The rest of my summer

I always think I am going to be better at doing this Blog thing then I am. At times I say the heck with it, but then I read all of my friends fantastic blogs and realize how much I look forward to new posts. Knowing I have friends who do the same, I keep this thing going for them. It is hard staying in touch so I will take any little snid bit into their lives that I can and I hope they enjoy doing the same with mine!

With summer quickly and sadly coming to an end, I figured it was time to look back on the rest of my summer and share what I did.

I spent a good chunk of the month of July at one of my favorite places of all time, home. It was lovely being there for nearly three weeks and enjoying time with my family. I was there long enough to get quite comfortable being there and had a hard time coming back here to Utah. I miss it all of the time but know that it will always be there. Here is what I did:

We went fishing a couple of times, both ending with me having no fish but it was still fun.

I enjoyed time outside at home roasting s'mores, playing Kubb, and sitting on the balcony looking at sunsets and stars. I swear we have some of the best sunsets and star gazing nights in the San Luis Valley!

Dad, Whitney and I enjoyed a fun day hiking Zapata Falls and going to the Sand Dunes

Jill and I went back to the Sand Dunes another day and hiked to the top, something I haven't done since I was about 12

We of course enjoyed Pioneer Days with some of our family

Besides all of that, I just enjoyed my time home. I went for drives, ate out at some of my favorite local joints, enjoyed time to myself, and visited with friends and my grandma.

I went back to Utah at the end of July while Sarah was in London and Paris (still so jealous!). For that and most of August my days pretty much consisted of sleeping in, going to the gym, spending too much money, and watching a lot of movies and tv shows. I went on hikes here and there, golfed a bit, and spent time with friends as well.

I also got to visit one of my best friends, Sabrina, and her family in August. We did a lot of visiting and movie watching. We ate out a couple of times and went to the Idaho Falls zoo. Mostly I love just hanging out with them. I so wish we were closer and could see each other all of the time. Maybe one day that will happen! For now, I look forward to my visits and truly cherish my time with them. Plus, I got to see this little stinker and get to know him better. Always a good time.

Here are a couple of other pics from the zoo

I went back to work the middle of August and my first day teaching was on the 25th. I can't believe I am already in my 4th year teaching, it is crazy! I feel so much more confident with each year and totally know what I am doing now :) 

This is my traditional "first day of school" photo. New outfit and all!

Not ready to let summer go quite yet, I had one last hurrah on Labor Day weekend. Sarah and I went up to Swiss Days in Midway. I have always wanted to go because they have one of the best craft fairs in Utah. I was too poor to buy anything I really wanted but I got a few ideas of stuff to make myself. We listened to a good yodeler/accordionist and had yummy food, always a plus.

  

On Labor Day, Sarah and I went with some friends up to Jordanelle State Park. We rented a couple of kayaks and a jet ski and had a blast. I really wanted to paddle board but they were all rented for the day. We had a wonderful time enjoying the lake and each others company. It was

great being outside and able to relish in the final days of summer. 

I went on a hike this past weekend and signs of fall are already approaching. I love, love, love fall so I don't mind so much.

Summer So Far

Every year I look forward to Summer and have many elaborate and amazing plans. Then before I know it, it's July 4th, summer is nearly half over, and I have yet to accomplish what I set out to do. This year especially, I feel like summer has just flown by. It didn't help that the first 3 weeks following the end of school, I had class. I took some health endorsement classes with the the hopes of getting completely health endorsed within the next year or so. I may then try getting into teaching high school or junior high although I have really grown to love teaching at the elementary level. Although I didn't like the idea of having to go to class every day and do homework, I did enjoy all three of my classes. They were taught by some excellent teachers and I feel completely confident that I could teach health now.

Luckily my classes were only 4 days a week and usually ended around 1 so I still had time to throw other things into my schedule. One of my goals for the summer was to go to the gym more and start lifting weights again. I've been pretty good about it but love being outside so I usually lift at the gym then hike, ride my bike, long board, or Frisbee golf to get in other exercise. I'm still playing softball and golf so I'm spending lots of time outside which I love, love, love. Of course trips to the pool and seven peaks are a must and I find time for those too.

Once my classes ended, I was able to feel like my summer officially began. Most days include sleeping in, going the the gym, spending time outside, reading, and watching movies. It's a tough life! The rest of my summer plans include going home to Colorado, visiting friends, going on more hikes, and hopefully camping a bit. Then before I know it, school will be starting again.

One of the highlights of this summer so far was going skydiving. It is something I've always thought about doing. A friend and I were going to go last year but it never worked out so we didn't let the opportunity go by this year. My dad happened to be in town so he and my sister came to watch. There were definitely parts that were uncomfortable but it was still awesome! I had a hard time breathing during the free fall but managed to get one good breath to keep me from panicking. The pressure on my ears hurt a little bit and they remained plugged for a day or so. The harness also pulled quite hard which didn't feel too great but none of that compares to the pure rush you get and the breathtaking views you see from 13,000 feet in the air. I would totally be up to doing it again!!! I was nervous on the plane ride up and was glad that the person connected to me basically pushed us out or I don't know if I could have jumped. In the end, I'm sure glad I did it. Here are a few pictures documenting the adventure. I will even throw in an embarrassing one of my cheeks flapping for your pleasure.

 H

 Here are some other things I have enjoyed this summer so far:

Hiking

  

The American Authors, Script, and One Republic Concert

Strawberry Days and Having my Dad Here

and a great July 4th with friends.

Spring

Spring is one of my favorite times of the year. I love seeing plants and trees blossom; everything starts to look alive and beautiful again. I love the warmer weather and getting to spend time outside. I love having spring break and knowing summer is just around the corner. My life gets a little busier with softball and golf leagues but those are things I love as well so I don't mind. Because of my busy schedule, I have had little time to blog but I thought it was time for an update.

Here is a little glimpse of my spring so far:

I started out the month of April with Spring Break at home. The weather was typical for the San Luis Valley, VERY windy and chilly. I was hoping I could spend some time outside and perhaps get in a little golf but nope, 5 straight days of wind, wind, and more wind. I basically spent a lot of time inside. I got to visit my grandma several times,

made a large batch of strawberry freezer jam with my mom,

 and enjoyed not having to worry about work. I spent lots of time with all of my family which was wonderful too. One thing that did keep me busy was working on a project. I turned an old wooden window frame into a memo board. The wind made painting a bit of a challenge but I love the result!

When I got back to Utah after Spring Break, life picked up where it left off and got a whole lot busier. This time of the year at work is a little crazy. There is so much going on and the students are ready to be done. They try my patience on a daily basis but we are hanging in there together.

The weather so far has been pretty great. Of course it is spring so the weather is a little bipolar but there have been several wonderfully warm days. I am in a softball and golf league so I get to be outside doing things I love a few times a week which is awesome. I've also managed to get in a few hikes this month. 

This was a good first hike of the year at Bells Canyon.

I did Grandeur Peak yesterday and it was definitely harder! Going back down really made me realize how steep of an incline it was the entire way. I was proud that we made it and the views were spectacular. 

 And because you can't have too many pictures, here are some more:

Jordan River Temple

 Flowers on Temple Square

 Easter Sunday

 Sunday Bike Ride

 Miniature Golf