This...

was dinner and lunch this week... (minus the olives).  Recipe and photo from The Sister's Cafe.  So yummy and so easy!!  I think I see that becoming a staple meal around here.

8 quick things.

1. Relationship/business trip - Things with Ryan are still going great.  I am still in love.  I'm still happy. And, even sweeter for me, Isaac is in love too.  We have been having so much fun as a threesome. He would comver over every day, play with Isaac, have dinner with us, help with the dishes and then watch TV or take a walk together.  It's like he was the missing piece for us.   Unfortuneatley, Ryan is away to North Carolina on a business trip until the middle of July.  He flew out Sunday and it's been really hard.  Ever since our first date (when we actually met in person) we have seen each other every single day, even if it was just for a few minutes.  I am very lonely and overwhelmed without him, even though we have facetime, texting, etc.  It's frustrating because we had made a lot of *cough**cough* important plans for the spring/summer and now everything is up in the air. 

2. Phone - So Saturday I couldn't find my iPhone all morning.  Then I found it.  In the dryer.  The rice trick really works and despite being submerged in water for a complete wash cycle and then blasted in the dryer, my phone is working great with no water damage.  I have posted before about how much I loathe the iPhone, but I have to grudgingly admit my respect for it has gone up.

3. Vacation plans - I leave next Saturday for five lovely days in Myrtle Beach with my parents, Isaac and my brother Joe.  I. Can't. Wait. I think a vacation is just what the doctor ordered.  Also, Ryan has some time off while I will be down there and has arranged to come and visit for two days (!!!!!!!!!!). 

4. Job - is stressful.  Lots of unknowns about next year, which is frustrating since there are only a few weeks of school left.  They gave us an inservice day to "pitch and purge" and I ended up packing a ton of my stuff and bringing it home.  My morale relating to my job is at an all time low, which, if you know me well, is saying something. 

5. Health - Allergy season is in full swing combined with a possible sinus infection.  Wahoo!

6.  Cieling fan - before Ryan left, he did help me tackle a few projects around the house.  Joe came over and they put a fan up in above my bed.  It turned out to be a bit more of an ordeal than we initially anticipated (there are no beams in my attic to walk on, for example.  Also, at one point the light switch that has always controlled one plug in my room controlled every outlet in the room-- oops.  Also, I may or may not have electrocuted my brother... The jury is still out).  It's so lovely and keeps the room nice and cool!

7. Grad School - is on hiatus for now.  I got my grades for the two classes I took in the spring semester and my 4.0 is still going strong.  They start up again after I come back from Myrtle Beach. 

8. Soccer - Isaac did not make the travel soccer team, which was a bit of a surprise (despite the fact that he is really too young for the team anyways, and would have been "playing up").  Now I am convinced it's because I opted to not have him do the Spring Academy (it conflicted with my grad class schedule) and I feel horribly guilty.  He is signed up for various camps all summer, so he will still have lots of opportunities for practice. 



So that's the scoop.  Hope things are well for all of my bloggy friends.

Beach....

We had a hankering for sand between our toes....  So last Saturday afternoon after we finished up some things around the house, we hopped in the car and went.

Happy for a quick beach getaway.

This picture is for my sister Jenny....

Braved the icy water to walk along the beach.

We had the boardwalk all to ourselves. 

World's largest slice of cheese pizza.

Photo Dump - a few random things from my life.

Icecream at Zwahlen's--- delicious!!!!

Mini Golf in Franklin Square.

Spotted near Franklin Square.  I<3 it.

Ryan falls asleep in the car everywhere we go.

New Counting Crows Album.  Love the cover art but the jury is still out on the CD.  Very country-ish.

A shirt my mom made for Isaac at his request.

Bracelets my mom got me as a little gift.  They are 10,000 Villages but I believe she thrifted them from the ReUZIt shop.

Love letters left randomly for me to discover.  =)

Barbeque  ast Joe's house.  Isaac is obsessed with NBAJam on the iPad.

A beautiful saphire necklace Ryan got me to celebrate two month's since our first date.  He was watching Isaac one night and left it on my nightstand for me to discover.  I was so tired after class, I went home and went right to bed and then off to work the next day without even taking notice!  Finally, the next evening when I was packing swim bags before we left for the Y, he was like "Is there anything on your nightstand you might want to pack?"  I think he thought I might never notice it.

Love <3

I found some old notes Isaac and I wrote to each other in my school notebook during class. It says "You are a nice mom and a good teacher." What a sweet boy! Melts my heart!

yesterday

Yesterday, Isaac slept till after 9 o'clock for the first time in AGES.  We went with Ryan and his girls to Hershey Park the day before and didn't get home till very late at night.  A good time was had by all.  Isaac even rode on his first real rollercoasters: the Comet and the Wild Mouse.   He and Allison did a great job reading the map and keeping themselves busy with a rock, paper, scissors challenge. 

Yesterday, Isaac wore cords, a plaid button up shirt, appropriate colored socks and church shoes without one word of arguing.  Since getting dressed every day has been a battle, this has been a major accomplishment.

Yesterday, I remembered again how much I love Sarah McLachan.  I listened to her for about two hours while doing homework and screwing around on the computer.  Hold On will always be one of my favorite songs by her. 

Yesterday, I started this book that my friend Evelyne loaned to me.  It is the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants girls at age 30.  I am only 60 pages in and I can already tell I may have to devote every spare minute in the next few days reading it.  I know they are cheesey, but I love those books.

Yesterday, I made cookies that turned out... eh.  I got confused and thought I was supposed to bring dessert for Easter dinner.  I brought them to my parents house and (as expected) my brother's declared them to be "dry and crunchy".  Good thing my mom had still made our traditional bunny cake.   I never claimed to be domestic people.  But I do try.


Yesterday, I finally got a jump on some of my grad school homework that I have need to get accomplished on spring break.  There is more to go, but at least I did something.

Yesterday, when we were driving out to my mom's house we heard "Baby One More Time" on the radio.  I made a comment to Ryan that I would much rather hear her song "Stronger".  He whipped out his phone and had Stronger playing on the stereo within a minute.  It sounds silly but it put a goofy grin on my face.  

Yesterday, Isaac was happy with his Easter presents (we don't do Santa or the Easter Bunny here), but he did pass the comment that there wasn't as much candy as he was expecting.

Yesterday, I lived and loved life with my family.  I sang my favorite hymns at church.  I contemplated the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Savior. We spent time together as a family and with loved ones.  Isaac had a blast playing with Ryan, my brothers and my dad.   Happy Easter!

some sentences

First, a few random photos:

Isaac has been doing a lot of this lately:

My two favorite guys. 

Things have been the usual: insanely busy.  I have blogged a lot about how batty I feel with so much on my plate this semester has been, and then to throw seriously dating someone in the mix, I feel like I am constantly on the go with no downtime.  It is a lot, but I am having fun and I am very happy.  It's becoming a little bit ridiculous, because almost every time Ryan and I sit down to watch a movie together, one or the other of us falls asleep.  I was trying to introduce him to Mormon favorite "Dan in Real Life" but he kept nodding off.  Then again, I slept through all but ten minutes of his favorite "Can't Buy Me Love".  I guess that's what happens when you are middle aged.

After much agonizing, I decided Isaac will not be doing the spring academy for soccer.  BUT we will still play spring intermurals.  He really improved as a result of doing winter academy but the spring academy falls during the week on nights I have grad class.  I just couldn't figure out a way to make it work.  I am trying to be okay with that.  I keep reminding myself it is okay to say no once in a while.  That being said, I really want to get him back in swim classes again now that summer is approaching. 

 Despite the craziness, Ryan has been joining us for dinner and few times a week, and it's been reaaly nice.  This is horrible to admit, but before I often just ate something like a Lean Cuisine in front of my laptop and Isaac would eat something like a Chef Boyardee in front of the TV.  Now, at least on the nights I don't have class, we are sitting down around the table and eating actual meals with side dishes and conversing about our days.  The other day after dinner, the three of us played Scrabble Junior. It was so lovely! I was a bit worried at first that if I started dating someone it would affect Isaac negatively, but really it is the opposite.  I think he is actually getting more attention. Ryan often entertains him while I finish up stuff for school, or do other things I need to get done.  We have been doing lots of things as a threesome like walks throw the neighborhood. It's good for all of us. 

I finally went to the library and got myself caught up on fines enough to check out books again.  I had so many fines that I never paid off I was blacklisted from books and I really want to start listening to audiobooks in the car to and from school.  Ryan was with me when I went to pay them and he almost fell over when the kid announced that I had 22 dollars worth of library fines.  I didn't have that much cash on me, but I was able to pay down my debt enough that I am allowed to have full library priviliges.  So that's exciting.  I am behind on the Jodi Piccoult books (I don't think I have read her two most recent ones).  I am currently reading I Walk Alone by Mary Higgin's Clark (mostly in the waiting room at the dermatologist or when I am waiting to pick Isaac up from my parents after class).   

Isaac is on spring break all week.  I have a half day Wednesday, and off until Tuesday.  I am definitely looking forward to that.  This school year has really flown by.  I have pulled out all of my cardmaking and stamping stuff.  Maybe I will get a chance to get to them later in the week. 

Anyways, that's a little bit about what we've been up to.