Graduation season

Sunday was graduation day! Penn State was really over the river and through the woods, way out there, but the drive, again, was beautiful! We dropped E off and went to their creamery for some delicious ice cream.

I really liked the commencement speaker. He talked about being intentional, but also flexible, and making the most of every opportunity, even or maybe especially when they seem like they might not be the best. 

Ehlyvia wanted to leave a few minutes before everything ended and it was not my graduation and she’s not my child, so we met her before the crowds descended and grabbed some pictures. 

Those are $60 roses there, because when you graduate on Mother’s Day, they hike the prices. 

Amy had just bought the light Jean jacket im wearing, and she let me wear it so we didn’t twin, because the Jean jacket I brought was exactly the same color as the one she is wearing here. 🤣

We made friends with another graduate family and took pictures for each other. 

I’m so glad we were able to make this work to be there for E. It was a good weekend getting to know each other and I love spending time with Amy. 

We went back to Ehlyvia’s hotel and went for a 10pm swim and it was lovely. 

We slept in till 10 on Sunday (I couldn’t believe it!) so on Monday we set an alarm for 8 and walked downtown again. I really wanted a Raystown Lake shirt, but didn’t find one. Had to settle for this cute picture. 🤣

We picked Ehlyvia up at 10 and headed to check out the cute little downtown shops. But first she treated us to drinks at this cute little drink hut. 

We found an amazing thrift store and bakery but most of the other shops were closed on Mondays. We both had about a 5 hour drive, so we headed out at 12;30. 

E and I had a really great 3 hour talk. Kinda hard, very vulnerable, hopefully impactful. In buying their new house and Christian buying their new house, Lexi has talked about how nanny’s got their backs and has been helping, and I really felt prompted to say certain things, which, by the spirit or from my parents, I don’t think just came from my little brain. I debriefed with Amy on the hour and a half drive home after dropping E off and it’s always sweet to come home. 

And now, back to catching up on May.

Historic Huntingdon

We had some sour milk, so I made waffles for brekkie. I’ve been using a new recipe and I added a little turbinado sugar on top for a little crispiness and they were so good. I left at 11:00 to gas up and pick up Ehlyvia and start our weekend adventure. 

She’s graduating with her Masters on Mother’s Day (why?!) and Amy decided to come and invited me, so here we are. It was the most beautiful drive! Hardly any freeway, mostly through cute little towns and over the rolling hills. We fan girdled the scenery the whole way!

We arrived at 4 and got her checked in to her hotel. Since she works nights and hadn’t slept, I let her sleep and went for a walk while I waited for Amy. 

I went full on papa mode because this place is adorable. 

I fan girled over it on my walk and then when Amy arrived and we went for another walk (my heel was hurting!) she fan girled over it all too. 

We know how I feel about railroad tracks. 

Lake Rays?! ❤️

Courthouse love. 

They have several of these mini replicas around town and they are so adorable!

The cemetery is up the hill so there’s a pretty view and hill walking is hard. 

Amy finally arrived and we got checked in and went for another walk. Then off to buy her a bathing suit so we can swim at our hotel and to grab dinner. 

We came back to our room to eat, lay on my acupressure mat, and talk the night away. 

I’m so glad we can be here to support Ehlyvia and henna time is the best bonus. 

 

Hope

On this last day of teacher appreciation week I helped Ms. Marschall with her s’mores bar and helped organize all the lunch leftovers again. She had another helper there, so I left after a few hours. And that wraps up my pta career. Although Anna said they did have staff appreciation at the high school and that’s been nagging at me. 

In rental car fraud news, we found another charge from those Croatian crooks and we’re still working to hold them responsible. It’s truly astonishing. 

During scripture study we talked about hope and trying to help people have hope in their lives. We talked about people who’s family situations are not good, and about grandma rays mom, who’s parents were wealthy, but when they passed away their relatives took their money and left their 5 little girls in an orphanage. I love talking about our ancestors and keeping them alive in our minds. I want my family to be surrounded by all of our angels and for them to have charge over us. 

Dirty drinks

I’ve wanted to open a dirty soda (think Swig)/coffee shop (gotta work with where we live) in one of the old, empty banks in town. We’d call it The Drink Bank and it would have been perfect - it’s already got a drive through and everything. Anyway, I’ve always got ideas but I don’t always have follow through. 

But I did make a dirty drink bar for the teachers, so take that follow through.

I made goulash for dinner and dropped off the dance carpool and picked up Frankie and it rained off and on all day. 

Mary helped me with teachers appreciation yesterday and today and when we were texting last night she offered to pick up Delaney’s 8th grade yard sign. She was like “it’s kind of blurry…” and I said yup, that’s the one she picked and she said it’s a vibe. 

So vibe check. 

Phew

 Today was the big lunch day at school and it’s done.  🎉  I took one amazing picture. 🤷‍♀️🤦‍♀️ I’ll have to try to get some tomorrow.

I got to school at 8:30 and left at 2 and walked a million steps. Mary hung out all day and Juana helped and it was a great and full day. 

I try to do a lil family history every day and look at this! Who needs to go to Hungary when you can just visit Lu in Sumter?

Trail mix bar

Juana’s been helping me at school, she’s Mike and David (bubbas childhood friends) grandma and a neighbor so we’ve known her for 17 years. She helped me open all my little serving boxes and set everything up. She also told me in no uncertain terms not to come back to clean up because she would do it. She’s raised like 18 kids, from her own, to her grandkids, to several foster kids. She’s just a true gem.

It’s still fun to be in their with all the camp stuff.

I went to inklings, shopped, baked (teacher appreciation is my life now), we had family night where we’re still catching up on general conference, and Adi and I watched Walking Dead. I’m surprised how much I’m remembering! It’s such a good story but we could do without the gore. 

Tomorrow is the busiest teacher day since it’s the luncheon. Halfway there!

1st day

Teacher appreciation week - day 1 - ✅ 

I went to the school at 1 to cleanup, and as I was putting my keys back in the office, I saw Delaney and friend. They were waiting to interview Dr. Dennie for journalism, so I chatted with them for a bit. I actually got to see Delaney twice today, once as she was coming in and I was leaving and then in the office. I wish she’d still come to the lounge and hang out and help, but I guess big 8th graders don’t do that.   

I made progress on my family tree and did some learning for my calling and made ratatouille for dinner because Delaney likes it, only she didn’t like this recipe I tried. It’s my favorite ratatouille that I’ve had, but I’m not a fan of eggplant or ratatouille, so you win some you lose some, I guess. 

Adi seems to be getting more excited about Idaho and that is music to my ears! She’s been researching and showing more interest and I’m so so so glad. And then this made me teary - once an aviator, always an aviator! I want to go walk the halls with her and say hi to old teachers too! 🥹

Weekend love

Adi and I walked around the little spring fair at the fairgrounds Saturday morning. We checked out all their booths and shared a Philly cheesesteak and it was so sweet to spend time together. She is really feeling the growing up anxiety, so one on one time is important.

One of our thermos caps got recalled and I had to laugh at having to take a picture showing the lid in the trash. 🤷‍♀️

I baked a cake for dinner and a pound cake for special Disney dinner on Sunday and laughed at our sweet lounging Henners. 

That evening Matt and I ran dinner to Henrichsons and got groceries and Adi and Delaney met up with us at the Porters for dinner. Matt and Nate told us all about their trip and it was fun to see their friendship and chat with Amber. She was just called as RSP and I could talk for hours about RS. 

She made lasagna and I brought better than shopping cake so the food was all really good and we are outside and all the kids, even the bigs played on their zip line and play structure and it was just a lovely evening.  

Last week Elizabeth Amorino texted Grace and I and shared that the ASL Branch was becoming a ward and she and Grace decided to go and then I was like, well I really want to go, so I got a sub for me as a sub for nursery and we rode up together. That is the coolest building and it was so good to see so many old friends. They had a group picture and a linger longer after and it was wonderful to catch up with Elizabeth and Grace. 

I came home and whipped up our Disney dinner. I went easy on myself and used frozen meatballs and premade pizza dought for the garlic dog bones. 

Maybe I was hungry from fasting, but it was a top notch dinner and the easiest (by far) to make. 

We watched Lady and the Tramp and the animation is so pretty and the story was cute and none of us really remembered it so it was a fun one. 

🦴 🐕 🐶 

I really liked the movie, but after a big dinner, the relaxing was too much for these Rays and the three of us missed the last 25 minutes of it. Adi was very proud of her picture with all of us facing the same way. It is pretty funny. 

To wake us up we took a family walk. I’m reading a book about longevity called Outlive and he talks about the importance of grip strength, which, since my dreaded painting injury and subsequent thumbs surgery, I have none. He talks about being able to hold onto a bar, so I wanted to see how long I could do. Adi won with 60 seconds, Matt and I did 30, and Frankie and Delaney dropped off right around 25. It’s harder than it looks. 

During scriptures I had to laugh at Matt and Delaney sitting the same. Also, it’s been chillier than normal, hence the blankets and thick socks. I’m not hating it. 

My morning started bright and early at 5 on the nose. I picked up Wawa coffee at 5:45 and came to the school to find Ms. Marschall had made everything look so much better! The weird off center placement of the table and the tablecloths were driving me a little crazy, so I was happy she did. We have an understanding. ❤️

She took some of our decor and set up a cute little area up front too. Not sure the purpose of it, but it’s cute. 

I delivered the coffee, then picked up 80 Boone’s Bagels at 6:30. Got that all delivered and tidied and realized I needed butter and bread knives. Adi and Frankie to the rescue delivering our knives on their way to school and I ran to food Lion for spreadable butter. Came back and conferenced with Ms. Sheehan and we decided we needed a few more bagels, so I ran back to Boone’s for another 2 dozen. I’ll make one more trip this afternoon to clean up the remnants, but it was a good and busy first day of teacher appreciation week.