Look who made the papers!

First, my mom and her fellow teachers were recognized with a statewide award and featured in the Waycross paper. Can you find her in this picture? Hint: she's 6'.


Here's an article I wrote about Four Corners Academy of the Arts. It ran in the Clermont News-Leader recently. No byline. Bummer.



Also, 2008 is the 10-year anniversary of the following article appearing in the Observer-Dispatch out of Utica, New York.

Mental Floss

If you haven't discovered MentalFloss.com yet, you're missing out. I just discovered it and it's already filling the void. Just thought I'd share a few interesting things that I've found so far.

First of all, Eric's brother Jeff attends Alfred University on a football scholarship. I found his school on MentalFloss.com as part of a list of 12 College Classes We Wish Our Schools Had Offered because in spring of 2005, Alfred offered a course entitled "Maple Syrup - The Real Thing."

Like many MentalFloss readers (and EricAndKP blog readers), I grew up on PBS family programming, so I thought y'all would get a kick out of 15 Reasons Mr. Rogers Was the Best Neighbor Ever. Warning: Only follow the obituary links at the bottom of the page if you have tissues handy.

And lastly, this article explains once and for all why we think it's so much fun to sing in the shower.

Lately

Well, our lives have been pretty busy lately! We've been singing in the Candlelight Processional at Epcot fairly often, which is a tradition that we really enjoy. As a part of the Concert Choir, I participated in a similarly-structured concert each year, and very early on I began to regard it as the herald of the holiday season for me. Thankfully, the Candlelight Processional Service of Traditional Songs and Scriptures (I think that's what it's called...something like that) has stepped into that role!

Also, Eric's birthday was last week. I got pretty excited and was going to bake a cake, but we didn't have any eggs. So I made a cookie cake! (This photo was taken after we had already gotten hungry and torn into it.) He also finally got the GPS he's been longing for!

In other news, President and First Lady Bush have caught up with the times and sent us a note congratulating us on our wedding. Way to get with the program, Bushes! :)


Let's see, what else is new? We're leaving for Waycross today to celebrate Christmas with the Pine-ders so Eric and I had our Christmas last night. Who has an awesome husband and got--not one but--two Coach purses? That would be yours truly! Tomorrow night we'll be caroling around the neighborhood (all six of us in harmony!) and performing at the Christmas eve service at FBC Wayx. If you're in town, swing by and have a listen!

Right now, I'm watching VH1 (instead of wrapping presents and packing), and I started to notice a pattern--I apparently love the '80s more than I thought I did because these are seriously all of my favorite karaoke songs! Namely #1 and #11, but where's "Open Arms" on this list?!

1. Bon Jovi / "Livin' on a Prayer" (1986)
2. Def Leppard / "Pour Some Sugar On Me" (1987)
3. Duran Duran / "Hungry Like the Wolf" (1982)
4. Michael Jackson / "Billie Jean" (1982)
7. Guns N' Roses / Sweet Child O' Mine (1987)
8. Madonna / "Like a Virgin" (1984)
10. AC/DC / "You Shook Me All Night Long" (1980)
11. Journey / "Don't Stop Believing" (1981)
13. U2 / "With Or Without You" (1987)
14. The Bangles / "Walk Like an Egyptian" (1986)
15. Van Halen / "Jump" (1984)
17. Whitesnake / "Here I Go Again" (1982)
20. Rick Springfield / "Jessie's Girl" (1981)
23. Cyndi Lauper / "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" (1984)
24. A-Ha / "Take On Me" (1985)
28. Wham! / "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" (1984)
30. Pat Benatar / "Love is a Battlefield" (1983)
33. Soft Cell / "Tainted Love" (1981)
34. Poison / "Every Rose Has It's Thorn" (1988)
38. U2 / "Pride (In the Name of Love)" (1984)
39. Modern English / "I Melt With You" (1982)
40. The B-52's / "Love Shack" (1989)
46. The Police / "Every Breath You Take" (1983)
50. Eurythmics / "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" (1983)
52. Dead or Alive / "You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)" (1985)
56. Bonnie Tyler / "Total Eclipse of the Heart" (1983)
57. Toni Basil / "Mickey" (just kidding, I would never sing this song)
59. John Mellencamp / "Jack & Diane" (1982)
62. Berlin / "Take My Breath Away" (1986)
70. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts / "I Love Rock N' Roll" (1981)
78. Blondie / "Call Me" (1980)
83. Prince / "Kiss" (1986)
89. The Pretenders / "Brass in Pocket" (1980)
91. Katrina and The Waves / "Walking On Sunshine" (1983)

Movie Stars in the Making

Before Eric and I ever met, all the Pinders went on a little trip called Paddle Georgia, which involved our kayaking about 45 miles down the Chattahoochee River over the course of three days on the water. It just so happened that during the trip, a documentary film maker was producing a piece on the Chattahoochee, and he took some footage of us for his project, Chattahoochee: To Fall in Love with a River. We appear in the full-length documentary several times, but Mom recently found the delightful YouTube clip below, in which Pinders can be seen if you fast forward to 2:50 and 3:30. (If you're wondering what it is we're doing, it's a cheer we learned on a guided trip of the Nantahala River a while back. We retained it and it's been a family tradition ever since!)

Mini-Vacay at Universal

Universal Orlando sent Eric a free ticket in hopes that he would buy another one. It worked. Check out the evidence here!

Homer burped in my ear.

Bernard Pivot Survey

Katie's Answers

What is your favorite word? girly
What is your least favorite word? moist
What turns you on? nice smells
What turns you off? stinky smells
What sound do you love? really good quality music
What sound do you hate? burps
What profession other than yours would you like to attempt? forensic linguist
What profession would you not like to participate in? doctor, nurse, or anything involving blood
What is your favorite curse word? d**chebag. If you can separate yourself from the word's meaning, it sounds really funny.
If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates? "I wish they'd stop saying 'if heaven exists' on that actor show."

Eric's Answers

What is your favorite word? wonderful
What is your least favorite word? don't
What turns you on? my wife
What turns you off? when my wife is sleeping
What sound do you love? Katie singing
What sound do you hate? cash register going cha-ching! (that means my money's going away)
What profession other than yours would you like to attempt? train engineer
What profession would you not like to participate in? garbage man
What is your favorite curse word? f**k
If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates? "Thank you for not voting for Obama"

We're famous!

I submitted two glaring errors to a blog I follow, Apostrophe Catastrophe, and they were featured today. Check it out here!

Also, I submitted our wedding announcement to Stetson's quarterly alumni publication, The Cupola. Due in part to our awesomeness and in part to our three-generation Stetson legacy, a photo from the ceremony was featured in the magazine. Thanks for the scans, Mom!



I also sent a humorous photo to SuspiciousVans.com, but I haven't seen it added onto the site yet. Let me know if you spot the photo below online anywhere.

ICE! Update

ICE! at Gaylord Palms was really cool (haha). All volunteers from Give Kids the World qualify to purchase the special VIP charity preview tickets, so we headed to the attraction and exclusive VIP gathering.

The hotel in itself is beautiful, but we were so excited to see the ice sculptures that we decided to head straight through the resort and go back to visit later. We were met by a little party featuring the thickest, richest hot cocoa I've ever had (and hot cider, eggnog, and cappuccino for my thirsty husband).

Inside the attraction, we walked through a lovely foresty Winter Wonderland, the colorful Hall of Ornaments, the delicious Candy Land, Santa's special elfy hideout, a beautiful sparkling Nativity scene, and Santa's Magical Flight, featuring four frigid slides made entirely of ice, and finally Penguin Pointe.

We followed up the experience with more hot cocoa because it was--holy cow--NINE degrees inside! Good thing they provide the parkas!

Below is a sample of the amazing artwork we experienced. Follow this link for pretty pictures!

EDIT: Almost forgot about the video! Of course there's a video. :)

Miscellaneous Photo Post

Hello, readers! Here are a few random photos we've taken recently. We're going (across the street) to the Gaylord Palms to see ICE! which is a display of giant ice scupltures, so we will probably have even more photos after that!

Our current cruise fund

Eric Brown, baker

Eric's delicious cinnamon raisin bread

Covering our chairs to match the dining room decor

January 1953 - presumably when our dining set was made

Sold at a furniture retailer in Utica, NY

Eric got creative with my curly fries

Our Christmas decor!

No flash = artsy photo, in this case

The piano area

Our new Jim Shore nativity set! Thanks, in-laws!

The whole little Christmas area

Stockings (and trusty nutcracker nightlight - thanks, McCreas!) hung by the kitchen with care

Our Surprise Date

Eric woke me up on Sunday to tell me we were going on a date that night. Where were we going? It was a surprise.

A surprise? I love surprises! But what to wear?

Eric says to wear something from the '80s. Will I be the only one wearing an '80s outfit, I ask? He hesitates and says no. Sounds fishy. I go for regular clothes.

We drive to Downtown Disney and where do we end up? At House of Blues for a concert! Who's playing? Only the ultimate Michael Jackson tribute band, Who's Bad!

It was amazing! We danced all night long!