"Back to life, back to reality"

Can it be? My last day before I report back to work.... Where has the time gone?? On this last day of vacation I've been blessed with a cloudy, cool (relatively for AZ.) and book-reading morning! Nothing better than staying in bed and reading first thing in the morning for me. It feels like true decadence.

What I did on my Summer vacation...

Remember the first thing you would have to write about when you returned to school each year?? As tomorrow is my "back to school/work" day I have been thinking about what I will say when someone asks me the question..."What did you do this summer?" Before I stumble over the word "nuthin'" I decided I better think it through and recall what I did with my time. So here goes!

BREAD!
After years and years of my family pleading for me to NOT bake bread, they are actually clambering for my bread. What changed? I took classes, grind my own grains and have the right equipment!! I am so pleased with my efforts and love having loaves of bread in the freezer. I have made bread ever other week this whole summer and appreciate the $$ saved. We're eating better and it's fun to share what I can finally do with someone else! Boy, does it feel like a monkey off my back!!

Tortillas!
While not as complicated as bread it's just another thing off my list of what I learned! Our tortillas have ranged from whole grain to tomato tortillas (thank you bountiful garden!) and fantastic corn tortillas with masa from Guadalupe. Yum! I honestly feel like a Suzy-homemaker, but what fun! I sure appreciate our pioneer fore-mothers who had to do it all!!

Spanish for the Slow!!
After 9 weeks you'd think I'd be better! I trudge on but I am so grateful that I teach 1st grade - they are very tolerant of my struggles with their language! I must admit that I'm pretty awesome at reading the language and I can understand kid Spanish, but when adults speak so quickly and if I have to answer - well...it's just not too pretty! I've taken a class all summer on Spanish for school personnel. It's moved rather quickly and I'm pleased with how well I'm doing. Now let's see if I can apply it to the real world! NOT! I am amazed at how much I remember from high school though, that drill and kill from long ago really worked. I can adapt to verbs and conjugations much better than most and I can skate by on weeks when I really didn't want to give it much effort. My goal is to be able to conduct a report card conference without a translator - yikes! We'll see!


Crunchy Granola - Sweet!
Something so easy and something so basic - what fun to perfect this recipe this summer. Can I say that I just feel like an Earth Mother?!?!

Book Pleasure!

She is too fond of books, and it has turned her brain.
Louisa May Alcott
I've spent the summer enjoying the "finer" print. While my "staycation" has kept me in the walls of my own home, in my books I have traveled to far away lands, across oceans, down the street, and to other worlds. Too bad the stamps aren't in my passport but that day will come. I'm grateful for the library and my own well stocked book shelves. I didn't even make a dent in my TBR pile - only added to it. Isn't life grand?!?

Dating on a Dollar - the research!
Rich and I are teaching a class on Dating on a Dollar in September and we've had a blast this summer doing all the research!! We've loved exploring, thinking outside the box, and spending the time on our own relationship! We've gone places we've never been and really feel like we know our community better. We've met great people and enjoyed dates in the morning, afternoon, and evening. I wonder if this is tax deductible?

Well telling someone what I did this summer may not be a one-word answer but more than anything I feel like I fed my soul! And that's the best gift I think I could give myself!