Surviving Summer....without melting

We have not been getting out and exploring as much as I wanted this summer. Every year I have such grand plans of all the things we are going to see and do, but then life somehow always gets in the way. One of the biggest problems this year is the weather. It has been between 95 and 100 degrees ALL SUMMER- and we are NOT heat- loving people. In fact, all of the places we have lived since becoming adults (Alaska; Vermont; McCall, ID) we have chosen for their cool weather. However, life has somehow managed to get us to live in one of the hottest areas in Idaho. The Clearwater River Valley is so hot it is known as Idaho's Banana Belt. Our humidity is low, which makes the heat more comfortable I guess, but it also makes us research forest fire activity before we go anywhere. This even hotter- than- usual summer forces us to only go to places several thousand feet higher in elevation (which is a long drive) or to go out during the last hour before it gets completely dark in order to enjoy more bearable temperatures.

Another situation getting in the way of my outdoor plans is the fact that Matt was been working an awful lot and he actually wants to rest some on his days off (weird, huh?). One of his fellow officers received a powerful punch to the face while working, causing several broken bones in the jaw area. Of course this officer will not be working again for a while. Matt works for a very small police department so whenever one officer is not working, it makes things busier for everybody else. Also, on our weekends chores keep popping up, including fixing our Jeep's window regulator and our slow progression of putting the nursery together.

We do manage to get out once in a while:

Our little polar bear trying to stay cool

 

 

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Psalm 19:1



Heart of the Monster

I mentioned earlier that we have decided to keep things simple and cheap this summer and not do any overnight travelling. This past month I have been intentionally trying to be more aware of the beauty right around me (which really isn't that hard considering where we live). I have spent a lot of time walking the dogs at a park only 5 minutes from my house, called Heart of the Monster. For those of you who don't live in the area, it is nothing creepy like the name may suggest. It is a national historical park that is the legendary birthplace of the Nez Perce Tribe. It is a very pleasant place to walk around just outside of town and it is a good spot for bird- watching and sometimes you can even spot an otter. If you are ever driving across the state on US-12, it is worth a stop to stretch your legs and maybe have a picnic. Below is a summary of what my June looked like:

On a different note, you may have noticed I have added a store on the top of my blog through amazon.com. I have hand- picked all sorts of products, such as adoption and parenting books, children's books and activities, and cooking and baking accessories. I hope you take a few minutes to browse; there's something for everybody. A percentage of every purchase will go toward our adoption expenses. Make sure to check back often as I will be routinely adding new products. Also, if you already have something in mind you want to buy from amazon.com, you can do so by clicking on one of their ads on my blog and I will receive a percentage of that purchase as well. These are just a couple of easy ways to make the most of your online shopping. Thanks!

Sunday Afternoon

I have been productive this Sunday afternoon doing some yummy, healthy baking. I made up some Granola and Molasses Raisin Bran Muffins.

I also pulled a few weeds out of our very first vegetable garden. I know it looks a little rough, but we are trying to keep this a simple and low- cost project. We are attempting to grow: tomatoes, zucchini, strawberries, jalapenos, chili peppers, and green and red bell peppers.  We'll see what we get.

 

My view while weeding the garden- not too shabby.

 

While I was slaving away over a hot oven and in a hot garden, this is what my dogs were doing all afternoon:

 

 

 

It doesn't seem quite fair.


I hope you all had a wonderful Father's Day.

I discovered what is NOT my true calling...

In case I needed solid evidence, I discovered yesterday that my true calling in life is definitely not to become a firefighter, or any other emergency personnel for that matter.  While I was pre-heating the oven to bake muffins (a typical and once- thought safe activity), the oven started to make the most awful noise, like metal objects were flying around inside of it. Then a whole bunch of sparks flew out of the oven, followed by some smoke. My first reaction, of course, was some wordless screams. After that I had collected myself enough to scream specific things: "FIRE!", "MATT!", "SPARKS!", "MATT!". By the time Matt got to the kitchen, the sparks had died down and he was able to bravely turn off the oven. It turns out the "heater thing" in our very old oven broke and was sending electricity everywhere. I"m just happy it didn't happen while I was out walking the dogs and nobody was home. So, there is no more baking right now for me and definitely no applying to firefighter jobs!