*Heart Flutter*

This last weekend I had the pleasure of escorting the Girl Scouts to the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park, Colorado. The girls worked hard this spring selling cookies to pay for this trip. We only took five girls, which meant that we needed to take two cars. I only had one rider, Morgan.

My McGillicuddy 

I have known Morgan for eight years now. She was in my first grade class my second year of teaching and I then got the adventure of teaching her again in fourth grade.

We have always had a special relationship and her mother often tells me that I need to take her home with me! Needless to say, I was pretty excited about the time with her.

Really the whole weekend ended up being Morgan and I with the other five sprinkled in. We went to the library at the YMCA and each got a book. I love sitting and reading with friends. Each of us reading our own book.

We also met a new friend together. His name was Jonah and he had to be the cutest kid ever. We were at the playground and he just waltzed up to us and asked if we wanted some ice cream. For the next twenty minutes we played ice cream shop with Jonah and his dad. It made my *heart flutter* to see her play along with him. It wasn't that long ago that I had played such games with Morgan herself! She was his age when I met her.

We went to a cute little coffee shop and sat next to the river. We were even daring enough to try a Chicken Fried Latte! Mind blowing!

She was even the one to discover that we had a visitor outside our bedroom window. I did not believe her at first since she had played a similar joke earlier in the weekend.

This is the second closest my car and myself have been to a bear.
You can read THAT story here.

Saturday night we all went down into town to walk around and do a little shopping. While doing so I was in the market for a new lanyard for school. I was unsuccessful in my search.

Tonight I get a text from her mom asking if I was home and could they drop something by for me. In walks Morgan with a new lanyard for me! It was such a thoughtful gift that she knew I needed.

Again, I am so thankful for the fact that friends come in all ages. I have several friends that are a good 15 to 20 years younger than I am. I never imagined that as a teacher I would make life long friends.

Do you have any friends that are a significant age difference?

Thinking Out Loud Late At Night

Well hello! It has been a little over a week since I have shared some randomness! Well, tonight is not going to be any different! I just got home from a random grocery shopping trip at 9:30 at night. When the urge hits, sometimes you have to take it!

Tonight's theme: Thinking Out Loud. I stole the idea from Cassie and I don't have a clue where she got the idea. (How's that for siting my sources?)

Bucket List Vs. ?????
While visiting Jane and Henry in WY, Jane brought up a thought that she had been having for some time about my Bucket List. The name was just not sitting with her. Most people use a bucket list to do things before they die. As far as I know, I am not dying. (Although this back pain makes me think otherwise!) So, we came up with a new name, Adventure List! Most things on it are adventures to have!

Speaking of Adventure List...

Meatloaf....Check times 2
I have actually checked this one off twice. While in WY we made a meatloaf and then this week, Cassie and I had a date and made meatloaf for dinner. I have NEVER made a meatloaf. I know, weird. I think I was kind of scared to make one. It seems like no one really has a recipe and I don't have confidence to make one without. Then I realized the other reason I may not have made one yet is that it takes an hour to cook. I tend to want food...now.
Well I learned that you don't really have to have a recipe. You can throw whatever you want in the pan! I like that! I still need to make one for myself, but all fears have been cured! Thanks ladies!

Back Pain

Still struggling with back pain and it seems to be traveling down. Will probably go back to the doctor again this week. It is keeping me from getting things accomplished and I have stuff to do, adventures to have!

New Friends
I have a confession to make. I am a stalker. I stalk on the Internet. There are three people that I stalk on a regular basis. I want Tim, Em and Natalie to be my friends. I am still trying to figure out a plan on how to make this happen! Wish me luck!

Ok, that was rather random, but you get what you get. Hopefully soon I will have more material with substance. Just wanted to let ya all know that I am still here!

Sarah in Sara(h)toga Vol. 2

My adventures in WY continue today with Jane while Henry works hard. After a breakfast of waffles and chocolate gravy we made our way to Sweet Marie's Bakeshop. I fell in love! It was such a cute little shop and had a good variety of tasty treats and coffee.

I had a Snickers Mocha Latte and a coconut cake donut and Jane feasted on Mexican Wedding cookies and coffee.

Cupcake display

Customers can write on small cupcake liners and put them up on cute little boards on the walls. Ideas were running on how to adapt it to the classroom.

We then made our way to Encampment which is about 20 miles south of Saratoga. We went to the museum there and then made our way to the campground near the river for a picnic. My country/mountain roots were watered here.

 And finally, for possibly the most exciting news of the day! We stopped by a thrift store before heading out of town, and to be honest, I wasn't thinking I was going to find anything. WRONG! I found this:

And it works! I am going to put it in my classroom this fall. The kids aren't going to know what to do with it! It is going to be so much fun! 

Did you have one of these phones when you were younger or do you still have one?

Sarah In Sara(h)toga

Hello from Windy Wyoming! I have finally been able to travel to visit my dear friends Jane and Henry. They moved to WY about a month ago and have finally settled in enough for some visitors.

So Garth and I loaded up Titan Ted with gas and headed down the road.

We were like fourth grade girls the closer we got. Little did we know, Jane, Henry and the dogs were just as excited to see us and were waiting in the drive way for us!

We chowed down on  hamburgers and floats outside until the sky filled with electricity and water.

So we played a rowdy game of dominoes until the mantel clock chimed one time.

Then I got to cuddle with this little guy. I didn't realize how much I missed him until we got here.

The next morning we were spoiled with waffles and some of the best hot chocolate I have ever tasted. 

Once we were satisfied we went for a drive to explore the area. Hobbs was a good little companion.

We stopped to look at the VERY full North Platte River and threw some rocks in. This one caught our eye since it was shaped like a heart.

I played Hey Cow

Garth showed off his rock skipping skills. This isn't even the river, it is a part that has flooded. 

We also spent some time looking for shapes in the clouds.

It was a lovely day filled with *heart flutters* all over the place. I took lots of pictures to document the day, but to also play around with my photography and picture editing skills. I am pleased with what came out of it!

Book Thief...Check

We have another check off! Molly and I have been trying to watch The Book Thief for A. Long. Time. First, we would have to be in the same place at the same time and second, we would have to get our hands on a copy of the movie. Finally the stars aligned and we were in the same place at the same time with the movie!

Molly hasn't been much of a reader in the past, but she finally read The Book Thief and loved it. I still have the message on my phone from when she finished the book. I really enjoyed sharing this experience with her, both book and movie.

My dear friend, Dawnelle, invited us over for dinner and then to watch the movie. She made AMAZING spaghetti and pretty sure I ate my weight in pasta that night! Then it was time for movie and popcorn!

Josh, Dawnelle, Molly and Me

Molly and I have a hard time taking pictures together sometimes. Dawnelle was having fun just snapping and got these "fun" shots. Truthfully, these pictures are pretty accurate of who we are.

I enjoyed the movie and was glad that I hadn't just read the book. I could sit and enjoy the movie without comparing the two the whole time.

The best part of the whole movie was this:

 When Molly came in the next morning and "snuggled" next to me. She is pretty nice to have around.

Let's Get Physical...Physical

Finish the Sentence Friday! How I wish I could consistently participate! Anyway, here I am for this week's topic:

My favorite way to exercise is...

Carol, Kris and Me
Horsetooth Falls in Fort Collins

Kris trying to find her old stomping grounds
 in Fort Collins from Arthur's Rock

Boulder

Molly and me at Needle Rock

Cassie, Carol, Kris and me in Boulder

Have you figured out what it is yet? Hiking. I very much enjoy going for a hike with friends and with my sister. I often find out VERY quickly how out of shape I really am, but enjoy every second of it. I even like when my feet come out looking like this...

Hiking in Chacos after hiking Arthur's Rock near Fort Collins

All is worth it when you get to look at a view like this...

Need Rock, Crawford, Colorado
Looking out over the North Fork Valley

What is your favorite way to exercise?

I played along this week with the folks over at Finding Ninee, check out the others and their favorite way to build blood vessels and lung capacity!

May Sweet Summer Fling Update

Is it really the end of May already? Geesh, what a month. Anyway, since I have free wi-fi at the moment I thought I would update my Sweet Summer Fling Challenge (although I am not sure if anyone really cares, but too bad, you're getting it!) I joined it the fun over at Bookish.

My goal is to read forty books off of my shelves at home. It is preposterous the amount of books that I have at home that haven't been read. So far I am liking the goal itself, but am freaking out about making it. When I set the goal of forty it was based on about how many books I read each year. Well, I didn't take into account the amount of kids books for school and book club books I read each year. When it comes to books in general, I am right on track with 21 books, but for my Sweet Summer Fling, 12.

I am behind. I should be at about 20 books now. Should I be freaking out? No, probably not, but I am weird like that. It won't matter on Dec. 31st if I met this goal or not.

I think that with this summer I might be able to make up some ground. Here is what is coming up.

All three books by Sarah Sundid. I have three sets of trilogies on my list and have decided to read them all one right after another. I just finished the Post Cards from Pullman trilogy this morning.

Well, I feel better now after sharing this all with you. Now, I better pick up my next book and get busy!

What are you reading?