Nichole is Leaving the Nest

Nichole is moving to D.C. and will be missed greatly! Although I'm sad she is going so far away, I'm also so excited for the adventure she is embarking on. Good luck good woman and do stay in touch. I would hate to have to come to D.C. to find you and give you a hug:-).

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Student Teaching

The school year has begun and I have found myself in the thick of it. Attending night classes after being at the high school all day has given me a new appreciation for my home. Nothing feels better than the couch, a good movie, and Ryan next to me.

My new classroom consists of: two freshmen classes, a junior honors class, and a senior college prep class. They are great! The freshmen are my favorite for sure, but the other two classes are interesting as well. The freshmen aren't jaded yet. They still listen, care, and seem genuinely interested. I dig it.

The big surprise is the technology in the classroom. I'm old school, but I didn't realize how old school. Needless to say, this will be a huge learning experience for me. I will learn to master the computers and Smart Board as well as all the other teacher stuff that goes with a classroom: classroom management, assessment, lesson planning, counselor, and educator.

Not the big surprise, I'm SO excited! Ryan always says, "You're always excited". To that I say, "And?".

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Dinner, old school

On the top of my summer to-do-list is, "Make dinner every night". I have accomplished this goal thus far... for the most part. Tonight I decided to make an old family favorite, Betty Crocker's Stuffed Green Peppers. My mom used to make these when we were kids, and surprisingly, we loved them.

My mom is a great cook of about ten specific meals. I love her spaghetti, her hamburger corn pie, and her amazing hostess skills. When you go to my moms, you are the guest. And it's good to be the guest. Somehow she remembers what everyone's favorites are and plans accordingly to who is coming. She is the greatest.

So, as I was scrapping out the membranes of the green peppers, drinking my new favorite Valpolicella wine, and listening to Ben Harper, I found myself drifting back to being ten and waiting patiently for dinner to be served. Dinner was always somewhat hectic at our home. The boys were running around or playing Nintendo, my dad would be watching TV or in the garage, and my mom and I were always setting the table and making dinner. I wouldn't say we had "chores", but we had roles, and I knew mine. Now, while I set the 14 tables at the restaurant, I can't help but think my life has come full circle:-).

Sitting down and having dinner as a family was a finish to the day when I was a kid. I hope to carry on that lost tradition in our present culture. So tonight, Ryan and I will sit and have Stuffed Green Peppers with wine. I love a well balanced meal!

Cheers! Thanks Mom!

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Salmon Fishing!

Ryan and I decided to take a break from the heat and go Salmon fishing with Joe in Depot Bay, OR. I'm so happy we did! Everyone caught their limit, 3, in record time. The boat left a little before 7 am, and we returned by 10:30. There were many throw backs with 12 anglers on the boat, and the poles were dancing all morning!

As you can imagine, we have some salmon to smoke, eat, and freeze. I hope you enjoy the video below!

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Summer: The beginning of the end

Summer break is quickly approaching its end, and I'm starting to panic. I didn't organize a single closet, I failed to re-organize the kitchen, and blogging once a week turned out to be just good intentions. However, my reading list is shorter and working five or six days a week turned out to be a good use of time.

I'm looking forward to returning to school and beginning my internship experience. I'm finding myself a little sad about working only one day a week at the restaurant once school starts, but that's the way it goes. I'm thankful for the one day a week... and the wine discount:-).

Speaking of wine, the wine dinner with Small Vineyards was beyond amazing! Savory food and perfect wine pairings created an atmosphere that was intoxicating. Conversation flowed heavier than the wine, and the laughter was contagious. One couldn't help but smile and shove more food in their mouth:-). I was surrounded by girlfriends who enjoy good food and wine as much as I do. White wine is growing on me, I must admit. However, the Barbaresco stole the show paired with a medium rare ribeye steak. The whole night was spectacular. A big "Thank You" to Thomas Kelly and Small Vineyards!

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The Infamous Crash...

The weekend started out great! Ryan, TJ, and I were off to get me new riding gear to go dirt biking. So, with my new outfit, "gear", we drove off past Brown's camp to find the perfect camping spot. Once unloaded, we fired up the bikes and took off.

The wind in my hair, my new get-up looking good, and finals a million thoughts away, I got comfortable on my Honda CR 125. The boys took it easy on Saturday, letting me settle in. After riding for a few hours, we set up our tents and made sausage dogs over the camp fire. Talk turned to memories and future plans for riding and camping all summer. I turned in early around 8:30, falling asleep while reading Love in the Time of Cholera.

Sunday morning was beautiful. We ate breakfast, geared up, and rode away. We started going on some fun trails. I was doing really well! After a few more trails we came upon my new arch nemesis...

Ryan and TJ went up the steep rocky incline perfectly. Ryan gave me some detailed instructions before making sure I wanted to try the "big hill". I snickered and said, "yeah, I can do it!" The boys gazed down as I revved up the two-stroke motor and took off, determined to show that I could do it too.

Well, the bike hit the power band at just the right moment, threw me off, popped a wheely, hit a tree, went vertical, and fell right on top of my right leg. Ouch! Ryan ran down to get the bike off me while I tried to figure out how to breathe and let the tears fall.

Thanks to my gear, I didn't break my leg. It's bruised down to the bone from my knee to the top of my ankle. So for now, I'm laid up and not moving. The doctor said I should be walking by Friday IF I stay off my feet and ice, ice, ice. Ryan is taking great care of me. However, I don't think I can eat take-out another night:-).

Unfortunately, it's finals this week. Although my professors are being more than understanding, I'm missing all the presentations and last day excitement before summer begins. I may be able to make it tomorrow, but it doesn't look like it. My flowers are also suffering a little. Not to mention Lucy and Alley. My mom took Athena for the week, which I'm so grateful for.

So, I will post pictures as soon as Ryan transfers them to my computer...

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The Remodel...

If work, school, and planning a wedding isn't enough, Ryan and I have also been remodeling the house in chunks. As of this month, the backyard is on our list . Ryan assures me we will have a beautiful patio and grass in the next month or so. And with our progress over the last few weeks, I think we're on track!

We split and stacked at least 5, yes five, cords of wood! The backyard is clear and surprisingly huge! Athena and Lucy are devastated they can't play "Queen of the Hill" anymore on the wood piles, but they are enjoying running around and digging to find lost tennis balls and other mysterious objects.

With the wood in it's own area, I can finally start to visualize my dream outdoor space. Now, all we have to do is plant and pour... it shouldn't be too hard, right?

My mom and I planted a wide variety of flowers out front, and they still look great a month later! The hanging baskets are full and vibrant. The porch swing seems to be my resident space for reading the endless amounts of articles and chapters for this summer session of school.

I'll keep you posted on our progress!

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