Dear Friends

I miss my friends. Ashley and Whit. I do I do I do. They are fun, they are beautiful, they are awesome! We were such a trio last year and now...they are too far away! My selfish, loud side says "Ladies get your butts to my town!" But my nice, less-selfish, wanting the best for them side says "You're butts should stay where you are happy!"

Senor Smarty Pants has been training at a new job for the past 2 weeks...needless to say I get a bit lonely, I have become so used to having him around. Last year I would go weeks without him, and while it would be hard, I knew there was really nothing I could do about it except look forward to the next letter, text, phone call, and weekend together. Now I can hardly go hours without being in dire need! (ok maybe thats a little dramatic, give me a break people I miss MY people!) So since I haven't had Senor Smarty Pants entertaining me, (we really don't do much it's just the simple fact that someone else is around) I have been thinking about my dear friends more and more.

I miss the comrade. I miss having the shared faith and the support. I miss them knowing that yeah, I'm not the most cuddly person in the world but I will do anything for them and they for me. I miss laughing a girl things, who would have ever thought I would say that. Girls annoy me! But we are different and way cooler of course. I feel out of the loop even though I'm really not. But I will see them soon...I hope. But in the mean time, girls if you are reading this...consider coming to UNK, it would be even better if we could hang out more. :)

P.S. Kayla, I can't write this post and not include you! I so enjoy our afternoon talks, and I miss you too! I'm sure someone needs an accounting clerk here! We have always been friends but we have become even more so and I am so thankful. You are awesome, beautiful, and fun as well! Love!

Blessings!

FaLl!

Last weekend was a wonderful Fall weekend! We did all kinds of Fall related things, go to Football, wore jackets, make sunflower seeds and pick and haul pumpkins. It was awesome.

A stated that he would like me to do something with my sunflower heads...yes sir. So I looked up how to make sunflower seeds at home. I had to take them out of the flower...this was tedious and conviently A was too busy to help... you put a teaspoon of oil to each cup of seeds then in the oven at 325 for 8-10 mins and then salt! super easy!

The Triple P was very successful this year. He decided to try to grow giant pumpkins also and he did well at that too. Mom wanted them hauled into town to decorate her shop and the coffee shop so its a good thing we had lots of muscle around...and no I'm not talking about my twigs they call arms!

It was a great weekend.

Blessings!

Catching Up...STATE FAIR...

The Nebraska State Fair has moved to GI. That is only 20 mins away from where I am now. My family used to attend the Stat Fair when us kids would have something competing but it had been many years. Senor Smarty Pants and I decided to make a day of it. Plus Casting Crowns was performing a concert. The best part, the concert only cost us $8 each (our gate admission) and the 20 mins we waited in line to get our wristbands. They were first come, first serve and we got really good seats!

So we looked at the exhibits, ate some fried food, looked at the animals, and saw a concert! OH and I got to see my dear friends Ashley, Whit and Cait! I was soo glad we decided to meet up there! It was a fun day!

This is some of the fried food...this is Senor Smarty Pants' deep fried snickers and deep fried pickles. The pickles were really really good!

This is the Deep Fried Peach. It was delicious. I had never had one. I decided the state fair is for eating ridiculous food! Please disregard my wind-blown look.

This one of the quilts at the Fair. They were all so beautiful. Such tedious work.

These are a few pictures from the Casting Crowns concert. They were so good. I would go back in a heart beat!

Below is one of my favorite songs by Casting Crowns.

Favorite Lyric from the song (this week)

" And what would happen if we prayed

For those raised up to lead the way

Then maybe kids in school could pray

And unborn children see light of day"

Blessings!

Catching Up...Vacation #2...

I also went on Vacation with Senor Smarty Pants' family, that was a whole other kind of adventure. His youngest brother and I have an interesting relationship...I wouldn't call it love-hate, but I wouldn't call it love-love either. But it was a good time. This time we went to Loveland and then up to Estes. Another beautiful part of Colorado and I hadn't been up there for quite a while. I didn't take much pictures, we didn't do too much which was nice. We just kinda relaxed most of the time. But we did go for a ride around the State Park up there, Rocky Mountain National Park. It was amazing. I loved the contrast of the meadow and the huge mountains.

There were signs that explained that the moose come down from the mountains during the winter time to the meadow. There is less snow down there and they need the vegetation, there is too much snow up in the mountains. I found a nice rock and sat on it and looked at the mountains for quite a while. They had to drag me back in the vehicle!

Shout for joy, oh heavens; rejoice oh earth burst into song oh mountains, for the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.

Isaiah 49:13

Blessings!

Catching Up...Vacation #1...

I know that I shared with you that I went on a Vacation this summer and I told you all about my 1st skate but I didn't share any of the other photos that we took while in Steamboat. While looking at these it really made me miss Colorado. This is the longest span I have ever been away from at least a view of the mountains! Mom and Dad had been to Steamboat before and they had went on a walk at Fish Creek Falls about 20 years ago and so they wanted to take us there! It was beautiful. But the most impressive thing to me....they get at least 14 feet of snow up there during the winter. The city depends on it heavily, it is their main water source. They have all kinds of wildlife as well up there. Senor Smarty Pants and I are thinking we need to check out the slopes up there soooooon!

My mom and dad have a picture in this same place with the same pose from 20 years ago, how sweet. :)

It was a really beautiful walk. We got to see so many different views of the mountains and the waterfall.

I love the Aspen Trees, my Grandparents have been out there in their 5th wheel for about 2 weeks now, they say the Aspens have been changing and are spectacular.

This picture makes me sad. See all the dead trees? The Mountain Pine Beetle is killing so many of the trees and there is really no way to control it because of the emense amount of trees. It is especially bad in the Breckenridge area.

These are my men... err... boys. They are so fun. :)

At one point I turned around and A had decided to do a little rock climbing.

Oh E!

The hill on the way back was VERY steep...but I knew we brought Senor Smarty Pants along for a reason!

One night we went to a Rodeo. It had been a while since I had been to one. My mom went to one every weekend and ropings' every Tuesday while she was growing up. She espically enjoyed the city people reading the program to learn all the rules. But didn't enjoy when they expressed their concerns for the animals involved-people they are fine!

The calf scramble. The kids were so cute!

Another Skating picture. It was so fun! All four of us are in this one.

Ok, here is our scandalous part of the trip. Steamboat Springs has its name for a reason, for the natural hot springs. We decided to find them. They are in the middle of nowhere, up a little road. We get there and we see the sign. Admission-not too bad but then read the bottom of the sign. We heard tell of a story of some shenanigans of some people from my hometown...after dark. Yikes.

This place was kinda strange. The pools were really hot! They are not kidding when they call them hot springs. I felt like it was some hippie retreat and it kinda was. But it was still pretty cool, but I was extremely happy we were not there after dark! They had a massage therapist giving free massages. I decided the dead of winter with those 14 feet of snow would be and awesome time to go!

This is where the water came from, no one was permitted up there. I cannot imagine how hot that water was if the pools almost burned my feet when I first stepped in.

As we always do when we are anywhere in Colorado we did some Alpine Sliding. So fun! Scooters on tracks down the slopes....what could be more fun?! Just keep all appendages in!

One day we went to a botanical garden. I loved it. I love plants, as you know, and Colorado always has beautiful foliage.

It was a really great Vacation!

Blessings!

Catching Up...Circus!

So this summer the Circus came to ol C-town and like an good blogger I was excited about this interesting opportunity to take pictures and share. But like a irresponsible blogger I didn't get this information on here till..uhhh...the 21st of September...the first day of Fall! (which may I please mention I am extremely happy about this season finally being here. It's my favorite!) Anyway, the Circus...It was big deal with don't get those type of things around here very often. This Circus had a big tent, we ignored the holes in it. But it was so fun

This was the clown...he is trying to make his own tight-rope. You can only imagine how well this went.

This chick was really cool! I was just amazed by her strength. I can barely lift my computer.

This "little" guy was the whole reason I came to the circus. It's a real African Lion! I have a dream someday of not only thoroughly visiting European countries but Africa as well. It just fascinates me. It's a whole other world over there. It's like nothing we have here or really anywhere. The African Savanna looks so amazing. I have no clue where this love came from but it's just one of those things. I want to go on a safari. So if any exotic animal from that area come to my area...I'm there!

This Guy was a master juggler. He was juggling hats!

This is the gorilla. I know I had you all fooled...but...NO he's not real! I know shocking. The kids got a kick out of this little stunt. The gorilla stole a ladies purse and went through it. Ha.

This was impressive. She did so many dangerous stunts.

This young lady was a member of a family of unicyclists. I only wish my family was that cool! And as if the super tall unicycle wasn't dangerous enough they added FIRE. Awesome.

This little geil had many titles under the big top but she was especially talented with birds. They just flew over to her and she spun them around. It was cute.

This one of like the 6 kids that a Grandpa came with. At one point they each had a snow cone. Then I looked over and they each had a bag of popcorn...then I looked over and they each had a bottle of water. It was so cute. The best part was that they didn't take their eyes off the show the ENTIRE time. They were mesmerized! :)

It was a fun night!

Blessings!

Even When the Miles are Many...

These are some pictures from my hometown that showed up on facebook today. You see we have a husband and wife that own a Coffee Shop/Pharmacy. They are crazy. They happen to be my cousins. The coffee shop is called Shirley K's. Look it up sometime. Its awesome. I feel it is what defines my town. It's what we are at our best. Nutty, fun, and friendly!

This is Mark...the pharmacist, yes he is in fact dressed like a gorilla...in a tutu...although I know for a fact that he will dress like this and many other ways if only asked...but today he has a purpose to dress like this....again, yes this is his moped...he drives it to work and revs it up if you look like ya wanna race....and yes that is a pizza box strapped to the back....but it doesn't hold a pizza...no...it holds something way better a, Shirley K's GIANT cookie. You see Mark the Monkey Man is on a delivery!

This is in one of our classrooms. This is Mr. Blex, a social studies teacher. Although I never had the pleasure of being educated by Mr. Blex, as he is new this year, from what I hear, he is a huge hit! Yesterday was Mr. Blex's birthday. Someone arranged for a cookie to be made and delivered and who better to go and make a scene and complete fool of himself than...Mark the pharmacist! It's perfect!

When I saw these pictures today it made me miss my home. Not just my house and my family but my town. I know I have wrote before about being homesick, yata yata. But the more I am away and the more I see things from home, I come to see that I belong there. It's good to get away but it's always home. I can't call any other place that, so far. I almost don't want to admit that because then it seems that I have made my decision and that I will in fact return there hopefully, someday, full-time.

Why is my town so special? Well just like many things we own, simply because its mine! My family is there, my memories are there. I am more "me" there than all other places. My town is pretty. It's crazy and the people in it make me nuts sometimes but it's a great place to live. You don't get the interaction with people like we do in big cities. How sad really. People know and just "get" each other. The song below has some really great lyrics. (Please ignore the ones about drinking and other teenage shenanigans. Not part of the point I am trying to make!) Just as in the song below I too try to take in all the mental pictures I can when I go to leave, enough to get me through until the next time I am back. Also like the title of this post, which is from a line in the song, even when the miles are many, I feel like I'm still around. It's still mine. I just keep turning home.

Blessings!