4th of July Party and Fun!

Mom, Dad, and I hosted a 4th of July party at our house!  It was great spending time with our friends! People brought sides and we were in charge of meat and desserts.  Here is our patrotic food.. it was a lot of fun to make! :)

Fruit Brownie Pizza

Patriotic cupcakes

Red, White, and Blue deviled eggs

Red, white, and blue rice crispy treats

After most people left, we headed to the street to do Sparklers and SC fireworks!  It was a lot of fun!

Kelsey (my friend from WLE) and I with our Sparklers

On Saturday, the gboro crew came up to spend a family day!  We played badmiton, had a cookout, played pit and finished out the day with Locopops!

 

Bsbysitting and Friends

This week I spent babysitting my sweet 3 (well really just one because Mads was at driver's ed and Colin had basketball camp) and spending time with friends! 

Ainsley has always wanted to walk her cat so we gave it a try.  When it failed, we put him in the baby doll stroller!  Needless to say, he wasn't amused!

Ainsley and I got to spend a lot of time together last week and I loved it!  On Thursday, we went to Target to get ideas for her upcoming birthday party!  She found this chair she loves (it was kind of like a trampoline)!

We also made her party favors too!

Since I do not have a car in the US, I use whoever's is available.  As you can imagine, Dad's car is always a hit!  Colin was obsessed with jumping in and out of it!

This pic is from over a week ago but one of my favorites... it is a selfie of my friends from WLE!

On Wednesday night, Brooke and I went shopping together but finished early so we ran to a frozen yogurt place to find it has closed.  So we raced to another one and got there one minute before it closed!  VICTORY!

On Thursday night, I had dinner at our favorite Mexican place one last time with my friend Kelsey!  We worked together at WLE and many Thursday nights we would go to this restaurant in downtown Apex to celebrate making it through the week with yummy Mexican and margaritas! She moves to Charleston today for her husband's job so this was our last hoopla! 

I love my WLE friends!

When I was visiting in the states back in December/January, I felt very torn as I tried to see all of my friends and spend time with my family. I was unable to see some of my friends and didn't spend a lot of time with my parents.  So my dear friend Brooke from my old school (West Lake Elementary), offered to host a party for me so I could see all of my school friends! She is brilliant and very generous! She opened up her new home and provided Mexican dinner for all of us!  We had a blast chatting and checking up!  It was so good to see all of my school friends in one place and not feel stretched in seeing them all!  I was so grateful to spend such quality time with each of them!  Plus, some of us went out afterwards and that is fun I will never forgot!  I love you my WLE friends!

The group: Melissa, Kelsey, me, Nancy, Jeanette, Brooke

Nancy: She teaches 2nd grade and taught right next door to me when I got moved to the 2nd grade hallway!  She was the only school friend I told about my job interview in Tunis and she was the first one (even before my parents... they wouldn't pick up their phones!) I told when I got my job in Tunisia... she is a great secret keeper!  She is an amazing listener, caring, and kind friend!  I was so grateful to be steps away from her through my last 2 years at WLE!

Oh my Brooke!  She is the one I Voxer with the most (besides my mom)!  We go to each other with the random stuff, the frustrating stuff, the hilarious TMI stuff, the crying stuff, and the list goes on!  She is a great listener and sympathizer!  We just have a fabulous time when we are together!  She is also my Teen Mom and Grey's Anatomy Buddy!  Oh and my craft buddy too! She teaches 2nd grade, track 1 at WLE and she got my kids when my left 1st grade!  

Jeanette was my first close friend at WLE and we have remained friends throughout the year!  She teaches Kindergarten and I got her kids when she was on track 1. She claims we took classes together at Meredith and I ignored her because she went to NC State but I don't believe that is true because I don't remember her at all! She has the biggest heart and gives her all at all she does!  She is absolutely hilarious and a lot of fun!

Kelsey and I both taught first grade together my last year at WLE.  We lived near each other in Apex and used to have dinner together each Thursday night.  She is so thoughtful, genuine, real, kind, absolutely funny, honest, and a lot of fun! I have loved all the moments we have spend together!  She is moving to Charleston this Friday but I know we will still keep in touch (thanks to technology)!

Melissa!! She's taught K forever at WLE and I always got her kids!  We fought for our kids and worked together.  I always went to her for advice or when I was about to lose it on someone! Her and I are very similar and because of that we know what each other are thinking and the questions to ask to really dig deeper!  She is a straight shooter and will tell it/ask it like it is! I am so grateful we have become such close friends!  She is also a blast to be around!

Jessica is Jeanette's sister who was in town from Charleston.  I have met her before at baby showers and such but it was so much fun to spend time with her!  She is kind, relate-able, and a lot of fun!  

As for this pic, Melissa... I couldn't resist! ;)

Thank you friends for all of your support this past year!  I love you all dearly!

Deadwood, Lead, and Rapid City

Today was our final day in South Dakota as we fly out at 6am tomorrow morning!  So we went to places we haven't gotten to go to yet!  The weather cooperated (no rain and the sun came out to play) and we had a great final day of sightseeing!

We drove to Deadwood to go to Moriah Cemetery to see where 3 prominent people of Deadwood's history are buried...

Calamity Jane

Potato Creek Johnny

Wild Bill

Then we went to Adams Museum to learn more about the history of Deadwood

Then we had lunch in downtown Deadwood (known for gambling!)

 

 Then we drove through Lead and found an open pit mine

It really was a cool sight to see!

This monument is to honor all of the miners that have worked at this mine

Then we drove back to Rapid City to go see the Chapel in the Hills

It is a Norweigan designed wooden chapel that was absolutely gorgeous!  A son built it for his parents who moved here long ago from Norway.  It was absolutely breathtaking! 

Bell tower and bell donated

The gift shop... love the grass on the roof!

Then Aunt Jeanne so kindly did the walk of the Presidents with me through downtown Rapid City.  They have a statue of all the past presidents on each corner throughout down town!  It was really cool to see!  I took a picture of all of them but thought I would spare you that and just show you my favorites!

Warren G. Harding (never heard of him before but the dog was cute!)

Andrew Jackson (I'm related to him)

George Washington

My favorite president: Abraham Lincoln

For dinner we ate at this amazing Mexican Restaurant!  Great last meal!

Thanks Aunt Jeanne for an amazing trip!  I had a blast traveling with you! I love you!