Last but not least!

We had one last hurrah before the end of summer; surprise! we went camping.
We went to Watkins Glen with some friends and had a great time. It rained on us most of the night but the morning cleared up and we went on a hike through the gorge and it was beautiful.

Sailing!

Brad's dean has a sail boat and is a big boating fan. He invited anyone who wanted to, to go sailing with him. Mostly because it is easier to sail with at least two people. He keeps his boat in a little slip on the Genesse River that runs right into Lake Ontario. We took him up on the offer and had a blast out on the lake.

We learned a lot of names that I can't remember now, but everything on the boat has a strange name just to make it confusing. We can't just call it the front sail and the back sail, or right and left, but everything most be renamed to make it hard for people to learn the skill. Somehow this reminds me a lot of medicine. Why do we have to make up such strange names for everything?






Here's Brad and his dean (pretty much the coolest dean I've ever known)





All those little sail boats behind me were having a race it was pretty fun to watch. They all pulled out these bright sails (again, I forgot their real name) when the wind was directly behind them.


We liked the quiet, peaceful feel. No loud motors! We could talk and move around. There was a little cabin below deck with soft seats and all the necessities. Brad and I may have been converted to sailing. Brad's dean takes week long trips in the boat, stopping at restaurants on the shore, and either sleeping on the boat or sleeping just on the shore. Sounds like lots of fun to me, and very relaxing. Anyway, we had lots of fun, thanks Dr. G.

Ryan's visit and a project for Hannah

Brad's brother Ryan came for a visit and we had a blast. He stayed a whole week and Brad and he got to spend a lot of time together. Sadly, I was unable to get time off work, so I worked while they had fun. They went to Palmyra and the Lollypop Farm. Got ice cream at the Chill and Grill, and did some running on the canal. Ryan also did a lot of studying for the ACT while he was here. I hope he got enough studying in; we mostly wanted to play.

Looks like the goats were the favorite at the Lollypop Farm.







I did get to go to Niagara with them and that was very fun. We did the Cave of the Wind tour and all got special water shoes and a poncho. We got ice creams and saw the falls up close and personal. On the hurricane deck you can get soaking wet if you are not careful. We managed to stay pretty dry under out ponchos.


We waited in line for quite a while, but it wasn't hot and there was lots of people watching to do





The falls are in the background in this one. We stayed on the American side to keep things simple, but it was fun to get so close the the falls and see how fast the water really is moving.



I started a new project, and Brad insists on taking pictures of me working on it. This is the only one you will get, sorry. I am making another dress; this one is a stretchy knit.




Summer is going by way to fast! I have been wearing a jacket all morning, I am not ready for the cold again!
School started today for Brad. He is very excited about his new professor and classes. I am not quite ready to let him go back.

Camping at Seneca Lake

Seneca Lake was a little bit windy, but it wasn't too hot. Everyone had a great time. The night before we left, Hannah spent a few hours making some fancy sweet and sour chicken tin foil dinners. On Friday I was in charge of packing the cooler, and I missed the dinners! I was rather distressed when I realized it, but Hannah was a good sport. We ended up going into town for wings. We ate the chicken when we got home; it was excellent!

Hannah says her hair is crazy, but I like her new curly style.

Brett was our official cook, and we all felt indebted to him. He's really patient and knowledgable about camping food. Becca probably won't like this picture, but I had to include it to show how bad the wind was.

Somehow the Talbots eluded our camera.

coming and going

Daddikins

Brett and me contemplating the meaning of life

Hannah and I really liked canoeing. I even got Hannah to overlook the moss and go swimming with me the next day.

Keuka Lake

Here are just a few pics of our adventures at Keuka Lake. It took about an hour to get there, we left after work on Friday, ate tinfoil dinners, then went on a moon-light walk on the beach. We saw fire flies in the evening. The weird part was that it never got cold. All night it was warm and we didn't even need jackets in the morning. We went for a "hike" in the morning and our shoes got soaked! I could feel the water sloshing around in my shoes and it was just from the dew on the grass! It was a short hike. I had to work Saturday afternoon so we didn't stay long, but we had a great time!

End of School BBQ

Brad and I wanted to go camping, but the weather was iffy, so we had a BBQ in our front yard instead. Our friends gave us their hand-me-down grill; we didn't have fuel so we just put charcoal in the bottom and made burgers and s'mores. It was great fun!


(our Walmart chairs, nice huh?)

Seleta's Birthday

Ok, I know that these are a little late, but they are just so cute! Seleta's birthday was Friday May 2nd and she had us all out to the Olive Garden for dinner. It was very fun and yummy! We had several incidents but only one breakage, thankfully. We managed to break the wine glass full of mints while passing it around the table (guess we don't have a lot of experience with those;) ) and caused quite a scene. We all got out unscathed though, so no worries. We then went to Brad and Becca's to stuff cake into our already overly-filled tummies. What a fun night! We love Seleta and all that she does for us. She is such a good friend and basically has become our family out here.

The Lollypop Farm

Lady Lyn came to visit and we loved having her here. She and I really look a lot alike now with our short hair and trim figures. When we picked her up at the airport we were even wearing basically the same outfit. We caused an uproar at the library where people thought we were twins. All well, what can you do!

Here she is reading the Eat Cake book I told you all about.



We took her to the infamous petting zoo/adoption center, The Lollypop Farm. We had excellent weather and the animals were fun. Sadly we didn't get to do the petting part because it closed earlier then the rest of the place.



Brad loves animals. Montana here we come!


His favorite are the llamas of course; they wouldn't come see us. Next time we will remember the sugar cubes.


We met up with Stephanie, Dave and Lucas. Lucas had a blast and was as active as ever, but he still knew how to pose for the camera when it was on him.

New Room

...well kind of.

The other day (after the big test) I invited Brad to rearrange our bedroom. I told him where I wanted things and what I wanted to get rid of, and he moved furniture while I baked cakes. Jonathan came by for some potatoes and was roped into the project as well. It was great! Now it is like I have a new room. Every time I go in, I am pleasantly surprised by it. We made room for a desk in the bedroom for my sewing projects so that I don't have to keep setting them up and taking them down off the kitchen table. It is right in front of the window, which is both good and bad. The walkway is right outside the window, so our neighbors walk close by often.




Oh yeah, and here is the cake that I made. From the book Eat Cake by Jeanne Ray. I read it and then I saw recipes in the back for the cakes in the book. I made the Coconut Pineapple Cake, but it didn't turn out so well, it was really flat. So I made a lemon box cake and made the Buttercream Coconut frosting for that. It is great! This one is actually the scratch cake that I decided to frost anyway because I had enough frosting. We haven't tried it yet because we have been eating the other one.
(see how flat; this is two layers!)

Diggin' Diggin' Diggin'

Well, like our slogan says, we just keep on digging around here. I wanted to thank everyone for all their good advice ;) on my previous post. I have learned not to post when I am having a bad day, thanks to you all. On a happy note, I got a job!! I am happily cutting fabric at the cutting counters at JoAnn's Fabric. After applying three times, and changing various parts of my application each time, I finally was the candidate they wanted (pretty much I had to have infinite availability). I am learning the ropes pretty fast and making friends with the other ladies. I only work a couple days a week though, so I still have lots of down time. I am enjoying it and loving not looking for a job right now.

Brad is doing well, somehow he manages to do great on his tests after barely having the time to study. Aside from taking care of me and making sure we have FHE, he is doing scouts, volunteering at the ER, hosting prospective students, making chocolate cakes, visiting all the new babies, taking me exercising three times a week, and he even finds time to watch a little Star Trek. I don't know when he studies anymore. Good thing he is so smart (p.s. I can brag about Brad because I am his wife but he is not allowed to).

This picture pretty much depicts my daily activities these days (our couch is the most comfortable one I have ever slept on btw); Brad likes to take these when he thinks I am asleep.


That's our life update for now. Check back regularly for more news, or not so regularly, whatever.