Miscellaneous Monday

Michelle brought me a drink at work on Friday and came to see me in my "habitat". It is kind of crazy to me that I spend so much time at work and do so many things there yet only the people I work with know about it. It feels all encompassing to me so it was fun to have her stop by in the middle of a very crazy lunch time to see some of it. Plus the drink was a delightful treat for me the rest of the afternoon!

We have popcorn for the staff on Fridays, plus my big drink from Michelle and then a Christmas present from the school nurse who comes in once a week. I was so shocked that she gave me something and I'm very excited because I've always wanted to grow bulbs indoors, so this little kit was a great surprise for me.

This is a peek into one of my desk drawers. Cake, fishy crackers, keys, a mirror, lip gloss, my phone would be there except I had to use it to take the photo, and miscellaneous notes and papers. I always feel kind of silly having food in my drawers, but I eat while I work or I don't eat at all so this is how I roll.

We had a gloriously obligation-free Saturday so I was able to clean and putter to my heart's content. Randy was kind enough to get me some Cafe Rio for lunch and I enjoyed it at the computer while watching Friday Night Lights...bliss!

The demise of my good camera is seriously hurting my blogging ways, that combined with busyness is making for some sporadic blogging for sure.

**What do you think?**

Comment Window Tidbit: Usually my tolerance for life at the junior is very high, but today it was not. It's probably because I'm feeling antsy about all the other stuff I have to do this week, but I hate it that it affects me so much.

Escalante Trip--Day 2

As much as I love it when I get going early and seize the day, the thing I really love to do on vacations is to wake up on my own and then read in bed for awhile. I surprised myself by waking up at 7:00 but then spent a delicious hour and a half lying in bed reading.

When I surfaced I found Amie and Melinda showered and ready hanging out upstairs, and I found this pretty view of the fall leaves through the window.

This is the amazing view through the sliding glass doors in the kitchen!

When we finally all got ready (happily Michelle was on the lounge and read wake-up plan as well) Amie drove us around town and pointed out where all their relatives live. It crazy that both her parents and Jimmy's parents are from Escalante (it's a seriously tiny town) so they have all kinds of relatives there. She took us to Jimmy's grandma's house and that solidified the "going back in time" feel of the trip. It was like a museum!

Aren't these the coolest stove knobs? Did you have those salt and pepper shakers when you were a kid? I did!

We visited the one tiny grocery store in town and then the thrift shop.

Michelle found several books, I bought a couple decorative books and Melinda found the original Primary Children's Song Book that we all grew up with.

 

Our last stop was for big drinks at the gas station (I got a Coke for headache-relief purposes and actually liked it) then came home for chicken salad lunch.

We had a leisurely afternoon at the house. I went out on the patio to read for 1.5 hours and loved it. I soaked up the sun, enjoyed amazing view, listened to the sprinklers and the huge birds flying by. It was a Zen experience...antisocial but Zen.

The other 3 stayed inside (they thought it was too cold outside) to work on projects and read.

We opted to stay in for dinner that night (more chicken salad) and then played cards.

Michelle made a different kind of gooey munchable that we were more than willing to try.

We played "Speed" for quite awhile until it was clear that Melinda is a wicked card shark and that we didn't stand even a little chance of coming close to a victory. She pointed out that she's a middle child and fiercely competitive and I pointed out that Amie, Michelle and I are all first born children and don't care to lose. Ha.

The score sheet of doom!

**Are you a card shark?

Do you ever drink Coke for medicinal purposes?

Do you like to read on vacation?

What number are you in your family?**

Comment Window Tidbit: I bought tap shoes for myself today and it felt good.

Blissful Conference Weekend--In Pictures

**How was your Conference Weekend?

Did you hear what you needed to hear?

What did you eat?

Did you take notes?**

Comment Window Tidbit: We watched and listened to every word of Conference and loved it. I was weepy several times during every session. I feel refreshed and recommitted!

Loving It

This was our make-shift set up before getting the new computer. We were using our dinosaur laptop for basic word processing and some very slow internet use and we were using the other laptop (which was an amazing birthday gift from my blogging friend Stefanie) for faster internet stuff and Netflix streaming. But the shadow of our super deluxe monitor was always there as it sat dormant since February. The small screens of the laptops mocked me, and the screen on our dinosaur laptop was so grainy that I was actually starting to wonder if the problem was with my eyes or the monitor!

But now that we have the new computer we can use our gloriously ginormous monitor again, and I'm not sure I can properly convey how happy this makes me! The first time I got to use it again I couldn't believe how vibrant everything looked and how much room I have for multiple windows of online viewing. It's like the cataracts have been removed from my eyes and my world is in technicolor bliss once more! I celebrated the new monitor last week one afternoon, while the kids were gone playing with friends, by watching Room With A View (for the 1000th time) while cleaning up the desk area. I love to putter while watch/listening to a movie I know by heart.

The next day I celebrated some more by kicking back watching Downton Abbey (please tell me you love it too) and dining on a fabulous pork tostada from Cafe Rio. It was just like old times and I loved it.

**What's your computer set up like?

Where do you use the computer most?

Have you suffered through slow and old

and then known the joy of speedy and new?**

Comment Window Tidbit: I'm experiencing the back-to-work-blues this week even though I think the new job will be good. It's hard to be at work while the kids are still home for summer vacation and it's hard to lose my freedom again. I'm sure I'll adjust, but it's sort of like ripping open an old wound again.

Droplets of Goodness--Plus Giveaway Winners

We have had rain off and on every day this week and it has been fabulous! It is so rare for us to have a week like this since the sun insists on shining most of the time, so I always savor these days when we get them.


Of course I had to take a picture of the rainy view from my front porch, it's what I see most often. Notice the hues of green and yellow happening on the front lawn. The shade from the two big trees makes for some interesting patterns for sure.


This picture doesn't do the view justice, but there was a ginormous rainbow mixed with ethereal cloud cover over the mountain peak when I took Landon to flag football on Monday. It was spectacular, truly one of those moments when you feel like yelling to everyone to stop what they're doing so they don't miss out on seeing it.


We have two apple trees in our backyard, but usually our landlord (who lives next door) harvests them. They haven't done so yet, so I helped myself to a few and am planning on making caramel apples, especially since Jane posted her fabulous caramel recipe today.

We even have 2 different kinds of apples, and they look so beautiful in the rain.

There's a very nice, smiley lady who works as a crossing guard for our school morning and afternoon, and she was still smiling even while getting soaked. Whitney doesn't actually cross the street at this place, but seeing the crossing guard helping the kids made me want to do something for her.

**Do you enjoy rainy days?
Do you ever find yourself wanting
to point out the view to strangers?
Do you make caramel apples?**

Giveaway Winners
4--Erin
6--Melinda
12--Kristin
7--Becca
17--Kelly MM

Comment Window Tidbit: I found out that we don't have to pay a copay for preventative doctor/dentist visits, woohoo! So I made all of us dentist appointments for the first time in over 2.5 years!

Wordless Wednesday

Comment Window Tidbit: Crackers and cheese are a tasty snack, don't you think so?

A Good Moment

I found myself at home alone today after Amie picked Landon up and took him to Seven Peaks for the day, and after Whitney was invited over to Madison's house for the afternoon. I immediately called Cafe Rio, then came home to watch Sense and Sensibility (I'm in Jane Austen mode lately) . Glorious.

**What would you have done?**

Comment Window Tidbit: I caught Whitney's cold. #$@! I'm not enjoying the brain rattling that's going on when I cough.

Like Beach Bunnies, But Different

You may have noticed that I haven't been blogging about weekly outings to Seven Peaks this year, and that's because we're not going anymore. They changed their policy about bringing food into the park and that pretty much ruined things for us. Amie and Melinda are still going and have been happy with it, though they have to go outside the park to eat lunch, but the new policy felt like a betrayal to Michelle and I so we got refunds for our season passes.

Instead, we're going to our local pool, which allows food and is much closer. Landon and I met up with Michelle and her kids on Monday afternoon (Whitney was at a different pool with her friend Madison).


I brought cups of Tang-covered pebble ice for Michelle and I and made a believer out of her. I'm toying with the thought of putting Tang over vanilla ice cream for a creamsicle affect, doesn't that sound good?


This grasshopper took up residence on the handle of Michelle's bag, and though it was causing no harm, Eva was scandalized by its presence. Michelle didn't mind it sitting there, but apparently has bad childhood memories of hopping grasshoppers, so she wasn't keen on its random movements once it left her bag.

I actually rescued a grasshopper from the pool later in the day and was quite proud of myself for saving it from drowning. I was thinking this would be a good Karma-type thing, but then remembered the earwig I washed down my shower that morning and wondered if there are certain levels of bug-saving accolades. Surely killing bugs in your house is different than letting an innocent bug outside die, right? Maybe I'm crazy.


I decided that everything tastes better when at the pool (or beach). Landon always chooses
White Cheddar Cheez-its, and I brought Pringles. It could also be that they were both freshly newly opened, but I still think there's something more to it.


Michelle and I were very surprised to see blogging friend Lindsay sitting right in front of us with her beautiful new baby girl. Lindsay recognized Eva playing in the water and then spotted us. It was horrifying to be spotted in our swim ensembles, but it was still nice to talk to Lindsay.

I love the look of the water in the late-day sun!

Poor Michelle had shoes with some flip and no flop. Her recent $1 flip flops pulled apart and had to be trashed.

On Tuesday, Whitney and I spent 3 hours cleaning the garage (again!). She sorted through all the toy bins without complaint (amazing). She was motivated by the promise of going to the pool later in the day and by the delight she had each time she "found" a toy she thought was missing.

So we picked up Landon and his friend and finally got to the pool just after 5:00pm. The boys played great together, and Whitney played so well by herself. She used her dinosaur toy and goggles to create some sort of game. I love it that she's so independent!


Because we'd gotten to the pool so late, I was able to find a good spot in the shade to read my book. I had intended to swim with the kids, but when they didn't need my company and when I wasn't overheated I ended up loving my set-up. I could watch the kids in the pool and read my book in the comfort of my own chair. It was bliss!


Our location near the fence also gave us a handy way to hang our towels. I'm always trying to get the towels to dry in-between visits from the kids (though they never seem to appreciate or try this themselves) and this did the job beautifully. Who would have thought I'd voluntarily go to the pool multiple times a week?

**What snacks do you like to take to the pool?
Do you have issues with grasshoppers?
What's your policy on killing bugs in the house?
Do you try to dry towels in-between swim times?
Is there such a thing as pool bliss for you?**

At One With Nature

It's so funny how we pack so much into our days when on vacation, but rarely have days like these when we're at home. I suppose money and inclination are issues, but still, we've been doing a whole lot of driving and a ton of walking this week.


We spent a gorgeous day (seriously perfect weather) at the Chicago Botanical Gardens. Gifford (aka The Graduate) was kind enough to drive us there and spend the day with us. Admission was free (hooray) so the only expense was the $20 per car for parking.


A lot of the flowers weren't in bloom yet, but I took serious delight in the ones that were. I filled my entire memory card (473 photos)!


We followed the paths and made our way through the many different gardens. It was glorious to be in such a beautiful place on such a gorgeous day.

This is just sweet right?

I love the way these peonies look before they're about to bloom.

And after!

I was glad I brought my zoom lens to capture this unusual sight across the water from us. What the? I suppose he was biking around the gardens and decided to lie down for a bit, but it seemed hilarious to us, especially with the ducks walking around him.


I was relieved that the kids liked it there as much as I did. It helped that I let them both have long turns taking pictures with my camera (though many of their photos were deleted once I viewed them on the computer).


Whitney kept collecting things she found on the ground and would say, "Look at all this nature I collected." That struck me as funny.


I think these Bleeding Hearts are so delicate and beautiful. I planted some at our house a few years ago, but they didn't survive. Our wanderings through the garden became sort of a tour of my "black thumb" as I pointed out all the things I've planted with no success at our house (we have crappy soil).

The kids have loved having Randy with us all the time.

We went to the English Garden last, and it proved to be a great finale for our day. We came around a bend and saw a huge spray of brightly colored poppies.

I was so thrilled!

This is my favorite shot!

We were attempting to take a self-portrait in front of the poppies, but ended up having someone else take it (they offered) instead. We got way more poppies in the picture as a result.


We had a long ride home, but one of the benefits of vacation is that I ended up sitting in the backseat with the kids. Landon ended up leaning on me and rubbing my arm, too sweet.


We took a wrong turn on the way home, but it put us near a Baskin Robbins so we made the best of it.

**Have you been here before?
Do you enjoy Botanical Gardens?
Do you let your kids use your camera?
Do you ever sit in the backseat?
Have you ever filled your memory card in one day?**