perfection

rhody

the isle of lopez

This a.m. we packed up the beetle with 4 bikes and 4 friends for a 4 hour journey around lopez island. First of all, I'm amazed we even were able to get 4 bikes on the beetle...secondly, I'm amazed two guys over 6 ft. and meg and I all fit inside the beetle...and thirdly, I'm amazed we made the ferry - barely - it was a close call due to a late start, which occurred because some took too long to eat breakfast and make sandwiches for the road...Meg and I were so on time and ready to roll.


The weather was phenomenal and the company relaxing...I love adventuring with these friends. They are so flexible and easy-going, incredibly funny, and rediculously good looking! We went through a thick wall of fog on the ferry that filled our cups full of whipped hot chocolate, then so many nice people mentioned our left behind bike helmet...which I gladfully retrieved. We biked off the ferry into pure sunshine and continued through rolling hills, with views of pastures, sheep, horses, vultures, cows, wildflowers, haystacks, farms, and then to a spit near fisherman's bay. We rode out along the spit - amazing beach views...the grooves in the pavement were filled with crushed shells and it smelled like the sea. Then we headed for Shark Reef...went through more fog to get there and sang a song about baby sharkies and swimmers swimming. Finally, arrived at the Shark Reef sign...after going through more fog and thought for sure we would find the Black Pearl...unfortunately to get to the actual Reef you had to hike 10 minutes which we opted out of and continued to loop around lopez back to the ferry. We at lunch at a small park near the ferry where I cooled off in the water, threw seaweed at the camera...and Alec, ate pb&j, took funny montage pics, and laid out in the sand...the sun and warm sand felt so good!

I can't believe I hadn't mentioned it by now, (probably because I feel like such a natural...knock on wood) but last night before we went riding today Brian switched out my pedals and helped me put my clips on my new shoes...we took the bike out for a spin last night around g-lake and today I extended my record of not falling down another day! yay!

I am so thankful for...adventurous friends and gear jammed in the beetle, outlets, new bike pedals, the ocean, fog, and island cultures where everything seems to move a little bit slower...

summertime

I purchased this end-of-the-bolt fabric on sale from my favorite ballard shop, The Quilting Loft. I've been hanging on to it since the fall and finally have the motivation to get a little crafty now that school is soon over. I though I'd start off easy and found this simple reversible napkin tutorial through the Sew, Mama, Sew Blog. To get started I cut out the 13 1/2 in. squares of coordinating fabric. Tomorrow I hope to sew them together with a lime green ric-rack trim. I'm pretty excited...they will be the perfect touch for the table during summer entertaining!

a dollop

This past Christmas, Luke and Kendra gifted me the cookbook, Giada's Kitchen, by Giada De Laurentiis. Now that it's spring and I'm growing fresh vegetables I was inspired to pick out a few recipes to cook this week. First, I have to show off my fresh lettuce that I picked and washed today for a cantaloupe and proscuitto salad tomorrow evening...

In tonight's dinner I used fresh rosemary from the garden. I fixed the Hearty Tomato Soup with Lemon and Rosemary. I cooked the garlic, carrot and onion in butter and then added cannellini beans, broth, and tomatoes. The soup was seasoned with red pepper flakes and rosemary. After I let it simmer for 30 minutes I pureed the soup and topped the bowls with a dollop of homemade whip cream with lemon zest.

Malia came home and helped with the Broiled Zucchini and Potatoes with Parmesan Crust. We sauteed the zucchini and (semi-boiled) potatoes in butter with garlic, thyme and rosemary. After about 12 minutes the vegetables were sprinkled with fresh parmesan cheese and broiled for a few minutes.

The dinner was delicious...my favorite was the way the whip cream melted into the soup and the lemon aftertaste. The flavors were perfect...nothing was too overwhelming, a perfect combination for the taste buds!

a memorable birthday week

It started with berry tarts and strawberry-rhubarb pie, a late night movie - Monday.

Moves to extreme workout Tuesday with spinning class and run around greenlake in the rain and occasional thunder and lightening!

Wednesday was normal with writing sub plans, a nap and a late-night swim. Oh, and love listening to the band - Owl City (kind of a cross of postal service and hellogoodbye). Check out the song Hello Seattle.

Thursday - day off! An early-morning run, errands (new license plate), salmon dinner with Jennie and Alicia, laughs at Alec's acting debut, celebrating until midnight at the stube - happy birthday!

Friday - SUGAR HIGH - my students shower me with love and sweets...I had to drink gallons of water to stay hydrated. Before I get out of the parking lot - cookies with orange zest and dark chocolate (yum!) and a latte. Morning start - donut. 1st period - lemon shortbread, strawberries and whipped cream, some fancy chocolate brownies. 2nd period - cupcakes in ice cream cones and reeses peanut butter bars - starting to feel woozy. 3rd period - overwhelming amounts of sugar that I was able to save for later - swedish fish, starburst, hot tamales, sour patch kids and watermelons. Then, if that wasn't enough the Spanish class came in to sing "Feliz Cumpleanos" and Mrs. Vargas gave me a "fiesta in a bag," authentic Mexican everything - chips, salsa, pastries, juice, yogurt, orange soda! (all went to packwood) And to top it all off I made an ice cream cake to share with the faculty...too much...time to detox. Is it ovbvious I like sugar? I go home...run (trying to burn off some of the calories), pack, drive to packwood with the girls!

Saturday - Packwood = Paradise (when the weather is 70+). Long bike ride with Meg, laying out by the creek, dad's lattes, flea market, pulled pork sandwiches, clue, sleeping in the tent, mom's angel food cake, ice cream cake (really? two?), campfire, qt with housemates.

Sunday - buttercreek breakfast, run with Malia, clue, swimming pool, bike ride, creek walk, goose nest, nap in the hammock, reading, burgers, leftover cake and of course s'mores...just what I need...more sugar!

Today - Memorial day...a day to remember...not only those who have sacrificed for our country, but those friends and family who make little sacrifices to love me! I feel so overwhelmed by their love...seen in so many ways - birthday cards, hugs, socks, earrings, e-cards, laughter, love, bike rides, runs, long car trips, facebook messages, massages, flowers, questions, cooking, baking, listening, talking, playing, singing, and just spending time with me!

I am so thankful for the friends and family God has put in my life...thank you, thank you, thank you!

funky tan lines

The majority of the day today was spent outside. I got back last night from a field trip to Idaho with some students who earned a trip to Silverwood...a theme park...well I don't know if it's themed, but they have some pretty sweet old wood roller coasters! We got back pretty late on Saturday night and then I woke up at 6am to have breakfast at the Porch and then off in Brian's jeep to the race - Beat the Bridge. You have to run 2 miles to the University Bridge and as long as you run a 10 minute mile you beat the drawbridge...otherwise you get stuck behind it! We definitely beat the bridge and then finished the next 3 miles at a great pace. It was so fun to run with friends and for a good cause!

driving to the race

all giggles at the start

a couple miles to go!

we did it! a preview to our triathlon finish...

the girls!

Then I spent some time outside planting some flowers/herbs/tomato plants that I bought over Mom's weekend. The bed in front of our house was overgrown with weeds so I spent some time and weeded about half of it...this is when I got the funky tan lines. I was wearing a work out top that criss crosses in the back and yes...I now have a huge white X on my back with red triangles in between...ick!

With weeds

Without weeds

tomato plant


hanging impatiens basket



lettuce, cilantro, chives

so lucky

My amazing friends and helpers!

I am so lucky, fortunate, blessed...however you want to say it...with amazing friends! Tonight could have been a disaster, but was prevented by good friends. I was frustrated trying to make shortbread tarts look good and of course taste good. First batch of dough was an A+, but received an F for getting out of the pan. Second batch of dough got a C- because I tried to use salted sweet cream butter...not very good for shortbread taste. I didn't even try baking that batch. Third batch received an A for dough and A for getting out of the pan because I used paper cups! easy! Back to the friend part...I was so frustrated I threw a tart on the ground shattering it into flakey crumbs! watch out...baking is serious business. But then Meg went to the store with me, Malia and Meg made the cream cheese filling, while I mixed dough (batch #2), then Brian went with us back to the store for more butter...and everyone stayed up to see the third batch through to completion. Now it's 12am and I have 86 shortbread tart shells sitting up stairs and 4.5 hours of sleep ahead of me. Let's hope those shells don't flake out on me overnight...

The final product...Meg helped put them together at the banquet...mine are the small ones - second row and last row. They were so adorable and delicious. We received so many compliments on the look and taste! I'm thinking of a bakery...called lemon...

hike to an alpine lake