BIRTHDAYS AND GOODBYES

Today was the last day that I will see Kevin before he leaves on his mission, for tomorrow morning I will be on an airplane for Milwaukee. We crammed everything in to accommodate the scenario/dilemma mentioned above. We celebrated my birthday early with Lynchland after church because Kevin won't be here for my real birthday. We ate my very favorite birthday meal (Cafe Rio sweet pork barbacoa salad), opened presents (some were just like Tyler's in that they were just little pictures because they haven't come in the mail yet) and had cake and ice cream. The gifts I got tangibly were a Joseph Joseph Rolling Pin, and a sort of baby Ninja, the perfect compliment to our Ninja blender. The paper presents were a car adapter/converter to listen to my iPod in the car, a coat rack, and Creationary. The night soon came to an end and I said one last goodbye to Kevin until I see him again in two years. Once home we wrote our first letters to Kevin so he has something to open when he enters the MTC this week. I always write a postcard to the missionary brothers on the back of a random photo from years passed.

LONG OVERDUE

Today was filled with things long overdue, one of them being this all-in-one picture frame, mirror, and hook thingy. (Oh and remember the funny story behind this little guy?) We finally got it hung up and boy oh boy am I glad to see it up off the floor and serving a purpose (thanks Tyler). In the evening we gathered with everyone from Lynchland once again to finally cash in Mama Lynch's birthday dinner and a movie from March 2012 (yikes!). It's an unwritten tradition to have the movie be the Pixar flick of the year, so we first ate at Sweet Tomatoes and then all filed in to see the much anticipated Monsters University. We loved the movie and it was a tremendous Saturday.

CHIVALROUS TO BOOT

Tyler was lovely enough to make me lunch and run it over to my work before he had to go into work himself; he makes the best egg salad avocado sandwiches. Work was a bit hectic, but we were both so ready for the weekend (even though we both had work off yesterday). We live for the days we get to spend together. Tonight we met for dinner at Panda Express with all those of Lynchland and finished the night off at Desert Star for The Lone Stranger show. It was quite hilarious, but my favorite part was when Tyler kifed the popcorn basket from the empty table next to us. They give you a complimentary basket at the beginning of the show, but by intermission there was still no one sitting at the neighboring table. He stood up, stretched, then swiftly swooped it up over the railing and onto the table for Nicole, Peter, and I. What a lovely boy I have.

MELT LIKE A POPCICLE

On the fourth of July we slept WAY in and got ready for the patriotic day ahead. My parents picked us up and we made our way up to Clearfield to visit with my Bush grandparents. The Cramers met us there because they were coming from visiting Steve's grandparents in Orem. We had quite the feast of food and desserts. We then visited for a bit in my grandparents' backyard. Tiffany gave me these earrings because she had an extra pair from her mother-in-law. I don't usually wear silver or dangly earrings, but I do love them. The kids played tag with Tyler, weaving around the fruit trees with this brick red wall as a backdrop (these bricks always strike up plenty of memories of my grandparents' house and the many get-togethers we spent in their backyard). After our visit we drove back to Duncanville to lounge in the front yard, enjoying everyone else's aerial shows. My parents walked with the older kids to a neighbor's house for their show, but Tyler and I just stuck with Tiffany and Steve, visiting deep into the night. I can't believe they are leaving tomorrow; we've enjoyed soaking up their awesomeness for two weeks.

GEARIN' UP

I left work a bit early today to dash to Duncanville for some more time with the Cramer clan. They arrived into town from their mini Las Vegas trip just in time for our brand new brother-in-law to show us his cooking skills. This kid cooked up quite a Mexican storm: homemade juice from cantaloupe, a delicious bean soup that was the talk of the town, and some smoked meat topped off with fresh pico. After the delicious Mexican feast Tiffany opened gifts from all of us (very belated, but at least she got them in person). By the time all the presents were unwrapped it was dark enough for the firework show to begin. These kids loved the fireworks and somehow all ended up in one chair sharing Tyler's lap. Boy we've missed these guys.

SICK AS A DOG

On Sunday during the festivities for Kevin, I began to get severe torso pain. It was like my body was trying to saw itself from the inside out. Nicole let me lay in her room and rest it off a bit. I missed out on the tail end of the party, but managed to feel better enough to help with the clean up. After all the events of the day I put the puzzle together that my kidney infection was probably back. I immediately started taking my antibiotic and hoped that it would clear up before I needed to go to the hospital. Yesterday it was mild enough for me to go about my day, but today it hit me like a sack of bricks. I spent the entire day in bed, in the darkness, constantly waiting for the pain to subside. After a full day of medication, consistent water, and plenty of rest, I hope I'm on the road to recovery.

TOO DIGITAL

My brother-in-law, Steve, and I have a lot in common. I look up to him quite a bit because he was my first brother(-in-law) and in a little-sister-kind-of-way I always want to do what he is doing. It also helps that ever since I was 15 he thought I was so cool when no one else did; I beam with delight that he still thinks I am cool. When he and my sister and their cute family were here last week, he asked me why I don't use my DSLR anymore. Let me back up and say that he has amazing photography skills, and of course they are all self taught (he's such a renaissance man). It was no surprise that I got a tad embarrassed when he asked me—since getting my iPhone a year and half ago I have completely transitioned over to iPhonography. Tonight after work I pulled out my dusty DSLR, the very camera that inspired me to start my now three-year photo-a-day excursion. I've missed it, but in a way I've kind of forgotten the ways of the manual camera. I took some photos of various objects in our apartment to sort of retrain my brain and I am quite rusty.