In Idaho...

I should be working on school stuff...you know, planning units, gathering resources, preparing myself for another year.  But instead, I've decided to post about what's in my backyard.

Good morning!

Friday's Letters

It's been awhile since I've done this link-up, but since it's one of my favorites, I'm back in the game!

Dear Fella, I'm so happy to be home.  14 days is a loooong time to be away.  Also, I'm excited you have weekends off now.  Fat Sunday returns!!!

Dear Family and Friends in OH and VA,  I had the best time visiting, talking, and laughing with all of you!

Dear Adulthood, you suck.  Ok, you don't really suck, I'm actually having quite a good time being a grown up, but sometimes I don't want to make grown up decisions.

Dear Summer Shandy, I'm sorry my little town doesn't stock you anywhere. You're a perfect summer treat. I don't know why they don't stock you.  I also don't know why the owner of the distributing company didn't call me back.  Perhaps because I'm one person requesting a specific beer for just two people in the town? Still, rude.

Dear $10 Fruit Bags at the Grocery Store, you. are. amazing. We get so much fruit for so little.  Mmmmmmmmmmmm.

Dear Lunch, I want to eat you, but I don't know what you will be yet.  I'm hungry.

Thanks for stopping by!!!

DIY Sign

I've been M.I.A. (not the group) since I've been back from my vacation.  We'll blame it on the 2 hour time difference and getting up at 3am on Sunday.  Yea, that's why.  Also, I've been dealing with work stuff and taking an unnecessary amount of naps.  But now I'm back to post a DIY cute sign!

I found this tutorial via Pinterest (shocking, I know), and was directed to diddle dumpling. I haven't had a chance to go through all of the posts but the one's that I have seen are great! There are tons of DIY ideas, but the sign one caught my eye immediately.  I'm a huge fan of rustic decor and signs like this and these and these. So, after finding this tutorial, I figured I'd try it for myself.  Not only did it turn out great, it's a great idea for gifts on the cheap.  Love it!

So, here we go!

In the original tutorial, old, weathered boards were used.  I found this piece of wood at a yard sale for .50 cents.  I didn't weather it, but I brushed yellow paint on lightly so it looks a little rustic.  

 The painted board.
 

Ok, here's where things get interesting.  Did you know that if you print words onto a piece of computer paper (*flip the image first), place it upside down on a piece of wood, wet the letters, and go over them with the end of a sharpie or highlighter, the ink transfers onto the wood? I didn't.

I choose the phrase "Green pastures and still waters" because it sounds peaceful and it represents the place we call home. *To print the phrase backwards on the paper, here's what I did:
1. Select the Word Art option
2. Choose a simple design
3. Type in your phrase and adjust the font and size to preference
4. Click on the "Format" tab and look for the "Rotate" button
5. Click on "Rotate" and then on "Flip Horizontal"
6. Bazinga!

This is what it looks like when the paper is placed upside down on the wood.

  I used a small paintbrush to brush water lightly over the letters.  I then used a highlighter (with the cap on) to trace over the letters (there's a word for this I can't remember right now).  Make sure you rub over the letters every which way.  Also, don't press too hard.  The paper's wet and it will tear the paper, so be careful.

This is what it looked like after transferring the ink to the board.

If the letters aren't as dark as you would like, like these were, you can paint over them with diluted paint.  I had to paint mine a few times to get them as dark as I wanted because I did it once then let it sit for awhile before I realized I wanted it darker.

This is what I looked like after the first time I painted the letters. Painting went surprisingly well.  My hands are pretty shaky when doing things like this, but for some reason the paint stayed where it needed to. Weee!

Finished!!!

So there you have it! Super easy and a great gift idea, especially if you know someone's favorite quote. Easy and personalized...sold!

Chickens and bunnies and family, oh my!

My trip continues...

After leaving Gloucester, VA, I continued to Ruckerville, VA to hang out with my aunt, uncle, cousin, and cousin's kids.  I've always loved going to their house.  It's relaxing, they have guns, we laugh until our sides hurt, and now they have chickens and bunnies!

Breezy girl with Rooster Cogburn.

Ellie Belly and her gigantor slice of watermelon that she promptly dropped on the ground. In the chicken pen.

I officially want a bunny.

I officially want two bunnies!

Rooster Cogburn looks like he's wearing bell bottoms, and that makes me giggle.

CHICKEN!

My Aunt Nancy :)

Coloring time with the girls and my mom.  She stays in the lines, but she used to tell me that since I was the one coloring, I could make things any color I wanted. Hello, purple dogs and green cats!

Yesterday, we drove to Ohio where I'll get to spend time with more of my people and relax.  Today is a pedicure and Chipotle kind of day. Tomorrow is Columbus!!!

Oh, I have a blog...

Oh, hey!

So I've been on vacation since last Tuesday, and it has been SO MUCH FUN so far! I started in Portsmouth, VA where I used to live and saw some of my favorites there.

My Navy chiefs and the fella

My best friend :)

My Tony

And Maxine the Queen.

My buddy let me drive his truck while I was there. Rockin'!

And I got to put my tootsies in the ocean :)

 After Portsmouth, I ventured to Gloucester, VA to visit my cousin and her family. They continue to amaze me with their love and kindness.

The Anderson Clan :)

Andrea got a camera, so we did a mini photo shoot!

We're really good at jumping.

My cousin, aunt, mom, and me!

So now I'm in Ruckersville, VA with my aunt and mom (see above) and the rest of this part of the family. I went outside a little bit ago and took pictures of my nieces with the chickens and bunnies...but I definitely left the memory card in my computer, and I don't have the cable to hook up my camera to my computer...fail.

I'm off to Ohio tomorrow to see my dad and Ohio people!


Also, at some point I'll do a post about how I made this little diddy. It's not quite finished, but I'm excited about how it turned out! 

Liebster Award

I was nominated for the Liebster Blog Award by Nadine at Back East Blonde.  I love Nadine's blog, and she's been a huge help while I muddle through this technology thing!

"The Liebster award is given to upcoming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. The meaning: Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing and welcome."

THE RULES:

-Each person must post 11 things about themselves.
-Answer the questions the tagger set for you, PLUS create 11 questions for the people you've tagged to answer.

-Choose 11 people and link them in your post.

-Go to their page and tell them.

*No tag backs!*

11 Things about me:

1. I hate jello.  I can't eat it, it makes me gag.  Yes, that means jello shots are out of the question.

2. I've been putting off getting my wisdom teeth out for many years. The time has come.

3. I try to be crafty, but sometimes it's hard!

4. My favorite people are spread out around the country, and I miss them constantly.

5. My front teeth don't touch.  Eating onion rings is difficult.

6. Hanson was my favorite band in middle school, and I still love them with a completely inappropriate passion.

7. Speaking of inappropriate passions, I love broccoli in a way that isn't entirely platonic. I even found a way to use the broccoli stalks so I don't waste any of it!

8. I grew up a city girl, but apparently I was meant to be a country girl.

9. I teach middle school English and when I tell people the normal reactions are, "I'm sorry," "I could never do it," "You must be soooo patient," "How do you deal with those kids," and so on. I love it (the comments and my job)!

10. Speaking of being an English teacher, confession: I still have a hard time figuring out where commas go.  It's an ongoing struggle.

11. I'm an entertainment news, gossip magazine, reality show, and tv junkie. I just love it.

11 Questions from Nadine:1. If you could be prettier, funnier, or smarter, which would you choose?I think probably prettier.  I'm ok with the way I look, some days more than others, but I think I'm hilarious and pretty smart. We'll go with prettier! 2. Which fictional character do you most relate to?Hmmm, probably Liz Lemon from 30 Rock.Here are some clips of her talking about food...

I don't sing to my food when I'm home alone cooking lunch....wait.  3. What is your favorite guilty pleasure book of all time?I would have to say the Twilight Saga. I can't get enough.  4. What is your nerdiest trait?Oh god, just one? We've already established that I don't sing to my food at lunch. Especially not when I'm alone.  And definitely not when I'm really excited about it. I get really upset by bad grammar, but I think it's probably singing to myself, and out loud, sometimes while I'm teaching.  When you make up a song about punctuation and sing it to the class, they look at you like you're insane.  And a little nerdy.  5. If you could spend the rest of your life in one location, where would it be?I've already thought this one out. When I'm super rich, I'm buying a huge plot of land and building houses on it where all of my friends and family can come live.  I'll also have a helicopter so everyone can lead a semi-normal life, especially if their job is in a different state.  But let's be honest, if I'm that rich, no one will work and we'll just play alllll day. Ok, but seriously, probably the farm in Wisconsin. There's just something about it that I love.  6. Describe your family in one sentence. My family is quirky and hilarious!  7. What is one skill you'd like to perfect in the next 10 years?Hmmm...considering I've spent an insane number of hours trying to hem a dress, I'll probably choose sewing.  I think it would be amazing to pick up cheap yard sale clothes and tweak them so they're cute and fit well.  I'd also like to be able to sew things from beginning to end! I really want to be good at cooking without a recipe and creating dishes, too.  Yesterday, I made red pepper pesto pasta without a recipe and it was delicious!   8. If you went to college, what was your major? Are you happy with your choice?I majored in English literature, and I'm very happy with that choice.  I started in communication, but switched after my first year.  While it still took me awhile after college to figure out what I wanted to do, and it required another degree, it was so worth it!  9. What food could you eat every day and never get sick of?Chinese food.  10. What is one thing in life you'd really like to be successful at?I really want to be a successful teacher.  These kids need someone to engage them and help them understand the importance of education. On top of that, they need someone to be there to listen to them, set boundaries for them, laugh with them, and guide them to be the people they are meant to be. It's a tall order, and I want to be that person for them.  11. How would you describe your interior decorating style?I would say country chic. We're in a kind of weird rental situation right now, so we haven't really unpacked everything, and I haven't hung any pictures.  It's getting harder to decorate a place that I don't own and might move out of within a year and really put my heart into it.  It's such a pain to pack it all up again, but when we buy a house, I'm super excited to get to decorating!!!

Blogs I'm Nominating!
*These are the only blogs I read with less than 200 followers so far*

Live with Laughter  

 Happily Ever Awkward

Shell Bell 

 The Avid Appetite

11 Questions
1. If you could be friends with any celebrity, who would it be and why?
2. Why do you blog?
3. If facebook was deleted today, what would you do?
4. What food can you not stand?
5. Where is your favorite place in the world?
6. What's the funniest thing that's ever happened to you?
7. What is your favorite season?
8. What is your favorite blog to read?
9. How often do you exercise?
10. What day is today?
11. What your favorite Justin Beiber song? *Sorry, I was running out of ideas, and he was just on Good Morning America.


You obviously don't have to participate but I'd love if you did!

Friday's Letters

It's time for another edition of Friday's Letters with Ashely at Adventures of Newlyweds! I'm actually writing this on Thursday because tomorrow begins the celebrations in our little town.  I'll have a post all about it sometime this weekend, though I'm missing pictures from the actual 4th, since I forgot my camera...fail! Oh, well, I'll write these like it's actually Friday.

Dear run that I fought going on on Thursday, I'm sure I got my lazy butt off the couch and actually did sometime. You're making me feel skinnier, so I'd like to think I kept it up. Sorry I didn't go. I did do yoga though!

Dear cookout food on the 4th, the wonderful woman who invited us to her cookout noted that among the food there were no potatoes or pasta.  "We've come a long way!" she said. I agree. We had chicken, baked beans, fruit, fruit, and fruit...and homemade ice cream.  I liked that you were healthier than normal considering my most recent push to not look like a hippo, but boy, did I miss those potatoes!

Dear fella, thank you so much for fixing my car (you're working on it on Thursday, so I'm hoping it will be finished in time for this post). The Red Dragon will live a much longer life thanks to you and your vigilance. 

*To read The Ode to My Neon, read this*  

Dear Fish and Game, thanks for doing the holiday owed thingy so the fella can have Friday off :). I really wanted to go to all the neat stuff happening but definitely didn't want to go along. It was an awesome surprise that he gets to go with me. Yaaaaaaay!!!!

Dear Hospice waffle cones and huckleberry ice cream, why are you so delicious? I'm going to eat one of you again today.

I think that's it for letters today! When you read this, I'll be downtown celebrating our independence with the fella, delicious food, and a parade!!!

Ode to My Neon

You have carried me many miles and are still going strong.
You weren't meant to be mine, but let's face it
we belong together.
You're CD player works only when you want it to,
usually when I need it most.
We've driven from the ocean to the mountains,
and we're not done yet!

I haven't always treated you very nicely.
Sometimes I run into things.
Sometimes things run into you.
Your trunk is still smashed in from that fated day
when my brother left for Cleveland
 and didn't see that pesky dumpster.
I've broken two rims,
but you keep turning those wheels.

We've been together for 125,000 miles.
The day I met the fella was your 100,000 mile milestone.
I told him, "You don't know me,
and I'm sure you don't care,
but my car is going to turn over to 100,000 miles
when I leave here."
Now your milestones are our milestones.
Using your odometer as an anniversary gauge
rather than the calendar.




So thank you, Neon,
for your never ending loyalty
to my wandering cause.
I hope you live to see 200,000,
and I'll be right there with you.

*I composed this in part on my way to Boise. This is what happens when you drive 5 hours alone with very spotty radio reception...

*I took these pictures today while she's being worked on in the garage, so they're not fantastic.

Monday's Mutts!

After taking last weekend off due to exhaustion from my Boise trip, I went back to the animal shelter this weekend to walk the doggies!!! Without further ado, here's who I hung out with this weekend....

This is Max. He has a loooot of energy. So far he's really been the only dog to pull on the leash, but he got much better as we walked.  He also likes to make sure everyone (dogs) know where he's been, if ya know what I mean *nudge.

This guy. Ugh. I want to take him home so badly.  He's a smart little guy. He gets super excited and jumpy when you first get him out, but he calms down and walks like a champ. On our walks we practice walking without pulling and sitting. I want him, I want him, I want him!!! I want all of them...

Daisy came to the shelter because her owner passed away.  She's super shy and isn't used to being around other animals, so she got to hang out in the office.  She and I went for a short walk because she is huuuuge. Apparently, she was well fed at her house! When you kneel down to pet her, she'll come up real slow and then reach out her paw and touch you. She needs a good, quiet home.

Holy energy, Victor! He jumped in circles for the first part of the walk, and then ran back and forth in front of me for the remainder of it. I try to keep them fairly calm while walking, but this guy just couldn't contain his joy, and I didn't do much to stop it :) At one point, we jumped in circles together!

This is Otis.  He's a year old (with biiig paws).  I guess he's been adopted twice and brought back twice as a result of his energy level (and digging up a yard).  He's a lab. And a puppy. Come on, people! So, Otis and I hung out for awhile.  He's the sweetest!

Oh! Remember Greta from this post? She was adopted last week!!!!

 Puppy pictures from petfinder.com

On an entirely not dog related note, Bay Area Mommy is hosting a KitchenAid mixer giveaway with Easy Dough Fundraising

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I want one of these sooooo badly. It would definitely help when the fella makes bread, and I'd like to get into baking a little more.  What better inspiration than a free KitchenAid!!!

Have a wonderful Monday :)

Sunday Social

Good morning! Time for another link up, this time with Neely and Ashley. This one's about fashion. Not my best subject, but I'll try!

What is your favorite store to shop in?

When I do go shopping, which is not often, I love Target.  Everything there is so cute and it's easy to get nice looking pieces of clothing without having to look too hard!

If you could afford anything and everything, which designer brand would you covet?

Ummm....uuummmmm....does Target count as designer?....

Must have closet staple?

Jeans! and v-neck t-shirts!

 Favorite kind of shoes?

For everyday wear, I love my Merrills and flip flops.  For work and out, I love Dansko heels. Trendy, I know.

Best clothing deal you've ever gotten? 

I found a pair of brand new Dansko heels-like the soles didn't even look scuffed kind of new-for 25 cents at a yard sale a few weeks ago.

Style you'd love to try?  

Ummm...any style. I would love to be fashion-y, but it's just not something I'm good at.  I'm trying, but I just don't know where to start!!! If anyone wants to be my personal online stylist, I'll take it. I can't pay you, but it might be fun :)

Well, that's it for the Sunday Social. Sorry my fashion answers leave something to be desired! Next week is about tv. That's more my speed!