Mental Health Day...

I'm taking my first ever mental health day today! Someone please tell me why I have not done this sooner! My roommate from college is getting married this weekend and we are heading to the wedding...tomorrow. We both took an extra day off today just for us. There is something to be said for a day when there is not routine, nothing "required" that needs to get done, no cramming in all the laundry into two days, no housework and no papers to grade (well those are always there but...)! It is a rather liberating feeling. I encourage you to take a day off. For no reason. Don't schedule anything, just be. Let the day take you wherever it will. You feel more relaxed than ever! It's only 8:10 and I already feel more rested than ever. I love my job and my fantastic team mates but it should be required that everyone take a day, just one (or more if you can pull it off) for your own sanity. It may take a little extra effort to write sub plans or whatever you have to do to prepare but you will thank yourself later. Well blogger friends, enjoy your day, I will certainly be enjoying mine! Did I mention I have tomorrow off too!! Thanks Whitney for getting married and allowing me to realize the importance of a mental health day!

Napa...

I really should be kicked out of blogger world. Not that anyone depends on me to blog but three months on three months off is a bit ridiculous! In any event, I will blog and few will read but at least I am chronicling my life.

There is no excuse for not blogging but we did go on vacation (I will try to invent an excuse). We

didn't just go on vacation, we went on an "adult" vacation. For spring break this year we went to Napa, California! If you have never been there, you need to go! It was the most relaxing, romantic, educational place I have ever been. We spent a day at the beginning and a day at the end of the week in San Francisco. Quite possibly the most eclectic place I have visited, some

of the best people watching happens there. I won't bore you with all the touristy things that we

did but you can assume it was the norm: Fisherman's Wharf, cable car, China Town, etc. Let's get to the good stuff...NAPA!

The drive from San Francisco to Napa is by far, hands down the prettiest I have seen. It began with a drive over the Golden Gate Bridge. It is truly grand! The sheer size makes it beautiful!

We continued our scenic drive through the mountains and then into the valley. I teach my students to use great describing words when they write but there are sometimes when words cannot do justice, only a picture will do...

Instead of writing about the all tantalizing, wine tastings, cave tours, gourmet food, cabernets, merlots, estate blends, chocolates, picnics and sunshine that we experienced, I will leave you with a few photos. Like I said if you have not been...GO, make it happen. It was the trip of a lifetime, at least for Patrick and I!

For those of you who don't know me very well, my maiden name is Hall!