59---Dork much?

59

So...I started listening to audiobooks while driving from Carlsbad to Salinas and back again.  They really do make the drive go by so much faster!  But...my listening has taken a turn toward pure dorkiness. A few drives ago I was listening to books that were about 8 hours long...so when I would arrive at my destination at 6.5-7 hours I would occasionally listen to the last hour of the book while getting ready in the morning etc...just so I wouldn't forget what was happening and just have an hour of listening when I started driving again. No big deal.  It was just a little listening while not in the car.  

Well...now I'm listening to Dean Koontz book 'Strangers'.  This book is separated into 4 parts...each part is about 8 hours. I listened to this book for part of my drive from Salinas to C-bad in December...to Salinas again this last week...and again back to C-bad on Friday...well...that still left over 8 hours of book left.  I've now taken to listening to this book at home.  Yes...I just sit on the couch and listen to the book. OMG...what am I turning into!  I'm officially a full fledged DORK!...but the book is just so good!  

54, 55, 56 57, 58....Wow

Sorry I haven't been updating daily...I was out of town and time just gets away from me.  I'm back on track and did take my pictures daily!

54

 I spent Wednesday afternoon going to lunch in Carmel Valley with my parents and grandparents.  Cafe Rustica is an adorable little restaurant with great food!

55

Thursday I recruited my friend and his son to go with me to Monterey to drop off a resume...with the bribe of taking his son to a park along on the outing.  We stopped at Dennis the Mennis Park in Monterey.  This park was amazing growing up...so big and so much to do.  Sadly as an adult it's not nearly as cool...and some of the 'dangerous' items have been replaced/removed.  It's still a pretty fun park with lots for kids to explore.  

56

Friday I drove back to Carlsbad from Salinas.  It was a crazy stormy day which make most of they typically boring drive quite beautiful. 

 This picture is of the storm on the left hand side and the clear blue on the right hand side.  It was crazy seeing an the changes in the sky.

 The storm I'm driving into...

 A dark sky with beautiful blooming trees

 The sky in front of me....

 The sky out the passenger window...what a difference!

 The hundreds of oil wells along Hwy 46

 The sky was just amazing...I had to keep taking pictures...don't worry only when there wasn't much traffic!

The rain spots on my sun roof while sitting in traffic.  

57

 I started my day with a fabulous breakfast with Trevor at The Corner Bakery.  This place just recently opened about a mile (if that!) from my house...so so so so good!!! After breakfast, the next 14 hours consisted of making baby shower invitations...

This is what I started with....rolled up pattern paper...lots of card stock, stickies, embossing tools, stamps, paper cutters....etc etc

 Step 1-cut the patterns into strips...cut some stock into squares...

 Close up of the pattern

 The boring cards...they need some pizazz!

 A patterned belt helps....

 As do baby footprints...embossed onto the previously cut squares...and put on with raised foam

They I just had to do the inside, make labels, etc....and yes...I'm back at it again today!

58

Today's picture should have been of the MDA Muscle Walk.  Each year I participate in the Muscle Walk in honor of Caleb Gold.   Today was the walk and once again, even though it rained and hailed yesterday, the walk around Crown Point in Mission Bay was absolutely gorgeous!  Not a cloud in site...unfortunately my camera was with my invitations...so not a single picture!  I'm back working on invites...and it's easy to see that  my dogs take after me and enjoy a good sunbathing!  

52 & 53

52

On day 52 I drove with my Aunt to Half Moon Bay.  The drive from Salinas to HMB along Hwy 1 is beautiful.  There are parts that actually remind me of Ireland with the green rolling hills.  Here are few pics from the drive.

53

Day 53 was my brother-in-law, Brandon's, birthday.  I spent most of the day with my sister...having lunch, getting groceries, etc so that she could have a birthday BBQ for him at their house.  I helped her during that time and then when Brandon came home I helped him put together the cribs for their nursery.  They are having twin girls in June so the nursery is starting to come together.  

 My sister and her first baby Milo

Ribs....for dinner (I actually even tried one...and...decided I'll stick to the hot dogs!)

How flippin adorable are these?!?!?!

49, 50, & 51---driving, books, and pups

49

Although my drive on Friday was supposed to be rainy and cold...this is what it actually was.  This pic was taken while driving on the 5, heading south, right after the 5 splits into the 99 and the 5

50

Nothing exciting...just the fact that my room in at my parents house now contains the following books...gardening, ghosts, dogs books, dictionaries, kids books, music books, car books, home remedy books, computer books and...the oh so popular Twilight books...it's quite the combo!

51

 Cutie pa-tootie Katy.  I feel like I get pics of Hurley a lot lately but not many of my first baby!  Katy just doesn't sit still long enough!  Even here she's a little annoyed because she was checking out Hurley's crate to see if anything had changed from every other time she walks by it

My mom and I enjoyed a nice glass of wine after a long day of shopping. 

48---Spiders...OH my!!!

48

Today was Science Day at school.  My classroom was used for the 'Bug Lady'...which meant that it had creepy crawlies in all day!  As some of you may know...I'm terrified of spiders.  I once slept on the couch for 2 weeks because there was a spider in my room that 'fell' and we couldn't find it...therefore my room was not deemed safe for me to be in.  I literally 'ran' past the door and slept on the couch until a spider that 'looked' like the one in my room was killed.  Was it the same spider...who knows...but I was able to believe it and get back to my bed!  But...I digress...my classroom...lots of bugs...including hissing cockroaches, scorpians, black widows, tarantulas, etc etc....but...I dealt.  I even faced a fear...and held this 'little' (haha) guy!

This is Mr. Wiggins holding Bella Stella the Chaco Yellow Striped Tarantula

 And...here I am doing the same!  Dr. Sue (the Bug Lady) did have to remind me to breathe...and my palms were super sweaty after...but I did it!  (I obviously didn't take this picture but I figure it can count!!)

Dr. Sue showing us her fangs! Luckily after I held her!

Even after seeing the fangs...I went for it again.  This time I was able to breathe on my own and my palms were fine!  

This is Crab-B (she also has Crab-A etc...haha...get it??)  He's a pretty darn big Hermit Crab...she's known him to be alive at least 15 years!

Crabby (Crab-B) cruising around...he liked to come over to my pants...I wasn't really pumped about that!

47 ---Packing

47

Day 47 consisted of work, staff meeting, dinner with a friend, packing, and Trevor coming over.  It's been busy week getting ready to head north.  

46--Band Night

 One of my former students is now in middle school...and in the band.  He is the lucky player of the bells.  Tonight was their mid-year performance and he invited a lot of his former teachers/friends to come and watch.  It's so great to see him so excited to be participating in the school band...and of course we could hear his bells the whole time! And...he won the award for 'most improved'...voted by his peers in beginner band.  We were so proud!

 My ticket...his parents bought us all VIP tickets

The pretty centerpieces on the VIP tables

The 'Most Improved' winner and his adorable trophy!

45-Valentine's Day

I've never been a huge Valentines Day person...even when I have a significant other. At school/work one of the Kids Korps fundraisers is to buy a FlowerGram.  I personally am not a huge fan b/c think of the poor kids in the class that don't get a Flower Gram delivered to them.  Kids/families can buy FlowerGrams for students and staff...here are mine...

44---Fountain

When I cleaned the garage the other day I found my old water fountain...it is being put to good use again!

43--OCD

Every couple of months I have the urge to clean the garage.  I sweep, vacuum, re-organize and sometimes face my fear of ladders to put things in the rafters.  I'm not OCD in most areas...but sometimes when I organize things I feel like I am.  I have an OCD closet at work, my closet is pretty OCD, and this shelf is quickly becoming my next target! 

41 & 42--Memory Card...Addiction

41

So I actually tried to be good the other day.  I was driving home from the gym and the sunset was absolutely beautful.  It was an amazing orange setting over the deep blue ocean.  I pulled over...got my real camera out of my purse...and...no memory card!  UGH!  So I was stuck with yet again a crappy picture from my iPhone! 

42

A couple years ago my sister introduced me to Griddlers.  No...this isn't a pancake.  They are puzzles.  Highly addicting puzzles.  I go in spurts of doing them...I'll be totally hooked for a while and then I won't even think of them for months...but lo and behold...I started one tonight and am once again hooked!  

39 & 40--Veggies and blankets

As Brook pointed out, 'I missed a day', but...I didn't really miss a day I just hadn't posted yet!  I've still taken my pictures!!  I promise!  

39

As you may have noticed from my artichoke pictures...I love certain veggies...not all...but certain ones I can eat over and over!  This is one of my favorites...mushrooms, zucchini and asparagus...grilled with a tiny bit of Pam Olive Oil spray, salt and pepper...and then...I dip it in Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce!  (Which is my new favorite dip of choice for anything!!)

40

About a year ago I bought a new bedding set.  I loved/love it.  It's a damask pattern.  The only problem I'm having is that it's an actual 'comforter', where I've always had a duvet.  So...it was fun to have a comforter but...really really really hard to wash!  Another problem was that I bought it on Overstock so didn't get to see it first...the pattern is black on a white background...only the white was more of an off-white.  No biggie...except...I have 2 dogs that like to sit on my bed.  So...that white part starts to look dingy...which means a lot of washing.  Now, washing a queen size comforter in a regular washing machine and dryer...not cool.  It CAN be done, I do it, but really...not cool!  So, I've been looking, again, for a new bed set.  I, for some reason, really want a 'quilt' or 'coverlet', and would love a damask pattern again...but maybe a white pattern on black?  Either way at Target tonight I found this...it's a King size, so a little big, but the quilt and 2 shams only cost $35...so even if I only use for a short while I feel okay about it.  And...being a quilt it should be easy to wash and makes for a great spare blanket afterwards.   The funny thing is that in order to make a King size fit a Queen bed means putting it on sideways...so the flowers are sideways...but I really don't think anyone would notice.  

38--New fave!

I love this new face set I got!  I actually bought the 'night' set on Saturday...used it one time and loved it so much I went back on Sunday and bought the 'day' set!  My face feels like silk with it on!  I literally kept petting my own face today!  Love it!