maybe

Q: Why do I get sick every 3 weeks or so?

A: Perhaps because this is my main food sources (note: untouched banana) & I work a lot....

I need a nap.  I cannot get sicker, only better because there is a retreat this weekend.  Must find some vitamin C... No, really must nap.

so much to blog,

so little time. I have been a blogslacker in preparing to go on retreat this weekend. BUT I promise some great blogs in the near future including one more politico, and some major info re. FARMYLAND!

And, as always a random photo:

Random because I have no idea where this was taken or why his tongue is hanging out, or if my tongue is also hanging out for that matter.

Yosemite

is stunning! Here are some pictures:

The mythic Half-Dome. I say mythic because the one other time I was in Yosemite it was so rainy & foggy I couldn't even see it. Clearly, not a problem this time.  Now I want to climb it! Maybe this summer.

Lower Yosemite Falls. You can just keep climbing closer & closer so we did... and got wet. But the fall was so powerful.  I kept thinking about the waterfall we swam under in Thailand which was much smaller but still instantly drove me down to the bottom of the river. This one would have been like being hit by a cartoon piano as you walk down the street. 

Only, you know, wetter.

Rebs gets excited about snow.

Me? I've had enough snow in my life. But I like hot cocoa.

Even our shadows are in love.

tonight

I

COOKED 

DINNER!

  

for SEVEN people.

for reals.

This never happens.

But might have to happen more if I want to keep being Hostess Girl.

Can this be my superhero alter ego?

Seriously, folks.

this weekend

Rebs & I went to Yosemite. It was beautiful, mind-bogglin' majestic, & oh, so very tall.  Also, strange because at the tops of the mountains it was sunny & blooming green yet in the valley, snowy & cold. Isn't the snow supposed to be on the top of the mountain? That how I always used to draw mountains in school. I have so great pictures but am too lazy to track down my camera & cord - so you'll just have to wait. 

But I'll give you a little taste with this: we saw a WOLF! Enjoy the google image until I'm willing to dole out details:

Ok, I'm ready. 

I was driving, due to a serious bout of carsickness the nastiest conclusion of which was avoided when I got out of car, walked around, consumed water from my new, awesome water bottle*,  ate copious amounts of original flavored Goldfish crackers (TM?), & thus fortified, took the wheel. 

For those of you who don't know, once you get into the park you still have to drive for an hour to get down to the valley where you can park, rest(room), start a hike, etc. I was behind another car on a 2 lane, windy road & they hit the brakes for know apparent reason. Luckily, I do likewise saying, "Why are these people slowing down?" As Rebs starts to reply, "I don't know." I look out the passenger window & finish my sentence, "Maybe because of that WOLF!" It was about 10 feet away from the car just watching morning traffic pass by. We don't actually have a photo of our wolf because I had to keep going to prevent a serious, although low-speed pile up in one of our National Parks.

Amazing.  It was one of those sights I have to keep checking in with Rebs about to make sure. "You saw wolf too? I'm not crazy?" He would say I'm not crazy because I saw a wolf but... 

ha. ha.

  I just can't help but wonder what happens when you are that close to a wolf when there's no car between you & it.

* Named Liquid Honey & deserving it's own post.

what's the...

hand motion for thank you?  I was driving home during rush hour & a lovely, beautiful, generous person let me merge in front of him/her.  I did a lame little wave which I meant to imbue with great gratitude but I'm worried it reads like a holding a hand up to someone's face ie. "Whatever, playa!" (Yeah, I know I can't even pull that off in type.)

I know lots of non-thanking gestures - not that I use them very often. But what a universal thanking gesture?

And for fun: these deep thoughts on hand motions in the afterlife*. Enjoy.

*Possibly only funny to youth ministry types, but oh, so funny to those chosen few.

from my shiny, new facebook- about me:

1. I am a neat freak, not a clean freak. I don't really consider germs a problem since I can't see them.

2. I consider it an act of aggression when people show up early to an activity I'm involved in. Clearly, I won't be ready.

3. I like presents! Picture Rebs saying, "She really likes presents." with an eye roll.

4. "I'm always the hostess! When I was a little girl the kids brought their dollys to my tea parties! I served the best air!"  (If you know what this is from we should be best friends.)

5. I would rather be caught without pants than without mascara.

6. I use pet names for everyone, including myself - when I talk to myself, in my head they're said with a Southern accent. Right, Babycakes?

7. I read a lot. For fun. On purpose. A lot. Like several books a week. If you do not like to read don't tell me- I will equate it to you telling me you ran over your grandmother with a car.

8. I believe in fairytales. And miracles.

9. Want more deep thoughts & minutiae? I blog.  Yeah, I'm vain like that.

10. I like making lists & cookies & out (with my husband).

seven months ago

nearly to the minute, I married the love of my life. I still look at him & think/say, "We're married?!" It's awesome. Since I work with teens I often think back to my little, scared high school self & think, "Oh girl, things are gonna be so much more fun/better/flippin' great than you can even ever imagine right now." And being married to Rebby is one of the major I could never have imagined. Now that I've been trying to put together a wedding album I'm remembering more about the wedding day than I did initially here are my top 7 favorite memories of our wedding day:

1. Rebby's face when he first saw me (way before the actual ceremony since we did photos before).

2. Dancing, hopping, laughing, general mayhem as we greeted guests before the ceremony.

3. Seeing Andy well up during the vows & my dad's beautiful toast.

4. Grinning the whole day, realizing that all of the little details we had spent so many months planning did matter at all because this way the most fun day of my life.

5. Dancing with my grandpa after he & my grandma won the longest married dance marathon.

6. Seeing Cowboy looking serious & grownup in his tux as the ring bearer.

7. Being surrounded by everyone we love who were so happy for us & having so much fun.

Bonus: Getting a text first thing in the morning from Rebs that said, " Thinking of you beautiful- can't wait to be married to the love of my life.- I love you."

Ugh, having to shorten the list to 7 is impossible there are so many great moments that I couldn't include. Maybe I'll have to do this again next month.

Hui

Should probably mention- I don't know these kids but I posted this because I feel like all kids do this kind of stuff. I know I did. (Kristen, radio show in closet, Disney parodies, enough said.)