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The pumps have touched down and it's not on the freshly wetted driveway of The Bachelor mansion. It's on the freshly waxed runway of Logo's amazing creation: RuPaul's Drag Race. ABC better WATCH OUT because what the amazing ladies of The Bachelor were not bringing this season, the even more amazing ladies on RuPaul's Drag Race have been BRINGIN' in a serious way!!!!!! [Note: I'm going to have to classify this post under "personal situations" because I am OBSESSED with this show!!!]
This is a work of sheer television genius. When you first see the contestants, you can't imagine these conventional gentleman could transform into such fierce amazing ladies. I mean, to start we have Latrice Royale, a plus-sized super-sassy, no-nonsense, straight-talking black gentleman that spent years in the slammer. He looks like he would put you in a choke-hold at the mere suggestion that he put a dress and make-up on, but quite the contrary!!!
This girl loves to get bejeweled and dipped in pretty sauce and work the runway with her curves and sassy soulful charm! She looks like an exotic large and in charge African queen on the runway…and I do mean QUEEN! (although I believe she said she is Polynesian, just like fellow contestant Jiggly Caliente). This girl needs to run her own country…and I wanna live in it.
Then we have Jiggly Caliente, the balding, plus-sized, short Polynesian man with serious self-esteem and people skills issues who transforms into a fierce Polynesian plus-sized Barbie with dance moves that can't even be imagined! I mean when this girl "lip-syncs for her life" — a lip-syncing face-off between the bottom two contestants at the end of every episode — she seriously lip-syncs for HER LIFE! I mean, the moves! The charisma! The Jiggly-ness! It's simply a-mazing.
Jiggly was my favorite this season. I loved how seriously she took all of her challenges and how earnestly she perseverated on how to work the color orange in the "Stonewall" episode challenge. When she walked the runway in that miniature boat in the one-piece bathing suit and cape it moved me. She ended up having to "lip-sync for her life" that night to Lady Gaga's "Born this Way," but she killed it and was spared from elimination for yet another week. Note: if you haven't seen it check it out here:
Then there is Sharon Needles — the '90s grunge, anti-glam, bitchy, angry goth/punk rock girl that makes Courtney Love look like Taylor Swift. Sharon definitely has the gift of gab. She really shined in the challenges that required off-the-cuff dialogue like in the Snatch Game where she brilliantly portrayed guest judge Michelle Visage.
Her bitchi-ness is brilliantly counter-balanced by a keen sense of self-awareness and surprising kindness that has made her a fan favorite. Sharon breaks off some amazing unscripted life-coaching nuggets in the Interior Illusions Lounge to contestants cracking under the intense pressure (I just love how seriously the contestants take their drag aspirations). She may have been the dark horse in this "race," with her anti-glam take on drag, but she surprisingly has made it to the finale tonight and may just win.
Of course, we can't forget Chad Michaels, who is so impressive and professional. She is clearly the veteran of the crew and has honed her drag skills to absolute perfection over 20 years. And her drag box full of uber chic 90s couture is nothing short of amazing. She lives here in San Diego and my secret fantasy is that she will invite the two biological ladies here at OK! Here is the Situation to come play in her box.
I know when you're a drag queen doing Cher is quite a cliche, but her Cher impression is beyond entertaining and realistic. Just the assortment of wigs alone is reason to watch. Chad is also the nicest of the bunch too. She is always the first to help the other contestants with their sewing skills or an extra pair of pantyhose and as Sharon Needles so eloquently said, "Somehow you've managed to be in this business for 20 years without being a f@cK!in@ B!tch and I don't know how you did it."
Filling those shoes is Phi Phi O'Hara — the B!tch of the show. I want to root for her because she is so pretty, but she is also so cut-throat and mean. Phi Phi is always sabotaging fellow contestants. I mean, telling Jiggly to play bulimia "seriously" instead of funny knowing comedy was her strong suit and then her constant lashing out at the slightest dig from other contestants.
She has the most issues with other contestants for sure–always starting a bitch-fight. This girl will stop at nothing to win and that strategy may just work. I just think this girl has a lot of potential but she has got to stop taking herself so seriously and learn to roll with the punches. I mean, I appreciate how seriously she takes her Drag career but relax girl! You're an entertainer!
Needless to say, this is clearly the Olympics of amazing lady-dom! These characters are INTERESTING and fun to watch and I highly suggest Bachelor producers refer to the show to see the casting genius. OK, OK, I get that The Bachelor can't cast drag queens as the 25 amazing ladies, but where are their real female doppelgangers? Clearly, we are Bachelor fans here at OK! Here is the Situation, but let's be honest: if it weren't for Courtney Robertson, this past season would have been a dud. (Thank you, Courtney Robertson!)
The Bachelor is not about watching someone find love or handing out roses or going on one-on-ones….it is about situations (hence the name of our site)! We love the situations! And we love the characters that bring them. RuPaul's Drag Race is amazing in that it casts characters that transform and embody charisma and femininity in a way that is nothing short of genius and total professionalism. They may not be biological ladies but there is no doubt they are LADIES in how they carry themselves and handle the serious array of situations that take shape on the show.
Basically, RuPaul's Drag Race is giving our #1 fandom for The Bachelor a run for its amazing lady money!


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Featured AOS Photographer Harry Dean
The Latest from AOS
AOS Fall Meeting Schedule and Registration
Join us for a weekend of field trips, fellowship and good food ...
Harry Dean is the Alabama Ornithological Society's first "Featured Photographer".
Dean's photography interest started when he was a U.S. Air Force pilot ...
State-wide Birding Field Trip Schedules Fall 2018-Spring 2019
Everyone who is interested in birds is welcome.
Reminder: Did you renew your AOS Membership for 2018?
All AOS members are asked to renew annual memberships in January for ...
Welcome to the Alabama Ornithological Society's Website
The Alabama Ornithological Society (AOS) is involved in many worthwhile activities. Check out our website pages to learn more about AOS and the efforts we are currently involved with to promote ethical birding and the conservation of Alabama's natural resources.

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In the Little Shtetl of Vaysechvoos: The Wealthy Tanner
Zeidel, son of Peretz, had every, reason to be a happy man. And why shouldn't he be happy? Zeidel was the wealthiest man in the district. He was a tanner by trade. His great-grandfather had discovered a secret that made leather softer and more durable. Soon, every cobbler in the province was bargaining for this leather and Zeidel's great-grandfather became a wealthy man. Now Zeidel had become heir to the secret–and to the wealth.
Zeidel used to live in a village about an hour's ride from Vaysechvoos. He cherished his privacy too much to stay there, however. The villagers were nosy and meddlesome and the schnorrers–from dawn 'til dusk they would pound on his door. Zeidel, being a generous man, would give each schnorrer a few kopeks, a chunk of bread and an onion or a slice of meat. One day, he decided he'd had enough. He sold his house in the village and had another one built a full half hour's walk from the troublesome villagers. Zeidel supervised every detail of the construction and he often gloated when the villagers referred to his house as Reb Zeidel's Castle."
One foggy morning, Zeidel awoke to the sound of a gentle rain pattering against his tin roof. "Such gloomy weather again," he sighed. But he pulled himself out of bed and Zeidel's eye caught his own reflection in his new mirror. Zeidel gazed intently. His head was almost completely bald and his short stocky body was highlighted by a more than protruding stomach. His short red beard was flecked with white, and his pale, almost hollow blue eyes were enshrouded with dark, wrinkled lids.
"Zeidel ben Peretz," he half laughed. "You're getting ready for your grave." Zeidel suddenly felt a pang of sorrow that his wife of twenty-five years had borne him no children. "Ach," he shrugged, "children only make tsuris." His wife was a good woman, and besides, Zeidel had already chosen an heir. Asher, his wife's brother's son, would take over the tannery.
Zeidel liked Asher. He was bright, sharp-witted, and he wasn't a gossip like everyone else in the family. Of course, even Asher had his failings. Zeidel thought he was a fanatic, always talking about God. Not too long ago, the two of them had been walking through the woods. They came upon a fragrant green meadow and Asher exclaimed, "How beautiful are the works of the Almighty. His craftsmanship is so perfect. Why, the whole earth is full of His glory, don't you agree, Uncle?"
"Don't bother me with such synagogue talk," said Zeidel.
Asher's face sank. "Zeidel, what are you saying?"
"Asher," Zeidel had responded, "you're young, full of life. The future is yours! When you get to be my age, you'll see things differently."
"Zeidel, my uncle," Asher spoke as gently as he could, "beware! It is the fool that says in his heart, 'there is no God."'
Zeidel yawned and shook his head. "Enough daydreaming," he said to himself. "It's time to get to work."
It was Friday and Zeidel decided to go into the village to buy hides. Instead of going to his old village where people would greet him and pry into his affairs, Zeidel set out for Vaysechvoos. He got a late start waiting for the rain to stop and, as fate would have it, he was detained. A butcher had a few hides he was willing to sell (only after a lengthy discussion about the price), but they needed to be scraped clean. By the time this was done, it was almost dusk. Zeidel knew he wouldn't be home in time for the Sabbath. This didn't particularly bother him, except that it wouldn't be good for business if he was seen violating the Sabbath. Zeidel was about to sneak off when a wiry little man with crooked teeth and a scraggly black beard approached him.
"Sir," he said, "I see that you are a stranger to our village. If I may be so bold, would you spend the Sabbath with my family?"
"I'm caught," thought Zeidel. "If I leave now, the whole district will find out that I'm a Sabbath breaker." Zeidel decided that his reputation was more important than his comfort. And his host had a kind, pleasant face, even though his smile lacked a tooth here and there.
During the remaining minutes before the Sabbath, Zeidel took his horse to the stable. He and Mendel, his host, went to the synagogue. Zeidel hadn't been in shul for so long he could barely remember how to daven. After the service, Mendel led Zeidel to his home. Even though the night was dark, Zeidel could see that the rickety two-room house was a far cry from his "castle." Inside, the Sabbath candles burned brightly, filling the home with a soft radiance.
"Ruchel," Mendel chimed, "God has honored us and brought us a guest for the Sabbath!" Mendel began chanting the "shalom aleichem" to the angels that are said to accompany a man home on the Sabbath eve. As he chanted, it seemed to Zeidel that a peace descended on the household, a peace that even touched his own weary heart.
Mendel introduced Zeidel to Ruchel, his wife, and then to his two young daughters, who giggled and shyly wished him a good Sabbath. They sat down to a Sabbath meal of challah, soup, roast goose, a delicious noodle kugel and all sorts of cakes and cookies. After the meal, Mendel and his family broke into song, singing the Sabbath zemiros. They sang and sang, and soon the candles began to flicker. "Papa," said Rivka-Leah, Mendel's youngest daughter, "can we sing the one about when the Messiah comes?"
The other daughter's face lit up. "Could we?" she chimed in.
Mendel grinned and began: "Soy zu rebeynu, tell me, rabbi, what will it be like," and the family joined in on the refrain, "when the Messiah comes." The song described a great feast with choice meats and wines. Moses would be there, and King David would play his harp. Each verse was faster and merrier than the one preceding it, until the final "when the Messiah comes."
The candles were about to burn out; it was time for bed. Mendel insisted that Zeidel sleep on the feather bed while he spread out a straw mat for himself and Ruchel on the floor.
Zeidel immediately fell into a deep, contented sleep. He began dreaming; he dreamed that he was home. It was Sabbath and his house was filled with guests. Both he and his wife were radiant with joy. Then he dreamed that he was at a great feast. Was it a Sabbath meal? It seemed more like a marriage supper. There was kugel and roast goose and meats and delicacies so choice that not even Zeidel knew what they were. The line of guests looked endless and the whole world (or so it seemed) was filled with a soft radiance as if lit by hundreds, no, thousands of Sabbath candles.
Zeidel awoke refreshed. He went to the synagogue with Mendel but instead of attempting to daven, Zeidel stood thinking and reflecting: "Why is it that a poor man, a nobody like Mendel should have so much joy?" Zeidel was jealous.
"…when you have eaten and are satisfied…." a voice chanted from the reading desk, "….and have built food houses and lived in them, and when your herds and flocks multiply, and your silver and gold multiply, and all that you have multiplies, then your heart becomes proud and you forget the Lord your God …."
Zeidel shivered at the words from the Torah. A teardrop formed in his eye. "Perhaps," he thought, "God isn't such nonsense after all."
The Sabbath soon drew to a close. Three stars shone in the sky and the moon was bright and full. Zeidel declined Mendel's invitation to stay another night. Home was an hour's ride. He thanked Mendel, and invited him and his family to spend the Sabbath with him any time. Zeidel hurried home; he would be meeting with Asher the next morning.
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Susan Perlman is one of the co-founders of Jews for Jesus. Susan is the associate executive director of Jews for Jesus and also director of communications for the organization. She also serves as the editor in chief of ISSUES, their evangelistic publication for Jewish seekers. She left a career track in New York City to help launch Jews for Jesus in San Francisco in the early 1970s. See more here.


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Joe Mazzella
Personal Trainer
Joe Mazzella has been in the fitness industry for over 17 years and is passionate about health and well being. Joe is devoted and excited about working with people and his experience in the US Military contributes to his work ethic.
Joe has worked in a variety of roles in South Florida's leading gyms including front desk, sales, staff training, and personal training. He was highlighted on local 10 news in Broward County for his experience with recovery workouts after trauma. Joe has extensive knowledge in circuit and functional training and his client list includes local athletes and Ironman trainees. Joe has lead boot camps and child focused training classes and is knowledgeable with diet, nutrition, and elderly workout programs.


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I simply love visiting the famers market. Growing up, we never got the chance to go to the farmers market. We lived nowhere near a farm, and farmers markets simply were not prevalent like they are nowadays. Instead, we bought all our groceries from a chain supermarket where the produce was often wilted, lacklustre in color and slim in variety. Living in the California Bay Area has truly grown my appreciation for fresh fruits and vegetables and the whole "eating local" movement. Taking a slow, leisurely trip through one of our local farmers markets is very much a treat — tasting samples, chatting with farmers and purveyors, and seeing what new variety of produce abounds each month. I distinctly remember trying some of the sweetest, most delicious white raspberries ever at a farmers market, and for some reason, simply walking up and down the rows of stalls overflowing with colorful and fresh fruits and vegetables makes me feel healthier! Plus, some markets even sell seafood, homemade jams and honey, baked goods, jewelry, ceramics, and of course, my favourite — flowers!
Anyone have a farmers market they love going to? What do you like getting there? Anything unique popping up lately at your local market? I'd love to hear about it!


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Officer 'Otto' Cashing In?
October 30, 1995
Police Officer "Otto," the Mollen Commission's star witness, may soon be forced to resign from the NYPD because he allegedly perjured himself as a cop, but he could still make big bucks out in Hollywood.
An option for his story is said to have been purchased by Hollywood Pictures, a subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios.
People at Disney say the deal was struck with Richard Emery, an attorney for Officer Otto, whose real name is Barry Brown. Emery is also negotiating with Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau over Morgenthau's ultimatum to Brown: To duck an indictment for perjury, Brown must resign from the NYPD and publicly acknowledge his misdeeds.
Meanwhile, Emery arranged for Brown to break his 18-month silence and be interviewed by The New York Times, the New York Post and CBS television's "60 Minutes." Two weeks ago, "60 Minutes" portrayed Brown as a hero, punished for breaking the so-called "blue wall of silence" and informing on corrupt cops to the Mollen Commmission.
John Miller, the NYPD's former deputy commissioner for public information, traced Brown's troubles to jealousy by the Manhattan DA's office over the 30th Precinct corruption scandal in which 29 cops were arrested last year.
"Some of the DA's people felt the Mollen Commission took too much credit," Miller said on "60 Minutes."
Miller also compared Brown to Frank Serpico, the legendary NYPD detective whose anticorruption efforts a generation ago led to the Knapp Commission and altered the culture of corruption in the NYPD. "Serpico" became a best-selling book and multimillion-dollar movie.
Miller argued on the program that Brown did more than Serpico. "Frank Serpico complained and complained and complained that the system was ignoring corruption," Miller said. "But he never fingered anybody himself. Barry Brown said, 'I'll go undercover.' And he certainly took a larger step than Serpico."
Contrast Miller's encomiums with the words of his former boss, Police Commissioner William Bratton.
When a group called the Concerned Alliance for Professional Policing honored Brown 10 days ago and said its award was "being presented with the approval of Police Commissioner William Bratton, who is keenly aware of Detective Brown's contributions and has been personally supportive of Det. Brown throughout his ordeal," Bratton went ballistic.
"I am putting each of you and your organization on notice that the above quoted statement is false in its entirety," Bratton wrote on Oct. 20. to the group. "Any such statement indicating my support is false . . . I have certainly not approved an award of any kind to be presented to Detective Brown. I strongly urge your organization to publicly retract your reference to me and I advise you I am considering appropriate legal options."
Shortly before "60 Minutes" aired, DA Morgenthau also wrote a letter - to its producer, Don Hewitt. Morgenthau cautioned Hewitt against presenting Brown as a hero. In a "P.S.," he pointed out that the attorney for Barry Brown and the attorney for John Miller "are one and the same."
"60 Minutes" made no mention of Miller's relationship to Emery. The program's spokesman Kevin Tedesco said, "The producers and the editors failed to see the journalistic significance of that and therefore did not include it."
Turning the corner. After months of agita caused by reporters' complaining that his office was dysfunctional because of staff cuts imposed by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Tom Kelly, the deputy commissioner for public information, was feeling groovy. The Pope's visit and "United Nations 50" had run seamlessly, with Kelly's staff providing full-time coverage of His Holiness, Fidel Castro and President Bill Clinton.
One of the office's own detectives, Julio Martinez, had even effected an arrest. During a Castro interview on West 57th Street, Martinez spotted someone wearing a stolen security card with the letter "E," issued only to armed law-enforcement personnel. The impostor turned out to be a Gamma News photographer, who was charged with possession of stolen property.
The lone dark spot: Kelly will lose his uniformed Highway Patrol driver, who during the celebrations chauffered him about town and to and from his home on Staten Island in a marked S.I. Highway Patrol car.
Seen. Chief of Detectives Charles Reuther holding two news conferences last week, one on the triple homicide of the Batista family in Washington Heights, the second on the alleged serial killer of Lower East Side prostitutes. Reuther had stood mute at previous news conferences a few weeks before, including one in his office.
Seen again: Jack Maple, in a wide-pinstriped charcoal suit, blue shirt, three-peaked white handkerchief, navy-and-white Allen Edmonds spectator shoes and yellow-and-brown bow tie with blue spots matching his shirt. Maple objected that a description in last week's One Police Plaza column of his bow tie as "polka dot" was incorrect. He did not elaborate.
Email Leonard Levitt at email@example.com
© 1995 Newsday, Inc. Reprinted with permission.


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What a difference a little surf makes
As I sit on the beach writing this, I am watching a dozen or so kids riding waves to the shoreline. Even though the sun is bright and their faces are backlit I can still see their smiles radiating from ear to ear. I can still feel their stoke and likewise I am stoked for them.
This to me is the beauty of surfing. Anyone of any age or gender can enjoy his or her own personal connection with the ocean. As a surfer and all around ocean aficionado I can get stoked when other people catch waves too.
Riding waves is a truly magical experience. Any surfer can attest to this fact and many spend years searching the world's seven oceans for the perfect wave. There are many levels to surfing but anyway you slice it riding waves is incredible.
Riding waves is great exercise
Surfing is an amazing total body workout. You need a strong upper body to power through the surf as well as to paddle into waves. You need a strong core to pop up onto your feet and strong legs to turn the board where you want it to go…down the line.
Boogie boarding rocks too. Boogie boarding may seem like child's play but what the heck-kids can make fun out of everything! Also, the learning curve is very tame and there are fewer risks of injury than surfing. Did I mention the firm gluts? Kicking the foam board into waves requires a strong core and powerful legs. All you need is a $50 boogie board and you are set for life. Add fins for extra powerful kicks and then you really have a great set-up for a fun-filled summer.
Body surfing: a classic. Body surfing is an amazing full body workout that is totally free and guaranteed to induce laughter. Major risks include loss of bikini tops and bottoms.
Riding waves reduces stress
Surfing, boogie boarding and body surfing can definitely reduce stress. Some argue that the pounding waves generate negative ions. These negative Ions are found in abundance in such naturally pleasant places as waterfalls, the seashore and rainstorms. They are created by the action of water hitting the land. Negative ions are simply water molecules that break apart and take on a negative electrical charge. They promote good health as evidenced by the good feelings people have around such natural bodies of water.
Riding waves makes one more connected to nature
Sometimes the best part of my surf session is witnessing the majesty of nature itself. I remember many a surf session where I can see the pelicans soaring by, little fish jumping over my board, the changing light on the horizon, the rising sun over the ocean…getting to your feet a riding a wave through the ever changing scenery is an additional perk.
Riding waves can be social
It is a nice feeling to get stoked watching other people ride waves. If there is a nice crowd then riding waves together can be an amazing, communal experience.
If you are interested in learning how to surf on a surfboard I recommend taking a class. Classes are usually taught on foam boards, which is a safe way to get started riding waves. You will also have the opportunity to learn about surfing etiquette, which is an important element for both safety and respect.
There are many surf schools along the east coast.
For Rockaway Beach try Steve Stathis at Boarders http://www.boarderssurfshop.com/
Locals Surf School: check in with Mike at http://localssurfschool.com/rockaway
For Long Beach, Long Island check out: http://skudinsurf.com/
Or Unsound Surf: http://unsoundsurf.com/


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"Daring doesn't have to be associated with launching rockets into space, building multi-million dollar companies or letting it all ride at the roulette table. For some people, daring can mean just getting themselves out of bed in the morning when it is the last thing they want to do. Or ending a toxic relationship that was not only making them sad but also putting them in physical danger. Or talking to their kids about the bullying they inflicted at school to discourage their kids from becoming bullies.
Sometimes, daring can be as simple as looking in the mirror and trying, trying. Daring to accept the person who is looking back at me.
At this moment in my life, I am being daring and making mistakes in about equal measure. I think that ratio is pretty good, actually. Because I know the day I start really fearing making mistakes again (as I did for so many years) is also the day that I stop being daring.
And I settle.
And retreat back inside my head.
And die.
People without daring in their life – and, therefore, seemingly without mistakes in their life – die a few times before their actual death. I don't want that for me. I want to see how far I can get. I want to see what I can learn. And who I can be.
So, just for today, I can get myself out of bed. I can stay the course. I can be connected without being fearful of connection. And I can dare myself to see – just see – what's over the horizon and then take a big, definitive step towards it."
From my book, Reboot Your Thinking. 28 Days to Think Different, Be Better. Grab a copy (book, e-book, audiobook) from here


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As a mother of four (BOYS no less), I like to think of myself as a sleep expert. No, not the kind of expert that can get your kid to sleep through the night (HA! News flash: kids that sleep through the night are mythical creatures like unicorns!) No, I am an expert of a much more precious kind of sleep: MY sleep. A mama who is short on sleep is a very, very scary thing. You need to grab each little tidbit of loveliness whenever and wherever you can. Sleep like nobody is watching. Please, for the love and safety of your family, read on.
There are 5 potential strategies for napping on the sly:
Any new mother has heard this laughable lil nugget of advice ad nauseum. Nurses, Doctors and wise mother hens will heap this advice on by the shovelful. I honestly believe this advice is given to new moms to ease the guilt when you pass out midday whether your kids are sleeping or not. There is slight merit in this strategy if: a) you only have one child and b) that one child is prone to occasional bouts of napping. The fateful arrival of child #2 (and subsequent children) is a game changer. These tiny little people are incredibly crafty. Through some unspoken agreement they will forge a rock solid schedule to ensure that at least one of them is awake at all times, 24 hours per day. It must be some residual evolutionary instinct to ensure someone is always on watch in case a sabre tooth tiger struts into camp at 05:00 hours but holy-hell is it ever annoying.
FACT: Kids don't sleep. (Little creeps).
My own mother has regaled us with her own experience as a child in this department. When my dear GG was a young mother she would put her brood of 6 down for an afternoon nap (my own mama included). GG would then fall into a deep, restful sleep and the 6 stealthy children would tiptoe outdoors for all kinds of wild adventures sans adult supervision. This arrangement came to a head when they caught a gopher in a toque and released the wily beast under the covers with GG. Take heed parents: your children may be pulling the wool over your eyes if you think they are sleeping while you are.
PRO TIPS: If you are going to attempt to nap when the children nap, perhaps you should invest in a back up strategy just in case. Lock the door. Hide the combustibles and knives. Turn on cartoons. Leave a dish of water out on the floor.
This is one of my personal favourites. If they cannot find you, they cannot wake you. I would not attempt this method unless Dad is home, and/or you have a very responsible toddler in charge. Find a cozy sleeping place and sneak off when nobody is looking. My prior sleeping spots include the guest bed, a lawnchair, the camper, a hammock and the top bunk in the kids room. They will never think to look for you there! HA HA SUCKERS!
PRO TIPS: Don't gloat to your husband when you pull this one off or he will wise up to your strategy and watch you like a hawk. Also, if the unmentionable tragedy of being found out does occur, be prepared to abandon that hiding spot forever. You will need a new spot. For example, next time you tip toe away for a mid-afternoon snooze fest you will be sure to hear little voices hollering "LETS GO CHECK THE TOP BUNK! Also a good idea: invest in a sturdy bunk bed with a quality mattress 😉
FACT: Nobody can fault you for falling asleep from sheer exhaustion of being an awesome mother.
Find yourself a comfy spot on the couch. Set a laundry basket in front of you. Fold a few things and set them around you so it looks like you really did intend to do something productive. Drape a nice warm towel fresh out of the dryer over yourself and check out of the concious world. Bliss! This is a real win-win strategy. If your hubby stumbles upon you comatose with evidence of your domestic goddessery strewn about he will likely tenderly smooch your nose and say something like "Poor button! You've been working so hard today! Why don't you go to bed early and I will bath the kids". SCORE!!!!
PRO TIPS: There are certain domestic chores that should not be used with this approach. ie. stirring a bubbling vat of chili, cleaning a toilet, grinding meat, painting.
Despite your best efforts there may be no way to silence the masses enough to catch a little covert R&R. Fear not, I have an answer for you. Load your roiling brood into your minivan (of course you have a minivan – you're a MOM after all). Ensure children are fed, watered, changed into dry diapers and used the potty. Make sure all the kidlets are strapped safely into their car seats. Head out to the nearest construction site (I have boys remember). Park where the kids can enjoy the awesome machines at work. Put your seat back and catch some much needed zzzzzzzs while the half pints squeal in glee at the site of mammoth real life Tonka trucks.
PRO TIPS: Do not park near a school zone or playground if you have a creepy mustache or sunglasses. Someone might call the cops. Good luck explaining your van full of kids then!
Note: In the case of young females I am not much help. I used to be one (young, that is. I am still female) but I sure don't know what they are into. Princesses? Fairies? Pink ponies? I have no clue. Good luck finding some shit to entertain them by the side of the road.
If you have attempted strategies 1 through 4 without success there is one last approach you may attempt. I have picked this one up from my brother. Lay on the floor. Slow your pulse and take random, shallow breaths. Do not respond to any stimuli. The kids may kick at you or prod your eyeballs but you must remain committed to your role as corpse. After some time the children will lose interest in you. This is not the most comfortable sleeping arrangement, but when you are terribly exhausted it just doesn't matter anymore.
PRO TIPS: This is especially convincing when you are on day 4 of not getting to have a shower. You will look and smell the part.
I hope this has been highly educational and motivating for you. I know these tips have changed my life and I hope they bring you a scrap of hope. Good luck!


text: President Obama Heads To NYC For General Assembly Published 01/29/2017 at 640 × 485 in More Than $20 Million Advance For Obama's Post Presidential Memoir WASHINGTON, DC – SEPTEMBER 27: (AFP OUT) U.S. President Barack Obama waves while walking to board Marine One helicopter to take them to Joint Base Andrews at the White House Septembe 27, 2015 in Washington, DC. Obama is traveling to New York City to attend the United Nations General Assembly and other events. (Photo by Erik S. Lesser-Pool/Getty Images)


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Kindergarten Blog
Classroom Blogs
A Newsletter that Gives Children a Voice
In creating Kindergarten newsletter, we are giving child a voice as they practice their storytelling and assigning of value to their day's activities. READ MORE »
Early Morning in the Kindergarten
It is 8:15am. A few kindergartners are already waiting outside the classroom door eager to begin their day. Our "Morning Check In" time (an inside choice time) provides children with ample time and flexibility to transition smoothly into the school day. It is also an open invitation … What would you like to do today? There are so many possibilities! Children may choose to build a restaurant or a rocket ship, create all kinds of things with "beautiful junk", draw, paint, weave, sew, solve puzzles, read or write a book, or perhaps catch up on an unfinished project. Each … READ MORE »
Over in the Forest . . .
From the box turtle to the possum, the song selected based on the group's study of all the woodland animals that live at Miquon. READ MORE »
Dice Race and Kindergarten Math
Dice Race and Kindergarten Math Game playing is an engaging, stimulating, and essential component of our kindergarten mathematics curriculum. Games give students opportunities to explore fundamental number concepts such as the counting sequence, one-to-one correspondence, and computation strategies. Engaging mathematical games can also encourage students to explore number combinations, place value, patterns, and other mathematical concepts. Further, they afford opportunities for students to deepen their mathematical understanding and reasoning. When children have the opportunity to play games repeatedly, mathematical ideas emerge as they notice new patterns, relationships, and strategies. (NCTM) Without a doubt, games are an important tool for learning … READ MORE »
The First Week of Kindergarten
Our intrepid kindergartners happily investigated each nook and cranny of our classroom with great excitement. They cheerfully welcomed . . . READ MORE »


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I Remember September 12th
I remember September 11, 2001.
But, I also remember September 12, 2001, when the hearts and minds of our nation were stirred to turn to God and people from all walks of life prayed. We prayed for the people still trapped beneath the fallen towers. We prayed for the first responders who had so bravely faced that horrible and tragic day. We prayed for the families who would have an empty seat at the table. We prayed for a nation that had been rocked from one coast to the other by the events in the east. We prayed for the soldier, men and women who would be leaving home to respond across the ocean to this attack. We prayed, and we worshipped, and we looked to God.
I remember the days following September 11th. The people of our nation were moved with patriotism and we were The UNITED States of America. There was no black…no Hispanic…no white, just American. Flags were raised on the homes and business of people of all colors and nat…(tharr be more)ionalities in our country. We joined hands with the people next to us in solidarity without first looking to see what color their skin was, or what political party they were part of.
I remember September 11th, and I'm left wondering: Why does it take tragedy and crisis to unite us? Why can we only seem to look past race and politics when we are in trouble. Hurricanes, earth quakes, floods, and terrorist attacks seem to force us to look past the surface. There we see the elements that unite and strengthen us. Patriotism…Loyalty…Tolerance…Love for Country and for our Fellow Man.
Today people will be remembering September 11th. But I wonder will they remember what September 11th revealed about our nation? Will the remember what we experienced together in the days following that tragic Tuesday? Will they regret that our nation has lost sight of that sense of unity in the larger community? Will they long for the spiritual drive of those days that compelled people to look toward the heavens in prayer?
Will it make a difference on September 11, 2013?
GEOCACHING– Searching for The Treasure in Each Student
I have recently put together a professional teaching portfolio. I wanted it to reflect who I am as well as what I have learned and accomplished in the area of education. The cover is the picture below. I decided that this needed some explanation, so I included the following in the cover of the document.
The photograph on the cover of this portfolio is a picture taken a few years ago near Owego, New York. I have just found a "hidden treasure" while GEOCACHING with my family. GEOCACHING is like high-tech treasure hunting using GPS devices and the internet. Scattered around the world are secret stashes, to find them you log in to the website, locate a GEOCACHE site near you and off you go. The best experience I have had with this was a site in Northwest Maine. We had searched for a long time for the stash there. Everyone was ready to give up, but I refused to quit. My perseverance paid off and I located a small box buried beneath some branches. It was my second attempt and after that I was hooked.
I see teaching as a type of treasure hunt. Each child enters the classroom with abilities, gifts, and experiences waiting to be discovered. Too frequently, we give up and take the easy path. The greatest treasures, however, are not found on the wide simple paths, but in the narrow and risky trails that often take us beyond our comfort zone. Teaching is bringing the best out in each student, and being willing to sweat it out until that treasure is uncovered.
I have been glad every time I have found one of these GEOCHACHE treasures. They are nothing of value or worth to anyone else, but to me each experience is a priceless memory. I hope to find that same value and worth in the treasures that enter my classroom each day.
From Dave Bentley's Professional Portfolio – September 2013
The Hidden Cache in Main that Hooked Me


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Tipper Gore offers two anecdotes about her husband as fresh and compelling evidence that he is not a stuffed shirt.
In the first, the vice president insouciantly hurls clothing, pillows and blankets out a window as he helps 22-year-old daughter Kristin pack up her dorm room at Harvard after graduation ceremonies last week. In the second, he discovers 20-year-old daughter Sarah and a college friend jammin' with 16-year-old Albert III in the living room of the vice president's mansion--Sarah on sax, the friend on keyboard and Albert on drums. So he grabs his harmonica and puts it to his lips.
And then plays some mean hot riffs!
"I wish you could have been there--it's the kind of thing nobody ever sees," Tipper says, conjuring the image of the funky veep gettin' down and loose with the people. "It was really beautiful. . . . And nobody knows this, but he can really sing. He's got a pretty voice."
She's sipping lemonade with a reporter on the front porch of the residence--a flourish in the drumroll of publicity as her husband readies Wednesday's formal presidential campaign kickoff. In due course Al Gore himself appears, doffs his banker's-blue suit jacket and joins her on the sofa.
Is it true you play the harmonica? the reporter immediately asks him.
The vice president looks abashed.
"I told him," Tipper confesses.
"This is another leak," Gore says with a mock-scowl that his wife seems to be studying verrry carefully.
"I was just talking about the fun we were having when Sarah came home with Therese"--the college friend--"and how we were playing music," she explains.
So can America look forward to a new and different--indeed, a musical--Al Gore as he revs up his standard stump speech?
"Well, I hope not!" the vice president replies, reddening slightly and brushing off several urgent demands that he run upstairs and get his harmonica right this minute. "Well . . . uh . . . maybe if I practice. I'm not sure if my harmonica playing is ready for prime time."
34 Years of Love
Ready or not, prime time has arrived. The Gores have no good reason to be unprepared: They've been running hard for the position of first couple at least since 1988, when Al's precocious quest for the Democratic nomination (he was only 39 at the time) foundered for good in the New York primary.
Today, at 51, he's the front-runner for the prize--his ambition threatened only by former senator and basketball star Bill Bradley of New Jersey, and, arguably, also by President Clinton, who can't seem to restrain himself from publicly meddling in Gore's less-than-smooth-running campaign operation.
Recently Clinton telephoned the New York Times to reveal that he believes Gore's organization is steadily improving and that he has advised his vice president to stay loose and have fun on the trail--a phone call not widely seen as good for Gore. Wasn't the candidate deeply annoyed with Clinton?
"No," Gore says with a half-smile and a wavering gaze. "He was trying to help--and I understood that."
His wife emits an uncomfortable laugh. "Um, you know, people do things to try to do the right thing, and sometimes it just comes out differently," she says. "I think what's important is a person's intention."
"I think it always comes off better if you give advice to The Reliable Source, rather than to the news section," Gore adds in an arch deadpan, referring to his interviewer's regular job. "That was the mistake. It upset me that he didn't give it to you."
Unlike the president, Gore is thoroughly unconvincing when he fibs.
He's a cerebral politician who revels in abstractions, and a cautious tactician who's uncomfortable baring his soul--by all accounts a major requirement of running for president at the end of the millennium. But he's a deep thinker and talented writer whose 1992 ecological polemic, "Earth in the Balance," was briefly a national bestseller until fading from public attention--though Gore observes mordantly (and correctly): "The opposition research purchases should increase sales."
The question is: Can Bill Clinton's vice president connect with voters on a human level? Can he convince them he's a leader who feels their pain?
Tipper, 50, is a media-savvy mother of four who made her bones politically as a crusader against X-rated rock-and-roll lyrics and as an advocate for mental health care; she has spoken publicly in recent weeks about her own battle with depression. For her, the question is simpler yet more difficult: Can she help her husband connect, and convince voters that he isn't an effete policy professional who lacks empathy for their workaday worries? Can she use her natural ebullience to warm him up for the electorate?
Hence this twofer on the front porch.
"I think it's ridiculous," Tipper says about the widespread belief (confirmed in recent polls) that voters find her husband dull and boring. "I think that people are going to make up their minds on the power of ideas once the campaign gets going--"
"Tell him, honey!" Al cheers her on. "Sock it to 'em."
"--and once they get to know him," Tipper continues. "I mean, electing a president is important. It's: What does this man stand for? What's he going to do for us? How does he relate to us? Does he understand us? That's what people are going to tune in to when they're ready to tune in."
Obviously appreciative, Al confides: "I love that song by Three Dog Night with that line, 'I don't have to speak 'cause she defends me.' "
On which Tipper pounces triumphantly: "Um, I think that was the Band!"
So what do Al and Tipper really want the country to know about each other?
"On a personal level, I want America to know that he is a very good father," Tipper says as Al fixes her with his most melting gaze and slips a hand into one of hers. "I'm proud of the way that he's always been there for her"--newly minted Harvard graduate Kristin--"and has guided her. Especially for daughters, to have a father validate the fact that they can do anything, and they're intelligent, and they're strong and the world is their oyster, so to speak, it's even more important--and he's always done that."
Al elaborately clears his throat before attempting his own answer. "Ah," he begins, then, suddenly and a tad awkwardly, plants a noisy kiss on Tipper's mouth (just as the photographer is reloading his camera and can't get the shot). They decline to repeat the mushy moment for posterity--"That would be manipulative," Al chides amid much laughter--but they playfully suck face every time the camera is pointed elsewhere.
"But," Tipper says, pulling her husband back to the issue at hand, "I'm anxious to hear what you'd want the public to know about me."
"Well," Al replies, his blush coming on strong as he parses his answer. "She is the most real person you'll ever meet--and she is completely authentic all the time. And that's remarkable."
Say what?
"Thank you. That's nice of you," Tipper says encouragingly as her completely red-faced husband starts giggling.
"You're welcome," he manages.
"You enjoy my company!" Tipper adds helpfully.
More giggling. "I love your company."
"I know," Tipper says. "We do like each other."
But don't they ever drive each other totally nuts?
"No," Al claims.
"We really don't," Tipper expands. "I mean, that's not to say it's perfect--of course we have our disagreements."
Al nods. "We had a fight once 23 years ago."
"Which I won," Tipper chimes in.
Message: They're still crazy about each other after all these years. The Gores have been in love since 1965--and they just celebrated their 29th wedding anniversary. Take note, America!
Finding Clarity
The Gores also want America to know that they're about to become grandparents. Their eldest daughter, 25-year-old Karenna, is expecting her first child June 27. "It's at the point where you can feel the baby move when put your hand there," Tipper says. "And to realize that this is your grandchild is profound--a sacred moment, really."
"You have never seen anyone more excited about being a grandmother than Tipper is," Al says--notwithstanding that neither of them looks remotely old enough to be in that position.
"I have always looked young," Tipper confides. "In fact, when I had, like, three kids, one of the best things that happened is I was buying some beer and stuff in the Giant near our house in Virginia--and they asked me for my ID. And I gave the woman a tip!"
"Yes, 16 years ago she was carded!" Al teases. "And she's still enjoying that fact."
"It still means a lot to me," Tipper insists.
Asked about his reaction to his wife's struggle with clinical depression in the early '90s--brought on when young Albert was hit by a car and received life-threatening injuries--the vice president is matter-of-fact.
"I was lucky," he says, "because Tipper has a graduate degree in psychology. . . . And she was able to help our whole family--me included--to understand very clearly what she was going through . . . and that enabled us to better support her as she was finding the help and healing that she needed. She was able to demystify it for us."
Since her public soul-baring in a USA Today interview about her illness and successful treatment, Tipper has become something of a confessor for the similarly afflicted.
"It's astonishing," Al says. "We have heard from so many friends and co-workers and people we've known for years who either have gone through some experience like this themselves or who have a close family member or spouse who've gone through it."
"People have always done that with me, anyway," Tipper recounts. "I think that was one reason that I was a psych major and was going into being a therapist--because I feel like I've had that kind of gift."
She was there to see her husband through the recent death of his 90-year-old father, former senator Albert Gore Sr.--an earth-shaking event in Al Jr.'s life. He sighs heavily when he recalls his last visit with the senior Gore back home in Tennessee last Thanksgiving.
"A lot of men will tell you that the death of their father is a time of reflection and new beginnings," he says. "It's hard to put into words, but all of the memories of what he gave me sort of came together in a feeling of tremendous gratitude, and the fact that he's gone . . . the fact that he knew that Karenna was expecting, you know, before he died, gave a certain sense of closure that was important. . . . I'm sorry I can't be more articulate about it."
All Dressed Up
Stuffed shirt or not, Al Gore is probably America's only politician daring enough to put on a silly costume every October for a Halloween party for the news media, staff and their children. It's a tradition the Gores started when their own children were young and they lived in a house in Arlington, and they've kept it going at the vice president's mansion. Last year, they dressed up elaborately as mummies.
Will the Gores make a solemn campaign promise to continue this policy at the White House?
"Yes," Al answers with refreshing clarity.
"Oh, wouldn't it be great," Tipper says excitedly. "I can see a masquerade ball in the White House even!"
"But," Al cautions, "we have to concentrate on getting there first."
CAPTION: Al Gore a stuffed shirt? "I think it's ridiculous," wife Tipper says.
CAPTION: Vice President and Tipper Gore recently celebrated 29 years of marriage. They hope the next eight will be as happy.


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NORTH CHARLESTON (WCSC) - A unique connection exists between Charleston Southern University and the Boston Marathon bombings. The school's vice president of academic affairs is a former crime scene investigator and helped train dozens of the Boston police officers gathering the evidence.
Dr. Jacqueline Fish expressed hope following Monday's deadly attack.
"I have every confidence that this crime will be solved."
Aside from her day job overseeing academic affairs at Charleston Southern University, Fish is a forensics expert, and helped trained 60 of the Boston Police Department's crime scene investigators who are working the post-blast scene.
Fish does four to six advanced forensics trainings a year. The 40-hour course is specifically designed for collecting and preserving evidence after a chemical, biological , or explosive event.
"What goes into the crime scene may not necessarily be able to come out," explains Fish. "You may not be able to use regular cameras. You may not be able to use regular paper and pen because it could be a contaminating environment."
She says the amount of evidence that must be photographed, logged, and gathered at the bomb sites in Boston is massive and will take weeks.
"Every single piece of glass that came out of those buildings, everything, we're hearing nails, we're hearing shards of metal, every single piece is a separate piece of evidence."
Fish says as emotions run high in Boston, crime scene investigators working the scene must remain detached and open to any scenario.
"You certainly have to go in with the understanding of what you're doing is going to lead to the truth coming out. we have to allow for the evidence to speak for itself."
The training is a joint effort between the Department of Homeland Security and Louisiana State University. Fish is a former crime scene investigator with the Knox County Sheriff's Office in Tennessee.


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After a busy weekend Tuesday and Wednesday see midweek group stage matches. All prices quoted are from Bet365
Durham v Notts 6.30pm
It has been difficult for Durham in this competition this season, starting a competitive group with a points deduction imposed by the ECB and without the budget for overseas players they have had little prospect of reaching the knockout stages and results have reflected that. Durham lost their most recent two games and weren't that competitive in either game against Leicestershire and Lancashire
They face another tough prospect here against a high scoring Notts team who scored 227 in beating Derbyshire last Friday and were on course to chase down 190 to beat Northants when weather intervened on Saturday
It is no wonder then to see prices of Durham 13/8 and Notts 4/6 here and it is very difficult to see beyond an away win.
Leics v Warwickshire 6.30pm
Leicestershire are firmly in the top four of their group with 4 wins from 5 games though they were slightly unfortunate in their latest game, two runs below target on 107-3 chasing 165 against Northants when the match was abandoned and a loss was recorded
Warwickshire are outside the top four having won 3 and lost 3 of their six games and that inconsistency has been on show over the weekend. First they fell 30 runs short of chasing 179 against Yorkshire and then two days later scored 197 and beat Derbyshire.
This should be a very tight game, and prices reflect that Leicestershire Evens, Warwickshire 10/11. At home, in better form and probably under-rated Leicestershire at evens is the percentage bet here
Gloucestershire v Glamorgan 6.30pm
Two of the surprise packages in the South group meet in Bristol. Gloucestershire, resolutely unfashionable and without many stars, have three wins and a no result from their five games. The no result came in the bad weather over the weekend in what was to be their latest scheduled game
Glamorgan have two wins and no less than three no results in their six games, including both of their last two games. They have a match-winner in Colin Ingram at the top of the order and otherwise are a side who might be flattered by their current top four position.
Bearing in mind that the weather forecast indicates trouble here too, so variance could be higher than even is normalin this short format, prices of 19/20 Gloucesteshire and evens Glamorgan would point towards supporting Gloucestershire to me here
Derbyshire v Lancashire 7pm
Derbyshire have three wins from their six games and a promising start has stalled a little with defeats in their last two games. In these games they conceded 227 then 197 and the odds are if you do that, you are losing T20 games
They face another explosive high powered batting line up here led by Jos Buttler. Lancashire are second in the the group with 4 wins out of 6 games with two wins and a no result in their last three games
Derbyshire are home underdogs here, 11/10, with Lancashire 8/11. Looking at form with bat and ball Lancashire have to be justified favourites for our sports picks.
Somerset v Hampshire 5pm
Somerset have won three out of their six games and have recovered from a slow start to the competition with home and away wins against Middlesex, and a no result in between. In their latest win, at high scoring Taunton they chased down 165 with more than four overs to spare. On their day they are a very dangerous side but consistency is the problem
Hampshire started the competition well with three wins in their first three games before losing to Essex and SUssex and then a no result at home to Surrey on Sunday
They are even money underdogs here (Somerset 4/5 on the betting odds boards) and in what should be a closely matched encounter Hampshire are marginal value.
Notts v Worcestershire 6.30pm
Writing ahead of Tuesday's trip to Durham, Notts are in form especially with the bat. What can be said about Worcestershire, who have lost four of five games and had a no result in the other?
On Sunday their power hitter Ross Whitely hit six sixes in an over yet the damage had already been done as they were chasing 233 scored by Yorkshire, a total any chasing side is highly unlikely to reach
Notts are understandably strong favourites, 4/7 with Worcestershire one of the longest prices for a single game so far in the competition at 7/4. No bet at 4/7 the odds price in the mature of the contest.
Yorkshire v Durham 6.30pm
Yorkshire are flexing their muscles. Having started inconsistently they have beaten Warwickshire and Worcestershire comfortably and have climbed to the top of the North group with 4 wins from 6 games. David Willey, batting number three in the latest game hit 118 with eight sixes and as he is normally only a pinch hitter this confirms the strength in depth this Yorkshire team has.
As above, Durham are really struggling, come to this game straight from hosting Notts and it is an unenviable task for the visitors
This game is priced to be even more one sided than Notts/Worcs, at Yorkshire1/3 Durham 5/2. A Yorkshire win is in the price, no bet.


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Datops and NetResult Team Up To Police Net for Olympic Video
PARIS -- The job is as large as it is controversial: keeping video images of Olympics events off the Net.
"Only technology can do it," says Eric Kalfon, chief executive officer at Datops SA, which along with a company called NetResult will undertake the assignment. "It's an enormous task."
The International Olympic Committee...


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Know more about this business than we do? Cool! Please submit any corrections or missing details you may have.Help us make it right
Be the first NOLA.com user to add photos or videos of K Nine Salon
K-nine Salon was founded in 2001, and is located at 407 E South St in Welsh. It employs 1 employees and is generating approximately $42,000.00 in annual revenue.


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You love kids. You want to work from home, or you want open your own center. Whatever way you choose, opening a daycare is a great business venture. Below are some tips to help new daycare owners get started as well as tips for current owners to continually improve their business.
Licensing & Location. The licensing process varies by state. There are lower overhead costs for having a daycare at home. Daycare owners need to pass an inspection and may have to outfit their house with childproof equipment, age appropriate toys, or get extra liability and home insurance.
Establish written policies & procedures. Even you've already been in the daycare business for a few years, or are just starting out, it is important to set guidelines and policies to run your business by. The written policies can help prevent future conflicts. Billing, operating hours, drop-offs/pick-ups, attendance, discipline, food preparation, nap times, childcare philosophy, sick days/vacation and safety and security issues should all be addressed in your guidelines and communicated clearly to parents.
Marketing. Develop a marketing plan to generate business for your daycare. Establish a professional website; it's the first impression prospective parents will get of how you run your business. Websites should feature a clean and organized style, clear navigation, a bright color scheme and a visually appealing logo. You should also add your daycare to local daycare listings in the area. Social media such as Facebook and Twitter can be great marketing tools, and you can use them to communicate with parents.
A great insurance plan. Most importantly, you want to get the extensive protection your business deserves. Your parents entrust you with their kids. And whether you work from home or have your own center, you want the best protection for your business. It's reassuring to your parents and a great resource for you know you have an extensive Child Care Insurance Plan.
This is where Vreeland Insurance enters. We've been providing daycare insurance in New Jersey for pre-schools and day care facilities with competitively priced insurance plans for many years. Our specialty in this industry has led us to design excellent programs for profit and non-profit day care businesses based in corporate-provided care centers, nursery schools, and other standalone child-care setups. Let us take care of you while you take care of the little ones. Contact us for more information.


text: Nicole Casanova-Lopez began her dance training at the age of 4 with Le'Cole Ballet, and later trained at other local dance studios and the dance program at Miami Palmetto Senior High. Throughout the years she has trained in all areas of dance including ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, hip-hop, contemporary, and modern. Nicole is very active in her community; she participates & volunteers with organizations and charities as well as started her own non-profit foundation, "The Heart of Gustavo Casanova."She is looking forward to living her dream as a dance teacher within our Miami-Dade County school system and saving the arts in our community! This is Nicole's 15th year as a proud dance instructor and thanks all the students/instructors along the way and those who love this art form for the constant reminder of her passion! She is currently Director of our Key Biscayne studio and our Line-Up Team.