Spring Break

It is spring break this week and I have a delightful chance to just do a little bit of nothing. When I get a break from work I am usually filling it with travel but this week was dedicated to reading, working out, and trying out some new hobbies: gardening and scrapbooking. As far as the gardening goes, it was limited to four large pots so I got that "hobby" out of the way quickly. And the verdit on gardening - not favorable. I thought a 'try and see' attitude would work with this new hobby but with my lack of knowledge I am living in constant fear that my plants will die any minute. I can't even bare to look out the window in the morning for fear I have failed them. And the verdit on scrapbooking - highly favorable. I loved looking at all the supplies they have for this and had a good time puting together some creations. The down side is all the mockery. Katie, my sister, wouldn't let up on the stereotype that scrapbooking seems to create. But alas, I still enjoyed it. I only dented our large stack of pictures but here are some of my attempts.

Playing in Portland

Mike's parents came into town this weekend and we had a great time trying out new restaurants, exploring downtown in the spring, and playing the Wii. Spring break just started for me so i felt especially excited and free this weekend.

Chill'n

Today at school I was teaching the difference between lie and lay and to talk about the verb lie I started by defining it as "reclining." However, one my students who always has his head on the desk, lifted his head and said, "You mean, like chill'n." And in all my excitement that he was participating I agreed, "Yes, indeed, like chilling." To which, everyone started laughing. I couldn't figure it out until one of the girls raised her had and between giggles said, "Not chilling - chill'n!" I had no idea I was so uncool. Apparently I have been using chilling erroneously for years. And I kept slipping and saying chilling and each time they burst up. I'm getting old and so uncool!

Utah Trip

This weekend was Mike's grandma's 80th birthday so we decided to take a quick trip to surprise everyone. It was so nice to be with family for the weekend and I love roadtrips with Mike! The only pictures I took were from our chocolate-chip-cookie-ice-cream-sandwich night.

Jane Austin

Take the Quiz here!

You are Marianne Dashwood of Sense & Sensibility! You are impulsive, romantic, impatient, and perhaps a bit too brutally honest. You enjoy romantic poetry and novels, and play the pianoforte beautifully. To boot, your singing voice is captivating. You feel deeply, and love passionately.

Still Getting Ready

Because I get up so early to teach school I rarely ever actually do my hair or put on makeup, making weekend outings an exciting incentive towards fixing myself up. However, Mike isn't used to my slower saturday speed so I usually find him just like this on the couch waiting each time we are going out! How does he look so cute so fast?

Ming Tombs

My cute parents

When we were in China we saved all our pictures on jump drives bought there. I know, years of traveling internation and I still have not learned. We lost our copies of most of the pictures but my little sister, Brittany, sent her copies of the pictures - which arrived today! The pictures posted her are from my favorite activity - The Sacred Way at the Ming Tombs. I loved it. It was simple and beautiful and classic.

Eagle Creek Falls

Today Mike and I woke up early to go for a 13 miler but half way through the hike our path, which happened to drop drastically off to a ravine, was covered in snow compacted into ice. Given my slip in the mud last week we decided a slip on ice off a cliff wasn't the best way to spend a Saturday. I'll have to live with not being "hard core" but we did pass three waterfalls on the path, making it a highly delightful trail to add to our list for visitors.

The pressure of tag

In elementary school tag was always so stressful because your speed, or lack there of, was so vulnerable to other kids perspectives and now I find them same vulnerability with cleverness in adult tag rather than speed. But, I'll just embrace my inability to be clever under pressure and celebrate that this particular tag questionair doesn't demand too much wisdom.

10 years ago: I was living in Venezuela with my family and trying to survive the fact that I couldn't talk to peers my age and was going to a school with about 10 students in all. I was, however, getting a great tan living on the Caribbean.

On my to-do list: Find my marriage license so I can change my name, sign up for AP/IB training and decide whether to teach sophomore or senior IB/AP, prepare my lesson for the Laurels on Sunday, grade 100 essays, print wedding pictures, and finish my book!

5 places I've lived: Portland, Provo, Brazil, Venezuela, Texas . . .

5 jobs I've had: teaching high school English, receptionist for the religion department at BYU, receptionist for the general book department of the BYU bookstore, and information and front desk gal at Bryce Canyon's Ruby's Inn.

What I would do if I were a billionaire: Buy a house here in Portland and a vacation home (and by "a" I mean "a couple"), go on an amazingly decked out safari with my grandma who has always wanted to go, give enough money to family members so that can all buy a house or do something else they dream of, put away for more eduction and the education of future kids, hire a personal shopper who is the my exact size so I never have to go shopping but always have new clothes, and give the rest to the church education fund.

Bad habits: no matter how hard I try not to I always leave a little dab of toothpaste in the sink

Things I enjoy: really genuine people, a good run, and doing new things with my dear husband

Things people don't know about me: I love politics and always have pretty strong opinions but I don't know who to vote for this election. I have recurring dreams that I need help but when I open my mouth I can not scream and it is the worst feeling in the world. I want a motivational speaking/life coaching role someday but have no idea how to go about that career path.

Tagged: Katie Curtis and Lisa John

Tryon Creek State Park

After all the rain that tends to fall in the area, seeing blue skies today was complete euphoria! We couldn't get enough of being outside - we worked on the car (well, Mike worked and I watched), went for a run around the neighborhood, and then when we realized we still weren't satiated we went to Tryon Park, a state park right in the middle of SE Portland.

The colors were so bright and gorgeous.
Mike has become the water police these days. We have been working out pretty hard and he is always checking to be sure we have both gotten enough water.
Mike kept teasing me for walking without conviction through the mud. But I understand myself pretty well, and know that I tend to end up sitting in the mud if I'm not careful. And, alas, a few minutes after this picture I ended up in some mud!