PACKING

It's begun. We won't be out for a  month, but I'm getting antsy. The house is so close to being finished, I can taste it. And I don't want a mad, unorganized dash at the end.


What's depressing is the fact that I have three times as many boxes packed then are pictured here...yet you can hardly tell. How the HECK did we ever acquire so much StuFf?!


For any of you more experienced movers out there, any tips you have for packing and a smooth move would be much appreciated. And any Rexburgers who would like to donate boxes to this cause, let me know! We are definitely in need of more boxes. Lots and lots and lots of boxes. 

SLOTH LOVE

Source: hautemamasfaves.tumblr.com via Holly on Pinterest

I saw this on Yahoo awhile ago and have been saving it for a special day to share. Today is that day, you lucky blogger friends, you! I hope you leave a little happier now then when you arrived. 

The first time I saw it, I laughed like CRAZY. Then I immediately watched it again and laughed just as hard. 

Apparently, Kristen Bell has a serious sloth obsession...and  some serious emotional issues too. Mix them together and you get something you just have to see for yourself to believe. 

Just click the image to watch.

DEAR FRIENDS,

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That's all. 

Love,
Rachel

HEAVENLY HOMEMADE SYRUP

My cousin dropped off a bottle of homemade cinnamon plum syrup, and I ate the whole thing in a week. By myself. 

Holy Hannah. The combination of sweet, tart, and spicy was perfection, I tell you. It was so good I felt the need to document its consumption. 

Yes, I need help.




Next chance I get, the juicy details of my cousin's recipe will be mine! Until then, I googled a possibly similar recipe/tutorial here. I can't imagine it would vary too much.




THE END.

FROM CHOP SAWS to POPCORN

1.) During the phase of trimming the house, I've learned to use...THE CHOP SAW. 

(cue intense music)

I thought it was worth bragging about. It made me feel involved and important to cut the wood that now borders our doors and windows. 

2.) I am purging our house of extra stuff. Room by room, closet by closet, I ruthlessly throw all sorts of things in the pile to donate or throw away. 

I'm not even halfway through the house yet, and it already feels so good.

3.)One of my New Year's goals is to better learn the functions on my camera. I use everything except the full manual setting, because when I do, it turns out like that. Without fail.

Nonetheless, I am determined. I am resolute! I WILL enhance my skills because, hey...there's only room for improvement at this point, right?

4.) I am the new owner of a gym membership these past few months. I've always resisted paying someone for the privilege to exercise when I can simply jog around my block for free. But I've learned that bringing myself to run around the block...free or not... just doesn't happen. 

My motivation is zilch. 

But with so much money leaving my pocket each month, you can bet I'll be at that gym almost daily. 

And it feels good to run, lift weights, and catch up on the home decorating shows I never see at home without cable TV.

When I get back, I like to reward myself with a special treat. 

(No wisecracks, please.)

I justify this by using the tiny plastic bowls acquired from our last (and final) date night at KFC. (I swear, that place serves glorified frozen TV dinners. yuck.) The bowls are perfect though, because they hardly hold more than a small scoop. 

It's all about portion control, people. 

5.) I received an e-mail today from my uncle wishing a happy National Popcorn Day. I never knew such a joyful day existed. 

And wouldn't you know, just by happy coincidence, my breakfast this morning consisted of a bowl of popcorn. 

ODE TO THE DOUGHNUT

Doughnut, oh, Doughnut
You're wonderful stuff
I love you, oh, Doughnut
I can't get enough. 

You start out as dough
Then you're deep fried in grease 
at this point, my yearning
will only increase.
you're covered with frosting
and sprinkles galore
you're sugar encrusted
I must have some more!

Doughnut, oh, Doughnut
there on my plate
you ease all my sorrows
I think I'll eat eight.
Hang on a minute, 
What's that you say?
my dear friend, the pastry
will only betray?

Doughnut, oh, Doughnut
you've broken my heart
I thought you would love me 
'til death do us part
Alas, you have tricked me,
the results appear grim
Never mind, doughnut...
I'm going to the gym.

--Rachel Ashmore

The result of Andrew leaving town for a week?

Rachel spends her evenings writing love poems to fried, ring-shaped sweets. And speaking in the the third person.

Thank goodness he'll be back tonight.

BLOW MY MIND

{source}

*Andrew and I played a game of pool this week. And just so you are aware, I won. Fair and square. I thought this was news worth shouting from the rooftops. 

{source}

*You'll never guess the fabulous way in which I am spending my harvest break...

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Attending a state-mandated math class for teachers...EIGHT hours a day...Monday through Friday!!! 

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You're jealous, right?  

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I was determined to be reeally grumpy over being robbed of my vacation time, until this math class had the nerve to be...fun. 

I can't believe I just said that.

Basically, I've learned the following:

1.) Despite being an expert teacher of algorithms, I know nothing.

2.) I was taught to follow procedures rather than to think for myself. 

3.) I have been teaching my students to follow procedures rather than to think for themselves. 

4.) When I actually use my brain, I'm not so bad at math after all. 

My mind is officially blown.

But all this math is taking it's toll on me. Let me illustrate:

If xy = z, and x = number of hours in class and y = number of days in class, then z = 40 hours of thinking mathematically. 

z also equals: 

My brain literally aching like an overworked muscle at the end of each day...And my mind continuing to work the problems from class in my dreams all night long...And a very tired Rachel upon waking each morning...And a 3rd grade teacher who is SO EXCITED to teach her next math lesson!

*It is October 6th, today. 

October SIXTH, people!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yet, here I was, taking pictures from our bedroom window this evening.

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

In the mail today, we received a coupon booklet. I immediately ripped this page out for future use at our favorite date night location. We love ourselves some good Costa Vida.
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But then...something else caught my eye. 

Seriously? Is that not the most unfortunate of acronyms...even without purposely splashing it around in bold, fancy font?

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Especially for such a manly store. 

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It's almost as bad as the EVCO House of Hose building we always pass with a snicker. (Yes, we're mature like that.) Who knew garden hose could be so dirty?

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But it doesn't come close to the company name I can't even bring myself to type it is so horribly X-Rated in this context. 

Just protecting the innocent, you see. I shouldn't have even brought it up in the first place. 

PET PEEVES

My list:
1.) Talking/laughing during a concert, movie, play, performance, speech, Sunday school lesson, etc. Others are trying to listen! Are you not aware that it is distracting and rude? Did your mother not teach you this when you were, like five? It drives me absolutely crazy.

2.) Bad Parenting: Now, I don't go around critiquing everyone's parenting skills. Heck, it's not like I've had a whole lot of experience yet. But there is one thing that always makes me cringe.
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For instance, we've all seen that child at the grocery store who asks their parents for something, are told no, and then proceed to throw a tantrum. But isn't it common sense, that a parent giving in at this point, is training the child to throw a tantrum every time they want something?

If I scream loud enough, mom'll give me anything I want. That's what they are conditioned to think.

However, I see parents give in just because they want the screaming to stop. LAME. Then I get them in my third grade class, and have to deal with these whiny outbursts myself. That is, until they learn it will get them NOWHERE with me.

3.) Poor Grammar. I realize that I am not perfect. I hate catching myself screw up "your" and "you're" or "they're", "their", and "there." But there are a few grammar rules my mom drilled so thoroughly into my head that there is no escaping my battiness when people mess them up:
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You may be good at golf, but you play golf very well.
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You are NOT, "doing good," you are, "doing well."

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You don't, "got to," you, "have to."
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You don't, "got something," you, "have something."

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You are not "done." The bread is "done." You are "finished."

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When you answer the phone:

It's not: "This is her." It is: "This is she."

And as I often hear in Idaho:

"I says to my brother..." should be, "I said to my brother..."

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And it's not "we was," it's "we were."


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4.) Gossip. "...I love her to pieces, but..." "...She's super nice, but..." What a guilty pleasure gossiping is! I hate how easy I succumb to it, and how uneasy I suddenly become around anyone else doing it. If they talk like that about Betty, couldn't they easily talk like that about ME?
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5.) Packing up early. Let me expain: It's the very end of Sunday school, and the teacher is wrapping up the lesson with the most important part: their testimony.

And yet, I often seem to miss it.

Why does everyone around me choose this moment to noisily snap shut their books, zip up their scripture cases, and gather up their bags? Just wait another second!

6.) Twisty ties. I throw them away immediately upon opening a bag of bread. Talk about a pointless waste of my time!

7.) Cruelty. I don’t understand it. Have a heart, you bullies, you!

8.) Worms after rain. In Idaho, it is especially bad. After a spring rainstorm, I can't even walk on the sidewalk without squishing something. YUCK.

9.) Phone etiquette. I hate it when I am on the phone and the person I'm on the line with keeps having conversations with people around them. Half the time I don't know if they are talking to me, or to someone else, or even if they're listening to a thing I'm saying.

10.) Drama. You know those people who always seem to be in a crisis? The melodramatic is what they thrive on...what makes them feel alive. If they don't happen to have any real turmoil going on, they'll stir it up in those around them. I even had a friend who would simply fabricate it from her imagination. As adults, this got old real quick.
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We're not in high school anymore.




11.) Insincerity. Don't say it if you don't mean it, please.

12.) Slow drivers. I don't speed. I will set my cruise control to the exact speed limit (even in town) every chance I get. Sure, I get those who like to go a few miles over, whipping around me with a glare every so often, but wasting money on expensive tickets just doesn't appeal to me.
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So, if there is someone driving slow enough that even I am frustrated, there's something wrong with that. Going thirty-five in a forty-five zone will make me irritated with you.

HUMIDITY

I couldn't help but laugh at these pictures taken in progression on one of our days in New York. Pay special attention to my naturally curly hair...

Straightened. Sleek and smooth (though slightly windblown) as we wait for the Staten Island ferry.

Curling at the ends mid-afternoon on Wall Street. 

Orphan Annie. Crazy curls at the Tick-Tock Diner for midnight dessert. 

I don't know why I even tried. 

THREE THINGS.

1.)

{source}

My first sewing machine arrived in the mail last week. An "incredibly lightweight computerized CS-6000i loaded with features." Automatic threading system. 60 built-in stitches. Built in free arm. 8 presser feet included.

The problem is I'm terrified of it. I can't even bring myself to take it out of the box. I just know my sewing skills don't match up to the potential for awesomeness this machine emanates. And I have to confess, I can't even tell you what a "free arm" or a "presser foot" is. See why I'm scared?

My goal is to work up the courage to read the user's manual this week. Wish me luck.



2.)

I recently watched in horror as a neighbor painted their beautiful red brick home  {not pictured}  a light brown...or as Andrew forlornly stated...the color of poo.

Who does that?! Who paints over red brick?! 

3.)

It was amazing. 
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I would have changed very little about it. What a satisfying end to an era. 

iPOD BLOGGER

Riley and Auntie Rachel. 

COWGIRL UP! {written by andrew}

I took Rachel for a drive to Kilgore, Idaho, on Sunday. I wanted to show her the area. It is so beautiful, and she had never been. 

As with any drive we go on, Rachel spent 80% if the time behind her camera lens.We had pulled over beside a cattle field, so she could snap some pictures of the wildflowers. 

As she was crouched down, completely consumed by the pretty flowers, she was unaware she had an audience gathering...

She was quite surprised when she stood up to about 100 head of cattle  lined along the fence to watch her.

Even as she joined me in the car and we began to drive away, they still followed, bellowing after us.This intrigued Rachel, so like a scientist, she began to experiment.

After having me move the car around back and forth...taunting the cattle no doubt...Rachel got back out and started taking pictures of them.

Then, out of nowhere, she started sprinting down the dirt road. Of course, the cows thundered after her, following her back and forth down the fence line. I would move the car, but they would stay put unless Rachel was with me.

This kept her occupied for quite some time. I am sure all those ranchers driving by thought she was some girl from New York City who had never seen a cow before, and just had to take pictures.

Regardless, she was happy, and strongly believed, as we finally drove away, those cows' moos were calling her back with calls of "Mama!"

Personally, I think they just wanted to be fed. Or maybe, Rachel's just my little cow whisperer. What can I say?

LAZY SUMMER DAY

Too lazy to blog today. But do you like my picture?

WEEK OF SUMMER

Summer already seems to be flying by too fast. But are we ever staying busy!

It's been nothing short of glorious.

The epitome of manliness: Andrew off to build stuff.

He marched out of the house singing "I've Been Working on the Railroad" at the top if his lungs.

I babysat my cousin's kid.

We sat in my living room, and stared awkwardly at each other for several minutes. Then, because I couldn't think of anything else to do, I grabbed my camera and took a picture.

Apparently, she thought that was pretty funny. Thanks to the icebreaker, we got along just fine afterward.

I've been all sorts of crafty this week.

For example, I bought this thrift store table with a vision. The transformation turned out BEAUTIFULLY...but you'll have to stay tuned for the reveal in another post.

We bought thirteen trees on Saturday at 5 dollars a piece. Not a bad deal, I'd say...even at itty-bitty heights of 3-6 feet tall. Poplar, red maple, spruce, and chokecherry.

We'll get them into our new piece of ground this fall.

I consider myself a pretty good teacher. I get those third graders whipped into shape in no time! But handling three-year-olds is a whole different ball game. This sunbeam calling has been really, really hard for me.

It's my experience that you have a calling as long as it takes for you to love it. Then you get released.

I plan to learn to love this calling real fast.

And of course, this week's progress on the house.

Footings have been poured.

Framing should start up in the next couple days!