Temporary Goodbyes

Our family gathered in Nashville this past weekend to say a temporary goodbye to my brother, 1st Lt. Kevin Abel, as heads off to Afghanistan for nine months.  Thinking about all he is going to miss out with our family can be a sobering thought, but I know that what he is doing for the Army and our country outweighs family holidays and milestones.

This is Kevin's second deployment.  His first deployment was days after my wedding, where he was on his way to Iraq.  As happy as weddings can be, knowing I wouldn't see my brother again for well over a year made for a few tears at the reception (and again when he dropped us off at the airport for our honeymoon).  I'm not going to sugarcoat it - deployments don't get any easier over the years.  I don't know how these soldiers with spouses and children handle their sadness.  Kevin is my big brother, whom I only see sporadically due to geographic constraints; after three days, I am already feeling his absence.

Once May rolls around, we will all be ecstatic to drive to Fort Campbell to welcome him back.  In the meantime, please keep him and his unit in your prayers, that they are able to achieve their objective safely and quickly.

Here are a few pics from our family fun weekend:

 Megan, her daughter Emma and me

The Abel clan: front (l-r) Clint, Emma, Mom and JD.  Back (l-r) Megan, Kevin and Katie

Camp Katie!

It's mid-July and I'm still scratching my head, trying to figure out what happened to June.  I suppose that's the problem with having your summers off - a lack of required activities makes this blissful vacation fly by!  Two fun things that I did was visit my brother for a weekend in Nashville, and hang out with my niece for a few days.  Kevin and I wanted to spend a little sibling time together before he deploys to Afghanistan in a few weeks, so I packed up Buddy and we headed to Nashville to hang out.

Kevin and Buddy napping, equitably sharing the couch:

The other fun event was "Camp Katie."  I convinced my sister and her husband to take a mini-vacation and leave their three-year old daughter, Emma, with her favorite aunt.  Megan dubbed it "Camp Katie," and I know Miss Emma had a blast.

Day 1:  I met up with everyone in Nashville.  The girls spent the afternoon shopping while Clint finished up his work, and then Emma and I hopped in the car to head back to Memphis.  She convinced me that she needed an 8-pack of Oreos for the ride home, and then settled down for a long three hour nap.  We took a dip in the pool after dinner, and she slept all night.

Day 2: There's a great splash park in Collierville that neither of us had been to - Emma spent an hour or so running around getting sprayed and screaming, "Aunt Katie, watch me!"

A little blurry, but does it not look like she is having a blast??

We headed over to Target afterwards to buy Dora dishes after she declared that she didn't like my dishes.  She went down for her nap.  That evening, our friend Holly came over with her daughter Lila for dinner.  Lila and Emma hit it off right away and those little girls ran around the house with their purses and animal chairs pretending to run errands.

Emma is ready to meet her new friend, Lila:

Day 3: I had the stupendous idea to have a picnic in the park.  During a heat wave.  After packing the cooler, we arrived at the park to find all the slide and swings ON FIRE from the sun.  A quick assessment of the situation showed that Chuck E. Cheese's was a MUCH better choice.  My mom joined us for a pizza lunch and games.  I made dinner, which Emma declared "gross," then we swam in the pool before bed.

Riding in the princess carriage:

Going on a "roller coaster" with her Mimi:

Slide city, to be repeated a thousand times:

Day 4: Emma rode her bike on the Germantown Greenway with JD and I jogging behind her.  That quickly wore out because it was too hot for her to wear her helmet, so poor JD had to carry her bike while we walked back to the car.  Emma and JD headed to an afternoon matinee of Brave, which gave me a much-needed break.  We met up with our friends Mary and Randy for a hibachi dinner (Emma calls it the "fire place"), and Emma spent the night hamming it up with them, doing Mary's hair and having Randy pull quarters out of her ears.

Proof that nutritious breakfasts are served at Camp Katie:

Day 5: Emma was so excited to wear her "Easter dress" to church and play in the nursery while we went to church and Sunday school.  Emma joined our gang for lunch at Chili's where she charmed the whole table.  She screamed "Uncle Deeedle" so many times to get JD's attention that the whole table started calling him Uncle Deedle.  Her parents drove in and woke her up from her nap, she was so shocked!  I don't think she knew what to make of it all.  She was certainly my precious side kick, and we enjoyed our time together.  Hopefully we can do this again next summer!

Emma insisting on sitting in the middle of the table:

This was a few days later after her parents arrived - Emma thought she would drive the boat down to the dock for us:

Beachin' it - Virginia Style

From time to time, JD is asked to teach conference sessions for web coding in accordance with his published book.  I am so proud of him and all the he has accomplished professionally.  When I have the free time, I like to travel with him to these conferences.  When he mentioned a beach location, I was game.

He only needed to teach one day, so I thought a five-day stay would suffice for a mini Graffam vacation.  We stayed a beautiful hotel, the Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront.  Our room had a wonderful balcony overlooking the sandy beaches and ocean waves.

The first night, we went to dinner with a few of the hosts for the conference.  On Saturday, I shopped and strolled around while JD was teaching.  At 5 p.m., we were officially on vacation.  Saturday night, we ate at Mahi Mah's, a seafood restaurant on the boardwalk.  The food was fantastic.

Here's JD opinion of the oysters:

On Sunday, we decided to cram as much as possible into one day.  Not really sure why, but this seemed like a good idea at the time.  After a run along the boardwalk, we headed over to Norfolk to see the Battleship Wisconsin.  Not only can you explore this hulking ship which sits in the harbor, there is a really neat museum adjacent to the ship that explains the history of this boat.  Here we are on the ship:

I'm pretty sure I could be a Navy captain, right?

JD paid $2 to get the "hurricane wind" experience in this booth.  He thought it would at least dry his hair from standing out in the rain, but he was disappointed:

And here is what I am pretty sure I would look like as a mermaid:

After the tour, we headed over to the Botanical Gardens because I am a nerd who loves flowers.  Seeing as how it was actively raining at the time, we had the grounds to ourselves.  I don't get to travel to Virginia often, so we made the best of it:

Monday was spent at the aquarium in the morning, and on the beach that afternoon.  The aquarium had all sorts of sea life, with exhibits for all ages:

It was fairly chilly most of the time we were at Virginia Beach, but the temps approached 80 on Monday and the skies cleared up.  We had a blast jumping in the waves and walking along the beach.  I was surprised how sandy the beaches were - I thought they would be rocky or hard surfaces.  After a full day at the beach, we ate at one of the best restaurants on the boardwalk - in our very own hotel:

On Tuesday, we explored Colonial Williamsburg and hit up an outlet mall.  Colonial Williamsburg was really quaint and very historical.  However, I have very little patience for "guided tours."  After the first incredibly slow and poorly executed reenactment of the Virginia governor vacating his post, I was ready to go crazy.  We broke off from the group and explored the town.  Hence, no pictures.

We had a wonderful time.  As far as beaches go, this is definitely a top destination for a family getaway.  I hope to visit again soon!

Snapshot Update

It’s been a few weeks since I blogged, so here’s a quick snapshot of the happenings in the Graffam household:

1. Running, running, running

 JD and I have been diligently working on improving our running times and endurance.  I don’t run with JD because he is much faster than me (if you’re his Facebook friend, you can see how much his time has improved), but I’ve met several of my own goals through the Couch to 5K program and beyond.  I finally broke through my goal of running a 5K in less than 30 minutes a month ago.  I used to run this hackneyed course through my neighborhood, but after being used for target practice by too many minivan-driving Riverdale parents, I took to the Germantown Greenway.  I seem to run a little faster on the Greenway, probably because I am not constantly looking over my shoulder to see whose hood ornament I am about to become.  I even upgraded my route to a 4-mile track, so I hope to see more improvements in my time soon.

2. A little yard work

A few weeks ago, JD borrowed my car to drive his Simple Focus team to South Carolina, leaving me his truck.  What’s a Germantown housewife to do with a free weekend and a monster truck?  Besides taking three attempts to park in the garage at school, I decided to head to Lowe’s to pick up flowers and 1200 pounds of mulch.  Yup, that’s right, I personally spread 1200 pounds of mulch in our flowerbeds.  I don’t think JD has ever been that excited to get out of this chore.

3. Pool’s open!

Speaking of a little yard work, no summer season is ready without the backyard pool - bring your towel!

4. Traveling the summer season away

Fingers crossed, there are a few fun trips planned this summer.  Next week, we are headed to Virginia Beach.  Then, I get to visit with my brother in Nashville for a weekend.  A few weeks later, I will be relaxing on the beaches of Charleston with my old college roommates for what is sure to be a great trip.  On the way back, I am cruising through Atlanta to pick up my niece for a fun-filled five days with her favorite aunt back in Germantown.  After hosting the usual 4^th of July activities at our house, the family is headed to the lake.  JD and I are discussing the possibility of ending the summer on a resort vacation somewhere like the Dominican Republic, we will see.  Not to mention all the weekends at Pickwick – this is shaping up to be quite a memorable summer!

5. Researching…how to extend deadlines

After a semester wrap-up meeting with my PhD advisor, I have a few things to accomplish this summer.  I need to take a comprehensive exam in the beginning of June, conclude one of my research projects by mid-June and develop two or three Economic Development topics for research in the Fall (apparently I’ve been dabbling in the Health Econ field too much)!

Lake-ing it on Easter Weekend

I love my church.  Sincerely.  I personally chose to join this church and denomination when I was a senior in high school, and have enjoyed every small group, Sunday School, committee, youth event, etc.  You name it, I’ve tried it.  The friends I have made at church have been a much-needed support throughout my adult years.  My hope is to grow old at this church.

However, our church is pretty large.  Translation – holidays like Easter and Christmas leave the church packed to the gills with its parishioners.   As much as I love Easter sermons and Easter dresses, the claustrophobia kicks in on high gear during the holy holidays.  The cure?  Going to the lake for Easter.

A few summers ago, JD and I bought a pontoon boat to keep at the lake.  Here is a picture of our boat I found on the internet, but in a different color.  Our boat is burgundy and white:

Our perfect summer day involves taking the boat out with friends, dropping anchor, and floating for hours.  Nothing is more relaxing after making the 1.5 hour drive to Pickwick.  His parents gave us a nice grill for the boat, so now we don’t even need to come in from the lake to eat.  Once we started contemplating Easter weekend at the lake, a new tradition was born.

This year, JD and I have several big events coming up as the semester comes to an end.  Looking ahead on the calendar, my anxiety mounts knowing what all I have to prepare for.   However, Easter weekend represented a perfect opportunity to get away from it, the perfect calm before the impending storm.

Friday night started off as it always does when the Graffams are involved – dinner at Pickwick Pizza.  We’ve started eating there often enough that we usually run into a few folks from Memphis.  Saturday, we hit the water early with our friends.  I made the fatal mistake of using a low SPF to get a “little color” on my skin.  By that afternoon, I looked like a lobster with an outline from my sunglasses.  I blame it on the beverages for no one noticing sooner!  Saturday night, we tried a restaurant that JD recommended, Jon’s Pier.  It was a hit.  The chicken was juicy and the seafood smelled great (I didn’t try it).  The group was having such a good time that we decided to take the boat out again Sunday afternoon.

By Sunday, I was more prepared for the sun and kept reapplying sunscreen to avoid any more burn.  After a few humorous adventures (me failing to start up the boat and almost crashing into the rocks, birds dive-bombing us as we floated under a bridge), we packed it up and headed back home.  Despite not being in Easter services, I feel closer to God in nature.  To me, Easter signifies the rebirth of hope through the resurrection of Christ.  Lake weekends often recharge my batteries and allow me to focus on being a better Christian, wife, family member and friend.  It may not be a traditional way to celebrate Easter, but I hope it is a family tradition for many years to come!

Newt Nonsense - Why $2.50 Won't Buy You a Gallon of Gas

In order to read this post objectively, you're going to need to take off your political cap.  Seriously.  Let's try to frame this debate around the issues and not the party.  I'm not endorsing any candidate.

As an economist, I'd like to poke a few holes in what I feel is an impossible promise from a presidential candidate.  Sure, they all promise things like "change" and "peace," those we can all understand when the candidate fails to deliver.  But, a $2.50 cap on a gallon of gas?  Say it ain't so Joe.

A few basic economic principles first - demand and price are inversely related.  What does that mean?  The cheaper a product becomes, the lower the price drops, the more we demand of it.  The more expensive a product becomes, the higher the price rises, the less we demand of it.  I'd rather have two pairs of shoes at $50 each than one pair at $100.  Now think about the other side of the equation - supply.  As a supplier, I'd rather supply more when prices are high because I make more profit.  That's why we say supply and price are positively related.  The graph below represents these principles:

Where these two lines intersect is the "sweet spot."  It's where the economy is in equilibrium, and prices and quantity are at the most efficient point.  This is NORMALLY how prices are determined.  What about gas prices?  They aren't determined this way.  An international cartel called OPEC determines our prices.  OPEC is made up of member countries that meet occasionally to agree to restrict their output of oil to keep prices high.  Remember when I told you that suppliers prefer high prices for high profits?  That's the same idea but to a much higher degree.

Now for Newt: his campaign is really pushing this idea that under his leadership, gas won't cost more than $2.50 a gallon.  Um, what?  Has he figured out something that the millions of economists and financial minds haven't discovered?  Sure, the idea sounds good to the single parent on a tight budget, but Newt is conveniently not mentioning that Americans don't determine gas prices - OPEC does.  Was he planning on showing up to their meeting and saying "hey guys, I know you've enjoyed lucrative profits exporting oil to gas-guzzling Americans, but I'm going to ask you politely to drop your prices?"  Let's assume for the sake of the argument that OPEC is a congenial group that only wants what's best for us (I can hear the laughter already).  Capping gas at $2.50 a gallon is the equivalent of a price ceiling - prices can only rise up to $2.50.  Here's a graph showing the effect of a price ceiling:

Because our current price on a gallon of gas is higher than $2.50, enforcing a binding price ceiling introduces a dangerous element to our society - a shortage of gas.  As a supplier, if I'm told that I can only charge a price that is lower than what I'd receive normally for my product, I'm not going to supply that much.  I don't make as much profit.  Hence, society demands more gas at lower prices, but suppliers aren't willing to meet demand.  What does a shortage of gas mean to our society?  Tourism would tank and American drivers would spend their days waiting in line for available gas.  Sound like a picnic to you?  If you're going to vote for Newt, that's fine, just don't tell your friends it's because you want a gallon of gas for $2.50.  You're smarter than that.

Conversations with the Mini-Me

I've been working on a few different blog posts, but I wanted to write this down before I forgot what a special time I had with my niece, Emma, over Christmas break.  When Emma was born, we affectionately called her my Mini-me because she favored me.  Here's the proof:

This was at about 2 months of age.  Today, she is a beautiful three year old girl that looks nothing like that baby in the Bumbo.  She has her mother's face with her father's height and skin tone:

As Megan and Clint can attest, watching this little girl grow up is mesmerizing.  Her increasing cognitive ability is both interesting to watch and, at times, very funny.  The following are a few conversations (re: arguments) Emma and I had over Christmas while they were staying with us:

Conversation #1
(upon their arrival from Atlanta)
Me: Emma, did you have a nice ride in the car to Memphis?
Emma: I sleep.
Me (for some reason, feeling the need to correct her grammar): You slept.
Emma: I sleep.
Me: You slept.
Emma: I sleep!
Me: You slept.
Emma: I. TAKE. A. NAP. (while simultaneously rolling her eyes at Mommy wondering how much longer she has to play with "special" Aunt Katie)

Conversation #2
(In response to her never ending "Why?"s, I decide to turn the tables on the munchkin)
Me: Emma, what are you doing?
Emma: Drawing.
Me: Why?
Emma: Because I want to.
Me: Why?
Emma: To make a picture.
Me: Why?
Emma: Because.
Me: Why?
Emma: Stop it.
Me: Why?
Emma: Stop it!
Me: Why?
Emma: Stop asking.
Me: Why?
Emma: STOP ASKING!  (Here, she omits the "k" so she is screaming at the top of her lungs STOP ASS-ING!)

Conversation #3
(Emma thinks that Megan is asleep in the den adjacent to the kitchen)
Emma: (Using her best whisper voice that could be heard in a loud stadium) Aunt Katie, can I have another cookie?
Megan (perking up): Katie, what does she mean by "another" cookie?
Me: Meg, Emma's only 3, her command of the English language is so slight that she probably doesn't know what that means-
Emma: I want a bigger one this time!
Me - busted for sneaking her cookies before dinner:)

Bottom line, this girl is a hoot.  We always dissolve into giggles around her.  Emma's parents have done a wonderful job of raising such a sweet little girl who not only performs well in the lime light, but loves her family and enjoys going along with whatever the group decides.  Too bad they don't live closer:(