What's Summer Doin' Here?

I babysit two little boys during the week and yesterday, while pushing the 4 yr old on the swing, we got on the topic of favorite things. His were *dancing*singing*hiding*picnics*cars*

Today, Sally and I went for a ride in our old pick-up truck, which she LOVES, and it got me thinking about her favorite things (which she is VERY serious about) *playing*running*riding in the truck*treats*friends*back rubs*sleeping*

And, so I think it's only natural to think of my favorite things, too... but try to keep them in their simplest forms, like my friends above. My favorite things I guess would be*warm weather*Jeff hugs*painting*Sally laying on my toes*gardening books*outdoors*

Yeah, today I got to/will enjoy every one of them. What a good day.

P.S.- I put up a .gif last year, but for some reason it didn't run...SO I fixed it, and if you are Jeff's side of the fam (especially Marsha's fam), you might be interested in checking it out HERE. :)

Too Cute

...for her own good.

My niece.

Still Fits

 

When I was little, I would drool over the neighbors' horses. I grew up in a house built on an old race horse training facility. Acres of pasture and riding trails...and me without a horse. 

Finally, my parents decided to get me the greatest gift I could have EVER asked for. That one thing every little girls dreams of. And not just one; but a beautiful white Arabian, and a chestnut brown filly, too. My life was complete.

Every so often, my dad would take me on little trips to see either someone selling rabbits, or goats, or the occasional horse stable or show. But one of my fondest memories was when my dad took me to buy my boots. We went into the attic of an old man's tack store. Up the stairs was a strong scent of leather, and a wall lined with boxes of shoes. I picked out the perfect riding boot, and got them a couple sizes too big to make sure they would last me a long time. My dad got himself a pair of cowboy boots, and we paid the man. I couldn't believe my dad would spend so much on me. Though looking back, that was a good price for good shoes. 

When I went to college my boots went to storage. I ended up working on a ranch, but I never wore them (maybe because I rode english and the ranch was western). Since Jeff and I moved back to my hometown, I've finally started going through everything. And there were my boots. Last month I finally had an excuse to wear them...and they still fit. 

I'm hoping someday we'll have a little girl who will fill my shoes.

We Needed to Get Away...

...so we did.

We stayed at a campground in Florida for a couple of days. The view from our tent was gorgeous, and wildlife was everywhere. We'd consider moving to the beach. :) 

to the beach, baby

...she couldn't take it anymore, so she went to the sea...

After having a long, boring, meaningless day Saturday, 

I told Jeff we were going to the beach. So, we are.

No internet.

No work.

No thinking about anything.

Just r&r.

Old College Town

 Jeffrey and I went on a mini adventure through the

hills of southern Ohio, Saturday.

 And I just found out I take pictures as if I'm drinking

out of a mini teacup. Pinkies up!

(and that camera is film. We got it earlier this summer. I'll share more another day)

 We visited my old college town, and saw all the places I loved to go...

 Things have changed, but not too much.

 This is where I'd sit, and write in my journal for hours.

 We had lunch with some of my old college friends, sneaked around campus, saw the murals, drove past the places I used to live, and glimpsed around the art museum. It was the perfect little visit. 

Lastly, on our way out of town, we visited the ranch where I used to work. A friend I worked with is now kind of "in charge", so we got to catch up, and let us have a hay day!

Jeff looking manly. mmmm. (Andee gives great instructions on how to look manly next to a tractor).

 Ignore the tons of dust.

 I wouldn't have posed like that if I knew it made me look fat in the middle...or dorky uncool. But it was the only one you could see me through the dust. But the good news is I can still fit comfortably in my riding boots! I'll share those in another post later.

For the first time on a horse, Jeff rocked it. Made my heart very happy. Gives me hope I'll get my little ranch someday.

Someday, Mallory.

2012 Thus Far

 Jeff turned 25! 

Jeff's long time friend, and our favorite couple to hang out with happened to be able to make it (THE BUFFINGTONS!). I don't think Jeff could have asked for a better birthday.

Ella joined the chess team, and helped break in our awesome chess set.

Sally, surprising, yet unsurprisingly, had something "off" about her face...

Which called for an emergency run to the store for Benadryl.

 This is what she is supposed to look like, in case you may have forgotten:

 

 All we can figure is that she must have tried to love a spider to death (like usual). Only this time it tried to love her to death, back.

We've had a lot of visitors, lately. After seeing about a million wild turkeys, Jeff mentioned how when we were in Yellowstone we barely saw any wildlife. We move back home, and it's everywhere.

And then there was the whim to make a homemade cookie monster...

 Now, a normal cookie monster is delicious (where we just buy everything that goes on it, and put it together). But a homemade cookie, homemade ice cream, homemade whipped cream, homemade hot fudge, and a homemade caramel cookie monster is monstrously delicious. And somehow took just about the same amount of time to make.

I've been thinking a lot about the past, lately. More specifically, the past before I was even thought of. I've been converting my grandma's songs from tapes to mp3, and just read a small book on my other grandma's family. Makes me want to move into the hills, and start a folk band honestly. It also makes me want to do a family history adventure, where Jeff and I track down old stories and places from our ancestors.-More to come on these projects in the future.

I've also been thinking about this pretty huge artistic project I've been building in my mind...oh, to be back in college, when I had all these weird connections and could pull it off...I'll have to see what I can do...

I think a lot. Too much, probably. I'm a dreamer.
Fortunately, Jeff got me a project planner for Christmas. It's been helping me keep my thoughts organized...
And I might actually get some done.
Goals. Goals. Goals.

I went for a hike today, without my camera.

I realized the rough rocky spots are where the water makes the most beautiful sound.

New Years

 Sooooo, we really splurged for New Years/Jeff's birthday. First we walked around a little in downtown Cincy (which happens to be what we did on our first real date), before meeting up with Jeff's friends where we made reservations. We went to a Brazilian restaurant, where they come around with different cuts of meat, and it's amazingly tasty, and awesome, and yummy, and filling beyond belief. It was worth it. 

 ^sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo hot^

 

 

Afterwards the night was still young (as in 6:45pm), so we went to see Mission Impossible. It was good...I think old people go to see movies on New Years Eve though, because we were definitely the youngest people there...and that's what my parents did too...

The guys were wanting something sweet afterwards, so as tradition for Jeff's birthday (or so it seems to be becoming), we suggested a cookie monster. At the pizza place back in Idaho, they had a little cast iron skillet with a freshly cooked giant cookie on the bottom, ice cream in the middle, and whipped cream, pecans, caramel and hot fudge on the top; which they referred to as a cookie monster....and what I like to recreate for Jeff...and his friends...at 1am on New Years. Makes me miss it just typing about it.

So, we rang in the New Years well fed, watching the modern Sherlock BBC series. We tuned in 10 sec. before the ball dropped...or in our case, before the fountain square sign flashed HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! I leaned over and gave Jeff a kiss. :)

We are getting quite old though, because we had to roll down the window and sing as loud as we could the hour ride home at 2am to keep from falling asleep, where apparently my little sister (who got in a half hour after us) had a pleasant, non-groggy drive home...odd what a difference a few years can make...or is it marriage.?...We did see a movie on new years eve....  

We did happen to save my triple chocolate moose cake from the restaurant, so on New Years day Jeff and I ate it with some sparkling wild berry we were supposed to be home in time to break open the night before. I was much happier with how our plans ended up.

 And now today. The day resolutions arrive. We made goals.

 (New Years Eve: Green)

 (Today: White)

 

 Snow covers the old, and allows for the new to start.

I really like this song for today.

 

<3 from us