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Saturday, July 30, 2016

Adventure Awaits us Darlings......

I missed my children so much. They had been at their Dad's for two weeks. I picked them up on Thursday after I went to the gym. Now that is pure joy. PURE JOY. I had a movie theater gift card a student had given me for an end of year gift. It was burning a hole in my pocket. We went to see Tarzan. Two words. GOOD CHOICE.

How does someone even get abs like that? He probably doesn't eat carbs. Sigh. I give the movie two thumbs up. I liked the female role too, she was feisty.

We only have a few days of summer vacation left. I feel really good about this upcoming year. I also want to do a few fun things with my kids before putting our noses to the grindstone. So today we had an adventure.

We packed a lunch.

I didn't tell the kids where we were going, I just said wear a swimsuit and tennis shoes.

We drove north through Payson to Tonto Natural Bridge. It was an easy hike for all of us and a great way to disconnect. We listened to Harry Potter 4 all the way there and all the way back.

We sat and ate homemade peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and apples. My kids ran around and played in the cool air under the bridge and as I sat there and watched them I thought, "There is nothing better than this." There is nothing better than watching your kids be strong, brave, and play. To just be kids. Aydan is climbing in this picture but in the corner there is a cool pool of water. I watched the light trickle from the sky and highlight the ripples of water. They winked at me and I felt like this was a perfect moment in a perfect day. All of the tension in my body left. I resolved to do more fun things like this and to be outside in nature with my kids. It was well with my soul.

There is a water hole at the end of the hike and it is ice cold and sooooo refreshing. We all got in and cooled down before we hiked out.

We drove home and I took a long two hour nap. I then woke up to make dinner. Ellie insisted on cooking so I let her. I supervised...she made waffles and did an awesome job.

Then I had them both working in the kitchen. Ellie was peeling carrots and Aydan was whipping up some fresh, homemade hummus. We then left for a walk to catch Pokemon but there was a haboob. So we went to the school to feed the guinea pigs and stopped at Sprout's to get some fresh veggies.

The view from my yard. Gorgeous.

The haboob.

It was a perfect in every way day.

XOXO- The Sunny D

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Thoughts Rolling Around in My Head

I've decided that:

Every time I drive home it looks like that big cyprus tree at Joe's Farm Grill is flipping the bird. I guess it could also be saying, " You are number one."

Speaking of birds.....I am a summer bird. You know how snowbirds leave the cold climates and live here in the winter? I have decided I am going to leave here as much as possible in the summer. Even if that means turning into a real life, Into the Wild Dior version movie. OK, that is an exaggeration I don't like to camp longer than 48 hours. However, as I get older this heat is harder to bear.

Waking up when your body decides it's time instead of when the alarm says it's time is the most delicious and rewarding of all activities.

I am going to vote. I have realized that as this presidential campaign has drawn closer I have felt like...what is the point of voting? I don't particularly love either of the candidates but then I realized that is complacency. My vote matters. Just think of all those people who went before us who never had a chance to vote. Think of the women who fought for us to vote.....and then we just sit here when we have the real life chance? Plus, I may NOT FEEL like my vote matters on a national level but I believe that it sure does on a local level. So who's with me?

I had THE best salad for lunch today. It had prosciutto, peppercinni, fresh mozzarella, salami, and a little bit of pasta salad with a slice of the most delicious herbed garlic bread. I ate the whole thing up! I have decided to eat well or healthier at every meal. It is literally a three times a day decision for me. When I eat real food I feel so much better.

My children have been gone for two weeks and I miss them. A lot.

Chad on the Bachlorette is like blowing your nose when you have a sinus infection. You don't want to look but you just have to. I really hope his personality is scripted and that isn't what he is like in real life. Not nice Chad.

Friends are good for the soul.

I will train and run a half marathon this year.

I am excited to turn 39. It is coming soon and I have a lot of fun planned to end this year and a lot of fun planned to start next year. My thirties have been....the best of times and the worst of times. I am so happy to be alive and looking forward to a fresh new decade.

I miss my Grandma and Grandpa.

I ironed every single thing in this house that I need for work...the closet is FRESH.

I am excited to reveal my new school year family THEME or goal to my kids. I have a special dinner planned for them and a special lesson I have been working on. It will be a year of discussing and getting better every day.

I have the best hairdresser in the world. It feels so darn good to have your hair done.

Nothing smells better than desert air right before it rains.

I am thankful for my job, I really love teaching.

Monday, July 25, 2016

Summer's Pearls

An Arizona Sunset......some of the best in the world

Pearls.

The blessing of being alive gives us many gifts. These gifts I like to call pearls. The pearls are the good things: people, experiences, learning or AHA! moments. In order for us to recognize these pearls we need to be awake in our life and fully present. I have been thinking about my pearls from the last year and things I love and have learned. This summer has been a summer of pearls. It has been a summer of rest, renewal, pondering, and full of the things I love the most. Could that be any sweeter?

A few things I love the most.

Getting an A. There is nothing I love more than receiving a hard earned A in a class. I have so many past, emotional road blocks and feelings attached to grades. So when I have a chance to take a class and earn an A it reminds me that I AM smart and capable. I still have to overcome test taking anxiety even at the ripe old age of 38. I have learned it is OK to ask for more time, to not compare yourself with your neighbor who turns their test in five minutes after you begin, and to trust my first answer. TO BREATHE. I know for a fact I was given this specific personal road block because through it I have enabled HUNDREDS of children to get over their own anxieties about school. HIP HIP HOORAY for teacher summer courses. In the moment they seem cumbersome but when I look closely there are many beautiful lessons.

Friends and Adventures

Without these two things life would just be boring. I was so fortunate this year to make some new great friends at work. My friend Laura and I just got back this morning at 2 AM. Yes. TWO AM. We went to the beach where the rip tide was so fierce a life guard called on a loud speaker across the beach to not get in the water past your waist. It was too dangerous and you could be pulled out to sea. Wow. We stood at the edge of the ocean and inched our way in only to be taken out several times by waves. Then next thing you knew a wave had scooped you up and knocked you on your rear. We laughed and laughed. The next day we went to Balboa Island where we rented SUP boards. We paddled around the island in pristine water that was almost glass like. What an adventure! The bottom picture is just before we rented the boards. I kept thinking as I was on the water to soak this up, breathe in the heavily salted air, feel the sun on my shoulders, the friendly passerby on boats or boards. It was a delectable experience. The water was cold and refreshing.

Well.......poop. Another adventure with friends to Ross.

Friends make life sweeter. I love meeting friends for dinner and talking. Is there anything better than meeting with and spending time with loving friends. I don't think there is. It has been a summer filled with friendly dinners...another pearl.

Books.

Could the summer be complete without books? I love to read. I love it. I devoured books this summer. Another pearl.

Family.

My family is one of my greatest treasure's. I already put our summer vacation on here but there isn't anyone I would rather spend time with than them. Pearls.

This morning I woke up and unloaded my car, unpacked my bags, cleaned my bathroom, took my car to the car wash, stopped by Sheri's house to say hi, ran to the store for milk, picked up my work clothes all ready and pressed at the dry cleaners, rented some movies at red box, got a giant ice cold polar pop..I would say that it has been a delicious day. I am meeting my Mom and sister at 7:30 for a planning/pokemon hunting meeting, for reals. Simple. Happy. Productive. I love summer.

XOXO The Sunny D- Summer is delicious!