Summer Goals

If you ever follow (or have tried to follow) this blog, you probably know that I hardly ever post. Kathy, a super duper creative friend, challenged a few bloggers from my church to post summer goals on their blogs. I don't know how my name ended up on there, but here is my list. Hopefully I can post about these in some sort of logical manner and it won't be a huge long post at the end of summer about how I didn't get anything accomplished!

Summer Goals:

1. Take nightly walks... which may morph into weekly walks. (Ryan and I used to walk alot, but having knee surgery sure changes things.)

2. Take a road trip. (Do I get extra points for taking TWO road trips?)

3. Perfect a summer salsa recipe.

4. Take a picture every hour for one full day

5. Make a no-bake dessert

6. No jeans week!!!

7. Read 2 books (that aren't textbooks... since I'm in school for 6 weeks of the summer.)

8. Finish learning Claire de Lune on the piano (a process I've started and restarted for about 5 years... but never have finished)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2XzoA94Zws&feature=related

9. Frame some wedding pictures/pictures from SF that I have been wanting to hang (thanks to Clara for adding that to her list)

10. Let Ryan take us out to Chinese (his favorite... my least favorite.)

A few more pictures from The Knee Day

Leaving for surgery!

Just waking up... I look like death warmed over.

Out with the old...

And in the with the new... a new ACL, that is. Lots of excitement has been happening over here in Yokeland, but the most time-consuming project of late has not been Ryan's ten-page paper on international dispute resolution for law school, but my left knee adventures.

On the last weekend of February, Ryan and I, along with some friends from church, headed up to Tahoe for a weekend of skiing. The day was looking beautiful and sunny, the snow was AMAZING, and as I went off a ski jump, nothing looked better... except a torn ACL, MCL, and meniscus when I crashed after that ski jump. (If you aren't up on your knee anatomy, click here... http://www.scoi.com/kneeanat.htm) I convinced myself it was nothing, but after meeting with the orthopedic surgeon, and learning the extent of my injuries, I broke into ugly sobs, and immediately tried to figure out when a 4-6 week recovery from knee reconstruction would fit into my schedule.

I guess April 13th was the day. I was wheeled into the OR (although I don't remember a blessed thing) and woke up with a nice new ACL.

Well it's not that nice. While my pain level isn't bad (maybe a 1-2 on the pain scale), I've been frustrated to not be able to have more flexion and extension. I was able to get outside today (all trips to the grocery store should involve an electric wheelchair and a run down to the ocean to feel the breeze.)

Maybe I'll be dedicated enough to blog about this ACL journey...

but don't hold your breath.

Read this book!

I really enjoyed this book. You should read it.

It is based loosely on the life of Laura Bush and it was extremely interesting. Back to prepping for fall. Yesterday I made an apple pie and it was delicious. Maybe the recipe to follow...

Also, while you are reading that book, listen to this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BJDNw7o6so

I'm back...

SAN FRANCISCO!!!!

We've moved. Again. Back to the best (west) coast. But before we moved, we did a few other things.

1. Ryan came home from his tour of the Ancient Middle East. There was much rejoicing.

2. Also on the Ryan's front, he got promoted. Now he goes by Captain.

3. We left Texas forever (maybe pictures to come of that. ) Good bye to heat, bugs, flat terrain, and the Army!

4. Vacation at home... full of lakes, water, and mountains!

5. Another member of my family joined the Army. Next time you need a small country invaded, don't bother calling the 101st Airborne Division. Just call us.

And we finally made it to California, with Ryan tucked away at law school, and me keeping the house moderately clean.
Now the blog will contain much more interesting things that rants about Texas heat and weather. We will see! :)

yoga

Yoga on YouTube.

The best at-home stress-reliever

EVER.

I'm still working on finding a backyard that looks like this.

Back to bloggy land...

Deployment is just days from being over. 

Over.

OVER.

OVER!!!!!

(just in case you missed "over" the first time.)

current obsession:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acvIVA9-FMQ

I love it when songs fit perfectly. :) Enjoy!