friday! -- the one where my summer began...

today was my last day at work for awhile - it was almost my last day at work ever -- but then i last month we (jon+i) decided it wasn't and so back again in the fall i'll go -- why oh why - well here is what my last week at work looked like:

-rainy day monday movie - coloring included

- watermelon day + sunflower seed spitting and rolling in the field

- pink lemonade + paper puppets + a few minutes of pixar short films

- sandwich + ice cream cones on the playground - play outside all day

- picnic in the field 

i know you're jealous - everyone should have my job - with the requirement of you can happily survive having your name (or teacher teacher) called every 15 seconds by multiple children, don't mind having boogers picked and wiped on your sweater or coughing in your face, and can productively, creatively and kindly (at least most of the time) break up sharing, pushing, and "so-and-so said they aren't my friend" disputes while teaching social skills and loving your friend...  to which you will be richly rewarded with the funniest comments you've ever heard and the sweetest smiles you'll ever see.  it really is the best job ever  -- the one that i am finished with for a few months -- now to put on my other career hat -- to which i need to find a creative name for besides cook, trailer-keeper, errand runner, dog catcher (well- one that also includes hulu-watcher, blog-reader, bookworm, scrapbooker) -- hello it's montana time.

our pacific northwest sky was trying to confuse me the other night with a montana-style sky

 this is one of the things i've been doing instead of packing

 but today, as my summer officially began, i decided i'd better hop to it -- so i made my list -- see....

and i completed much of it with about 3.5 hours of errands

now that all but three of the errands are done, i just have to pack it up - and that is another list that is even longer than this one.  significantly.

but for right now-- it's my time.

as in mY time.

the time where i get to do whatever i want.

wHateVer i want.

are you scared?

you shouldn't be -- don't you know how responsible i am?

all i want to do is eat my Cars shaped mac and cheese and read a book .

that's it.

that's what i am going to do right now.  

as soon as i hit the "publish" button

p.s.  did you know that before tonight i never knew photo booth had this feature...

shows you how much i've toodled around with it -- but nOW i know -- beware...

p.s.s.

the other sign my summer has begun - the weather channel is an online favorite - tonight i read that 

it really should be summer now - for reals - "la nina's reign is over" -- which gives me a little more hope that i might have a few less tornado warnings this year -- which would be good -- did i mention i dreamed about tornados again last night - second time - survived both times. this time with a sturdy piece of cardboard, a pair of hand cuffs and metal hand rail -- i woke up thinking that it was just a little too final scene of twister-ish  - and also wondering where my brain comes up with this stuff 

-- maybe i was a police officer in my other life -- 

--ok you can stop laughing now--

...seriously...

on a more serious note -- it isn't as expensive (a relative term i know - but i was thinking like a really big number) to have a safe room or storm cellar as you might think -- i checked --  if you want to check you can go here:    FEMA: Safe Rooms or High Wind Safe Rooms

may merriment

just a select few from a month that flew by so fast i can hardly remember what happened...good thing i have pictures to remind me ---

melissa graduated -- she's going to be the best nurse practitioner ever

kim and i bought cupcakes from cupcake jones to celebrate the occasion--

one of each kind of course

it's beginning to feel a little like summer - sandals and starbucks frosty frappuccino goodness

 a girl weekend with my favorite kellie and alecia - insane amounts of fro yo and non-stop chatting -- literally -- i think it was like 8 hours before we slowed down.

today:

starbucks - quality "alone" time --  i should make this a regular on the calendar this fall

so many things to do - jon calls me to see if i am packing every five minutes (well, not quite, but close-- actually his last call was to tell me that i didn't fill out the address on my latest online order - but he took care of it -- what a good husband)

last night i came home and put the packages on the table, ate copious amounts of chips and salsa, and sat in my comfy chair.  it was good.  i think the dishes might be getting stinky in the sink though -- i should probably do them tonight.  along with pack.  which means i'd better make a list.  

i'll get right on that...

graduation - part I

our little nephew, nikolas - all grown up...

friday night program -- proud families documenting their graduates

our family

a good looking bunch 

nik, jon, and i

we are so proud of this boy -- he surprised us all and got himself baptized on sabbath.  it was lovely and we cried some tears - it is amazing and awe-inspiring when you can see the power of prayer and the love of God working

right now: 

i probably should be packing - or at least that is what jon thinks i should be doing...

i think i am in avoidance of montana storms and i just don't know how much longer i can hold out -- probably til monday and that might be it...  hmm...

graduation - part II

first of all, i know you are wondering where graduation part I is -- well, you might be crazy, or more likely it would be that i haven't posted it yet -- but i will.  pinky promise.  soon.

this was a few days ago ---

the whole family 

-jordan, i have no idea what you are doing in this picture, or in half of the other ones we took-

after graduation we had a lunch for friends and family - i think our count was somewhere in the 35 zone

good to know how many people you can fit in your house -- mine doesn't quite fit that many (well unless we are all getting really cozy) -- but thanks to nice weather and a porch we did quite well

haystacks, of course

the boys took over the porch

i have more pictures - actually between the past two weekends i have about 1,250 more pictures - that's what happens when you shoot in multiples and lots of them - these are just the "in short" choices

it was a good good weekend - this boy worked hard this year and i am proud -- he took his gpa from a ridiculously low slacker level to a 4.0... 

i always knew he had it in him and am thankful he finally pulled it out.  

in other news:  

this weekend we were all broken - saturday jon woke up with an extremely sore neck and back, lulu blistered her paws and was completely lame, and my hip popped (or pulled a muscle) and i wasn't enjoying walking much from evening on -- we just had to chuckle about it.  

update:  jon had a massage that put him almost back to rights, and me a tiny massage, that combined with pain killer and rest has almost put me back to rights, and lulu went to the vet on monday and has pain killer, bandages, and ointment and is getting back to right.

right now:  watching pirates of the caribbean: dead mans chest 

family time

let the festivities begin...

you have no idea how hard it was to get this boy to "dress up"

but i think he still enjoyed most of his night -- 

he definitely enjoyed the end of it,

the part where all of us went out to mexican

we like this particular venue because they are open late (as in we walked in the door at 9pm)

and we are almost always the only ones there (no-we've never gotten sick)

they have delicious salsa (we eat a lot of it)

it was good.  family is good.  having us all together (minus jordy's husband, ben) is good.

the loud, talk over each other, 5 conversations going on at once is good. 

i have to go clean my house now to make ready for the big after-grad lunch -- i have one hour.  yikes!

oh -- and i wanted to share this quote --  

"Up to a point a man's life is shaped by environment, heredity, and movements and changes in the world about him. Then there comes a time when it lies within his grasp to shape the clay of his life into the sort of thing he wishes to be. Only the weak blame parents, their race, their times, lack of good fortune, or the quirks of fate. Everyone has it within his power to say, 'This I am today; that I will be tomorrow.'"

-- Louis L'Amour

p.s.s. - jon and i have both broken out the country music - let summer begin!

the kitchen sink

all you need is a dirty kitchen sink (or a whole kitchen) + sponge + a bottle of soft scrub

it's like a therapy session.  for free.

i clean when i have angst in my life -- or when i feel that way --  or at least i used to before i found some roommates -- now i talk to them about it all -- now after reading this they are going to be handing me a sponge and a bottle of soft scrub...shoot.

when you clean you start with something that is usually kind of yucky and and end up with something that is usually kind of not yucky.  and maybe shiny.  and smelling of soft scrub.  --have i mentioned my love affair with soft scrub yet?  it is long lasting and never ending --

today -- today -- well, today was a good day.  everyday that i'm alive is a good day.  but today was also a little obnoxious in a lot of small, intermittent ways.

this evening consisted of complaining about it (sometimes i say telling stories about it or venting -- but tonight was just plain complaining because i was mostly all over it but just wanted to complain about it anyways in an annoyed and sometimes exclamatory way -- that is a main point in the differences between telling a story and complaining) -- kim very nicely listened to me.   she doesn't say much.   she rarely complains.  i tell her it is good that i love her so much.  tonight i told her at least i wasn't complaining about her -- she agreed.

this brings me back to the kitchen sink.  i complained too much tonight (and maybe some other nights in the more recent future)... shoot.

kitchen sink think.  free therapy while scrubbing the sink (counters+cupboards+stove)

unfortunately, it's not a brand new think.  i wish i could say that i was a more perfect and uncomplaining person --- i blame it on being an almost only child for the first part of my life and on my grandma spoiling me (that doesn't really count as a good excuse does it...)  i don't think that i am the person who complains the most -- but if i am the one who complains the most in my house what does that mean...shoot.  does it make a difference that everyone else just says it in their head and i just say it out loud? ...shoot.

our kitchen sink is going to be the shiniest one in the neighborhood.

p.s.  didn't you know that i plan all my character building just in time for spring cleaning?

p.s.s. i do reserve the right to point out that daily end of the year program practice with kiddos --who have spring fever, raging hormones, and less than a double digit number of days before summer vacation  -- is enough to make anyone just a little bit crazy

pooch + quote

"Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it."

-- Groucho Marx

moms+midnight

today i'm thankful for my mom who lets me come over at midnight, talks to me into the wee hours of the morning and feeds me chocolate chip cookies, pretzels and tea at 1am.  who hugs me tight and lets me sneak off with yet another one of her cookbooks - to add to the other 13 that i already have at home.
today i'm thankful for a puppy who won't stay kicked off the bed because she wants to snuggle even after she steps on my stomach with all of her 55 pounds and makes me think i may not have my innards in tact still.

today i'm thankful for coffee - which makes 4.5 hours of sleep much more enjoyable.

hello wednesday.  i'm ready for you.

love you momma.  so much.

sunday funday?

we bought a flat of mangos last week at costco and i have been eating them up -- tonight i ran across this smoothie recipe from whole foods and it looked like it might be delicious -- use frozen bananas if you have them (add an extra if it taste's too "green" for you)  i sub the soy protein powder for brown rice protein -- but you can use whatever you have...

GET OVER IT GREEN PROTEIN SHAKE

Nourish your body after a night of indulgence with things it really needs: nutrients and antioxidants. Sweet mango and banana, a hint of green earthy flavor and soy protein powder that contributes even more plant power!

Ingredients

2 cups organic chopped fresh greens such as spinach or kale, thick stems removed 
1 mango, peeled and cubed 
1 cup original or unsweetened ricemilk 
1 banana 
3 tablespoons Whole Foods™ Organic Vanilla Soy Protein Powder 

Method

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

 i'd say it's been a fairly productive day - ended with an evening of back-to-back-to-back-to-back "Lie to Me" - i think i've mentioned our addiction to this show...

it's going to be a busy week -- i'm not quite prepared for it -- menu is almost done -- but that's about it and i still have one more dinner to plan...oh --- i got it -- falafel salads with homemade hummus and ranch dressing.  well, that is one more check off the list -- now i'd better go get to a few more before bed -- happy sunday!

 love love love these girls

taken a couple weeks ago -- girl's trip to boise --

how the story goes...

it goes like this...

when jon is home i don't really blog.  there are a lot of things i don't do when jon is home that i do do when he is gone.  blogging is one of them.  it is either that he demands all of my free time or he demands the computer, or it could really be just that we do other things --- also i go to bed earlier because i can't sit in bed with the computer on for hours when he is trying to go to sleep -- this is because i don't like it when he is on the computer and i am trying to sleep. phew.  glad we got that covered.

so i realized (again) today that i just haven't been on the pictures --- really since summer -- and here it is almost summer again.

i also worked on my december daily book today -- yes,  i am aware that it is march.  and no, it isn't done, but it is close.  that should tell you about how much scrapbooking i have been doing lately.

so the real question is just what have i been doing?  well, i think i have been hibernating and when not hibernating i think i have been at work with possibly a weekend or two of travel...  so while i can't really think of any "thing" that i have been doing, i know that it has been good.  and that's what counts right?

p.s.  how did it get to be march already?

today i spent most of the day hibernating in my sweats and sweatshirt -- then i spiffy'd up a bit and went out on the town -- well to town that is -- to senior recognition and a birthday party to be exact.  now i am back to the sweats again.

the family at senior recognition

at the birthday party