about leaving College Station and Texas for years and here it was, finally happening. I was so scared that it might not be a good experience for Kyle, Taryne and Hayden. They were sacrificing so much to allow me to go to school (again) to get a Ph.D. I think we all knew it would be tough and we would miss things from Texas and of course our family, but I didn't think we would actually begin to love it here.

While I have missed some things from Texas, living in Knoxville has been great. We have one more year here and then we are off to the next city and next adventure. I don't think most Texans realize that there is so much more outside the state of Texas and most are not willing to live elsewhere. As an academic advisor, most students would not even consider leaving Texas, even if it meant a higher paying job and experience where they could eventually come back. Personally, living further north works great for our family. Our seasonal allergies are virtually nonexistent, I haven't had heat headaches and the weather is just amazing. Our "hot" days are in the upper 80's. Yeah, 80's and I think I am going to die because it is so "hot".

I truly was nervous about leaving College Station and our Aggie bubble. We are in a new orange bubble now and it has been so fun and crazy and frustrating all at the same time. People here bleed orange, not the ugly burnt orange, Tennessee orange. :) I think I will actually be sad next May/June as we pack to move to wherever we go next.

Many days I feel that Knoxville is more "home" than anywhere in Texas, even College Station or Manvel--the two places I claim as my hometown. Taryne and Hayden love it here and Taryne insists we need to move to a location that is cloudy and rainy all the time because she doesn't like to see the sun that much. I guess she is my child. :)

"Rocky Top, you'll always be, home sweet home to me. Good ole rocky top, rocky top Tennessee, rocky top Tennessee!"

The "Other" Side

2014-08-06T20:27:00.001-05:00

As a little girl, I loved to read. I look back and I did everything I could to get my hands on books to read. My summers were spent reading and some playing outside, but I remember thinking I would rather read than be outside in the heat. My favorite books were mysteries, especially ghost stories. I think I read Christina's Ghost at least 3-4 times per school year. Ironically I still don't own a copy of the book. Another book by Betty Ren Wright was The Dollhouse Murders. Really anything I could find with a ghost story and a mystery--fact or fiction--I was anxious to read.

When we moved to the "old house" in Llano, we were told there were "spirits" in the house. I didn't believe it, though there was a part of me that wanted to believe it. While I am not sure if there are really spirits there, a few weird things happened while we lived there that made me question if they were really there. The TV would often turn off if you left the room and sometimes the doors would shut.

Two things happened that really made me think someone or something was there. One night, in the middle of the night the TV turned on. To a station of nothing but static. The weird thing is the TV was one of those really old kind that ONLY turned on when you turned the knob. You know, the kind before remotes. The on/off knob was also the volume, so when you turned it on, the volume was very low and you had to continue turning to increase the volume. Well the TV turned on to a static station at FULL volume. And it was in the added on room that had an exterior door and lock and the door was locked and no one was sleeping in that room that night. I am not sure anyone really slept in that room again.

The other thing was in the detached garage. My dad was in there working and went in the house for a moment. When he came back, there was an old knife on the floor in the middle of the doorway of the garage. No doors were shut, so nothing could have knocked it loose. Just weird.

In December 2011, Kyle's grandmother passed away. Taryne was a little over 2, but pretty vocal on most things. At the church, she talked about the angel in the front of the church. The only angel was the small one on the nativity set on the side of the church. She insisted and pointed to the front, up high and told us there was an angel there. This lasted before, during and after the service. Kyle suggested that it could be Mamaw and Taryne quickly agreed. I had quite a bit of trouble keeping myself together during the service. I am sure part of it was being pregnant, but the other part was her constant pointing at the angel in the church, that only she could see.

When we moved in the the apartment our first year in Knoxville, Taryne constantly talked about the "shadows" in her bedroom at night. At first we thought it was just getting used to a new room and getting to the age where normal shadows scare little kids. When we moved to our current town home, the shadow talk stopped immediately. We thought she might continue since it was a new space, but she has not brought it up once.

Why am I writing about all of this? Well, Taryne recently mentioned the "shadows" from the apartment and that she was glad we didn't live there anymore. I asked her if they bothered her and she said no, just scared her. I really makes me wonder what, or who, those shadows were and I am now really glad to not be living there anymore! To be quite honest, I was surprised she remembered it. She even brought up the angel in the church. I was truly amazed she remembered both of these. It has been over a year since we lived in that apartment and over 2 1/2 years since the funeral.

Hello!!

2014-08-06T20:06:00.001-05:00

We are still here! I have been swamped with my comprehensive exams all summer, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel because my last question is due on Monday, the 11th. However, as I type, we are preparing for a fast trip to Texas, so I will be doing some work in the car to get it all done.

Spring Flowers

2014-06-19T20:06:00.001-05:00

Early this spring we planted gladiolus and anemones in the tiny front flower bed. I am pretty sure Taryne was going to go crazy waiting for them to come up and then bloom. The anemones finally bloomed and in the last week or so the glads are blooming. I now wish we would have planted twice as many but we now know for next year.

Silly girl!

Sweet siblings

Break from bike riding...eating a coconut milk ice cream sandwich!

Such a beauty!!

More Changes...

2014-06-18T15:14:00.002-05:00

***WARNING!!! If the brief discussion of a woman's menstrual cycle or feminine products makes you uncomfortable, scroll second paragraph and keep reading. Thanks!

So I stumbled upon this article with video a while back and was a bit disgusted. At first I was thinking, "wow, this is really scary" and then I quickly changed to "well this doesn't concern me anymore" (I use Mirena and have no menstrual cycle so therefore no need to purchase feminine products). I was however, worried about Taryne in the future, but happy to know that there are natural products on the market.

I didn't think about it again for about a week. And then it hit me like a ton of bricks. Taryne wears pull-ups and Hayden wears diapers. I bet there are the same odor absorbing, chemical-laden things in the diapers. And of course, there are no ingredient labels on diapers...unless you buy natural ones. So we finished the diapers Hayden had in stock and canceled our Amazon shipments for both the diapers and pull-ups. I began a subscription to the Honest Company for diapers and wipes. They tell you what is in the diapers. Yes, they are a little more expensive, but I would rather pay a few dollars more now and not have my children absorb who knows what type of chemicals into the small bodies.

Taryne is on the last package of the "bad" pull-ups and if I am lucky, we can just quit that all together. I am sure we have a little more time working on getting through the night without an accident, so I know we will pick some Honest Company ones up for her. Luckily, they are sold in some stores, but the biggest selection is online. ~~I have heard they will now be offered at Target, but they are not in stores yet and unavailable online.~~ Just found out they are now available at Target!!

Other Lifestyle Changes

2014-06-18T11:12:00.001-05:00

Sometime last fall, a book was recommended to me by my cousin, so I ordered it. And never read it. I was just too busy. After Christmas break, I decided to get the book out and I finally started reading...and was thinking "oh my goodness, we need to make some serious changes".

Most of the things in the book are over the foods we eat and how they could contribute to cancer or prevent it. So that is where some of our changes really started.

I have since read numerous other articles and we started changing other things too. Sunscreen, bug spray, shampoo/conditioner, hand soap, shower soap, dish soap, laundry soap, deodorant and the list goes on. I never realized how much some of these cancer causing chemicals can be easily absorbed into our skin, especially in areas like our arm pits. Oh and the diapers, but that is another post.

I recently switched from my regular deodorant to an all-natural one and had a reaction to the baking soda in the product. I then tried their sensitive version and had similar results, so I finally settled on Toms of Maine and love it. Kyle now uses it too.

This is just one of the many articles that explains why I will no longer buy regular deodorant and no one in my house will either. One thing suggested by the first product I tried was an arm pit detox. After the reaction and peeling I had from the first trial, I think I pretty much detoxed and have all new skin under my arms! :)

Our Food Transformation

2014-06-13T14:53:00.004-05:00

Last fall I wrote about Hayden's food allergies (here). Since then, we have come a long way in learning about food and what he can and cannot eat without being sick. It has also given us an opportunity to reevaluate the food we eat and buy.

We have pretty much gone completely organic and we buy non-GMO/Non-GMO Project Verified when available. For years I was okay with GMO crops because when it first came out there was this promise of less pesticides/herbicides which meant "better for us" food, better for the environment, etc. I was also sort of "anti" organic because during my time as a horticulture student I learned that even though some pesticides/herbicides were deemed okay for organic crops (they were organic vs. synthetic produced) they had the potential to be just as dangerous or more so than the typical synthetic ones used in commercial farming.

In recent years, many new studies have been published to show that GMO crops are actually using MORE pesticides and harmful things for our food, bodies and environment. The things I have read about GMO's actually frightens me and makes me wonder if some of the health issues we have encountered are directly related to the foods we are eating.

We actively seek local or chain food restaurants/stores that provide food without GMO's, preservatives, additives, etc and that are organic. We no longer purchase meat from animals fed grain (because it is all full of GMO crops). At one of the farmer's markets, we found a local beef farmer that raises grassfed cattle and is comparatively priced to standard grain-fed beef you find in the grocery store. We are super picky about our eggs, chicken and fish. Thankfully we have a great variety of stores here in Knoxville, but I think Trader Joe's has become our favorite. All of their products and produce are non-GMO, they are reasonably priced and they have lots of fresh items.

Kyle and I love soda, but we are doing our best to completely eliminate it from our diet. However, when we want a soda, we now buy Jones Soda. I am amazed at our changes and how our mindsets have changed over the past 6+ months--all because we had to start reading food labels and realized all the "crap" that is in our food.

I have yet to understand why foods that should only contain a few items actually have 10+ ingredients. Bread, for example, should just have a few things and most bread you buy from the grocery store shelf is riddled with preservatives, artificial ingredients and some type of over processed sugar. Why?

My other big "why?" here lately is why does most every other country ban GMO foods as well as many other ingredients we deem "ok" and "safe" here in the U.S.? I just don't understand it. Is this one of the reasons we are less healthy here in the U.S.? I really feel I could go on and on and on with this and many topics. You probably don't want to hear it and probably don't care.

My goal is for our little family to eat healthier, be healthier and cut the "crap". This past winter without all the normal "crap" we were eating (even things considered "healthy") we had less illness and we made it through a much colder winter than the year before with basically no missed school days. We are still working on transforming our food (because you just can't do it all overnight!) but we are much more aware of every thing we buy and eat. We cook more, make more food at home and it has been totally worth it.

Did you know??

2014-05-16T20:25:00.003-05:00

This past semester I took my second policy analysis course through the public policy administration department. We have to take 2 courses outside of our department to specialize in something. I wanted tourism, but the course offering was pretty sparse and nothing was offered when I needed it for it to work. So, I am doing Policy Administration.

Anyway, we had to do a policy presentation this semester and one classmate did theirs on the wine laws in TN. Currently you can only purchase wine through a liquor store in the state. So no wine in grocery stores, convenient stores, Target, World Market, etc. It is a bit of a pain when you are grocery shopping and want to add wine to the list and you have to go to another store for it.

They recently passed a law to allow wine in grocery stores, but it does not go into effect until 2016. Also, it is up to each county, city, town, etc to vote and determine if they want to allow wine sales in grocery stores in their area. Remember, this is the bible belt here....where there is a church on every corner and nearly as many adult stores as well, which is ironic...however, I digress...back to wine.

Well, I learned something new during his presentation. Chain liquor stores are not allowed in the state of TN. You can ONLY own ONE liquor store and you must be local to own the store. So there are literally hundreds of mom and pop liquor stores in town because you can only have one. This totally blew my mind and I never really thought about it before.

We talked about liquor sales in other states as well and it is amazing how varied these laws can be. For instance, another girl in my program is from Wisconsin. You can buy hard liquor in the grocery store. This totally blows my mind, but I am just not used to that. The new law is great for TN, but it really doesn't matter to us since we will be gone before 2016.

One year to go...

2014-05-01T20:10:00.000-05:00

When we moved to Tennessee in August 2012, I have had several moments where I thought May 2014 would never arrive. After I turn in a survey proposal on Monday, I will be officially finished with my coursework toward my dissertation. How on earth did I make it through 4 long semesters and a summer that included 16 courses, 6 of which were research based?

Yesterday morning I had my dissertation pre-proposal meeting with my dissertation committee. It is pretty crazy to think I will be graduating with a Ph.D. in a year-May 7, 2015 to be exact. Don't get me wrong, I still have a long road ahead of me the next year to complete my comprehensive exams, officially propose my research topic, collect data and write my dissertation, but this spring the light at the end of the tunnel got a little brighter and it continues to shine and guide me to the end of this intense 3 year process (most other Ph.D. programs are 4-5+ years, so 3 is really fast).

In 2 weeks I start my comprehensive exams that I must "pass" to become a doctoral candidate and will then be "ABD" or "all but dissertation". Everyone tells me how lucky I am to have the exams I do. I receive 4 questions over the summer and I have 3 weeks to answer each question. By the time the summer is over and I have answered all 4 questions, I should roughly have chapters 1-3 of my dissertation complete. My friends tell me I am lucky because many of them have their comprehensive exam over a 6 hour period with not notes, books, internet, etc and must answer their questions. And, it is not necessarily related to their dissertation topic. What?! So, I feel lucky and glad my process is going to help me in the long run.

My research will be over motivations that influence travel to college sporting events, particularly college football games. While this type of research has been done in the past, I am going to look at an area that has very little, if any, research published: those that travel to the games with a RV. This is a unique population as they do not spend money in the community in the same way your traditional fan does and the community will need to market to these individual differently as well.

So if the posts on this blog continue to be really sporadic, it is because I will be practically living in the library to answer my exam questions over the next 12 weeks.