hotness.

I have beautiful friends, it's true.

moo.

{learn something new}

Tipping should be too.

Sorry fellas...

...the greatest girl in the world is now *officially* (engaged to be) taken!!!!

That beaming bombshell in the photo above is one of my most favorite ladies in the universe! She and I have been friends since our freshmen year in high school - - I've loved her from the first day of class when she walked into the ag room with a tin lunch box, a funny t-shirt, and the most friendly, wonderful personality ever. And today my dear friend got engaged to who can only be a most amazing man!
CONGRATULATIONS Janell and John!!!

oh... and uh... sorry Janell for pilfering this photo but it's just perfect, you know?!

bhahhh!

{image found here}

I've been really loving goats lately.
Maybe it is because a few weeks ago the philosopher and I
passed a farm with baby goats for sale on our way home from the lake.
Or maybe it is because goats remind me of my friend Janell in Texas
who used to raise goats for FFA.

My mom's banker once told us that his family has a pet goat
not for profit or anything but just "for the love".
And when I was younger my sisters had two pet goats...
though I don't remember them much.

Right now, while I'm free from all the yucky duties that go along with
farm animal management, the idea of having a big back yard
with a cool tree house and a couple of pet goats
sounds really, really good.


hmm... or maybe a cow!
ps: did you catch Janell's bluebell t-shirt?
In case you don't know, bluebell has the best vanilla icecream.

And Katie makes three

{photo by Anne Geddes, of course!}

My sister had her third baby on Saturday.
Little Katie has been much anticipated.
We're so happy she's here!

Coming into the light with over 9 pounds of health
and a head full of black hair
I've got a feeling this one is trouble.

a surprising visit

My brother Corbin and his girlfriend Julie recently came to visit from Texas. It was nice to see him, although we only were able to have dinner once. With a table full of people it hardly felt like a visit! I did get to spend some extra time with Julie. As a treat for the visit my mom made appointments at the Angeline Spa for us three ladies: massages, facials, some quite reading time, and a lovely view. It was great. The most surprising part was the facial. I'd never had a facial before. To be honest, I worried it would be a bit painful. Oh was I wrong! Forget massages! If I never have a professional massage again it'll be fine by me - just give me a facial! I was trying to describe the experience to L afterward and I realized it just can not be done. There is no way to explain why it feels so amazing. But it does.

Happy Birthday, Kaleb!

The last week or so has been kind of hectic
trying to get scholarship applications completed, articles ready for publication,
yada, yada, yada...
In all the hullapalooza I forgot to make a very important post - -
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KALEB!!

Kaleb is my go-to pirate-cowboy-smartass-superstar!

I can't believe he's FIVE years old!!

P.S. Kids are so funny! I can't figure out if its jealousy I see in their faces or pure rapture at the birthday-wish-making magic.

kitschy or tacky?

my philosopher has voted tacky.
i thought they would be fun.
just imagine: fields and fields of plastic pink flamingos.

thinking about the wedding has revealed a lot about the Mr.
i mean, I knew he didn't exactly have champagne tastes
but as it turns out
he's got a few standards for our celebration decor.

guess these will go into the reject bin.

oh, and I did a little research
and realized my philosopher probably knows best on this one.
apparently "flamingo flocking" is
"the 21st century version of getting toilet papered".

{which, by the way, sounds like so much fun!}
thanks, Houston. you've made my day...if not my wedding.

photo thanks to the Human Flower Project