Sunday, May 31, 2009

Close to Home

Anyone who knows me at all knows how much I love to travel. A friend teased me the other day that Steve should know better than to even mention a trip. I'm online planning before he finishes the sentence. It's important to me to always have the next adventure on the back burner. (Hello, NYC in October!) Today though, surprisingly, I enjoyed a new adventure right here in Mac. After a very lazy morning in pj's, a breakfast of homemade waffles with fresh strawberries, and a movie (If you haven't watched E.T. with your family yet, do it now! We got it at the library on DVD. I had forgotten what a great movie it is, and the girls LOVED it!) we headed all the way to Airport Park. It was beautiful and perfect! And right here. Last time I was there was in college for a late night sorority thing about 20 years ago, but that's a whole nother story...Tons of work has been done at the park. The trails are clear with fresh barkdust and new bridges. It's lush and green and cool. And so quiet! We could hardly believe we were minutes from home. It was completely the perfect afternoon walk on a sunny Sunday. We stopped for ice cream and hanging baskets for the backyard on the way home. Who knew you could have so much fun so close to home?

Friday, May 29, 2009

Feels like summer III

Nothing like a red popsicle on an 85 degree day!

Feels like summer II

Watering the baby tomatoes together...

Feels like summer!

Friday, May 15, 2009

Barefoot finally!

What a gorgeous afternoon! We've spent it outside. Happiness for us
girls!

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Happy Mother's Day!

from the windy and chilly Oregon coast!

Friday, May 8, 2009

Truly the happiest place...

Sorry, friends. I just set up my mobile blog account and have to play
with it a bit. Now I can bore you with the details of our life
anywhere, anytime. Lucky you!

Lovey Laura

Merry Mary

Abby

If you know me at all, you know how much I adore Abby. Today, while Mother's Day shopping at Walmart (I know, but Mom wants a hand mixer...), some pink princess crocks jumped into the shopping cart. Just her size. Sorry, John, they're definitely not Stride Rite. We'll keep them at our house so you never have to know. Abby's idea. For real. When we got home, she was eating her macaroni and cheese (who cares if she has it every day at my house?)and we had this conversation. I'm writing it moments after so I never forget it:

Abby: You knew me at my grandma's house before I was born.
Me: Yes, I did, Abby. In fact, I was the first one to hold you after you were born.
Abby: Really?
Me: Yes, and I loved it.
Abby: Well, I wuv you, Teresa.
Me: I love you, too, Abby.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

One of those days...

Ever have one of those days? I had one yesterday. It started about 7:45 with the van's alarm inexplicably honking for 20 minutes or so at Allison's house. After rushing the kids to school (late; our first ever tardy slips!) in her not-honking van, getting totally drenched and just barely making it to my classroom before school started, I thought it couldn't get much worse. Fast forward to about 12:42. I'm supposed to be in the gym at Linfield observing one of my student's PE lessons. The only parking is about 9 miles away. Drenching number two. I'm walking as fast as I can down Linfield Avenue. You know those metal bumpy square manhole covers? They're textured so they're not slippery when wet. Well, they don't work. You know what a hurdler looks like when they clear the hurdle? One leg stretched out, the other bent back and under? Imagine me doing a beautiful triple axle on the wet metal textured manhole cover, then ending up on it like a hurdler: right leg stretched out in front, left bent back and under. Hi, man in little red truck! Thanks for slowing down to see if I'm okay. I am, just feeling really stupid. Anyone around with a camera? No? Crap. I'm sure that could have won $10,000 on American's Funniest Home Videos. Second place at least...So I pick myself up and continue rushing into the gym, pretending that little stunt never happened. Okay, so how am I going to explain my really wet butt and soaked left pantleg to my students? Plan A: just admit it. Plan B: sit on the floor against the wall with my legs crossed and clipboard in my lap. Sneaking into the gym, I opt for Plan B. I smoothly remove my jacket and use it as shield while I get myself settled on the floor. At least I'm not in charge today. As I observe the lesson (well planned and delivered, I might add) I get a chance to inspect the damage, discreetly of course. Left knee: red and sore, big bruise on the way. Right shoulder and left "sit bone" (Hi, CB!) sore from absorbing impact making sitting on the gym floor more than slightly uncomfortable. Left foot: two bloody cuts. Cool. I have no idea what I cut myself on, but it doesn't matter. At least I've got some bleeding to show for my acrobatics! And the worst of it? A hole in the left knee of my new pants! Only wore them once before. Damn. And today? Still sore and still feeling stupid, but at least I can laugh at myself about it, right?

Friday, May 1, 2009