Summer wish list!

All this snow (19 inches in Morris just in the last 24 hours??) has got me dreaming of summer. Remember, that time of year when it's warm and green? It's easy to forget what summer is in Minnesota. So a few things that I am looking forward to!

*Running a 10k (it's official, I'm going to do it. I know it's not far but it's a start)
*Planting fun plants in the garden!
*Biking, biking, and more biking
*Cooking with lots of veggies from the garden
*Traveling
*I'm thinking of taking a class possibly for fun
*Reading time
*Learning how to make soap
*Hopefully packing and moving!

Ah, I can't wait! Levi is planning on running his first half marathon in May up on the North Shore, which I'm really looking forward too. I think we're making a weekend out of it to do some hiking! Less than 80 days until graduation and I'll be free! How exciting!

Running?

We bought Levi running shoes this weekend. Not just running shoes, sweet running shoes. Bright orange, light weight, running shoes. They're HOTT. So now I want new running shoes (but I don't need them). I've been running more in the last two weeks than I have in the previous 6 months (due to back pain and lack of motivation). Which is good. I feel better, like I have a lighter bounce in my step and more energy. Running is hard for me, I get bored easily, I have asthma, and it's not something that comes naturally to me. So I feel pretty successful.

I've been looking around on-line at different running things that I like. Maybe I'll get a few things, maybe not. I think I'm going to give running a shot. I plan to run a few 5ks this summer and maybe even a 10k at some point. I have to at least try to keep up (in spirit?) with Levi who already has two 1/2 marathons on his list of to-dos before June... Crazy guy! Running will never be my 'thing' but I could learn to like it a little. A few things I've looked at:

These are actually the woman's version of the shoes Levi got :) pretty snazzy,

A decent pair of running shorts, they're much more comfortable than my long mesh shorts,

And a 1/4 zip long sleeve shirt for spring days outside or sun protection.

Also, not to be weird but a better sports bra is on the list (no picture of that). I would like to like running sometime, and maybe I will. I think I could really like trail running! We'll see. For now I'm going to stick with my shoes that work perfectly fine and my shorts that keep my bum covered. Although, window (screen?) shopping is fun :)

Resume?

I realized today I should be looking for summer jobs. That was an odd feeling. Jobs? Huh. I would like to be an organic farmer for the summer, I think. Kinda take the summer off, relax, own my life (haha). I've sent out one resume and didn't hear back from the people. Maybe the postman lost it or ate it. He probably got confused early in the morning and left it somewhere, or dropped it as he was being chased by robbers. Maybe it spontaneously combusted or got shredded by the HR lady (or man).

Who knows. I guess I'll look for a few jobs this weekend to see what's available in the area. Something should look interesting! If not... then I'm not sure what I'll do. We'll see. I need to graduate first anyway. Less than 90 days baby!!!!

Favorite persons

Somedays when you feel really crappy about life and you just need someone to reaffirm you and smile at you and bake you something and not tell you stuff like "it's going to be okay" "it's just part of life" "tomorrow is a new day" "well you did screw up" "you're over-reacting" you turn to one of your favorite persons. For me that person (who won't tell me all thing things I don't need to hear at that moment) is my brother. He has a way of making the worst day okay.

Here we are goofing off over fall break on year. We spent the day bumming around together. :)

This is a picture from our most memorable family trip. Andy was pretending to shoot the elk on the ridge and I was pretending to be horrified. We like pictures like this :)

Here is a picture from that same vacation. We're pretending to be Lewis and Clark at the Lewis and Clark visitors center. As you can see we are reenacting the sighting of this big rock. 

I tried to upload a few other photos but my computer was running slow and I need to get back to class. Andy and I have a lot in common and I (usually) really enjoy his company. As much as we argue over things we make up for it with many fun times together. He will always be my first choice as a vacation buddy (except for Levi). I couldn't have asked for a better brother, he makes me so proud to say I'm his sister. He's in Iowa for college now but he usually texts me a few times a week and tries to make me feel included in his life. 

I really love him. And he's a pretty good cook. :)

2 o'clock wednesdays

We all know what that means. Ceramics starts in 15 minutes. Thank goodness!

The library

I wanted to take a minute to celebrate the library. I am a huge fan of books. I love holding information in my hand and spending alone time reading. Recently I re-discovered the library. When I was younger my mom took my brother and I to the library every week, sometimes twice a week. Somedays we went dragging our feet but we always had a good time and could easily blow and hour or two digging through books. In high school it started getting harder to find time to make it to the library and read for fun and in college my time has been even more scarce. Over winter break I dusted my library card off and started looking up books again. In no time at all I had books stacked up on the kitchen table, paging through guides on being a better cook, learning to do this, how to fix that, and the occasional guide to (insert fun place here). It's wonderful. Even if you don't love the whole book you can usually pull some idea or inspiration from some part of it. Maybe how to beef up your chili or sew those blinds you've been meaning to put up. There are books on every interest and hobby, there are murder mysteries and good old westerns, children's books and books in large print. You want it, they've got it (or can order it from somewhere). I encourage you to pull your library card out of your wallet and go use it!!

The perfect mug

It was early in the morning. Vacation had been going well. Lots of hiking and even more laughing. The food was so-so but we weren't complaining too much. At the end of the day food was food. Burned out by miles of trail and the heat we were just happy there was something. We were headed to grab some food for the days hike this particular morning, the sun had just begun peeking above the vast glassy Lake Superior. And there it was, sitting on the dashboard of a beat up, bumper-stickered, mountain bike carrying Subaru. The worlds most perfect mug. I was instantly in love. I had to see it up close. The shape looked like it perfectly fit into your hand while still giving you a good amount of coffee. The glazes on it were peaceful and beautiful. I wanted to hold it in my hand, to drink out of it's perfect form. The sun was now shining through the windshield of the vehicle, showering glorious rays down on this beautiful vessel.

From that moment on I knew I had to take ceramics class. I had to be able to form that clay in my hand, to make the clay into something almost as perfect as that mug.

And that is precisely what I am doing.

:)