Summer Lovin'

I am loving summer. I realize that my vacation has been in action for less than a normal weekend. I realize that Arizona gets to unreasonably hot temperatures in summer.

However.

I am so happy to be on vacation! The weather is unseasonably cool right now, meaning we didn't even hit 80 today! It's gorgeous out, I love all the fruits and vegetables that are all available right now, and most of all, I just feel like I'm on holiday. Isn't that half the battle?

I've almost finished the first book on my summer reading list. I have caught myself up on dishes and laundry (though not cleaning or organizing), I've tried a few new wines, and I even went to a movie and didn't feel like I was going to fall asleep halfway through the first preview. That's probably because I slept a ridiculous quantity yesterday. Seriously. I had the nice 9 hours of sleep and took two separate naps yesterday. I have some serious catching up to do.

Summer is already awesome and I can't wait for it to be day three of vacay.

The professional pictures...

Did I forget to mention I got married?

Sorry, guys! Here I am, rambling about graduation ceremonies that have nothing to do with me when I forget to mention that one ceremony that means a great deal in my life. We got hitched! ... Almost three weeks ago? Well, well. I'm an old, married woman already.

Here are some pictures; there are tons more on facebook, if we're tight like that.

My brother and my - gasp - husband! (By the way, the pictures are all messed up in order because I still don't understand blogger's "insert picture" function and am too stubborn to learn.)

The girlies and the bro-town enjoying some drinks at the reception.

Our very large faces after the wedding, enjoying some sun.

The banana daquiris! Yummy...

Here, you can see that we like cake and posing for pictures.

Here are my girlies, some of the loves of my life.

Hello, End of the Tunnel Light!

I may be resurfacing on this blog again.  Today is graduation and tomorrow is my last day of catch-up work.  Why did I make my sophomores write an essay for their final?  Pure stupidity, I suppose.

I am so excited for summer! I would love to say that in a more eloquent way, but I've been in the midst of high school seniors for too, too long.  I know it doesn't make up for the long hours, the underappreciation, the constant questions and concerns from parents, the work that hasn't been turned in and the working your butt off so kids can graduate and start life... but it might come close to making it up.

I get to read books, write on this thing again, work out at my leisure instead of 5 in the morning, walk my dog and regain my life back.  The life of a student is ideal.  I can sleep when I want, eat when I want, wake up when I want and learn all the while.  Why am I not in a PhD program?!

For the time being, I will have to entertain the idea of being a self-taught student in the course of life.  Cheesy, perhaps, but true nonetheless.  I can have some time to sort out my life before I become, once again, an overtired slave of the teenage population of Vail, AZ.  But that's months from now.  

I will enjoy their graduation with dry eyes and be excited for the future that life holds for them.  I will also be ecstatic that they will be some poor boss's concern now and not mine.  Fingers crossed there's a boss, or a teacher, or a drill sergeant...  Anything, really.  

Mostly, I'm just happy to hear that very familiar sound - a solid thump of a chapter ending in life.  Time for the next, please.

Where Have I Been?

For the last few months I have been buried in high school. I mean, honestly. When did I become the girl that liked to have kids verbalize their misunderstanding that I am their employee? :)

In other news that isn't school, this semester is going to rock. My daddy, mommy, and grandpappy are coming to see me (and the boy) this weekend. I've got a long weekend coming up for Rodeo Days (yes, kiddos, I live in the wild, wild West). I have two weeks off in March that will involve going to the Grand Canyon for a long weekend, puppy and all; it will also incorporate me going to my mommy and daddy's house for a his/hers wedding shower. Then, in April, I'm ditching the ol' high school for a Caribbean cruise. Oh yeah, I'll be getting married on it. :)

And I'm going to look a-dorable. I've got the dress, the shoes, the ridiculous-bridezilla-inducing-fanatical diet going on. It'll be worth it. :)

Then before I know it, it'll be May. We all know what that means - goodbye seniors, hello sun tan.

So until my days of glory and relaxation come, I'll pay my dues here: I'm at parent-teacher conferences where no one want to talk to me because I have seniors. Senior parents don't care. And my stupid loaned laptop's spacebar doesn't work really well. My writing genius has cost me; I'll have blisters tomorrowfromtypingsohard.

Picture Updates!

Arizona is pretty! This is the pretty orchard where we got some sweet cider.

My men picking out a pumpkin.

He looks so innocent. He is not.

Tiko likes the hat Leif sent.

So sleepy.