It looks like summer is planning to stick around a bit longer. It definitely took some time to get here, but I think we have actually had a pretty decent summer…which I hope means we will have a decent winter. I’d really like to get some snow this year. But that’s getting a little ahead of things…

Had such a fun time at rodeo this year. It had been several years since I attended, and as always, it reminded me of what amazing friends my mom has. This group of people (who we have been hanging out with since I was 5 or 6), despite all the random life happenings and changes, still manage to make each other a priority and keep traditions going. I know everyone wishes they saw each other more often, but every time we are able to get together, it’s as if no time has passed and friendships are still strong. Those are special kinds of friendships. One of my favorite Dinner Club memories…I was 12, I think…we were going into our first Christmas after my mom’s divorce…and the group surprised us with fun little gifts on our front porch for the 12 Days of Christmas. Each morning when we woke up there was a new little package outside…I don’t remember what the presents were (I do remember the 8th day…the ‘maids a-milking’ day, there were eight different flavors of school lunch sized milks…yum!), but I do remember being overwhelmed with the thoughtfulness of the group. I always hoped and prayed that when I grew up I would have friends like them. The cool thing is that as I’ve grown up (though I still insist on staying in the kids gift exchange!), they have become my friends too.

In other news…
- I have started volunteering! It shouldn’t be as big of a deal as it is…I should have already been volunteering. But I wasn’t, and now I am, and I am so excited about it. I am volunteering with 826 Seattle, which is a non-profit writing center for students 6-18, that helps develop their creative writing skills. It is also a tutoring center- all subjects, not just writing. They do tutoring, in-school projects, field trips, weekend workshops, etc. And just really FUN activities to get kids excited about writing. Starting in October, I will be volunteering with a field trip…I’ll be doing the Geoduck field trip, which is for grades 1-3…they are tasked, by a ‘grouchy publisher’, to write an original, interesting story as a group…or there will be trouble! The group develops characters and the story line together, and then each kid is able to independently write their own ending. Each kid gets to take home a bound and ‘published’ copy of their very own story. So cool. Also so cool, is the storefront of 826…it is a Space Travel Supply Company with lots of fun merchandise. Check it out: http://www.826seattle.org/

- I finally started using Spotify…a little bit. Have heard lots of great things, decided I needed some tunes at work while I was alphabetizing…but then once I had it up, I had the hardest time thinking of anything I wanted to listen to! I also haven’t had any time to play around with it and create playlists or anything, since I have only used it at work, and am, of course, working hard! So this is still a discovery in process.

-Saw the movie Crazy Stupid Love this week. I almost completely really liked it. Cast is Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, and Emma Stone. The movie felt very genuine. There were some pretty sad parts, that were lightened up a bit with comedy…but not in a silly or stupid way, or a way that took away from the seriousness of the material…which I think is pretty realistic. There was one story line in the movie that I didn’t like at all…it was completely unnecessary to the story and took away from the rest of it. But other than that, I really enjoyed this movie!

-Also recently finished the book One Day (there is a movie out right now with Anne Hathaway)…I haven’t seen the movie, but I HATED the book. That’s a strong word. There really wasn’t anything I enjoyed about the book. The characters weren't likeable (Emma- the Anne Hatheway character- is likeable for parts of the story). The ending was awful. I wish I could give it away so I could talk about how awful the ending was. I should have stopped reading it early on, but I just kept thinking that something redeeming HAD to happen. But no.


That’s all for now…have a super weekend!