12/22/17- The First Kiss

December 22, 2017 marks the 12th anniversary of my first date, and consequentially, my first kiss with my husband Bobby!  For our wedding website (that we made in 2008!), we both wrote down our first kiss from our own perspective.  I'm so happy to still have the information from our website and happy that I get to share the story with you all.  Hopefully it's not too sickeningly sweet, but the right amount of sweet.  Happy 12th anniversary first date to my handsome husband!

*Bobby's Side*
On our first date, I had spent a lot of effort being a real gentleman. I opened her car door when I picked her up, when we got to the restaurant, and finally, when we left the restaurant.
The final activity we did at Zoo Lights was ride the carousel together. I was very happy to find a guy who'd look like a fool to ride the carousel with me. I mean we were in our mid-20s riding a carousel full of kids. Not too many guys would do that. I knew then that I wanted to end the night on a kiss good bye.

As we headed back to the car after a great time wandering through the zoo and talking, I didn't open her door. She jokingly reminded me and I rushed to open her door, apologizing the whole way. It seems she had thought about this and as I turned to her with the door open, she leaned in and kissed me.

Now I know the first kiss is a private moment, but there was something different about that kiss. It was different than any other first kiss I had. Of course, maybe I'm just a hopeless romantic, but it was...wow.

*Suzie's Side*

He had been opening the car door for me all night, even though I joked that I was a modern girl and could do it myself, but he had set that standard, so I fully expected him to open the car door one last time when we left the zoo. I mean, perfect opportunity for a kiss, right? He opens the door, I lean in and thank him with a kiss. Of course this one time, he decided to act on my critique of his macho, chivalry. We held hands all the way from the parking lot to the cars, so I thought he was in the same mentality as me, and this would be the big first kiss. As he headed for his own door (the driver's side), not even attempting to open mine, I cleared my throat, and then asked if he was going to open the door or not? I swear he actually ran all the way from drive side to the passenger side. He opened the door, and yeah, I leaned in to kiss him (as the white elephant had taught me, I couldn't expect him to kiss me). It was definitely a kiss I wouldn't forget. Wow is right.

12/18/17- Holiday Science Experiment: Make Your Own Snow

When you live in a warm weather place like Phoenix, you rarely receive snowfall (it has happened though). So if you don't get snow, then why not make some?  That's exactly what Jack, Bobby, our friend Colton, and some neighborhood kids did this weekend. It will make for a fun winter break and holiday science experiment.  And it's super easy to do!

YOU WILL NEED:

3 cups of baking soda
1/2 cup of hair conditioner (suggest white in color so that it looks like snow)
glitter (optional)
large plastic container or large pan
"snow" tools: beads, toothpicks, cookie cutters or Play-Doh tools, ribbon and googling eyes for snow people


INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Pour baking soda into container.
2. Pour conditioner into container.
3. Stir together with a spoon (or your hands).  Snow should be like sand.
4. Let the play begin!

I will give you a word of caution: your child(ren) may want to make snowballs and then throw said snowball at you.  The good news is that this snow cleans up easily.  So I suggest wearing play clothes (or if you live in Phoenix, bathing suites to hose down the "snow" covered kids, haha) and doing the snow outside (just like real snow, haha).

Jack, Colton, and the neighborhood kids enjoyed the snow-- long after we ran out of baking soda and conditioner, they kept asking for more snowballs.  It makes me so happy when Jack and friends enjoy one of my science experiments. Parenting, and engineering, win! 😀

And for those who have children older than 3, you can explain how mixing the baking soda and conditioner together creates an exothermic reaction, which is the same type of reaction in the formation of real snow (exothermic is a chemical reaction that releases energy in the form of heat or light). And if you want an endothermic reaction, like the reaction that melting snow is, then pour some vinegar on top of your fake snow.  Below is a video to help your children learn more about exothermic and endothermic reactions.  Happy Snow-lidays! ⛄

12/10/17- Every Once in a While, I Like My Job (Part 2)

Not that long ago, I talked about how much I enjoyed attending and presenting at a conference. That I actually liked my job.  Not more than a week later I found myself again enjoying my job.  But this time it was my writing job (which I like 98% of the time anyway, so no surprise there).

I was selling copies of my book at the Tempe Book Festival.  I needed some help; someone to accept payment while I signed books.  This setup is optimal for any author working a festival, fair or any other place where you're selling directly to patrons. I enlisted the help of my friend and fellow engineer Sara (hi Sara, thanks again for your help!).  We've done multiple science fairs together, and she's great at getting kids and adults interested in our (science and engineering) booth.

Since the Tempe Book Festival was outside, and you have to bring your own gear, I decided that a tent canopy, in addition to the standard table and chairs, was a good idea for a festival in the Valley of the Sun.  It's a rather large canopy, so Bobby volunteered to help Sara and I set it up. Set up was faster with 3 people, but only 2 people need to work a table/booth at a book festival.  Having Bobby there for set up also meant that Jack would be there.

Jack is at the age where I have no idea if he'll be sitting still while watching Mickey Mouse, running all over the festival grounds, or begging us to go home.  To my pleasant surprise, he was really into the book festival, yay!  While we set up, he played an ABC game on a tablet.  And when we finished set up, he took Mommy around to all the booths, then Sara around to all the booths, and finally Daddy around to all the booths.

Next, he sat at my booth, telling people about Annie Aardvark, handing out candy to other kids (it was more of a mandate: "you don't want that, you want Starburst"), and also enjoying some of this candy himself.  He stayed the entire 6 hours of the festival and seemed to enjoy all 6 hours.  He was a little tired after we packed it in and feel asleep on the ride home.

Jack visiting an author's book at the Tempe Book Festival

On a parenting note, remember when I said I had no idea how Jack would act?  When I'm not sure how he'll act someplace new, I hesitate (big time) on bringing him with me.  I don't think I'm alone on that hesitation--running a book festival booth goes a little smoother if there's not a cranky toddler sitting at it.  Shark, doing anything without a toddler present usually goes smoother.

However looking back, I think about how Jack and I might have both missed out on this experience had I let that hesitation rule my decision. It was awesome for me to have him be a part of my work--for him to see me work.  It's that thought, of him seeing me work and being a part of my work, that has changed my mindset. I definitely plan to bring him to more events like this (like when Sara and I volunteer for another science fair). It's just making sure to have a contingency plan, like having daddy or a friend on hand to help out, since I am an engineer after all (got to worse case it, ya know?).

As I hinted in the paragraph above, it meant the world to me that I got to share my work (my writing work) with my son.  And that he liked it!  I'm convinced that he thinks I don't work, as all of my work, both engineering and writing, is performed on my laptop. I'm pretty sure Jack thinks the laptop is a toy, and toys equal play, not work (although play in a sense is work for kids, just don't tell them that).  Therefore, mommy plays, not works, on the laptop (okay, sometimes work feels like play to me, which circles back to every once in a while, I like my job).

As a female engineer (and writer) who wants to raise a feminist son, it's very important to me that Jack not only understands that I work, but that he sees me do it.  Sharing the book festival with him, not only is a precious memory, but a demonstration of my ideals to my child.  So yeah, every once in a while, I like my job. Might I say, I even love it?  Na, let's not get too carried away!  😃

Hey friends and family-- what do you like about your job?  Let me know in the comments.  I guess you can also tell me what you don't like about your job, although hoping to have some positive comments too. 😃