Oh what fun

Sometimes I get super nostalgic. Mainly because certain times in my past were super fun. In fact, they were super fun most of the time. Some of these times were captured on video. Not all of the times, that would be impossible, but just tiny glimpses of the past. Like this gem:



I realize that this may seem like nothing to a lot of people. But I am pretty sure that for the people in the video, this little video brings back a lot of good memories from a really really funny time. I loved living with these girls, and do not be fooled, living with a boy---whom I love and would never in a bagillion years change roomies---- is in no way the same thing. We still have funny times. **think GUMBY** But if you are in college. . . or just out of college. . . . you should live with girls who you plan on being friends with forever (and ever and ever and ever and ever).

In other news, Zach is currently writing a 10 page paper. It's due Sunday evening. Right about now he should be on his 5th page. But that's just a guess. He is in the computer lab typing/thinking/being a genius. You might be wondering why he is working on his paper right now since it is due Sunday evening. Because you know Zach, and you know that he enjoys/ends up writing his papers at the very last moment. Works best under pressure? He is writing now because WE are going to D.C. TOMORROW to meet up with MY PARENTS!! YAYYY I am so dang excited. Perhaps I will video a bit from this weekend, because it's going to be filled with laughs and good times.

More random: My friend Victor being awesome. . . sorry you can't see him that well .. . . but he sounds AWESOME!



hermmm what else. I am currently reading through The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson. Not so great. There are way more boring/slow parts than good. I am determined to finish it because I paid for it. The Help is next and I am super excited.

Love you and miss you all.

Things that are awesome:

Thing #1. Zach and I woke up this morning at 6am and headed out to enjoy a 3 mile walk with one another. It was cold and lovely outside.

Thing #2. While we were walking we saw a woman (presumably the mother) jogging with her 6 and 7 year old children. I don't actually know how old these kids were. . . . but they looked real tiny.

Thing #3. Going to Stewarts for chili dogs and a root beer float on Sunday afternoon with Zach.

Thing #4. The video that was recorded on the drive to Stewarts. I'm a safe driver.

Zachinator?

Nothing exciting has happened and there is no news. However, I am going to post something because I'm tired of being told I don't post enough.
Recently I learned that one of the woman I work with collects American Girl dolls. Which you might think, "OK, kind of odd for a full grown woman to collect dolls but it happens." However, this woman calls her dolls her "children." She baths them, cuts their hair, and changes their clothes. She has been known to say things like, "Well, I've got to go home and give the kids a bath." Yes, she is married and as far as I know, the husband is fine with his wife's adopted children. To top off the obsession, there is a cork board above the desk where everyone keeps pictures of their kids. Among all the human children there is a picture of 6 doll-children sitting on a staircase smiling for their proud momma. Interesting eh?

Zach has been super busy with school and his field education. He can post about that whenever he wants to. I know I wouldn't do it justice.

ALSO! I completely slacked on posting about a crazy awesome gift that Zach received from our good friends Eric and Ruth. the Zachionfigure (sorry if I spelled that wrong.)


I know, super impressive. Plaid shirt, thick beard, hairy hands, chests, and arms. . . . couldn't have been more on point. This is just one of the many reasons why we enjoy our friends Ruth and Eric.


We are planning on going to D.C. for Rally to Restore Sanity. To be honest though, the only reason we are going is to meet up with my pops! He is going to be riding his motorcycle up from Tampa. Crazy man. He's stopping along the way so that's good. We are really excited to see Dad and even more excited that we get to spend the whole weekend with him. At some crazy rally. I will be sure to take pictures of all the rally-ness.

That is all. Love you and miss you all.

So I couldn't sleep this morning. I woke up at 5am. Which was no good. I watched a bit of TV because I was really bored and I knew that Zach wouldn't want to wake up and play. . . . .and then I got on my computer.

Which is where this came from.

Love you and miss you all.

Demolition Time.

I am not quite sure whether or not I have mentioned this before now, but we currently live right across the street from a demolition site.


Our buildings siblings are being knocked down. Kinda sad. . . .kinda cool. Apparently a lot of the neighborhood kids are freaked out by it because their old friends used to live in those houses. . . .. and now where are they going to come home to? In those rubble-filled spots will one day be our new homes. Well, our new homes that we will move into and then a year later move out of (and maybe come back to Saint Augustine?).


This past Sunday Zach, Rae, and I went out to Terhune Orchards for Apple Day! Last year Zach and I spent at least an hour and a half wandering around. . .this year we all knew that we just wanted Cider Doughnuts and yummy goodies from the store. So we were there for maybe 20 minutes. It was great.


This is Bella. We are dog sitting her for the weekend while our friends (her parents) are out of town.

Work is good. Life is good. I can't wait for winter!
Miss you and love you all.

Guest Spot: Zach's Little Victories

I don’t know that this is really an account of a victory, small or otherwise, on my part or just one
of the many goofisms which comprise the overwhelming majority of my daily business. Nonetheless it
stuck out in my mind as being representative of what our life is like together. So, to set the scene, Kaley
and I went camping with the McNeals and we were sitting around roasting marshmallows over a tiny
charcoal grill. We were roasting them over a grill because fires were banned, so was swimming. This
camp ground didn’t allow camp fires or swimming. Sounds like a lot of fun, right? Well, jokes on you Bass
River Camp Ground, it was.

So the rest goes like this:

Kaley: Honey, would you get me a marshmallow?

Zach: Sure. (disappears)

Kaley: blah blah blah

Kevin McNeal: Blah blah blah movies blah blah blah

Rachael McNeal: Blah blah blah my hair is red blah blah blah

Zach: (returns after some time with no marshmallow)

Kaley: Where’s my marshmallow, honey?

Zach: (puzzled with dawning realization) Oh, I was standing at the table thinking, and then I realized
there was a marshmallow in my hand. I figured I must have wanted it. So, I ate it.
True story. I would argue that it counts as a small victory because my wife has to live with stuff like that all the time, and I got a marshmallow. If you're wondering if my wife ever got her marshmallow, then you obviously don't know her or her indomitable will when it comes to getting what she wants.

new job and way cooler more interesting things

Have you ever worked with ALL women? Working with only women is dangerous. Everyone is catty and someone is always pissed at the world. On the other hand, everyone is very understanding. Well, almost everyone.
Today was no good. The entire time I was being trained by this one woman. She's one of those people who have a way of making you feel like a big idiot (which I know I'm not so the whole time I just wanted to punch her right in the face and leave). At one point in time she looked at me and said, "Well, I already went over this with you once so you should obviously be taking notes." This was prime punching-in-the-face time. But I held back. Anyways that sucked. . . .I will be having a conversation with my supervisor tomorrow morning.Moving on. Awesome things that have been happening lately:

Rhode Island!! Zach and I headed North to visit the Grandparents. We love them because they are awesome. Here are some lovely pictures.





Zach made a delicious meal for six! He just wanted to. So we invited the Hedges and the McNeals and Zach made delicious yummies. Apple butter glazed pork chops with homemade mashed potatoes, sauteed zucchini and squash, salad, and dinner rolls. So delicious.


CAMPING!!!! Last weekend Zach and I headed to Bass River State Forest for camping! Rae and Kevin were already there with the tents all setup. It was sooooo fun. The weekend was full of bocce ball, Rook (a card game), delicious food, wonderful weather, and laughing. Lots of laughing. It was so nice to be in the middle of a forest with no city noise or yuppy people. Noteworthy items: --We got kicked out of the lake because apparently we're not aloud to swim after Labor Day Weekend (water dragons?) --Zach is able to climb up trees real fast and with little effort. --Rae and I are amazing camper-cooks. -- We also are really good at reading for long periods of time while sitting right next to one another while Zach and Kevin hurl hatchets at trees. --Smores are in fact delicious over charcoal grills. --We also were not aloud to build a fire because it hadn't rained in a while. --Bocce ball and Rook are both very good games. --Zach can juggle bocce balls (in case you were wondering). Collage time.


almost forgot the sweet painting/birthday gift I made for Rae!