what i did this summer

I went to the Space Needle with these lovelies

Helped out backstage at brother's play

Volunteered at the Special Olympics again

Went to Seattle

Practiced being a hipster

Discovered a love for wearing my Dad's old shirts and belting them.....

Spent some quality time with my friends that I love

Laid out in what little sun there was..... :)

Held feet with a boy

Went skinny dipping... ;)

SAW HARRY POTTER

Went to a real-live actual Rodeo in Wyoming

Ate frozen milk on my cereal.....

Had some quality cousin time

& Enjoyed the sunshine and the family and the love :)

LES MISERABLES

 20 years ago my parents went and saw Les Miserables on stage. I was in the womb at the time. Ever since then it has been my dream to see it performed live and on stage. TONIGHT MY DREAM CAME TRUE. 

I started crying as soon as I heard the first notes. 

 I've read the book twice and listened to the soundtrack more times than I can count. One of my earliest musical memories is of sitting on my bed at about age 4 listening to mom vacuum to "The Work Song."

It was every bit as wonderful as I dreamed it would be ♥

Mom and I held hands the entire time. :)

au revoir, julia!

.... that sort of rhymes, if you say it right.... yes? no? okay. 

FUNNY STORY btw, so my favourite Julia Green has FINALLY started a blog (read it here) and in her first post she said "au revoir" and someone from her church commented on how you like shouldn't say that since it's like a final goodbye that means you're commending yourself to God or something.......?? We were confused. ANYWAYS, I use it here in this blog post because it ALMOST rhymes and also because the lovely and beautiful Julia leaves tomorrow for the lovely land of England. For 8 months. I will miss her to death....... but I'm also soooooo happy and excited for her in the grand new adventure. Sunday after church we drove over as a family to say goodbye and take pictures, which I will now post here for your viewing pleasure. :)

i love you so much jules :)

cowboy & indian

lookit these cool pictures from this cool video

that is all :)

sunbeams :)

This summer I was asked to teach the 3 year old's sunday school class, also known as sunbeams. I was not looking forward to this. But it turned out to be the GREATEST THING EVER, as illustrated by the anecdotes below :)
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hazards of my new church jobbie {kiddie wrangling}: they took my fingernail. i watch the little 3 year olds and try to help them hold still while their teacher teaches them about how hands are a gift from God and we should use them to do nice things. bahaha. one child told me he would kick me in the nuts if i didn't let him escape within ten minutes. he also threatened to jump out the window (it doesn't open) and told me that he knew karate. the children were also fascinated with my fingernails and kept poking them. one even licked them. it was weird. but they're precious :)

 i put my chair up against the door to prevent the children from opening it and escaping. one tried the entire lesson to remove me, with no luck. i have easily 150lbs on him. but anyways, someone came around to give us a 5 minute warning, she tried to open the door but of course i was in the way. so i quickly moved, she opened the door and said, "Oh sorry!" I responded, "You're welcome!"
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Today the lesson was "I belong to a family." We held up a picture of a bird family, and asked "Who will teach the baby birds to fly?" and one little girl says, "ME!!" :)
Also we told the little boy that he had to answer our questions with words, not spit, or he wouldn't get a cookie.
And then I drew a picture of a dragon and he said, "WOAH. DID YOU DRAW THAT, ALL BY YOURSELF?!!?! I WANT TO DRAW A DRAGON JUST LIKE THAT. I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE STUUUPID, BUT IT ISN'T!"
My weekly confidence boost ♥ Yes, Jett. I drew this, all by myself. I know I'm wonderful :) :)
And then we get to sing.
Sundays are love :)
Oh and though they on occasion threaten me with bodily harm if I don't give them their way, they are also snuggly little dears who like me to hold them. And they enjoy my fingernails and jewelry. So it's love :)

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today I taught the children the story of Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego. And the firey furnace. The moral was supposed to be that when we keep God's commandments, He will protect us. After my great lesson, complete with an illustration, one of the children mutters, "or they could just've weared sunscreen... then they wouldn't get burneded."

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today, during the main church service, the 3 year old I'm babysitting says (kind of loudly), "Um, please can you change my diaper??"
I whispered yes in just a minute after the sermon, and she said, "Um, but, my diaper iss leakinggg..."
joy.
also the sunbeams wanted to know why the pioneers didn't drive their cars through across the plains.

we love sunbeams! :)

I love my Gramma.

Story. but first, the tradition: Making pyramids out of people on their hands&knees and taking pictures at the family reunion. There are 10 granddaughters so it's always worked out perfectly. Soooooo we go about trying to do that, but there are a few problems so we decide to make a sitting down pyramid.... picture attached.

four years ago

two years ago

 

THEN..... My Grandmother comments, QUOTE: "My blooming bouquet...................​..interesting set of circumstances not dealt with in previous years i.e. pregnancy, new mom, and cleavage..................​....hence the modified version."

Guess which adjective is about me. Hint: I'm not pregnant or a new mom. :)))