Hello everyone! I want to share what we have been up to the past couple of months. This fall has been a fun, challenging and relatively low key as Ryan finishes up his Micro Biology course and I try to keep up with the usual demands of teaching. The months of August and September were kind of a blur but as we reached the cooler months of October and November, we slowed down a bit and finally took a few pictures of what we have been up to. So now we have something to share :)
In October, I was asked to attend the Florida Association of Science Teacher's yearly conference in St. Augustine to represent the school and district I work for! I was so excited that my principal asked me to join the conference but also for the hotel room and food at such a nice resort. It was a little like a mini-vacation. I spent 3 days learning and interacting with every seminar and activity that I could. Upon our
arrival to the conference, there happened to be a few cancellations for a half-day kayak trip, so we jumped on it! Ryan and I have a set of kayaks and occasionally get out on the water to explore but having a tour guide on our paddle was a great way to learn even more about the St. Augustine area. Above is a picture of a Red Mangrove tree which is very common in the Tampa Bay/ Sarasota area. However, it is not common at all for it to make it as far north as St. Augustine. Usually, the temperatures are too cool for it survive through winters and it is thought that this colony of mangroves made their way so far north because of hurricane from 2004. Our kayak guide quoted some science guru by saying that this winter is thought to be one of the coldest in 1000 years and they locals expect the mangrove populations to die out. I guess we will find out soon enough.
In the evenings, FAST organized socials for the teachers to meet and chat about our favorite topic, science! (Of course). And they did so much having activities such as star gazing, IMax movies and guest speakers. One evening in particular, the conference committee had set up six high powered telescopes to view the full moon and Jupiter. Growing up, my dad and I spent time with our telescope viewing the Moon as it waxed and waned through its phases but viewing Jupiter was entirely new for me! I wasn't able to take a photo through the telescope but found a photo that looks identical to what I saw that evening.. check it out above. The conference was a wonderful experience and two other of my colleagues and I will be hosting a district training in January to share all the new info and gizmos we acquired at FAST.
On the home front, we are repainting our bedroom soon, finishing up our pavers after Ryan's online class and whatever odds and ends that need to get done. Ryan has continued his tradition of running with his dad every 3rd day on Bayshore. And I think Ryan may be running off a little of his beer pudge from earlier in the year :) I married a cutie!
We are looking forward to visiting with our family this Thanksgiving as I believe it has turned into sort of a family reunion! We hope everyone has a safe trip down to Tampa and can't wait to visit with everyone. Love you all!
Then Lowe's moved all of our purchase.. 
Then, the rest was up to us!
After sweating in out in the heat, two palms were planted and 1200 pavers were relocated to our back yard. Way to go, boys! Here are the Smith men after they finished planting and moving. 
