1. Last night our Cougars earned their first win of the season. We had so much fun watching and eating with the Shurtz's.
I have a love/hate relationship with cooking in the summer. I love all the fresh fruits and vegetables, but I hate wasting play time in a blazing kitchen. These are 3 recipes that we love, and that make frequent appearances at our table.
Five things that made me happy this week-
1. Bryan made french toast for breakfast twice this week. I married a rockstar.
2. We had a super fun and delicious barbecue with our friends and their adorable baby. We had tri-tip, jalapenos stuffed with cream cheese and wrapped with bacon (I'm not usually a jalapeno eater but I gobbled these up), spinach and strawberry salad, watermelon, and popsicles- yumm.
3. Jilly has finally learned to say "thanks" and I love love love it.
4. Bryan's cousin Mia Love is speaking at the Republican National Convention. Yay Mia!
5. This afternoon we're heading down to Disneyland!!!
Living all the way across the country from my family is pretty lame. Not that I'm unhappy here, I just hate that they are so faaaaaaar away. But one thing that has made the separation easier is Skype.
We skype with my family almost every Sunday. It's so great to get to talk to everyone, and it almost feels like we're sitting at home in the family room all together. Jilly gets so excited to see them and show off all her tricks; she especially loves to make funny faces with her Uncle Ty and Grandpa.
The best thing about skyping every week is that when we get to actually see my family Jilly never misses a beat. She knows them already and is so excited to play with them, even after not being with them for a few months. I'm so, so grateful that Jilly knows and loves her grandma, grandpa, aunties, and uncle in Virginia.
Last week was the first day of school around here and we have a few friends with new kindergarteners so we were caught up in the excitement. It made me think of all my first days of school- the new clothes and school supplies, the anticipation, and the nerves. My most recent first days of school were as a teacher, and despite what it may seem, teachers are just as nervous as the kids on the first day!
I remember my very first day of teaching. I was so nervous- I remember holding back tears as I tried to be friendly and smile at all these children sitting in front of me. I had written out a script word for word to follow (that's what they tell new teachers to do) and as lame as it sounds, it was a major life saver. I made it through that day and many subsequent others and was even brave enough to come back for another year.
On my second first day of school as a teacher I was once again feeling butterflies in my stomach. I went to pick up my new class from the gym and saw Mary, one of my previous students. She gave me a hug then said, "Mrs. Martinez, that's the same outfit you wore on the first day of school last year!!" I had no clue that I was recycling an outfit, and couldn't believe that Mary remembered what I had worn a whole year previously! It was a funny little moment that eased the tension of the day.
In Jilly's room we have a basket full of books and each night before bed we read 3 or 4 (or 5 or 6 or 7, depending on how persuasive Jilly is that night.) There are quite a few books in there but Jilly has decided on a few favorites that seem to show up every night.
When I was pregnant with Jilly I pretty much ate all the time. This was partly because I was hungry, and partly because if I stopped eating, I started to feel icky. And the thing I wanted to eat the most was cheese. While my students were testing that Spring, they got a snack of American cheese and pretzels every day. Those stacks of American cheese on my desk each morning looked divine. After passing the snack out to my students I'd always snag a square of cheese for myself. Gross, I know. But on many occasions it was that slice of cheese that got me through the morning.
Apparently my love of cheese passed on to Jilly. Repeatedly throughout the day she'll open the fridge, grab the block of cheese, and get a spoon (she can't reach the knives.) I have become very proficient at slicing cheese with a spoon, and then we share a little snack together. I love that Jilly and I share such a refined palate.
Last week my neighbor called and asked if we'd be willing to watch her dog for the weekend. My inclination was to turn her down since I am most definitely not a dog person. But I thought about how much Jilly would love it so I decided we could handle an animal around here for a few days.
Turns out it was a great decision because we all thoroughly enjoyed Roxy. If there is such thing as a perfect dog, Roxy is that. She hardly barks, she doesn't shed, she's little, and she's potty trained. She'd follow us around the house and then snuggle up whenever we sat down. She was patient with crazy Jillian who could not get enough of her new furry friend. Don't get me wrong, we're not about to run out and get a dog of our own, but we'd be happy to dog-sit Roxy every once in a while.
As I mentioned last week, my phone broke while we were in Utah. For a week I shared with Bryan which was fine because we were always together. But then we came home and he went back to work. And I needed a phone. Immediately.
I decided to take the plunge and join the rest of the world and get an iPhone. I never stopped smiling as we entered the store, purchased the phone, and left for home. That night Bryan and I sat on the couch playing with and figuring out our new phones (he got a new smartphone as well) and after an hour I burst out, "Bryan we can't become those people!" "What people?" he said. "The people who don't talk anymore and only sit playing on their phones!" He laughed and promised he wouldn't let us become "those people."
While I am determined to not let my phone consume my life, I am loving my new toy. It's so handy and so fun. Jilly also loves the iPhone. I showed her one day how it takes pictures and now repeatedly during the day she'll grab my phone and say, "cheese!" Which has led to lots of pictures like these-
