End of the School Year

I'm back! I haven't actually been gone, but I have not posted in over two months! I have had pictures loaded for quite some time, but I haven't published them because I didn't have time to add any words to go with them! I should have several posts over the next few weeks...

I think it was really this post that has been slowing me down. My last day of school this year was also my last day teaching at Free State. While I am confident it was the right decision to resign, it was still an emotional and scary decision! (Those kinds of decisions are the worst! Yuck!) I am still searching for a job now - without much success - but Nick is confident that everything will work out: ) I'm not as confident as he is, but I know I won't be jobless forever, and I know that I would be unhappy if I was headed back to my classroom this fall. I'll keep you posted on the job search and will hopefully have some good news soon!

I will miss so many things about Free State...but most of all I will miss working with Mom: (


English Department


Ha ha!


In my classroom...


My friends on my window: )

Yard Work/Picnic/Mother's Day

Yard Work...FINALLY! We had some good weather, so Nick and I tackled the yard! We did NOT properly anticipate the amount of time we would need! The front landscaping was much more difficult than expected, and we still have more work to do! We do feel better about how it looks, so that is good: ) Callie helped, too: )

Callie in her new kennel!


Nick enjoying a beverage!


Before...



After...


When we finished, we showered quickly and went out to the lake for a picnic! BEAUTIFUL weather and SO fun! We had wine, cheese, crackers, sausage, and grapes - YUM!






The next day, we had guests for Mother's Day! I did my baking ahead of time, and I cut up the fruit in the morning. Nick prepared the breakfast casserole the day before, and then we put it in the oven in the morning. I was pleasantly surprised with the way it all turned out, and I FINALLY was able to use some of our wedding gifts to display the food!

Food Table!!


Lisa joined us to surprise Mom: )


Nick, Judy, Butch


Grandpa and Lisa


Lisa with Mom and Dad


LOVE YOU, Mom!!

Date Night: )

Last Saturday, Nick and I had a date night...which I really needed!

We went for a long walk at the Rotarty Arboretum before our movie and dinner. The weather was BEAUTIFUL - it reminded us of our honeymoon!

We took a few pics to commemorate the sunny day: ) I'm including one with and one without sunglasses because Nick always likes the sunglasses pics better, and I always like the w/o sunglasses pics better - ha!





After our walk, we had more time than we thought before the movie, so we drove around several car dealerships and looked at cars a little bit. We are hoping to purchase a new car this fall (maybe). Next, we went to the see How to Train Your Dragon (3D). I LOVED it! It was pricey - but worth every penny: ) I had hoped to include a pic of us in our sweet 3D glasses, but we forgot to take one: ( Here is the trailer instead:



After the movie we had a yummy dinner at On the Border. Yummy: ) We had a great time, and I hope we have another "date night" soon!!

Spring makes me happy: )

Spring makes me happy: ) The weather is awesome...and we have only 5.5 weeks of school left!!

In my birthday card last year, Grandmom included this haiku that she had written many years ago. I LOVE it, and I had someone on Etsy create a print to fit the words. I had her include a hummingbird because hummingbirds have always made me think of my NC grandparents! I backed my print with scrapbook paper and framed it. I plan to keep it forever: ) Enjoy...



Spring also brings Easter! Everyone came to our house, and we had our own little Easter potluck! We had a GREAT time, and I was once again reminded how lucky Nick and I are to have families who can easily gather together! (We all spent Thanksgiving 2008 together as well as Christmas/Blizzard 2009 together as well!)

Nick and Me (We always have to take one ourselves!)


Judy and Butch


Me, Grandpa, and Little


Claire and Daddy (Love this one!)


Family Photo: )


Easter Flowers (RIP!! I took this pic a few days too late: ( - Thanks for the cute pitcher/vase, Mom!)


Spring also means...the (muddy) dog park!! We took Callie to the dog park on Friday night after work. It was a beautiful evening, and I enjoyed spending time with two of my favorites: ) Nick and I took Callie off of her leash...and she quickly found her own mud puddle! I tried to take a pic of her in the puddle, but she stopped dancing around in it when we approached. I am pretty sure it was the happiest moment of her life! I can't wait to go back!

Cal's Favorite Puddle: )


Family Shadow - Love this!


"Bath" Time = "Attack the Hose" Time


Cute pup!


Smiles: )



Spring also brings race season! This was my third race in 2010, and it was also my third half-marathon! Although in the past I have said I would never run another half-marathon, some of my college friends helped motivate me to give the half another try: ) Katie, Sarah, Steve, and I completed the Olathe Half-Marathon on April 10, and we all were extremely succesful! I beat my time from last year by about 5 minutes, and Steve and Sarah both beat their previous times as well! This was Katie's first half - and she is EXTRA amazing because she just had twin boys in August!

Nick was AWESOME (as usual), and he came with me! We had to leave the house by 5:40 AM - not a time that we usually spend together! I knew it would be great to have him along for the drive to KC (and he drove!), but I think he definitely helped me with some pre-race nervousness! He surprised me along the route and took some pictures!

Me: )


Almost there!!!


DONE!!!


The Bland Family


Me and My Love


Katie, Sarah, Me


I have been SLOW this week in my recovery, but I will not rule out another half just yet; ) My legs don't hurt, but they sure are tired - even 6 days later!

I can't wait to see what else spring will bring: )

OK visit and Dam Run

I mentioned in my last post that I was headed to OK to visit Malinda, John, and Ethan...I had SO much fun! It was awesome to catch up with Malinda and to not have any kind of schedule - except Ethan's: ) He is such a good baby!

When I reached OK on Monday morning, we picked up John and went to lunch at a Mexican restaurant (YUM!). Then, Malinda, Ethan, and I went shopping and picked up some food for the next few days. The weather was AWESOME, so we went on a 4 mile walk on an awesome trail that winds around Bartlesville! SO fun: ) John grilled porkchops, and after a glass of wine we relaxed the rest of the night!

The next day Malinda and I woke up early to attempt Malinda's first post-baby run! I was SO impressed! We ran about 3 miles...and did not stop at all! (Malinda will definitely be my inspiration some day after I have a baby! She ran a 10k last weekend - about 6 weeks after Ethan was born! Go Mindy!) After showering, Malinda and I made dinner (tortilla soup that could be reheated at dinner time - yum!) and cupcakes (reduced sugar classic yellow with reduced sugar chocolate fudge frosting).



In the afternoon, we did a little shopping at the mall! When we returned to the house, Ethan and I had a photo shoot after I fed him his "supper". Isn't he adorable!?!







Then, we ate the soup we made in the morning and relaxed while watching American Idol: ) I really did have such a good time: )

Oh yeah! Malinda also introduced me to this YUMMY cheese - Laughing Cow. SO SO SO good! I keep forgetting to look for it in Lawrence, but now I am craving it!


Before I left Wednesday morning, I had to take some more pics with Ethan: ) He also did some smiling at his mama!!







I failed to take any pics with Malinda or to take any pics of Malinda with Ethan, but she was kind enough to send me a few of her faves! She looks SO happy and beautiful! Love her so much!!





In my last post I said that I did not take any pictures with Ethan during our first meeting - but I forgot about this one that Malinda took! He was NOT happy when I was holding him, so I was a little frightened! Ha: )



On another note, I have been training for a half-marathon, and I completed the Dam Run 12k last weekend (in AWFUL cold/rainy weather!). I was the first female in my age group...although I may have been the only female in my age group! HA! It is still fun to say that I won - for the second time! Nick took my picture when I returned home: )



The half is next week, and (after a successful 11.5-mile run this morning!) I think I am ready for it!