My Boring Life

I don't have any cool stories to share when I sit at home all day.

I'm sorry to disappoint, but no, I do not have a cool story to share now.

Here's a run down of my average day:

I wake up around 6:30 (I'm an early riser, even without having to be).

I read for several hours (Books I've read so far this summer that are amazing: I Know This Much is True, The Hunger Games Series, and My Sister's Keeper).

I head to the gym around 9 a.m. for an hour (Say Yes To The Dress is on for an hour, so I work out while getting my wedding dress fix).

I shower and then bake for an hour or two (I bought six large zucchini, so I've made six different types of zucchini bread, along with several types of banana bread-It's all in the freezer, so I am stocked with breakfast for the next semester).

I take of my household chores, including laundry, cleaning, and feeding Mrs. Hazelnut (the frog) and Mojo, the fish. If they aren't fed by 11, they get pretty angry. Mojo starts splashing water all over the place, and Mrs. Hazelnut goes on a frantic swim around her tank.

I eat around noon, and then I continue reading for a while.

I play Super Mario Brothers for an hour or so.

I begin making dinner around 4:30 p.m.

I watch the Rockies almost every night, along with some other fun summer shows, such as Expedition Impossible, The Bachelorette, Wipeout, and anything else that strikes a fancy.

I'm in bed by around 9 p.m.

That's my life.

Really exciting, huh? In all reality, I am thoroughly enjoying my time off. I have had time to read, relax, and bake, all of my favorite things to do. I have spent time with friends. I have had lunch dates. I have sat at the pool. I am going to Loveland next week to help Collin pack. Shan, Case, Siahna, Carson, Kye, Corinne, and I are going to the zoo tomorrow. On Saturday we are going swimming and then to Lakeside Amusement Park. I've been able to spend time with Josh. I've gone to Target. I hope to make it to Kearney in the next month. April is coming to Denver next weekend. Josh and I are going to the Adam's County Fair for their demolition derby.

I report back to school in two weeks, and while I've already begun to prepare for the upcoming school year, I am also making sure to enjoy my time off.

I love summer.

Moving News

Collin and Kate are moving back to Kearney!

Actually, Kate is already there and has been there for two weeks.

Collin is still in Loveland with the kids working on packing, selling, purging and renting.

It's very bitter-sweet for everyone (more sweet for mom and dad). We are very excited for them as they begin this new adventure, but we are also very sad to see them leave lovely Colorado. Kate interviewed and got a job at the Buckle Warehouse, which is located in Kearney. She got a fabulous job that was too good to pass up, so she accepted, quit her job at Comcast and moved within two weeks. It was all very fast.

She is living with my parents until Collin and the kids get there. She is also in the process of looking for a place to live (they can't live with my parents forever, right?). Collin will officially move Aug. 15.

Kate is loving her new job, and as Collin finishes up his teaching degree, he'll hopefully have a much easier time finding a teaching job in Kearney than in Colorado. Kate already has some friends in Kearney, and Collin has some old high school friends who still live in the area, so I am confident they are going to fit right in.

Pray for them as they begin this new journey.

Work Hazzards

I decided to go to a movie today.

It was 97 degrees outside.

I live on the third story.

I rarely turn on my air.

It felt like 97 degrees inside.

So I decided to go to a movie today to cool off and enjoy my Friday afternoon.

I got into my car. My air doesn't work in my car (it worked last summer, but this summer it decided to be a pill), so I rolled down my windows. I've gotten used to the wind blowing through my hair (and messing it all up). It's a fine system as long as my car is moving. When I'm at a stop light, it's not such a great system. Especially when it's 97 degrees outside.

So anyway, I rolled down my windows and started the 15 minute drive to Elvis theatre to see Bridesmaids. I had allowed myself 30 minutes to drive to the theatre, get my popcorn and pop, and find a seat before the movie started. Plenty of time, right?

Wrong.

There was construction.

No less than three minutes from pulling out of my apartment complex, and I was sitting (in a car that was 1,000 degrees). At noon. In traffic. Not moving.

Ten minutes later. Still hadn't moved.

Sweat was dripping down my leg. My knees were sweating. I had sweat in between my elbows. And sweat running between my b**bs. I was not in a good mood.

After 15 minutes of NOT moving, I made a turn at a corner, which I thought would be a good decision.

Wrong.

Another 10 minutes went by, and I was only three minutes from my apartment. I almost turned around and went home, but at this point, I NEEDED the air conditioned movie theatre.

I figured that even if I missed the previews, I would still make the movie in time.

Thirty minutes later, and I was finally pulling up to the theatre right as the movie should have been starting. There was a line. Of course.

I got my tickets after five minutes.

Then there was a line for the popcorn and pop. But I wasn't about to give that up.

I walked into the theatre, and it was pitch black.

Seriously, I couldn't see my hand in front of me.

Pitch black.

As if the movie was about to start but hadn't quite yet.

It was so dark that I couldn't even find a seat. I stood by the door, waiting for a preview to play on the screen to light my way.

I stood for five minutes, and the lights finally came on. The theatre was pretty full, even at 1 p.m. (do people not work?) I saw the light as a good sign. It allowed me to find a seat.

But then the dreaded happened.

The light was NOT a good sign.

I had been spotted.

By several of my students.

I was all alone.

They were thinking, "Poor Ms. Nichols. She has to come to a movie alone."

And then they shouted, "Hey Ms. Nichols!!!!!"

I politely smiled and waved.

Awkward.

For another 20 minutes, we sat with the lights on. An employee finally came to the front of the screen and said, "I'm sorry for the delay. We're having problems with the movie, and it looks like we might have to refund your money if we can't get it working. Give us a few more minutes to see if we can get the problem solved."

I'm thinking, "This is not happening. I did not just sit in construction traffic for 30 minutes and be spotted by my students (alone) in order to be sent home again without seeing a movie."

Finally, the movie started.

And the opening scene of the movie was a s*x scene.

Awkward, knowing my students are just a few seats away from me.

After the movie, I remained in my seat and waited for my students to leave first. I did not want to have to have a conversation with them. They left. I left.

With my head down, I quickly headed out to my car.

Guess who was walking right past my car as I arrived? Yes, my students. I made small talk and quickly drove away.

It took me 30 minutes to get home through the construction again.

I'm home. My skirt is drenched in sweat. It's 1,000 degrees in my apartment.

I turned on the air conditioner. I think I deserve it.

She Likes It

"Oh, your hair is so very cute"

I turned around in the grocery aisle to see a small Asian lady standing behind me. She touched the back of my hair.

"Thank you."

"Oh yes, very cute. Very cute. I like."

"Thank you."

"It's really a cute haircut. It fits you nicely."

"Thank you very much."

"Don't change your hair. It's so cute."

"Thanks."

She continued to stare and touch my hair.

I guess she liked it.

Monday-Day 4

The 4th of July was a busy day for us. After finishing breakfast, 13 of us packed into two cars and drove to Aspen for their parade.

Josh was helping out by putting sunscreen on the kiddos.
Kye was super excited about all the candy they got at the parade.

Carson was looking pretty cool in his new shades.

Corinne only cared about eating her Popsicle.

Carson being forced to take a picture with me.

At least Kye put on a happy smile (I had to bribe him).

After the parade, a group of about 30 of us (including aunts, uncles, cousins and family friends), headed half way up Independence Pass to a picnic site called the Grotos. This is a family tradition. Everyone brings food to share, and we have a great time hanging out.

At the Grotos is an ice cave. Some years, this cave is so full of ice that you can't even climb down. This year, there was quite a bit of ice but it was melted enough that we could climb down.

Josh looking up to help me climb down.

Inside the cave.

After Josh and I climbed into the ice cave, we came back to the picnic area to chow down with the family.

Mom and dad enjoying the good food.

Josh is getting tired of these pictures....

Shan with a mouth full of food.

Case having fun with a stick.

Then we went on a hike.

I took this picture looking down into the cave where Collin, Kate and Corinne are.

We continued our hike to the raging river.

And then the boys decided they should jump into the river. It's about a 20 foot jump into the raging river below. There's a pool of water that's pretty deep, so as long as you jump out far enough from the rock, you're pretty safe. However, the water is freezing cold at a temp of about 38 degrees, so the body starts to shut down the moment you hit the water. Also this year, the river was raging. Because of the extreme amounts of snow melt, this river as roaring and my Uncle Steve made sure to stand on the rock below to help anyone who got in trouble.

Initially, only about two boys were jumping. All the other guys were just up there for support. And then Collin and Josh decided they wanted to give it a go. Collin's words, "I'm trying to decide if I don't jump if that means I'm old or smart." He decided he would be considered old if he didn't jump, so the two of them headed up.

I didn't get a picture of Collin jumping, but he's standing on the far left (the one without a shirt). He jumped as Katie and I were running through the forest to see him jump so we missed it, but his shivering body assured us he had done it.

Josh, unsure if he wanted to do it or not, succumbed to the peer pressure.

Giving me a look before jumping.

And he goes for it.

And then he scared us all. The water pulled him under, and we lost sight of Josh. My heart stopped. My Aunt Cara Lee started praying. His head came up and he started to swim toward the rock. And then he went under again. What seemed like an eternity was probably just a few seconds, but we thought for sure that someone was going to have to jump in to save him. Luckily Steve was there because he grabbed a long stick and helped pull Josh to safety. I honestly thought Josh was going to die. Josh said he was in a bit of trouble. Combined with the cold water that shut his body down, he was also pulled under by the current of the water. Josh assured us he knew he was going to be OK, but from our point of view, I thought he was a goner. I was thinking, "Meeting the family didn't fair well for Josh."

And then Jeff decided he couldn't be outdone by the younger men.

Steve is pointed to Jeff where he should land.

Showing off his muscles.

Everyone survived the cliff jumping experience, but they were certainly cold after the event.

I crossed the river, and I can attest that it was frigid. I lost all feeling in my feet within seconds.

After the picnic, we all packed into the cars and went back to Glenwood for the firework show. We had pizza and then watched the show as a family. It was pretty late by then, and we still had a long drive back to the campsite, so we loaded up sleepy kids and arrived back at our site around midnight.

It was a great day!

Sunday-Day 3

The next morning, Josh and I joined the family for breakfast. We then loaded up the 4 wheelers and headed up the mountain to a small town called Marble. There are some great trails in the area, so we took turns driving the 4 wheelers.

Those who weren't 4 wheeling sat under the tent enjoying snacks and playing.

And fishing.

Corinne refused to get on the 4 wheeler the entire day. For six hours, she watched her cousins have a blast, but she would cry anytime she was asked if she wanted to ride. Finally, mom took her against her will, kicking and screaming. However, after a few minutes, she fell in love and refused to get off. She is now hooked.

After about six hours of playing in the sun, we finally packed up and went back to the campground to grill steaks.

We were all covered in a layer of dust and dirt, so we had to take a sponge bath once we got back to camp, but it was a great day.

My Flowers!

I showed you back in April about the flowers I planted. They quickly started growing, and they gained about two inches a month since I planted them. However, no flowers were growing. Josh teased me that I had planted corn because that's what my flowers looked like.

Here are some pictures from the end of June. They were about 5 inches tall, but still no flowers.

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Because of all the rain we've gotten, they have recently shot up to 10 inches! Look how tall they are!

And then JUST THIS MORNING!!! Look, I have a flower!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And the other stems are about to bud, too, so I bet by the time they get some sun today, they will all be budding. I am so excited. I will post more pictures as they continue to sprout! My first attempt at growing flowers has been a success!