Adam and Maria are here! They got in last night (or this morning) around 1:00 am. This morning they showed me some of their pictures from their trip to the Galapogos Islands. It looks so incredibly gorgeous and you would not believe all the iguanas, sea lions, turtles and even sharks they saw up close. Definitely one of the places to put on our vacation list.

We went and saw the "Kit" movie and it was so much fun. I think it is the best American girl movie yet. All the girls brought their friends with them.

I was able to finish my chairs. Here are the before and afters of those. They were white with blue seats, now they are black with yellow seats. They look nice for a change, and the seats were really in need of being redone.

Brigitte is really enjoying her ice capades summer camp this week and tomorrow we are going to see the new american girl movie "Kit Kittredge". Cyndi and Madysen will go with us, as well as the girls american girl dolls. Then next week Cyndi, Melina, Rebecca and myself will all be attending an American Mothers Inc. thing together at Maddox, yummy!!!!
Last night I worked my second mid in a row and then I have the rest of today and tomorrow off and then more overtime Thursday night. This is my last scheduled overtime until I start my new schedule July 20 so that should be a nice break. At least I should have a chance to visit with Adam and Maria a little while they are here.
I was also hoping to be able to finish painting cabinets, then there are chairs to repaint and reupholster, and always smaller projects waiting to be finished. Is it just me or does everyone else seem to overshedule themselves too!!! Next week I am on my own with activity days, since my partner is having her new baby, yeah!!! I keep trying to remember this will all end soon enough and then I will be wishing for more to do. It's the neverending cycle of too much and not enough that seems to be the way things work for me.
While John's work slows down here in a few weeks, I am hoping to be able to play some golf with him. I am just beginning to learn, but it is sooooo much fun! Talitha is just getting into it too, so we hope to be able to go out together a few times this summer.
Brigitte and I are trying to get ready to run a 5k in august, so last night we ran to the park and then played frisbee with some of her friends before I left for work. She really did awesome on the way down. The way home was a little more difficult. Tonight we will ride our bikes to prepare for the 10 mile ride on July 24th in Kaysville. Summer is supposed to be more active, wouldn't want anyone to be too bored!
With so much to do I try to remember to "simplify"!! Not always easy, but something I have found really helps keep things in perspective.

John just did the MS bike tour in logan. In two days he rode 115 miles, can you say sore rear!!!! Brigitte and I watched Alvin and the chipmunks for the 1st time, and Brigitte got to see Wall-E with Aunt Cyndi and her sister. I got to work my strange schedule this week, today and tomorrow are mid-shifts, bleg!! We are preparing for Adam and his finance Maria to get here on Wednesday and since nobody has been in the basement since Adam left you can imagine the mess to dust down there. Remind me again why it is we worry so much about cleaning before people come to visit and then have to clean again as soon as they leave, can you say counter-productive?!
We ordered the wood for our new floors and as soon as that gets in we will be rid of our yucky old carpet. The real fun has been in looking at rugs to put in the two rooms, living and dining rooms. Also trying to finish painting my kitchen cabinets before Wednesday since nothing will really get done for the month Adam and Maria are here. There is already a b-b-q scheduled for thursday, another overtime day for me. And then the family reunion in Piedmont the following weekend and also Dean and Suz's 50th anniversary party. The weekend after that is dutch oven cooking at my dad's in Wyoming and the following weekend is Brigitte's 9th birthday!! It's so amazing how fast kids grow!!
Is it just me or is time flying by lately?! I can't believe this is already the last day of June, didn't school just get out yesterday? Brigitte has an ice skating camp this week, then a tennis camp and waterworks camp later in July. We are trying to get ready to run a 5k together in August and we have a 10 mile bike ride on the 24th of July for Parkinson's research!! I know it sounds like a busy couple of months coming up, maybe that is one reason for the joy felt when school starts again in the fall. We need it just to slow down a little.

Friday Feast

Appetizer

What is the weather like today where you live?

hot and sunny

Soup

On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how career-minded are you?

My job is just a job, my family is what really counts, so I guess not very unless you count my family as a career!!!

Salad

What type of window coverings do you have in your home? Blinds, curtains, shutters, etc.?

I have a combination of blinds and curtains. Most rooms are curtains, but the bathrooms are blinds and there are blinds and a valance on my kitchen window!!

Main Course

Name something that instantly cheers you up.

My daughter singing or laughing, her laugh is absolutely infectious!

Dessert

How many times do you hit the snooze button on a typical morning?

Two if I am washing my hair, three if I'm not!!

At work we are getting way too much overtime. I know some people really love it, but I would prefer just to work parttime so it seems working fulltime is my overtime. Anyway, my very sweet husband has been trying to take days off in the middle of the week to make my one day off seem more special.
Yesterday we went camping in Wyoming with some friends and took the motorcycles are four-wheelers with us. Brigitte has always ridden with me, but she is getting too tall to sit in front of me and my four-wheeler isn't condusive to carrying a passenger behind me. Maybe I am just too protective, I mean she is almost 9 and has never ridden by herself unless it was in my dad's driveway. And then always in full protective gear (helmet, chest protector, gloves, etc.)!!! Anyway, John put her on my nephews four-wheeler and off we went. She is absolutely amazing, cautious yet willing to try it with her daddy there to help. There was only one place she got really scared, and it was the sameplace I refused to ride.
It never ceases to amaze me the tenderness my husband shows Brigitte when it really matters. He talked her through everything even remotely difficult and she had the time of her life. As mom I was scared watching her, she is growing up so fast.
Camping is always fun, although tenting is not the most comfortable!!!! We had smores (of course) and hotdogs, and our friends made breakfast burritos, YUM!