2012- Week 26

 1. Sent out Link's birthday invitations.

2. Bryce, Link and I saw Brave.  Very scary for an almost 3 year old, but a beautiful story none-the-less.  Bryce's ex-girlfriend (Fran) is in the credits under "cloth artists."  He thinks her hair might have been inspiration for the character's curls.

3. The community school garden in Prairie has been really fun.  It looks great, we have so many fun things planted (including mint).  And I totally have a girl crush on a 25-year-old who just started volunteering there. She has dreads, some great piercings and tattoos, a heart for volunteering.  She even helped with Art Camp one day when no one else could.

4. Monona girls had a night out on Friday.   We ate at Mulligans and then went to see Magic Mike, which was actually decent, not just craziness.  Then we went to Paula's house for drinks and conversation.

5. Sadness has filled my heart.  I learned this weekend that Chris Hadley did get another job and is moving to Delhi.  I won't be working with him on another high school musical or see him around town.  I will miss him lots.

 6. I had my last week with traveling art camp.  This week in Gay's Mills.  I always thought Gay's Mills would be somewhere I might want to live because there is a co-op and lots of homeschooling and some off the grid communes.  The kids were all great and so were there parents, but I had plenty of interactions with uptight adults that really turned me off, including the director of the community kitchen, worker at the co-op, etc.

7. We have movement on our house.  A new roof is going on as I type.  Bryce and I had to cover everything in the attic in this heat.  It seriously felt like we were in a way turned up sauna for over an hour.  Super sweaty. 

8.  Bryce has a doctors appointment for his health insurance enrollment and ObamaCare bill was passed.  He took Link with him and then went to Decorah for another co-worker Friday.

9. We applied to host a foreign exchange student.  This has been on my wish list to do for a long time and with our house being fixed I am encouraged to do so.

10.  A classmate of mine, Dan, the brother of Amanda Meyer (one of my bridesmaid) died this week at 32.  He lost his battle with depression.  He was one of the kindest people I knew.  It had me thinking a lot about depression this week and how when someone dies from the disease we deal with it different than any other disease, placing blame on people and situations rather than the disease.  My heart goes out to his wife.

2012- Week 25

Hot, yet beautiful week.  In need of rain.

1. On Monday we went to our former neighbors new home and had dinner.  Kim and Ryan have no children, but recently acquired a toy box with toys from a friend who was reducing.  Link went right to them.  We made pizza pies on the fire and had fruit salad and lemon bars.  So great.  Good conversation too.

2. Made some bath paints for Link with shaving cream and food coloring.  FINALLY got him to wash his hair without crying when I painted his hair and he said "Get it out!"

Gabe on clay day.

 3. Art Camp in Wauzeka this week.  New group of kids.  Grew on me just the same.  Joeann Tesar was our guest artist at art camp on Thursday.  The kids had so much fun, when there parents came they were all wondering why they had shown up so early.

Jason and Coos on the slide.

4. We took in the summer solstice with Sadie and Jason (+Stella and Coos) at the Burger Barn.  The weather was perfect, on the verge of a storm that wouldn't start until after dark.

5. I have continued going to Crawford County on the Move.  Jane, who I work with, leads the group.  Since Shelley hurt her knee last time Jane ran with me, which was a lot of fun.  We also talked in the group about adding more fruits and veggies.  I have decided that if I make meals as if someone is going to be a guest I think more about serving more fruits and veggies than if I am thinking about grabbing a sandwich and eating quickly before I get to the next thing. 

Super Link

6. Link had Super Hero Camp at Discover Happy in Decorah.  Bryce said on day one he was shy and clingy and not so happy when Bryce tried to leave.  But day 2 he was much better.  They made capes and masks and a belt they got to put stickers on for completing tasks, like trying new foods (prepared by Jason Scardinia, how could you not want to try them) and they had an obstacle course. 

7. So I am embarrassed to say I just bought my tomato transplants this week, mostly because we couldn't get up to Decorah any time prior.  However, I am happy to report that I got 6 varieties of Seed Savers' tomatoes for free.  So I can have my own tomato tastings this year.  :P

River's Voice at Keystone Park

8. Trish and Richard were the guest artists on Rhythm on the River on Friday.  We stopped by and got some hugs and conversation in. 

9. Bryce stopped into Peter Awad and Jason Trout's office on Friday for their "Beer at Work" day.  He had a great time and arranged to use a part of their office for his own office when he takes Link to preschool this following year.

10. On Saturday I worked at the shop, but when I was finished I had to decided whether to see a good Billy Joel impersonator at the Opera House or go to the annual iron pour in Decorah, which I have wanted to attend for three years and missed.  We went to the iron pour.  It was interesting, but might have been more fun had we participated in the three day mold making process.  Maybe next year or when Link is older.  We also went to La Rana where we had an amazing meal!  Two weeks in a row where every bite is amazing.

2012- Week 24

 1.  Bryce started the week out by going to see Destroyer in Iowa City.  He went alone, but I don't think he minded.  Link and I went to Fennellys' for wings and fried green beans.

2. I had art camp all week and community garden two days and I am beat.  And I have to do it all over again next week and the week after.  So long summer.

3. I started doing Crawford County on the Move.  We do a small session on healthy living and then do a walk to run program.  I am doing it with my friend Shelley Smith.  I love hanging out with her, but she has much longer legs than me, so we get separated often.

4. Our little family went strawberry picking in West Union.  We found a new place this year that is closer and doesn't spray (they are menonite).  We took home around 6 pounds of strawberries that we have already made into freezer jam, cobbler, and had in our cereal and are dehydrating.

5. My uncles Lee and Randy (+kids) were testing out their new camper in Clermont so we joined them for smores with reeces cups.   Their good friends Amy and Sarah and their daughter Eden were there, as well as my Aunt Amy and most of her kids.  We had a great time and Skip-A-Way campground is just beautiful.

6. We went to Victories in Fayette for dinner.  It is my current favorite restaurant within a 1/2 hour drive radius.  I had linguine with clams, Bryce had chicken sambuca (?), and Link had woodfired kid's pizza.  We thought Link's homemade chocolate milk looked like an Asian brushstroke painting. 

7. For father's day we surprised Bryce with fishing poles, some accessories and a fishing license.  Link also got a life jacket.  This is more to help me calm my nerves when Link is by the water.

8.  We went to Bobbi and Steve's house tonight for a fish fry.  We brought asparagus casserole.  The kids played in the blow up pool and slide and some other toys.  Paul and Paula and James and Jenny were there too.

9. I got the mosaic tile in and I have begun to mess around with it.  Still nervous about my big project.

10.  We signed up for the Turkey River Safari.  You register online, then go to a library and pick up a safari backpack, map, and a book to do rubbings in.  You find the locations where there is a post to do a rubbing to show that you have actually been there.  We even found out there is a Lincoln statue just a short drive from us. 

2012- Week 23

1.  The summer has begun, which means I am super busy.  Not what I had in mind, but I like the work.  Lots of mural painting going on with AmeriCorps programming.  Here is the outline of the Farmer's Market mural we painted on Wednesday. 

2. We were at a hotel from Thursday to Sunday.  So I got some tv time in!  I watched 2 episodes of Chopped and one episode of Tabitha Takes Over.  Just 1.5 hours in 4 days.  I know, I couldn't believe it either.  I was busy. 

3.  90% of that business was spent at Grinell College where I was attending/presenting at a United Church of Christ Annual Conference.  That campus is beautiful and a delight to walk in and around.

4. The conference was well done.  I went to a great workshop on social justice.  I heard some great sermons.  It was good to be surrounded by all the diverse members of the church.  Sometimes I forget that our church as a whole is made up of more than just old, straight, white Iowans.

5.  I led three workshops on Art and Spirituality.  I heard a lot of great comments after each session.  I had one attendee in particular who is continuing the relationship beyond the classroom to be one of my spiritual direction clients.   (Umm, yeah, we did another mural.  I have the bug.)

6.  Link got some time in the pool just one on one.  Every minute he got a little braver.  He also spent a little bit of time at the day care they provided.  He made a good friend in a 8 year old named Rowan whose mother, a single pastor, adopted from Russia.  That kid is gorgeous, humble, kind, funny, and a delight.  My favorite thing he said was "I saved Link from the balloon popping the way that ___?__ saved ____?___ from the explosion on Downtown Abby." 

7.  No photos to show since I only got to chat with her a short time, but my friend and fellow alum for Spirations, Mary Drier, was also a presenter.  She helped the group build an outdoor labyrinth and set up a cloth one indoors, which Link did probably 8 or 9 times and asked to go back to on the way home.

8.  On the way home we stopped in Cedar Rapids for a little shopping spree.  Bryce and I both needed more pants. 

9.  One of my session attendees invited our family to join her and her wife for dinner at Cibo in CR.  That was a lot of fun and made our tummies full of yummy pizza.

10. We had the contractors come to place bids on the house.  Another step closer.  Can't wait to close the deal.

2012- Week 22

Todd's brother braiding hair.

 1. Sunday we went to the Beattys' for a volleyball party.  My team won every game and we were the team withOUT the bare chested muscle men.  The weather and night was perfect.  At one point I looked around and saw total peace.  A mother pushing her 1-year-old on a swing, a dad tossing a football with a son, two little boys on bicycles, a manly uncle braiding his nieces' hair, a sleeping 9 week baby on my chest.  The world seemed so great that night. 

Jill and Jason's daughter Kendal.

2. Finally got some seeds in the ground.  Two beds are planted and we already are seeing signs of life with the radishes, onions, and beans.  I know I am late, but you know the old saying.

Link's new bed frame.

3. I spent Memorial Day at the Garnavillo Auction.  I didn't get too many items, but I did get a beautiful antique bed frame for Lincoln's room.

4.  On Thursday I went to Decorah.  Got some good finds at Goodwill.  I also went and got the rug back that I accidentally sold.  AND I went to La Rana with a group of girls in Decorah.  That was SOOO much fun.  After 5 hours, 2 mojitos, and some bruschetta and pie, I realized I had to work the next day and drove home at 1 am.  So great to see Lindsay and Melissa again and to meet some new friends.

5. Hardly seemed like I worked this week.  On Wednesday I spent all day at a district meeting with Amy.  There was a presentation on facilitating and then small groups on summer programming.  Then on Friday I spent the day painting a transportable mural for Amy's summer program.

6. Good day at the shop on Saturday.  Lots of clothing is going which is giving me hope.  

With hat, nose, and bunny rabbit.

7. Link started the signs of a cold.  I am assuming there will be sickness reported in Week 23.  

8.  Amber came over and we walked to Burger Barn with Link in the stroller.  She tried on her wedding dress, which made her happy.  We also got a step closer on scheduling her bridal shower.

9.  One last graduation party on Sunday.  My cousin Trent's girlfriend, Shelby.  Yummy cake balls, a really scary playground donated to the city in 1949, and a little sprinkling of rain led to a good afternoon.

10.  We finished Little Alchemy (currently at 270).  It was an addicting little computer game that Link, Bryce, and I all got into.  Well, Link not so much when things were harder to find, but at the beginning he had a lot of fun.

Small adventures with Link

Yesterday Link and I got stuck in the bathroom at the library. The door handle would turn but the latch didn't move... so we banged on the door a little. (I found out later that the librarian heard the knocking but didn't think anything of it - at least not to check on us.) Link got a little scared, so we called Shannon and she sent over Amber and her mom, who were in town, to help us. We could barely hear people outside the bathroom over the noise of the fan (I didn't want to turn off the fan/light because it would make Link even more scared), but they managed to unpin the door hinges and told me to kick the door open, which did. Link and I slipped out of the ajar door and, after thanking our rescuers, went back to doing puzzles.