HAPPY WEEKEND

I love when new people come to Coeur d'Alene and I get to show them the cool stuff around my city. I grew up in Hayden, technically. Which is sort of like telling people you're from Seattle when you live in Kirkland. It's all the pacific northwest, but to outsiders Hayden and Coeur d'Alene are the same place - at least according to Nathan, who is apparently an authority on the subject.

Anyway, the two of us got to play tour guides of sorts for his grandparents this weekend. We took them to some great restaurants with some beautiful views - because if there's one thing Coeur d'Alene is not short on, it's them views. Lakes and mountains and pine trees and the forest is right in the middle of town - I mean, this is a dream world, people. 

Friday night we went to Dockside, which is hidden in a back corner of the resort and it over looks the marina. Nathan's grandma had never tasted huckleberries, which are basically the best berry you could ever eat in your life, so naturally that needed to be remedied. We ordered the huckleberry cobbler for dessert and it was ah-mazing.

Saturday Nathan and I drove out to a little tiny town an hour away to help celebrate my friend Joel's daughter's birthday. Joel, in all his expert communicator glory, did not relay the information that I would be in attendance so upon my arrival the kids ran out of the house and Jack jumped into my arms for the biggest hug I think you could get from a six year old. Which, that just made the whole drive out there worth it. Good gravy I love that family. Sheeeeesh. 

We met back up with the grandparents for another dinner with a gorgeous view at Tony's On The Lake. Nathan and I discovered it on a late night adventure last summer and he's basically been dying to go back ever since. And then we stood outside to take our picture with this giant bridge in the background because we are the coolest. 

And then, to round out our incredible dining experience, we hit up Le Peep (my favorite restaurant!) for lunch Sunday afternoon before we hugged and kissed goodbye. I love Le Peep, but I did not want to go. I was not ready to say adios to that Nathan kid. Sometimes these weekends with him just feel like a giant wonderful dream and then I have to wake up to a harsh reality that he lives two hours away. Sad face. 

All in all, it was a good weekend with great company and delicious food. Just come back already, Nathan. ♥

THINGS I DID THIS WEEKEND

This weekend was deliciously amazing. I didn't do anything too spectacular, but I know a good weekend when I see it. 

Friday afternoon I went to the art gallery slash music building on the University of Idaho campus to see if my students won any awards in the high school art competition. One of my students received an honorable mention. And just, holy goodness I was so proud. Maybe I am a real teacher after all? But I was thrilled beyond measure, like, words cannot describe. I felt like a little kid who was just handed their favorite candy bar and even though it wasn't even my candy bar I jumped up and down all the way back to the car. 

And Saturday we just watched Game of Thrones basically all day. Which, I mean, I hated Game of Thrones when all the boys started watching it a while ago. But I'm starting to change my mind. Not being surrounded by college aged boys in a living room where there aren't enough seats for everyone definitely helped make the experience more enjoyable this time around.

Plus, this morning I had red velvet pancakes. Oh yes. 

But I realized something when I got back to my apartment today. The beginnings of my years are always hard and I kind of expected this year to be that way too. But it hasn't been, not in the way that I had anticipated. Anyway, I was thinking about what made last year so tough (the break up) and that this same weekend but in 2013 was the weekend that Nathan drove up to see me because I had posted this and he realized that maybe he didn't want me out of his life forever. 

So high five Nathan for having a good same weekend a year later. You're seriously my favorite. ♥

this is my valentine's bouquet. i stinkin love it.

IT'S BEEN A YEAR

So last year, this happened. And this year, this happened:

me and the nathans. and also michael.

this was at the going away party for nate. he's moving to houston! booooooo

(ps. i know too many nathans. lol)

I remember the morning of the 8th I was getting out of the pick up truck Nathan was driving and anxiously walking into the Kibbie Dome. The same place where my college journey had started as a fresh faced 17 year old girl was now going to be the place where it all came to a close as well. My student career had finally come full circle.

Today I didn't get out of the pick up truck and head into the Dome, but I did eat chocolate chip pancakes and kiss Nathan goodbye as I got in my car and headed back home. This weekend went by way too quickly, and as much as I can convince myself that the weekends always go by too fast, I'm still wholly unprepared for Sundays. I found the perfect Daily Odd Compliment that explained exactly how I feel about saying goodbye:

Can I just tell you how much I love daily odd compliments? I mean, holy. They get me, those DOCs. It's rad. I would inundate you with them if I thought you'd understand just how perfectly they fit my life, but unless you're me I just don't think the right affect will be reached, you know?

Anyway. Moving on.

It's December now, right? And so it's totally appropriate for a year recap. Especially what with today being the year marker of my graduation and all. Enjoy these posts from past months of 2013.

(I always seem to have really tough starts to my years. Hopefully this trend does not continue.)

January:
explosion
every storm runs out of rain

February
all my feels
the new normal

March
the weekend we spent in montana
i want to be

April
houston pictures
on being myself

May
funny things my students say
climbing mountains

June
a heart for honduras
i made it big, yo

July
summer after summer

August
like there's no tomorrow

September
nobody likes you when you're 23
free write
on being non traditional

October
autumn stuff
to dream a little bigger, darling

November
running at night
mutual weirdness
my business is to create

CLEFAIRY CLEFAIRY CLEFAIRY

So, this weekend.

I went to Moscow to see that man who I am loving more and more and more every stinking day. And we did a bunch of super happy fun things this weekend, too. On Friday we went out and lit up the town. We started at La Casa in search of margaritas, but holy goodness everybody and their dad was waiting for a table! Yikes! So we headed towards Applebee's thinking, really, who goes to Applebee's these days... but, yeah, no such luck. We waited for what felt like an eternity before two seats at the bar opened up (which was way sooner than if we had just sat in the foyer and waited for a table. goodness). And we followed up our Applebee's time with a trip to the downtown. I don't think we were home before midnight, and shoot. Sometimes that's just what you need.

Saturday we did a whole lot of nothing. Nathan made chocolate chip pancakes and we watched old episodes of Pokemon because dang, that boy is obsessed. Subsequently I have been going around the house saying "Clefairy, clefairy, clefairy" because. Pokemon.

We wrapped up Sunday with more Pokemon episodes and cuddling on the couch. Sundays are the worst, I tell you what. I hate leaving. Nathan always says things like "so, you're just gonna stay the whole week, right?" knowing that it is both exactly what i want to do and also completely impossible. Stupid job. It's like i'm an adult or something. Weird.

And now it's back to perspective drawings, typography, photo-a-day, and ceramics. It's also the week of homecoming, so spirit days. hash tag teacherlyfe. These kids are the craziest.

LIFE MOVES FAST

You guys. I am using my New York Minute of free time to write this post. Perhaps I should be using this small window of time to do yoga or go on a run, but I don't have time to shower and clean up before I'm off again to save the world. And by save the world I mean eat dinner with some extended family. There are no breaks for Natalie!

I started out today behind schedule and I have been playing catch up ever since. It has been one thing after another, I tell you what. Shoot.

This last weekend I was in the greater Seattle area to visit that brother of mine and his extra lovely fiancé. They are the bee's knees. I got to have my whole family around for Saturday - I'm talking the whole fam damily, you guys. The Boyfriend, the LoveBirds, the Sibs, the Rents and Rylie's mom and sister to boot. For a girl who loves family get togethers, I was basically in heaven.

There was plenty of wedding talk and excited hugs. And also elephant ears, barbecue, and more teasing than may have been necessary. The only downside was that I have been so incredibly exhausted that I haven't really had a chance to forget the world and sleep everything off.

School is keeping me more busy than I'd like to admit. I have grading that I'm a little behind on, but not bad. And prep work for upcoming lessons. I mean, this teaching thing is no walk in the park. Sure I can stand in front of a group of students and explain in thorough detail five different ways of creating value, but that my friends is the easy part. What people outside of the profession don't necessarily realize is all the behind the scenes work that goes into teaching.

There is grading, for one. So much grading. Like drowning in grading. And then prepping for classes. Creating rubrics. Making power-points. How many handouts do you need to copy, when do you need them by, etc. What materials do you need and how much of them do you need and when do you need to have them? And the paperwork. Charting data. Making sure your students are meeting their standards sufficiently - and not only the department power standards, but also the common core ones too. Oh, right, and are you following all the 504s and IEPs too? Are you compensating for your special needs students? Are you tailoring the lessons so you can most effectively reach every student?

Let me just stop and say that I love my job. I love my students. I love teaching art. I love creating art. I love my school and the staff members that I work with. There are WAY more upsides than downsides, and that is what keeps me plugging away. That is what makes the endless project grading and prepping worth it.

Because who else gets a chance to influence 100 kids a day? Who can instill creative thinking and critical problem solving skills in a somewhat upbeat fun happy way? Who lets them play with colored pencils and sharpies for an hour a day? Oh right. That would be me. I am so lucky.

This life is so crazy, so full of one adventure after the next. It's insane how fast life moves. One minute you're a student with a three hour painting studio and your biggest worry is having your frames finished for your upcoming critique. And then all of a sudden you're a high school art teacher with over 100 students to look after each day. Everything happens in the blink of an eye, really. So don't take where you are for granted because tomorrow you might miss it.

THE WEEKEND HAPPENINGS

Well you guys, it's Monday. I feel like Monday...if Monday was a feeling. And I may or may not have hit the snooze button two or three times more than I should have this morning...you'll never know. However, I don't feel like I stayed up abundantly late last night, just that I'm more exhausted than normal like, all the time these days.

It should be mandatory for schools to require nap times. Or to make weekends three days long and the weekdays only four. Mondays should be transition days, that one extra day between the weekend and the start of the week. Right?

But anyway, this weekend. Yes. Big things happened this weekend. My sweet grandmother turned 80 (what. up!), I spent time with Nathan (he is my faaaavorite!) and my little brother got engaged to the sweetest girl on the planet (woop woop!).


Nathan bought me copic markers for my birthday and I subsequently spent the next half hour testing them out. Nerrrrrrrrrrd. But seriously, I don't know the last time I was that truly excited over a present. (Thanks babe! I love you!) 


They are adorable, right? Right. SO EXCITED for them. And a wee bit jealous in obligatory unmarried old sister fashions. But mostly just so excited!

And now today we're entering into the third week of school. We are starting to settle into routines. We are starting to turn out some really cool projects. I know almost all of my students' names. It's so weird being the teacher and not the student. I mean, I get paid to show up at school everyday - who does that? Oh right. Me. I do that. And it's awesome.


these are some examples of student works. Zentangles have been such a freaking fun project to do with them all! What great results!

camping and things

I have been subbing in the art room a lot lately on account of the current art teacher being pregnant and taking her fair share of sick days. It has been the craziest of the crazy in that art room, but I have loved every single second of it, I swear. And now that I'm back in the library it's like I don't even know what to do with myself anymore.

Quiet you say? What is this quiet you speak of? But I guess in all honesty after how dramatic my life has been recently, this quiet time in the library is probably a good thing. Good gravy.

And this school year's ending seems to have snuck right up on me. Holy buckets how did we make it to the last two weeks already? I can't even handle this. I'm pretty sure that this is the first time in my entire life that I wish the school year was just a tad longer. Just a few more days, please! I think I'll cry! But seriously, I think I'll cry. These kids. You don't even know.

I think maybe my heart is breaking. I can't really tell.

But I took a trip this long memorial day weekend to a campground we have frequented since I've been old enough to remember anything about life. We have camped there every memorial day weekend for a really long time. It was nice to escape the world of texting, snapchat, instagram, facebook, and pinterest for a while.

TheKeeper was here and so our family of six was complete for what will probably be the first and last times of the summer. Growing up is rough, guys. But we had fun! We long boarded, roasted mallows for s'mores, talked and sang by the camp fire, played cards under the gazebo in the rain, and walked the dogs down by the river.

Words just can't explain how the woods make me feel. It's like I could stay out there forever, but also Monday I was ready to come home. Mostly so I could shower and wash my hair. Which I had to shampoo twice to get clean. Oh yes.

And now I suppose it's back to reality.


my sweet little lottie dog got spayed thursday morning. we made her wear this t shirt to keep her stitches clean. she looked like a little toddler the whole weekend. too precious.


TheKeeper fly fishes like a professional. i'm serious.


my sister is cooler than me. fact.


we went for a buddy ride and almost face planted. it was awesome.

macklemore, the ren fair, and other some such things

This weekend was crazy, let me just tell you. First there was Macklemore and Ryan Lewis on Friday and good gravy that was a really fun concert. Oh yes. Lots of fur coats and fist pumps. 

TheBoy and I went out dancing after the concert was over and there were these three guys standing in line in front of us who were absolutely hilarious. Good gravy I do enjoy hanging out with that boy (who insists that he is a grown man, duhh) and he kissed me on lips right as we got in line to get inside the building.

"Did you two just get married?" This one guy asks. TheBoy and I look at each other and laugh, because really.

And then he says "What's the matter? She's pretty! Have you thought about it?"

"Well, I've thought about it-" TheBoy starts to answer. By this time I'm probably nine shades of red embarrassed.

"What, is he not handsome enough for you?" the guy asked, turning to me.

"Oh he's plenty handsome," I answer. If there is anything I like about that boy I'm with, he is probably the handsomest. And also one of the sweetest. I think he's just great. I kind of really like him a lot more than I had originally planned.

"Well, you two should get married," they tell us, laughing. I don't remember the rest of the dialogue that occurred between us and them, but it was funny and I've been laughing about it to myself for days. Some people's kids.



On Saturday was the Renaissance Fair where TheBoy promised the best caramel apples of my life. I was a bit skeptical, but interested. And also, I was not disappointed. Those apples were delicious! And the Renaissance Fair, while highly unauthentic to the time period, was really fun.

Tent after tent filled with everything from wheel spun pottery to handmade jewelry to knitted slouchy hats and scarves. Probably I could have walked around it all day. I felt lonesome for Art On The Green in Coeur d'Alene which is a very similar affair but on a much larger scale.

Unfortunately it seemed that before I could blink the weekend was over and it was Monday morning. Monday mornings are the worst, plain and simple. I hate leaving M-town, like, it physically hurts when the alarm goes off signaling me that it's time to get up and go.

To counteract my ever increasing case of the Mondays that literally makes me want to cry, I decided to curl my hair. I think it was worth it.

the weekend we spent in montana

As much as I love Idaho, I really do like spending time in Montana. We went to Whitefish for the weekend so we could ski our hearts out. It was really a fantastic time and even though I'm glad to be home tonight to sleep in my own bed, I'm really missing having a hot tub to go sit in and unwind.

Plus, I'm ready for some nice sunshine weather. I'm pretty over the snow. At least for now.

the first weekend of the year

I'm not at all entirely sure what I should be writing about right now. My brain is full of a million different ideas, but some of them are bad, some of them would be poorly timed, and some of them are only half baked. So here I sit, in front of a large blank screen, with nothing but half planned posts and chocolate.

I suppose I could start off by saying that 2pm on Friday the 4th of January couldn't get here fast enough. It was bad enough that TheBoy was gone in the first place, and then there was stuff and things that made it all the more difficult to just sit and wait for him to come home. Waiting in anticipation for him to come back, I had that wonderful type of excitement and nervousness for an event that doesn't allow you to sleep for very long and minutes pass like hours.

But then it was 12:30 in the afternoon and I loaded my things in my little white car, hugged my momma goodbye and headed for the airport to pick up that sweet boy. I parked in a metered space and sat on a bench inside the airport, impatiently waiting for him to walk through the gate. Slowly people were showing up and meeting their families and I could tell they were on the flight from Seattle because of how they were dressed. You know what I'm talking about. Plaid shirts, slouchy hats, hipster glasses.

And there was TheBoy, black jacket, jeans, island-tanned skin, freckly face and the best smile. He put his arm around me and kissed me as we walked down to baggage claim to get the rest of his things. Can I just tell you that, boy, I don't think I've ever been that glad to see somebody.

We drove back to Moscow from the airport. He talked about his trip and about his family, a little of this and a little of that.

I'm having trouble gauging how much detail to get into, because to me the little things are the big things, but then I don't want to bore everyone to tears with an hour long blog post that no one wants to read in minute detail. But really, the things that make me like this boy so much are things that no one catches. The small quirks that are shared just between us.

Like the way he holds my hand in the car, or touches my head, or plays with my hair. He kisses my forehead and I just don't want to move when he's got me in both his arms and my head is resting just perfectly on his chest. I don't know if I should share those moments, or keep them to myself. But when he told me to write about all that I did this weekend, those are the things that are replaying over and over in my mind.

Maybe other people would write about the walks they went on, the games they played, the movies they watched - because we do all those things too. I was introduced to Hook this weekend - with Robin Williams and Julia Roberts - and I really liked it. T Lily was around this weekend too and brought with her all the whirlwind of emotions that come with reconnecting with your best friend after spending six months apart. She is the coolest, I tell you what. But in the end, I just write about the things that matter to me.

So this weekend was a lot of things, and if I had to pick my favorite part I don't think that I could do it. Maybe I would say there was a moment at a restaurant where he said something that I don't know if he knew he said it, but it's been stuck in my brain ever since. Or maybe I would tell you about how he plays his new guitar and something about the sound makes me feel lonely but connected at the very same time and I never want him to stop playing ever. Or maybe my favorite part is just being near to him.

Everything about this relationship surprises me. Nothing turns out the way that I think it will, which so far is a really good thing.

So there you go, that was my weekend.

that one time i stayed on an island and went to two museums in one day

This weekend we drove out to the Seattle area to visit TheKeeper's lovely girlfriend and her family. We took Saturday and drove into Tacoma to bond over old cars, monster burgers, and blown glass. There was an incredible amount of laughter and lots of pictures. It was also TheMechanic's birthday (he turned 17!!) and the car exhibit at the Tacoma Tube was basically heaven on Earth for him.

There were four floors filled with all sorts of different cars, from the very first horseless carriages to the British invasion, modern race cars and everything in between. We spent two hours wandering around the different levels, gawking at the different models surrounding us in a sea of shiny paint and old rubber tires.

This is the Tube from the outside. The top is like a mirror, so you can really only see the reflection in this picture...which is trippy, to say the least.

Cruella DeVill, Cruella DeVill, if she doesn't scare you, no evil thing will!

The Flintmobile! It exists! I couldn't get over it, I was that excited. 

And then of course, we have everybody's favorite 1983 DeLorean. I want this car so bad!

These two cars were solar powered race cars. I have never seen anything like them before. Incredible stuff. 

After walking around all the automobiles for so long we started to get hungry. And by hungry I mean hangry, and by hangry I mean TheSeester was starting to grow horns if we didn't go find food rightnowthisveryminute. It was all very dramatic and we left in search of burgers. 

Dad took us to this sketchy looking red building - the kind of restaurant where the outside makes you think that if you enter, you might regret it a couple hours later when the toilet becomes your new bff for life. It really didn't help that upon exiting our vehicle there was a chain link fence separating us and a spikey collared german shepherd, but we shrugged our shoulders and marched right on in. 

Let me just tell you though, those were some good burgers. I had a teriyaki chicken burger and it was so juicy and delicious that it got all over my hands and I didn't even mind. Not to mention that the portions were gigantic. I couldn't finish. 

Waddling out of the burger joint, we hit up the Museum of Glass next. It was probably my favorite part of the day. I took picture after picture after picture and let me just tell you, it was awesome. 

This is the underside of the ceiling of part of the bridge you walk in order to reach the museum. The whole ceiling was filled with blown glass trinkets and shapes of all different sizes and colors. I couldn't get over it, it was so amazing!

Then we came upon a wall my brother has deemed the alien hatchery, as if all the blown glass items in the boxes were housing little baby aliens just waiting for their chance to take over the world. Honestly, I think he's lost his marbles - especially because he is pretending to eat my foot like a subway sandwich in this picture.

Inside of this odd shaped cone is a foundry where guest artists from all over the world come and work with the museum for a week to create their own blown glass artworks. There is a viewing area where you can go in and watch the artist and their team work on different projects and learn about the process. Prior to this visit I had no working knowledge of glass blowing except for the fact that I think it's ridiculously awesome, but having watched it happen before my eyes I have an even greater appreciation for the objects in the galleries.

These faces are oil painted onto glass. In all the times I've worked with oil paints, it's never been on a glass surface before. I found this all to be really freaking cool and it made me want to try that technique out.

We spent the evening eating cake and ice cream to celebrate TheMechanic entering into his 17th year of life. There was lots of horrible renditions of happy birthday, bad jokes, and good company.

Before we left today we went to the community church, where everybody knows everybody and new people are always noticed. It was very Stars Hollow. The sermon was fantastic and even though service went for almost two hours (which according to TheKeeper's girly-friend was out of the norm) it kept me interested and thinking about what was being said.

After the service ended we were properly introduced to what felt like the entire congregation and then we left for noms. TheKeeper's girlfriend and her wonderful family treated us to lunch at The Red Bicycle (what an awesome name for a restaurant, right?) and then we rolled out of town to start the six hour (give or take) trek back home.

Because we were staying on an island, we had to take the ferry back to Seattle. Let the record show that ferries are the coolest.

It was a great trip, but I am glad to be sleeping in my own bed tonight. Now I will just be happy once TheBoy is back from Puerto Rico on the 4th. Three weeks away is the pits. For real.