This Guy I Know

So, there's this guy I know.

He's kind of skinny - but, in a really cute way.

He's got red hair, and it's the perfect shade. Not too bright, not too dark. It looks great with his green eyes.

This guy I know has a terrific smile. It lights up his face.

This guy - he's smart. Really smart, even though he doesn't seem to think so. I know he's smart because he can write like nobody's business. He's always been a talented writer. In fact, he was the sports editor for our hometown paper. Now, he travels all over the place, working for rail companies and writing newsletters.

He's a hard worker.

This guy is observant, too. The other day, when I decided to part my hair on the other side of my head, this guy noticed immediately and told me "it looked weird." I didn't know if I should be offended - or happy that this guy noticed something so small so quickly.

This guy - he helps clean up after I cook and helps wash the dishes. He knows that I hate washing dishes, so when it's time to wash the pots and pans, he's all over it so all I have to do is dry.

When I have a camera in my hands, this guy is shy. He never wants his picture taken, even though I love to take it. When he's traveling for weeks on end, I love to look at his picture. I love to search his face, look at his handsome smile and peer into his green eyes.

This guy teases me until I almost can't take it anymore. He loves to give me a hard time, he never takes it too far.

When I don't like the way I look in clothes, can't get my hair just right or complain about not being skinny enough, this guy always tells me that I look beautiful in his own, special way. This guy makes me feel honored to be with him.

This guy I know, he cleans the shower if I ask him to, makes me soup if I'm sick, drives me to the doctor when I have a broken arm and helps keep me sane when I think I have no sanity left.

This guy is generous and loyal. He cherishes his family and cares about his friends. He's wrapped around his nieces' fingers and loves to wrestle with his nephews.

This guy plays softball in super cute baseball pants and made an awesome play at first last Friday. This guy is hard on himself when he thinks he screwed up, but he still knows how to have a good time.

This guy has a sense of humor that fits me like a glove. He always knows what to say to make me laugh, cheer me up or take the pain away.

He loves to talk about our future. He loves to think about the kids we'll have, the names we'll give them, the sports they'll play and the way they'll look.

I guess you could say that I know this guy well.

In fact, I guess you could say that I couldn't live without this guy.

This guy is my husband. My Scoop. And, I'm pretty much head over heels in love with him.

HOLY COW.

Has it really been that long since I updated this thing? June 4th is REALLY the last entry? Yikes.

Updating the blog was on my "To Do" list, but I really didn't think it had been three weeks since I touched it. But, I suppose that's all water under the bridge. Thanks to a favorite aunt and a much-loved Christmas carol from my childhood, I'm back at it.

The only problem is, I still have a major case of writer's block. I have little to no value to add to your lives, I know. So, perhaps, you can add value to mine.

Ok, fine. Here's a completely boring and useless update on our lives:

We flip-flopped seasons out here. Seriously, it has been a little bit ridiculous. We went straight from winter to summer (which was wonderful), and then switched back to spring because God realized he forgot it and didn't want people to know he was asleep at the wheel. Hey, hey - I'm kidding. Anyway, we have quite literally had storms everyday, one after another, for the past five days. I have never seen storms lined up like this.

Clouds + Lightning = Rachel on the deck with a camera...and stupidity. Yep. If you happen to live in Lakeside Village apartments, I'm that crazy lady that has been sitting on the deck in a holey t-shirt and running shorts - with a camera in her lap - for the past week, trying to get a cool picture of lightning. Am I stupid? Probably. Some of that lightning has been nasty!

We're coming home. Again. David's sister and neices will be home over the Fourth of July weekend and Tracie and Neil are also planning to come home that weekend. So, it looks like we'll be making the trip home once again. Be prepared. Oh, and per my usual, I'll have my camera surgically attached to my hip. Let me know if you want fun summer pictures (Ok, fine - I'm only talking to Cheryl. She's the only one who has ever wanted fun summer pictures).

Boredom. You know me - I get bored with my hair pretty easily. In fact, one might suggest I change my hair like some people change clothes. Either way, I've had the same hair cut for about a year and now I'm bored. I'm getting my hair cut next week and, as of right now, I'm thinking shorter (don't tell David). What should I do with this mop (other than color out for four gray hairs I found last night)?

Rachel + Elliptical = Togetha Foreva. I have a new best friend, people. I love my best good friend, Rachel, but she just hasn't been there for me recently like the elliptical has. We're like *this* (fingers crossed). And, I have certainly needed its friendship this week. We had clients in town early in the week, so there was a lot of eating out and drinking beer. Then, tonight, David and I are headed to a baseball game (you guessed it, more beer) and tomorrow, we're playing softball (more beer again).

David + Baseball Pants = SUPER CUTE. As I mentioned above, we're playing softball this summer. Ok, I use the term "we" loosely. David is playing softball and I'm sitting on the bleachers, watching him play softball in his baseball pants. I multi-task by drooling over the baseball pants and trying to keep score for the team. On a sidenote, I'm not very good at multi-tasking, but I'm pretty good at drooling.

I'm good at math. As evidenced by my most recent affinity for equations (see above).

Are you happy now? You have been updated. You now every useless and boring thing that has happened to us in the past few weeks.

I've indulged you - now you indulge me and help out with this writer's block problem. What do you people want to hear about? More baseball pants? Surely not. I could go on and on about the state of the agriculture industry and what I think about the HSUS, but I'm sure you're tired of that by now.

So, what do you want to know? Would you like me to post recipes? Rewrite mine and Scoop's cute little love story? Talk about the lint stuck in between my toes? Ponder on my love affair with the elliptical machine?

Tell me! Inquiring minds want to know!

On the road again...

...I just can't wait to get on the road again.

BECAUSE I'M GOING HOME! HOME! HOME!

I just wish I were more excited about it. Oh, okay - who am I kidding? I can't wait! By the time this entry posts, I'm going to be on the road and headed east.

In Clinton.

For a week.

A WHOLE WEEK.

And then, the angels started signing and all was right with the world.

I'm back!

I have neglected my posting recently because I know you all have better things to do with your time than read lots of nothingness here.

But, I'm back! I finally have some new material. Well, I guess that's not completely true - I have pictures, but that doesn't mean I have anything earth-shattering to say.

Either way - the blog has been updated and you can all rest easy (I know you were worried - don't try to deny it).

Of course, this past weekend was Memorial Day. Not being ones to pass up a long weekend at home, David and I hit the road Friday night and headed for Clinton. I had hoped to get out to Weldon Springs to visit Veteran's Point, but it just didn't happen. Instead, my weekend was filled with picture taking at home, a visit to Mom and Chuck's shop and chatting with friends and family. It was glorious - GLORIOUS I TELL YOU!

Sorry - momentary lapse. I'm back now.

Anyway, David and I got home about midnight Friday night and, as per the usual, David went on to his house and I stayed at mine. In case you're wondering, I like the windows open, fresh air and ceiling fan at home; he likes the air conditioning at his house.

Saturday morning, I got up and helped with chores (camera in tow, of course), snapped some pictures of the regulars and met the newest additions to Baum's Hilltop Farm.

Louise is such a creeper...

EARS!

How freakin' cute is this guy? I mean really.

And this little girl. Let me tell you about this little girl...

She is just the sweetest thing...

And, she loves a good scratch.

Well, I suppose everybody loves a good scratch when you get right down to it.

After chores, Janell and I headed to Chestnut to help Mom move a piece of furniture into her shop. Of course, that turned into an entire afternoon of chatting with Mom and hanging out at the shop. Don't worry - I was okay with that. I used the extra time to snap some pictures of the shop for Mom's website.

After a few hours at the shop, Janell and I headed back home to take some pictures of sale horses and, when we finally had all of that done, she introduced me to the scooter (a bad idea). Finally, it was time for more chores (and more baby pictures!). We ended the night with a bonfire at my cousin's house.

Please ignore the fact that I'm dirty, sweaty and chunky. Oh, and that I am, in fact, still wearing the previous day's make up and haven't yet fixed my hair. Thanks.

On a side note - pictures like these are the reason that I am the one that TAKES the pictures, not the one that is IN the pictures. 

Louise is still a creeper. As I was snapping pictures of the little ones, she insisted she must be in my lap, on top of me and breathing down my neck. Finally, I said, "Louise, would you like your picture taken? Okay, let's take your picture." This is what I got. Like I said, she's a total creeper.

Like I said - glorious. For everyone, including Loretta the Cat.

Sunday was more of the same - more pictures and more time outside. I also made it over to Grandma and Grandpa's (I got a pie baking class with Grandpa and Grandma scheduled for next week - yes!) and then headed to David's to spend some time with him and his family - and their air conditioning and new flat screen TV. Priorities, man. 

 

 

Monday, I spent my time dreading the zero hour when we had to hit the road for home. We finally got back to Nebraska around 9 p.m. and, after eight hours on the road, my super-swollen-and-not-so-beautiful ankles have made a re-appearance. Hopefully, I can get them back to their normal slenderness by Friday when I'm back on the road headed home - again.

Yes, that's right kids! I'm headed back to Clinton next weekend and will be staying in Clinton all week! I wanted to go to the state FFA convention this year and decided to take some time off to make it happen. So, I'll be working from home next week and going to convention to spend some time with a couple of my boys.

Excited doesn't really do justice to how happy I am about this whole scenario.

Because I will be in town a full week, I have already started scheduling friend dates. Let me know if you would like to make an appointment.