My Projects!

So let me preface this by saying, "I am not a person that sews." I have never really formally learned, except maybe two or three months of it in middle school. In addition, I don't measure things well and I rarely cut straight lines. If someone that knew what they were doing saw my work, then would be able to point out countless mistakes. I don't care though, because I did it. I made it! How cool is that? It is special to me and that is the whole point. So here are my two projects, my purse made out of old jeans and my t-shirt quilt. I also made a pot holder with the back pockets of another pair of jeans that is so cute. Let me know what you think!

Summer Update

So as my summer started I made a list of ten things I wanted to accomplish this summer. So I thought it might be nice to give an update on my progress. Here was the original list:

1. Annual climbing trip (this year we are headed to the Adirondacks and making stops in between in Virginia and Long Island to visit friends and family)
2. Make a t-shirt quilt
3. Create a scrapbook for our wedding (either through Kodak or by hand)
4. Take a cake decorating class
5. Start running on a regular basis (I'm going enter a race in September)
6. Make two trips to my grandparents house, which is by the beach
7. Make a purse out of my old jeans
8. Find summer employment
9. Find permanent employment
10. Hopefully figure out the best place for my husband and I to live for a very long time

This is what I have done so far:
1. Annual climbing trip - it was so much fun to see our friend's and family. Plus the trip was great, as you might have noticed from our pictures.
2. Make a t-shirt quilt - it is not perfect, but I have enjoyed working on my sewing skills and I like it. Pictures are soon to come!
3. I am half way through a wedding picture/scrapbook of our wedding.
4. I'm running weekly, but I need to improve it. Unfortunately though, my right knee is really hurting, so I think I might just have to bike instead.
5. I made a purse out of my old jeans. It is so cute! Pictures are soon to come!
6. Find summer employment (my husband talked me out of it, at least for the month of July and if we get teaching jobs for next year, then well, let's be honest, I am not going to find work, since I might be moving).
7. Applications are in and we are hoping for teaching offers. I don't want to get my hopes up though, because it might just be too perfect to be true. I am so worried about it that each day I don't receive a call is saddening for me. I just hope we know by the end of the month. Of course I will explain it all then, but I don't want to jinx anything!

I haven't done so bad though, right? I might just have to take on some other projects. Plus, I am so excited about the cake decorating class that I plan to start in August! It has been a good summer.

True Story

Each morning while vacationing in the Adirondacks, Joe and I would drive over to a parking lot that had an adjacent picnic table to make our breakfast. Since we were camping, it was the nicest place to be able to sit together and make oatmeal. Another connivance was the "port-a-potty," near the table. This is always a better option then using the outdoors. So one morning after eating my breakfast I thought I would, "take care of business" before heading out to rock climb.

Well, while I was in the middle of the whole process I look down and notice something in the space between the floor and the wall on the right side. At first I thought it was a rope, then I looked closer and realized that is was moving. Um, it was a SNAKE. A very big black snake with a white speckled belly! And I was a bit stuck, since I had to finish the business! Fortunately for me, it did not decide to come fully into the John or I would have been screaming and running out butt naked!

One of my favorite things that we did while vacationing in the Adirondacks was a kayak trip on Saranac river. We decided to take a double kayak, which was a smart move, because I let Joe do most of the work! Plus, we did a pretty good job in terms of telam work, which was nice since we are horrible at canoeing together! In the middle of our trip the wind really started to pick up and there were two foot waves on the lake which dumped water on us. At one point we even had to pull over to an island, because we thought we might be dumped overboard.

In the end we were cold and wet and ready to be finished, but I still think it was a good time. I would like to do this again. In fact, we were both thinking a kayak or canoe trip where we camped on the islands would be perfect, especially if we have children one day. Below are some of the pictures from our day off from climbing!

Vacation = Rehabilitation

Joe and I had an almost three week trip right after school was out and it was the perfect solution to a very stressful year. We literally left right after our last day of school and drove to Virginia to visit with our family and friends. After a week there we then drove to the Adirondacks for a week of camping and climbing. Then we drove to Long Island to spend time with Joe's aunt and uncle, while I also attended the best bridal shower ever!

What you see here are some of the highlights from our trip in the Adirondacks. It was fun, but after eight days without a shower I was ready for it to be over. Plus, I learned that I have some serious fears with climbing and the Adirondacks are brutal. Joe called it "adventure climbing," because they don't always make things easy. After finally ascending a climb, my praying was not over, because most times we had to explore our way down. Rappel ropes were in waterfalls, or it started to downpour, or it was a bushwack hike. Needless to say, the trip was good at challenging me and forcing me to become more of an outdoor girl!

Joe likes to jump rocks. Coming across this old parking area was perfect.

It rained almost the whole drive up and then almost the whole drive to Long Island. This shot was taken while trying to navigate around New York. I was a bit stress with traffic and rain.


















We enjoyed quite a few campfires. I ate about three roasted marshmellows each night.






















Joe is a climbing machine. I wish I was better so he could challenge himself with many difficult climbs. Instead he is always trying to find ones for me. What a sweetheart. On this day though, we went to Spider's Web, a climbing area with nothing be challenging climbs for him. He loved it























Our free camping area. We made a lot friends we came and went while we were there.



















We spent my 30th brirthday in Lake Placid. We ate a great meal and shopped a little. Plus, ice cream for lunch. It was the perfect day for me.



















Lake Placid by sunglass view.























This is where we ate dinner on my birthday. We had smothered fries (blue cheese and hot wing sauce), a salad, and a yummy hamburger to share.























Exhausted after climbing.


















It is a little fuzzy, but can you see all the bug bites. I was literally attacked one day while hiking. I had to put on my raincoat even though I was hot so the black flies would stop biting my neck. I think I had over 20 bites on my neck alone, which doesn't even make mention of the bites on my legs, feet, and arms. I found some bites in unmentionable places. Plus, I got a rash of some sort, maybe poison oak on my leg? Sleeping at night was non-existant, it was more like a itch fest!


















Although we did not have showers, twice we found ourselves under this wonderful, but cold waterfall. I think it might be the quickest shower I have ever experienced. I didn't mind the cold however, because it felt amazing and I went to sleep better on those nights.


















That's me climbing Pete's Farewell. It was a really easy climb and could have been fun if I did not let myself have a panic attack. I get really anxious on multi-pitch climbs. After not being able to get a piece of Joe's gear out of the crack, I panicked. Once that happens I cannot relax and I just want it to be over. Unfortunately, most climbs that are multi-pitch make me feel anxious. I found I am better when I stay closer to the ground. Sport climbing will be great for me.
























Joe is leading the way on the last pitch of Pete's farewell. Isn't it beautiful in the background? It would have been even better if there was no road, but then again, it made for an easy hike to the rock.


















That's me climbing. It really was not that difficult in this spot, but it looks cool, right?


















The man in orange is climbing Pete's Farewell, which we would climb afterwards. This is a shot from the road. We founds a traversing line and then a great crack to the top.


















We thought we were going to do a three day backpacking trip because it was raining a lot the first few days, but it is not my thing. Plus, I am really slow and Joe is really fast and the Adirondack mountains are quite challenging. We completed one peak and then turned around. Lucky for us, most of the raining was finished and we even got to climb on dry rock with dry ropes and dry clothese.




Hiking in a wetland environment = slathering yourself in bug repellent.

























We had to bring a bear box for the backpacking trip that we did not finish. I hate bears so I was a bit anxious when the guides at the Mountaineer shop said, oh don't worry they will just play with the box. Um, what?




I'm looking for the chocolate.

I think these are wild flowers or indigenous flowers for the Adirondacks...aren't they beautiful?

These are the signs were saw while approaching our destination. I'm sure the view of the hiker was music to Joe's ears.