Thankful Thursday

Alright. I've been having a stressful week freaking out about life choices. But then this morning a read a story about the horrifying events in Norway. In the midst of attempting to read through my blubbering tears (thank you hormones!!), I realized that I need to take a moment to think of everything I've been blessed with.

So here we go folks. Another list of things I'm thankful for today. I really recommend everyone do this every now and then. It's quite helpful.

1. Waking up to dog kisses.

2. The fact that I actually HAVE the ability to make choices about my future. Even though it can be stressful at times.

3. Breakfast for dinner today! I can hardly contain my excitement for this.

PANCAKES GALORE!

4. Talks with friends who are in similar places in their lives and COMPLETELY understand what I'm freaking out about.

5. Cute little mumblings the boyfriend makes in his sleep.

6. And of course.....my lovely family and the roof over my head!

Rope Swing Wednesday

So I went camping this past weekend at this wonderful place called Holland Lake. Which is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Btw.

I assume by now you know that playing on rope swings is a big part of our family fun when camping. We spend hours and hours there hurling ourselves at the water.

It's wonderful.

I was also particularly excited to add lots of pictures to my already very large collection of photos. You know, of people flying through the air. Sometimes with poses.

Well I was sadly mistaken this year.

As it turns out the beloved rope swing tree was hit by lightning.

That's right. Lightning.

And then it fell over.

Home Sweet Home

The 10 Greatest Things About Coming Home From Camping

1. My couch

2. How I Met Your Mother marathon

3. A VERY tired dog

4. Shampoo

5. Zero bug spray

6. Foods that don't involve a stick

(not that I don't LOVE the foods that involve a stick....because I do. Really. They rock my face off)

7. No dirt on my feet

8. A BED!!! Like, with pillows and sheets and everything!

9. Looking through all the awesome sauce pictures I took

10. And more shampoo. Lots and lots of shampoo.

I would like it to be known that I do actually enjoy camping. Really I swear. REALLY!!

Camping Break

It's that time of year again!

Time to slather myself in bugspray, bathe in the lake and eat smores until I feel sick.

So everyone keep the internet occupied while I'm gone because I'm sure it'll feel a little lonely without me on it all the time.

So....Keep Calm and Have a Cupcake!!!!!

or something like that.

Finding Inspiration for Change

So I'm totally turning into an old lady.

I yell and shake my fists at people who speed in school zones. Why? Because that is UNSAFE behavior mister!

I also take about a million vitamins because I want to avoid heart disease and osteoporosis and all that crap. So yeah, I'm definitely feeling the aging process take hold of me. Mostly this is a good thing. I'm more responsible and I'm learning to take less for granted.

But there is another side to this getting older hoopla. And it's something I'm finding myself struggling with this last week.

Reality.

You see, when you're young your parentals tell you you can do whatever you want (which is still true btw). But then you start to actually enter your adult life and you start to notice something......Everyone is not becoming astronauts, artists, and magicians.

I realize no one really wants to me a magician. But in first grade my class made a book filled with what we wanted to be when we grew up and about half wanted to be magicians. So I think it should be mentioned.

No. People are becoming accountants, plumbers, or maybe they work in human resources. Now I'm not trying to dog on these professions. I'm just pointing out the fact that I've never heard a ten year old get excited about accounting. As we get older suddenly those dreams we had get overtaken by things like good insurance and 401K's. Which is, I'm pretty sure, the smarter choice to make.

Of course I'm feeling the push of the adult world of making lots o money. But that little girl inside me is starting to make some noise folks. She wants to be crazy and take a seemingly unsafe path. And gosh darnit...I think I'm starting to agree with her.

Hopefully this choice does not fall into my ever growing pile of bad decisions. But I guess I'll have to take my chances. I may put face cream on every night, but that doesn't mean I have to be completely grown up just yet. You know what they say....

Go big or go home.

Rope Swing Wednesday

flip out 2, originally uploaded by MeganDombroski.

How do they make it look so easy??

Rope Swing Wednesday

Gangsta

Terror and Disgust

As if I needed another reason to hate bugs...

So I'm taking Ellie Bean for her evening walky walk right? We're just trotting along, minding our own business...well...maybe not Ellie. She likes the gophers business......but I was COMPLETELY minding my own business. And then... it happened....

A bug.

It flew into my eye.

A BUG FLEW INTO MY EYE!!!!

Like, really IN my eye. When I blinked I could see it all stuck next to my contact. That's how in my eye it was. GROSS! How did I not blink fast enough?? This is a totally unacceptable situation! There is a crawly thing in my freaking EYE!!! What the hell???

So of course then, while not panicking (though I don't think anyone would have blamed me), I had to PICK it out.

Ugh. Reliving this is giving me shivers.

I mean, what gives bug? Why'd you have to go and DO THAT??!!

As Stephanie Tanner would say, "How RUDE!!".

This is not a pleasant event for either of us!! And if you didn't die from this evil act then you're damn sure dead now since I gave you an ultra crushing when I got you out! (just between my fingers....nats are real small) Why would you EVER think it's a good idea to fly into an eyeball? Seriously, I just don't get it.

So gross.

I guess I'll be on extra alert for bugs from now on.

Also because directly after a bee dive bombed my head.

Thanks a lot bugs...I think you suck at life too.

Elmer

This is Elmer.

He is a long haired wiener dog.

Like, really long haired. In this picture his hair has been trimmed.

It's usually much longer. Like a muppet or maybe someone off Sesame Street.

He has a tricky anteater like tongue.

It WILL get you. There is no escaping it.

If you meet him he will cry like a poopy diapered baby until you pet him.

He may also pee a little.

Because he loves you.

But don't be fooled by this sweet behavior. For he will attack any dog bigger than himself.

He is FEROCIOUS.

The Fourth

So I have this list of my goals for the summer. One of these goals was to read through my Nikon book and complete all assignments which has slowly turned into learning how to use the manual setting on my camera and practicing practicing practicing.

I was also just at my bf's padres house over the holiday and his mom has the most GORGEOUS garden in the world. So needless to say I took advantage of the wonderful change of scenery and took lots of pictures...here are a few...

Rope Swing Wednesday

Holy Smokes! With the holiday I almost forgot that TODAY is Wednesday!! Oopsie daisy.

Well anyhoo, here's another installment of some crazy aquatic fun. Enjoy!

AMERICA!

Happy Belated Fourth of July!

I hope everyone enjoyed their barbecues and firecrackers. I personally visited Laurel, MT which is where the boyfriends parentals live. Sunday we went to a bbq with friends and then to the towns street dance. There really isn't any dancing though. It's mostly just a small acale High School Reunion for all the Laurel kids + beer. We all call it the street stand instead.

On the big day you start off by enjoying the worlds longest and most ridiculous parade. It's an hour long and basically everyone who could ever want a float is allowed to have one. And most of the floats are unlabeled so you have no idea what they are for. Here's what I saw this year.

Political float

Tractors

People in old cars

Tractors

Larpers

An old man with a sombrero and overalls on a segway.

After ALL that fun we enjoy the boyfriend's family bbq. This means lots of food, booze and croquette. Everyone's favorite is the bulgogi (spelled wrong I'm sure) which is a korean barbecued beef. Sooooooo gooood.

Then of course there are the fireworks which are ridiculous in Laurel. All I'll say is that Laurel LOVES America. The boy and I had to miss this wondrous show of patriotism this year but the

small display in our hometown was okay. Especially since we were exhausted and watched from our bed : )

Needless to say I had a great weekend. The fourth is quickly becoming one of my favorite holidays of the year!