Future Broadway Star and Future Olympian!?

 Ni'ke has had so much fun in her musical theater class.  She fancies herself a dancer and a singer now, and is indeed quite theatrical.  (She is pretty entertaining to watch!)

And Miss Rea can't get enough of swimming!  She's doing so great and we are proud of her, but just really happy that she is loving it and truly working hard to improve every day - a good discipline for any child.  She swims extra with our beloved Coach Hannah on the weekends (the one who along with Coach Cassandra taught all of our children to swim) to work on her take off dives, flip turns, and any other little techniques that need tweaking.  She's finally getting tall enough to jump up and touch the flags!  And yes, Rea's goal is to make the 2020 Olympics - she will be 16.  :)  And of course the 2024 and 2028 also.  Why aim low?!

Jamie and Suzan Say Good-bye.....

 

Last Tuesday was a very sad day, not just for me, but for everyone in the ER who has worked with these two amazing women for the last several years. That was their last night of work before moving to Florida later this week!  (sigh)  I of course wish them all the world's happiness, but am selfishly reminded of how "shadowy" it will feel now that their bright, happy selves are gone.  Suzan (on the left) played a huge role in helping me to get into the ER.  She was so encouraging and supportive and endearingly bossy as she shoved an interdepartmental request form into my hands one day and said, "You need to come work down here, I'm never wrong about these things." 

Once I finally got up the courage to go, Jamie took me under her wing and trained me for four weeks and held my hand when I thought I might lose my mind.  She gave me so much encouragement and confidence that I really could do this, and making that transition was probably the best career move I've made in my 18 years of nursing.  I am forever grateful for their friendship and for the amazing example they have set for all of us in what a good nurse looks like in action.

We celebrated at work with a 3-day stretch of potlucks, because that's just how we roll there and one just wasn't enough.  What do you make for the girls who you love and support, but really want to stay?  Nothing says "please don't leave us" like cupcakes, right?  :)  A serious amount of Facebook stalking was involved to find fun pictures of "Thelma and Louise", but it was a fun (and tasty) way to celebrate THEM!  Blessings to you both as you start this next adventure and fun chapter of your lives, on a beach and thousands of miles away from us....  (sigh) 

This Post Needs No Words

So imagine my frame of mind when - in the middle of semi-huge crisis at work- I look down at my phone to see that I have 8 text messages and 4 missed calls from my husband, followed by these delightful pictures filling my screen!  I almost dropped my phone.  He found this cute little gem right outside of our garage a few evenings ago.  He called the animal services unit and described the snake, and they confirmed what we thought, that it was a California king snake.  EEEK!  She went on to IMPLORE us that if we see it again, or another one, that we should just leave them alone because they are harmless, they eat rodents, and are indigenous to northern California and this is THEIR territory.  He didn't mention that he bludgeoned this one to death with the end of a broom as it was making it's way across our carport towards the garage, which is decidedly OUR territory....

Candice and Dan's Wedding!

 Was so blessed to attend my dear friend Candice's wedding last month!  What a beautiful bride and special day to be a part of!

Having fun in the photo booth!

Oh my goodness, I'm standing on her dress!

 Had fun hanging with Julie at the wedding - we were each others' "plus one"!

 Loving these very fabulous shoes!

 And of course she had cupcakes from Sift!

Dance Dance Dance!

 Ni'ke has been taking musical theater classes, and Rea is taking Modern dance.  THIS is the adorable little coffee place that I discovered around the corner from the dance center where I relax during their classes.  Aroma Roasters!

Spring Lake Hike

 So this was sort of our last big hurrah before school started.  This was last month in August, and sadly Daryle was in Chicago with his family for Aunt Ethel's funeral.  Uncle Clinton wasn't doing well, but we were grateful that Daryle could spend some time with his sister and a lot of family he hadn't seen for a while.

 So the kids and I took a Sunday afternoon and explored Spring Lake.  I was a little under the weather, thanks to a mild (yet horrible) case of food poisoning, thanks to BJ's at the mall. The pizzookies were great, but the main course, not so much.... Thankfully we found some camp bathrooms on the trails....

 Loved the wild blackberries!  Flashback to my childhood days in Missouri!

 Had to have a snack of ice cream at the swimming lagoon after our long hike