hello school year, goodbye...peanuts?

Week two of the school year is just a sunrise away. I have to say, aside from the usual beginning of the year exhaustion it's been a decent start. I'm still trying to figure out how in the world this is my NINTH year of teaching. Nine years! I have to say that if the first week is any kind of indication of what's ahead for the year, I think it's going to be pretty pleasant. Thank goodness!
There's just one thing: for the first time I have a kid with a severe peanut allergy. Along with having these signs posted everywhere in and around my classroom, you wouldn't believe (well, maybe you would) how much it affects day to day school stuff like what kids can bring for lunch, what treats cannot be brought for a party, and every food item has to be checked for the "may contain nuts or have been processed in a plant where nuts have been in the past ten years" warning. It says something like that, right? I got a lesson on using an epi pen, which is just a needle with epinephrine in it, and my student wears it at all times. I'm ready to stab it into his leg at any moment. Maybe I should have gone to nursing school after all. That aside as an extra concern, my kids are fun...at least so far. We can make it through a year without m&m's, granola bars and peanut butter sandwiches, right?
Here's a great story from last week. I hope there are many more like this throughout the year: One of my darlings came in from lunch, raised his hand and said, "Hey Mrs. Boyce, do you know about the Andy Griffith show?" I said yes with a curious smile to which he followed up with, "That Opie, he just cracks me up." I ask you, what kid these days watches the Andy Griffith show and is interested in black and white television?

Loving it!

So, the 'loving where we live' list just continues to grow. I think one of Folsom's best kept secrets is wild blackberries growing everywhere this time of year. I've found my own secret berry picking spot that I like to go to (no it's not near the Parkway trails, although that's a good one) and the other day had quite a harvest.
Last year Nate's mom made an amazing blackberry pie after she picked some that are near their house. I decided to keep things cool in this hot weather and made some truly scrumptious blackberry sherbet.
Delicious. Oh, the fun I get to have when work isn't taking up too much of my time and sapping my energy. It was worth every pesky thorn that managed to leave me a bit scratched and wounded. I love summer!

You could pretty much make this recipe with any kind of fruit: peaches, berries, maybe even pineapple. If you've got an ice cream maker, I say put it to work! It was made for this time of year!

How does YOUR garden grow?

I love, love summer vegetables: corn, tomatoes, even endless amounts of zucchini. Unfortunately, in the blessed chaos of moving, a garden just didn't get put in for this year. I think I've got a coveting issue to resolve when it comes to friends' gardens.
We were pleasantly surprised, however, to see grape vines in the backyard the first time we looked at our house. And we were even more surprised when we returned just a few weeks later to see that they had grown like crazy from woody stubs to full, out of control vines. So, even though we're lacking in some of my favorites, I can report that we 'harvested' our first bunch of grapes yesterday. Don't they look delicious?

Our yard just continues to amaze us. Oh sure, we've got crab grass and weeds. In fact, the whole place was suffering a bit when we first moved in. But after some adjustments with the sprinklers and drip system, I think we got most things back among the living. Since then it's been so fun to watch what blooms...in the middle of a hot, smoky, California summer.

A few days ago I just couldn't help but take the camera and capture just a few shots of what's growing. If this is what it's like in the middle of summer, I can't wait to see what blooms in the spring!


p.s. To any of our 'local' friends who are looking for a good home for some of your garden produce, I'm willing to swap cookies, brownies, even a cake for some home grown goodies!

Kirkwood Fun

We just got back from a long weekend in Kirkwood. All I can say is GOOD times. Well, that's not exactly all...fun, relaxing, adventurous and delicious will work too. Thirty of us Pebleys (that would be Nate's mom's side of the family) spent the Fourth of July in Kirkwood eating, hiking and just hanging out. Thanks to Uncle Neil we had a little adventure with the 'Ranger,' a six-person ATV that he really can and does take anywhere. We were in Hope Valley when his fast run through a stream gave us our own log ride-like experience (totally drenched), and I couldn't believe the steep rock face he took us up on. Think roller coaster but much, MUCH better, especially considering the scenery.We spent part of another day taking the ski lifts up to the top of Kirkwood where we walked along the top ridge and then hiked down the mountain. The wildflowers were amazing and EVERYwhere. We also hiked along Caples Lake, visited the Tragedy Springs memorial, and had a great family competition of charades. I loved being with all of the aunts, uncles and cousins that I'm now apart of. The Pebley sisters all have such a great laugh, especially when that ATV takes off. :-) And their husbands, the uncles, each have a strength and individually unique love about them that I truly admire. The cousins, well, they're just fun to be around, and I wish we saw each other more often. I think one of my favorite things was hearing all of the little ones each morning as they woke up, giggled a lot and started playing. There's just a lot of love and a lot of Pebleys. It's so great!
So even though it was only a few days, I feel like my need for a summer vacation has been fulfilled. It was the perfect break from my current summer school-filled days. Arriving home to a smoke filled valley (where is the nearest fire anyway?) wasn't the best greeting, but it's good to be back in our cute house and relax a little before the work week begins. Maybe I need a vacation from our vacation!

time to celebrate...

It’s my big sister’s birthday today. And, since I never tell my one and only sibling often enough how wonderful and great she is I’m doing it now – for her and all of cyberspace. Kristina is really remarkable. She is brilliant (I certainly wasn’t the one to graduate from college in two and a half years), beautiful and so hard working.
My mom has told me that as a three and four year-old Kristina’s prayers always included asking for a brother or sister. She probably learned a thing or two about being more specific in what you pray for, because I’ve been a bit more than she bargained for or probably wanted on a number of occasions. Growing up I always wanted to be like her. She has a little Mary Poppins touch to her in being ‘practically perfect in every way.’ Kristina endured years of me bugging her to “play with me, PLAY WITH ME!” and taking me with her wherever she went: the mall, high school football games, you name it.

Even in her college years she let me tag along with her to class and hang out with her college crew. (Being 5 years younger I, of course, felt so cool.) She’s always let me be a part of her life. And Tina’s life isn’t an easy one. Now that she’s all grown up she works long, lawyer-ly hours, has three church callings and, more often than not, doesn’t feel too great. I think she has more inner strength and drive than a heavyweight boxer does on the outside.
So, my sweet sister, here’s to you. Thanks for being my favorite sister, (I know, you’re my only sister!) for paving the way as the first child so I didn’t get into quite as much trouble as you did, and for just being YOU!

Headed for 95630!

I approach home ownership with excitement and a bit of trepidation. There’s no landlord or management to call when the lock on our door breaks and we’re locked IN our house (true story, by the way). But, living in a one story house, I guess we’ll have plenty of windows to sneak out of, should a similar situation arise, not to mention multiple exits. But it really will be ours. Ours to repair and maintain and create memories in. I worry about the silliest things: what if the grape vines in the backyard get so out of control that our neighbors hate us? How do I take care of the hardwood floors? Will all of my shoes fit in our closet space?
Of course, I’ve also been thinking about the perks of having our house. There are the big things like not getting soaked again by the IRS this year and never again hearing our neighbor's alarm clock at 3 a.m. But have you homeowners ever considered how lucky you are to have a garage? That’s the number one thing I’m excited about – a garage. No more unloading groceries in the rain or scorching heat, getting soaked by the rain walking to my car, or walking the equivalent of 4 blocks just to get to my car. The groceries brings me to the second great reason to have our house: no more STAIRS. No more schlepping 7 or 8 bags of groceries at a time up those miserable stairs because I’m too stubborn to take a second trip. No stairs and a garage. And, if that isn't enough, I can’t wait to have double sinks in our bathroom, the toilet in it’s own ‘room,’ and a laundry room that doesn't double as the pantry. In this house we have both! Maybe you've got other house ‘favorites.’ I'd love to know what they are. I’m sure along with the work and maintenance we’ll discover even more things we love.
Anyway, I guess all of this rambling is just meant to express that I’m excited and feeling SO blessed to be making this move. It’s got everything in it we need and more…including a good little vacation spot for us this summer! With gas prices and a new mortgage to get used to who says vacationing in your backyard is a bad thing?

Happy Mother's Day!

Just a little happy Mother's Day to all of our friends, sisters, aunts, cousins, grandmas and especially, moms. Did I leave anyone out? It's impossible to fully express the love and gratitude that we have for our moms. They are both such examples of faithfulness, strength and giving everything they have to raise righteous families. I love Nate's mom because she is so positive and optimistic. She is such a source of encouragement for both of us. Oh, and she's got a great taste in decorating. I can't wait to have her weigh in on ideas for our house! My mom is so generous with her time, energy and love. She carries a lot of responsibility, especially with my dad's health, but she's never too busy to share what time and resources she has. Of course, it's also a perk for us that she's got more than just a green thumb. I think her whole hand is green. I'm excited for her help in starting a little garden in our backyard not to mention just keeping all of the cute plants in it from dying.
I think Mother's Day could appropriately be renamed the Second Thanksgiving. Moms just don't get thanked enough for the daily tasks of cleaning and cooking, for the sacrifices they make and for the thousands of prayers they offer up that truly do bless our lives. To our moms, we love you. So much of who we are is because of what YOU have taught us.
On a side note, we took our moms to Toast yesterday in Granite Bay for breakfast. Four stars, two thumbs up...delicious! Definitely go there SOON!