243: a day of rest

 Thank goodness it's Friday!!  Friday, in seminary, is game day!  Today, we played Plan of Salvation croquet! Each wicket {metal bracket} was a different part of the plan {premortal, veil, mortal, death, spirit paradise/prison, resurrection, telestial kingdom, terrestial kingdom, celestial kingdom} . They had to get through all the wickets in order to reach the celestial kingdom!!

Immediately after seminary, I picked up the family and we raced to catch the 10:00 a.m. boat to Catalina! We made it just in the nick of time. My twisty cone was my reward for a hard, but rewarding, week of work! Now it's time to make up for all the lost sleep! Sun and sand..here I come!

242: another birthday celebration

Two nights in a row of birthday celebrations!!  Today was Brandy's turn. A bunch of us moms got together and went to the trampoline park! SO MUCH FUN!!  Back flips..front flips..it all comes right back..like riding a bike!  The only difference, you pay a little more dearly for it the next day than you did when you were 15. This night didn't have me home until 12:30, so you can only imagine what a dream it was to get up for seminary and then leave immediately for Catalina! But good times with friends is worth a little lost sleep!

241: t is 40

Celebrated Theresa's 40th tonight with FRIENDS, FRIED FOOD, FUN, and FANTASTICALLY delicious cupcakes {compliments of chanin}!

240: dang you internal clock!!

Why does my body keep waking up at this time?  I still have 50 minutes of good sleep! But nope, can't fall back to sleep. Hopefully the anxiety of not being late subsides soon because this is not my favorite hour!

239: garden bounty

Our garden is still producing and it's a wonderful thing!  We even grew a watermelon this year that is just about ready to be picked! Nothing taste better than fresh produce!

238: state hunt

Ask anyone in my immediate circle of family and friends, and they will tell you how much I love the license plate game! Last year I found a fun, free app called State Hunt. It's a mobile license plate game. This is my 4th time that I have successfully seen all the states..even District of Colombia D.C. My best score is 61 days. It's Delaware that stumped me this time! Funny thing..I found a Delaware in the parking lot of our Home Depot. I started the game again two days later, the second I saw a West Virginia plate {probably the next hardest one to find} and just a few days later, in the Home Depot parking lot again, I saw Delaware!  I foresee in the near future, my best score yet!

237: he sleeps!

This is what happens when you're working on very little sleep! We had a seminary training conference this morning in Fontana, and it started at 7:30, so no sleeping in for us weary ones.  Erika drove, but didn't realize she left her lights on until it was time to go. Fortunately, members of the church are always prepared!!

 Later that night, we went to an incredible production of Les Miserables that our neighbor was in. I was blown away how professional this high school set up was. They had a professional, rotating stage and the costumes were just as good as the Broadway version. Some of us, however, enjoyed it more than others. Actually, this was better for everyone involved!

236: crash!

The crash felt round the world!! The adrenaline finally gave up! Everyone has been asking me all week, "Are you so tired from getting up for seminary?" And honestly, I wasn't!  I felt so energized and pumped and was having a great week! It was like some reserve energy source was stored deep within me..that was, until Friday afternoon! I sat on the couch to look at some mail and next thing I know it, the clock was 1 1/2 hours further than when I sat down.  I guess it all had to catch up with me at some point. I'm just glad it waited for the weekend!

235: raingutter regatta

Here he is...the reigning, two years in a row, GRAND CHAMPION of the cub scout raingutter regatta!

We did nothing terribly fancy or out of the ordinary, but for some reason, Jayden's boat always seems to dominate!

Others caught on this year and copied our "catamaran" style, but they were no match! 2 blows and Jayden's boat sailed to victory.

This was the final race..it was the closest of all! Neighbor against neighbor!! {you can see the set up-petruding board-got in everyones way!} 

234: beginner baker

Today I baked zucchini bread for my very first time! We've had an influx of zucchini from our garden and one can only eat so much of it steamed! I am not a baker in any sort of the word. It is stepping out of my comfort zone, but my life lately has been about stretching and growing and learning new things!

I'm not sure if Jim was just being the doting husband that he is, but he told me it was the best he had ever eaten! {now..how much zucchini bread has he really eaten is the question?}

233: running skirt

This was big for me..a running skirt! Some girlfriends gave me a gift certificate to the Running Skirt Store back in February and I finally got down to Encinitas to use it! There were some very fun colors and patterns, but this was my favorite! Now..I'm hoping that it helps me like to run. I took off on my first run since April, and although it was only 2 miles, I kept my pace at a comfortable 10 minute mile. It's just too hot outside for running, but I have a race in a few weeks!

232: 1st day of seminary

This will be my last seminary post for awhile. Enough already!

I will say, I had an awesome first day! It couldn't have gone any smoother. We had great discussions and I can tell it's going to be a great year.  I look forward to learning right alongside  these amazing kids. One of my biggest worries was, how in the world I was going to come up with 50 minutes of lesson 5 days a week.  The funny thing is..time flies. I barely got through all the stuff I had planned..and really, did I think I'd be worried about filling time?  I'm a natural born talker..it's a good thing and a bad thing!

231: seminary fireside

More seminary..I'm telling you, it's consuming my life! This is why my blog has been so behind. Tonight there was a parent/student seminary fireside to go over the program and the rules. It's nice that they heard it from the leaders and not from the teachers. Takes a little of the pressure off our backs!

230: puppies

Skyler had a soccer tournament this weekend in San Juan Capistrano.  Jim had a high council commitment, so it was just Sky and I.  During one of the breaks, we headed to the mall to escape the heat. Inside, was a pet store with the cutest dogs. The boys have been BEGGING for a dog for so long! One of these days we will give in, just not today! Why is it, that these dogs look so cute and calm, but the second you get them home, they go all crazy on you.  I think it's a pet store conspiracy. 

229: date night..

Not exactly Jim's idea of a fun date night, but it had to be done! I had to get started on decorating my classroom. I've got one of the tiniest rooms and I don't have a closet or a bulletin board.  I can't stand white walls, so I tried to add just a few burst of color throughout. At least I have the most important thing..A/C controller!

228: seminary..seminary..seminary

My life for the past month has been everything seminary! I've been trying to get myself ready for the year! Creating charts, decorating the classroom, making journals, working on scripture mastery. The only thing I really haven't done...work on my lessons! I best get on that! I don't know how everything is going to get done around here, but I do know that if the Lord wants me to do this, he will provide a way!

227: first day of school

My babies are growing up way too fast!! Can't believe this is Skyler's last year in middle school and Jayden's last year in elementary school!  I will say, this is probably my first year when I wish summer was longer!! I'm not terribly anxious for them to go back. I'm not ready for homework, projects, and schedules!

Ready or not..here it comes!

226: ryder's running away

I was up in Ryder's room and came across a backpack filled with his entire drawer of underwear, a teddy bear, and $2.00.  I asked him what this was about and he said he was running away {I'm sure he didn't get his way on one thing or another}.

It warms my heart to see that all my nagging about hygiene has sunk in!  Wherever the wind takes him, at least he'll have on clean underwear!

225: last beach day

My last beach day of the summer..we maximized every last minute of sun. We didn't leave until 7:30. Farewell summer..I will miss you!

224: stewed tomatoes

It's just what you do when you have a garden full of ripe tomatoes! These will be delicious in the fall.

223: soaring high

A hot air balloon ride was included in our overnight package! We've lived here for 9 years and I've always wanted to do it, we just never had. I would say the only negative about the experience is getting picked up at 5:00a.m. Not exactly what you want to do when you have a night away..but it was worth it!  The views were breathtaking and the sunrise..gorgeous!  It's so quiet and peaceful up in the air {except for the momentary releases of fiery flames}. You don't really even feel any movement..you're just gliding in the air. Definitely an experience everyone should try once! 

222: anniversary get away

With limited overnight babysitting available, Jim and I decided to stay close to home for an overnighter to celebrate our anniversary. We went to the South Coast Winery Resort. We were literally only 5 minutes from home but it truly felt like a vacation!  We lounged by the pool..I got a massage, and we had an amazing dinner at the winery. We stayed in a little villa on the winery property..it was pretty awesome. We almost felt like we were in Tuscany..almost!

221: surfing lesson for skyler

This week Skyler took surfing lessons from a boy in our ward who is earning money for his mission and is a fellow BYU-H Seasider!

He absolutely loved it!! 

220: happy 15th anniversary to us!

15 years..and we're still holding hands!  Love him more than I ever could imagine someone could love!

219: surfer girls

 These are my beach buds..we rocked the waves today and went surfing! We didn't do too shabby either..for a bunch of moms!

We all got up and had a blast!

{not going to lie..my ribs were just a little sore the next morning..spring chicken, I am not!}

218: craigslist transaction

I'm in desperate need of a couch intervention!! We can't seem to pick one that works well for our family. I think we are trying way too hard.  We've had these couches for about a year and the family has not warmed up to them. So I decided to move one into our living room and try and sell the other one.  I put it on craigslist and got a call that day! She came by, loved it, and bought it!  SOLD! Now I have to start all over!

217: ugliest creature ever

This ugly creature and a few of its friends were reeking havoc on my tomato plants! It looks like it has eyeballs going all the way down its body..and what's the horn at the bottom for? These, like flies and snails have no purpose on this earth but to annoy and torment!

216: san diego

Another busy Saturday! Skyler had a soccer tournament in Carlsbad very early this morning, so Jim took the first game and gave me an opportunity to catch up on some sleep. I drove down with the boys around 10:30 for the 2nd game. Skyler's team won both games. After the last game, I rushed to get Skyler to the temple so he could do baptisms for the dead with our ward. It was a gorgeous day in San Diego! 

215: stake center

This has been my home everyday this week for a couple hours! Today was the last day of training. I'm feeling much better about what lies ahead!

{I've actually done more than just seminary..I just didn't take any pictures}

214: more seminary stuff

This is my life lately..everything seminary! I can already tell it's going to consume my life..I can't think about anything else. Dinner? What's dinner?

213: totally wasted

This getting up early is really going to take some getting use to!  It's taking a toll on me and I'm only 3 days in! Tonight, bedtimes was 8:28! Please..tell me it gets easier!