Sensational Summer

• On my first two days off, I had to attend a mentor workshop where I met Susie Miner's Junior Prom Date. He was a much-needed comic relief the entire time. My mom also attended because she's going to be the mentor of JHS. She introduced herself with tears in her eyes as, "The mother of the best teacher in the district." It would have been the perfect time to not take a swig out of my water bottle; I about choked. Later as we got further around the group with our introductions, "I am Mrs. Weber, and I taught the best teacher in the district! So great to see you again Amy!" So flattered, so red in the face.
• I moved, and I am so unbelievably content. My eyes were finally opened to the degree of shadiness that surrounded the people I lived with. I went back to my old house to return a book I borrowed, and I was met with, "You probably still wish you lived here." No part of me misses it. Come visit me at my new place!
• We had a family bbq for an early Father's Day and early Toby's birthday celebration. My parents didn't want to miss it. I invited my new roommate Natalie over, and I hope she was being honest when she said she had a good time. We can be a crazy bunch, especially with Grandma Bateman in the mix. Toby received some amazing birthday presents that all of the nephews enjoyed playing with. They loved the ball-filled tent that Grandma and Grandpa bought. I think Jay made Natalie nervous when he tried to lure her into his apartment insisting that she see his 'surprise'. I jumped in and assured her that he probably wanted to show off his massive DVD collection. Jay created the ultimate Father's Day card that had me and my brothers rolling. My dad pouted, "What is so funny?", and James replied that he would probably get mad at us. My dad re-read the pink stapled card, his face in pure concentration trying to make the message funny, then he closed his eyes and laughed. Perfect, we weren't in trouble.
• Cherry Hill Galore. At the moment my favorite visit this summer has been when Em and I dorked around the whole time. That kid can really make me laugh. I love making my brain replay her trying to squeeze in the tube with Eric. I also loved playing the dunking game with her. Her pitiful gasp, then, "Are you kidding me?!" when I told her, "I'm thinking of a State ..." was priceless.
• We went up to Kaysville for Toby's real birthday celebration. We had a picnic at the park right by James' house. It was windy, so James ran home and grabbed two kites. It was so fun running around encouraging the boys to run so the kite stayed in the air. James put together the really big kite, but it ended up getting away from him. He was running after the kite, Abe was running after James crying because James had left, and the kite took a nasty spill covering two trees. James monkeyed up one of the trees in his flip flops, but after a great effort, Eric ended up cutting the line. Toby and Abe swung together in the baby swing on the playground. Toby loved it, Abe hated it. Toby kept leaning his head back to see who was behind him.
• My parents are in Europe, Em's home alone tending to house business. The flowers are dying. She called me one morning, "I need your muscles!" because she couldn't get the lawn mower started. It had nothing to do with brute strength and everything to do with finally calling Zach for advice and learning that we needed to prime the dang thing. Emily laughed and confessed and shook her finger at the mower, "That's what I was forgetting!"
• After successfully starting the lawn mower, I decided to heat up my beans (Thank you Sara!) for lunch. The microwave and lawn mower were both humming, and I heard a fantastic POP! from outside, then no sound from the lawn mower. I knew Em was behind it, but I would never have predicted what I found. There was Em, with both hands over her mouth, typical hunched over posture, staring at ... "You ran over one of dad's solar lights?!" Unbelievable. It had shattered, so I grabbed the broom and started sweeping and told Em it was her turn to call Zach this time. It was all quite hilarious. Dad should be relaxed enough from his vacation that he'll be able to laugh too.
• Dra and I went up and let Em and Zach feed us and teach us a complicated yet fun game. Toby's starting to take a few steps, and my mom is going to be mad she missed the beginnings. Here's hoping that tomorrow Em, Zach, Toby, and I can get in another Cherry Hill adventure.
• Em and I met up with the Gainers for an American Fork Canyon adventure. Em and Chris swam in Silver Lake, we girls hiked then rock-climbed, then when it was getting pretty dark, we hiked back down where Chris had been cooking elk for us. We also had smores and bananas. (It was worth losing points Jackie.) I've decided that I'm a miserable climber. I'm terribly scared the entire time, I'm painfully slow, and I'm not that flexible. I tell myself that I'll get better as I go more often, but will I?
• I've been making dinner almost every night, well, I always have an insane amount of leftovers, so once the leftovers are gone, I make dinner again. I think that this is the real proof of how much I love my new place. I've invited friends and family over now and then, and I love cooking for them. Let me cook for you, seriously! I've made chicken fajitas, spaghetti with Dra's help, sloppy joes with texas caviar ... Okay, that might be it so far, and it doesn't seem like much, but it has been really fun.
• This morning I went on a long horseback ride with my delightful friend Deanne and her niece Cicilee. I should have rolled my sleeves back down before the picture of me and Jack in the meadow was snapped, but here's hoping that we really do make this a weekly event so I can get more pictures.
  
  

The Black Keys!

• While crossing the street from my house to the trax station, I was flagged down by a transient. "Do you have any spare change?" Sorry buddy, nothing on me. I literally had my phone and my ID, and that was it. "Oh okay, wait, wait! Did you know Jesus loves you? ... Cause you look like an angel!" I lamely responded, "You too," then couldn't stop myself from laughing at my ridiculous response as I stomped away past his continuous mumbles of my angelic attributes. Do angels like The Black Keys?
  
• On trax, two young possibly 6th graders, sat next to me. One was even reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid. At the next stop, a group of toothless idiots boarded. It was F this and F that, and I was extremely uncomfortable. I tried to hold my tongue, but finally, I nicely blurted, "Excuse me, would you mind watching your language? There are children right here." A couple of men that were not part of the group gave me an appreciative nod, but the ugliest girl in the group mumbled, "Ohhhhkay, um, freedom of speech?" I lost it, I no longer felt like being nice. Freedom of speech? You are a complete baboon. Children people, children! Then the poor boy muttered, "It's okay," and I told him it wasn't okay, and he deserved better. I was all in a huff, but thankfully the disgusting hooligans got off at the next stop. When they got off, a man tapped me on the shoulder and thanked me for saying something, but I wish he would have backed me up in the moment.
• At the concert, before the opening band started, these two guys in front of me kept eying me then sipping their beers. I was nervous because my pants were tight, possibly too tight, and what if my zipper was down? Phew, not the case. They asked if I wanted to stand in front of them so I could see better! Eventually, I was in the front, leaning on the bar, getting asked by photographers if I liked the picture they took, heart forced to beat to the pounding rhythm, hypnotized by how The Black Keys was markered on the drum, loving the music so much I felt like wiping tears off my cheeks, realizing that I haven't liked a concert this much in a very very long time ... Every song is my new favorite Black Keys song. You should have been there.
  

Lake Powell - Memorial Day Blowout

View from the houseboat every morning.

I could seriously live on this. It was three stories of pure heaven: super cushy carpet, marble countertops, windy stairs, big screen tv for movies at night ... I was spoiled rotten.

Me and the boat got along just great. I wakeboarded, tubed, and learned how to wakesurf (my new favorite). I cheered for myself when I got up on my first try. I was a little bit of a maniac on the tube; at one point after I had jumped on to the other kid's tube, I was riding not-so-safely on my back. I got bounced right off. For my bravery, longevity, and willing to take risk, I was crowned Queen of Tubing.

There were two slides, and this was the slide coming off of the sun deck at the very top of the house boat; it was so deliciously fun. Too bad I can't control my kicky legs, but at least it made everyone else laugh.

Took a jet ski trip to the dam.

I was super excited to hike this sand dune. (Being serious.)

We had to swim, and everyone was a little complainy, so I obnoxiously ran into the water. "Amy! Your camera!" Suckers! It's waterproof.

Not so easy hike. Poor Slim had to take a break.

Lobster legs are the result of a recipe laced with too many bounces on the tube and not enough sunscreen.

Running down.

Poor Slim almost made it to the end, almost. He fell and rolled pretty dang hard. Too bad I wasn't filming.