See you in 2 weeks!!

Summer school is winding to a close and I can't believe how fast its flown. It's been a really busy but fun summer at work. Usually, I'm kind of on my own, traveling between schools to see the kids on my caseload. But during summer b/c there aren't as many schools open, they assign a group of us therapists to be at one school. Can I just say, I love it! It's been so fun co-treating with my friends. I love having someone around to swap ideas with and to chat with. We've had some really cute kids we're working w/too which always helps.

Now that work is coming to a close, I'm pulling out the suitcases and gearing up for my trip!! My friend Tonnette (mission friend) and I are flying to Amsterdam and are then headed on a Baltic cruise which stops in Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Russia and Estonia!! I'm so excited, can't wait!! I've been talking to family/friends who have lived/visited some of these places to get ideas on must sees. So, if you have any suggestions, feel free! I'm going to try and stop in at some of the internet cafe's along the way to update!

Delish....

one of the things I love about summer is so many things are in season to make yummy salads. i made this one for dinner tonight and it was soooo good, so thought i'd share. side note:hate, hate radishes and avocado and it was still great without.

Mexican Chopped Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing

yield: Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
Salad

* 2 1/2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
* 1 can (15.5 oz) black beans, rinsed and well drained
* 3/4 cup chopped seeded tomato
* 3/4 cup chopped peeled jicama
* 3/4 cup fresh corn kernels, uncooked (or frozen or canned)
* 3/4 cup thinly sliced radishes
* Half a ripe avocado, diced
* 1 red bell pepper, chopped
* 1/4 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese


Honey-Lime Dressing

* 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 2 tbsp honey
* 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro
* 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
* 1 tsp chopped jalapeño pepper (use canned for less heat)

Preparation

Toss all salad ingredients in a large bowl. In separate bowl, mix dressing ingredients. Pour dressing over mixture and toss again. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Kick off the Summer.....

Summer is officially here and it got kicked off in a great way with our Pulley Family Reunion. It was just w/our immediate family, my mom, dad, all 9 of us, spouses and all the nieces and nephews. We figured it has been almost 6 years since we've all been home together at the same time, so needless to say we were all so excited!!

We all packed up the cars and headed up north to the Uintas, to this place called Reid Ranch for the reunion. It was so great, our whole family was able to stay in this huge lodge that had it's own swimming pool and sports court. They had archery, horseback riding, archery, a lake with paddle boats, canoes, etc... and much to the relief of many of the parents, no t.v.'s, no reception for cell phones, no internet, etc.... plus, they took care of all the meals and cleaning. We had campfires every night, where some of the families were in charge of different activities and crafts for the kids. It was seriously so much fun!

At the risk of sounding cheesy, I feel so lucky to have been blessed with the family I have. I love that when we get together, it takes 2 whole days just to get settled down enough to finally talk, I love seeing my brothers and sisters as moms and dads to their own kids, I love that being single, I have a chance to really have quality time w/my cute nieces and nephews, I love that our "in-laws" are just like other brothers and sisters to us, I love that we have a special voice that we revert to when just us girls are together, I love that all of my family are such amazing examples to me, I love that we can make my mom cry by having the grandkids sing a simple primary song, I love that we can laugh, talk, dance like nobody's business when we're together and most of all I love that I can't imagine my life without every single member of my family!

Happy Father's Day Dad!!

so, as I'm sitting here missing my fam on this day, thought I would do something a little more productive and write some of the things I love about my dad. happy father's day dad!!

*i love my dad's frugal ways and thrill of a good deal. this has definitely been passed down, you guys know it has, as much as we laugh about saying "guess what i got and it was only 7.99!" , we know deep down how excited we are to score such a deal.

*his love for adventure and the many adventures he's had that i'm still finding out to this day. i love that my dad was willing to take us kids along on business trips and showing us the sights that i'm sure he had seen a million times, but making it seem like it was all new to him.

*his amazing sense of direction. i'm not kidding, it's eery, he could be in any city, anywhere and find his way around. well, let's not be too generous,there's always san antonio :) really though, this must be a gene that skips a generation, b/c i defnitely did not inherit this.

*his ability to roll with the punches and to accept challenges as they come without complaining

*my dad has the memory of an elephant. no lie! he can remember the most out of the way facts from years ago like it was yesterday. he is smart and i mean walking textbook smart. i think that's what made travel with him so fun. it was so cool hearing all the stories of history from my dad, almost like having your own personal tour guide.

*his many ways of saying i love you. whether it's asking how the car is running, how it feels to have another day off (which he constantly reminds me of), or just saying it straight, i know my dad loves me and i love him.

onto, another subject, figured while i'm on a roll, i'll keep on going. so i hit up 2 movies this weekend. to celebrate our last staff mtg., my friends janet and judy and i went to see "UP!" don't want to give away the plot, but just have to say it's a must see. weird, b/c i'm not real big into the animation movies, but this one was so cute and different than i expected, i even cried in it! there are some great quotables in it and i just loved the message.

then my friend margaret and i went to see "the proposal" last night. i really liked it, funny and plus what's not to like about a good romance and with ryan reynolds, (even better). plus, i went into it with no expectations which always helps. kind of like with dating recently, but that's a different story. but the most embarrassing part of the night happened during the previews. so, this preview comes on for this really freaky horror movie and i absolutely cannot stand scary movies, so i was looking down trying to not listen b/c those things just stick in my head and the music was getting scarier and louder, when all of a sudden this man tried to cross to pass in front of me to get to another seat and i totally shook and screamed a little bit, b/c he came out of nowhere, couldn't even see him in my peripheral vision and it just caught me off guard! well, the poor guy, he was this cute little old man and he ended up turning around and going into another row instead. i felt so bad, but he left so quick didn't have time to explain.

Patio Makeover

most of my fam and friends know that i have been on the hunt for patio furniture, oh since about last year. The problem is we have a nice sized patio, which means lots of room to fill, but patio furniture is so dang pricey! and i'm sorry but i just refuse to spend that much on something that's going to get all beat up anyway. well, i've been scouring craigslist and have found some things here and there, but they're always gone by the time i call. so, then i found these great lounge chairs (bonus, they recline all the way and came w/the cushions) for super cheap. my cute friend nicolle lent me her truck for the day so i could go and pick them up. then, i stopped by world market (one of my fave stores) and spotted this little number which fit perfectly under the lounge chairs. it's amazing what a little bit of color can do to lift your mood. seriously, i love it, i think b/c it's the view i see right outside my window. now, i realize our patio is not going to win any hgtv contest for looks, we still need a table and umbrella to spruce things up, and something to block our neighbors direct view into our patio and vice versa, notice the tarp and wine bottle of our neighbors, lovely! any suggestions? but trust me it is so much better than before.

Watch this, it'll make you want to dance.....

so, I haven't quite mastered the whole post a video on the blog thing, let's be honest, i was just overjoyed that i could post some pics. anyway, i spotted this on a friend's blog and i loooooved it!! oh how i would've loved to have been there when it was happening. enjoy!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ3d3KigPQ

Flossing 2+ times a day/electric toothbrushing keeps the Dentist away......

So, today I had a cleaning appt. with my Dentist and while I know this is a bit of an overshare, I'm proud to report that this will be my 6th consecutive visit w/no cavities to report!! Seriously for a while there it was so frustrating, could've put a healthy down payment on a new car for the price i had to pay for gum surgery, crowns, etc..., etc... The funniest part of my visit came as I was walking out to the reception area. There was a lady who was trying to step up to the desk right as I was walking in front of her, so she stepped back trying to avoid me and fell right into the lap of this other man who was waiting on the couch. I wish so bad my words could do it justice. It was like comedy of errors!! I felt bad for the lady, but she survived the fall, I think was just very embarrassed.