MIA

Hello, again! Gabe is in Vermont for grad school this week, and sadly, so is our computer. I am at the library right now. I wanted to catch up on blogs, write a quick hello on mine and escape from the bloody heat (we don't have air conditioning)--leaving furry Daly to fend for himself. Actually it's not too bad in our house, but it's definitely cooler in the public library.

I spent the last two days redoing our staircase, and I must say, it looks even better than I hoped. I'll put some pictures up when my husband and my computer are back where they belong. On Friday I went to Lowe's to just pick out a few sample color swatches to take home and mull over for awhile. I was on my way to the exit, when I wandered past the returned paint area. I moved a few cans around just to see what was there, and there just happened to be a gallon that perfectly matched one of the samples I'd picked up. Not only that, but it was only $5! For the whole gallon. Needless to say, I grabbed it. The wood, screws and paint to redo our entire staircase ended up costing $18. How's that for a deal? AND I finished the project. That's right, I didn't start it and get bored and decide to finish later (March), I actually completed the entire arduous project in two days.

I rent movies that Gabe is not interested in when he's gone. The other night I rented Over Her Dead Body. It was not good. There were few to no redeeming qualities in the entire movie. It wasn't raunchy. I guess that's a plus. Sorry to anyone that has seen it and liked it. I will not be watching it with you.

Because I'm blogging not from the comfort of my own home, I am almost out of time on this computer. I still have to catch up on all of your blogs, so with the 9 remaining minutes on this computer, I plan to do just that.

Peace out.

aneurisms and trampolines

Here are a couple more pictures from our day at Eldorado.  You may have noticed that in many of the earlier ones (or at least a few, I don't entirely remember which ones I put on here and looking would take way too much time) you saw the backs of everyone's heads as they walked ahead of me.  This one on the left is also while everyone else was ahead of me.  There is actually a series of these hold-the-camera-and-photograph-yourself pictures, but they are far to embarrassing to include here.  The reason I was in the back is two-fold.  I was sick and I could be in better aerobic shape (translation: I'm not really in great shape).  More on the shape part later.  As we began to ascend the mountain, really as we drove toward the mountain if I'm honest, my head began to protest.  It was experiencing some sinus issues, and my lungs quickly started to protest in the form of quick outbursts of hacking.  Once the hike began, things did not exactly clear up.  I did not want to be a pansy, however, so I silently (if you don't count the hacking) pushed on.  During the first fifteen minutes, or so, I seriously considered the odds that I was in fact having a brain anurism (my computer informs me that that is the incorrect spelling, but I can't seem to care enough to find the correct spelling).  By the time we got to our turn-around point at the river, my aneurism (aha!  I got it!),  had let up and I privately mentioned to Gabe that I'd had one earlier in the hike.  Since Nate just took the oath to be a real live doctor days before arriving in Denver, Gabe asked him what the difference between a stroke and an aneurism is and in true doctor fashion, he explained it to us.  So it seems I probably did have an aneurism, and not in fact a stroke.  

As far as the not being in the best shape comment, I bought a "rebounder" (ie: small trampoline) at Wal-Mart yesterday, so that will all be behind me soon.  I read (while G, Jenn, and Nate climbed the incline in the Springs) that bouncing on a trampoline is actually very good for your lymph system, immune system, skeletal and musculature systems, and aerobically.  So I'm a sucker and I went out and bought one.  It came with an exercise DVD and resistance straps to hold and pull with my arms, as well as a little sensor that tells me how many times I've bounced and calories burned.  It should be easy on my knees, too.  

Gabe needs the computer to do some actual work now.  Not me.  I'm on vacation in case anyone forgot.  It's the best invention I know of, by the way.

Really quick, here are some recommendations to watch/read:

Bella (movie)

Once (movie)

Dan in Real Life (movie)

The Shack (I finished it yesterday, Vickie.  It was great.) (book)

Toodles.

i've ridden a camel & is bribery really so bad when it could be a matter of life or death?

We received some old photos in the mail from my mom today, thanks Mom!  **Side note: Could it be considered cruelty or neglect to let an unknowing adolescent have long stringy hair and a perm?  Anyhoo, moving on.  Apparently I've ridden a camel.  If you asked me yesterday, "Have you ever ridden a camel?"  I would have indubitably answered, "No."

 I have no memory of ever being on a camel, and yet here I am, on a camel.  I can't think of any motivation for my mom to have doctored a photo to falsely accuse me of riding a camel, yet I don't have any memory of this.

Another lost memory: Melissa, Peter, Mom and I are walking -somewhere-, all wearing blue ribbons.  Who took this picture?  Did we win first prize in some competition? Why don't I remember this?
I can't say I remember this particular evening, but I DO remember our back porch.  I used to LOVE sitting out, sleeping out, being out on our screened porch in the woods in Iowa. Cool evenings with noisy bugs and humidity.  Does it get any better? (And that's Granny on the right)
I put this photo in because of the shorts I'm wearing (and because my cousin Emma was -is- so cute).  You can't see it here, but they were white denim with metallic silver stars all over.  I loved them so.  They started out as full length jeans, and then transformed into shorts.  I remember when you bought me these Granny.  Thank you for allowing me to happily violate all fashion sense :)
And this last photo is because I was just talking about this mini-car experience with peeps from the Gathering!  I had always wanted one of these cars, but never got one of my own.  However, Emma had one (age appropriately), and when I visited one year I finally got my chance.  Notice my gangly leg/knee jutting out the side.  I was probably like a year away from getting my permit to drive big people cars, but it really didn't matter in this moment. I remember thinking, how does Emma not want to drive this ALL THE TIME?  She sat in it for like a minute, while I was fulfilling a childhood dream...
I realize this walk down memory lane (or lost memory lane) is probably not nearly as interesting to anyone but me, but that's all I've got tonight friends. I hope you can go and dig through some of your old photos and do some reminiscing of your own.  

P.S

Pray for me: we just got a new student who was expelled from his old school for many reasons, including constructing a detailed plan for killing his parents and two teachers.  So far he's been very polite to me and has shown a ton of skill in drawing.  I, of course, have been giving him lots of chocolate and money...just kidding, but don't think it hasn't crossed my mind.  In all seriousness, though, it sounds like he's been through a LOT of garbage and has major stuff going on.  Hopefully I can provide a safe place for him to feel good for a little bit everyday.  Like I said, he's a very good artist, and I've been told it's his favorite activity.  So I've got that going for me.

P.P.S.

We watched 'Lars and the Real Girl' the other night. Loved it. Recommend it. Think I might watch it again tonight.

P.P.P.S.

What do the "p" and "s" stand for?  please see? perhaps s'mor? pretty sure-this-is-the-last-thing?  probably should-include?

loolie and other unexpected visitors

Congratulations to Julie and Dana for apparently being the only ones 

capable of consistently taking a normal photograph. 

I am looking in random directions in the first two shots because of what always 

happens when I look at the camera/flash (see photo 3)

Ahhh, Saturday. If I could wrap my arms around you and give you a big wet sloppy kiss, I just might.  Gabe and I were out late last night celebrating the birth of Brooke G. 29 years ago.  Sonya wore a neon shirt and Chrissie's hair was kind of messy, but other than that the night went off without a hitch-if you don't count the fact that Brooke consumed an entire Smirnoff Ice (funny because that's just the size of a beer bottle, yet Brooke really can't hold her liquor...like I should talk, one was it for me, too).  And the surprise bonus...insert imaginary drum roll here...LOOLIE!  Julie and Ryan were in town.  Julie became "Loolie" to me a few years ago when Connor began speaking and hadn't yet mastered the skills of pronunciation, thus Julie was Loolie.  It seemed to fit.  We didn't leave until around midnight!  We felt so cosmopolitan about not being asleep after a night of tv-watching and playing with our cat.  No, not us, we were out.  That's why I had to sleep in.  

Daly has already returned to bed after being awake for about an hour this morning, and scrambling around the house like a crack-addict on speed.  I'd be tired too.  Things get frantic in his small head every once in awhile, and that'll take it out of a cat, let me tell you.  

Last night when we got home, G and I decided to finish watching American Gangster.  At some point the guy across the street (or one of his friends) attempted to enter our house.  The front door knob began turning back and forth (it was locked) and then a few pounds on the door.  Gabe opened it a crack and calmly and kindly said, "Heeeeey..." like you might to a small child. The guy swayed in the doorway for a second looking very confused and smelling very much like what I would imagine the bottom of a bottle of vodka would smell like if someone just relieved themselves in it (was that too graphic?  sorry Granny).  Then another guy yelled to him from across the street that he was at the wrong house.  Woops.  He managed to get back down the steps without falling, but his smell lingered in our living room for a couple minutes more.  Someday we'll move.

pet peeves

Last night G and I watched August Rush.  In a word: heartwarming.  Today we watched I Am Legend.  In a word: INTENSE. Not one I'm going to recommend to you, Mom. A good movie, don't get me wrong, but holy cow people! Lil' tense throughout the whole thing.  

I love to watch movies.  I also know people that say they like movies, but honestly can't sit still long enough to watch the whole thing.  This might be a pet peeve of mine.  When someone keeps "multi-tasking" or getting up and down for "just a second"...It makes me physically uncomfortable because I can see what they're missing and they could not possibly care any less than they already do!  I don't know why it's so important for the people I'm with to also be paying close attention.  Why should I care if they missed a subtle foreshadowing, or a quick comedic moment?  I shouldn't, but for whatever reason, I can't not be bothered by it.  Luckily Gabe is a very good movie-watching partner.  

Pet peeves are kind of funny--so is the term.  I wonder where they come from.  Got any quirky pet peeves?

spring break, baby!

SPRING BREAK!!!! My spring break has officially begun, and it's off to a great start. Ken and Vickie and Janae came up Friday.  Janae spent the afternoon at school with me to check out what teaching is like, then we all had dinner at our favorite Italian restaurant, the Bent Noodle (also where we had our first date, our rehearsal dinner, and our first wedding anniversary dinner).  Janae decided to spend the night, so we rented Martian Child (very heartwarming, very cute), and Enchanted (also cute).   Can I just say, Janae is very easy to be around.  We had so much fun hosting her.  Below is a picture of Gabe and Janae reading Pablo Neruda.  This picture was not posed.  Gabe found someone interested in reading his Spanish/English Pablo Neruda book with him.  Throughout the translations I heard lots of laughing, but I'm sure over all it was a very intellectual experience shared between brother and sister. 

Last night Keri and Charlie came over for dinner--take-out from our favorite nearby Thai place, Thai Garden. Gabe and Charlie watched basketball and Keri and I "caught up" for a few hours. We don't often have people over and it was really nice to have more people we love in our home.  

 Church this morning, and now time to relax and blog.  I'm spending tomorrow with my dear friend Amy and her sweet little Amelie.  I am going to remember my camera!  Every time we hang out I forget my camera which is disappointing because Amelie is one of the smiliest little one year olds you'll ever meet.  

Here are a few more pictures from Melissa's and my hay-days, as requested by Marla:
Awfully serious expression for someone wearing hollow, neon green, plastic glasses.  I remember this moment.  We were playing Bingo.  Something I apparently took very seriously.
Just diggin'.
In the playhouse.  Love the whale jumper Melissa.  You were so cute.