Zoo part 2

Kestan was a great road tripper, but by the end I think we were all ready to get out of the car and run... and Kestan makes that clear in a very cute way in this video (also couldn't figure out how to turn it, so enjoy sideways for now).

Omaha Zoo!

Last week my dad, sister and I went on our second annual father-daughter road trip and this year we added my nephew Kestan to the mix which turned out to be a great decision. We spent a full day at the Omaha Zoo on it's biggest day of the year -25,000 visitors that day. It was definitely a little crowded when we first got there, but the zoo is so fun, and they have some great additions (like the butterfly house) I highly recommend taking a day to check it out. Not only did these freaks charge the fence.. but they make a pretty awful sound. I mean, I am sure they are beautiful creatures at some point in their life... but really, I barely wanted to stop to take the picture, but had to because I was on the phone with Matt at the time and I had to document where that loud sound was coming from.

summa time!

Gearing up for our morning bike ride, trying to make it a weekend tradition. Also, making weird faces is apparently something we need to do as well.
Well if officially feels like summer! We spent all morning outside and decided we needed to cook out. Jaxon is definitely enjoying laying in the shade in our backyard.
Matt grilled out fresh chicken, veggies and baked beans... it was so delicious!
I got a little excited cutting the great big watermelon we just bought and sliced my hand, but it's okay.
We gave the dogs a bone to eat outside, which we have never done because I just figured Jaxon would try to bury it, but instead they both snuggled in the cool grass and leisurely enjoyed their treat. Well, Jaxon took his time, and Ellie eats everything in record time.
Ellie and
Jaxon.

reflection

i am trying to take advantage of the less then two weeks i have left regularly watching my nephew... i get very bored with the internet (i need to make more blogging friends because i do enjoy these) but i try to take a break from wedding planning, scheduling, phone calling, and just be.  during his naps this gives me a chance to actually sit, and write, and reflect on many things but right now i am writing my life story... some on paper, and some just in my head that i eventually hope will make it to paper, if for nothing else then to store it on my art desk in a beautifully organized mess. while doing this i have recalled many funny stories from my childhood (samples to come later i'm sure) and investigating my relationships with people.  i have found that no matter how good or bad things seem to be i feel really blessed when it comes to the people in my life and that life (my life) boils down to the quality of these relationships. and when something doesn't feel right, or my feelings get hurt, or i offend someone else i like to step back and figure out how or why that happened.  maybe i am sensitive in certain situations, but maybe some people don't take the time to think about what they say before they say it.  their comment could have nothing to do with me and all to do with their bad attitude, or confusion, or hurt.  i love going back to the four agreements (great, simple read, i recommend it) two of the four agreements are this; 1. don't take anything personally, and 2. don't make assumptions. 

it seems so simple yet so hard to practice on a regular basis.  as human beings we sometimes take things personally, we judge people, and feel judgement coming back at us, and we make assumptions about anything.

i am trying to practice these things daily.  if i get offended i question why a particular thing hurt me and more often times then not it must have something to do with me clinging to my ego and expecting things to turn out a certain way when they don't there is frustration.  but when i take a step back, breathe, and realize there is another person involved, and they must be dealing with their own list of things, i feel comforted by the fact that i don't have to waste any more brain power thinking about that situation.  i can not change anybody else, and i can only control what i do and how i react to things.

this is something i am trying to teach the girl i mentor. she is incredibly impulsive but can articulate the difference between "right and wrong" but falls short on achieving even short term goals.  these are new concepts to her and trying to practice it myself and teach her at the same time is tricky but it's an interesting process none the less. 

this is one of those posts that maybe no one is interested in, and that is okay.  i hope you are getting a chance to enjoy this weather, and reflect on your self from time to time.  also, wear sunscreen. bye. 

wedding stuff

Why hello there.  We had a very lovely weekend.  Now that I think about it the days seem to fly by but in the moment it seems like we have all the time in the world.  We had our first floral wedding consultation and it was very successful, I think we will look around at a few more places to compare pricing, but fun to start picturing the colors and who will be wearing/holding what.   Then we went to this great ring store (Matt has bought me two rings from there over the years) and they have such unique, sharp looking designs.  We found three rings that we loved for Matt.  Three! plus one at another store is still in the running.  It's exciting but I didn't know it would be so difficult finding the right one, we're going to sleep on it for a week or so and then probably make a decision after that.  Matt said he'd be open to me even surprising him and picking one out myself... a lot of pressure, but could be fun! 

Then Sunday we went out to lunch and had plans to see the new X-men; Wolverine movie but we stopped by home to let the dogs out first.  I was inside when Matt brought the dogs in and was finding some tissue to rub on Jaxon's nose because he was just bit by a snake!  It was just a gardner (sp?) snake but it was thick! and gross! and jumped up off the ground to attack our little guy.  So we decided to do some major cleaning in the back (there really wasn't much to be done but mowing, and trimming down one tree)... and that is where Matt found the snake... and something may have happened to him, I'm sorry snake lovers... I don't want to keep a snake in our backyard that has just biten our dog.  Not cool.   We have a neighbor a few houses down that has a very unkept backyard and we think that is where the snakes are coming from.. a few neighbors have mentioned spotting a snake or two.  Anyways, they are all gone, now and always. The End. 

p.s. we did end up seeing wolverine and it was pretty good.

Iowa

matty, our great driver. not speeding like i tend to do, watching for deer, and putting up with my singing with a smile on his face.
i loved everywhere we drove that day, but this picture in particular because it's rare living in the city driving through such a magnificent thing as a forest of trees.
the park we stopped in is beautiful and they had these perfect things (i don't even know what they are called) all over the place.
i've been asking mcdonald's for years for a twist cone and a few years ago they said they quit making chocolate... i just recently stopped asking. we found this cute ice cream shop and this crazy road-trip-hair freckle face is happy with a twist cone, finally.

this little guy was parked next to us at the ice cream shop... i like him.

97!

We went up to Iowa for Matts' Grandma's 97th birthday!! We drove the ten hours and saw her and the family for less than three but it was completely worth it.
My soon to be niece, Ainsley!


Ainsley got a chance to blow out the candles too.