home alone

Ryan went on a 4 day, 3 night hike/camp with some of his old friends from high school. He was so excited and happy to go - just like the old days before college, mission, and marriage. He left Thursday morning, and will be coming home Sunday night. So, here I am with all this time to myself...

It's very quiet around here - even a little bit lonely, but it's been okay. I baked cookies last night...chocolate-cinnamon chocolate chip cookies. Yes. Yummmmm. You know you want them. Here's the recipe if you're interested - I found it on allrecipes.com, and added the cinnamon. I ate two for breakfast...I know, really healthy, right?!

COOKIES
1 C butter, softened
1 1/2 C white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 C flour
2/3 C cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 C chocolate chips

Cream butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Mix flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Combine dry mixture with creamed mixture. Add chocolate chips. Bake at 350F for 8-10 minutes. Done.

I have also been painting. I am working on one, and have three others drawn out, ready to start painting. I'll post them when I finish them, and when I have the camera. (Ryan took it with him on his hike - so I will also take pictures of my sewing projects when he gets back). So, I'm keeping myself busy, and even having a good time all by my lonesome! But, I'll be glad when Ryan gets home, too.

I start a new job on Monday - tutoring for a summer reading program. I admit, I'm not too excited, just because I'd rather not work at all (hah), but I think it will be a good job, and we can always use the money. The more we make this summer the better - with school this semester for Ryan, and then looking to buy a house or condo...yikes! I don't know how we're going to do it!

So, everyone have a great day...and Happy Father's day to all the dads...especially my Dad! Love you!

sewing

Mom got me a sewing machine for graduation in April, and I LOVE it!!! I am having so much fun playing with it. So far I have only done one project. I made a tote bag. It's pretty cute, but bigger than I want, so I am going to make a smaller one...and maybe another one after that? Haha. I think sewing is my new favorite hobby at the moment. After I get a little more practice in, I want to make myself a skirt, and after that, who knows! I'm a sewing-machine on my sewing machine. (Get it? Haha). I am fully enjoying my time of no responsibility, having all day to myself to do what I please! (Minus the couple of days I work at Curves). I only have a week and a half left to enjoy it before starting a full time job, so I'm going to have as much relaxing fun as possible!

Good thing I am having so much fun sewing, because there's really nothing else going on here. When living in Enumclaw, it's a big deal if I get out of the apartment and go to Walmart! (Which I did today - to get more fabric. Ha.) It just takes so long to get anywhere. I have learned this for certain about myself - I am NOT a country girl. I like living near grocery stores, malls, Walmart and other conveniences, and I don't like cows, horses, or cats. But for now, I can do the country thing...knowing that it's only for a few more months.

Okay, off to start another project. Maybe I'll post some pictures of my progress later.

girls week at erin's house

Click to play | Make your own Smilebox

a bunch of hill-billies shooting guns in the woods

Megan's sister, Tiera, came with us up to the property on the Hood Canal. For Tiera's first time even touching a gun she had a great shot just like her sister, Megan. Yes, Tia we were very safe and cautious and taught safety and proper use of guns. We all had fun up at the property; Mom, Dad, Chad, Jesse, and Lisa came along as well. It is starting to look nice up there with all the vegetation coming in.

-Ryan

our enumclaw apartment

At Melinda's request...here are some pictures of where we are living for the summer! It is a studio apartment above what used to be Joe and Leslie's garage (which is now an exercise room and soon to be an extension of the apartment for when Rachel and her kids get here!) So, it is pretty small, but good for the next couple of months...










And yes, that is the whole apartment, except for the bathroom which is just left of the bed. Fun times!

mt. peak

Yes! Megan stood on top of Mt. Peak in Enumclaw, WA. Mt. Peak is 2 mile round trip with a thousand feet vertical climb. Go Megan!

-Ryan

mt. rainier

The greatest mountain ever! (From our backyard)

-Ryan

in the garden

Over the past couple of days, we have been working on the front yard to surprise Leslie for her birthday! The boys pulled some of the old plants out and reworked the pond while the girls planted some flowers. It's not completely finished yet, but it's getting there.

Chad, Ryan, and Jesse - all hard at work...

...and me and Kate with the cute little flower bed we planted!

finished

So, we've been in Washington for almost three weeks now, and I still don't have a job. Oh the joys of job hunting. Therefore, I've had a lot of time to paint - which I love! I am running out of canvases...the only ones I have left are really small, which I don't like as much. This is my latest painting...inspired by an artist I really like. Just love the bright colors and simple lines he uses, so I decided to make my own version of one of his paintings (mine is MUCH less detailed). So, this is how I have been spending my time, while Ryan works, works, works all day long. Not fair, I know!

Ryan is doing good with his internship. He likes the company and the people he is working with. His boss told him to start looking for a house, so it looks like this might become a permanent job after he finishes his last semester at BYU-I this fall. Kind of exciting, kind of scary! Good job, Ryan!

painting

This is Ryan speaking...

I thought you'd all like to see Megan hard at work on a new painting.

enumclaw

I thought I would show everyone where Ryan and I are living this summer because some of you might think it is funny, knowing how much of an "animal person" I am! HA. I took these pictures from our window this morning.

Meet my neighbors:

It has been rainy and gray since we got here on Saturday, but with the rain comes pretty rainbows! This was one of the brightest rainbows I've seen, and it was a double rainbow, but I didn't think fast enough to take a picture, so by the time I did, it wasn't quite as spectacular. Oh well, still pretty. I'm missing the sunshine, but Ryan promised me that summers here are beautiful. I'll let you know.

oregon

One more semester done! I am finished with my degree - I can't believe it! Ryan is done with one more semester. Just one more to go after his internship this summer. Mom came to Rexburg when I finished so that we could drive to Oregon together. Ryan came a few days later, when he was done with all his finals. All of my family was there, except Tiera. We missed you soo much, TT! It is always super fun to be with my family. The perfect holiday! The boys did a lot of golfing during the day, while we girls shopped, cooked, and played. We spent lots of time at Erin and Gregg's. Thanks for letting me stay at your house all week!!

Olivia is sooo sweet and sooo much fun to play with! I just wanted to play with her all day everyday, so that's pretty much what I did! She loves to sing, dance to Uncle Sean's music, dress up in grandma's shoes and purse, have piggy-back rides up and down the hall, and eat candy! Perfect! Look close - we have green mouths from eating Lik-a-Maid candy. Yum yum. Thanks for sharing, Sean.
I had a fun week! I miss everyone already!

Here are some more pictures of everyone having fun together. Can't wait to do it again!

mrs. hunter's class

Today was my last day of student teaching. I can't believe it's over and I'm going to be graduating. It seems like I've been in school forever, but at the same time, I don't really feel like i'm done. I guess it will all sink in once we are in Washington.

To my class:
If anyone from my grade 6 class reads this...I had a great time being your student teacher! It was so much fun getting to know everyone in the class! You all are awesomely talented, smart, and fun to be around. I know the rest of 6th grade will be a blast for you (just remember to do a little homework and studying along with the playing - right?), and then you will be on to even bigger and better things! Keep in touch! I'll miss you guys!

the hockey star

Ryan has been playing hockey for three years now...and doing pretty well, especially compared to that first time on ice in Rosemary at Christmas time a few years ago! He can even stop! He LOVES it. He has played on one of the school's teams for the last three years, and this year was invited to play as an alternate on the Rexburg club team, the Bulldogs. So, he is off to Salt Lake this weekend for a game, and is really excited even though he might not get a chance to play. Either way, he has turned into a hockey player...so all you Canadians cheer him on!

oil painting

since nobody comes to visit me (i know - i live in rexburg), i thought this would be a good way to show my family and friends what i've been up to.

this is my latest painting...18 X 24, oil on canvas. it was a really fun painting to do because i love the bright colors, and i didn't have to paint perfectly to make it look realistic like my previous paintings have been. i think i will experiment some more with these colors and this funky style! yay! i am excited to do a lot of painting this summer. if any good ones turn out, i'll post them.

so this is blogging...

okay, so i have to admit that i really never knew what blogging was until my friend told me about it (thanks ash!) and told me how to set one up. so, here i am, writing to whoever is bored enough t sit and read what i have to say! but i do think this is a fun way to keep in touch with everyone.

so, here's what's going on with ryan and me...

today is our three year anniversary! now if that's not crazy, i don't know what is. happy day to us!

ryan is busy in school...the semester's almost over so he is getting ready for finals and all of that fun stuff. he is also getting ready for an internship in washington with lydig construction. it'll be good experience for him, and hopefully open some doors for when he's done with school in december...please, oh please! we are moving to enumclaw for the summer, so that will be fun! close to family.

i am wrapping up my college career...halleluiah! never thought this day would come...but i am free at last!! well, now i'll have to get a real job, but at least i feel like i am moving forward. my last day in the classroom is thursday, and then i go observe different grades on friday and monday. final exit interview on tuesday and then...i'm all done.

okay, well, that's it for my first blog entry. i will try to add something more interesting soon...maybe even some pictures!