my girls

This is the professional photo taken of Sarah, Emma & Morgan shortly after Easter '08. The color is a little off after scanning it in, and snap! that just reminded me that I had wanted to post other professional photos as well..... urgh!

20 years

This is my high school senior year photo (below). You're probably thinking the same thing that I've been thinking lately--"What the hell happened?" ;) We should all be so lucky to look as good as we did when we were 18 years young!

A couple weeks ago I attended my high school 20 year reunion. Many thoughts flooded my mind upon arriving. First, and for the most part, it was obvious that we're all in the same boat together--abundantly clear that we are now middle-aged folk, pushing 40! What the...? When did that happen? Upon a closer look it also became abundantly clear that certain people *peaked* in high school and have had a hard time facing their adult futures. Things that make you go hmmm. It also became clear, that for some, a life of hard drugs had taken it's toll! Sad. Of course I wasn't able to get very intimate or accurate life stories in the course of a 3 hour dinner/program, and I was left wondering what brought this person, or that person, to this point in their life.

At times it was a plain old freak show! Many classmates, who I thought would've turned out one way or another, infact turned out completely opposite from what I expected. Of course they could all say the same thing about me. I was very surprised, sometimes pleasantly, again and again. It was very fun to see so many old friends and remember how they impacted my life when we were young. I may not look like I did 20 years ago, and I have body parts heading South, but I am so glad to be where I am today and who I am today! The knowledge, relationships, experience and self-confidence that comes with age I wouldn't change for ANYTHING!!!

me at 18

The class of '88 at a hotel ballroom.

My old friend, Kim, and yours truly '08.

Old friend, Lisa, with red hair, old crush & our homecoming queen (standing w/ cup).

Old friend Carl (dated once), me & my friend from elemetary school, Michelle '08.

end of summer

I can't believe it's already officially fall! We enjoyed a couple more fun outings before the school year started. In August we visited the Dinosaur Museum but I forgot to take my camera--dangit! But the kids really enjoyed themselves as we were there for about 3 hours.

Earlier this month (September) I visited with my life-long friend, Rosann, and her new baby and enjoyed chatting while our girls played & ran around the park across the street from her home. We also visited the Hogle Zoo mid September. I loved watching Morgan's reactions to the animals--porcupines was her favorite, of all things. She squealed & ooh'd & aah'd. Other than that (and my high school reunion which is an entirely different post), I've been up to my eyeballs in zucchini--making bread, sauteing, roasting, and using them in soup and giving some away whenever I get the chance!

We are well into the school year here at home. Sarah's in 3rd grade this year and we're still using K12 curriculum, which means that she's required to take the typical state tests. She took the Iowa test (for grades 3, 5, 8) just this past week, and will take the CRT in the spring. So that's kept us busy, not to mention the socials, etc. However, this year we dropped the music, art & science subjects from K12 and opted for language arts, math & history only. We still include music, art & most definitely science into our day, but through different curriculums/websites, etc. She is flourishing and that's all that matters. Emma is still in preschool and getting her ABC recognition down as well as writing the letters.

And you thought I was exaggerating about my mountain of zucchini! This was taken before several more plants came on this week.

Little miss Morgan looooves my zucchini bread! Here she was crying that I didn't, at first, give her the bigger piece--a quarter of the loaf! Silly baby (she ate the whole thing).

Rosann's daughter, Sierra playing with Sarah & Emma.

The rare albino alligator--on tour through October.

Sarah riding a rare bronze rhino

Emma playing on the giant elephant trunk --that makes noise & blows water.


Morgan with her favorite animal--the porcupine.

This giraffe saw my camera and came over to take a closer look.

harvest

I can't believe it's harvest time already! Sure there are a few more weeks left, and some years we've been able to harvest well into October, but with the recent temperature drops (just north of here was 29 degrees last night) we're working early this year. I'm so glad that I planted a garden this year! Even though in the early spring it's such a pain to prepare the soil and weed the earth and tend to young sprouts we've managed to crank out a decent garden. In years past we tried our hands at growing peppers and beets but without success, but this year it seems like everything we planted just flourished, and I'm so thankful!

Our first fire of the season--proof that it was chilly the other night!

The fruits (or veggies) of our labor: zucchini (coming out our ears), tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, beets, spaghetti squash, carrots, cabbage & lettuce (already eaten).

Our first successful beets--that will now be enjoyed steamed and diced in salads, etc.

Cayenne, Serrano, Anaheim and Bell peppers. I'm making oodles of salsa fresca and drying the rest.

What garden is complete without tomatoes; fresh roma & early girl in this case. These will go to make the salsa, also stewed tomatoes and, of course, in salads & BLT's!