babysitting to the extreme.

This past week was quite the adventure. I can honestly say that I don't think I've been more out of my element, ever. This is entirely because I started changing hundreds of lives by becoming a highly skilled and pretty affordable full-time babysitter (also known as a substitute in most cases). And holy cow is that stressful!

For example, on Monday I took on a job of 5 kindergarten art classes. Having 24 of those little bodies in one place at one time and then be expected to teach them something should be illegal! Don't get me wrong, we had a blast drawing abstract art, and listening to all of the interesting facts about their lives. One girl informed me that just last week she broke her arm and her foot, but thankfully she made a full and quick recovery. I also had a battle with the bathroom. I couldn't help but laugh when one girl said she really really really really really needed to use the restroom, but came back minutes later realizing that she actually never really had to.

Then don't get me started on the 5th graders who were convinced I was a high school student. I wanted to have a heart-to-heart and explain to them that a high school student, just like them, would still be in class, and also would never be permitted to teach them. Instead, I took it with class and a giggle and let them know that being short is really a cool thing and has quite the adventages, albeit in disguise sometimes.

But the week was utterly exhausting, it didn't help that I caught some sort of bug that pretty much dominated me. Every day felt like the first day on the job. Every school a new place, every student a new face, and all different rules and procedures in each case. (see what I did there? nifty, huh?)

But, I am grateful for the opportunity to experience this little adventure. I feel like I've learned more than I ever expected I would and that I have been tested in a new and almost unfair way. I've had to be out of my zone, which I really detest, and on my toes at all times. But, the smiles, the fact that they want to sit and chat, and that they think I am nice, and that they trust me makes it all worth it. And in the end, I really do hope that I make a difference in these little kids lives. I might only see them once, but I hope that something I do or say helps them become better in some way. Even though I often feel like a belittled and slightly insignificant babysitter, I do realize my job is important and for that reason I plan to do a dang good job at it. So here's to trying new things, learning new things, and making that difference, even it at times it seems almost nonexistent.

a little decorating and a lot of photos.

My craftiness has reached extreme limits these last few weeks. Like, my life revolves around Hobby Lobby coupons and Pinterest craft boards. And let me tell you, both of those categories are dangerous. Very dangerous. But, this crafting obsession of mine usually takes over when we move into a new apartment. New walls need decorating and rearranging needs to be completed. The major project I embarked on this time around was my gallery wall. We had one in our last apartment but it was borderline pathetic. I mean, I liked it but it lacked some necessary photo gallery necessities. I've looked at tons of tons of examples and have read lots of tutorials, and have spent more time than is probably advisable designing and creating it. . And now, it is done. Yay! There are a few things I would change next time around and some things that I especially enjoy, but mostly I love the bright new colors and all of the fun family photos. Now, I am going to flood with you more pictures than you would probably ever like to see, but I am just so dang excited about it :)

Ta da!

The planning process..

Lots of spray painting was involved, obviously the orange didn't quite make the cut..

A very necessary side view..

This one took a little more thought, but I found the idea here and couldn't resist!

These little guys were a steal of a deal at Hobby Lobby and I quite enjoy them.

I love that circle frame and that big S.

I really like this. I got the idea from Pinterest and it just seemed so fitting for our lives and our photo wall and just a nice little reminder.

I couldn't resist adding this little gem in here.

I think this photo is so classic. Brittany's facial expression and Fallon looking so uncomfortable and Seth looking so so so awkward.

Now, a lot of the pictures are crooked, and the colors don't totally match, and I really need something underneath the photos like a side table or something, or the photos need to go to the bottom...really there's more than one problem. But, I like it. A lot. It's so fun to have all of these to look at and reminiscence. Ahh, crafting is really a good thing.

fun in McCall.

Last night I was doing some serious reminiscing over the last few months. I was scrolling through all of my iPhoto photos and exclaiming just how much fun our summer was, when Brandon said something very un-Brandon-like. He said, why don't you blog about it? Gasp! Now, Brandon has never been 100% on board with the idea of blogging. Something about putting our private lives out to the world doesn't sit quite right with him. But, the fact that he suggested it was most shocking and led me to believe that maybe it was time.

But really, we have had a most fabulous summer, but instead of giving you a play by play of all our adventures I will just update you with this past weekend, because it was truly lovely.

So Brandon and I moved to Boise, for all of you who didn't know this. Brandon is schooling and I am working...(ha). Oh, and let's talk about Boise for one minute. Who votes that is it spelled funny? I do. And then pronounced funny? I do, again. Pure rubbish.

Anyhow, we traveled to the picturesque town of McCall, Idaho. (And now I am going to produce several grammatically incorrect run-on sentences to tell you about this since I feel like this post is already dragging on...)

We drove up on Friday morning, the drive was gorgeous, we arrived, met with a cute little forest service man who recommended a hike that he said was for beginners, but really wasn't (I think) because we had to scale some serious rocks to see the waterfall at the end and then hike back up, like straight up for a mile, which is never really fun, especially at ridiculous elevations, but it was probably worth it, even though I was a little nervous for bears, which I often get while hiking during peak huckleberry season in a high bear populated area without any bear spray. 

The drive.

The rocks that were scaled.

 

The waterfall.

Then we checked into our quaint little Best Western that proved to be slightly better than anticipated with the hot tub in our room that we didn't quite trust, because bathtubs in hotels give Brandon the heebbie geebies, but we didn't stay long since we still wanted to try paddle boarding on the glass-like Payette lake, which once paddle boarding didn't feel so glass-like. (I am pretty sure the jet skiers that drove past us several times were hoping their little wake would result in some major wipe-outs from the obviously amateur paddle boarders, which it didn't, take that.)

This was so fun.

Brandon quite enjoyed it too.

We then ate dinner, which actually was very educational because we realized how totally obsessed people are with BSU football, even in a remote-ish tourist town.

We slept, but that didn't go well, since we took an impromptu field trip to our car at 3:07 in the AM to get some much needed Excedrin Migraine (I tried to sneak out on my own but Brandon wouldn't hear of it) I looked so fashionista like with my pink socks and leopard flats.

Our adventure ended with a ski lift ride to a very tall mountain, only so we could traverse our way down on said mountain on mountain bikes, which sounds really easy and fun, and all, unless you are slightly (or maybe more than slightly) afraid of going downhill on a bike. Thankfully we took the trail that meandered its way down the mountain that was actually quite pleasant except for the 6 inches of quicksand/really loose dirt at every turn that really through me for a loop (thankfully not in the literal sense).

Great views.

He is soooo much better at this than me, I think I walked that hill.

Oh, and I guess that the drive home was pretty eventful because we wanted to see Ontario, Oregon so bad that we took a different route that was sworn to only add 20 minutes (lies) but actually added 60 miles, when it did come time to see Ontario my phone said to go straight so we listened (not very smart on my part) and we missed the town, but if you squinted you could see it in the distance, which sufficed because the car was getting quite claustrophobic by that point.

So, it's pretty apparent that we had quite the adventurous little weekend. We really do love a good adventure, which works out well since I am feeling like our life is just that at this point. 

We really do have a fun time together.