Wow.

We had a great time in Yellowstone. I wish we could have stayed a week to do all the non-touristy stuff. We saw a ton of animals! We even saw a GRIZZLY BEAR! Very cool. Tayler liked the Buffalo the best. I liked the grizzly and I'm not sure what Shane liked.

Ol' Faithful




















Tayler named him Huffalo the Buffalo (or Huffy the Buffy for short)

We made it!

It took 8.5 hours (not to mention the 5 hours from Seattle that it took to get to Spokane) but we finally made it to Idaho Falls.  It is really beautiful weather here.  When we arrived it was in the 80's and in just a few hours a HUGE thunder storm rolled in.  The storm lasted about 30 minutes and in another 20 minutes it was 80 degrees and sunny again.  I love thunder storms so it was a pretty great arrival.  

We made a list of everything we want to do while we are here:

- See a buffalo

- See a grizzly bear

- Yellowstone

- Go to the Idaho Falls Zoo

- Idaho Falls Museum (there is supposed to be a Space exhibit)

- Swim every day

- Read Harry Potter 

- Read Harry Potter in the sun and then jump in the pool. 

- Fitness Center

- See a waterfall (we saw one today and changed this to...)

- See a tall waterfall

- Huckleberry Milkshake Tour (oh, yes, that is a real thing)

- Find cowboy hats

- Walk/run on the river trail

- Sit on a bench by the river trail and read (Harry Potter)

- Go to the outdoor pool in Pocatello (we'll see as that is a 50 minute drive)

- Eat lunch outside w/ a cold beer (or other non-alcoholic special drink)

I think that about covers it!  

Summer...

Summer took a while to get started this year. For a variety of reasons. First, I had to work one week longer than Shane and T. Then I promptly got sick, really sick, for the entire first week of summer. So, now that we've finally gotten into summer...we haven't done much! But, we are headed to Idaho Falls next week and we will visit Yellowstone and, hopefully, we'll have some summer fun. I leave tomorrow for a pit stop in Spokane to see Baby Boy Hammond and help my Mom with plans for Grandpa George's memorial service. One of my best friends from high school had a 3rd of July baby and I am so excited to meet him! Look out, Brayden---here comes your pseudo-Auntie!!

I did make T a dress to wear to Grandpa George's memorial service....It went pretty well. There are a few things I would change and I learned a lot.
Close up of the cute pattern.



















I like how the pocket turned out but mainly I just like the fabric...



















We went camping over Memorial Day weekend (before I was finished with school). It was beautiful. The clouds rolling over the Mountain, in this picture, took my breath away.













More fishing. Still Zero Fish.

Best Man I Have Ever Known

And, probably, will ever know.

Snakes and Cyclopses and Monsters, Oh, My!

T's class performed a Greek Play as their finale to the Greek Myth's unit. T played two roles. TWO! Shane and I kept saying how very confusing that must be! Her first part was Hestia the Greek goddess of the Hearth and Home. T's second part was Medusa, a monster with SNAKES for hair. Oh. My. Word. The play was good. T speaking her parts loud enough so everyone could hear was great! She was so excited as we walked into the school she could barely contain herself. She was jumping around and talking a hundred miles an hour. As the kids performed the play I noticed that I had all the lines memorized from helping T practice. Go, figure.













Most of the pictures happen to be of T playing Medusa. But she did a great job as Hestia too! Here she is as the monsters come on stage to try to capture Mount Olympus. Yikes~!




















Medusa after the play. Shane and I thought she looked a teensy bit like Captain Jack Sparrow. T was okay with that.



















Enjoying some Baklava after the show. Homemade. Because all the parents brought some Greek food for the after-party. After-Party, you may ask? Well, yes. Because it was their grand finale and she does go to school on BI...so...yes, there was an after-party. Homemade Baklava, you may, also, ask? See prior explanation. And, as it turns out Baklava is fairly easy to make. A lot of butter, some honey, sugar, more butter and BAM you're done.

We can't wait for summer vacation to start! Shane and T have 3 more days. I have 3 days plus 1 week. Shoot. Me. Now. Hopefully, I make it. If I don't, it's been a pleasure.

We got Bageled

Which, in volleyball jargon, means zero.
We caught zero fish.
But we had fun trying....
Next week we're going to go earlier (because the early fish catches the worm...or something like that).













T is an expert at casting. I am an expert at nothing.














They are standing on this cool log that had tumbled out into the lake it was a bit wobbly so no more than two could fish on it at a time.














Shane gave me the last cookie.














Before T was an expert at casting...she cast right into a tree :).
We were both staring at the very high and very stuck hook and thinking, "well, now what?"

Idaho Falls? You may ask.

No big epiphanies here. 

But I am pretty ready for summer to start.  After the heat wave (90 degrees!) I am SO ready for summer to start.  Shane and I were pretty certain last night was Friday.  Right up until we actually thought about it for a few minutes and realized it was Thursday and we actually had to get up and go to school tomorrow.  No good.   We were watering plants, drinking lemonade drinking corona, chatting, playing fetch with the dog, wandering around the yard, sitting in lawn chairs, eating burritos, having a grand ol' time.  And then.  BAM.  It's. not. Friday.  

It had better be hot this summer.  Last summer was a dud.  And my plants did not grow which did not make me happy.  My plants are off to a great start this summer so I hope they don't peter out.  I would love to actually grow some plants successfully this year.  I love to plant things.  I do not like to water them.  So, they have a tendency to die.  Go figure.  

I am looking forward to going to Idaho Falls in July.  Idaho Falls?  Yes, Idaho Falls. 

Shane was accepted into a Nuclear Physics workshop in Idaho Falls.  They only take one teacher from each state and 30 teachers total.  So, I am very proud of him and very impressed.  I also told him that he better "Nerd Up" before we leave because I am sure these other workshop candidates are pretty smart!  And although Shane is a total Chemistry Nerd...He might need to brush up on his Nuclear Physics Nerd level before we leave.  

Anyway, T and I are going to do all sorts of fun activities while Shane is workshopping.  And since Shane only has to workshop for a few hours each day we will let him come along sometimes.  What are we going to do?  Well, I'm not sure yet.  But as soon as I have an idea I will let you know.  I do hope we can find an outdoor pool because indoor pools are the bane of my existence.  Okay, maybe not but they are yucky.  And we are definitely going to visit Yellowstone and there is a zoo...