Holy Tamoley, It's freakin' hot here!

Today we just got back from Deep Creek Lake! It is like at least 10 to 15 degrees hotter here than it was there! The humidity is ridiculous!!!

So, I am happy to announce that I have lost approximately 8 pounds. Now, it was 9.5 last week, but I am pretty sure I might have picked up 1.5 on vacation, but I really worked hard to stick to my good eating habits the entire time I was there. Needless to say, I feel so much better about myself! Yeah, there are some areas still in need of improvement, but I don't feel like a fatty boomba putting on a bathing suit anymore! So that is my first official picture in a bathing suit, and it is my official jump for joy! Even though my face is screaming shock and horror. That was more for the fact that the water was like, I dunno, 60 degrees. But, whatever, you only live once!!

Deep Creek was a lot of fun! I got my mom to go kayaking for the first time. I will post those pictures as soon as I get the waterproof camera stuff developed. Also, we had a blast once John and my uncle's family got there. We even got my little 30 pound, 6 year old cousin, Faith, tubing off the back of the pontoon boat! She was hysterical! She told me she never wanted to get off of the tube. The artsy fartsy picture there is Faith and my aunt, Kim on the tube. John, of course, took that one!

Well, there isn't too much terribly more to write about. Well, except for the fact that we might get another son! We may be adopting a fella named Woodie! We would probably change that name though. Too many mean jokes! We are taking Mason to meet him on Tuesday! Since Woodie is two, we thought if they get along, why not? I'll keep ya updated on that one!

Well, it's hot up here, and I want to go watch my husband sleep! So, good night!!!

I hate cleaning.

It's true, I am officially a crappy wife. I hate cleaning. I rather avoid it at all costs. However, the irony to this situation is that I hate messes and clutter. So I suppose I need to figure out which I hate more . . . messes. I just hate how things build up over the week. Not to mention that I am one of those, what you might call, pilers - I like to make neat little piles everywhere. To add to the piler method, John is a pack rat - so there are neat little piles of John's stuff everywhere. One of these days we are going actually finish moving into this house so we can stop making piles everywhere!!! It is just always so busy. Today John is helping a friend clean out his house so when the people who will settle on it and try move in on Monday, can actually move in on Monday.

Yesterday we went to John's group at work's picnic. John and his friends decided to play volleyball with these two girls who were just hanging out there. We are all playing, and the one girl has the nastiest language, and the other girl was very pretty with a little too much showing. This is all fine with me, my husband wasn't paying attention to them. However, we thought they must be in college. Oh no, we were really mistaken - they were 14 and 15 - freshmen in high school. 10 YEARS YOUNGER THAN US!!! It makes me wonder about having children. I don't know that I would let my children out of my house, ever. The more I teach, the more mistakes I see parents make when it comes to raising their children, and the more terrified I become of screwing up a human being. Oh well.


Last weekend was a cool, new first for me . . . I went backpacking for the first time. I actually really enjoyed myself, and would def. like to do it again. It is a lot of work, and the bathroom situation is probably the most uncomfortable thing ever, but the rest makes it totally worth it. We hiked Big Schloss - that is the rock formation in the background of the picture. I didn't quite make it to the top because I found a new fear of heights. I hate that I let things limit me, but unfortunately I don't like being out of control - and heights make me feel that way. What a run-on sentence - oh well. Oh, if you were wondering - yes that is a pack on Mason's back. He loves it. He runs around like a mad-man when we pull it out because he knows he is going hiking. He loved backpacking. He was so blitzed when we came home. I think he slept all Monday long.


Well I suppose I should start cleaning so I can be finished. Hope the weekend is nice and doesn't go by too fast ..... I have my last 5 day week coming up ... then 4 days after that!!!


* The pretty flowers at the top are from the hike too!!

It's raining on .... Saturday!

I just figured an update might be nice. It really isn't as if a ton of people read it, but really it is for my own benefit.

John is out hiking again for a second weekend in a row. Last week he hiked Tibbit's Nob - see video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6gbckwGXwI - Pastor Kelly really has too much time on his hands! However, it is pretty hilarious! This week he is in Shenandoah National Park hiking Old Rag. I passed on this one, I am going to the Exclusively for Women Expo with my mom. I should be getting ready for that soon. . ..

I am still waiting on whether or not I got into grad. school. Each week they seem to find something else I am missing from my application. I feel kind of stupid that I didn't do it right the first, second, or third time. It really isn't like me, but that's cool.

We have almost completed our front yard landscaping. John built a beautiful wall, and I planted a garden, but we still need to mulch. The next project is adding a deck to the back. Maybe I can actually help with that one! Sometimes I feel so useless. :( Oh well!

Time to get ready now, sorry for the lack of excitement!

Another Hike . . .

I am happy to say John is home . . . after a rather eventful trip to Mexico! He really enjoyed himself, but the last day and a half were less than desirable. He experienced a canceled flight and Montezuma's Revenge. Not too pleasant at all!

Today we went on a 10 mile hike along the Appalachian Trail from Gapland, MD to Harpers Ferry, WV. That was really cool. I liked the hike a lot. It was pretty easy, especially along the C & O Canal.

I know I don't look terribly attractive in this photo - but it was taken with my phone, so that is my excuse... plus we were hiking! The picture is where we stopped for lunch, an overlook at the end of the first ridge, about 6 miles from Gapland. That ridge was really cool. There was a shelter for through hikers on the AT. It was this log cabin enclosure, and it had a sweet loft, and was really well kept. The outhouse wasn't so awful either! The log from visitors was also rather interesting. I think it would be really cool to hike the AT one day. Well, obviously it would be more than one day ... it would take months. But I think that would be on my list. I think it is on John's list as well.

Even though it doesn't look like the weather was too beautiful in any of these pictures - it rained shortly after lunch, then blue skies for the rest of the day. Harpers Ferry was BUSTLING!! There were boy scouts and tourists everywhere. Canons were even going off. I think I am too used to Harpers Ferry as a desolate little town in the winter. It actually got really warm, and I got a little sun on my face, which is kind of nice, all considering my paleness. Well the husband is calling ... so off to dinner. (Thankfully not like the dehydrated meal he made for lunch!)

I want to be cool like Molly Fromille

Hello all.
I just love Molly's idea of blogging. While I don't move around the country much, it is certainly more fun to write story-like synopses of our lives rather than just always updating facebook.

An update on our current status!

After getting married in August 2006, John and I prepared to buy our first home by living in a an apartment for a year. That's when we got our little bundle of joy: Mason! Mason is a miniature Australian Shepherd, with blue merle coloring, and beautiful blue eyes. He is an absolutely awesome dog!






Finally, after spending a year in the apartment, we finally were able to find a house.
John and I settled on the house in mid August 2007. We are really blessed to have such a nice home, and have been very happy with our remodeling. John easily learned how to install plumbing for the new powder room, and tile as well. He is really handy! I think the powder room is our biggest accomplishment so far - and I think you can see why - it is beautiful! (If I do say so myself!)

Now we are getting ready to update the outside to be ready for the summer. We are planning to add a deck to the back, along with a new storm door leading to it. There will also be some vegetable garden boxes added - because there isn't anything better than tomatoes from your own garden! We will also be re-landscaping the front of the house. It does not have much of a garden, and I really like flowers - so that will be great once it gets warmer!

We will also be painting our upstairs, and probably will do something with the basement during the fall months. Having a house is a lot of hard work, and maintaining it is hard enough, but remodeling and adding on is even harder, and more expensive! Thank God for tax returns!!!

Along with remodeling this summer, we will going to some fantastic places. John, with his dad, sister Julie, two uncles, and dad's friend, will be hiking the Grand Canyon rim to rim the last week of June. While they are away, Mason and I will be with my parents in Deep Creek Lake. (I didn't know when the Grand Canyon trip was taking place when my mom and I planned that- otherwise I would be in Arizona!). Once July rolls around, John and I will be headed south to El Salvador, for a missions trip with the high schoolers from Trinity. I am really looking forward to that, and just hanging out with some cool teenagers! It is tough to always work with middle school kids!

Speaking of which, my job is going well, and so is John's! He will be finishing up his master's degree in Program Management, at Johns Hopkins, this coming winter. Hopefully, I will be starting my masters this fall at Towson, for secondary education. I am happy to be a student again, right now at least I think I am!

As for right now, we are blessed to be filling our time with friends, a small group, American Idol, and spring time hikes.
Well, it is still early, so I am going to go back to bed for a bit. Keep John in your prayers, because he is in route to Mexico to film a conference. I am sure he will be suffering in the 80 degree weather at a resort for the next five days!