How Cool Are You?!

Ok, it's officially HOT outside!  For those of you who've been wondering why on earth I'd ever want to leave southeast Iowa for the mountains of Colorado, here's your answer: HUMIDITY (Iowa has a surplus; Colorado has zilch!)!  I loath and despise the stuff!  Have you BEEN outside today? Yikes!  Talk about instant heat stroke!

In light of the fiery temperatures outside this week, I thought I would share with you 10 things this weather is good for:

1. Ice cream
2. Swimming
3. Ice cube wars
4. Movie marathons (inside... basking in the central air)!
5. Eating cold foods like salads, sub sandwiches, etc. (avoid using the oven!)
6. Water Balloon Fights- any kind of water fights!
7. Slushies, smoothies, & blended coffee drinks
8. Jet Skiing (one of my personal favorites!)
9. Scrapbooking (this is good in any weather- during THIS weather, you should make sure you're in an air-conditioned location!)
10. Singing Christmas Carols (mind over matter, right?!)

DISCLAIMER: This should by no means be taken as an indication of my endorsement of such weather. :)

Creativity Hurricane

Two of my many hobbies are scrapbooking and card making.  Today, I spent a lazy Saturday afternoon/evening doing just that! I dug out all my supplies, popped in a movie, & got to work.  I had a pretty productive day! Here are the end results:

A Birthday Card for my friend in Germany~ 

Her birthday is next month!

A batch of "Pocket" cards. 

I use these quite frequently because I enjoy writing lengthy letters. The letter paper is just 12x6 scrapbooking paper (muted design... if it's too  busy, it is REALLY hard to write on & read) folded in quarters so you end up with a 3x6 accordion.  Since I was completely out of this sort of card, I made 7!

These are two of my favorites: 

Love in Bloom

It says "If you don't have a smile, 

you can borrow one of mine!"

P.S.- Feel free to let this inspire YOUR creativity! :)

The Bestest Friend I Love

It's been awhile since I did a post for the Photo Challenge, so today I'll be doing just that.  Enjoy!

A picture of the person you have been 

closest with the longest and/or your best friend:

My Sister Laura!

The Lion King

Des Moines Civic Center

 Swinging at the Park

Christmas 2009 

Nebraska

Painting Laura's Room

(At the time, it was going to be OUR room.)

Laura hasn't always been my best friend.  We didn't get along so well when we were in Elementary/Jr. High.  BUT, my Senior year of high school, she was a Freshman.  And that's when we became best friends.  It was natural, really.  We hung out with the same people, had most of the same friends, and did things together.  Now, I can't imagine NOT having her as my best friend!

My top 10 favorite things about my best friend 

(in no particular order):

1. when she tells me "You have beautiful eyes!"

2.  Reading Junie B. Jones books out loud

3.  Late night babblings 

(I talk... she listens)

4.  Breaking out in random song & dance 

(she sings... I dance!)

5.  Going to school together- this time to become teachers!

6.  Watching my favorite movie together

7.  Family Vacation 

8. Using names like "Helen" and "Grandpa Frank Miller" 

in public

9.  Any meal in the privacy of our own home... where we can be ourselves!

10.  She's my sister, which means we LIVE in the SAME HOUSE!  That's the best part of all!

French Braids & Painted Nails

The World's Cutest 6-Year-Old just happens to be staying with us for the summer.  My adorable niece, Bethany, has been so much fun to have around over the last month!  Today, we painted our nails purple & hot pink.  After that, I french braided her hair... she wanted to  be just like Aunt Cece!  I love that little girl!

The big  news around here is that Bethy is now a BIG SISTER!!! Baby Alexxa Lynn was born on Wednesday.  However, since Beth's mom is in California, we haven't gotten to meet her yet.  Baby Alexxa will be in the hospital for quite awhile because she is about nine weeks early.  Thankfully, mom & baby are both doing fine.  Here is Bethany making a couple of "name plates" for baby Alexxa's incubator home:

10 before 30

There are so many things I want to do, see, and experience in this life!  As with anything though, if you don't have a specific deadline, most things never get accomplished.  

So, here is my list of "10 [things to do] Before [I turn] 30" with a deadline of my 30th birthday 

(which is scheduled for December 6, 2019):

1. Visit NYC during Christmas/New Year's
2. Move to Colorado
3. Finish my teaching degree and get a job teaching Literature or Drama (or both!) in a public High School
4. Play a role in a local theater's production of a musical 
5. Go to the Tree Lighting at Jordan Creek in Des Moines
6. Visit the Mall of America
7. Get Married (although, this one isn't really within my control)
8. Visit colonial history (Washington DC, Boston, etc.)
9. Read through the entire Bible (yes, even the "boring" parts)
10. Learn to play at least one Jon Schmidt song well enough to be performed

It doesn't look like much, but I only have 8 1/2 years to complete the list, and I'll be in school for the next 2 1/2.  Stay tuned for progress; I'm sure I'll alert you as I cross things off the list!

Up, Up, & Away!

What has Lacy been up to over the last month? In light of my lack of blogging, you may be asking this question (or at least my 4 faithful followers probably are). The truth is I've been crazy busy!  Here's the condensed version of my life in the last three weeks:

- My older sister, Lindsey, made the decision to move back to Iowa.  She has a 6-year-old and a baby on the way.  The plan was for them to move into our house, thus moving me out of my room and into Laura's.  We had just one week to get everything situated before Dad and I flew out to California to help Lindsey pack up the truck and drive back to Iowa.

-Laura and I made the executive decision to paint "our" room.  We moved everything out and painted three walls white and one wall sunflower yellow in two days.  It looks fabulous!

-Dad and I few out of Des Moines on Friday, June 24 at 8pm.  We arrived in San Diego at 11pm (that's 1am Iowa time).  Have I ever mentioned that I LOVE flying!  Great trip!

-Oh ya, Friday morning before we left, Lindsey called to let us know she was in the hospital waiting to have her baby.  Long story, but just FYI- she'll probably be having her baby TODAY. That means she's been in the hospital over a week... almost two.

-Saturday & Sunday, Dad and I cleaned house, boxed up all the stuff, and packed the truck (which happened to be the LAST Budget truck in the COUNTY available until after July 4).  

-Monday: 19 hours, 5 states (California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, & Colorado), and 2/3 of a murder mystery novel before arriving in Denver for our overnighter at Dave & Lisa's.

-Tuesday: 15 hours, 3 states (Colorado, Nebraska, & Iowa), and the rest of the murder mystery novel before arriving back home.

-Dad and I returned the truck on Thursday.  I did some shopping & got lots of bargains!

-Friday: Potluck & Fireworks with the Farmington church family to celebrate the 4th of July... SO FUN!  Also, my "brother" and his lovely wife joined us all the way from Huxley, Iowa!  I haven't seen them in months... so good to finally spend a little time with them again!

-Saturday: Assist with wedding "mini" reception before attending main reception.  Again... SO FUN!

-Sunday: Dinner with the extended family for Grandpa's 86th birthday followed by April, Amber, & Alisa spending the night for some quality chick-flick time.

-Monday: lazy day at home.  FINALLY!

Now I'm back to work.  That's my life over the last three weeks in a nutshell.  Things are still up in the air with Lindsey.  She won't be able to come to Iowa until at least a few weeks after the baby is born.  However, we do have Bethany (the 6-year-old cutie) staying with us.  She's been super fun to have around.  We've read a million books, watched dozens of movies, and played outside.  Bethy has got to be the sweetest kid ever!  

Thanks for stopping by!