Andy & Leslie

New Song: "Not My Concern"

2009-07-03T11:35:00.001-06:00

Here's a song I wrote for an amazing couple that got married on June 20th.
Not%20My%20Concern.mp3

Camping and Fishing

2009-07-01T08:27:00.001-06:00

Check out our picture album to the right!! Fun times!

Foosball

2009-06-25T15:03:00.000-06:00

Andy bought this little foosball table at a garage sale for $5 much to my dismay. However, we've played two games today and the series is tied one to one. Very fun. You were right, Andy

Andy sings for 15,000+ people!!

2009-06-25T12:56:00.002-06:00

Hey All,
Check out Andy singing the National Anthem at the Isotopes Baseball game last Tuesday night. A famous baseball player was there that night, so there were over 15,000 people there that evening. Andy did a really great job, but don't take my word for it. Hear for yourself. Click on the link in our recent pics to the right.

Fun with the fam

2009-06-11T18:14:00.000-06:00

Here's some family I just met for the first time...the two little ones

NMSU

2009-06-09T13:00:00.000-06:00

This week I'm in Las Cruces getting my Advanced Placement certification. It's been fun to spend time on campus again. Aunt Suzi has been more than gracious and allowed me to stay at their guest cottage while I'm here. I was originally to stay in the dorms,but when I saw their prison like design and found out we had roommates, Suzi was my salvation. Gracias!

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Good times, good sleep

2009-06-03T13:30:00.001-06:00

The Zoo!

2009-06-03T12:20:00.000-06:00

We had a great time taking Kenny to the zoo today. It was the perfect day!

Auto Harps

2009-05-19T17:25:00.002-06:00

Leslie was given some autoharps before she left school today. Last played 1996. Last tuned, 1886. We thought we'd give them a whirl.

Leslie's last day

2009-05-15T16:32:00.000-06:00

Today, Leslie finished her last day of instruction and came home to relax for a couple of hours. Her elected relaxing activity: Follow that Bird. She pretty much has it memorized.

Bangladesh

2009-05-15T15:23:00.000-06:00

Sam came through town a couple of weeks ago and told of us some of the good times he's having on the other side of the world. He came to our bible study on Thursday night where I heard him speak fluent German to his wife in Canada, then to our church on Sunday evening where I heard him speak fluent English and read Bangla. Quite a guy.

Teacher of the Year- Continued

2009-05-15T10:10:00.002-06:00

I just wanted to post the speech that was spoken to unvail Andy as the Teacher of the Year. The job of the person who wrote the speech was to slowly but surely hint at who the teacher might be and get more and more specific until they finally come out with the name of the teacher at the very end. This is how the teachers and students at MHS describe Andy:

The Speech
I am delighted to have the honor of presenting the 2009 Teacher of the Year Award to a very special friend. This Person is, in one word, extraordinary. Not only have I never heard anyone say a bad word about this recipient, I have never heard the recipient say an unkind word about anyone else. That is, in and of itself, remarkable. When I add to that his consummate professionalism, amazing talent, and devotion to family, friends, and colleagues, and students and his unfailing confidence and optimism, the result is a person of uncommon character. At the risk of sounding utterly corny, he brightens every room he enter! On a personal level, our recipient has provided me with valuable support and encouragement, especially recently, and his advice is so sound and sage that I sometimes forget that he is young enough to be my son!!
But allow me to provide you with some quotes from some of the numberous nomination forms from his students and colleagues...
"Though young, he has the qualities of the teachers of the 'old school'"

"He's Funny, good-looking and a little crazy."

Not only is he "gentle, well-groomed and smart," he is "a very helful, patient, kind and funny teacher.

"His Classes are tough, but only because he wants his students to understand the subject that he teaches."

"While one of school for three weeks due to an injury last year, he emailed me and sent my assignments to me daily."

"It was great to walk into class knowing that the teacher truly enjoyed the subject he was teaching."

It is obvious he loves his students and is the coolent teacher ever. He brings joy and humor to the classroom.

"I've never had a teacher who wants to help his students succeed so much. He's a great teacher."

And my personal favorite... "I don't always know what he is saying, but he still manages to make me laugh."

Our recipient this year has been at Manzano High School for eleven years, albeit four of them as a student, is an amazingly talented musician who helps keep the Shades of Purple on key, provides a spiritual center for students and staff alike and is a creative, energetic Spanish Teacher. I am thrilled to present the 2009 Teacher of the year Award to Senor Andy Cook!!!

Teacher of the Year!!!

2009-05-14T12:32:00.002-06:00

This past week our household celebrated an amazing award Andy received at the Senior Awards assembly at Manzano High school. Andy was awarded Teacher of the Year!!! The way one gets this award is by being nominated by students and teachers alike.They fill out a nomination form writing all the reasons why they feel a particular teacher should get it. Andy had always dreamed of receiving this award, but was so sure it would not be this year. As you know, last year Andy did his National Boards which kept him very busy. Then, this year he had some major job additions with being Department Chair, being incharge of the Multi-Cultural assembly, and being on a number of committees like textbook adoption, making a new schedule for next year, among many other things...Oh yeah, and this is on top of the normal job of teaching all his classes to the best of his ability. He continually told me how he wish he would have done better and continued to praise his colleagues for their excellent work. It was sooo great to be there and see how moved and excited Andy was when he realized it was him. Everyone knew he deserved it in every way. I recorded the speech and took some pictures that I hope to put up soon. As his excited and proud wife, I just had to share.

The perfect weekend

2009-05-02T10:01:00.000-06:00

It's only 10AM Saturday morning, but I already consier myself to have had the perfect weekend. Yesterday after work I went over to Brian's and helped him, Aydin, and Papadaddy cut down a couple of trees. Then we went to Nob Hill and had Gelatto. I had just been telling Leslie how I had a hankering for a little Nob Hill time. The evening weather was perfect!
Then, this morning after dropping Leslie off at Cibola High School, I took a drive through Corrales - my first time doing so during the day - and it was beautiful. The Sandia's were lit up from the sun peaking through the morning drizzle clouds. Then I stopped at the Flying Star, which is probably the best one in Albuquerque, and had some tea and went over awesome verses. Perfect!

Waiting at DIA

2009-04-26T20:42:00.000-06:00

So we said goodbye to the fam, drove the rental to the place, got off, swiped a credit card, got on the shuttle, checked bags, and got a latte. It's amazing how convenient this is compared to road trips, which, of corse, still have their merit. We're blessed to be able to spend an extra day in Boulder instead of on the road. We love you, Boulder crew! Congrats, Cammy! You guys are all amazing and blessed!

Pearl Street

2009-04-26T16:23:00.000-06:00

So our little dream came true and we were able to sneak away to the Pearl Street Mall. We had great food and saw a lot of amazing and unusual things with Jonathan. We saw a magician do the world's longest world's fastest escape tricks...you know: where they go on an on about the trick and build it up and up until they finally actually do it? That one. We saw a lot of human statues and street performers. It was very memorable!

The park!

2009-04-26T12:48:00.000-06:00

The cousins have been having a killer time together. They love hanging out and realize how special it is that we're all here together. It's been harder to blog this trip because there's so much action with all these boys running around. After breakfast, Kenny and I went into the hotel business center for some serious business: pbs.com Curious George games! Then we all decided to go to the park. Kenny got stuck up on the top level of the rocket but Mom/opera star climbed all the way to the top to rescue him. It's been so great to be altogether up here. And the sun came out today. Our flight might not get snowed out after all. By the way, last night's ethiopian meal was amazing. Stay tuned to our picasa posts for future images.

Good times

2009-04-25T23:23:00.000-06:00

Last night the opera was fabu. Lots of funny moments. Here's a pic of Cammy post production. Today we had a great time at the family barbeque. There were so many people in from out of town that Cammy decided to have a shindig. It was really fun. Then Clint, Cammy, I, and the cousins, went to the community center and played in the water for about an hour and a half. It was awesome!

Safe and Sound

2009-04-24T18:00:00.000-06:00

So we arrived safely and soundly to Denverlandia in utmost convenient style...airport parking, shuttle, 38 minute flight, rental car, sweet suites, no hiccups. We're sitting down to a little Pei Wei now and then off to the opera!

Easter weekend

2009-04-12T21:39:00.000-06:00

This weekend consisted of three days. Time to ponder what we commemorate during this time. It's so important to this world, Christians and Christians alike. It's times like these when I think again of how much rides on the decision: did Christ raise from the dead or not?
While pondering this question, we also had time to do other things: Breakfast at Sweet Blessings, one of our favorite breakfast places, then we took a quick visit to the Crest, the top of Albuquerque. Later that night I saw all four of my father's living siblings in one room for the first time in a decade. The next night we headed up to the mountain house where we got our Easter gifts. Today we had a wonderful service at church and a great time at Jen and Dan's house, the last Easter dinner there, since they're selling the house. It's amazing how much happens and you never realize it until you sit and write it down.

Championship "Game"

2009-04-06T21:26:00.001-06:00

We went over to Jenn's to catch up with some cool peops and catch a few plays in this Tarheels thrashing of the team that hails from my birthstate. At least we got to see some cute kids and have some good convo.
PS - Leslie, at 26, is losing her voice, has flat feet, and I twisted her neck one centimeter and sprained her neck. When searching for a word to describe her disheveled health, she said it was falling into "tragedy crumbles". Ha!
PPS - pictured is also Dan's huge, cartoon-sized bruised knee. Yay, mixed martial arts!

Pictures from the 30th

2009-04-04T20:43:00.000-06:00

Happy 30th, Mark!

2009-04-04T19:49:00.001-06:00

This morning we met Mark at Flying Star to celebrate his belated birthday. I had the best French toast of my life, and the ride went great despite the wind.

Thanksgiving Bible Study

2009-04-03T12:20:00.000-06:00

Insane! Last night Elaine prepared a Thanksgiving feast for bible study - and I'm not using Thanksgiving as a hyperbole to express how much she made - it was literally Thanksgiving. On April 2nd, Thursday, when it was their turn to host the bible study and, ironically enough, when 6 out of the ten people who usually attend cancelled at the last minute, Jon, Elaine, Leslie, and I all ate an incredible bounty and enjoyed an evening of food, fellowship, and bible study that none of us will ever forget. Thanks, Hugs!

Spring?

2009-03-30T21:36:00.000-06:00

So we finally arrived home on Saturday to be greeted with coldness the likes of which neither I nor the spirit of Spring Break agree with. We still managed to go to Azin and Sara's sushi fundraiser party that was held in the Old Albuquerque High School lofts. It was a really cool place that was very much a renovation with a flair for its predecessor. Pictured here is an open space where the gym used to be/kinda still is.
Then on the way to church I had to pick up some pastries - a simply had to - because we didn't have any food after a week of being gone. I snapped a picture of the flowers that Albertson's had put out front in bold opposition to this tom-foolery called freezing Spring weather.
Finally, Brian warmed my heart with a surprise taste test of many different types of apples. I landed on the Braeburn after all was said and done.