My Utopia

Utopia: An ideal place or state.

I have a few places/situations that I would consider utopias.

Disclaimer: These are some of the other things in life.

Of course, good times with loved ones is the ultimate utopia.

Here we go...

1. Relaxing in a pool, listening to great music and getting a glimpse of beautiful palm trees.

When relaxing in the pool lately I love listening to Bob Marley or Orianthi.

2. Relaxing on the couch, watching tv, snacking.

*I love you, DVR.*

3. Sitting in a quiet classroom full of students, (yes, it happens) watching them work so dilligently and knowing you just taught them something so new and almost everyone really "gets it."

**Smile and sigh**

4. Concerts - Specifically outdoor festivals.

Not as mud oriented as Woodstock, but just as "feel good."

Outdoor music festivals give you such a feeling of peace.

Enjoying and truly appreciating music and friends while feeling a breeze all around you is really something.

In May I went to the Bamboozle Festival in Anaheim, California.

Amazing music, amazing weather, amazing friends.

***Encompassing feeling of content. Again, Smile and sigh.***

An outdoor music festival ( a.k.a. Warped Tour)

in Arizona in the middle of the summer...

Hopefully, still amazing, but H-O-T, H-O-T, H-O-T!

So...on Tuesday I will be in the middle of one of my utopias...

with lots of SPF 50!

(Seriously, SPF 50...I know.)

I think everyone should discover what they consider to be a utopia and then try to go to that "place" as much as they can.

Just be careful when you're there.

Gimme Some S'more!

A perfect night is when Josh finally gives in to my whining about wanting to make s'mores!

With a few ingredients...

And your kitchen stove...

You get to have something so delicious!

And messy.

Mmmm...even though you really can't eat more than one because after that you pretty much feel like you could never eat another s'more in your life!

But we all know it won't be more than a week until I'm itchin to make them again!

Go make some! 

Happy S'moring!

Catch It Like a Girl!

Harley is a frisbee catching machine.

She is very talented and everytime we take her to play,

people stop and watch. I know she loves the attention!

Not to mention she is highly photogenic :)

The camera just loves her!

It's nice to know someone has sports talent in our family.

We sure don't!

Thirty-Five

June 7, 1975

Two crazy kids tied the knot...

35 years...

3 kids

moving across the country

new careers

who knows how many cars

family reunions

new friends

old friends

gaining a son-in-law

welcoming a whole new family of in-laws

 lots of laughs and lots cries.

My mom and dad are two of the most wonderful people I know.

They each have made me who I am today.

I'm so glad they fell in love.

More importantly, i'm glad they stayed in love.

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!

I love you!

A Brand New Holiday!

Did you know there has been an actual holiday called Wives Day?

I know for a fact it exists because I created it.

Here is how it all began...

Many years ago we were spending a lovely evening with our dear friends, Laci and Dan.

It occured to me,

(DON'T JUDGE ME)...

there was not a holiday between my birthday (in May) and Christmas.

Well...not a holiday where I receive a present.

Once again, DON'T JUDGE ME!

I was excited about being a new bride and I truly believe wives day is an important and specacular holiday that everyone should observe!

This is not some crazy made up thing, well...it began that way.

But, now it has been a real part of our marriage since it began.

So...Wives Day is August 5.

Why, you may be asking, does her husband celebrate ridiculous holidays that she makes up!?

I will answer that question by saying...

First, it is NOT ridiculous.

And second, he does it because he loves me.

He loves me and I love him. Truly.

But, as I said, this is not a new holiday. We have been celebrating it for years!

It can now be new to you though!

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So, what is this new holiday I am speaking of?

Everyone constantly asks me, "When is Husbands Day?"

My answer:  "Everyday is husbands day."

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.

But...after five years of marriage and knowing everyday that

(sorry ladies)

I get to have the BEST husband ever.

I am happy to announce...

Husband's Day - July 2

This is the first annual Husband's Day and you know about it and can celebrate too!

Tell your friends!

But then don't forget to make sure your spouse knows about Wives Day on August 5 too.

I hope these holidays are something fun for you to celebrate and you enjoy them just as much as we do.

And remember...If you want to do something or create something, DO IT!

Why not, right!?

School's (almost) Out!

Today was "Move Up Day."

You may be asking...

What is Move Up Day?

Well...it's the day at the very end of the school year when all of the students go to the classroom of their new teacher for the next year and spend the last hour of the day with them.

This day is always bittersweet.

I get so excited to meet my new class and they always turn out to be so cute and so sweet, but they are still new.

Of course, my current students are totally excited to meet their new teacher, but they try not to talk about it too much because they know it makes me sad. They are so sweet.

So...after hugging each one of my students and telling them "You are still mine for FOUR MORE DAYS!!!"  I send them to grow up and move up to being introduced to sixth grade life*.

*(Please be aware that sixth grade life is in NO way as awesome as fifth grade life.) Just saying.

I never want to give away my students. 

 I spend more time with them in a week than their parents do

and I truly know each of them.

We laugh together, we cry together, I scold them, I mold them.

I cried on the last day of school of my first year. (Like a baby!)

Last year, I was so sad, but no tears.

I don't know about this year...

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It could be a waterfall.

The silver lining...SUMMER!!!!!

P.S. Thank you to anyone who voted YES on Prop 100!

Birthdays, Scrabble and Cars!

Whoa.

Things have been busy!

I turned 25.

I guess it wasn't so bad...well...

It wasn't quite easy to turn 25, but i'm totally over it now!

Bowling was terrific.

Josh got me a really awesome Onyx Edition of Scrabble!

The most amazing part is that Josh and I played a game where we used EVERY SINGLE TILE!!!!

That's right!

No letters we couldn't use and everything made a legit word!!

What are the odds of being able to do that?

Usually there is an X or a Q or something that you can't use at the end...but not for that game!

Unbelievable!

(I was wicked excited!)

Alright...moving on...

Remember how I have not had A/C in my car for the last three years? That's right. I had no A/C and my drive is 40 minutes ONE WAY every day. 

I was very patient and it paid off...

WOO HOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I got a 2010 Nissan Altima with ten miles on it!

I love it.

You may also remember how I said I would cry and it would kill me to have to get rid of my car?

Well, I did cry. Just a little bit.

I'm a little sentimental.

But look how much bigger my new car (right)

is than my old car (left)!

Nope, it's not just the angle. It's really that much bigger!

So...things have been pretty much great.

We will be very poor now that I have such an amazing car,

but, oh well!

Totally worth it!

I guess 25 isn't so bad...