Look Alike.....

So tonight our doorbell rang. Austin answered and a cute little boy (approximately 6-7 years old) was on our doorstep with his dad. He was getting pledges for his school walk-a-thon. I was in the kitchen and missed most of the conversation. However, when I came back in the room Austin was grinning from ear to ear. He asked if I had heard what the boy said to him. I told him I had missed it.

He looked up at Austin and said, "Wow. You look like John Cena."

It definitely isn't the first time someone has said that to Aust. But it sure does boost his ego a little. Personally I think he's hotter than John Cena.......just saying.

Fun to visit family.......but so nice to be home.

(Being in the car for long periods of time makes me a little bit crazy. Austin had to buy me a book on the way to ensure I didn't sing any more preschool songs. Who doesn't love sining "shoo fly don't bother me" or "the five power letters" over, and over, and over?)

Sisters....

I am so blessed to have four beautiful younger sisters. I used to say little sisters until they all passed me up in the height department. I just saw this picture of Jordie and thought she looked so pretty, I started thinking about all of them, and got a little homesick for our old bedroom.... There's nothing like 5 twin beds all lined up in a row, seven brides' style. Pushing all the beds together on Christmas Eve. Giggling until dad was at the bottom of the stairs giving out warnings. Pillow fights resulting in busted ceiling fans, everybody trying to scare Jordie, saving Emma after a bad dream. I could go on and on.

It really is awesome to have your sisters as best friends. It was totally worth all the screaming matches, clothes borrowing, and empty threats, etc, etc.

Bottom line.....I love my sisters.

Kelli emailed me this picture today.....some of my favorite little nieces, Kate & Hallie. Aren't they so dang cute!

I wish I could see all of them more often.

I got a phone call today on my lunch break from the Vickery house. When I said, "hello" one of my favorite little voices said, "hello" back. I then found out my amazing mom and little niece Hallie will be coming to spend a week at my house at the end of October.

How can you not have fun with someone as cute as this?

We love having family and friends visit (hint hint). It is always fun to have something on the calendar to look forward to......

So don't hesitate to call us today and schedule a visit. I just realized coming to visit us in Idaho is beginning to sound a little like an infomercial.

Kelsee just send me these pictures from the family reunion. They are not super flattering of me, but they are funny.

Pretty sure someone taught Deacon how to roar really loud, I was just trying to help the process along.....but check out the Deacster's face, so cute. Plus, Hallie looks a little unsure of us as well.

What doesn't kill us makes us stronger......

I have been struggling the past little while. It's hard to explain exactly, but it seems like when you think nothing could get worse or more complicated life throws a curve ball.

It is on days like this I am grateful for for an amazing supportive husband. I always get a phone call on my way to work telling me he hopes I have a great day. I talked to him several times today and he could definitely tell I was at the end of my rope. I came home today to an adorable arrangement of daisies and a cute card. He had come home from work early, straightened up the house and loaded the dishwasher.

I am also super grateful for a mother who is always ready and willing to let me talk her ear off. She is such a good listener and always seems to have just the answer I needed. Besides my kiddos at work Austin and my mom were the people I talked to the most today.....and I definitely needed both of them.

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America

and to the Republic

for which it stands,

one nation,

under God,

indivisible,

with liberty and justice for all.

God Bless America

Only at Walmart.....

So I am not just a little bit embarrassed, I am super embarrassed I took a picture of someone at Walmart......but I just couldn't pass up the chance. As Austin and I were heading up to the check out stand we walked right by this fellow shopper. Austin checked out while nonchalantly I looped back around into the produce section.

She was husking her corn and putting it in bags.

Austin and I were totally cracking up. On our way out I immediately called my dad. I knew he would appreciate our experience.

Maybe this isn't as big of a deal or as funny as we made it......oh well, what do you do?

Friday Night Lights

Last Friday on my lunch break I called Austin to chat. He asked if I wanted to go to a High School football game. I have always loved a good high school athletic event, so I agreed it would be fun. Austin's buddy from work had a son playing for Capitol High School. So after work we headed off to Boise State Stadium. The Boise City schools all play their games at the stadium.

It was a good game, we left when capitol was ahead 45 to 6. It was a lot of fun. Who doesn't like to watch a good game and share some mediocre nachos with their husband?

Bear Lake Friends Trip 2010

Back at the first of the year Austin really wanted to put together a Bear Lake trip with all his friends. We ended up having six couples come up. It was a super fun weekend.....something we'll definitely have to continue.

Before everyone else arrived Austin and I played a quick nine holes.

Everyone playing games Friday night. We were all laughing to hard!

We finished playing games well after 2 in the morning. The boys decided to head to the ponds on the golf course to find some golf balls. They came back with well over 100. Matt found a glow in the dark ball.

Heading out to hit the glow in the dark golf ball.

We went down to the beach to hang out. It was a pretty windy and for a while the clouds made sitting on the beach a little chilly. After we had been there a while we were warned that a severe storm warning had been issued. We all hurried and played in the waves for a little bit and then headed back to the cabin.

Sheryl, Kathryn, & Cayley

The boys, being boys. I still can't believe how long they played 500/smear the queer.

Everyone trying out the slides.

Austin

Colby

Cayley

Sheryl.....with Tyson waiting at the bottom.

Jen

Matt & Tyson

Austin and I racing. My landing was not near as graceful as I would have liked.

All in all it was a super fun trip. Something we'll definitely need to repeat next summer.

Long Drive Competition in Mesquite, Nevada

Ever since last summer Austin has been talking about entering a long drive competition. This last year he found one in McCall, Idaho about 2 hours from our house. We were going to head up there, but Austin called to register and was told they only had one other person sign up and had to cancel the competition. The next competition was in Billings, Montana. Even though we would have loved to drive there and visit my family, we couldn't go.

A couple weeks later Austin's dad called and said there was one more competition before the finals this year in Mesquite, Nevada. I couldn't take off work, but a boys' weekend was well overdue anyways. I am a little bit embarrassed now, but before he left one of the main things I was worried about was whether or not his outfit would match. The whole week before Austin kept talking about how excited he was to go down, and spend time with his dad, and all the while I'm putting potential outfits together in my head. Sad but true. I was bummed I couldn't go, but glad they had such a good time.

So after work on Thursday, Austin took off down to Utah, jumped in the car with his dad and they headed down to Mesquite. They got there around 11 o'clock that night and checked into their hotel. Then they drove over to the range to check everything out. There was a security guard there who let them walk around and check out the range.

Scott hanging out, waiting.

Waiting

He hit three different rounds. His longest drive was 331, not near as far as he has hit before. But he had a lot of fun. We'll have to try again next year.

They were able to golf 36 holes as well. Austin said the courses were very nice, but it was super hot.

Bulletin Boards

In my new classroom three new bulletin boards had to be put up. I volunteered to take one on. My first idea was a big circus tent. We had some zoo/circus animal art from the previous year to decorate the tent with.

My beginning idea.....

Bulletin boards are a big deal at Challenger. All the paper is painted so it looks brighter. Also the color doesn't fade and lasts a lot longer. I was so surprised how much better everything looked. I think it was worth the extra work.

For our "Best Work" bulletin board in the hall outside our classroom my co-teacher Roxy had the idea "A League of Their Own". This idea morphed into a soccer field with the title "Most Valuable Player". I went to Lowe's to see how much outdoor carpet costs. I was just going to price it out and see, but then the guy helping me told me he had a scrap piece that had been returned. He sold me the scrap for $5.60, and it ended up being exactly enough. We stapled it up, and I painted the lines on the field.

Roxy had the idea to have some 3D goals. I asked my hottie husband to help us with the goals. He got super official and wanted to know the measurements of the board so he could make the goals to scale. Then we went to hobby lobby to buy some wooden dowels. Austin began whittling away. I was super impressed with how detailed the goals were.

What a hottie!

The almost finished goals.

The finished product. All the ladies at work were super impressed my husband was willing to help out with a bulletin board. One even asked if he would make her son a set of goals.

Forest of Knowledge.....this bulletin was a last minute. We had to hurry and throw it together, but it turned out okay. Especially since we'll be learning about forest animals in a month or two.

I do know that the word forest only has one 'r'. My co-teacher and I were both embarrassed neither of us caught that forest had been spelled like the name Forrest......we have since fixed it.