Lake Time!

The parents enjoying the view.

Every summer the family and us girls head out to Seeley Lake. We used to do this all the time when we were kids, so it's fun to revisit the memory. We pile up all the inner tubes and flippers, snacks, beverages, towels and sun screen. We set up our four matching chairs on the shore and dive in. The water isn't too cold, you can see to the sandy bottom, and not too many boats go zooming by. We get there at noon so we can claim a good spot before everyone else shows up around 2. We swim and float around for hours, bobbing in the water and chatting. Relaxing in front of the beautiful backdrop that is Seeley Lake, MT. :)

Seeley Lake, MT!

Happy girl!

Some Days I Want to Be Bold...

...and other days I'd like to just be whisked away by an unexpected prince of men. Maybe live in a big house with a killer view. Run around meadows in satin skirts. I could use a fairytale for a day I think.

Cool Blog and Baby Book Giveaway!

Hello! My best friend has a lovely fitness blog now on blogspot. Click HERE to visit! She is a certified personal trainer and has some excellent advice and tips! :)

She's also a new mom, and is giving away a great baby book that helped her through her baby's first year. Check out her blog today and leave a comment by midnight to be entered to win!! Thanks!

Birthday Wrap-up and Things to Look Forward To

I am on cloud nine. A very happy 27 year old. After work yesterday, I enjoyed a cool walk home in the shade of the neighborhood trees and then was whisked off to the parent's abode. My Birthday theme this year? Pollen! My parents are absurdly creative. I'm a pollen counter here in town, so they went all out. I had pollen-looking pompoms hanging from the ceiling, pollen-shaped puff balls on the table. I had a microscope and actual pollen slide as decor and a cake covered in what looks like grains of "ragweed!" (Mama did her research!) We had yummy snacks and drinks and lots of fun presents. :)

Pollen Birthday! Why the Mickey Mouse shapes?
That's what Pine looks like under a 'scope!

Lily pollen slide under an antique microscope!

 Even got a surprise gift of an antique cow creamer from my late Grandma. At least I didn't cry this time! (I tend to, when I get heirlooms.) After opening a leaf blower (yes, that's what I asked for, LOL), a fire pit, some sparklies and some gift cards, I was all smiles. Though in all honesty, I could have just taken the company of my family and been just as happy! But gifts are fun too ;) Dinner, cake, singing, blowing out candles, then out the door to go swimming with friends.

The pool as the sun set. What a great time!

Two lazy hours later, as the sun dipped low, sister and I joined more friends downtown for patio ambiance and some mojitos. Yum!

Our umbrella outside one of my fave pubs.

Successful evening for sure! Today at my weekly meeting, the lab mates had a Birthday party for me complete with coffee, juice, sparkling cider, donuts, muffins and gifts! What'd I get? I plant and some beer! Gotta love it. :) Gotta love them. Whew, I'm tired from a lot of celebrating. :)

My new plant from my coworkers!

I have a lot to look forward to now that I'm 27 as well:

First off, in the very near future, one last Birthday event: Fancy dinner with my bestie! We'll dress up and go gorge ourselves on italian food. :) Can't wait!

This weekend: boating! Somewhere...probably glacier nat'l park, but we haven't solidified plans. Ha ha. But either way, the sis and I should go get some camping done and paddle around. Wahoo!

Next up? Lots of friends visiting my town to say howdy. Most of them I haven't seen in a year or more. Should be delightful to get caught up!

Early August means Chicks N Chaps is coming to our county fair! A whole day with my mom, dressed in cowboy attire and LOTS of pink, hanging out and schmoozing with PRCA Cowboys, learning all the rodeo know-how and drinking and eating to our hearts content! Oh! And it benefits breast cancer victims in our town! All the proceeds stay right here. Sooooo cool! And a blast!

The next week is jaw surgery, which doesn't sound fun, but I'm looking forward to getting done and over with! Can't wait to put it behind me and move on! Then only a few months of braces and my teeth should be almost done! It's been a long road. :)

Ok, off I run! What do you all have coming up for the rest of the summer??

Birthday Surprises!

Today I turn 27! I'm sunburnt, smiling, and enjoying a lot of surprises today. :) Yesterday was a lovely last day of 26, enjoying a three hour float down the Blackfoot River atop my inner tube. Rapids, wildlife, and lots of good laughs made the hot day wonderful. Today I awoke to more surprises from my sis. She's been putting together comic strips all week for me with Marvel characters. Today I also got an Avenger's action figure and a mini rose! Great way to wake up!

Breakfast from sister! Yay for Avengers! 

 After getting to work, I realized I couldn't get to my desk due to a wall of instruments....my lab mates giggled as they proudly showed off their DustTrak castle! Hilarious! After moving all the cases, I found a gift from a dear friend on my desk: a candle that smells of....cake! Perfect!

DustTrak Castle :)

 Then a knock on the door, who is it? My mom! Bearing balloons and pastries! We strolled outside and sat on campus chatting about this day 27 years ago. It was great! She hugged me at 11:17am and I am officially 27 years old now. Today has been wonderful so far! Looking forward to seeing the family this evening and some swimming with friends after that. Awesome!!

Happy Ballons!!

Breaking up is hard to do...

...especially if you're the dumpee! My mood has been dampened this last week after my relationship ended last Friday. What a buzz kill! I'm trying to stay up and have been enjoying family time and chatting with friends. The garden has kept me busy, and so has work. The high heat of summer is baking through my bad mood. :) I have a Birthday to look forward to next week, and a lot more sunshine. My BF and I had a float trip planned with all our friends for next weekend. After this wrench got thrown into the works, I wasn't sure what to do. But ya know what? I'm going on that damn float! Those are my friends too! He can squirm and be awkward, I'm living it up! Can you tell I'm rallying?? Ha ha. This break-up is definitely easier than ones in the past. Hallelujah. I'll be back on my feet soon, looking for (or waiting to be found by) my Mr. Right. :)

Glacier for the 4th

My sister and I escaped town on the 3rd to get in some midnight skiing up Logan Pass in Glacier Nat'l Park. There would be a full moon and lots of snow left. Well, there certainly was a lot of snow (some even falling from the sky with the rain), but the skies wouldn't clear, and the winds were topping out over 60mph. After huddling in her truck/our camper for awhile (and being rocked back and forth like we were in a boat) we decided to seek lower ground. We drove further down the pass and stopped next to St. Mary's lake. Surprisingly the wind down there was just as bad! Oh well. We awoke as the sun was cresting the horizon around 4:45am, and then I woke again to beautiful alpenglow at 6. Then we woke again at 8:15, but this time to a park ranger! Whoops! We were caught. She let us off with a warning at least....he he he. No skiing was to be had with the weather, so we headed back home, stopping at Big Fork's 4th of July parade on the way. Such American spirit! We returned home, donned our red, white and blue and headed to the parents' house. Ribs, watermelon, cake and strawberries! Yum! We lit fireworks and ran around like kids. Turned out to be a pretty darn good holiday.

The following pics are a little out of order, but you get the idea. :)

Wind-blown St. Mary's Lake

6am Alpenglow

An orchard on Flathead Lake

Sister and I being silly with our "punks"

Flags everywhere

Big Fork Parade

Fields on our way up to Glacier

Glacier Nat'l Park!

Summer

It's officially here in a big way. 80-90 degree days. Sunshine and lots of blooming flowers. Summer in Montana is here. My parents have been away, which has given me the chance to take care of all their blooming flowers. I always love the tranquil times at their house while I water and enjoy the scenery. It's a nice mini-vaca for me too! Here are a few shots from my latest trip across town.